skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Mitigation of biofouling using coatings. Quarterly progress report No. 3

Abstract

Progress is reported in a project in which the objectives are to evaluate benefits associated with control of the surface energetic properties of materials used in heat exchangers, and to identify preferred ranges of these surface conditions that minimize deposits of biological fouling known to deteriorate heat exchange efficiencies in seawater, brackish water and freshwater systems. The technical approach employed uses special diagnostic plates in novel flow cells where fluid flow conditions can be well-controlled, modifying the surface chemistry and surface energy of the plates with very thin coatings and examining the earliest events of biofouling caused by macromolecules and microbial organisms. Information is included on exposure experiments and results and heat exchange experiments.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Calspan Advanced Technology Center, Buffalo, NY (USA)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
6166342
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/10766-3
ON: DE81027900
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-80ER10766
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; COOLING SYSTEMS; BIOLOGICAL FOULING; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; FRESH WATER; PERFORMANCE; RESEARCH PROGRAMS; SEAWATER; SURFACE PROPERTIES; DATA; ENERGY SYSTEMS; FOULING; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; INFORMATION; NUMERICAL DATA; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; WATER; 200101* - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Cooling & Heat Transfer Equipment & Systems

Citation Formats

Meyer, A. E., and King, R. W.. Mitigation of biofouling using coatings. Quarterly progress report No. 3. United States: N. p., 1981. Web. doi:10.2172/6166342.
Copy to clipboard
Meyer, A. E., & King, R. W.. Mitigation of biofouling using coatings. Quarterly progress report No. 3. United States. doi:10.2172/6166342.
Copy to clipboard
Meyer, A. E., and King, R. W.. Mon . "Mitigation of biofouling using coatings. Quarterly progress report No. 3". United States. doi:10.2172/6166342. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6166342.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_6166342,
title = {Mitigation of biofouling using coatings. Quarterly progress report No. 3},
author = {Meyer, A. E. and King, R. W.},
abstractNote = {Progress is reported in a project in which the objectives are to evaluate benefits associated with control of the surface energetic properties of materials used in heat exchangers, and to identify preferred ranges of these surface conditions that minimize deposits of biological fouling known to deteriorate heat exchange efficiencies in seawater, brackish water and freshwater systems. The technical approach employed uses special diagnostic plates in novel flow cells where fluid flow conditions can be well-controlled, modifying the surface chemistry and surface energy of the plates with very thin coatings and examining the earliest events of biofouling caused by macromolecules and microbial organisms. Information is included on exposure experiments and results and heat exchange experiments.},
doi = {10.2172/6166342},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 1981},
month = {Mon Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 1981}
}
Copy to clipboard
Technical Report:
View Technical Report (3.54 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/6166342
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

  • A limited number of flow-cell tests was designed for the spring season in order to determine if there is any seasonal fluctuation of the fouling layers derived from the Niagara River. Chemical characteristics of the Niagara River water during the spring period are given. Significant fouling occurs in the Niagara River system within 10 days. Biofouling, reflected by the number of bacteria observed using scanning electron microscopic methods, is well-established at 10 days. Mineralization, as detected by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis, is in its early stages at this interval of exposure. Internal reflection infrared spectroscopy confirms themore » presence of a well-developed biofilm on all surfaces and further indicates the presence of silicates on medium and high energy surfaces. The most dramatic result is the absence of bacterial on the low energy surface, even though there are large numbers of bacteria on all other surfaces tested. The low energy material represents the type of surface that has been shown to be fouling resistant in many other systems (blood, saliva, and tissue contact, etc.). Based on the limited comparison of data (Fall v spring) completed, there is little evidence of significant seasonal trends in fouling from the Niagara River.« less

  • Bacterial densities on test plates that were exposed for up to 20 days were determined from counts made on representative scanning electron photomicrographs. The growth of mineral scale on the plates was tracked by energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. The contact potential of the outer surface of the plates remains relatively constant throughout the exposure period and from surface-to-surface. Medium energy brass, glass, and stainless steel plates, typifying the surface properties of most common heat transfer surfaces, are considerably more fouled than are very low and low-energy plates after 30 days of exposure. The low energy surface fouls the least of allmore » over the long-term and demonstrates the ability to shed some of its acquired fouling. The low energy surface acquires mineral deposits at a much slower rate than the other surface types.« less

  • ; ;
    Preliminary results (critical surface tension, final contact potential, and film thickness) of the freshwater experiments are given. The critical surface tension (..gamma..c) data are very similar to the results for the brackish Hudson River exposures: both the high energy and the medium energy surfaces acquired films having ..gamma..c's in the 20's (dynes/cm) during the early stages of the experiment. These films were predominantly proteinaceous. As soon as mineral deposition was established, the ..gamma..c's of all of the test surfaces increased to between 40 and 45 dynes/cm. In general, the final contact potentials of the test plates increased through time; themore » average values were 300 to 500 millivolts higher than those observed in the Hudson experiments. To date, all of the film thicknesses for the Niagara River experiments are 1000 Angstroms or less (even after 20 days of exposure). Plates exposed to the Hudson water acquired films of this thickness within only 5 days.« less

  • ; ;
    Progress is reported in research designed to evaluate benefits associated with control of the surface energetic properties of materials used in heat exchangers; and to identify preferred ranges of these surface conditions that minimize deposits of biological fouling known to deteriorate heat exchange efficiencies in seawater, brackish water and freshwater systems. The technical approach employed uses special diagnostic plates in novel flow cells where fluid flow conditions can be well-controlled, modifying the surface chemistry and surface energy of the plates with very thin coatings and examining the earliest events of biofouling caused by macromolecules and microbial organisms. An aquarium systemmore » described previously was equilibrated and some initial exposure experiments were carried out. Six silane compounds were used to coat germanium plates for coating viability experiments.« less

  • ; ;
    Progress is reported in this project to evaluate benefits associated with control of the surface energetic properties of materials used in heat exchangers; and to identify preferred ranges of these surface conditions that minimize deposits of biological fouling known to deteriorate heat exchange efficiencies in seawater, brackish water, and freshwater systems. The technical approach uses special diagnostic plates in novel flow cells where fluid flow conditions can be well-controlled, modifying the surface chemistry and surface energy of the plates with very thin coatings and examining the earliest events of biofouling caused by macromolecules and microbial organisms. A preliminary list ofmore » test surfaces is given. Initial progress was made for measuring heat exchange coefficients using germanium internal reflection plates. A coastal marine aquarium system was established to simulate real-world biofouling conditions.« less