Typical heating or cooling systems include three types of loops: a chilled water loop, a refrigerant gas loop and a cooling tower water loop. These types of closed loop systems are susceptible to leaks that can lead to contamination-forming corrosion and bacteria in the cooling water that may ultimately cause a total system failure.
Chardon Laboratories can provide effective chemical treatment for closed loop systems that can prevent leakage and other troublesome issues from occurring. Our ISO-certified technicians can perform a wide range of services that will keep your closed loop water cooling system operating at peak efficiency, while also minimizing the risk of extensive damage.
Though closed loop systems exhibit excellent efficiency, adaptability and contaminant prevention, they require proper maintenance to prevent damage resulting from corrosion, low pH, microbial growth, particulate matter deposits and dissolved gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen. These unwanted substances can enter closed circuit systems in numerous ways.
Usually, closed loop water systems feature demineralized water in their cooling water makeup. In these cases, proper treatment is crucial to prevent corrosion and freezing.
The piping in closed systems is typically carbon steel, while chiller assemblies and other heat exchange surfaces may be copper or aluminum. Your heat exchanger may also feature stainless steel plates. With so many metal alloys present in your water system, it’s vital that you procure the necessary maintenance to prevent corrosion-related pipe damage. The most common type of corrosion for closed loop water systems is oxygen pitting, which can lead to rusty water and abrasion.
Oxygen pitting begins with a deposit that expands across a portion of the metal surface, creating a contrast between the oxygen content beneath the deposit and the oxygen in the water. The surface underneath the deposit becomes deprived of oxygen, resulting in an anode, while the space around it becomes a cathode. This combination of electrodes increases pitting, concentrating it in one area and producing pinhole leaks within the pipes.
Bacteria can also multiply within closed water systems, creating a living deposit with acidic byproducts. As bacterial respiration takes in oxygen, it increases the risk of corrosion to the base metal.
There are four types of closed systems, each with different qualities and characteristics that carry the risk of oxygen pitting and corrosion. If you have any of the following water systems in your facility, you should consider investing in closed loop treatment to protect your water and piping.
Hot water closed loop systems often feature powerful boilers coupled with aluminum heat exchanges to warm the water. Aluminum cannot withstand the high pH levels that standard closed loop water treatment products contain, requiring the use of compatible corrosion inhibitors to protect the heat exchangers and other metal components from corrosion.
If your hot water system endures a leak, it’ll take in freshwater containing oxygen, increasing the likelihood of pitting.
Chilled water closed loop systems contain numerous metals, such as steel, copper and copper alloys. When copper corrodes, the copper ions in the water interact with the steel, resulting in galvanic corrosion. That’s why it’s vital that these systems receive closed loop treatment to ensure that all metals within the system have protection.
Most often found in heating pump applications, tempered water systems are highly similar in composition to both hot and chilled water systems when in heating or cooling mode. Because they’re comparable to other closed loops systems, tempered water networks pose the same risks and, therefore, have the same treatment requirements.
Like tempered water configurations, process water closed circuits have many similar characteristics to chilled and hot water systems. However, some systems have much smaller cooling water channels than others, meaning filtration is crucial to their performance. For example, point-of-use filters are beneficial for maintaining adequate suspended solid levels within the cooling water.
This includes minor preventive maintenance steps such as changing filters, pH and conductivity testing as well as complete cleaning and flushing, replacement equipment and much more.
Chardon Labs implements a number of effective techniques for preventing corrosion. We work with the dissolved solids within the system, to render the water less aggressive, and thus, less corrosive. We accomplish this by utilizing the various proprietary chemicals to treat the water.
We also eliminate corrosion by maintaining the optimal pH level in the loop water within the noncorrosive range. This can be achieved by adjusting the pH with various chemicals. Controlling the pH will also help with problems associated with iron.
In closed looped systems that have no exposure to air, the best way to minimize the risk of corrosion is removing oxygen from the water. This will slow the spread of corrosion on metal surfaces. The implementation of the proper water treatment chemicals removes oxygen, thereby reducing the risk of corrosion.
Another method we employ for preventing corrosion is the use of compounds that form protective films on closed loop system surfaces. These chemicals will protect and passivate metallic surfaces.
Properly treating your industrial or commercial system depends on the use of the appropriate chemicals. The right solutions are vital for preventing corrosion, scale, pitting and microbial growth. At Chardon Labs, we have a comprehensive assortment of chemical treatments for our closed loop water services. When you partner with us, we’ll assess your water treatment needs and choose a chemical that best serves your specific applications, ensuring that you experience maximum system performance and efficiency.
Corrosion inhibitors protect metals and alloys that come into contact with fluids, making them ideal for closed water systems. These chemicals are used to manage two of the most common issues — rust and scale.
Some of the most effective corrosion inhibitors for closed loop systems include molybdate, nitrite and chromate.
