|
Case History Report
Water Treatment
Non-chemical Device
Device Evaluated
"Fre-Flo tm" Catalytic Water Conditioner, manufactured by
Arral Industries, Inc., 2101 Carrillo Privado,
Ontario 91761,
ph: 909-947-6585 FAX: 909-923-1531
System Data
A "Water Loop 2000" system, based on the above non-chemical device
(NCD), was installed on a 3,720 ton cooling tower system used for chiller
cooling at the Motorola "Com One" fab in Phoenix,
AZ. The system included the NCD, a bypass
loop with ultraviolet lamps, a pumped bypass sand filter, a BAC
"BioIo" type makeup cartridge iodine feeder, and a conductivity based
blowdown controller. The cooling towers were galvanized steel construction
counterflow units supplied by Evapco.
Claims Made
Sales literature on the NCD claimed that it "alters the physical
properties of water, while retaining the many beneficial properties of the
minerals. Acting as a catalyst, the Fre-Flo tm water conditioner restructures
the hardness minerals, calcium and magnesium - actually puts them into a
suspended state so they do not destructively adhere to pipes and
equipment This prevents scale from forming on equipment surfaces
and de-scales existing deposits."
History
The above NCD system was installed with the cooling towers as a completely
new installation in March, 1995. Makeup was untreated City of Phoenix
city water with the system operated around 4 to 5 cycles. Several months after
installation, plant personnel reported that all the chillers had to be taken
off line and substantial scale deposits removed. PCT personnel visited the site
in November, 1995, and obtained water samples. During the visit, plant
personnel reported that their chiller approach temperatures were at 11 F and
that another physical cleaning of scale from the chiller heat exchangers was
scheduled for the Thanksgiving holiday period. Our examination of the cooling
tower wetted surfaces showed a severe white rust corrosion problem.
Analytical Data
The following data is from the November water samples.
| Parameter |
Makeup |
Cooling Tower |
Expected |
| pH su |
7.49 |
8.68 |
8.75 |
| total alkalinity mg/l |
170 |
424 |
918 |
| conductivity mmhos |
628 |
3370 |
|
| calcium mg/l |
46.0 |
32.0 |
248 |
| magnesium mg/l |
25.0 |
190 |
135 |
| silicon mg/l |
6.5 |
41.3 |
35.1 |
| chloride mg/l |
58 |
254 |
313 |
| dissolved solids mg/l |
340 |
1670 |
|
| total hardness mg/l |
218 |
862 |
1177 |
Discussion
The analytical data clearly shows a major loss of scale
forming constituents from the cycled cooling water. This, coupled with the
reported scale problems in the chillers, indicates that the "Fre-Flo
tm" catalytic conditioner is not preventing scale formation to any
significant degree.
Our observation of a severe white rust problem is a good indication that the
device is of no use for control of this particular form of high pH corrosion.
Literature supplied on the NCD makes no mention of any physical or chemical
properties to explain its ability to prevent scale formation other than its
acting a "catalyst" to "restructure" hardness minerals into
a suspended state that was non-adherent to pipes and equipment.
Conclusion
Based on the reported scale problems, analytical data, and literature; we
have concluded that the "Fre-Flo tm" Catalytic Water Conditioner has
not controlled scale formation in the treated cooling tower system to any
significant degree. The observation of a severe white rust problem also
demonstrates that this NCD does not control this particular form of high pH
corrosion in a significant manner.
Reporter
Timothy Keister, FAIC, CWT
Chief Chemist
|