Watertech of America, Inc.

How to Pick Your Perfect Match for Water Management

2016-04-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Finding compatibility in a water treatment partner can be empowering. When you share a vision with someone you also can depend on, consult with, and know has your best interest in mind, you are going places. It’s not just about the warm-fuzzies that communication and trust bring to the table, it’s about achieving results that raise your facility to superstar status.

We took our 30-plus years of experience with hundreds of clients to create this list of questions you should ask yourself when searching for that perfect partnership.

Do they offer all of the capabilities you need? First and foremost, your potential water management partner should be able to deliver solutions in the breadth and depth you want for your business. This includes the level of expertise you are looking for; equipment your facility needs in the future; support for the equipment you already have; chemical supply; testing and monitoring; analysis; and their general approach for taking corrective action.
Do they have that personal touch? Water management is not a nameless, faceless service. After all, production efficiency and employee safety depend on the quality of your water management program. With a responsibility like this, your water treatment partner should know you and your company by name when you give them a call or walk through their doors.
Will you have VIP status? You don’t have to be the largest client to get special treatment. Choose a partner who considers every customer a key part of their business no matter if an operation is small or large. They are willing to do what it takes to get the job done for you, not for their bottom line, not for the sake of their stockholders.
Do they simplify the process? All the bells and whistles are just noise if in the end you are left with the most challenging part of the job. If you don’t have in-house power plant experts who can install, maintain, and service new equipment, you’ll need your water management partner to provide these full-service solutions for you.
Are you a good fit for them? Who is the ideal client for your potential partner, and do you fit that profile? The answer to this question can indicate the sustainability of the relationship. If a solutions provider regularly offers new technologies to the marketplace and you are open to learning about their value for your business, there could be a match. If a water treatment company prides itself on customer service the same way you do with your clients, another match.

Just like any successful relationship, the key to finding the perfect match starts with taking ownership of who you are and who you want to be. That means understanding what you need to do to optimize your water management program, making an internal commitment, and bringing on a partner who will support you and guide you along the way.

2016-03-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

4 Common Traits of a Superstar Facility

It’s not the operation budget, manpower or even the state-of-the-art equipment that make a facility run at superstar performance levels. The secret to becoming fully optimized, reliable and cost-efficient in water management lies in how quickly issues are identified, analyzed and resolved.

Responsiveness tactics vary in each plant and commercial building, but all superstar facilities share these four common traits.

Taking true ownership in a system. Superstar facility managers may rely heavily on the expertise and opinion of their vendor partners, but at the end of the day they know it is their system and their responsibility. Consultants all work together to achieve the goals and strategy set by the facility manager. And, the facility’s maintenance team understands how their system works so they can troubleshoot on the spot if need be.
Making water management a priority. Water treatment is complex because water use impacts every part of the facility – from quality assurance and worker safety all the way to utility and maintenance bills. Water management is never on the back burner in a superstar facility, and is always part of the equation when making decisions in other departments, such as adjusting peak production periods or introducing new processing equipment.
Proactive, not reactive. Superstar facility managers are constantly looking at how to better their systems. They are asking questions like, how can they reduce man hours? How can they improve reliability? They don’t want to wait until something breaks. Instead, they want to prevent it from breaking in the first place. Super stars achieve this by taking time to understand water chemistries and knowing how to take corrective action.
Willing to invest in the future. I know we said at the beginning of this article that it’s not about state-of-the-art equipment. That’s true — you don’t need all of the bells and whistles if it does not make good business sense. But, investing in a system so that equipment maintains its energy efficiency and operational reliability does separate an average facility from a super star. All equipment has a life cycle, but if it is stretched too far, a cost avoidance now can lead to an expensive correction down the road.

Any facility can become a super star. Start by making sure your water management team understands the basics. Then, work with your water treatment partner to conduct a system audit and develop a roadmap to success.

3 Fundamental Principles Your Water Manager Should Know

2016-02-15T12:45:00.001-08:00

Boiler operators are not always pre-qualified to operate and maintain the power plant at a commercial or industrial facility. In fact, most who are new to the position have backgrounds in mechanical engineering, pipe system maintenance, or facilities management. They learn about water use, quality and treatment once they are on the job.

Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment can make up almost one-third of water use in a commercial building, and much more in an industrial facility, food processing plant, or hospital. To control costs, conserve water and preserve equipment, water management takes a mix of innovation and trial and error for a system to work just right.

Experienced or not, there are three fundamental principles your water manager should know:

Mechanical system operation. A water management plan cannot be created without intrinsic knowledge of a system’s components — such as chemical feed pumps, water softeners, reverse osmosis, and heat exchangers — and how they best work together to conserve water, energy, and chemical use. New equipment would require a significant investment, and down equipment can compromise business. So the more expertise a power plant engineer has in system operation, inspection, cleaning, maintenance, and repair, the longer a system can run efficiently.
Water quality testing and interpretation. You can learn a lot about your water quality and system efficiency from a plethora of drop count kits, titration test kits, and fluorescent tracers. Accurate test methods also are crucial for determining the effective minimum dosage of chemicals, which is the key to cost-efficient operation. Once the tests are completed, power plant engineers need to be able to understand how to interpret the data to determine if levels are ideal and systems are operating properly.
Adjusting chemical dose and use. After obtaining test results, engineers should know which corrective action will get water quality back to ideal levels. Whether it is troubleshooting a piece of pretreatment equipment or making adjustments to the chemical program itself, troubleshooting and corrective actions are a critical part of the success of the program. Overall, too much chemical use can lead to fouling, corrosion, environmental discharge problems and excessive costs. Too little can lead to scale, corrosion, and microbiological growth that can threaten the health of employees and the surrounding community.

