In the realm of water treatment for closed loop systems, certain phrases cause unease among professionals, particularly those pertaining to mixed metallurgy with aluminum, high water loss, corrosion/pitting, and microbiological contamination. These factors pose potential threats such as corrosion, unplanned downtime, repairs, and increased maintenance and tooling costs—challenges that water treatment experts aim to prevent or minimize.
Aquafilm 1284C: A Breakthrough in Closed Loop Treatment
Addressing the limitations of traditional chemistries in coping with aluminum-based systems, high water loss, and poor makeup water quality, Watertech introduces Aquafilm 1284C. This innovative product utilizes film-forming technology, offering superior protection compared to conventional nitrite or molybdenum/silica/azole-based alternatives. The mechanism involves applying a layer of the filming technology, creating a protective barrier between the metal surface and the water within the system. Aquafilm 1284C adheres to any surface that is not water, providing enhanced protection to various alloys, including steel, copper, brass, galvanized, and aluminum commonly found in closed loop systems, especially in plastic manufacturing plants.
Close up of aluminum surface corrosion.
Case Study: Plastic Facility
Situation:
A plastic injection molding facility housing over 60 presses had traditionally employed a molybdenum, silica, azole blended product to safeguard the diverse metals present in their chilled water loops. The facility faced challenges in achieving consistent results on corrosion coupons, with variations observed between different sets. Complicating matters, the facility implemented a soft water program that added to the corrosive nature of the make-up to the chilled water loops.
Aluminum injection mold with considerable corrosion.
Solution:
In a strategic move to enhance corrosion resistance and better protect the molds used in the injection molding process, the facility chose to adopt Watertech Aquafilm 1284C.
Results:
The image illustrates the disparity in corrosion rates between aluminum and steel alloys before and after transitioning to Aquafilm 1284C. This tangible improvement underscores the efficacy of Aquafilm 1284C in mitigating corrosion challenges associated with mixed metallurgy and suboptimal water quality, thereby optimizing the closed loop system's overall performance.
The corrosion coupon report also shows the reduction in mils per year (MPY) of corrosion after the 1284C was introduced into the system. Compare the first two results on carbon steel and Aluminum from the coupons installed on 2/2/23 to the coupons installed on 5/19/23. You can see a significant improvement in the “Status” or corrosion on these coupons. Carbon steel improved from the “Good” category to “Very Good” and the Aluminum improved from
“Severe” at 2.76 MPY to
“Excellent” at .161 MPY. An improvement of over 17x! The results are compelling, taking aluminum corrosion from the worst category to the absolute best. Confirming the Aquafilm 1284C is confidently protecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets with one simple chemical change.
The goal of the Aquafilm 1284C is to reduce corrosion leading to prolonged injection mold life and decreased tooling costs associated with these molds. Ultimately saving hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars based on the number of molds in the facility.
COUPON CORROSION LEVELS
If you’d like to learn more about Watertech’s Aquafilm 1284C, please reach out to Jeff Bodendorfer or request a site survey and one of our technical engineers will be in touch.
Jeff Bodendorfer
Territory Manager
Jeff has been with Watertech of America for 9 years providing industrial water treatment solutions for boiler, cooling and wastewater applications. He holds a BA in Business Administration from UW-Whitewater where he served as President of the Whitewater Water Council.