Closed Circuit Pre-Commission System Cleaning & Flushing
Water Treatments for Closed Loop Systems
At Comfort Services Group, our dedicated engineers provide effective water treatment solutions for closed loop systems.
Using the latest techniques, tools and technology available, our team are on hand to deliver cost effective water treatments designed to improve your systems performance, reduce maintenance costs and keep it operating safely.
What Is A Closed Loop Water System?
Closed loop water systems are in simple terms, a closed circuit or loop of pipework that is designed to enable water to be circulated for cooling or heating purposes across domestic, commercial and industrial premises.
Because of the way they are designed the intention is for the same water to be retained in the system for long term periods, if not indefinitely.
Why Does The Water Need Treating?
Because the same water is circulated withing the system, over time without regular treatments, it will degrade and so will the system.
If at any point the systems requires a ‘top up’ of water this can also potentially affect the system with foulants, corrosion products and microbiological contaminants being introduced via oxygenated makeup water.
The inhibitor chemicals which serve as corrosion protection products degrade and dissolve into the system
over time so they will also need monitoring at regular intervals (ie: quarterly) to ensure the minimum control level is maintained.
Without an effective water treatment program in place the build-up of contaminants over time can lead to blocked and decayed components, systems full of scale and diminished heat flow. This not only affects the efficiency of the system which costs more money, but the degrading of vital components will inevitably end up costing even more in replacements parts and repairs.
Closed Circuit Pre-Commission Systems Flushing
Newly installed pipework, for both heated and chilled closed systems, should be flushed of all debris that has built up during the installation process. This includes oils, dust and dirt from building work, rust and scale, all of which can be present within a newly installed system.
Ensuring your new installation has received a pre-commission system flush, will not only remove this unwanted debris, oil and grease from pipework and system parts, but will also help to ensure the longevity of your system. The use of our own, specifically designed and blended biocides and inhibitors will remove, and help to stop the build-up of rust, scale and other deposits that would naturally occur in an otherwise unflushed system.
Maintenance & System Performance
Over the lifespan of commercial and domestic heating and cooling systems, dirt and debris accumulates within the system. This can be due to a number of factors, including internal corrosion, scale build-up and fouling from Microbes within the system. This build-up of dirt and debris can reduce the longevity of the system and will impact its overall performance, which increases fuel costs for the system as it works harder to reach its optimum temperature. This reduction in the water system’s performance can, in turn, increase or even completely expunge the payback time expected from the system.
Initial commissioning and regular maintenance of hot and cold, closed water systems should be carried out to ensure a high level of performance is maintained and to help ensure the longevity of the system. Costing for initial commissioning and regular maintenance are very low when compared to the costing of the design and installation costs of the system, especially when considering the costing of subsequent repair work that could be required due to poor system maintenance.
Our experience in pre-commission systems flushing and maintenance of closed heating and chilled water systems allows us to provide you with the best service and advice. Our systems engineers can not only provide initial flushing and maintenance work, but will also provide you with information and guidance to help you ensure you’re getting the best performance and longevity from your water system.
Corrosion Prevention & Treatment
Many water systems are made from low corrosive materials such as copper or plastic, however there are still systems in place that predominantly feature materials which are more prone to corrosion. Systems that contain aluminium parts of pipework for example, will benefit from the excellent heat transfer properties of Aluminium, but as a ‘soft metal’ these systems will be susceptible corrosion. These systems pose a larger risk of damage resulting from corrosion and if left untreated, without regular maintenance, can result in sudden system breakdowns and a reduction in performance and longevity of boilers, chillers and heat exchangers attached to the system.
Systems which are highly susceptible to corrosion or have been left untreated should receive regular system flushing, to help remove and reduce the prevalence of deposits left by corrosion and prevent further system corrosion that could result in an unexpected system breakdown.
Chemical Descaling
Scale build up is not only something that occurs in kettles, washing machines and around taps. Scale build up occurs in all water system components that come into contact with high temperature or harder water, as with a kettle, these deposits can reduce the efficiency of a system and decrease the longevity.