Water conditioning is a balancing act of chemistries, optimization of systems, and water conservation. Watertech treatment specialists work side by side with plant operation personnel by offering onsite training, monthly consultation, automation equipment and remote monitoring to make the water management process customized, easy, and right. But the system will only work at an optimal state if the onsite engineer can be in the driver’s seat day-to-day.

In March, we are excited to offer even more water management resources to the community with the grand opening of Watertech University, a state-of-the-art training facility located at our Greenfield headquarters. Watertech U will bring customers, strategic partners, community business leaders and students together for information, education, and collaboration. We’ll offer monthly training sessions on the fundamentals, plus opportunities for boiler operators to continue their education on topics including water chemistry, systems, best practices, and recommended improvements.

If you are not already on our email list, contact us to make sure you get an invite to our first training event!

From Consultant to Program Manager: the Evolution of the Water Guy

2016-01-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

It’s 3 a.m. Do you know where your boiler operator is? If you work with Watertech of America, you don’t have to — your facility is maintained remotely by your water expert. If a major water loss occurs in your facility, an alarm sounds through an email message. If conductivity levels spike in the cooling tower, a diagnostic can be run and problem identified from anywhere in the world.

Water treatment specialists have always been champions of innovative water management, but our active role in preventing mechanical failures, reducing inefficiency and controlling costs on a 24/7 basis is a relatively new one.

As recent as 15 years ago, industrial facilities, food processing plants, hospitals, and large commercial buildings employed First Class Engineers to oversee the heating and cooling systems. Water experts like those at Watertech were consultants to the engineer, making monthly service calls to validate systems were working properly. We’d take two to three hours to run tests, talk to the operator, and adjust chemical use. For the next 30 days, it was up to the operator to maintain the system.

Reductions in the labor force, retirements and a general expectation to do more in less time meant the power plant sat empty. Water management responsibilities transferred to the facility manager or general maintenance manager, but neither possessed the skill or experience of their former power plant engineer. Naturally, water consultants stepped up to provide additional support.

This shift in workload also opened the door for technological advancements in water management. Cooling and boiler water control methods, automated chemical feeds and remote monitoring capabilities became a necessity.

Armed with this technology and their own years of experience, water treatment specialists could bridge the gap with 24/7 monitoring, offsite preventive maintenance, and onsite reactive maintenance. They became the water program managers and the facility staff became the consulting counterpart, available for physical checks and onsite troubleshooting.

In fact, through automation, Watertech can see issues power plant operators normally wouldn’t. They can run systems more consistently because they can see the results of chemical adjustments in real time instead of having to wait a month until their next service call. And, they receive immediate notification of any alarms, which they can then communicate to the facility manager and work together to determine a solution.

As program managers, we have gained a comprehensive understanding of how our customers run their water treatment programs and an intrinsic knowledge of the water chemistries. In return, our customers have reliable partners and peace of mind knowing their critical systems are operating problem-free.

Top 3 Ways to Reduce Operating Costs in Cooling Systems.

2015-12-16T08:57:00.003-08:00

Our new year’s resolution for all Watertech customers is to maintain efficient and reliable water management programs. These programs create systems that not only use less water, chemicals, and energy but experience far fewer failures and periods of downtime, extend equipment life and reduce liability due to human illness caused by water-borne pathogens.

To achieve this goal, you need more than just the right feed and control equipment or monitoring technology. Working side by side with a water treatment partner, you can develop a custom plan that ensures your system is set up to run in an optimal way.

Following are the top three ways facilities can immediately reduce operating costs in cooling systems.

Keep heat exchangers free of build-up

A well-designed chemical treatment program that includes antiscalants, corrosion inhibitors, and disinfectant chemicals — as well as regular cleanings — will keep heat transfer components free of scale, corrosion, and biofilms. Scaling and biofilms act as an insulator, requiring more energy for the chiller to cool water to its desired temperature. The chart below illustrates how quickly costs can escalate because of scale formation on a chiller evaporator.

Condenser side of a chiller: Clean vs. scaled.

Cooling tower fill: clean vs. scaled.

Maximize cycles of concentration

It is a common practice to bleed cooling tower water before the concentration of dissolved solids reaches a level where scaling or corrosion could occur. Bleeding the tower water at the proper rate is critical for cost efficient operation. Too much bleed will increase costs related to water and chemical use while too little bleed will result in scale deposition and/or corrosion. Consult your water treatment partner to determine the most effective ways for your facility to increase cycles of concentration of recirculating cooling water.

In some industries, cooling water systems can account for up to 80 percent of a facility’s water use. There is tremendous potential for water savings that converts directly to dollars saved to your bottom line.

Some best practices include:

Automating chemical feed and tower bleed
Softening the makeup water
Feeding acid to control alkalinity and pH
Looking for a better quality make-up water
Installing side-stream filtration for solids removal

The following Watertech customer increased from 3 cycles to 5 cycles of concentration on their 900-ton cooling tower. The result: they cut their water bill by 62 percent. Total savings (including reduced chemical and other related costs) was upwards of $27,000.

Use the minimum effective dosage of chemicals

Proper dosing of chemicals is critical for cost efficient operation of an open recirculating cooling water system. Overfeed is an expensive waste of chemical and can in many instances cause issues with sludge buildup, corrosion, and environmental discharge problems. On the other hand, an underfeed will result in scale formation, corrosion, and microbiological growth issues.

Below are three scenarios where customers commonly overfeed chemicals.

