Washed PKS for Decarbonization of Iron and Steel Plants

The steel industry contributes 8% of global CO2 emissions, with each ton of steel produced producing an average of 1.85 tons of CO2 emissions. Compared to iron ore mining, iron and steel production contributes significantly more to CO2 emissions. Decarbonization efforts in the steel industry begin with the use of renewable energy for smelting. Biomass-based fuels, such as charcoal, which has a high carbon value, can replace the use of coke derived from coal. The use of hydrogen from renewable energy sources is the ultimate decarbonization target for the steel industry.

Currently, the steel industry largely uses coal as an energy source or reducing agent. This coal is processed into coke and used in blast furnaces. It is estimated that approximately 70% of global steel production uses the blast furnace or BF-BO process, and in China, over 90% of steel production uses the BF-BOF process. To reduce carbon intensity, natural gas is used as the fuel. The use of natural gas as a gaseous fuel also acts as a transition medium and, because it is derived from fossil fuels, is also a carbon-positive fuel.

Nearly all CO2 emissions in the steel production sector come from blast furnaces (BFs), which refine iron ore into crude iron or pig iron. The challenge is significant: there are approximately 1,850 steel mills worldwide, with approximately 1,000 using blast furnaces, producing approximately 1.5 billion tons of pig iron annually.

The use of charcoal in a blast furnace not only reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions but also sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions due to its very low sulfur content (approximately 100 times lower) than coke. Likewise, the use of limestone is reduced, thereby automatically reducing slag production. This also makes the blast furnace's operation acidic.

The use of biomass-based carbon fuel (biocarbon) in the form of charcoal has a better climate impact because it is carbon-neutral. Furthermore, technically, because it is a solid fuel, similar to coke derived from coal, it requires little or no changes or modifications to the smelting furnace. However, the availability of high-quality charcoal, large volumes, and a continuous supply remain major constraints.

This makes the use of charcoal to replace coal-based coke in blast furnaces crucial. Charcoal, derived from biomass, is a renewable, sustainable material used as a reducing agent or fuel in blast furnaces. The chemical reaction separates oxygen atoms from iron atoms, emitting CO2. This converts iron ore (Fe2O3) into crude (pig) iron.

However, the difference lies in the fact that the carbon source used as a reducing agent or fuel in a blast furnace comes from renewable and sustainable sources, making it a carbon-neutral process. Conversely, using coke from coal, as it comes from a fossil fuel, is a carbon-positive process. Similarly, using natural gas as a carbon source for reducing agents or fuel in a blast furnace, although it is said to have lower carbon intensity, is also considered a carbon-neutral process.

The use of charcoal or biocarbon materials for metallurgy or steelmaking has actually been commonplace for some time. In the early 1900s, global charcoal production reached its peak, exceeding 500,000 tons. In the 1940s, charcoal production declined to nearly half its early 1900s levels due to the replacement of other carbon materials, such as coke from coal, in the manufacture of steel and other metals.

Charcoal is a fuel and reducing agent derived from biomass that has significant potential for use during this transition phase. Palm kernel shells (PKS) are a potential biomass raw material for charcoal production. Palm kernel shells (PKS) are available in the millions of tons, ensuring a reliable supply. Charcoal, a product of biomass carbonization or pyrolysis, has a high calorific value, high fixed carbon content, and stability. However, another factor, ash chemistry, influences the quality of the resulting steel. This is somewhat similar to the ash chemistry of wood pellets from calliandra or gliricidia energy plantations.

When used as a reducing agent in blast furnaces, charcoal must have a low phosphorus content, while wood pellets from calliandra or gliricidia energy plantations must have low potassium, sodium, and chlorine content. The potassium, sodium, and chlorine content of wood pellets affects the quality of the wood pellets and their use in power generation. Pulverized combustion power plants, widely used worldwide, will reject wood pellets with this quality. Similarly, blast furnaces will reject charcoal with a high phosphorus content.

To achieve this quality, low-phosphorus content, the palm kernel shells (PKS) must first be washed. After washing, the phosphorus content decreases, and they are then dried and pyrolyzed, or carbonized, to produce palm kernel shell charcoal (PKSC). The same applies to wood pellets. The only difference is that wood pellet production doesn't involve pyrolysis or carbonization; instead, after drying and achieving the desired particle size, the pellets undergo biomass densification in a pelletizer.

Steel production requires an average of 6,000 MJ of energy per ton (equivalent to 50 kg of hydrogen) or 200 kg of charcoal, and requires approximately 600-800 kg of woody biomass as raw material. With a calorific value nearly identical to woody biomass, this is equivalent to using palm oil mills (PKS), which are plantation or agro-industrial waste.

