ECOsmarte® treatment reduces the need for chemical additives to the cooling tower water. In a properly installed and maintained system, bacterial counts are reduced, with a subsequent minimization of the build-up of biofilm on heat exchanger surfaces. The resulting reduction in energy use, increased cooling tower operating efficiency and reduced maintenance effort provide cost savings as well as environmental benefit and regulatory compliance with respect to discharge of wastewater from blowdown. Cooling towers associated with chillers for air-conditioning should immediately consider the purchase of an ECOsmarte Point-of-Entry system to limit the corrosive sodium entering the equipment.

 ECOsmarte® Cooling Tower System

A cooling tower functions to cool a circulating stream of water. The tower acts as a heat exchanger by driving ambient air through falling water, causing some of the warmed water to evaporate (evaporation gives off heat -- providing cooling) and then circulates cooler water back through whatever equipment needs cooling (such as a chiller condenser). Typically, chemicals such as chlorine and chelating agents are added to cooling tower water to control biological growth (called "biofilm") and inhibit mineral build-up (called "scale"). The control of biofilm and scale is essential in maintaining cooling tower heat transfer efficiency. As the water volume in the tower is reduced through evaporation and drift, the concentration of these chemicals and their byproducts increases. Cooling towers also pick up contaminants from the ambient air. To maintain chemical and contaminant concentrations at a prudent level, water is periodically removed from the system through a process called "blowdown" or "bleed off."

The blowdown water and the water lost through evaporation and drift are replaced with fresh "make-up" water (which also contains minerals and other impurities). Blowdown water must subsequently be discharged to a local wastewater treatment facility or discharged onsite to the environment. The blowdown water typically contains little organic material, and the local wastewater treatment facility will charge extra sewage fees for accepting the water.  These costs can be quite significant in the overall costs of operating a cooling tower. Discharge of the blowdown water to the environment onsite is coming under increasing regulation because of the contaminants typically found in blowdown water. Oxygen will dissipate quickly and not be found in the blowdown water. This reduces the overall chemical load found in the discharge water, making it easier to comply with regulations. 

Most ECOsmarte® Cooling Tower Systems include the following components: water and oil coalescing filters, particle filter, oxygen anodes, copper anodes, and a monitoring/control system. 

Field experience has demonstrated that the use of oxygen and ionization in place of chemical treatment can reduce the need for blowdown, and, in some cases when make-up water and ambient air are relatively clean, can eliminate it. As a result, cost savings accrue from decreased chemical and water use requirements as well as from a reduction of wastewater volume. There are also environmental benefits as fewer chlorine or chlorinated compounds and other chemicals are discharged. An ECOsmarte® Oxygen/Copper System should require less maintenance per year than either a chemical or chemical/ozone system. 

There is substantial evidence that ionization combined with oxygen acts as a descaling agent. The premise is that oxygen oxidizes the biofilm that serves as a binding agent adhering scale to heat exchange surfaces. When scale build-up on condenser tubes is reduced, higher heat transfer rates are achieved. Increasing the condenser heat transfer rate reduces the chiller head pressure, which then allows the chiller to operate more efficiently and consumes less energy. Certain calcium and magnesium carbonate revert and maintain a bicarbonate state to as high as 150° in ECOsmarte's field experience. 

If pH control is required the ECOsmarte Programmable Tower System can automate the injection of either carbon dioxide or acid.

Installed ECOsmarte® 1 1/2” Standard 1 Ton Cooling Tower System, 2/96 Water quality shows major improvement; Tower down time reduced dramatically and no chemicals are used in this tower. Customer testimonial available, 1996 install date