Scenario 1: Soft water versus hard water makeup

Makeup water quality for cooling water systems varies tremendously from system to system. Those systems that have good quality makeup water can use lower doses of the chemical to maintain clean heat transfer surfaces than those using high hardness, high dissolved solids levels. It is common for those systems with good quality makeup water to use half the volume of chemical. Be sure you are feeding the minimum effective dosage and properly controlling the concentration in the tower water.

Scenario 2: Summer versus winter chemical dosage

Cooling tower water is generally warmer during the summer months than in the winter months, especially in the northern half of the country. Because of this, bacteria, mold, and fungus show a higher growth rate in warmer months and may require a higher dosage of biocide for proper control. Be sure to change your biocide program during the winter months to reduce costs.

Scenario 3: Use accurate test methods

Accurate water testing methods are crucial for determining the effective minimum dosage of chemicals. This means utilizing high-quality technology you know you can rely on. While drop count kits and titration based test kits were the method of choice for determining inhibitor concentrations, new fluorescent tracers allow for much more precise measurement of inhibitor concentrations in cooling water. Both drop count and titration test kits are prone to interferences caused by the high mineral content in tower water. When these interferences occur they commonly show a false negative, meaning the concentration of the inhibitor in the tower water is actually higher than what the test shows. The newly traced inhibitors show very few interferences and very high accuracy even at dosages in the parts-per-billion range. Watertech customers have experienced 40 to 60 percent savings in chemical costs using these traced inhibitors when compared to the older technology.

Talk to your water guy for more information on having a more streamlined and cost-contained 2016.

Our client reduced chemical costs by $7,000. Why it’s a success.

2015-11-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days of the 8-hour boiler room shift. Every industry — from manufacturing to healthcare — juggles pressures to produce more products and services with less resources. As such, boiler system management has evolved from the sole focus of one to just another item on the to-do list of many.

Unfortunately, the immediate savings brought by labor reduction means higher utility and maintenance costs in the long-run because the system is not cared for in an optimal manner. Some Watertech of America customers have experienced the following issues as a direct result:

Increased water and energy use from uncontrolled blowdowns
Frequent boiler maintenance required from drastic swings of conductivity, intense blowdowns, and water refill
Quality assurance audits to determine if boiler downtime or carryover have impacted production or nearby equipment
Plumbing repairs if carryover causes corrosion, sludge or deposits in the building piping system
Excess chemical use from scheduling doses on a calendar instead of responding to the needs of the system

“The positive spin is that this trend has opened the door to a new, innovative era in the water treatment industry,” says Jeff Bodendorfer, territory manager for Watertech. “Many automated systems are now available to commercial and industrial businesses that simulate the critical oversight that a full-time employee once provided, while offering prevention and efficiency never possible before monitoring technology existed.”

Watertech recently helped a food processing client with three steam boilers save $7,000 in one year on chemical costs alone. Additional savings will be identified when water and energy conservation, decreased downtime and increased worker productivity also are factored in.

Why would Watertech consider this a success?

“Although we sell chemicals and water treatment solutions, our business is to keep our clients’ businesses running,” Jeff says. “The new system is so efficient and reliable that when the processor opened a second facility, they installed the same setup.”

PROJECT BREAKDOWN

Situation

Plant workers manually monitored the boilers in between their other tasks, creating big swings comparable to a rollercoaster: conductivity would steadily increase and then energy-intense blowdowns were needed when values got too high.

“This resulted in a wasteful use of water, energy and water treatment chemicals,” Jeff says.

Solution

Watertech eControllerswere installed to monitor all of the critical real-time conditions of the boilers. Water system operators and Watertech service providers are instantly alerted to conditions that may require immediate attention and a corrective action.

The web-based tool helps the processing plant:

· Collect and store historical data, inspection reports, tests and product information

· Remotely monitor conductivity, make-up water and blowdown water usage

· Respond in a more consistent fashion with automated blowdown control, chemical feed pumps and flow meters

· Generate reports that can easily be compared with operator tests

· Send alarm messages via email or text

“The eControllers have taken on 95 percent of the work, leaving only 5 percent to the plant staff, which mainly entails testing and verifying the automation is doing what it is supposed to do,” Jeff says. “And since our team is monitoring as well, it is like we are in the plant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

New Watertech Epublication

2015-10-20T20:41:00.005-07:00

Check out Watertech's new epublication! Click here to view.

Blue Vue

2015-09-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

8/3

With so much news about drought in the west, it is really important that we all take a step back and review the best ways to conserve our most precious resource, water. Watertech's BlueVantage BlueVue technology allows you to discover water saving opportunities by analyzing the water usage in your facility. BlueVue is a great way to find inefficiencies that will inevitably save you money while staying environmentally and socially conscious.

Here are a few things BlueVue can help you analyze:

Improper control equipment
Water dumping
Water system inefficiency
Incorrect testing
Inefficient reporting

Visit http://www.bluevantage.net/explorebluevue for more information.

How Watertech's Legionella prevention strategies save customers money

2015-08-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

First, it is good to understand how cooling towers create the Legionella bacteria and why it forms. Cooling towers work with the use of a fan which pushes air that moves through a recirculating water system. A substantial amount of water vapor and sizable droplets collect and disperse from the cooling tower environment. Cooling towers have a mechanism called a drift eliminator which is supposed to prevent water vapor from leaving the cooling towers, however not all drift eliminators can prevent all water droplets from escaping and vapor may emit into surrounding environment.

Unfortunately this water vapor is usually the perfect temperature for Legionella bacteria to grow. (about 20-45 degrees celsius) Prevention of water vapor escaping a cooling tower isn't always possible and chemicals need to be introduced.

