Optimizing Cooling Tower Performance by Improving Water Quality with Environmentally Friendly AOP Technology

Cooling towers are important and vital equipments for the operations of various processing industries at large. This cooling process is very important for the processing industry, chemical industry, oil and gas industry (oil refineries and petrochemicals), biofuel and biorefinery industries, power plants (fossil fuel and biomass), geothermal and large-scale (hyperscale) data centers. With the process conditions achieved, the industry can produce products that are economical/efficient and stable.

The cooling medium in the industry or factory is water, and the water is cooled in a cooling tower. And air from the atmosphere is used to cool warm water from industrial or factory processes through this cooling tower. This results in direct contact between air from the atmosphere and the warm water to be cooled. This is a source of pollution for the cooling tower water. A certain amount of additional water (make-up water) also needs to be added to replace lost water such as blow down, leaks and so on.

With continuous 24-hour operation for almost a whole year with a large volume of circulating cooling water, up to thousands of tonnes/hour, it is certainly not a simple matter to be able to maintain good and stable water quality. If water quality cannot be maintained, a number of serious problems will arise. A number of problems for cooling tower operations such as corrosion, scale, layers formed by green algae, organic materials and a number of micro organisms will reduce the performance of the cooling tower. If this happens, heat exchange will be disrupted and energy requirements for cooling tower operations will increase. When the cooling process does not work as it should, it will also affect product quality and the durability of production equipment, in the extreme case, if the cooling tower does not function, the industry or factory will stop operating (shut down).

If the cooling tower is damaged or has low efficiency, such as due to scale, there will be a low heat dissipation effect and a lot of energy loss. Then rust causes the pipe to become brittle and leak, resulting in a short life span for the pipe. Then the appearance of green algae, moss and mud from the accumulation of organic material, these things will disrupt the flow of water and even block pipes and valves. Another nuisance is the presence of bacteria and especially legionella (pathogenic bacteria that cause legionellosis) which causes various health problems.

Cold water as the output/product of the cooling tower will be used as a cooling medium in industry or factories such as condensers or other heat exchangers. The layer of fouling formed by scale on the surface of the heat exchanger ultimately reduces the overall heat transfer coefficient. In general, about 15% of energy is lost each year due to a decrease in heat transfer efficiency caused by fouling. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the pipes periodically every 3 to 5 years, and that is not a cheap cost. Even if the fouling problem is not controlled, heat loss can reach up to 70% after five years of operation.

If a problem occurs, repairs need to be carried out and often cooling tower repairs are expensive. A number of improvements/repairs to the cooling tower include structural repairs, replacement of mechanical components, drift eliminators, water distribution and fill types. Apart from the design problems of the cooling tower equipment manufacturers, water quality problems greatly affect the performance and lifespan of the equipment. This means that one solution is that efforts to maintain water quality must be maximized.

AOP (advanced oxidation process) technology has become the focus of developed countries to maximize water quality, including water as a cooling medium that is processed in cooling towers. AOP technology provides complete sterilization without leaving toxic residues and exhibits much stronger oxidizing power than conventional oxidants such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide and potassium permanganate. AOP technology specifically designed for reaction speed and intensity will be very effective for this purpose.

Compared to chemical treatment, although chemical treatment is still commonly used, there are restrictions due to environmental pollution and formaldehyde production, as well as because workers are exposed to serious dangers. As the restrictions on environmental pollution by respective governments become increasingly stringent, the use of chemicals will become increasingly restricted. Several developed countries are starting to control the addition of chemicals. The Singapore government has banned the addition of chemicals to cooling towers since 2008.