Meanwhile, demand for low-carbon steel is growing rapidly as steel industries and governments worldwide commit to reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels. The use of charcoal or biocarbon in blast furnaces is a key component of low-carbon steel production, as 100% of the steel is not yet produced using renewable energy. 

Maximizing Palm Oil Mill Profits with Cogeneration Utilization of EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch) and Export of PKS (Palm Kernel Shells)

As a profit-oriented company, maximizing profits is a natural and ongoing endeavor. Besides increasing efficiency, innovation can also be pursued, creating or developing new businesses. This is especially true if the innovations involved in creating new businesses also address environmental issues, such as utilizing palm oil mill biomass waste. In palm oil mills, empty fruit bunch (EFB) waste is generally underutilized, or if utilized, it is still suboptimal or inadequate, such as composting empty fruit bunches (EFB).

Empty fruit bunches (EFB) are a significant biomass waste product from palm oil mills, accounting for approximately 22% of the total production, but are generally underutilized and pollute the environment. Utilizing EFB through cogeneration will not only address the problem of EFB, but also generate heat or energy to replace the use of palm kernel shells (PKS) as boiler fuel, and also produce high-quality organic potassium ash fertilizer.

If the PKS used for boiler fuel reaches 50%, then using this technology means that 50% of the PKS can be recovered, or 100% of the PKS can be sold or exported. For example, a palm oil mill normally sells 3,000 tons of PKS per month. With this technology, the mill can sell 6,000 tons of PKS per month. This would certainly increase the supply of PKS significantly.

Even if applied on a larger/macro scale, namely in Indonesia with CPO production of around 50 million tons/year, the actual production of PKS is around 12.5 million tons/year. However, with the current practice of utilizing PKS as boiler fuel, say reaching 50% of PKS production, the actual amount of PKS that can be sold/exported by palm oil mills is 6.25 million tons/year. Now, with the use of this technology or the installation of equipment (EFB furnace cogeneration), the amount of PKS that can be sold/exported will be close to or equal to the PKS production in the mass balance or diagram above (not subtracting the amount burned in the palm oil mill boiler).

The demand for palm kernel shells (PKS) is increasing in line with the global decarbonization trend. In fact, PKS is a major competitor for wood pellets in the global biomass fuel market. Large PKS users come from Japan and Europe. PKS exports to Japan typically reach around 10,000 tons per shipment, while those to Europe typically reach a minimum of 30,000 tons per shipment due to the longer distances and the use of handymax or even panamax vessels. Cogeneration of empty fruit bunch (EFB) furnaces with palm oil mill boilers will increase the volume of PKS that can be sold or exported. Implementing this technological innovation, besides being the fastest and most practical, also offers multiple benefits, making it worthy of consideration. It could even become a trend and even a standard operating procedure in Indonesia's approximately 1,000 palm oil mills.

Water Related Problems in Cooling Towers

The constant trickle of water can hollow out rocks. Furthermore, a continuous flow of water will gradually erode everything in its path. A more dramatic and spectacular example is the Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States. Furthermore, if the flowing water is hot, it will erode or dissolve the solids it passes through (leaching) more quickly than cold water. By the time the hot water returns to the cooling tower, it is already full of suspended solids. The cooling tower, as a means of dissipating heat, flows hot water from the top of the tower, and cool air from the surrounding environment that comes into contact with the warm water absorbs the heat. As a result, the water becomes cooler and the air becomes warmer.

Hot water also tends to be corrosive and form deposits. This is why the materials used to construct cooling towers must be durable and able to withstand large temperature differences. Certain types of wood and plastic can be used for cooling tower construction. If the materials are of poor quality, the cooling tower construction will be short-lived and even dangerous. When hot water enters the cooling tower and mixes with suspended solids, some of the water evaporates, leaving the suspended solids behind. This suspended solids-rich liquid concentrates in the sump at the bottom of the cooling tower. Over time, the concentration of these suspended solids increases until it reaches a level that must be controlled by removing it from the system, known as blowdown.

The outside air that comes into contact with the water from the cooling tower contains dust or small particles, as well as microorganisms such as various bacteria, fungal spores, and algae. These dust or small particles become suspended and accumulate/concentrate, forming deposits in the form of mud or crust. In the presence of sunlight, these microorganisms, such as bacteria and algae, photosynthesize, multiplying and increasing in number. Pathogenic bacteria like Legionella can even cause Legionnaires' disease. This mud and algae contaminate and clog heat exchanger tubes, accelerating their corrosion.