Watertech's experts combine inhibitors, microbiocides and dispersants with proper support and automation to ensure your business is in compliance with standards. Watertech will help to protect their customer's public health and safety liability. Watertech makes sure their systems run at peak efficiency.

Cooling tower efficiency is best maintained by experts. This is why it is essential to consider Watertech's Freedom Plus delivery program. With Freedom Plus, an automatic level sensor will indicate when service is needed, then a hired delivery specialist will bring chemicals to your facility and and safely remove empty containers so our customers don't have to. This service allows customers a piece of mind knowing that they will not have to figure out when to service their towers allowing Watertech to worry about prevention of Legionella so they won't have to. Bonus, these well maintained water systems will run at peak levels saving customers money in the long run.

5 things you should know about Legionnaires’ disease

2015-08-20T10:55:00.002-07:00

1. What is Legionnaires’ disease and how is it contracted?

Legionaires’ is a lung infection similar to pneumonia with respiratory symptoms such as cough, fever, headaches, and muscle aches. It is contracted when a person breathes in water particles contaminated with Legionella bacteria. It is important to know that Legionnaire’s is not contagious.

2. Where is Legionella bacteria usually found?

The bacteria is typically found in water systems. Cooling towers, hot tubs, air conditioning systems, and humidifiers are the most ususal suspects for containing Legionella bacteria.

3. How can Legoinnaires’ be treated?

Most patients with Legionnaires’ are given antibiotics and usually recover. However, Legionnaires’ can be fatal to high risk individuals. Those considered high risk would be smokers, elderly men and women, people with poor immune systems, and those with chronic lung disease.

4. What can businesses do to prevent Legionella bacteria in their water systems?

Businesses with cooling towers and other water systems should regularly maintain and clean their systems according to standard guidelines. It is also important to prevent water from becoming stagnant by flushing idle water lines. More information here http://bit.ly/1NhmeHV

5. How can my business test for Legionella?
Generally businesses with water systems need to be tested once at least every two years. You may consider testing earlier or more frequently with other circumstances:

Recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ in area of business
Changes to a building's water systems
New guidelines and regulations have passed

Visit our website for more information on Legionnaires and how Watertech can help you protect others and your business from this costly and potentially deadly disease. http://bit.ly/1U0ts1X

Update on FSMA Rules

2015-06-29T12:00:00.002-07:00

The deadline for two of the rules under FSMA is coming up at the end of this summer. The FDA is required to publish final versions of its proposed rules for:

"Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food" and
"Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals"

by August 30, 2015.

The proposed rules for human and animal food establish new requirements for facilities that manufacture, process, pack or store food for human or animal consumption. For example, food facilities will need to analyze potential hazards for each type of food at the facility and establish controls to prevent or significantly minimize the potential for occurrence of those hazards.

Once the final rules are published, food facilities will have 1 to 3 years to comply, depending upon the size of the business:

very small businesses - 3 years from the publication date
small businesses - 2 years from the publication date
other businesses - 1 year from the publication date

To read more about the new FSMA rules, click here to see Watertech's blog post from last week.

What You Need to Know about FSMA

2015-06-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a set of rules proposed by the FDA intended to prevent foodborne illness in the US food source. Its focus is to implement a proactive approach to food safety using "science based preventative controls" instead of reacting to problems as they occur. The FSMA will include inspections by the FDA to ensure that facilities are in compliance. The FDA will be reviewing any ingredients that end up in animal feed to ensure that those ingredients are approved for use in that feed. In many biofuel facilities, the additives used to treat the boilers and cooling tower water may end up in the Distillers Dry Grain (DDG) which can be used for animal feed. Facilities will be required to follow new Good Manufacturing Processes in the manufacturing, processing and packaging of that animal feed. A food safety plan will have to be created and maintained as well as a hazard analysis and implementation of preventative controls.

An ingredient will be approved in the FDA inspection if:

it is included in the CFR (needs specific code)
it is approved by the Association of Animal Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
a feed additive petition is approved by the FDA, or
it is covered by the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) rules

Watertech has a line of both boiler and cooing tower treatment products that have been approved under the GRAS rules. This means they have been reviewed and are approved for use under the FSMA rules. Call your Watertech representative for more information on how this may affect your specific facility or email info@watertechusa.

To find additional information about this topic, see the FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act Page, FSMA Q&A for Brewers and Distillers, or an article from Ethanol Producers Magazine.

Controlling Denitrification

2014-10-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Denitrifying bacteria can be controlled by periodic application of microbicides. Once the presence of denitrifying bacteria is determined, they can be controlled by following these procedures:

Collect a sample from the system and analyze it for nitrite and nitrate determination.
Collect another sample, in a sterile container, for microbiological analysis.
Add the recommended dosage of microbicide. Contact your Watertech representative for further assistance in appropriate dosage and application.
Allow the microbicide to circulate for at least two hours. Then add sufficient nitrite treatment to obtain the desired level of nitrite in the system.
Test the nitrite level 24 hours after the treatment addition and collect additional samples for lab analysis as in steps 1 & 2.

Denitrification

2014-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of the biological processes of nitrogen utilization is denitrification. This process is mediated through the action of certain microorganisms. The denitrifying organisms can reduce nitrite to molecular nitrogen and even to ammonia. In some cases, nitrite can also be oxidized to nitrate. Many different types of bacteria can use nitrite in place of oxygen as a final hydrogen acceptor. Thus, denitrification occurs under anaerobic conditions (absence of oxygen) in which oxidation-reduction occurs utilizing the oxygen contained in the nitrite. Consequently, a source of combined hydrogen and limitation of the supply of oxygen in the system are required for denitrification. The following are conditions under which denitrification is likely to occur:

A supply of nitrites and oxidizable matter: Since most of the anaerobic bacteria which cause denitrification are heterotrophic, these processes are favored by the presence of oxidizable organic matter which not only provides food for energy but may also help to create the needed anaerobic conditions.

