Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina Project: One of the universities in the University of North Carolina system and nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Appalachian State University is spread out over 1,700 acres with 54 academic buildings, residence halls, dining and athletic facilities catering to 19,000-plus students and faculty. The University has a Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) that seeks to reduce the environmental impact of the University by replacing their existing sources of energy on campus with cleaner forms of renewable energy technology. The ASUREI subsequently sought out innovative green technologies in support of their 24 condenser systems on campus. SFS worked with the university engineers to install a pilot non-chemical water treatment system on campus.

Application: The ASUREI awarded Scale Free Systems a new contract to install our non-chemical water treatment system on the heat exchange equipment in the Bookstore Chiller Plant (Building #375). Scale Free Systems was installed on all of the condenser water equipment to protect the equipment from scale, corrosion and biological contamination. The equipment in the system includes two cooling towers (2,850 GPM), two chillers (450 tons each) and one heat exchanger. The installation was completed in December of 2014.

Results/Benefits: It is too soon for actual data to be assessed, but based on initial statistical analysis of past water and energy consumption data, Scale Free will optimize the building’s operational efficiency and is anticipated to reduce its water usage by 50% and energy consumption by 12% over what the chemical water treatment program previously in place achieved. “The University is excited to evaluate this new water treatment technology on our campus. With the installation of Scale Free on our heat exchange systems, Appalachian State has sent a strong message about the importance of water and energy conservation.”

Lee Wilson, Vice-Chair, ASUREI

Results/Benefits:Based on the BCP Blown Down Water Log provided by Patrick Richardson: Energy Analyst, BSEE, PEM Appalachian State University, we have reached the following data conclusions. Prior to the Non-Chemical Scale Free installation, the daily water blow down averaged 707.95 gallons per day. After the Non-Chemical Scale Free installation, the water blow down average has dropped significantly to an average of 48.75 gallons per day in the past six month period. The total water blow down for the six month period prior to the Scale Free installation was 160,511.1 gallons. The total water blown for the six month period after the SFS installation was 10,344.9 gallons. These numbers show that 150,166.2 gallons of water were saved in a six month period due to the Scale Free System being installed. Based on this data, these numbers will far exceed the SFS guarantee of 200,000 gallons per year on this installation. Data for eliminating chemical cost were unavailable. The system has been chemical free for six months with positive results. “Upon initial inspection the chiller was cleaner than it was before. The biological growth in and on the cooling towers is gone. We are surprised and extremely pleased with the Scale Free System. A cleaner system is obviously more cost efficient” David Meadows (Certified HVAC Facilities & Building Operations Maintenance Technician, Appalachian State University.) We will continue to compile data savings due to eliminating chemical and Operational Cost.

Author: Lee Wilson

Testimonials

“It is working; we are surprised and extremely pleased with how the system is performing. The biological growth on the cooling towers is gone, and the chillers are cleaner than they were upon last inspection. The entire system appears to be behaving better. The only change I can equate to this behavior is the Scale Free System installation. I think you might be on to something” (David Meadows: (Certi�ed HVAC Facilities & Building Operations Maintenance Technician, Appalachian State University.)

“Another month with no blowdown, a rough estimate of water avoided would be in the 40,000-45,000 gallon range. There are a lot of people on campus talking about Scale Free right now. This application could be revolutionary in regards to heat exchange equipment. “(Patrick Richardson: Energy Analyst, BSEE, PEM Appalachian State University)

References:

-Scale Free System, Inc. 325 Sun Valley Circle, Fenton, MO 63026-Water Blown Down Log- Patrick Richardson, Energy Analyst, BSEE, PEM - Appalachian State University-Library Tra�c Circle Chiller Plant Liaison, David Meadows, (Certi�ed HVAC Facilities & Building Operations Maintenance Technician, Appalachian State University.)-Pace Analytical Services (Water Quality testing)

TECHNOLOGY

SCALE CONTROLIn its simplest terms, the Scale Free System neutralizes the pipes and equipment to the same polarity that precipitated scale will not bond to. The Scale Free System provides an engineered application to monitor the potential electrical energy in the water through a control panel that creates an electrical circuit neutralizing the equipment and releasing the dynamic energy out through an inde-pendent grounding system.

Microbiological ControlThe Scale Free System regulates the time and release of copper-sil-ver ions in the water. The Cu-Ag system has received recognition from the engineering community as well as the US EPA for biologi-cal treatment of domestic water supplies. This process is e�ective on Legionella, Pseudomonas, M. Avium, E. coli, Salmonella and a host of other microbes as well. Just as we measure calcium miner-als in parts per million, we measure quantities of bacteria in CFUs (Colony Forming Units) per milliliter, abbreviated CFU/ml. The higher the count is, the more bacteria you have. It is generally ac-cepted that cooling tower water is only required to have less than 10,000 CFUs. Safe drinking water is required to have less than 500 CFUs. The ASU Library Tra�c Circle Chiller Plant cooling tower water from the Scale Free System installation was tested by an in-dependent testing facility (Pace Analytical Services Inc.) The test results show SFS cooling tower water had 738 CFUs (which is well below cooling tower std. of 10,000 CFUs).

Corrosion Control We measure corrosion rates in mils per year, abbreviated mpy. A mil is 1/1000 of an inch so a pipe that is 1 inch thick with a corro-sion rate of 2 mpy will last 500 years before it �nally is destroyed. The Scale Free System eliminates the electrical bridge that starts the corrosion process. Because the Scale Free System neutralizes all electrical activity, the chemical decomposition necessary to pro-duce free oxygen and free hydrogen in solution (the agents re-sponsible for pitting and corrosion) is eliminated.