In the heat exchanger, if the scale thickness is 0.3 mm, it is estimated that there will be a heat/energy loss of 10% and if the scale thickness is 0.6 mm, it is estimated that there will be a heat/energy loss of 23%. And in general, fouling causes an annual energy/heat loss of around 15%, so it requires maintenance and pipe replacement every 3–5 years. If not handled properly, heat/energy loss due to fouling can reach up to 70% after five years. Fungi and bacteria will cause wood to rot/decompose, making it brittle and destroyed. Likewise, oxidation reactions on metal surfaces, because these metals release electrons or capture oxygen, causing corrosion on the metal. Corrosion on metal causes the metal to become increasingly eroded, brittle and damaged.

Maintaining water quality from various contaminants in a cooling tower, which volume thousands of tons per hour and operates 24 hours a day, is certainly not simple. Only by maintaining this water quality can the cooling tower's performance and lifespan meet its design targets. Using effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly technology is the best option. Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) technology is an innovation to address these issues. This technological approach effectively, efficiently, and environmentally friendly addresses various water issues in cooling towers. For example, in algae cells, ions from the Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) attack the sulfide groups contained in amino acids in the remaining proteins involved in photosynthesis. As a result, photosynthesis is inhibited, and the cells dissolve or disintegrate. If algae and microbial cells remain, their regrowth is inhibited by the AOP ions in the water, thus preventing algae growth. During this process, bacteria are also killed or rendered inactive.

The second example is the rust prevention mechanism of pipes. Iron (Fe) loses electrons according to the oxidation reaction and forms rust. However, when the AOP material participates in this reaction and releases electrons first, the iron is prevented from releasing electrons, thus suppressing rust formation. The rusted iron is converted to black rust through the AOP reaction, forming a dense oxide film that prevents further corrosion and protects the pipe and structure.

And the third example is the scale prevention mechanism. When water passes through the AOP system, calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) ions—the components that cause hardness—are removed through crystallization in the liquid phase, thus softening the water. The resulting calcium carbonate particles cannot adhere to pipes. In hard water containing calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) ions, needle-like scale structures typically form and adhere to pipe walls. Through AOP treatment, scale-forming ions undergo particle growth in the liquid phase, forming spherical particles ranging in size from a few micrometers to tens of micrometers.

According to the Gibbs–Kelvin formula, the volumetric free energy is reduced and the adhesive force is lost, thus preventing it from sticking to the pipe walls. Scale will accumulate at the bottom of the basin and be removed by a blowdown mechanism. In addition, this AOP technology will also remove scale that has already stuck to the pipes (scale removal existing pipes) and also the sterilization effect which is also very important for the quality of the cooling tower water such as preventing wood rot/decaying and killing pathogenic bacteria, both of these aspects will be explained on another occasion, Insha Allah.

To measure cooling tower performance based on the problems encountered and the solutions implemented, several parameters are used. These parameters include:
• Water pH
• Total dissolved solids (TDS)
• Tower equipment checklist
• Filters and strainers
• Wet bulb temperature and humidity

Meanwhile, safety in cooling towers is also important and needs to be considered. These include:
• Chemical additives (if used and not yet using AOP technology)
• Rotating equipment
• Dangers of hot water
• Working at heights
• Working safely on the cooling tower.
• Equipment failures
• Metal corrosion and wood rot/decay

The use of cooling towers can be said to be an important and fundamental equipment for industrial operations in general. Starting from power plants that still use fossil energy, cofiring or biomass power plants to geothermal power plants, data centers, chemical industries, biorefinery industries, petrochemical industries, iron and steel industries, food industries, pharmaceutical industries, textile industries, pulp and paper industries and so on. Related to the era of decarbonization and sustainability / sustainability of the use of renewable energy such as biomass including wood pellets and palm kernel shells / PKS as part of carbon neutral fuels or carbon negative such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) to biochar, of course environmentally friendly technology, especially easy to operate, affordable investment costs to repair-maintenance, will be an option for these industries, such as AOP technology for water conditioning in cooling towers so as to provide significant savings.

OPT Briquette and EFB Briquette for Medium Capacity Industrial Biomass Boiler Consumption

The growing utility business, specifically the provision of steam and electricity for renewable energy-based industries, particularly biomass, has led to a growing need for biomass fuel. This also applies to industries using their utility units to produce steam and electricity using biomass fuel. In addition to biomass fuel, water quality, the raw material for steam and electricity production (using steam turbines), is also crucial and must be considered. Good water quality will ensure optimum steam and electricity production performance, and the longevity of equipment (boilers, heat exchangers, steam turbines, and cooling towers), and vice versa. Good water quality is like healthy blood for our bodies, enabling all organs to function optimally.