Absence of free oxygen:Anaerobic conditions, in the presence of organic matter, are conducive to denitrification. In the presence of free oxygen, the process of denitrification is inhibited or stopped completely.

Supply of Moisture: The microorganisms responsible for denitrification are able to grow and carry on their respiration in systems that contain from one fourth to one half of their water holding capacity, but under such circumstances anaerobic conditions are uncommon. Therefore, denitrification seldom occurs in dry environments.

Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH):A few species of bacteria can cause denitrification in systems as acidic as 2.0 whereas other species are active in systems as alkaline as 10.0. Most denitrifiers prefer a near neutral solution.

Temperature: There are many microorganisms in water systems capable of growing in temperatures from just above the freezing point to as high as 70 degrees Celsius. Most denitrifying bacteria favor temperatures within 15-45 degrees Celsius.

For the denitrifying process to occur, the organisms need a carbon source (organic matter), an alkaline environment, and reduced oxygen. All of these conditions are common in closed water systems. Stay tuned for the final blog in this series which will address the control of denitrification.

Loss of Nitrite in Closed Systems

2014-10-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

In your closed heating and cooling systems, proper water treatment is required to prevent corrosion. Years ago, alkaline chromate inhibitors provided excellent protection for these systems. However, chromate was identified as a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical and this led to the development of non-chromate inhibitors. These newer treatments have been equally effective in controlling corrosion while, at the same time, overcoming many of the problems associated with the use of chromate.

Most non-chromate inhibitors are formulated with sodium nitrite, in combination with silicates, molybdates, and borates. For the most common nitrite based programs, complete protection is only assured if the level of nitrite is maintained within prescribed limits, depending upon system temperature and other factors. Loss of treatment can result from water leakage in the system. Occasionally, reduction of the nitrite level occurs without a corresponding reduction in other treatment components. This is due to biological denitrification.

Stay tuned for the next two blogs in this series which will explore biological denitrification and how to control it.

Boiler Storage and Layup Part 2

2014-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last week’s blog provided steps for proper dry boiler storage. While dry storage methods are most recommended, wet storage is an acceptable option in the event of a more temporary standby. This week’s blog provides you with proper steps in wet boiler storage. Please contact your Watertech representative for further specifics on how to properly layup your boiler.

Wet Storage:

When using the wet storage method, take at least one of the following precautions to avoid freezing:

Auxiliary heat
Cascade lay up boiler with hot boiler water from an operating boiler
Light firing of the boiler
Use of a 50/50 water/ethylene-glycol mixture (this however, requires that the boiler be drained, flushed, and filled with fresh feedwater prior to start up)

Even though dry storage methods are preferred, wet methods are acceptable whenever a boiler is on emergency standby.

The boiler should be filled to the normal water level with deaerated feedwater. Then add either:

1. 3-4 pounds caustic soda and 1.5-3.0 pounds sodium sulfite per 1000 gallons of water contained in the boiler. A minimum 400 ppm (mg/L) phenolphthalein alkalinity as CaCO³, and 200 ppm (mg/L) sulfite as SO³should be maintained at all times.

2. 4-5 gallons of diethyhydroxylamine (DEHA) per 1,000 gallons for oxygen control and 1 gallon morpholine per 1,000 gallons to raise the pH to 10.0-11.0.

With vents open, heat should be applied to boil the water for 1 hour. This will allow for complete mixing of the water and chemical.
If the boiler is equipped with a non-drainable superheater, fill the superheater with condensate or demineralized water treated with 4-5 gallons of DEHA per 1000 gallons and 1 gallon morpholine per 1000 gallons. Then fill the boiler with deaerated feedwater.
If the superheater is drainable or the boiler does not have a superheater, the boiler should be allowed to cool slightly after firing. Before a vacuum is created, completely fill the unit with deaerated feedwater.
After filling the boiler, connect a surge tank, such as a 55 gallon drum, containing a solution of treatment chemicals or nitrogen tank at 5 psig (0.35 km/cm²) pressure to the steam drum vent. This supply will compensate for volumetric changes as a result of temperature variations.
The drain between the non-return and the main steam stop valve should be left wide open. All other drains and vents are to be left closed tight.
The boiler water should be tested on a regular basis, with additional treatment being added whenever necessary to maintain the minimum treatment levels.
When chemicals are added, the boiler water is to be circulated by means of an external pump or by reducing the water level to the normal operating level and steaming the boiler for the short time. If steaming is necessary, the boiler should be filled completely in keeping within the above recommendations.

Alternative Wet Storage (Cascade method):

Continuous blowdown from an operating boiler is used to keep the idle boiler filled with hot, treated water.

If the unit to be laid-up has not been cooled and drained, connect the continuous blowdown line from an operating unit to a convenient bottom drain line or blowdown line of the laid-up boiler.
If refilling an idle boiler, first open a vent line and close it only after completely filling the unit with surface blowdown water from the operating boiler. Then open the continuous blowdown line of the stored boiler to allow a flow of water from the idle boiler. The standby boiler must have no air pockets in the upper portion of the boiler.
Enough hot surface blowdown from the operating boiler must be available on a continuous basis to keep the standby boiler warm and the exterior surfaces of boiler tubes and other boiler components warm enough to prevent condensation from forming on those surfaces. Proper care should be taken to ensure chemical levels are properly maintained in the operating boiler.