If you are interested in knowing AOP technology and its application for cooling tower water conditioners, please contact: eko.sbs@gmail.com 

Processing Palm Oil Trunk Waste for OPT Dust Block Production

Basically, there are many options for processing oil palm trunk waste from palm replanting programs. Small to medium to large capacity processing industries can be created depending on how big the market needs and raw material capacity are. Simple technology to advanced technology can also be applied to this industry. One option for processing oil palm oil trunk waste is the production of OPT dust blocks. OPT dust block is a group of biomaterial products used specifically as animal bedding. Livestock such as cows and horses need animal bedding, especially in winter.

Why is animal bedding for cows and horses suitable for the OPT dust block? The material characteristics of oil palm trunks which have the ability to absorb water quickly are an important factor. Production of OPT dust blocks as a compaction technology (biomass densification) is also not difficult, just like making cocopeat blocks. Compared to cocopeat block which is also superior in water absorption but because the price is much more expensive, OPT dust block is more of an option. Apart from that, cocopeat blocks are generally used as a planting medium.

The volume or production capacity of OPT dust blocks will also not be as high as for energy or fuel needs, for example if oil palm oil trunk waste is processed into pellets (OPT pellets) and as fuel for power plants, read more details here. However, as a solution for utilizing oil palm oil trunk waste so that it is not left alone and polluting the land, of course the production of OPT dust blocks can be an effective solution. The market niche in the livestock sector with animal bedding applications can also continue to increase along with the development of the livestock sector. And as a business that can provide financial benefits and also as a solution to environmental problems, of course this is very interesting and needs to be considered. 

Blue Economy & Bioeconomy – Seaweed, Coconut and Nyamplung

With the second longest coastline in the world, located on the equator so it has a tropical climate and the largest coconut producer in the world, maintaining and continuing to develop coconuts is very important and strategic for Indonesia, especially since Indonesia has long been famous as the land of waving coconut trees. The productive life of coconut trees is also very long, namely 60 years, so they can be passed down across generations. The nyamplung tree, which is easy to grow and is often found in coastal areas, should also be developed, as well as the potential for seaweed. With the development of the times to carry out decarbonization in various sectors of life, especially the use of renewable energy, coconut, nyamplung and seaweed can be an effective solution.

Coconut oil, like palm kernel oil (PKO), has a high lauric acid content, so it is very suitable for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Currently, Indonesia is planning to increase SAF production from palm oil, namely palm kernel oil, to 3% this year (2026). This policy was accelerated to support the aviation sector's decarbonization targets. Palm kernel oil production is around 5 million tons/year with the main uses currently being very diverse, including the food industry (margarine, chocolate, cakes), cosmetics (soap, shampoo, lipstick), oleochemicals (fatty acids, glycerol), to renewable energy (SAF) - still in the early stages, as well as non-food products such as lubricants. while the potential for coconut oil is 2.9 million tons with the main uses being cooking (cooking oil), processed food industry (biscuits, margarine, ice cream), cosmetics (soap, shampoo, moisturizer), health (consumed directly as Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)) and pharmaceuticals (ointment base), skin/hair care and oleochemicals. Why coconut oil and palm kernel oil are very suitable for SAF production, read more details here.

In addition to the potential raw material for SAF from coconut, the international civil aviation organization (ICAO) has included non-standard coconut in the ICAO positive list - ICAO document - CORSIA Default Life Cycle Emissions Values for CORSIA Eligible Fuels, 6th Edition on October 28 20024. Non-standard coconut includes very small old coconuts, already sprouted, starting to rot or become moldy and those that are broken. Based on data from a number of research studies, the number of non-standard coconuts in Indonesia is estimated to reach 30% of Indonesia's coconut production.

Regarding coconuts, the government should limit or prohibit exports of round coconuts. This will not only hinder the domestic coconut processing industry but also more specifically the development of SAF. Apart from that, efforts to replant coconut plantations must also be carried out. The area of ​​coconut plantations that must be replanted currently reaches hundreds of thousands of hectares, such as in Riau alone with a coconut plantation area of ​​426,579 hectares (11.4% of the plantation area in the province, read more details here). 72 thousand hectares of coconuts need to be replanted, while the replanting speed is very low so coconut productivity continues to decline. Meanwhile, nyamplung trees and seaweed require socialization and real action so that they can meet production targets and expectations.

