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Antifouling
The advantages include :
• Biodegradable ,
• Creates no by-products ,
• 95 % less chemical required than chlorine ,
• Reduces operator ’ s CO2 footprint , storage footprint , and transportation footprint , when compared with chlorine by 95 %,
• Made from natural renewable resources ,
• Active compounds can be produced CO2 neutral ,
• Non-reactive compound ,
• Dosage time just 30 to 60 min / day ,
• Simple drop-in product . “ Power stations use vast quantities of chlorine and other highly reactive , toxic chemical compounds to fight biofouling . These chemicals are ultimately discharged into the surface water , where they continue to react and create toxic by-products , some even more harmful than chlorine . Desk research indicates that Blueterm ® has a PNEC ( Possible No Effect Concentration ) value similar to chlorine , which means it is as toxic to biological organisms in water treatment systems as chlorine . However , it produces no by-products , is readily biodegradable , and all components in the biodegradable chain are less toxic than the original product .” But most significantly , comparing Blueterm ® to chlorine , 95 % less chemical is required to achieve the same antifouling effect , dramatically reducing risk , transportation costs , and storage . “ That means 95 % less handling of a chemical product ,” explains Stefan . “ For a typical power station , that means 95 % fewer trucks delivering to your plant . Furthermore , power plants routinely store many tons of chlorine on site , which is hazardous , requires permits , and is a risk for accidents and human health .” “ There is also a significant environmental saving in the production of Blueterm ® vs chemicals such as chlorine because it is based on naturally occurring compounds with a far lower environmental impact than chlorine , and it is produced using far less energy while generating much less CO2 .”
The amine-based product penetrates biological membranes and the biofilm , disrupting the coherence of the biological structure and ultimately proving fatal for micro- and macroorganisms such as those shown in this heavily fouled water inlet .
Monitoring biological & environmental impact Stefan is keen to emphasize the environmental benefits of Blueterm ® , and Termanox is willing to invest in extensive monitoring to gather data on its effects . “ Ideally , you would only start adding an antifouling product to a water system when fouling starts ,” explains Stefan . “ We can do this by monitoring the system , adding the product at the perfect moment , and then monitoring its effect to minimize eventual discharge into surface waters . In our next pilot project , we will conduct extensive monitoring to measure the environmental effects in the receiving water where the cooling water is discharged , the concentration of chemicals , etc , to study its behavior effects based on actual measurements . We aim to achieve as close to zero discharge into the surface water as possible while maintaining effectiveness . This is a completely new approach ; power plants currently discharge the maximum allowed levels of chlorine and other chemicals into the surface water .” “ We want this technique to become known and accepted around the globe and to prove that it ’ s greener than the current treatments . Hopefully , we will soon find a partner to embark on this exciting journey with us ,” concludes Stefan . “ There are so many possibilities worldwide .” .
Compared to chlorine , Blueterm ® reduces an operator ’ s CO2 , storage , and transportation footprint by 95 %.
Looking for a pilot project
Today , the Termanox team is looking for a site to prove their product on a larger scale , and they have funding to pay for it . “ The potential applications are vast ; wherever there is water cooling , there is biofouling . At this stage , we want to focus on the power industry to run a pilot project to prove the technology ,” explains Stefan . Termanox has received funding from the Dutch government to pay an operator to hold trials on a larger scale than those carried out so far . “ Our aim is to run trials on a large site , possibly a seawater system , on a non-critical part of the cooling system . We ’ re looking for a site anywhere worldwide ,” explains Stefan . Interested parties are invited to contact Stefan Spaas at tel : + 31 6 51 12 17 69 , email : s . spaas @ termanox . com or via the Termanox website www . termanox . com
46 Heat Exchanger World February 2024 www . heat-exchanger-world . com