Boiler Storage and Layup Part 1

2014-09-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Waterside surfaces of boilers that are out of service are particularly susceptible to corrosion. Depending on the length of time the boiler will be out of service and how quickly the boiler may need to be ready for service will determine how the boiler should be layed up. There are a few common methods for storing a boiler properly to prevent corrosion while it is off line. This week’s blog will feature Dry Storage and Alternative Dry Storage. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week featuring Wet Storage and Alternative Wet Storage.

Dry Storage:

The dry storage method is recommended whenever a boiler will be out of service for an extended period of time, but must also be available for unit operation in a moderately short period of time.

The following steps must be taken to ensure proper storage using this dry storage method:

Bottom blow the boiler at least twice daily for a few days before the boiler is to be shut down. Once the boiler is turned off. Bottom blow the boiler every 10-20 psi drop in pressure.
Begin to drain the boiler once the pressure is at zero and the temperature is under 140oF. Opening the boiler when it is at this temperature helps dry internal surfaces.
The boiler should be thoroughly cleaned and inspected. If possible, all horizontal and non-drainable boiler tubes should be blown with compressed air to remove all water and moisture.
Heat should be applied to dry the boiler walls, insulation, tube internals and refractory. This can be done by firing the boiler at a minimal rate or using an external source of heat. Fuel fired heaters should not be used inside the boiler because of the moisture that is generated during the heating process.
Immediately after the surfaces are dried, one of the recommended drying agents should be spread on water-tight and corrosion-resistant trays:

Quick Lime- 6lb/100ft
Silica Gel- 8lb/100ft
Activated Alumina- 8lb/100ft³
These trays should go into each drum of the boiler or on the top tubes of a fire tube boiler.
NOTE: Specialty drying agents made specifically for dry layup of a boiler can be very effective and convenient and can in many instances remain in the boiler for startup because they volatilize upon heating. Contact your Watertech representative for information on these specialty boiler layup products.

Manholes, vents and connections should be tightly blanked and closed. The drain between the non-return and main steam stops valves should be left open. The waterside of the boiler should be as air tight as possible.
The boiler should be opened every 3 or 4 months for inspection of the drying agent. It should be replaced as needed.

Alternative Dry Storage:

For extended periods of storage time for package fire tube and water tube boilers that do not have superheaters and/or economizers, the alternative dry storage method is an option. Note that other boilers must be operating in the boiler room to ensure low humidity in the air since the boiler will remain open.

First of all, the boiler should be thoroughly cleaned and inspected. If possible, all horizontal and non-drainable boiler tubes should be blown with compressed air to remove water and moisture. Particular care in water tube units must be taken to get rid of water from long horizontal tubes that may be bowed slightly.
Check the feedwater inlet and the steam outlet to be sure no dampness remains in the boiler. The manhole covers and several handhole covers should remain open, allowing dry boiler room air to enter the units. Forcing dry air through the waterside of the boiler using a fan is always a good method of ensuring moisture does not build up on internal surfaces. The boilers should be inspected every 2 weeks to ensure against any moisture or surface rust.

Stay tuned for next week’s tips on wet storage options. Please contact your Watertech representative for further assistance on how to properly layup your standby boilers.

Boiler System Startup Checklist

2014-09-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

The cold weather is coming quick! Which means it’s that time of year to switch from cooling towers to boilers. With heating season right around the corner it is important to begin preparing your boilers for another season of operation (the climate gurus are predicting an extra cold winter, yuck!). The time invested in preparation for boiler system startup can pay big dividends throughout the heating season. Proper preparation will save water, energy and chemical dollars by ensuring deposit-free, corrosion-free and efficient heat transfer surfaces throughout the heating season. It will also save time and eliminate maintenance headaches by ensuring the system will run smoothly through peak demands.

Refer to the following guidelines to properly prepare boiler water systems for startup:

Operating Personnel Training

Review the purpose of each boiler water treatment chemical used in the system
Review chemical treatment dosage rates
Review safe handling procedures for all chemicals used in the system
Make sure that there are adequate testing reagents
Check the shelf-life of any reagents on hand from the previous season

Steam Boilers

Inspect boiler and burner, then make adjustments as required
Test low water cut-off and pressure relief valve
Check operating and safety controls
Review boiler operations with boiler operator
Log all operating conditions
Shut off burner and open electrical disconnect
Close fuel supply valves
Thoroughly blow down boiler

Water Treatment

Test all blowdown and chemical feed equipment to assure proper operation
Chemically test the system water for proper bleed rate and treatment levels
Adjust the control to obtain proper operation
Create a report of the test and inspection results

For additional tips regarding boiler startup refer to this article from our technical library. Please contact a Watertech representative for further questions and information.

Watertech of America Scholarship Recipients

2014-08-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Watertech of America is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013-2014 Watertech of America Scholarship in Honor of Gene VandenHeuvel. Abigail DeBofsky and Lisa Sasso are both students at the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences. This graduate school program is the first of its kind in the country dedicated solely to the study of freshwater.

Abigail (Abby) DeBofsky graduated from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor in 2011 with a Bachelor's of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Freshwater Sciences and Technology and conducting research in environmental toxicology under the direction of Dr. Michael Carvan. Specifically her research focuses on the effects of dietary methylmercury on reproduction in yellow perch. After graduation, she is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. and career in ecosystem research and education.

Lisa Sasso graduated from UW-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences in May of 2014, with a MS in Freshwater Sciences and Technology-Professional Science track. Her undergraduate degree is in Integrated Science and Business with a Water Resources Emphasis from UW-Whitewater. While at UW-Milwaukee, Lisa interned with Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD), and is now employed there full-time as a Project Manager for the Planning, Research and Sustainability division. Even after graduation, Lisa is still involved with the School of Freshwater Sciences and serves on the Professional Science Masters Advisory Board.

