DCI Advantage
Unlike predominant methods, DCI automatically and simultaneously addresses the problems of scaling, corrosion and biofouling in one system. No trade-offs required between these three demands.
Instead of forcing water to hold more minerals and inhibiting scaling, we approach the problem from a different angle: Actively remove the root cause of scaling from the water.
Quantitatively, we help users achieve these benefits:
Furthermore, because the cooling systems are kept scale-free, maintenance costs are also reduced.
But how does DCI help users get these savings?
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Water Savings
Predominant methods require hardness concentration to be kept under 200ppm of hardness, beyond which, light to moderate scaling starts to occur. To do so, cooling water has to be discharged and fresh water added in order to dilute the concentration. This results in approximately 7 to 10 Cycle of Concentrations (COC). COC is a measure of how many times water is recirculated in the system before being thrown away.
With DCI, because we remove the scaling minerals directly using electrolysis, we remove the reason to prematurely throw this water away.
Typical COC with DCI deployed is between 40-60 COC, instead of 7-10 of predominant methods.
Energy Savings
Energy savings from deploying DCI comes removing existing scaling and keeping the ENTIRE cooling circuit scale free, all the time.
Energy loss from the gradual build up of scaling when using predominant methods
Existing chemical methods do a fairly good job at inhibiting scaling if water conservation is a non-concern, and if load is stable. Chemical methods however, struggle with inhibiting scaling when cooling load fluctuates. This results in a gradual build up of scale deposits throughout the cooling circuit, as evidenced by the Condensor Approach Temperature (CAT) creeping upwards over the year after tube cleaning.
As the scaling build up, heat exchange efficiency and energy efficiency drops, until a point at which tube cleaning is triggered, or when the annual shutdown cleaning is due. Below is a chart that illustrates this relationship.
For every 1 degree CAT deterioration, cooling systems suffer 10% loss in efficiency at 100% load. Typical system loads are 70-80% which results in a loss of 7-8% efficiency per 1 degree.
Energy Saving Mechanism
DCI uses electrolysis to constantly remove scaling minerals from the re-circulation water. This keeps the concentration of scaling minerals low, and prevents further scaling deposition.
The low concentration of scaling minerals in the water that is being circulated within the circuit allows for existing scales to dissolve back into the water to be carried to DCI for removal.
This mechanism not brings your entire chiller plant back to peak efficiency, but also keeps it there at all times. It prevents scales from forming and actively removes preexisting scales.
Chemical Savings
A concoction of chemicals are used to tackle scaling, corrosion and bacteria. Due to the hazardous nature of chemicals, many non-chemical methods have sprung up to deal with scaling.
While the effectiveness of many of these methods have been mixed, most are not able to deal with bacteria, and hence still require separate dosing of chemicals to deal with bacteria.
With DCI's CataGreen, we can effectively manage biofouling and bacteria issues without chemicals, all within one system.
CataGreen
CataGreen is DCI's proprietary non-chemical device for treating of algae, Heterotrophic,
and Legionella bacteria.
Water passes through the CataGreen device within DCI, and upon physical contact,
CataGreen interferes with the Bio-chemistry of the Bacteria cell walls.
Through this method, water can be disinfected of heteroptrophic and legionalla bacteria to
<100,000 and <10 cfu/ml respectively.
Automated Software Control
Cooling water management should be as fuss-free as possible.
DCI is designed to reduce the complexity and hassles in managing cooling water.
It automatically:
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Monitors water quality and adjusts output to match fluctuations
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Regenerates and maintains electrode performance
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Dislodge and Discharge Scales that are removed, without outside human intervention
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Communicates with your BMS system
Comparisons With Other Methods
The current "Gold Standard" for cooling system maintenance is to pair Chemical dosing with some form of mechanical method for periodic cleaning of chiller tubes -- typically auto-tubing system, on top regular cleaning of cooling tower, and tube pull-throughs.
Below is a table that compares DCI with this standard.
Other Advantages
DCI brings about other advantages, when applied to production cooling, such as increase productivity and product yields.
Below is a snapshot of benefits that DCI can bring.