Palm oil industry solid waste is a potential raw material for biomass fuel. This solid waste is empty fruit bunches (EFB) and oil palm trunks (OPT). EFB is produced from palm oil mill operations with a percentage of approximately 22% of fresh fruit bunches (FFB), while oil palm trunk waste is produced from replanting programs of oil palm plantations, which are also very abundant. For more details, read here. Utilizing both of these biomass wastes for the production of biomass fuel, especially biomass briquettes, would be very good. But why are they processed into briquettes?

The advantage of briquettes over pellets, aside from technical advantages, lies in their scale. Briquette production requires a looser particle size and lower moisture content. Energy consumption per ton of briquette production is also lower than that of pellet production. This makes EFB briquette and OPT briquette production more suitable for a palm oil mill serving medium-sized industries. A palm oil mill with a capacity of 45 tons/hour of FFB will produce approximately 10 tons/hour of EFB. With a 20-hour daily operation, approximately 200 tons will be produced per day. With a moisture content of approximately 60%, this means that after drying, approximately 100 tons/day (10% moisture content) will be produced, or 2,500 tons/month.

Likewise, when using oil palm trunk (OPT) waste as raw material, it depends on the ratio or percentage of land replanted each year. Replanting itself is an effort to continuously maintain the productivity of the oil palm plantation itself, in addition to the use of superior seeds and intensification. For more details, read here. For example, with a land area of ​​10,000 hectares and each year replanting 5% of the land, or 500 hectares. With an average of 125 trees per hectare of oil palm plantation and each tree having an average dry weight of 0.4 tons, then per hectare obtained 50 tons of dry weight of biomass. With an area of ​​500 hectares, this means 25,000 dry palm trunk biomass (10% moisture content) each year or can be processed into OPT briquettes with a capacity of around 2,000 tons/month.

Biomass boilers, used for producing biomass briquettes (EFB briquettes/OPT briquettes), can utilize various combustion technologies, such as moving grates, stokers, reciprocating grates, and so on. The choice depends on the cost or price of the boiler and its efficiency. In addition to biomass fuel, to align with decarbonization and sustainability programs, water for boiler operation, including boiler feedwater and cooling water for heat exchangers (heat exchangers/condensers), is crucial. This is likened to blood for the human body; healthy blood ensures optimal function. If impure blood circulates throughout the body, for example due to kidney failure, organs will automatically be damaged, and a person will soon die.

To maintain water quality for steam production through a boiler, boiler feedwater/demin water must strictly comply with the boiler's operational specifications. The higher the boiler pressure, the higher the water quality or purer the water required. If the steam is used for electricity production, after the steam drives the turbine, it needs to be condensed in a heat exchanger (condenser) so that it changes phase back to liquid and enters the boiler again. This heat exchanger requires cooling water that is continuously used repeatedly, thus requiring a cooling tower. Not only does the boiler feedwater/demin water need to meet the required technical specifications, but so does the cooling water for this condenser. With water volumes circulating up to thousands of tons per hour and operating 24 hours a day (the same as boiler operations) in the cooling tower, a number of water problems in the cooling tower need to be addressed effectively and efficiently. A number of water problems that occur in cooling towers can be read here.

In addition to electricity production, steam is also used for processes within a specific plant. If the steam is then condensed, then liquid, and returned to the boiler, this requires a cooling tower, just as in electricity production. Efficient and environmentally friendly water treatment technology, which eliminates secondary pollution and is easy to operate and maintain, aligns with the vision of decarbonization and sustainability. This vision of decarbonization and sustainability will be even more optimal or ideal for utility units, namely the use of biomass-based renewable energy and environmentally friendly water treatment technology. 

Slow-Release Fertilizer: A New Trend in the Palm Oil Industry

Fertilizer is crucial for plant growth, especially for palm oils. Palm oil trees won't even bear fruit without fertilization. Fertilization is the highest cost component of palm oil plantation operations. Fertilizer efficiency is clearly a key consideration. This is why innovation in palm oil fertilization is rapidly developing.

