Chemical treatment of water in closed loops is not as straightforward as feeding necessary chemicals. It involves utilizing the correct equipment and scheduling regular tasks.
A loop is a “closed loop” if they are pressurized and sealed from the atmosphere. The following tips will apply to both closed and semi-closed loops.
Required Closed Loop Treatment Tips:
Every loop shall have a shot feeder, filter feeder, or centrifugal separator. Filtering is necessary to prevent contaminants from recirculating in the closed loop system.
Shot feeders, filter feeders, or centrifugal separators shall be plumbed in steel or copper with dielectric unions as needed. These unions help prevent different types of metals from causing corrosion.
All filters shall be firmly affixed to the floor.
Tests should be taken and measured consistently, such as once a week. Testing regularly helps monitor water quality and ensures that issues like scale do not develop.
Closed loops shall be chemically dosed at least annually with an appropriate biocide and more frequently if there are problems.
Closed loops shall be treated with an oxygen scavenger product. This is to help prevent corrosion.
Oxygen scavenger products shall not be fed automatically with a chemical pump.
Semi-closed shall be treated with the appropriate treatment product. Since it is not fully closed, the treatment may differ.
Cleaning and flushing the closed loop. This helps give a clean slate, especially if the closed loop system had not been treated in the past.
Recommended Closed Loop Treatment Tips:
Utilizing bag filters or centrifugal filters. This is especially important if the iron level is above 2.0 ppm to avoid fouling heat exchangers.
If a closed loop or semi-closed loop system makes up more than 10% of its volume per year, it is recommended to develop a customized water treatment plan that is more involved than lower volume loops.
Is Treatment Necessary for Closed Loops?
Although closed loops have fewer outside contaminants as the same water is being recirculated, chemical water treatment is still necessary. Often, it is easier to treat a closed loop as it does not require as much regular treatment as other equipment, such as cooling towers. For further information on closed loop chemical water treatment, here is a guide on the fundamentals of closed loop water treatment.
Chardon Labs Closed Loop Service Expertise
Chardon Labs is one of the leaders in the closed loop chemical water treatment industry. To schedule a free survey of your closed loop equipment, reach out to us here. Our service technicians follow all these tips, as well as several others. We document all service visits and control issues such as corrosion preemptively.
Matt Welsh
Matt Welsh is the Vice President and Water Consultant at Chardon Labs. He helps consult a wide range of customers utilizing various methods of water treatment, from chemical to chemical-free approaches, large and small applications, and across a wide range of geographical influences. With 20 years of water treatment experience, including a wide range of troubleshooting and service in potable water and non-potable HVAC and industrial applications, he is an expert in water treatment chemistry for cooling towers, boilers, and closed-loop systems.
