Ben Feeney, Water Technologies Division Manager
The Commercial Water Treatment Challenge
A data center in Virginia contacted our water technologies team concerning “discoloration” in their chilled water system. Another vendor advised flushing out the entire system, which contained expensive glycol. Replacing the glycol would potentially cost the customer between $100-200,000, so they turned to Boland for an alternative solution.
Our Boland technicians collected water samples from different points within the chilled loop to develop a water quality profile. The lab analysis proved the glycol was not breaking down and the pH, reserve alkalinity, and corrosion inhibitors were in the recommended control ranges. Only iron levels were slightly elevated at 3 ppm. Iron caused the water to have a slight orange tint. It takes only 1ppm of iron to alter the color of the water.
The Solution: A Water Cartridge Filtration System
Given these results, we determined that removing the glycol was unnecessary. Installing a cartridge filtration system was the best solution for removing iron and suspended solids. Filter cartridges were selected based on the average particle size in the water. Five (5-micron) cartridges were installed in the filter housing to remove iron, silt, and other debris over time. To accelerate debris removal, technicians dipped each filter in a proprietary chemical to help them attract more solids as water passes through.
The Results and Impact
After six months of regular filter changeouts at 1–2-week intervals, iron levels dropped below 1ppm. The water clarity and turbidity showed vast improvement, and today, the filters only need to be changed once every six months. This project led to Boland acquiring a water treatment contract to sample, check, and maintain the corrosion inhibitors and glycol within the system.
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