Regarding innovations to increase fertilizer efficiency in palm oil plantations, the concept of slow-release fertilizer (SRF), or controlled-release fertilizer (CRF), is gaining increasing attention. By engineering the slow or controlled release of nutrients, the plant's nutrient use efficiency (NUE) increases. Fertilizer becomes more economical and environmental pollution is reduced. Indonesia's tropical climate, with its high rainfall, also results in high fertilizer leaching.

Several materials have been developed as SRF/CRF agents to achieve the desired nutrient release levels. These include polymers, sulfur, chemical compounds, and even compost. The characteristics of SRF/CRF agents vary depending on the material and product type. In addition to performance, the price of the SRF/CRF agent is also an important consideration.

Biochar is a renewable SRF/CRF agent and a climate solution. Biochar can persist for hundreds of years in the soil as a carbon sequestration. In addition to synthetic materials derived from non-renewable sources, biochar is an alternative SRF/CRF agent derived from renewable sources. Biomass from agricultural, plantation, and forestry waste is the main source of biochar production through the pyrolysis process. A number of SRF/CRFs with slow-release biochar agents have also begun production. This will increase biochar production, which has so far been less popular. It will also provide a solution to the biomass waste problem and be economically valuable. 

Like Car Tires, Pelletizer Dies also Require High-Quality and Reliable Products

Global pellet production continues to increase, both for fuel pellets such as wood pellets and feed pellets such as poultry and ruminant feed pellets. Global wood pellet production in 2025 is estimated to reach 50-54 million tons. Global wood pellet production is projected to surge dramatically by 2050, reaching 170 million to 250 million tons per year, or around 3-5 times the current level. This surge is driven by the Net Zero Emissions scenario proposed by various global energy agencies. Meanwhile, global feed pellets production in 2025 is estimated to reach around 1.41 to 1.42 billion metric tons, or more than 25 times the production of wood pellets in the same year. Global feed pellets production in 2050 is projected to reach 1.8 billion to 2 billion tons. This increase is driven by human population growth, which is predicted to reach 9.7 billion people, which automatically increases the demand for animal protein. Both the production of fuel pellets such as wood pellets and feed pellets uses the main tools, namely pelletizers and ring dies, which are important components that require periodic replacement.

Just as car tires wear out after a certain distance, so too do pelletizer ring dies. After thousands of tons of pellets are produced, the ring die will wear out and must be replaced. Just as car tires affect the speed of wear, so too do pelletizer ring dies, where the condition of the raw materials affects the wear rate. To ensure optimal tire and ring die service life, they must be designed for their intended purpose. For example, a highway terrain (HT) tire, designed specifically for smooth asphalt, will be less than optimal for use on dirt or light gravel like rural roads, more over muddy terrain. Similarly, a ring die designed for feed pellet will be less than optimal when used with agricultural waste, more over woody biomass. For more details on the differences between pelletizers for feed and fuel/energy, please read here.

Car tire treads have distinctive characteristics depending on the terrain they are used in. For example, off-road tires with large, checkered treads are very durable in mud, but very noisy and unstable on asphalt. Similarly, the design of pelletizer dies. The characteristics of the raw material significantly influence the shape of the holes. Hardwood can differ from softwood, and even more so from agricultural waste, more over feed pellets. The shape of the holes in the pelletizer die significantly determines the density and quality of the final product. For example, a straight hole profile is the most standard shape. It is used for materials that are easy to compact and do not require extreme pressure. A relieved bore profile, on the other hand, has a larger outer diameter than the inner one (where the compression is applied). This reduces friction, preventing the machine from overheating and is commonly used for wood pellets. A tapered hole, on the other hand, tapers outward. It provides very high compression pressure, making it suitable for materials that are difficult to adhere or have coarse fibers.

Unlike tire manufacturers, which are typically separate or distinct from their car manufacturers—for example, Mercedes-Benz doesn't produce its own tires—almost all pelletizer manufacturers also produce their ring die pelletizers. While some companies specialize in die production, there are few. As global pellet production, both for fuel pellets like wood pellets and feed pellets, increases, the need for ring dies increases. Relying solely on ring dies from the original pelletizer manufacturer can be time-consuming, while pellet manufacturers need them as quickly as possible. 

This creates a niche market for pelletizer dies and spare parts. Pelletizer manufacturers, in addition to producing ring dies for their pelletizers, can also customize or produce them to order. For example, the German pelletizer manufacturer Muench, in addition to producing ring dies for its machines, also produces ring dies for CPM, Andritz, Salmatec, and other machines. The quality of the steel material used for the ring die and the workmanship determine the quality of the ring die.

If you need quality ring dies and spare parts, please contact: eko.sbs@gmail.com 

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