Fouling Resistances For Cooling Water

GBH Enterprises, Ltd.
Process Engineering Guide:

GBHE-PEG-HEA-501
Fouling Resistances for Cooling

Water
Information contained in this publication or as otherwise supplied to Users is

believed to be accurate and correct at time of going to press, and is given in
good faith, but it is for the User to satisfy itself of the suitability of the information
for its own particular purpose. GBHE gives no warranty as to the fitness of this
information for any particular purpose and any implied warranty or condition
(statutory or otherwise) is excluded except to the extent that exclusion is
prevented by law. GBHE accepts no liability resulting from reliance on this
information. Freedom under Patent, Copyright and Designs cannot be assumed.
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Process Engineering Guide:
Fouling Resistances for

Cooling Water
CONTENTS
SECTION
INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE
SCOPE
FIELD OF APPLICATION
DEFINITIONS
GENERAL
COOLING WATER FOULING
CHROMATE SYSTEMS
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
General
Constraints
Requirements
Fouling resistances
3
3
3
3
NON-CHROMATE SYSTEMS
7.1
7.2
7.3
General
Requirements and Constraints
Fouling resistances
3
4
4
UNTREATED COOLING WATER
MATERIALS OTHER THAN MILD STEEL
APPENDICES
FOULING RESISTANCES FOR COOLING WATER
FOULING FILM THICKNESS
DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS PROCESS

ENGINEERING GUIDE
INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE
The selection of fouling resistances for use in heat exchanger design is a highly
subjective matter. As far as process streams are concerned reliance is generally
placed on previous knowledge of the process or similar processes. However, in
the case of cooling water more information is available and it is of more general
applicability.
SCOPE
This Engineering Guide outlines a standard procedure for estimating fouling

resistances for cooling water, and covers both chromate and non-chromate
systems.
The procedure is based on experience of operating both chromate and nonchromate systems within GBH Enterprises. It is supplemented with the results
from fouling test rigs at European and Gulf Coast plant locations.
Design fouling resistances and temperature limitations are given for treated open
evaporative cooling water systems.
FIELD OF APPLICATION
This Guide applies to the process engineering community in GBH Enterprises

worldwide.
DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this Guide no specific definitions apply.
GENERAL
There are many problems in the design of water cooled heat exchangers, some
of which can have a strong influence on fouling and/or corrosion; for further
details, see GBHE-PEG-HEA-511 Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers Using
Cooling Water prior to commencement of design of such a unit.
The fouling resistances recommended in this Engineering Guide are, in many

cases, significantly lower than values used in the past for design purposes.
These values presuppose a well designed heat exchanger with adequate water
velocities and good water treatment.
In deciding the design fouling resistance the designer should assume that if
water treatment is installed the operations are maintaining it correctly. At the
commencement of a project the Process Engineer, in consultation with the
appropriate Water Chemist, should confirm that operations are maintaining a
suitable water treatment program. If these conditions are not met, then much
higher fouling resistances may occur, and corrosion of mild steel equipment is
likely.
COOLING WATER FOULING
The principal causes of cooling water fouling are:

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
corrosion
biological growth
scaling/crystallization
sedimentation
They can all be controlled to a greater or lesser extent by correct materials

selection, good cooling water treatment and good heat exchanger design.
Sedimentation fouling is strongly influenced by the water velocity; and scaling by
temperature. However, provided that temperatures are kept below certain limiting
values and a good program of water treatment is maintained, velocity is the only
significant factor.
CHROMATE SYSTEMS
6.1
General
Provided that local environmental constraints allow their use, low chromate
synergized systems are the cheapest and best available.
6.2
Constraints
Chromate based treatments give very low corrosion rates on carbon steel
equipment provided that water velocities are not less than 1.0 m/s. This applies
equally to water in tube and water in shell exchangers. Pitting corrosion occurs at
lower velocities (eg 0.5 m/s) even if the metal surface is free of all deposits. If dirt
deposits do occur then pitting corrosion is likely beneath these deposits
regardless of the quality of water treatment, as the deposits prevent access of
the treatment chemicals to the metal surface. Velocities of less than 1.0 m/s
should be avoided if at all possible; if this is not possible then a materials
scientist and a Water Chemist should be consulted.
A properly applied chromate treatment works equally well on unfiltered raw
makeup water as it does on a potable makeup supply, providing that the heat
exchangers are of sound design. See GBHE-PEG-HEA-511, Shell and Tube
Heat Exchangers Using Cooling Water.
High surface temperatures (up to 80-100C) can be used with chromate based
treatments.
6.3
Requirements
The treatment is easy to monitor using simple analytical techniques and

