Why are Chemicals Used in Cooling Towers?


A cooling tower water treatment system is made up of technologies that are required to regulate the levels of:
1.    Alkalinity
2.    Chlorides
3.    Hardness
4.    Iron
5.    Organic matter
6.    Silica
7.    Sulfates
8.    Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
9.    Totals Suspended Solids (TSS)
There are a number of chemical companies in India and all over the world that provide the necessary chemicals to help regulate the aforementioned elements.
Let us look at how a cooling tower water treatment system works
Specific treatment processes differ on the basis of the requirements of cooling towers along with the chemistry of the water feed and circulated water. The functioning of a typical cooling tower system includes the following steps:
1. Cooling tower makeup water intake
Makeup water also known as the water that replaces the water that has evaporated or been leaked from the cooling tower is first drawn from its source. This source can be raw water, city water, city-treated effluent, in-plant wastewater recycle, well water, or any other surface water source.
The quality of water determines the water treatment method. At this stage, a water treatment system is most commonly needed to reduce the hardness of water and eliminate silica that causes hard deposits. The pH of water is also stabilised during treatment.
2.Filtration and ultrafiltration
The cooling tower water is run through some type of filtration to remove suspended particles that may be present in the form of sediment, turbidity, and organic matter. The earlier this is done, the better it is as removal of these pollutants can help in protecting membranes and ion exchange resins from getting damaged during the pre-treatment process.
3. Water softening
Water from the source usually contains a high level of hardness which requires treatment. A resin can be used for softening water. A strong acid cation exchange process is carried out where a resin that is charged with a sodium ion attracts the pollutants which could cause scale deposits and rust if allowed to persist.
4. Chemical addition
Chemicals are added to water in cooling water systems, which are majorly of the following types:
i) Corrosion Inhibitors : These help to neutralize acidity and protect metal components
ii) Algaecides and biocide: These are used to prevent the growth of microbes and biofilms
iii) Scale inhibitors: They are important to stop contaminants from forming scale deposits
No two industrial cooling water systems are the same. Raw water, quality of air, flow rates, temperature, humidity, and metallurgy are some factors that can impact a cooling system. Water treatment programs are designed specifically for the needs of your facility. Thermax, among the leading chemical companies in India, offers water treatment plans that are based on a thorough assessment of the process, water chemistry, cooling requirements, and metallurgy of your industrial cooling system.
They also offer chemicals that help prevent corrosion, and other fouling from taking place in your cooling system. Their water treatment chemicals are known for reducing and treating any issues that arise in the industrial cooling systems.

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