Closed hydronic loops are of critical importance in many applications including industrial process equipment as well as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. In industrial applications, closed loops are typically used to cool essential processes or equipment that would not tolerate the variability typically observed in open cooling towers. The major challenges encountered when operating a closed loop are microbiological growth and corrosion. Molybdate and nitrite have been used for decades to control corrosion in closed loops, along with borate as the most widely used buffer. However, each chemical has its limitations. Molybdate is very costly and performance is highly dependent on chloride/sulfate levels and temperature; nitrite provides very robust performance but at high dose. Additionally, nitrite is known to promote biological growth. Borate compounds, though not banned yet, have been classified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) under the EU REACH regulations. Because of these drawbacks and increasing environmental regulations, new non-toxic corrosion inhibitors are needed that can provide excellent corrosion inhibition, meet strict discharge regulations, and maintain performance in the presence of high microbiological growth. Here we present a next generation non-toxic closed loop corrosion inhibitor that contains no nitrite, heavy metal, P, B, or filming amine. Laboratory feasibility experiments based on jar testing, pilot closed loop testing, and electrochemical testing show excellent corrosion inhibition results (<0.2 mpy) on mild steel in highly corrosive water. Corrosion inhibition results are compared to incumbent corrosion inhibitors based on nitrite, molybdate, and filming amine. Additionally, the biostability of the new corrosion inhibitor is demonstrated through stability experiments in the presence of cooling water microorganisms.
Key words: Corrosion inhibitor, water treatment, chemical treatment, corrosion control, corrosion tests.