'forgiving' with respect to minor upsets in pH value or chromate concentration.
However, it is essential to have a good chlorination program in order to obtain the
best results from chromate systems. Ideally, chlorination should be once a shift
to give a free chlorine residual of 1 mg/l and a maximum viable bacterial count of
10,000/ml. Provided there is no significant process contamination in the cooling
water circuit, then no further biocide is required.
6.4
Fouling resistances
Providing that the previously mentioned criteria are observed, design fouling
resistances of 0.0002 m2C/W should be used with velocities in excess of 1.0
m/s.
Note:
Although there is some evidence that even lower values can be used for
velocities of 2 m/s or above, a constant value is recommended. The cost penalty
for this is low as at this levelfouling is usually a small part of the total heat
transfer resistance.
NON-CHROMATE SYSTEMS
7.1
General
In Continental Western Europe, chromate use is, in general, prevented because

of river pollution concerns. If environmental constraints prevent the use of
chromate, then it is imperative that the hard won experience of continental users
of non-chromate systems be applied, whether the treatment be a high pH scale
inhibitor program or a low pH phosphate program. The following factors are
common to all continental users who have been operating large critical
single stream cooling systems on non-chromate treatment for up to 30 years.
7.2
Requirements and Constraints
The make-up water to the cooling system shall be free of suspended solids and
have minimum organic material to avoid annual cleaning of the exchangers. This
normally necessitates pre-clarification by flocculation or lime softening, followed
by filtration, or the use of high cost potable water. Raw untreated river or lake
water shall not be used as make-up. Suspended materials absorb the treatment
formulations making them less effective.
Natural organic material acts as a nutrient for microbiological growth or as a
foulant itself. The high concentration of chlorine required to combat the above
may also oxidize the inhibitors and dispersants, making them non-effective.
Supplementary biocides are therefore added with controlled chlorination.
Between 5 and 10% of the circulation water requires to be filtered through sidestream filters in order to remove precipitates and any corrosion products.
Very good analytical control is required to avoid gross fouling or corrosion, which
can take place in a matter of days. Roughness of the heat transfer surface
enhances fouling.
Surface temperatures should not exceed 70C.
Water velocities below 1.0 m/s should never be used. If they are, fouling rates of
2 to 4 times those for chromate treatment are likely, and corrosion is a strong
possibility.
7.3
Fouling resistances
Provided that the previously mentioned criteria are met, a fouling resistance of
0.0002 m2C/W should be used for water velocities of 2.0 m/s. For velocities of
1.0 m/s the fouling resistance is 0.0004 m2C/W (see Appendix A).
UNTREATED COOLING WATER
Untreated, raw water should never be used for cooling purposes unless:
(a)
the heat exchanger is fabricated from corrosion resistant materials
(b)
the water in question has a low fouling and scaling potential
Materials scientist and a Water Chemists should be consulted.

9
MATERIALS OTHER THAN MILD STEEL
Strictly, the fouling resistances recommended in this Engineering Guide are for
mild steel equipment; lower values may be realized in practice for other
materials. However, unless an adequate water velocity is maintained, problems
of fouling and/or corrosion may still occur even with more corrosion resistant
materials, albeit at a lower rate.
APPENDIX A
FOULING RESISTANCES FOR COOLING WATER
APPENDIX B
FOULING FILM THICKNESS
Based on assumed thermal conductivity of 1.385 w/mC.
DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS PROCESS ENGINEERING GUIDE

This Process Engineering Guide makes reference to the following documents:
ENGINEERING GUIDES
GBHE-PEG-HEA-511
Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers Using

Cooling Water (referred to in Clause 4 and 6.2).

Fouling Resistances For Cooling Water

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GBH Enterprises, Ltd.

Process Engineering Guide:

Fouling Resistances for Cooling

Information contained in this publication or as otherwise supplied to Users is

Process Engineering Guide:

Fouling Resistances for

COOLING WATER FOULING

UNTREATED COOLING WATER

MATERIALS OTHER THAN MILD STEEL

FOULING RESISTANCES FOR COOLING WATER

FOULING FILM THICKNESS

DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS PROCESS

This Engineering Guide outlines a standard procedure for estimating fouling

This Guide applies to the process engineering community in GBH Enterprises

For the purposes of this Guide no specific definitions apply.

The fouling resistances recommended in this Engineering Guide are, in many

COOLING WATER FOULING

The principal causes of cooling water fouling are:

They can all be controlled to a greater or lesser extent by correct materials

The treatment is easy to monitor using simple analytical techniques and

In Continental Western Europe, chromate use is, in general, prevented because

Requirements and Constraints

UNTREATED COOLING WATER

the heat exchanger is fabricated from corrosion resistant materials

the water in question has a low fouling and scaling potential

Materials scientist and a Water Chemists should be consulted.

MATERIALS OTHER THAN MILD STEEL

FOULING RESISTANCES FOR COOLING WATER

FOULING FILM THICKNESS

Based on assumed thermal conductivity of 1.385 w/mC.

DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS PROCESS ENGINEERING GUIDE

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers Using

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