How this Government Facility Solved Chemical Feed Issues and Improved Cooling System Performance

At a glance

A failing chemical feed system at this government building was plagued with corrosion, leaks, and inefficiencies. With Guardian Chemicals’ support, they transformed the system into a streamlined, efficient operation that ensures proper chemical treatment for their cooling towers and eliminates corrosion issues.

Key metrics

EFFICIENT
CHEMICAL FEED TO PROTECT SYSTEM AND PREVENT SPILLS
ELIMINATED
CHEMICAL HANDLING AND MANUAL ADDITION
PREVENTED
CORROSION AND REPLACED CORRODED PIPING

When the chemical feed system is the weak link

A cooling tower treatment program only works if the chemical reaches the water at the right rate. The feed system, meaning the controllers, pumps, piping and biocide feeder, is what makes that happen.

When the feed system fails, the chemistry fails with it. Corroded piping restricts flow. A single controller shared between towers cannot dose each one correctly. A leaking biocide feeder leaves both towers under-protected. Operators end up feeding chemical by hand, which adds handling and exposure.

This government building had all of those problems at once, and both of its cooling towers were scaling and corroding faster as a result.

Challenges

Severe corrosion, chemical injection issues, and malfunctioning led to accelerated scale and corrosion in both cooling towers at this government building.

  • Severe Corrosion: Corroded cast iron piping restricted flow and prevented proper treatment.
  • Improper Injection: A single controller for two cooling towers forced operators to manually feed chemical.
  • Malfunctioning Equipment: A leaking brominator resulted in poor biological control in both cooling towers.

Solutions

Partnering with Guardian Chemicals, separate controllers were installed for each cooling tower to ensure accurate dosing. Corroded cast iron piping was replaced with stainless steel, eliminating blockages. Chemicals are now fed directly from pails, reducing spills and handling. The brominator was fixed, restoring control and flow, and all equipment was mounted on stainless steel backboards for easy maintenance.

Results

Restored Efficiency and Flow
The system is properly protected and operates without blockages, leaks, or manual chemical feeding.

Optimized Cooling Tower Treatment
With dedicated controllers, both cooling towers now receive proper chemical treatment, extending their operational life.

Improved Safety
Less handling, a tidy setup, and direct chemical feed reduces hazards, spills, and chemical exposure.

Data

improvements to the chemical feed system at a government building

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These photos illustrate the improvements to the chemical feed system at this government building. Initially, the system was disorganized with corroded cast iron piping and cluttered equipment–resulting in operational inefficiencies, safety hazards, and unprotected cooling systems.

After making the switch to Guardian, the system was upgraded: with stainless steel piping; new chemical feed systems on stainless steel backboards; and separate, properly installed controllers for each cooling tower. This increased the system’s efficiency, reduced chemical handling, and made maintenance easier.

Best of all, it ensured reliable and effective chemical treatment to properly protect both cooling tower systems.

 

Contact us to learn how we will resolve your chemical feed issues and boost your operation efficiency.

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Frequently asked questions

What was wrong with the original feed system?
Corroded cast iron piping restricted flow, one controller served two cooling towers, and a leaking brominator left biological control poor in both towers.
What changes were made?
Each tower got its own controller. Cast iron piping was replaced with stainless steel. The brominator was repaired, chemicals were fed directly from pails, and equipment was mounted on stainless steel backboards.
Do operators still feed chemical by hand?
No. Dedicated controllers dose each tower, so manual feeding is no longer needed.
How did safety improve?
Direct feed from pails and a tidy layout cut handling, spills and chemical exposure.

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