The scholarship is in memory of Watertech’s founder, Eugene “Gene” VandenHeuvel, who founded the company in 1980. The primary purpose of these funds is to provide scholarship, fellowship, and research support for students enrolled in the School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

To see the previous year’s recipients click here.

How blueVUE can earn you LEED Points

2014-07-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

Becoming LEED Certified is an important decision for many building owners and operators. LEED provides the tools needed to improve both building performance and bottom line while also delivering a number of different benefits including:

Lower operating costs and increased asset value
Reduced waste sent to landfills
More healthful and productive environments for occupants
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
Qualification for tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives
Energy and water conservation

Our blueVUE technology puts its emphasis on spurring business growth while simultaneously preserving the world’s most precious resource. It gives you the power to gather and store data from your water meters, providing you the ability for easier access to reports and information, leading to better monitoring of your water usage. These concepts directly relate to LEED’s goals for water conservation.

LEED Certification can be achieved at four different levels depending on the number of points attained. Whether you are looking to accomplish a simple certification or are seeking a few more points to achieve LEED Platinum, blueVUE can be of benefit to you.

LEED Building Design + Construction

BlueVUE can earn you up to 3 points in the design and construction of your new building. While the monitoring of your water usage is an initial requirement for LEED Certification, additional points can be attained in a couple of ways. The first is for additional sub-metering. By monitoring not only overall water usage, but also individual components of your water use (cooling water intake, boiler water blowdown, etc.) you can earn an extra point. BlueVUE makes the gathering and reporting of such data easy and efficient for your building. The second is for innovation. BlueVUE is a cutting edge technology in data collection and reporting. By making these proactive alterations to your buildings’ operations you can attain another point. To view the LEED Building Design + Construction Guide click here.

LEED Operations + Maintenance

Once your building is up and running or if you are operating an existing building, blueVUE can earn you up to 6 points for your day to day facility management. It is important to note that many of the criteria required by LEED may be practices that you are already partaking in. BlueVUE helps you to identify and legitimize the things that you are already doing for LEED standards. BlueVUE can also take your plant to the next level in water management and earn you further LEED points. These can be attained by participating in additional sub-metering, adding automated conductivity controllers, and participating in new innovative technology. To view the LEED Operations + Maintenance Guide click here.

LEED Certification offers many benefits for your building performance and your bottom line. BlueVUE aims to identify building inefficiencies so that they may be quickly reacted to and fixed which means an increase in your bottom line. BlueVUE and LEED give you the opportunity to take your building to the next level in performance, technology, and profitability. To learn more about blueVUE and its many benefits click here. For further inquiry and more information about how blueVUE can assist in your LEED Certification contact us here.

New Partnership with Badger Meter

2014-07-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

Our new Channel Partner Agreement with Badger Meter serves to provide innovative water management programs to customers in industrial and commercial markets. We will be featuring Badger Meter flow measurement and control solutions to our customers in order to better achieve their business’s metering needs. While Badger Meter features a large number of flow instrumentation options, we will assure that customers find the top of the line product that best fits their needs using our water management expertise.

The flow monitoring products provided by Badger Meter in tandem with our blueVUE data analytics will help to spur business growth while simultaneously preserving the world’s most precious resource. We recognize the importance for businesses to be proactive supporters of the environment and that they are in turn rewarded financially. This partnership will create the opportunity to do just that. Beyond the leading flow metering technologies and top of the line water system management, the partnership will take blueVUE to the next level. This will allow businesses to see every aspect of their company’s water consumption by the hour to quickly react to system changes or inefficient systems that could be wasting water and costing their company thousands of dollars.

One of the Badger Meter products that will assist in such achievements is the Model 3700 Data Acquisition Server (link to product page). This server brings a mesh network of data to one central location allowing blueVUE to acquire the data and create the necessary reports. This Data Acquisition System is highly functional and easy to use and maintain. It has the capability to add many different devices and allows for future expansion. It provides the opportunity to read flow data from all areas of a commercial or industrial plant and collect it all in one centralized location, providing businesses with the information needed to best manage their water systems.

We will also be recommending Badger Meter‘s mechanical and electronic flow meters, control valves, flow calibrators and other specialized flow solutions. To learn more about the other Badger Meter products that Watertech is recommending follow this link.

For the full press release regarding Watertech and Badger Meter’s Channel Partner Agreement follow this link. You can learn more about blueVUE and the services it offers here.

Legionella Standard 188P

2014-06-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

The Legionella bacteria has caused recent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease all over the globe. Close to home, Legionnaires’ disease is responsible for hospitalizing thousands of Americans every year. This Legionella bacteria can be found in any type of water system. Legionnaires’ disease can be acquired after inhaling mists from a water source that contains this bacteria.

These recent outbreaks have continued the increased concern and encouraged steps towards standardized requirements for the management of risks associated with Legionella. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) is currently working toward the establishment of such standards. Standard 188P, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, aims to identify risk factors for growth and exposure of Legionella in industrial water systems. It further seeks measures and tactics to mitigate such risks. This standard will help facility managers and owners to better understand their buildings' water systems relative to the risks that Legionella poses.

