Background
A waste management plant in New South Wales had concerns over the performance of water treatment programmes for their boilers and cooling tower system. WTS was invited to review the systems and provide our suggested treatments and improvements to the client.
Our team of experts carried out a through site survey and identified a number of issues. Following submission of a technically based site water treatment proposal, and discussions with the client, WTS was awarded an initial contract and commenced treatment on site. WTS has successfully maintained the client assets since 2016.
WTS solution
Our team of experts carried out a thorough site survey and identified several issues
- Previous boiler service reports did not adequately represent actual water chemistry.
- Reports lacked calculations of boiler cycles of concentration, suggesting inefficient program operation.
- Control ranges, especially for boiler conductivity, were too broad, risking unnecessary chemical, water, and energy use.
- The program showed limited effectiveness, with some corrosion in the condensate system and heat exchangers.
- Several parameters were not maintained per American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) guidelines.
Our team applied a tried and tested four-phase continuous improvement process using scientific methodology and real-world results to drive the choice of solutions and optimise the application for efficacy and efficiency.
- Formulated a more appropriate boiler treatment regime specifically for the conditions of the client’s system to minimise both corrosion and deposition.
- Provided a comprehensive service report with technical explanations behind the results.
- Calculated the cycles of concentration of each system in order to run our programs optimally. This translates to energy savings, potential water savings and chemical efficacy.
- Tightened the control ranges to ensure energy cost savings by ensuring adherence to the appropriate ASME guidelines.
- Calculated the mass balance of the current chemistry versus the quantity of water (cwt) and steam (bwt) to improve the management and cost effectiveness of the treatment regime.
- Provided training to the client’s staff to ensure that boiler chemistry is regularly monitored in between service visits.
Results and Benefits
- Reduced scale and corrosion. System conditions improved with minimal corrosion or chemical deposits, as a result of WTS’s ongoing monitoring and proactive management.
- Productivity. Maximised productivity associated with properly controlled boiler water chemistry. Efficiencies in energy use through management of optimum boiler cycles.
- Confidence. WTS has an intimate knowledge of the plant’s history and characteristics, ensuring our water treatment solutions are effective and cost-efficient.
- Demonstrated success. WTS’s long standing working relationship with the client reinforces the performance-based results
