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Drum-Kickers, Soap Salesmen...they have been called many things. Water Treatment specialists (probably the name they prefer) are everywhere. As a mechanical contractor, we have had many knock on our door. With most large commercial buildings and industrial facilities in Memphis utilizing water cooling/heating mechanical equipment, this industry is highly competitive, but is water treatment really necessary? In this edition of Mechanical Matters I am going to answer that very question and discuss several other important facts about water treatment services.

In this edition I want to answer three questions regarding water treatment:
Exactly what is water treatment and is it necessary?
How does improper water treatment service effect mechanical equipment?
Are there energy savings with water treatment?

1. Exactly what is water treatment and is it necessary?

Water treatment describes a process used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing components in the water, improving it for subsequent utilization. (Wikipedia.org)

In the mechanical industry water treatment is a method used to optimize most water-based mechanical and industrial processes, such as: heating, cooling, processing, cleaning, and rinsing, so that operating costs and risks are reduced.

Most water treatment programs include water softeners, inhibitors and other chemicals needed to 'treat' the water in order to reach the desired conditions for mechanical use and heat transfer. Products used to maintain proper water conditions are often fed automatically by sophisticated equipment directly into a chiller or boiler's water. Water is used for both cooling and heating in large commercial building applications. In most industrial environments water is used for cooling production equipment or an ingredient to making a product. How the water is used will determine what type of treatment is necessary.

Most water treatment companies use test kits and chemical dispensing systems which have made the use of water treatment chemicals in chiller, boiler and cooling-tower systems much easier. But attention to details, such as how often systems are tested, is critical to system performance. The correct water treatment chemistry at the correct time is extraordinarily important because even minor problems can create major costs.

Last week I sat down to breakfast with Gary Reynolds and Bob Schubert of Garratt Callahan. They are water treatment 'specialists'. Gary and I have worked together with several mutual customers. Their attention to detail, customer service and vast knowledge of water treatment is why many buildings in the Mid-South are in good hands with Garratt Callahan. In our meeting they provided me with some great information about the importance of water treatment, the effects of poor service and things to look for in choosing a service provider

2. How does poor or no service effect mechanical equipment?

Improper Water Treatment or no treatment at all will increase your energy consumption and operating cost while decreasing your mechanical equipment's efficiencies and life expectancy. A well designed and implemented water treatment program is highly important to the operation of any steam boiler, centrifugal chiller and cooling tower. All three of the systems shown below utilize water for cooling and heating.

Poor water treatment lets water interact with the surfaces of pipes and vessels which contain it. Steam boilers can scale up or corrode, and these deposits will mean more fuel is needed to heat the same amount of water. Cooling towers can scale up and corrode, but left untreated, the warm, dirty water they can contain will encourage bacteria to grow, and Legionnaires' Disease can be the fatal consequence. The condenser tubes within a chiller and other water cooling equipment can also scale up and corrode thus preventing good heat transfer. Increased energy consumption and poor cooling performance is common result in inefficient water treatment.

Water treatment can often be categorized as 'low-tech' and unglamorous. However, the right chemicals, proper chemical feed equipment, and a dedicated service provider is essential to your mechanical equipment and should be 'treated' with top priority.

3. Are there energy savings with water treatment?

Treatment Value: Expert water treatment can cut your water, energy, and maintenance costs substantially. Perhaps most important of all, it can save you the cost of fixing or replacing equipment thats been damaged by inadequate water treatment including the downtime and lost revenue usually associated with solving such problems.

The examples of water treatment ROI (Return of Investment) shown below show how very thin layers of deposited material from poorly treated water can drive up energy costs.

Scale
System: 1,000 ton chiller
Operation: 12 hours/day, 365 days/year
Cost of electricity: $0.10/kWh
Scale thickness: 1/32 inch
Elimination of 1/32 inch of scale saved $15,018 per year.

Biological Fouling
System: 1,000 ton chiller
Operation: 12 hours/day, 365 days/year
Cost of electricity: $0.10/kWh
Bio-film thickness: 1/1000 inch
Elimination of 1/1000 inch of bio-film saved $26,834 per year.

