Chemical-free cooling

District cooling is already recognised as one of the major ways to increase the sustainability of a project, but how can it be improved further? A chemical-free technology recently installed on Palm Jumeirah provides some answers.

With sustainable building now top priority in the Middle East, consultants and contractors are seeking ways to improve all MEP systems used in developments.

Palm District Cooling (PDC) was looking for ways to save water, reduce energy consumption, eliminate condenser water chemicals, eliminate the need for employees to handle chemicals, and eliminate chemical discharge to the environment.

To achieve these goals, PDC has moved forward with awarding US Chiller Services (USCS) the turn-key, project of design, procurement, installation, and commissioning of the Clearwater Dolphin Chemical-Free Water Treatment System at its 15,000-ton Gardens Plant 3.

"USCS has been looking at chemical-free water treatment alternatives for the past 15 years, but was never satisfied with the many systems we evaluated," remarked Dan Mizesko, Managing Partner of USCS.

"However, about two years ago, our engineers identified the Clearwater Dolphin System as a chemical-free water treatment technology that truly outperforms any Non Chemical treatment system, as well as conventional Chemical water treatment.

We visited scores of sites in the USA and met with the Management and Engineers at Clearwater Systems Corporation over the past two years and performed extensive system evaluation. In April of 2008, we were confident in the performance of the Clearwater Dolphin System and decided to introduce this technology to the UAE."

USCS approached its partner customers regarding this technology and PDC were immediately interested in exploring the benefits of installing the Dolphin System at its District cooling plants.

After performing due diligence, PDC decided to move forward with installing the system on one of its plants. After a trial period PDC will move forward with installing the Dolphin System on all its plants.

Dan added "USCS will provide to PDC a comprehensive, plant-wide non-chemical water treatment technology that will completely eliminate any and all chemicals used in the condenser/cooling tower system at the Gardens Plant 3.

We are confident that PDC will move forward with the implementation of this technology at all its District Cooling Plants, as the technology not only benefits PDC, but also benefits the residents of the UAE, with substantial water savings, power savings, and the elimination of discharge chemicals to the UAE environment, while complying with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed's directive to Go Green."

Why the need for water treatment?

The primary goals of advanced water treatment in HVAC systems are to prevent mineral scale formation, control biological activity, and inhibit corrosion. These problems traditionally have been addressed by means of chemical additives.

Difficult to administer, monitor, and control, chemical additives are ultimately discharged to the environment where they can contaminate surface and ground waters, concentrate in water treatment plant residuals, and be directly aspirated by people exposed to the mist created by cooling tower drift.

To resolve these problems without using chemicals USCS is installing the Clearwater Dolphin non-chemical water treatment technology at PDC 3 Gardens.

In addition to eliminating all chemical usage, this technology will allow PDC to increase the cooling tower Cycles of Concentration (CoC), thus substantially reducing make-up and blow-down water requirements and associated water cost.

The technology will also reduce the carbon emissions associated with water production and distribution processes associated with water savings, allow PDC to earn points toward LEED Green Building Council certification, continue to demonstrate to the region that PDC is a leader in environmental stewardship, and comply with government mandates that all UAE buildings and industries move to a "greener" footprint.

Scale prevention

When evaporation occurs in a cooling tower, the water exits as water vapor and leaves the dissolved minerals behind, causing increased concentration. Upon sufficient concentration, the dissolved minerals such as calcium carbonate become solid in a process known as precipitation.

The Dolphin System changes the form of precipitated solids from "hard scale" to a harmless powder.

The Dolphin System accomplishes this change by "activating" naturally occurring, small-suspended particles in the water. These tiny suspended particles exist in large quantities in all city water or well water that is used as cooling tower water.

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