2017 AWT Summer Analyst by Association of Water Technologies

The Analyst The Voice of the Water Treatment Industry

Volume 24 Number 3

9707 Key West Avenue, Suite 100 * Rockville, MD 20850

Summer 2017

Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition Sustainable and Safe: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Your Reclaimed Water? The Improved Financial Health of Water Technologies Companies Since the Great Recession

Volume 24 Number 3 Summer 2017

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Table of Contents The Analyst The Voice of the Water Treatment Industry

Volume 24 Number 3

9707 Key West Avenue, Suite 100 * Rockville, MD 20850

Summer 2017

Cover Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation

Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition Sustainable and Safe: What’s in Your Reclaimed Water? The Improved Financial Health of Water Technologies Companies Since the Great Recession

Volume 24 Number 3 Summer 2017

Summer 2017

Volume 24

Published by

Number 3

10 Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation Christopher J. Nagle, EVAPCO, Inc.

22 Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition Matthew LaBrosse, Ph.D., Donovan Erickson, CWT, U.S. Water Services, Inc.

Closed-loop inhibitors were investigated on a pilot scale hot water system with a maximum temperature of 160 °F. The experimental system contained aluminum, carbon steel, and copper corrosion coupons. Due to specifications from aluminum boiler manufacturers, the pH was held below 8.5 in most trials. It was found that nitrite, silicate, and azole were ineffective at controlling aluminum corrosion in a multi-metal system at any pH, but higher levels of silicate and azole with a molybdate adjunct provided effective aluminum corrosion inhibition at a pH range of 7.3–8.5. For a pH range of 8.5–9.7, it was found that a molybdate or nitrate adjunct combined with silicate effectively controlled both aluminum and carbon steel corrosion. It was also found that copper corrosion was successfully managed with an azole product at any pH investigated.

30 Sustainable and Safe: What’s in Your Reclaimed Water? Janet E. Stout, Ph.D., Special Pathogens Laboratory

Collection and reuse of greywater/rainwater for toilet flushing, irrigation, and utility systems could replace 7% of drinking water production. This goal can be accomplished by capturing, treating, recharging, and maintaining all water flow from the building, thus minimizing ground-sourced and off site sourced water. Unfortunately, there are potential risks associated with water reuse and greywater that include amplifying waterborne pathogens like Legionella. Data from testing reclaimed water has shown the presence of a number of potential pathogens including Legionella, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas and Klebsiella. Potential sources and links to disease as well as the waterborne pathogens that pose the greatest risk of infection from reclaimed water will be reviewed. A safe and sustainable water reuse program must address the potential public health implications of untreated reclaimed water. Control of microbial amplification in reclaimed water can be addressed through novel application of water treatment strategies.

34 The Improved Financial Health of Water Technologies Companies Since the Great Recession Scott A. Hackworth, CPA, Industry Insights, Inc.

The recently completed AWT Benchmarking Survey reveals that the industry has learned to survive and thrive since this low point. The industry (or at least the surviving firms) remained resilient and found both new and old ways to push forward. In fact, more than 90% are doing better now than a decade ago, with the average company enjoying 56% more sales (41% median increase) and 2 percentage points more in profits.

4 Calendar of Events 6 President’s Message 8 Message From the President-Elect 41 Association News 42 Membership Benefits 45 Industry Notes 55 Making a Splash 56 Certification Corner 58 CWT Spotlight 60 Ask the Experts 63 T.U.T.O.R. 66 Capital Eyes 68 Business Notes 71 Financial Matters 74 Advertising Index

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

9707 Key West Avenue, Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20850 (301) 740-1421 • (301) 990-9771 (fax) www.awt.org

Calendar of Events

2017 AWT Board of Directors

Association Events

Bruce T. Ketrick Jr., CWT

2017 Annual Convention and Exposition

President

President-Elect

September 13–16, 2017 Amway Grand Hotel and Grand Rapids Convention Center Grand Rapids, Michigan