The Standard 188P Committee has introduced a fourth public review draft and is confident that it will be approved and made available this summer. The chair of the committee, Tom Watson, stated, “The new version of the standard will provide the building community with reasonable and practical methods to control exposure to the bacterium that could cause harm.” Specific changes seen in the new draft include:

Removal of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) terminology; some of the principles of the HACCP process may be included in the new draft
Environmental Legionella testing considerations
Revision of the standard to align with recently approved changes to the standard’s title, purpose and scope, chiefly around systematic management of risks associated with potential exposure to Legionella

It is noted that these provisions are subject to change between now and the publication of the final version. To be updated regarding further progress of Standard 188P, subscribe to the ASHRAE listserv here. Watertech will be following this topic closely in the coming months and will keep our website updated.

Recently Watertech teamed with the Milwaukee Health Department for our region’s first ever symposium dealing with Legionnaire’s Disease. Click hereto see pertinent articles and pictures from the event.

Open Cooling Systems and Closed Systems Water Treatment Checklists

2014-04-02T07:07:00.003-07:00

Now is the time to start thinking about preparing your Cooling Tower for the upcoming cooling season. Proper preparation will save time and insure the smooth running of the system through peak demand periods. Our previous blog dealt with reviewing proper procedures with operating personnel and getting the actual Cooling Tower ready. The following checklists deal with the water treatment involved with preparing the towers for start up.

OPEN COOLING SYSTEMS

Operate all chemical bleed and feed equipment to assure proper operation.
Chemically test the system water for proper bleed rate and treatment levels.
Adjust the controls to obtain proper operation.
Visually inspect the open portions of the system for evidence of corrosion, scale or slime and algae growth.
Slug feed biocide and antifoam to control slime and algae growth. Conduct microbiological test.
Furnish a written report of the test and inspection results including recommendations.
Inventory the remaining water treatment chemicals and re-order as required.

CLOSED SYSTEMS

Chemically test the system water for proper treatment levels.
Adjust the treatment level for proper operation.
Furnish a written report of the test and inspection results including recommendations.
Conduct microbiological tests.

Proper preparation is the key to making the cooling season trouble-free and insure smooth running of the system through peak demand periods. Summer will be here before you know it!

Cooling System Preseason Checklist

2014-03-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

Although it may not feel like spring, it's getting to the time of the year when Cooling Towers should be prepared for the upcoming cooling season. The time invested in preparing your towers can pay big dividends later in the season and will save water, energy and chemical dollars. Insuring heat transfer surfaces are deposit and corrosion free will save time and eliminate maintenance headaches.

The following checklist is a review guide for your personnel:

Review the purpose of each cooling water treatment chemical used in the system with the operating personnel.
Review chemical treatment dosage rates.
Review safe handling procedures for all chemicals used in the system.
Review testing and recording procedures.
Make sure that there are adequate reagents for testing.
Check the shelf life of the reagents.

The following items should be checked in and around the Cooling Tower:

Remove all debris from within and around unit, then flush as required.
Check and clean strainers, bleed, overflow and drain.
Lubricate fan and motor bearings per manufacturer’s recommendation.
Change oil in gear reducer assembly as per manufacturer’s recommendation.
Check belts, motor pulley and motor mounts. Replace and adjust as required.
Inspect electrical connections, contactors, relays and operating/safety controls.
Check motor operating conditions.
Clean float valve assembly and check for proper operation.
Check operating conditions. Adjust as required.
Read water meter prior to filling system to determine system capacity.

The checklist for Open Cooling Systems and Closed Systems water treatment will be covered in next week's blog. Remember, Summer is coming!!

Water Usage

2014-03-12T08:31:00.001-07:00

In July of last year we conducted a survey of our customers. As part of that survey we asked some questions designed to see how much people knew about the water usage at their place of work. Based on the results of the survey we found that many of our customers didn’t know what their water usage was at their facility. Almost 25% of customers who took the survey didn’t know the total annual water usage. More importantly, 20% of upper management didn’t know their total annual water usage. This number is important because it affects all facets of your business.

Why is water usage so important? Well, if for no other reason, water is the world’s most precious resource that needs to be used responsibly. In addition, water is a critical component of every business and can have a significant impact on your bottom line. For many businesses, water is used as part of the manufacturing process. In other businesses, water is a critical piece of the heating and cooling processes. In those facilities, the utility water usage can be 80+ percent of the entire usage at the facility. Excessive water use in these processes can be an indicator of problems within those processes. These problems can lead to product loss, decreased quality, down time, and higher energy usage among others. Identifying excessive water usage can help you find these issues faster and respond before they become larger issues.

However, knowing your water usage alone may not give you the entire picture. Often water usage is directly linked to other things like weather and production. Your water use may increase by 30% from one day to the next. However, if the temperatures went from 70 to 90 degrees, 30% could be a good number. Comparing your water use to other, related, information allows you to see through the nature variability of your use and identify when a change in water use needs to be investigated. This is where blueVUE, Watertech's new cutting edge technology, can make a huge impact. blueVUE enables you to see every aspect of your company's water consumption by the hour so you can react to system changes. Click here to lean more about blueVUE.

Also, it is important to know the whole cost of your water usage. True, the largest component of your water bill are the rates charged by your water provider. However, many times there are other costs tied directly to water use. For example, additives used to prevent scale and corrosion in water piping are often fed based on water usage. The more additives used, the greater the cost of that water. It is important to look throughout your facility to find those costs that are directly related to your water usage so that you can get an understanding of your true cost of water. This topic has been discussed in previous Watertech blogs. Click here to see the first in a series of "Commit to Understanding Your Water Usage" blogs.

We can also look at this from a broader prospective. If you don’t understand your water usage, how can the water source you are using sustain your business in the long run? The more efficient you can be, the longer this resource will last. It’s a continuous cycle, we need water to create energy and we need energy to transport water. Their dependence on each other—and their contribution to your bottom-line profitability—quite simply cannot be underestimated.