Diesel Engine Cooling
System Corrosion
Control Programs

Diesel Engine Cooling System Corrosion Control

Large static diesel engines are used extensively in small to medium sized electricity generation. These can be found in industrial, mining and utility applications.

Many of these systems utilize closed cooling circuits. These are not subject to the effects of external contamination and cycles of concentration that occur in open evaporative cooling systems. However, corrosion and microbiological growth can often occur if the system is not managed correctly. Some of the causes for this include:

  • Insufficient precommission cleaning and passivation at time of system commissioning
  • Contamination of bacteria present in makeup water
  • Use of nitrite-based corrosion inhibitors that can provide a food source for bacteria
  • Absence of microbiological monitoring and treatment program

If not managed correctly, severe failure and disruption to plant operation can occur. To avoid these, ZI-CHEM offers a comprehensive range of chemical and application technologies to manage the water quality in these water circuits. These include:

  • Online corrosion measuring systems
  • Range of multi-component corrosion and scale inhibitor programs
  • Non-nitrite-based corrosion inhibitor programs
  • Microbiological monitoring programs to diagnose and predict problems
  • Chemical biocide programs
  • Inline bypass filtration systems to remove suspended iron
  • Comprehensive program management and reporting by experienced personnel