Fouling associated with the excessive growth of microorganisms including bacteria, algae, and fungi is a natural, but preventable, issue in most cooling tower systems. As a common problem, facilities have a variety of chemical and mechanical disinfection solutions available when developing a treatment program. A South Dakota industrial manufacturer was combining ozone and a non-oxidizing microbiocide to manage microbiological growth in their cooling water system. Unfortunately, this solution was not controlling fouling as anticipated, preventing the facility from achieving its operational goals. Furthermore, operators were manually feeding additional microbicide chemicals including bleach, to the cooling tower sump, multiple times during the week. This required additional handling and the need for appropriate PPE. The facility looked to their water treatment partner, U.S. Water, for a solution that would minimize operator risk and chemical handling, while increasing system performance.
As an alternative to the current program, U.S. Water recommended A MIOX mixed oxidant generating system for primary disinfection. The MIOX system uses salt combined with electricity to generate disinfectant at the point of use, and can be fed directly into the tower sump or injected into the circulation loop. The automated unit eliminates the delivery, storage and handling of hazardous chemicals. Not only is operator safety increased, chemical dosage is also managed and maintained. The MIOX unit, paired with U.S. Water’s cooling tower control system, measures water temperature, pump speed and flow rate to ensure a safe and efficient cooling tower management program.
The MIOX unit has been effectively protecting the cooling towers from microbiological fouling since implementation. Operators have noticed visible improvements to the cleanliness of the system, including the sump and filter screens, and a reduction of algae in the basin. Clean cooling tower and heat exchanger surfaces help to maintain necessary temperature differentials and achieve maximum heat transfer efficiency while optimizing water use. The facility has reduced its chemical usage by over 2,000 pounds, saving approximately $8,300 annually while eliminating the chemical handling risks and manual maintenance for the operators.