It is important to take a holistic approach when selecting a biocide. The
characteristics of microbial communities are a distinct and direct reflection
of the environment in which they exist. It starts with the bacteria that
naturally occur in the type of feedwater a facility uses in its cooling
system. Temperature, sterilization practices, equipment materials and the
external environment all contribute to the types of bacteria that flourish, as
well as its potential risk to equipment quality and human health and safety.
Biocides are used to control bacterial growth, break up biofilms, and
filter makeup water to prevent sediment and deposits. In order to choose the
most effective biocide for your system, you need to take into account all of
the factors listed above while following industry regulations on chemical use.
Food and beverage operations that operate as an extension of a dairy
farm often use recovered condensate of whey (COW) water as make-up in their
cooling systems, as both a conservation and cost-savings practice.
Dairy Case Study: How a
Watertech Dairy Customer Eliminated Shutdowns and Increased Revenue!
Watertech works with a dairy operation that uses COW water make-up in
its cooling tower. The dairy had to consistently shut down their whey powder
production line down one to two times per year to clean biological buildup.
COW water was an easy culprit to blame for the slime build-up, since cow water contains nutrients that promote
bacteria growth. Watertech technicians assessed the entire facility and
determined that while the COW water had some part in the bioslime, the primary issue was the lactose
dryer located next to the cooling tower. The dryer blows lactose sugars into
the air, and these sugars combined with the COW
water were creating an environment where bacteria flourished.
Watertech implemented a water management program using chlorine dioxide
to oxidize make-up water and penetrate biofilm. The facility has had zero
shutdowns in over a year. Preventing facility down time resulted in decreased
maintenance costs and increased revenue.
Analyze. Test. Verify.
The Watertech best practice for developing a biocide treatment plan is
to analyze the environment with a visual inspection, test for iron, sulfate and
other nutrients as needed, and test the level of contamination in the bulk
water. This process helps to determine the condition of the system, which
biocide to use, and how much.
After the new treatment program is implemented, it is necessary to give the system a
few weeks to clean itself up. At that point more tests are run to verify that the new program is working or any adjustments need to be made.
Choosing the right biocide saves money, by reducing downtime and
maintenance costs, and increasing production efficiency.
Are you using the best Biocide for your facility? Contact a Watertech
representative today for an assessment.