Iron Filtration Chilled Water Loop
Recently a customer contacted Complete Water Solutions after experiencing high levels of iron in the chilled water loop. Iron is a major makeup of the earth’s crust. Iron occurs naturally both in groundwater and surface waters. Waters containing iron are not known to cause any harmful effects in humans. Iron does interfere with many operations, staining on plumbing fixtures, causes difficult situations in distribution systems by supporting the growth of iron bacteria.
The customer had testing performed by their chemical vendor and noticed increased iron levels ranging upwards of 40 PPM. The high iron levels were causing massive issues when it came to the heat exchanger. The customer had multiple cartridge filtration points throughout the entire loop and before each heat exchanger. After the chilled water made it past the cartridge filtration points, it still caused issues in scaling up the heat exchangers. This was due to the heat, which caused the iron to deposit on the surface of the heat exchanger, causing iron scale. This iron scale caused machines to overheat and shut down the production line.
Why Didn’t The Filters Catch The Iron?
The main reason the cartridge filters did not catch the iron is that the iron was in ferrous form. Simply put the iron was not a floating particle that could be trapped in the cartridge filter. In order for iron to go from ferrous (non-particle/dissolved) to ferric (a particle) there needs to be an oxidizer. Some common oxidizers are air, chlorine, ozone to name a few.
What did solve the problem?
Complete Water Solutions provided a greensand iron filtration system. The greensand media is a black filter media used for removing soluble iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic and radium from groundwater supplies. The manganese dioxide-coated surface of GreensandPlus acts as a catalyst in the oxidation-reduction reaction of iron and manganese. The greensand filter was installed in a side stream option. The greensand filter when regenerating used city water so that the chemically treated chilled water would not be wasted.
The greensand filter in combination with bleeding the system in small amounts over time brought the system down from 40 ppm to under 4 ppm within a short amount of time.
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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.
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