COOLING WATER SYSTEM

Why are Cooling Water

Systems Needed?
Most industrial production processes need cooling water
for efficient, proper operation.
Refineries
steel mills
petrochemical plants
manufacturing facilities
food plants
etc.
Cooling water systems control temperatures and
pressures by transferring heat from hot process fluids into the
cooling water, which carries the heat away.

OUTLINE
1. Types and Features of Cooling Water System
2. Equipments and Materials in Cooling Water
Systems
3. Water Balance in Cooling Water Systems
4. Problems Occurred in Cooling Water
Systems

Types and Features of Cooling Water

System
a. Open recirculating cooling water system

b. Closed recirculating cooling water system

c. Once through cooling water system

Equipments and Materials in Cooling

Water Systems
1. Cooling towers
Cooling tower is used to cool hot water for
the recycling. In the cooling tower, hot water
contacts with cold air and some portion of
the water evaporates. As the result, the hot
water is cooled by releasing the latent heat
of evaporation.

 Cooling towers are classified into

two major types.
1. natural draft type where air is
supplied by natural convection
2. mechanical draft type where
air is supplied by fan. The
mechanical draft type includes
forced draft and induced draft
types

2. Heat
exchangers
a.

c.

Structures and features

Heat exchangers are used as
coolers, heaters, condensers or
evaporators depending on the
requirement.
tubular heat exchangers
double tube heat exchangers
Spiral tube heat exchangers
irrigation coolers, plate heat
exchangers
air fin coolers.

Over-all heat transfer coefficient

The U-value is decreased by
fouling with scale, corrosion products and
slime during the operation of heat
exchanger. The reduction rate in U-value
becomes bigger for the heat exchanger of
higher U-value under the same level of
fouling.

b. Heat Flux
Heat flux is defined as the heat
removed from the process fluid by the
cooling water per unit area and per unit
time. The higher heat flux, the greater
possibility of scale
or corrosion problems in heat exchangers

d.

Fouling factor
Fouling factor indicates the
degree of fouling by scale and other
deposits in the heat exchanger. Heat
exchangers are commonly designed with
the water side fouling factors (designed 2)
in the range of 0.0002 to 0.0006
m2hC/kcal, depending
on the expected fouling tendency of the
cooling water.

3. Cooling water circulation pump

Turbine pumps are usually used for
circulating water in cooling water systems.
4. Metals in general use
Equipments in contact with the
cooling water are heat exchangers, pipings,
pumps, cooling towers, cooling tower basins
and the sensors of measuring instruments.

3. Water Balance in
Cooling Water Systems
a) Water balance in open
recirculating cooling water
system

Evaporation loss

Windage loss
Blowdown water quantity

Make-up water quantity

Cycles of concentration (number of
cycles)
Retention time and half life time

b) Water balance in closed recirculating cooling water system

In closed recirculating cooling water system, the water is
scarcely lost by evaporation and windage. The water loss in
this system is generally corresponded to the leakage from
circulation pumps. Thus, water is supplied to make-up this
leakage.

PROBLEMS OCCURRED IN COOLING WATER

CORROSION BIOFOULING
SCALE

CORROSION

CORROSION

How does Corrosion take Place?

For corrosion to occur, a corrosion

cell,
consisting of an anode, a cathode, and
an electrolyte must exist. Metal ions
dissolve into the electrolyte (water)
at the anode. Electrically charged
particles (electrons) are left behind.
These electrons flow through the
metal
to other points (cathodes) where
electron-consuming reactions occur.
The result of this activity is the loss of
metal and often the formation of a
deposit.
What is Corrosion?

CORROSION

Corrosion is an electrochemical
process by which a metal returns to
natural oxide state. For example, m
steel is a commonly used metal in
cooling water systems that is very
susceptible to corrosion. Corrosio
causes loss of metal thickness or ev
penetration of tube walls which ca
cause leakage of process fluids into
cooling water or vice versa. Corrosi
is generally a greater concern with
more common, lower cost materia
like mild steel.

