Cooling System Filtration: Methods & Benefits

This webinar explains how cooling towers can collect significant amounts of airborne contaminants that can reduce system efficiency, be a site for growth of bacteria and organisms, and result in increased usage of water treatment chemicals. Sidestream filtration is discussed and recognized as a method to reduce contaminants.

Open recirculating cooling systems are used in many industrial plants. Cooling towers, a critical component in these systems, reject waste heat to the atmosphere by evaporating water but also act as air-scrubbers and can collect significant amounts of airborne contaminants. These contaminants often build up to significant levels in the system and are not efficiently removed by normal tower blowdown, which can result in fouling that reduces system efficiency, can be a site for growth of bacteria and organisms, and result in increased usage of water treatment chemicals.

In closed cooling system loops, corrosion by-products such as iron/rust can foul heat exchangers, create locations for bacteria to proliferate, and result in under-deposit corrosion issues.

Sidestream filtration is a recognized method of reducing contaminants in both open and closed recirculating water systems. Both the US Department of Energy and the cooling tower manufacturers advocate the installation of a filter on these systems as a best practice. This webinar will review some of the fouling and bacterial issues caused by contaminants in cooling systems and will present the benefits and methods of various filtration techniques.

Learning Objectives

• Gain knowledge on the key issues that you may encounter in your cooling water system
• Review the cooling water triangle
• Learn about fouling and bacterial issues caused by contaminants in cooling systems
• Learn the guidelines for choosing a filter

About the Presenters

Bob Bradley
Recently retired engineer and technology manager with more than 40 years of experience designing water treatment systems at Veolia, Indeck, Hydrometrics, Permutit, and Nalco. Publisher of more than 40 articles and papers on various topics in water treatment.  Holds five U.S. patents covering filtration, biological oxidation, and reverse osmosis topics. BS in chemical engineering, University of Illinois.

Walt Kozlowski
Currently the manager of strategy and growth at Evoqua Water Technologies, former employee of Nalco and Calgon corporations. More than 25 years of water treatment experience in various positions including: sales, marketing, and enviromental engineering. Author of U.S. patent, "Methods of Inhibiting Fouling in Liquid Systems." BA, University of Illinois at Chicago.