Alternative To Lowering Cooling Tower pH
Complete Water Solutions was tasked to assist a customer with alternatives to lowering the cooling tower pH to meet the state DNR discharge limits.
Cooling Tower pH Solution
Current situation:
The customer had several cooling water loops and towers that are all tied together. The cooling water is used to cool metal treating and forming equipment. Recently the state DNR put a discharge high limit of 9 pH. With the current chemical treatment along with the incoming water source having a high pH it made it nearly impossible to hit the limit without some form of treatment.
Standard treatment to lowering cooling tower pH usual comes in the form of chemical treatment. Using such products as citric acid, or other acid’s to lower the over all pH or the discharge pH. The customer tried this and had a few issues. One being severe foaming and the other being a safety concern. With the limited staff to monitor the system along with limited time to deal with foaming issues the customer searched for another option.
We took some water samples to analyze, we also modeled Reverse Osmosis water as a blended make-up. Once the modeling had been completed, Complete Water Solutions was able to verify that Reverse Osmosis / Blended with soft water could provide a lower pH feed water thus eliminating the need for acid injection to help lower pH. There were also a few side benefits to using Reverse Osmosis Water, one of them was lowering the over TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), which increased the cycles in the tower, resulting in less blowdown.
For this system we selected the following equipment
Fleck 3150 Carbon Filter w/ Lockout switch
The fleck 3150 carbon filter was a great choice as it met the flow requirements with minimal pressure loss when in operation. Also, these units are equipped with a lockout switch. This allows the carbon filter to backwash and shut down the Reverse Osmosis systems, after backwashing the RO systems will resume operation. The fleck 3150 has been a great product and has been around for many years.
Osmonics / Veolia E4-13200-DLX Reverse Osmosis
The Osmonics Reverse Osmosis System has been the work horse of the industry for many years. The units selected here are equipped with cold water membranes allowing the unit to produce the designed flow rates @ 55 Degree F Water. Thus eliminating the need to pre-heat the water. The RO system comes with the Hanna Instrument Conductivity Mini Controller, along with the durable Tonkaflo Pump Model SS1823X. Later in 2019 Veolia will be announcing a Proflex option which will allow you to use a PLC to control the RO System.
Ebara Distribution Pump
The ro water is stored in a tank, from there it is pumped to feed the cooling loop. The pump selected was an Ebara ACDU pump with a 3 Phase Motor to help keep the AMP loading down. The ACDU pump is a stainless steel durable pump.
Do you have a specific water requirement to meet?
With over 30 years of hands-on experience in the water treatment industry, Nathan Olszak is a trusted water treatment expert. He specializes in designing, engineering, and servicing water treatment systems. As the owner of Complete Water Solutions, Osmonics, and Membrane Cleaning Pro, Nathan has built a reputation for delivering customized water treatment solutions that enhance efficiency, reliability, and water quality across various industries, including the medical, commercial, and manufacturing sectors.
Nathan’s journey in water treatment began as a service technician. He gained in-depth knowledge by working with all major brands of equipment, including Veolia, Suez, Bruner, Culligan, Pentair, Aquamatic, Osmonics, GE Water, Marlo, Lakeside, Fleck, Autotrol, US Filter, ION Pure, Siemens, Evoqua, and many others. This hands-on expertise, combined with his technical certifications, has made him a leader in water system engineering and water management.
Credentials & Expertise
- Certifications: David H. Paul Reverse Osmosis Certification, PLC Programming
- License: Power Plant Operating Engineer 3rd Class
- Specialties:
- Design & engineering of water treatment systems and advanced water systems
- Custom water filtration systems and solutions
- Installation, automation, and repair of water treatment systems
- Expertise in Reverse Osmosis (RO), Deionization, Water Softening, Carbon Filtration, Iron Filtration, UV Treatment, Ultrafiltration (UF), Process Filtration, CEDI/EDI, and more
- Specialized knowledge in Boiler Feed Water, Tower Makeup Water, and drinking water production for industries such as bottling, pharmaceuticals, and food processing
- Project management and reclaiming of water system waste for other uses
- Evaluation of raw water sources and potential contamination risks
- Industrial water treatment strategies to prevent corrosion and optimize system performance
- Boiler water treatment to enhance energy efficiency and system longevity
Nathan’s commitment to excellence extends beyond equipment sales and service. He works closely with clients to develop tailored water treatment services that optimize performance and meet their operations’ unique demands. His expertise covers methods that mitigate water impurities, ensure fresh water accessibility, and maintain regulatory compliance. It also includes the design of high-efficiency reverse osmosis systems for industrial use.
Nathan focuses on the latest technology in water conditioning, water softeners, filters, and pumps to improve maintenance and efficiency. His experience in laboratory testing and biofilm control ensures the highest industry standards in water treatment processes and water management.
Additionally, his deep understanding of infrastructure and water data analysis provides long-term, cost-effective solutions that promote health and safety. His expertise ensures that businesses receive top-tier, quality water treatment solutions.
For insights into the latest industry trends, innovations, and best practices, explore the Complete Water Solutions Blog, where Nathan shares valuable information on water filtration systems, sustainability, and water solutions engineering.
Give Us A Call (855) 787-4200 or Email info@complete-water.com