EXAMPLE

Localized (or pitting) attack

exists
when only small areas of the
metal
General attack exists when the
corrode. Pitting is the most
corrosion is uniformly distributed over
serious
the metal surface. The considerable form of corrosion because the
amount of iron oxide produced by
action is
generalized attack contributes to
concentrated in a small area.
fouling problems and reduces system
Pitting may
efficiency.
perforate the metal in a short
time.
Galvanic attack can occur when
General corrosion
two
different metals are in contact.
The
more active metal corrodes
rapidly.
Common examples in water
systems
are steel and brass, aluminum and
steel,
and zinc and steel. If galvanic
attack
occurs, the metal named first will

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF

CORROSIVE ATTACK

CORROSION PREVENTION

FUNCTIONAL MECHANISMS OF CORROSION

INHIBITORS

Corrosion inhibitors for cooling water

systems
are water soluble, however, they form
insoluble
films on metal surfaces. This film is called
protective film and inhibits corrosion
reaction by preventing the hydration of
metal ions or the reduction of
dissolved oxygen on the metal surface.
The
function of the protective film is closely
related to
the effect of corrosion inhibitors.

FACTOR INFLUENCING THE EFFECTS OF CORROSION

INHIBITORS

PH
CALCIUM HARDNESS
CONCENTRATION OF AGGRESSIVE
ANIONS
RESIDUAL CHLORINE
CONCENTRATION
WATER TEMPERATURE
WATER FLOW RATE

PH

WATER TEMPERATURE

RESIDUAL CHLORINE
CONCENTRATION

PREVENTING CORROSION

choose corrosion-resistant
materials

Apply protective coatings

Protect cathodically

Calcium
carbonate
Calcium
phosphate
Magnesium
silicate
Silica

Scale is a dense coating of predominantly

inorganic material formed from the
precipitation of water-soluble
constituents

SCALE

WHY DOES SCALE FORM?

Scale results when dissolved ions in the water
exceed the solubility of a given mineral.
Temperature
Alkalinity or acidity (pH)
Amount of scale-forming material present
Influence of other dissolved materials, which may or may not be scaleforming

Make mechanical changes in the

system to reduce the chances for
scale formation. Increased water
flow and exchangers with larger
surface areas
Feed acid to keep the common
scale-forming minerals (such as
calcium carbonate) dissolved. Most,
but not all, minerals are more
soluble at lower pH.

Treat with chemicals designed

to
prevent scale.

Limit the concentration of

scaleforming minerals by controlling
concentration ratio or by removing
the minerals before they enter the
system. Concentration ratio is the
ratio of dissolved solids in the
blowdown to dissolved solids in the
makeup.

HOW CAN SCALE FORMATION BE

CONTROLLED?

 Dirt and silt

Sand
Corrosion
products
Natural organics
Microbial
masses
Aluminum
phosphates
Iron phosphate

 Water characteristics
Temperature
Flow velocity
Microbial growth
Corrosion
Contamination
WHAT INFLUENCES FOULING IN A
COOLING SYSTEM?

HOW CAN FOULING BE CONTROLLED?

Fouling can be controlled mechanically or by the use of
chemical treatments. The best method of control depends
upon the type of fouling. Control of fouling in the cooling
system involves three major tactics:
1. Prevention The best approach is
to prevent foulants from entering
the cooling system. This may include
mechanical changes or addition of
chemicals to clarify makeup water.

2. Reduction Take steps to remove

or reduce the volume of foulants
that unavoidably enter the system.
This may involve sidestream filtering
or periodic tower basin cleaning.

3. Ongoing Control Take regular

action to minimize deposition of the
foulants in the system. This can
include adding chemical dispersants
and air rumbling or back flushing
exchangers.

BIOFOULING
adalah pertumbuhan tidak terkontrol dari
mikroba yang dapat menimbulkan
pembentukan deposit, fouling, corrosion
dan scale Menara pendingin (cooling tower )
merupakan bagian dari sistem air pendingin
yang memberikan lingkungan yang baik untuk
pertumbuhan dan perkembangan
mikroorganisma.

Cara Mencegah
Penyaringan
Pemakaian bahan pengontrol lumut
(sterilisasi)
Peredaman pertumbuhan mikroorganisme
Pengikisan lumut