Legionella TREATMENT AND CONTROL

The control of biological growth in cooling systems is a major concern for anyone operating these types of systems. Infectious bacteria can be transmitted in the aerosol from evaporative cooling systems. Legionella bacteria have become a major concern due the severe pneumonia that it causes, which has been linked to a number of deaths since its discovery in 1977. Although there are relatively few cases of illness from Legionella in the US, it is well adapted to thrive in man-made cooling systems. Proper treatment has been developed that is very effective in reducing the risk of spreading the Legionella bacteria. ProChemTech has worked with a number of customers to directly monitor growth of legionella in systems. We are proud to be a key part of reducing the risk and liability of our customers.

The legionella bacteria are commonly found in soil and natural water systems. Dirt and biofilms are common hiding places for legionella bacteria in cooling systems. Keeping systems clean is an essential part of controlling legionella bacteria in the system. We implement filtration in many systems to allow cleaner operation of the system and better effect of biocide dosing. We have implemented dispersants in a number of our treatment products to help improve the effectiveness of the biocide, as well as remove solids from the system.

Controlling overall bacterial growth in cooling tower systems is essential to normal operation, but also can be a good in helping control Legionella growth in the system. Our treatment programs include the most effective control of biological organisms, including Legionella bacteria. We provide routine biological testing of systems as a part of our service and can include Legionella testing of systems when requested.

Many companies rely on a dual biocide program, alternating the use of an oxidizing and non-oxidizing biocide; however, we have found that a single highly effective oxidizing biocide can be continually effective at controlling biological growth. We run our stabilized bromine product as a sole biocide in most evaporative cooling systems with excellent results. We also have patented electrobrom generators that manufacture a bromine biocide on demand. This allows the same, highly effective, biocide to be manufactured on site from completely non-hazardous, low cost precursor salt mixtures. These systems can be sized for any system.

Our patented soft water treatment, Aqua-Ionic, was intended to eliminate scaling and reduce water usage. Running high cycles of concentration, systems on this treatment program typically have a pH between 9.0 and 10.0 and a very high TDS. Testing on a number of these systems shows much lower overall bacteria levels and satisfactory Legionella results.

Our technicians ensure that our treatment programs function as intended and provide the most effective control of the system. Our programs are developed with legionella control in mind and our routine service confirms proper operation of the program. We are proud to ensure the health and safety of the systems and facilities we work in.