Marc Vermeulen, CWT

Secretary

David Wagenfuhr, LEED OPM

Treasurer

2018 Annual Convention and Exposition

Thomas Branvold, CWT

Immediate Past President

Bernadette Combs, CWT, LEED AP

Directors

Michael Bourgeois, CWT Brian Jutzi, CWT Bonnee Randall Andrew Weas, CWT

2019 Annual Convention and Exposition

Ex-Officio Supplier Representative

Kevin Cope

Past Presidents

Jack Altschuler John Baum, CWT R. Trace Blackmore, CWT, LEED AP D.C. “Chuck” Brandvold, CWT Brent W. Chettle, CWT Dennis Clayton Bernadette Combs, CWT, LEED AP Matt Copthorne, CWT James R. Datesh John E. Davies, CWT Jay Farmerie, CWT Gary Glenna

September 26–29, 2018 Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate Orlando, Florida

Charles D. Hamrick Jr., CWT Joseph M. Hannigan Jr., CWT Mark R. Juhl Brian Jutzi, CWT Bruce T. Ketrick Sr., CWT Ron Knestaut Robert D. Lee, CWT Mark T. Lewis, CWT Steven MacCarthy, CWT Anthony J. McNamara, CWT James Mulloy Alfred Nickels Scott W. Olson, CWT William E. Pearson II, CWT

William C. Smith Casey Walton, B.Ch.E, CWT Larry A. Webb

Staff

Executive Director

Heidi J. Zimmerman, CAE

Deputy Executive Director

Sara L. Wood, MBA, CAE

Senior Member Services Manager

Angela Pike

Vice President, Meetings

Grace L. Jan, CMP, CAE

Meeting Planner

Morgan Wisher

Meeting Planner

Kristen Jones, CMP

Exhibits and Sponsorship Manager

Barbara Bienkowski

Marketing Director

Julie Hill

Marketing Specialist

Jeyin Lee

Director of Editorial Services

Lynne Agoston

Accountant

Dawn Rosenfeld

The Analyst Staff Publisher

Heidi J. Zimmerman, CAE

Managing Editor

Lynne Agoston

Technical Editor

Bennett Boffardi, Ph.D., bennett.boffardi@gmail.com

Advertising Sales

Heather Prichard, advertising@awt.org

The Analyst is published quarterly as the official publication of the Association of Water Technologies. Copyright 2017 by the Association of Water Technologies. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. Contents of the articles are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily express the policies and opinions of the publisher, editor or AWT. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the articles are properly released for classification and proprietary information. All advertising will be subject to publisher’s approval, and advertisers will agree to indemnify and relieve publisher of loss or claims resulting from advertising contents. Editorial material in The Analyst may be reproduced in whole or part with prior written permission. Request permission by writing to: Editor, The Analyst, 9707 Key West Avenue, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Annual subscription rate is $100 per year in the U.S. (4 issues). Please add $25 for Canada and Mexico. International subscriptions are $200 in U.S. funds.

September 11–14, 2019 Palm Springs Convention Center and Renaissance Hotel Palm Springs, California

2020 Annual Convention and Exposition September 30–October 3, 2020 Louisville Convention Center and Omni Hotel Louisville, Kentucky

2021 Annual Convention and Exposition

September 22–25, 2021 Providence Convention Center and Omni Hotel Providence, Rhode Island

Also, please note that the following AWT committees meet on a monthly basis. All times shown are Eastern Time. To become active in one of these committees, please contact us at (301) 740-1421. Second Tuesday of each month, 10:00 am – Marketing/Communications Committee Second Tuesday of each month, 11:00 am – Legislative/Regulatory Committee Second Tuesday of each month, 2:30 pm – Convention Committee Second Wednesday of each month, 11:00 am – Business Resources Committee Second Friday of each month, 9:00 am – Pretreatment Subcommittee Second Friday of each month, 10:00 am – Special Projects Subcommittee Second Friday of each month, 11:00 am – Cooling Subcommittee Third Monday of each month, 9:00 am – Certification Committee Third Monday of each month, 3:30 pm – Young Professionals Task Force Third Monday of each month, 4:30 pm – Standards Task Force Third Tuesday of each month, 3:00 pm – Education Committee Third Friday of each month, 9:00 am – Boiler Subcommittee Third Friday of each month, 10:00 am – Technical Committee Fourth Tuesday of each month, 4:00 pm – Membership Committee Quarterly (call for meeting dates), 11:00 am – Wastewater Subcommittee