The build-up of scale on system parts such as calorifiers or boilers can be the root of a chain of system problems, including poor heating or cooling, increasing fuel bills and unexpected repair costs. Calcium deposits within the system reduce the efficiency of the heat transferral, which places strain on the entire system to reach its specific system temperatures. This strain reduces the longevity of heat exchangers and results in more regular replacements of heat exchangers, generally before their expected part lifetime.
This reduced heat transference problem is also compounded by an increase in system costs and in the system’s overall Carbon Footprint due to the increased fuel requirements needed to heat the system to its optimum temperature.
We undertake a range of Chemical Descaling Services, more information about our Chemical Descaling Services can be found on our Chemical Descaling Information page, alternatively get in touch via our contact form and we’ll be happy to help.
We have a vast experience in the flushing and water treatment of brand new and existing water systems, including fit-out floors and other areas where careful control of water system quality is required, or where there is integration between existing landlord and current tenant areas.
We strive to maintain the highest standards demanded by our trade and perform all work efficiently and effectively, we also pride ourselves on the level of customer support we provide and our engineers regularly offer help and advice to ensure your system is preforming at its peak efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
The frequency that water treatments are required for closed systems can depend on a number of factors such as the type, size and complexity of the system and also if it has suffered from or been susceptible to issues in the past.
If your system has not been treated before then our professional engineers will be able to assess your system, test the water if required and advise you on how often future treatment should be administered in order to keep your system working efficiently.
It is also a good idea to get you system checked out if is being unusually slow to start, has diminished heat flow or isn’t meeting required temperatures as it may have become inefficient due to an unwanted build-up of scale, corrosion or contaminants within the system.
System flushing and cleaning are an effective way to treat closed loop water systems but the cleaning plan put in place will depend on the system itself, the issues that have been identified and the type of treatment is required.
A typical process might involve;
Static or dynamic flushing of the system
- Degreasing
- Biocide treatment
- Surface oxide removal
- Final system flushing
- Neutralisation
- Passivation
- Biocide dosing
- Corrosion inhibitors
Our specialists are able to not only treat potential issues but can also help put in place a thorough, cost effective treatment program to help your system maintain its optimum operating efficiency, reduce maintenance costs and prolong its life cycle.
The water within closed loop systems is designed to remain within it indefinitely which means that over time without treatment they can be susceptible to;
- Scale formation – from deposits of magnesium salts and calcium.
- Corrosion – caused by ferrous and non-ferrous decomposition.
- Microbial Contaminants – some of the most commonly found in water systems include biofilms and slime producing bacteria such as pseudomonas and tvc’s – total viable counts.
- Fouling – deposit build ups of particular matter.
Closed loop water treatments are typically chemical based solutions that are specifically designed to target, treat and breakdown particular contaminants within the system or help to maintain a water environment that prevents such things from forming.
Water Treatment within closed loop water systems is critical in preventing the degradation of the system and the water within it.
Whenever a closed circuit water system is ‘topped up’ there is a risk of introducing unwanted elements to the water in the system, further increasing the risk of long-term degradation. These unwanted additions to the water in the system can include micro-biological contaminants, foulants and other corrosive elements. The addition of inhibitor chemicals serve as protection against these products, preventing them from dissolving in to and, ultimately, corroding the system.
Comfort Services Group can help your business or organisation setup and maintain an effective treatment plan to help ensure the efficiency and long-term reliability of close loop cold water systems. The implementation of an effective treatment can maintenance programme can, in the medium to long-term save your organisation money by extending the life-span of systems and core parts.
A pre-commissioning flush of newly installed pipework can hugely improve the longevity of both hot and chilled closed water systems. A pre-commissioning system flush rids the pipework of unwanted debris that can build up in newly installed pipework. This may include residue from building work (such as dust, dirt and oils), rust and scale.
Our experience with pre-commissioning treatment has allowed Comfort Services Group to develop our own flushing compound for carrying-out a systems flush. We use a specific blend of inhibitors and biocides to prevent, and initially remove, any build-up of unwanted debris in hot and cold closed water systems.