The effect of copolymer and iron on the fouling characteristics of cooling-tower water containing corrosion inhibitors

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6463069

Abu-Al-Saud, A A

Various antifoulant treatment programs and the considerations necessary for the effective use of such programs were examined. Two different groups of tests, with and without iron contamination, have been carried out on the effectiveness of several of the state-of-the-art copolymers (PA, HEDP, AA/HPA, AA/MA, SS/MA and AA/SA) in the inhibition of the fouling of high hardness cooling tower water containing phosphate corrosion inhibitors (polyphosphates and orthophosphates). The tests were conducted on metal surfaces (SS, CS, Adm, and Cu/Ni), using simulated cooling water in a specially designed cooling tower system. For each group of tests at various pH values (6.5, 7.5 and 8.5), the effects of flow velocity (3.0, 5.5, 8.0 ft/sec) and heat transfer surface temperature (130, 145, 160{degree}F) on the fouling characteristics of cooling tower water have been investigated. During the course of each test, the water quality was kept constant. For the iron tests, the effects of iron presence (2, 3 and 4 ppm Fe) on the fouling characteristics of the cooling tower water have been investigated and discussed for three different situations: (1) High hardness cooling tower water and iron. (2) High hardness cooling tower water, iron and phosphate corrosion inhibitors. (3) High hardness cooling tower water, iron, phosphate corrosion inhibitors and copolymers. When fouling occurred, measurements were made of the fouling thermal resistance as a function of time. Four different fouling curves were obtained, linear, concave upward, asymptotic and sawtooth curves. The fouling data obtained were correlated with the Heat Transfer Research, Inc. (HTRI) model and fouling predictive equations and charts were developed. For the two groups of tests, the effectiveness of each copolymer has been evaluated and the threshold values of surface temperature, flow velocity and pH have been identified.

• Research Organization: Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6463069
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200101* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Cooling & Heat Transfer Equipment & Systems
ALLOYS
CARBON STEELS
CHEMISTRY
COMPUTER CODES
COOLING TOWERS
COPOLYMERS
COPPER ALLOYS
CORROSION INHIBITORS
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EQUATIONS
FLOW RATE
FOULING
H CODES
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
IRON
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
LIMITING VALUES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
METALS
NICKEL ALLOYS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PH VALUE
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
POLYMERS
PREDICTION EQUATIONS
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TESTING
TIME DEPENDENCE
TOWERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER QUALITY