Meanwhile, nyamplung oil can be used for biodiesel / FAME production. From the government's plan to increase the biodiesel mixture from B-40 to B-50, this means requiring almost 60 million tons/year of vegetable oil, especially palm oil. Meanwhile, currently crude palm oil or CPO production is around 50 million tons/year and increasing 20% ​​or to 60 million tons/year is certainly not easy. Moreover, currently the expansion of palm oil plantations (extensification) is in the sharp public spotlight with widespread public attention. A number of natural disasters, especially the Sumatran floods, which have claimed the lives of thousands of people, with the extensification of palm oil plantations as the suspect, have made it increasingly difficult to increase palm oil production through expanding this land. And indeed land expansion (extensification) must always be in the corridor of sustainability, so that palm oil can be a blessing and not a disaster.

Nyamplung trees with productivity almost the same as palm oil trees are very interesting to develop for biodiesel production or more practically adding 10 million tons / year to reach the B-50 proportion. Along Indonesia's very long coastline, there are locations for coconut and nyamplung plantations. Apart from that, seaweed from its waste is also a potential raw material for renewable energy, both ethanol, biodiesel and SAF.

Meanwhile, from the seaweed sector, apart from the production of agar, carrageenan and alginate which are widely used for food products, biofuel can be produced from seaweed waste. Seaweed industry waste can reach 65-75% of the fresh raw materials processed. This very large amount is often wasted without further use which can increase added value. Because solid seaweed waste contains a high percentage of cellulose and only a small amount of lignin, this waste has the potential to be processed into bioethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). 

The process route, namely ATJ or alcohol to jet fuel, can be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Meanwhile, seaweed waste is usually disposed of in landfills, which can cause unpleasant odor problems. Specifications for industrial waste from the E. cottonii species are 3.66% water content; ash 36.84%; protein 1.78%; carbohydrates 11.36%; 0% cellulose; hemicellulose 12.86%; lignin 0%. Meanwhile, industrial waste specifications from the species Gracilaria sp. and Gelidium sp.: cellulose 26.92%; hemicellulose 16.11%; lignin 15.38%; ash 16.72%; water content 12.94%; NaCl 3.77%. 

After their productive life is over or ends, the coconut trees and nyamplung trees are cut down. Coconut tree trunks and nyamplung trees are very suitable for building wood used for housing. This will add economic value and is a necessity that will continue to be needed. In fact, efforts to improve the quality of wood can also be done by engineering the wood material, such as with CLT (cross laminated timber) and so on.

And like palm oil, both coconut and nyamplung also produce shells. Just as palm kernel shells can be used for fuel, so coconut shells and nyamplung shells as well. Even palm kernel shells or known as PKS (palm kernel shell) are the main competitors of wood pellets in the global biomass fuel market. However, because the quality of coconut shells is better or more suitable for the production of charcoal briquettes and activated carbon, coconut shells are generally carbonized or made into charcoal. Charcoal is an intermediate product or raw material for charcoal briquettes and activated carbon. Read more details about the production of activated carbon from coconut shells here. Meanwhile, because nyamplung shells are not widely produced, their use is still limited, but if the quantities are large, such as the production of palm kernel shells, then it could be like palm kernel shells, or perhaps also like the use of coconut shells.

Apart from that, both the production and extraction of coconut oil and nyamplung oil will produce cake. Coconut cake and palm oil cake can be used as animal feed, but nyamplung cake requires additional processing so that it is non-toxic and safe for animal feed. The development of a blue economy on the Indonesian sea coast should be an important concern as an environmentally friendly economic solution that suits the conditions and potential of Indonesian society and is in line with the global community's concerns about decarbonization as mitigation for climate change and global warming. Apart from also supporting food and feed security.