Other Industry Events ACS, Fall National Meeting & Expo, August 20–24, 2017, Washington, D.C. RETA, Annual Convention, September 26–29, 2017, Hershey, Pennsylvania WEFTEC, Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, September 30–October 4, 2017, Chicago, Illinois Smart Water Management Symposium, November 2, 2017, Amsterdam, The Netherlands USGBC, GreenBuild, November 8–10, 2017, Boston, Massachusetts

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President’s Message

By Bruce T. Ketrick Jr., CWT

I find it hard to believe, but at the end of the convention, my term as president will come to a close. It has been an incredible experience, and I highly encourage anyone who might be interested to consider serving on the AWT board. It’s an opportunity to enhance your leadership and business skills in a way that will have long-term benefits. In addition to learning better evaluation and forecasting skills, you will also stay on top of trends in the profession and help influence the direction of AWT. You’ll also gain a network of peer advisors who can provide you with fresh perspectives and new ideas for addressing the challenges facing you and your business. And finally, board service is fun. It’s serious work that everyone takes to heart, but it’s inspiring and energizing to sit around a table with nine smart, high-performing business people, all united in their goal to further the mission of AWT. I’m humbled and proud of all the great progress the incredible AWT volunteers have made this year on our strategic plan.

I know I’m looking forward to it! And in addition to the Business Owner’s Meeting, the committee has put on some amazing webinars this year. These sessions are free to members and are part of our commitment to bring you more business resources.

Outcome 3: Advocacy

Have you visited AWT’s new advocacy center on our website? Wow! How far we’ve come in a year. The resource center covers three major areas – working with policymakers, interacting with the media and sharing our company news, and reaching out to schools in your area. All of these help educate others on the importance of our industry. In addition, AWT continues to strengthen our relationships with our Related Trade Organizations (RTOs). Through Bill Pearson, CWT, AWT is now a voting organizational member of the NSF Standard 444 Committee. Bill brought NSF draft standard 453 to our attention earlier this year. AWT was quick to respond with strong negative comments. Based on the feedback received, NSF is shifting 453 from a standard to a guideline. AWT members’ influence in the industry is growing, and our collective voices are being heard.

Outcome 1: Technical Resources

In addition to all of the amazing papers, resources, sessions, and materials developed by our committees, AWT is intent on developing more online training opportunities, as we understand the convenience and necessity of online learning. With this in mind, earlier this year we started offering the online LearningSource program, which comprises 39 online courses covering the fundamentals of water treatment, cooling treatment and equipment, boiler basics, reverse osmosis systems, filtration, microbiological control, and corrosion. Visit www.awt.org for more information.

Outcome 4: Charity

Our relationship with Pure Water for the World (PWW) is a little over a year old now. AWT members have raised over $20,000 for PWW. In addition, we are looking at service trips to Haiti and Honduras, where we can share our water treatment expertise and give back in a very meaningful way. I’m excited about the events we have planned with PWW at the convention. Be sure to stop by their booth in Grand Rapids! Again, thank you for allowing me to serve. I’ve learned a lot during this time and have found it incredibly rewarding. This is an exciting time in AWT’s history and a great time to be part of this incredible organization!

In addition, a team of volunteers is hard at work developing a 7-module online fundamentals training program, which will be available in spring 2018. The modules will cover basic water treatment, an overview of a service visit, installing and maintaining equipment, testing, recordkeeping, and transporting products. Stay tuned as we launch this exciting product next year.

As always, I welcome your feedback and can be reached at president@awt.org.

Outcome 2: Business Resources

If you’re a business owner, don’t forget to sign up for the Business Owner’s Meeting on Saturday during the convention. This is our first time out of the gate with this meeting, but we have some great speakers lined up who will talk about hiring and recruiting, cybersecurity, and communication styles.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Message From the President-Elect

You can buy your rubber duck and see if you are one of five lucky $50 gift certificate winners. The grand prize will go to the winner of the duck race, who will receive an original AWT custom oil painting by AWT’s very own Kevin Cope as well as two free registrations to the 2018 convention in Orlando. And, the various regions of the country will be competing against one other for bragging rights – so don’t miss out!

AWT 2017 Annual Convention

The AWT 2017 Annual Convention and Exposition is right around the corner. It’s shaping up to be a great meeting. From the outstanding educational sessions to the fun social events we have planned, you won’t want to miss the Grand Rapids convention.

