bad water smell removal in a copper boiler

[azertyuiop]

I have a problem with our rain water recuperation and underground storage. That water gets used for various office consumers (office toilets , cleaning , warm water generation) , to massively reduce city water consumption in our office building. I have emptied the three 10 000 liter tanks , let them be cleaned , and waited a week to get it sufficiently refilled with rain water. The really bad smell hasn't got away , the water looks clean , but after refilling a couple of buckets , the stench is still apparent , altough the filter in the water enty stays clean. We have lots of birds in the vincinity , their disposals in the gutter , flowing into the tanks may be the source of contamination.

Is there a product or method to get rid of that smell , other than a carbon filter system in the feeding line? That water also gets injected in a boiler with copper heating circuit , so decontamination with chlore or similar commercially available products is probably not an option (corrosion).

Any bright engineer available with a simple solution?

 

[orenda1168]

You might consider application of hydrogen peroxide, available as a 27-35% solution depending on source, which has a very short longevity in water and should decon the bird droppings, etc. without affecting copper components. Also consider this in conjunction with carbon filtration.

 

[azertyuiop]

thanks for the intel. I will look for hydrogen peroxide , but I fear this is only a temporary solution , given the short lifetime of the product once mixed with the smelling water. Idem dito with a carbon filter , needs frequent regeneration + adaptation of the water distribution system , which is a drawback.

I am in fact looking for an easy decontaminant like chlore that gets used in swimming pools , but I can't use chlore because I think the copper in the boiler will be attacked by it.

I am not a chemist , therefore my request for assistance for any easily available chemical product that is not harmfull to humans and copper.

 

[ketch]

A mixture of salt water and cider vinegar will clean and sanitize your copper pipes and remove any foul odors.

 

[azertyuiop]

I think the bad smell problem is solved by the mixing of Chloramine in the rain water cisterns. The chloramine worked in the cistern for 24h , being mixed around in each tank by means of a submerged pump. I purged today the main water circuits and cleaned again the water filter , the smell is now gone.

I the bad smell comes back , I will again put 50gr of chloramine into each 10 000 liter cistern to get rid of that problem.

 

[Muggle]

Any chemical treatment is temporary - once the chemical is used up, re-ijection or dosing is required. You can't get away from not re-dosing. Fact of life. Your going to have new water coming in, plus you have to keep the current volume from growing algae and bacteria.

Look at hydrogen peroxide injection - yes, it's short lived, but that that's ok - add the injector on the out-flow side of the tank - the line going to the main pipes - this probably your best bet.

 

[azertyuiop]

No , I won't follow your advice. I have bought a few kg of the chloramine powder , given that is is very cheap stuff. I don't want to invest in regulation equipment and other water quality management hardware , too much work for the temporary hazzle , given that the bad smell only occurs during summer time.

If the water starts smelling again in one month , I will drop 50 gr of the powder in each cistern again , to re-increase the concentration to the required kill level. It is less work and less costly than a peroxide injection system or a carbon filter or else , with all the maintenance hazzle that it brings.