Some Traditional Cooling Water Inhibitors

In addition to phosphates, chromates, and the various DCAs, other important chemical treatments have been employed in cooling systems and remain valid treatments to this day. Some of these are described here. 

Formulations containing fatty amines and, more especially, diamines are occasionally used in cooling systems as corrosion inhibitors for steel. These are film-forming inhibitors, and they require continuous dosing for good corrosion protection, at typically 5 to 10 ppm active ingredient. 

Amines/diamines have both surfactant and biostatic properties and are therefore particularly useful for systems that are subject to fouling. 

Small simple cooling systems may be treated with amines in the form of slowly dissolving waxy blocks that can be suspended in baskets, whereas larger or more difficult systems use liquid products containing diamine acetates/alcohols. 

These same diamine materials are employed in formulations for mussel and barnacle control in once-through condenser cooling systems. 

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