Pure Water for the World

Over 30 educational sessions are scheduled for this convention, including a workshop, a roundtable discussion, breakout sessions, and interactive learning lounge sessions. I would like to thank those committee members who participated in the peer-review process. They have the herculean job of reviewing and commenting on all the papers.

Of all the projects on which we are currently working, I am most excited about Outcome 4: Charity. AWT member Jason St. Cyr and I took a personal trip down to Haiti to see Pure Water for the World (PWW) in action in homes and schools there. It was a great reminder of how lucky we are to have access to clean water.

One of the other aspects of the convention I am excited about is the Annual Reception and Awards Dinner. Grand Rapids is known for the Grand River that flows through the center of the city. What better way to experience the city than to enjoy Blues and Brews on the bridge over the Grand River! Centered on the bridge will be brewery-themed stations with some of the local beers that helped Grand Rapids secure the title of Beer City. Under the main tent, Hanna Rose and the GravesTones will entertain us with their cross pollination of funk, blues, and rock n’ roll with soul. You’ll be able to take a fly-fishing lesson and play cornhole (a favorite Michigan game). And you’ll want to be sure to take part in the duck race! As part of our charity event with Pure Water for the World (PWW), we will be racing rubber duckies down the Grand River. Hundreds of ducks will be released upstream and race toward the finish line at the pedestrian bridge.

By Marc Vermeulen, M.Sc., CWT

The trip was incredible. We helped deploy household water filters and build new sanitation facilities, and we worked with many people on sanitation and hygiene education. Meeting the local community members and children was life changing. And as an added bonus, we learned a lot about Haiti and the Haitian culture. If you’re interested in working with PWW, please reach out – I’d be happy to share my experience. At the conclusion of the Annual Convention, I will assume my role as AWT president. AWT has some great programs and services in the works for the coming year, and I look forward to developing them alongside our committed volunteers. I can be reached at mvermeulen@hawkstonesolutions.ca. Thank you for the opportunity, and I look forward to serving you!

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

An Investment in Yourself, Your Staff, and Your Company Five Reasons You Should Attend

1 2 3 4 5

98% of past attendees say they return to the office with practical knowledge they can implement immediately.

93% of past attendees say the convention increases their industry knowledge.

Since 2010, attendance has grown by more than 21%—exposing you to more individuals with whom you can network. Attendees are viewed as one of the biggest assets of the convention. The convention’s noncompetitive atmosphere allows you to share your experiences, challenges, and concerns.

It’s the only convention where you’ll find exhibitors whose sole focus is industrial water treatment.

Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation Christopher J. Nagle, EVAPCO, Inc.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Abstract

In support of customer requests for better outcomes for new equipment commissioned with immediate heat load, Evapco initiated an in-depth study to investigate the formation and control of white rust. This study, which began over three years ago, led to the development of industry leading research equipment specifically designed to evaluate white rust formation on evaporative heat transfer surfaces. A small-scale closedcircuit coolers was designed and built to replicate the dynamic conditions associated with evaporative cooling equipment commissioned with immediate heat load. In addition to proprietary research, controlled testing was performed using commercially available products marketed as either white rust inhibitors or passivation aids for evaporative cooling systems containing galvanized materials of construction. The controlled testing included routine wet chemistry, visual inspections, and photography to determine how quickly white rust formed and the relative percentage of surface area impacted. Additional research was conducted to focus on innovative pre-treatment technologies for the galvanized coils utilized in closed-circuit coolers and evaporative condensers. This research effort continued with a goal of providing a factory applied pre-treatment capable of minimizing the formation of white rust in evaporative cooling equipment commissioned with immediate heat load across a wide variety of makeup water qualities and water treatment formulations.

A Brief History of White Rust in Evaporative Cooling

For over 50 years the evaporative cooling industry has relied on galvanized steel as a preferred material of construction due to its cost-effective combination of corrosion protection and long service life. The galvanizing process provides the underlying steel with a coating of superior hardness, ductility, and adherence unmatched by any coating or painting process.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, articles began to surface noting an increased occurrence of premature corrosion of new galvanized steel referred to as white rust. A 1992 article in The Analyst noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The problem with white rust corrosion of cooling water towers was not widely observed until the mid-1980s.â&#x20AC;?1 The Cooling Tower Institute published Guidelines for Treatment of Galvanized Cooling Towers to Prevent White Rust (1994). The Association of Water Technologies published White Rust: An Industry Update and Guide Paper (2002 and 2012).

