Pilot-scale evaluation of mine water (MW) as a cooling medium

Abstract

Sasol One abstracts large volumes of water from various sources, such as the Zuikerbosch & Vaal River for various applications including make-up to the cooling water systems. In an attempt to evaluate the use of underground MW as an alternative cooling medium, two pilot-scale cooling towers (CTs) were used. Data of five runs (3 weeks each) at different linear flow velocities (LFVs) and cycles of concentration (COC) were obtained. A prescribed chemical treatment program from a local supplier was also evaluated. Mild steel corrosion coupons and heat exchanger tubes were used to monitor the fouling, scaling and corrosion rates. An experimental design program was followed to determine the layout of the different experimental runs. The respective indices indicate the presence of low scaling and corrosion rates in the CTs which correspond well with that obtained from the analyses of the coupons and heat exchanger tubes (1.5 to 11.0 mg/dm2/d and 0.04 to 0.21 mm/y, respectively).

Authors

Categories