Discussion on Methods for Treating Scale in Heat Exchangers
Thread Content
This is really a troublesome issue. In the heat exchanger, pure water exchanges heat with circulating cooling water, and the circulating cooling water suffers from severe scaling. Although scale inhibitors are added to the circulating cooling water, their effect is not noticeable at all. Now I’m thinking of replacing the circulating cooling water with tap water – is that possible? This post was last edited by Love in the Rain on 2009-4-3 10:07.]
Replacing the circulating water with tap water won’t make much of a difference, as the water quality in your area remains unchanged.
Installing a water softener at one end of the circulating cooling water system might yield better results
Original poster, why not switch from recycled water to tap water for a one-time use? It’s such a waste. Even if the recycled water is used again, the results won’t improve much. Would cleaning it immediately yield better results? It’s also possible that the water temperature has risen too high
Use softened water, but be mindful of the high cost due to the large amount required
Scaling is a problem with any type of water, while using only softened water poses corrosion issues. The focus is on water treatment and management. This is also a long-term task; no results can be seen in a short period of time.
First, increase the volume of circulating water and lower its temperature to give it a try. Only for very small heat exchangers can it be considered to use tap water, with the return tap water being added to the circulating water.
Tap water can be used as a substitute for recycled water; it is certainly better than river water to which scale inhibitors have been added. However, tap water needs to be drained regularly and replaced with fresh water. Or, if the quantity is small, simply buy soft water and pour it in.
Mainly, the temperature of the water being purified is a bit too high; if the volume is large and it’s cost-effective, considering adding an air cooler in front could be an option. If the amount is small, regular descaling is the only option.
In practical ordinary circulating water cooling, scaling is inevitable when the temperature is high; using tap water might even lead to more severe scaling! I think there are two viable options: 1. Replace the scale inhibitor ； 2. Add a water softener and use softened water as the circulating cold water.
Tap water is definitely much better than recycled water as a substitute; after being used for a certain period of time, the water still needs to be changed, otherwise scale formation, along with other issues such as algae growth, will affect the heat exchange efficiency.
When combined with a condenser tower, recycling efficiency is much better