Following the successful use of the Scalewatcher® Electronic Scale Control System to remove scale build-up from an Alfa Laval plate heat exchanger at SweetRipe Drinks, Scalewatcher North America has installed further Scalewatcher units to eliminate chemical treatment for an Evapco heat exchanger in a cooling tower application.

A privately owned Canadian beverage company, SweetRipe produces 20 million cases of fruit beverages annually which it distributes throughout Canada, the USA, Europe and the Middle East. The company has three state-of-the-art plants (two located in Missisauga, Ontario and the third in Port Williams, Nova Scotia) which produce in Tetra, Glass, PET and Gable-top (refrigerated) packaging formats.

The towers refrigeration system freezes bulk juice concentrate in a 20,000 sq. ft area within the factory site. Prior to the Scalewatcher System being installed, the cooling tower was treated for scale using both chemicals and labor. Following a site survey by a Scalewatcher engineer, the System was installed on the discharge side of the cooling water's circulating pump. The softeners were bypassed, and the chemical injection pump turned off. Following installation, a visual inspection was conducted once a week.

At the first inspection, it was noted the tower showed no signs of scale, despite no chemicals or softeners being used. A week later, approximately 4 inches of sludge had been deposited on the bottom of the make-up tank and the water had become very murky. After draining the tank and removing as much of the sludge as possible, without plant shut-down, clean fresh city water was used to fill the make-up tank. A final inspection five weeks later, found that although the tank had accumulated a further 3 inches of sludge, the water was much cleaner, indicating that most of the previously deposited sludge and scale had been flushed through the system.

SweetRipe Drinks expects to save around $7,000 per annum on chemicals and maintenance alone. In addition, the company has noted improved equipment performance, reduced operating costs, and anticipates an increased life expectancy for its heat exchanger.

Capable of handling pipe work up to 3 feet in diameter, the Scalewatcher measures li5 inches x 15 inches x 8.5 inches. It is available in a full range of signal outputs which can be fine-tuned to suit each individual application by utilizing the on-board microprocessor.

Scalewatcher's patented technology works by producing a complex frequency modulated waveform. Reacting to the varying applied field, the Scalewatcher creates an induced electric field inside the pipe whereby the crystal growth of the scaling minerals in the water is promoted. As the crystals remain within the flow of the water, they no longer contribute to the build-up of hard pipe wall deposits. Existing scale layers are softened, and loosened scale crystals are removed from the system by the water flow.

The Scalewatcher is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical and mechanical descaling.

As 40% more energy is needed to heat water in a system fouled with scale, Scalewatcher also helps to reduce energy costs.

Launched in the 1980's it has successfully treated hard water problems for industrial manufacturers as well as water companies, oil producers, farmers, horticulturists, shipping companies, shopping centers, school, universities and government establishments.

For more information, call 610-932-6888 or e-mail swna@scalewatcher.com.

Publication date: 02/19/2001