Catholyte heat exchanger
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The electrolyzer is not operating well; the cell voltage is high, and the catholyte needs to be cooled. The heat exchanger used for the catholyte (plate heat exchanger) stops working within less than a week after being cleaned. It’s impossible to control the cell temperature, so it’s necessary to reduce the load. I would like to ask fellow sailors how this problem can be solved
The quality of the circulating water is acceptable, and the temperature of the water exiting the heat exchanger is quite high
What is the scaling situation on the circulating water side of the plate heat exchanger?
This post was last edited by wgoywgoy on 2018-10-3 at 17:05. The scaling rate is still relatively high; corrosion and scale inhibition agents have been added to the circulating water, and the return water temperature is high.
Prepare 3% hydrochloric acid and add a corrosion inhibitor; regularly add it to the water layer for cleaning
Treat at the source to improve the quality of recycled water
It’s still the poor quality of the circulating water; in the past, scaling also often occurred on the circulating water side of our heat exchangers, but things improved after changing the chemicals used.
If the cost is a concern, consider modifying the piping for online cleaning; reduce the load temporarily by using dilute acid for cleaning. Check whether it’s possible to install a pure water circulation cooling tower separate from the electrolysis system at the location of the company. Otherwise, replace the tanks and membranes to reduce the heat generated, or add a backup heat exchanger depending on the location