Water Filtration News

7 Benefits of Cooling Tower Filtration

9/22/2015

Cooling tower filtration systems are gaining in popularity, thanks to increased focus on energy efficiency and heightened awareness of health risks posed by waterborne bacteria. Cooling water filtration systems are a low-risk, low-cost investment.

Read on to learn more about the proactive benefits cooling tower filtration offers:

1.Extend equipment life
The buildup of dirt, minerals and biological deposits in your cooling water basin over time require higher and higher concentrations of water treatment chemicals. Combined, the scaling, fouling, and chemicals work to corrode your cooling tower equipment. Filtering out suspended solids and microorganisms is a simple preventive step for extending the life of your equipment.

2. Reduce manual maintenance requirements
Less buildup in basins means less time spent shoveling out sludge. Operating with cleaner water also leads to a system that performs at more optimum levels and requires less reactive maintenance overall.

3. Improve operating efficiency
A cooling tower filled with dirty water is inefficient because it is contaminated with pollen, dirt, bacteria and other debris that speed scaling and become breeding grounds for waterborne bacteria. All that buildup clogs nozzles and tubes and coats heat transfer surfaces, forcing the system to work harder and consume more energy. An effective filtration system minimizes those deposits for improved efficiency.

4. Lower risk of bacterial contamination
The warm, humid environment of a cooling tower is ideal for harboring bacterial growth. Recent outbreaks of Legionnaire’s Disease highlight the danger of allowing waterborne bacteria to breed unchecked in cooling towers. Choosing a cooling tower filtration system that can remove particles down to the submicron level is a critical tool for combatting bacteria. Check out our one-of-a-kind antimicrobial filter media for a filtration solution that goes even further by killing bacteria on contact.

5. Reduce system down-time
Any filtration solution will cut back the amount of time your system has to be offline for maintenance, but choosing a side-stream filter that continuously filters a portion (approx. 10%) of cooling water significantly increases the time your system can run without interruption.

6. Save water
High mineral concentrations in unfiltered water require frequent flushing through blowdown to prevent scaling. Water lost in the process has to be immediately replenished and can amount to millions of gallons each year. An effective filtration system can reduce the blowdown requirements and add up to significant water savings.

7. Cut chemical costs
Suspended solids reduce the effectiveness of water treatment chemicals. Filtering out those particles while proactively addressing scaling and biofouling means you can reduce the amount of water treatment chemicals required to keep your system humming.

Learn more
Visit our cooling water solutions page to learn about AS Filtration’s cooling tower water filter products. If you would like to discuss how our filtration and treatment solutions can be applied to your specific situation, please call 423.602.9520 to speak to one of our engineers, or Contact Us.

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How to Comply with ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 and Reduce the Risk of Legionella

9/8/2015

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Begin updating your water management program today

In our previous entries, we touched on the basics of the ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, why it’s important, and what buildings and facilities are impacted. Now, we’ll take a look at what you should do to follow the published guideline.

Establishing a water treatment program
Most cases of Legionellosis are the result of exposure to Legionella bacteria associated with building water systems, so the standard requires use of a water management program to reduce the risk of Legionellosis associated with those systems.

The water treatment framework within the standard includes these components:

Program team identification
Indicate who is responsible for implementing and monitoring the water management program.

Description and analysis of building water systems
Indicate the location and flow of water systems, then identify those that pose the most significant risk for Legionellosis and note where water treatment can be applied.

Control measures
This is the heart of the standard. Choose and install water treatment measures to effectively reduce the risk of Legionella. Document all treatment measures taken, their implementation schedules and processes, measurement parameters, and corrective actions for each control measure.

Verification and validation
Outline specific, scheduled reviews of water treatment program documentation and processes to ensure the program is being implemented. Then, perform periodic water sampling of building water systems to validate the efficacy of your treatment measures. Routine testing specifically for Legionellosis is the most direct method for confirming the effectiveness of your program.

What should I do with the written plan and program compliance information?
Simply keep the documentation and make it available for review as needed by the party or parties responsible for enforcing the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 188-2015.

AS Filtration’s Legionella Risk Management Solutions
Your water management program must include disinfectant to kill or inactivate pathogens, as well as water treatment products to control microbiological activity, scale, and corrosion.

The Aqua-Stream filtration system has been proven to kill and control waterborne bacteria while removing suspended particles as small as 0.5 micrometers (microns).

Pathex® antimicrobial filter media removes particles and controls waterborne bacteria. It’s included in our Aqua-Stream filtration system and is also a drop-in replacement for most sand and multi-media filters. Unlike plain sand filters that often harbor bacteria, Pathex kills waterborne bacteria on contact. Pathex is EPA registered as a pesticide under FIFRA sec 3(c)(7)(A) and is certified by NSF International to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 for drinking water system components.

For more information, please visit our Legionella Risk Management Solutions page or contact us for a free consultation.

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Who Needs To Follow New Standards for Reducing Legionella Bacteria?

9/3/2015

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Facilities must document compliance annually

An overview of the facility types impacted by ASHRAE Standard 188-2015

In our last blog, we talked about ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 and why it was developed to reduce and control Legionella bacteria in building water systems, including fountains, whirlpools and cooling towers.

Now, we’ll describe the types of buildings and facilities identified in the standard as being at-risk for Legionella bacteria. If your facility falls into one of these categories, you should familiarize yourself with the standard and begin implementing a compliant water treatment program.

Who needs to read the standard?
The ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 is intended for use by owners and managers of “human occupied commercial, institutional, multiunit residential and industrial buildings.”

The standard requires a written water treatment program for facilities with the following risk factors:

Open and closed circuit cooling towers or evaporative condensers
Whirlpools or spas (hot tubs), on the site or in the building
Ornamental fountains, misters, atomizers, air washes, or humidifiers
Non-potable water systems or devices that release water droplets in the building or on the site

In addition, the standard requires written water treatment programs for*:

Multiple housing units with one or more centralized potable water-heater systems
Buildings more than 10 stories high (including any levels that are below grade)
Health care facilities where patient stays exceed 24 hours
Buildings containing one or more areas for the purpose of housing or treating occupants receiving treatment for burns, chemotherapy for cancer, or solid organ transplantation or bone marrow transplantation
Buildings identified as being for the purpose of housing occupants over the age of 65 years
Buildings that house or treat occupants who are at higher risk from becoming ill through exposure

Owners/managers of new and existing buildings should complete an assessment of the premises identifying any risk factors listed prior to occupancy of a new building or before construction begins on renovations, additions, or modifications to existing buildings.

The ASHRAE standard also applies to those involved in the design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and service of a centralized building water system and components to ensure compliance.

Single-family residences are not included in the standard.

In our next blog, we’ll talk more about how to comply with the standard to reduce the risk of a Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak at your facility. You’re also invited to visit our Legionella Risk Management Solutions page for information on water treatment products that may enable compliance in your facility.

*please read the full standard for more specific details about at-risk facilities

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7 Benefits of Cooling Tower Filtration

How to Comply with ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 and Reduce the Risk of Legionella

Who Needs To Follow New Standards for Reducing Legionella Bacteria?

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