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sea water treatment
- Thread starter iei9596
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I know of a product that has been tested in sea water for up to 2 years in the Gulf of Mexico in which barnacles were easily removed. Salt water has no effect on the coating and is easy to apply. Also, it is so slick that algae cannot grow on the coated surface. You can find technical information on this site: I have used this coating in several environments with success.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I've looked over several alternatives to reduce fouling in seawater systems on marine vessels the past two years. These have been for both copper-nickel and non-copper nickel systems.
Generally, there are two opposing issues that apply to most treatment type systems:
1. Is the system sufficiently toxic to significantly reduce fouling?
2. Is the system sufficiently benign and legal from an environmental perspective?
Those points stated, I consider chlorination systems to be effective and easily installed. UV and ozone systems may or may not be effective, depending on local conditions. Copper systems (specifically the copper anode sytems in which a DC current is used to force the dissolution of a copper anode) usually do not deliver sufficient amounts of copper the be effective.
There are also automatic cleaning systems that can be used on tube-and-shell heat exchangers while the system is on-line. These do nothing, however, for the piping to and from the heat exchangers.
I don't believe coatings of any sort will be effective for long periods of time (i.e. years). Antifouling coatings work by using toxins (such as copper), and the coating must make available sufficient toxin to control fouling, but must also contain sufficient toxin to provide the desired service life.
Generally, there are two opposing issues that apply to most treatment type systems:
1. Is the system sufficiently toxic to significantly reduce fouling?
2. Is the system sufficiently benign and legal from an environmental perspective?
Those points stated, I consider chlorination systems to be effective and easily installed. UV and ozone systems may or may not be effective, depending on local conditions. Copper systems (specifically the copper anode sytems in which a DC current is used to force the dissolution of a copper anode) usually do not deliver sufficient amounts of copper the be effective.
There are also automatic cleaning systems that can be used on tube-and-shell heat exchangers while the system is on-line. These do nothing, however, for the piping to and from the heat exchangers.
I don't believe coatings of any sort will be effective for long periods of time (i.e. years). Antifouling coatings work by using toxins (such as copper), and the coating must make available sufficient toxin to control fouling, but must also contain sufficient toxin to provide the desired service life.
There is something new in the market nowadays which environmentally friendly as compared to chlorination and no need of electricity as compared to copper anode systems. It is called eneflow manufactured by enecon ( which uses magnetic principle to serve the purpose.
EdStainless
Materials
I have seen copper annode systems work very well, but sizing is very critical. It also needs to be one that uses voltage revesal in order to keep teh Cu clean and consumed evenly. Don't use Al or other alloys. They create too much residue for a heat transfer system.
In seawater you can also use Br injection. The various Cl containing acids that are the actual anit-microbials are formed by ion exchange.
This biggest issue in seawater systems is that you usually can't use periodic or burst treatments. Once the biofilms form they are too robust to penetrate. You need enough continious treatment to prevent more than a light slim from forming.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.
In seawater you can also use Br injection. The various Cl containing acids that are the actual anit-microbials are formed by ion exchange.
This biggest issue in seawater systems is that you usually can't use periodic or burst treatments. Once the biofilms form they are too robust to penetrate. You need enough continious treatment to prevent more than a light slim from forming.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.
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