Cooling Water Programs

To increase equipment reliability and plant efficiency, corrosion inhibitors are used in boiler and cooling water programs to control fouling and deposition on critical heat-transfer surfaces. In cooling systems, corrosion inhibition is commonly achieved through the use of passivators, which encourage the formation of a protective metal oxide film on the metal surface ( 1). ... 

NOTE Acid dosing with chromate-based cooling water programs continues to be used in many countries around the world, even in some fully industrialized and developed nations, and most often quite safely, despite the general environmental concerns from this form of chemical treatment. Such concerns need to continue to be voiced, however, as there are some irresponsible operators who use chromates and discharge directly into water courses, contravening local prohibitory regulations (that also may not be adequately enforced). 

These changes are primarily in response to the need for improved economic benefit and competitive advantage. Modem organic formulations may be used, for example, to meet the demands of the customer for new cooling water programs that can perform under greater operational efficiency, or, as a result of improved customer education, initiated by both the service companies and their suppliers of specialty, organic, and formulatory chemicals. 

SOME EARLY INHIBITORS, DEPOSIT CONTROL AGENTS, AND COOLING WATER PROGRAMS... 

Some important early cooling water inhibitors, deposit control agents, and cooling water programs leading up to the introduction of the modern deposit control agents (DCAs) are described in this section. 

Soft and Lean Water and Environmentally Acceptable Cooling Water Programs... 

As an example, some of the factors that can reduce the chemical product performance of cooling water programs, and thus render the account vulnerable to competitive attack, include the following ... 

Low expectations of chemical product performance or technical service, and a perceived high cost of cooling water programs,... 

Buyers should further understand that in most marketplaces, and for most types of cooling water program sold, the labor and technical services element is a higher cost item than the chemical component. Thus, if the prices charged, or the prices sought, are too low, this may also result in the service company seeking to reduce additional expenditure by cutting down on the provision of service time to site. 

Pricing of cooling water programs by water treatment vendors will almost always take into account the amount of service time expected to be spent on-site during the life of the contract or for each fiscal year for routine analytical inspection and advisory work. 

When selling cooling water programs, the sales sequence will certainly get bogged down and may totally fail unless a comprehensive and instructive survey of the cooling water system has been carried out. 

In reality, it can be quite difficult to sell cooling water programs, as plants may be very complex, part of what is sold is intangible, and there is usually more than one buyer to convince. Also, there are competitors ... 

NOTES ON SOME COOLING WATER PROGRAM MARKETING STRATEGIES... 

SURVEYS, INSPECTIONS, AND COOLING WATER PROGRAM SELECTION... 

If buyers participate in a plant survey, they can then observe the method of working, consider the types of questions asked and comments made, and also review the quality of services and expertise available before actually using the vendor s products and services. Participation by the buyer often provides sufficient confidence to warrant using a cooling water program for a limited trial period. 

Surveys, Inspections, and Cooling Water Program Selection 265... 

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