"As little as 3/16-inch of scale can cause a boiler system to use 38 percent more fuel. The most miniscule amount of dissolved oxygen in the water also means a system could be headed for corrosion problems. And even a thin layer of bacterial slime in chiller tubes can significantly affect heat-transfer efficiency."

Wrap Up:
As mechanical contractors we are no strangers to the importance of water treatment. However, after researching and writing this article I can assure you that I am much more informed about the necessity and advantage to having a good water treatment program.

In this edition Mechanical Matters, I discussed three important facts about chemical water treatment. First we learned the definition of water treatment and its use in the mechanical industry. Second, we learned that water treatment is definitely necessary, and without it your mechanical equipment will suffer. Last we learned how proper water treatment will save energy, and ultimately increase your bottom line.

I of course didn't show all my cards at once. There is so much more to the mechanical water treatment industry...I haven't even scratched the surface. If you are not sure your mechanical equipment has a proper water treatment program or pleased with your current service provider, please give me a call. We at S.M. Lawrence Company partner with good water treatment specialists like Garratt Callahan and not 'drum-kickers'. For a definition of 'Drum-Kicker', go to my website, jimmyveteto.com and click on the glossary.

"Until next to please remember to leave the Mechanical Matters to us!"

Jimmy Veteto, 901.378.7655
http://www.mechanicalmatters.com
http://www.jimmyveteto.com

posted by 55208  # 2:17 PM 0 comments

An astounding and unexpected number of people are dropping their (POTS) plain old telephone system, for the latest trends in phone service, VoIP. According to Frost & Sullivan there were 100,000 VoIP users at the end of 2003. Just halfway through 2004 the number jumped to more than 500,000.

The draw to such a change is most often cost related. Traditional phone companies charge use fees and by the minute charges, coupled with long distance fees. VoIP companies are charging a flat fee somewhere between $15.00 to $30.00 US per month, for unlimited calls to anywhere in the US and Canada.

VoIP works by digitizing voice signals from your phone and sending them over the internet via your home or business computer. While people are scrambling to make the switch and begin to count the money they are saving, they may not realize that there is a good possibility that they are cutting the link between their alarm system and the monitoring station. Another link that is lost in most cases is traditional 911 services, as VoIP does not capture data for emergency response.

When your alarm goes off due to an attempted break in, is no time to find out that the monitoring response that you have been faithfully paying for is not available for you. The alarm Company has no way of knowing that you switched services. You should be sending a test signal monthly, to assure yourself that the system is working properly, no matter who you are connected through. Be advised that if you are using VoIP and the signal goes through, it does not mean that it will always be as clear. The volume of traffic on the internet can and will vary the quality of the digitized signal it sends.

If you find yourself intrigued by this revolution in phone services and are dependent on alarm system dispatch as part of your security plan, you should consider the pitfalls and options.

* If power fails to the premise it is likely that your VoIP will fail also, unless your PC has a backup power source.

* You may not be able to use 911 services.

* Your signal may go through giving you a false sense of security, as it may not work next time.

* You may have already switched to VoIP and not realize that your alarm is not being monitored.

I myself have elected to utilize VoIP to save money on long distance. I also maintain a standard limited use phone line to take care of my security communications, 911 and phone backup should power fail. The (limited use) phone line, cost me less than $15.00 per month and is offset by the savings on my long distance bill.

cellular communicators are available that will make your alarm call over any available cellular network. The device will have to be purchased for about $200.00 to $500.00, and an additional fee of approximately $10.00 per month is added to your monitoring bill.

Some alarm companies offer radio signal transmitted monitoring services, which do not depend on phone lines of any sort to transmit your alarm signal. The availability of such services is limited and depends where you live.

alarm companies of all sizes are working with manufactures and providers of VoIP services to find ways to properly integrate alarm Systems with these phone communications industry changes. I would expect many changes in the near future as this does not seem to be a passing fad. Be on the lookout for information on these changes, so that you can always make an informed decision.

Matthew Francis Alarms@expertsknow.com

22 year veteran of the alarm industry Installer, salesman, licensed alarm company owner, monitoring station designer, promotions and marketing director with one of the worlds largest security dealers. He now works as a consumer advocate, teaching consumers how to buy or get systems for free (without being taken). He is committed to being unbiased.

His web site is http://www.expertsknow.com

posted by 55208  # 9:36 AM 0 comments