Non-oxidizing biocides are antibacterial chemicals that are primarily used to limit biological and bacterial growth. These substances are also helpful in managing water quality issues, pH levels and toxicity.
Though we carry oxidizing biocides in our chemicals inventory, non-oxidizing treatments tend to be more effective for closed loop systems. Examples of non-oxidizing biocides that are most beneficial for closed loops include isothiazolinone, bronopol and 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide, also known as DBNPA.
It’s essential to pretreat your industrial water system to maximize equipment lifespan and prepare surfaces for corrosion inhibitors. Usually, the pretreatment process for cooling water systems includes two separate phases, including precleaning for foreign matter removal and prefilming to promote inhibiting film formation.
Azoles are standard solutions for pretreating water systems containing copper alloy components and are usually applied to individual exchangers rather than the entire system.
Antifoaming chemicals do exactly what their name implies — eliminate excess foam from closed loops. Foam can harm closed systems by damaging equipment and creating safety hazards. Antifoaming agents minimize the effects of foam by spreading rapidly across foamy surfaces to rupture bubbles and prevent further foam generation. These chemicals can be hydrocarbon-, silicone- or organic-based.
“I have been extremely happy with the service provided by Chardon Laboratories. Domonic has been very helpful with all aspects of our systems, especially concerning Cooling Towers. My hope is that we can continue to keep working together for a…
Even if it doesn’t look like your commercial or industrial water treatment systems are damaged or contaminated, there may be unaddressed issues taking place within your pipes. That’s why it’s crucial to invest in the proper treatment for your closed circuit system.
When you schedule closed loop water treatment services with Chardon Laboratories, our team of International Organization for Standardization (ISO-) certified service technicians will administer the chemicals necessary for keeping your system clean and free of harmful contaminants. When you book services with us, you’ll enjoy all the following benefits:
Companies use closed systems in numerous practices, such as process cooling, emergency use and bearing cooling, as well as oil, lube and air compressor chilling. Closed cooling is suitable for these applications and more due to their easily controllable chemistry.
Regardless of the application, any commercial or industrial organization with a closed circuit water system can benefit from professional treatment services. Neglect of water treatment and monitoring can result in fouling and corrosion, which may have a negative impact on equipment and water quality.
Some of the many industries that invest in treatment and maintenance for their closed loop constructions include:
At Chardon Laboratories, we’ve delivered top-of-the-line water treatment testing services and products to our customers with a service-oriented approach since our establishment in 1966. Today, we’re living out that same commitment to providing superior customer service over 55 years later. When you do business with us, we’ll work with you directly to devise a water treatment plan customized to your individualized needs.
Other perks you can expect to receive when booking services through Chardon include:
Your closed loop system is just as susceptible to malfunction as any open system. Undiagnosed leaks permit air to enter the system, allowing for corrosion and bacteria to begin contaminating the cooling water.
Filters must be changed regularly, and pH and conductivity must be tested to prevent corrosion and deterioration of components to allow for adequate heat transfer efficiency. Your closed loop may be corroding from the inside out and you might not even know it. A proper flush and regular testing of the loop water is required to ensure the longevity of the entire system.
Contact Us today to request a free evaluation of your closed loop system and find out the potential savings you could missing out on.
ASHRAE defines a “closed loop” as a system that loses less than 10% of its volume annually. Most plastic injection mold loops lose significantly more than 10% of their volume when mold tools are changed.
Figure out how much water your mold tools hold, then multiply that volume by the number of mold changes you make each year.
Add in cleaning and flushing of the water attachment manifold (you do flush the water manifold before connecting the new, clean mold, right?) and any other cleaning and maintenance practices that include water replacement.
Multiply that number by ten and compare it to your system volume.
Closed loop systems, while theoretically should not require much attention or equipment, are still prone to corrosion and leaks caused by a multitude of factors. Depending on the metal composition of the loops in your system, the pH of the water, as well as the dissolved solids, could have a corrosive effect on the piping.
Using equipment such as a pH probe or different kinds of filtration (bag filters, centrifugal separators) could help prevent these corrosive problems in closed loops. Other equipment could include any biocide feeder or shot feeder system to prevent damage from microbiological growth and fouling in the loops.
Contact us today to receive a quote on any of the closed loop equipment we carry!
Learn more about Filter Feeders.
If you need to prevent corrosion, oxygen pitting and other hazards from infiltrating your water system, consider investing in closed loop treatment services from Chardon Laboratories. We pride ourselves on providing our customers with the chemicals and services they need to deliver the best possible results at the lowest possible prices. With over five decades of experience providing customers of all industries with reliable water treatment products and services, we’re the company you can trust.
Contact Chardon Laboratories to learn more about chemical treatment for closed loop systems and our other effective treatment solutions today.