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Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation continued

The 2002 version of AWT’s guide paper stated, “The corrosion of galvanized steel cooling towers may be referred to as white rust and the consequence of white rust can be premature failure of galvanized steel 2 components.”

Hot dipped galvanized coils did not receive a chrome rinse but experienced an increase in observed white rust along with mill galvanized components.

Several of the early articles1-3 on the subject refer to “cooling towers” generically as an apparent catchall for the broader array of evaporative cooling equipment. When it comes to the topic of white rust and passivation, a distinction should be drawn between open cooling towers constructed of mill-galvanized steel for basins and casing as distinct and different from closed-circuit coolers and evaporative condensers constructed of both mill galvanized steel and hot-dipped galvanized steel coils. A chemical formulation used successfully to pre-clean and passivate an open cooling tower started without load may not be a good technical selection to passivate a closed-circuit cooler or evaporative condenser commissioned with immediate heat load, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Evaporative Condenser With White Rust

As white rust became more prevalent in the mid 1980s, customers, engineers, and water treatment professionals searched for explanations. Some of the early articles pondered what impact an increase in “aluminum content of the zinc alloy”1 or “the elimination of chrome rinse by the galvanizers”2 might have on the observed “increase in the incidence of white rust in cooling towers.”1 For decades, it was well understood that “The chromate anion is extremely effective at minimizing the formation of white rust and at inhibiting corrosion at zinc surfaces.”4 Therefore, it would be logical to assume that the elimination of a chromate-based rinse from a mill galvanizing process might be a contributing factor to the observed increase in white rust. There are likely at least three reasons why this explanation should not be considered the sole root cause:

The chrome rinse “helps prevent initial corrosion and staining until the steel is fabricated and placed into service.”4 It is unlikely that a chromate rinse applied to mill galvanized steel would provide long term protection against white rust on its own as it would “wash away” or “wear off” as water is circulated across a tower, cooler, or condenser. Not all mill galvanizers eliminated the use of hexavalent or trivalent chrome rinses. In the early 1990s, Johnson and Mihelic noted “Traces of the chromate anion can be found on the surfaces of all 14 coupons utilized in this test, ..., and is still done by at least some manufacturers of mill galvanized steel.”4 To this day, the majority of mill galvanized steel used in the manufacture of evaporative cooling equipment in North America receives a hexavalent chrome wash. As early as 1990, papers discussing white rust corrosion noted that “Because of the increasing restrictions on the use of chromate-based corrosion inhibitors for use in cooling water, a general trend toward alkaline cooling water treatment has become an industry standard.”4 The precise timelines will need to be left to the water treatment professionals who were practicing in the field during the 1970s and 1980s. The generation of water treatment professionals raised on alkaline treatment programs could view the decrease in usage of pH control associated with chromate and stabilized phosphate treatment programs, the ascent of alkaline treatment programs, and the increased incidence of white rust on newly commissioned galvanized equipment as one common timeline. In this transition from the dominance of pH control to alkaline treatment programs, it was observed “Higher pH levels combined with newer deposit control agents may minimize corrosion, scaling, and fouling in the coolers but can simultaneously cause premature failure of a cooling tower made of galvanized steel.”5 Regardless of the possible or probable root causes for the uptick in observed white rust, which began in the mid 1980s, the problem persists for today’s customers and their water treatment providers. In 2010, the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration held their 32nd annual conference in San Diego, California. Discussions with contractors and customers highlighted the challenges associated with passivating galvanized condensers for an industry facing shorter equipment lead times coupled with the near universal requirement for immediate heat load upon commissioning.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation continued

Investigation into Passivation

There have been continuing complaints from Evapco customers about galvanized steel developing white rust corrosion, resulting in shorter equipment life. These complaints are particularly prevalent on coil products that are placed under immediate load. It is well understood that the initial corrosion layer (passivation layer) is very important to equipment life, so a research program was started to evaluate the parameters that are required to develop a good passivation layer.

Evapco designed two small-scale closed circuit coolers named Tiny Cooler 1 and Tiny Cooler 2, shown in Figure 3. These units provided the first test platform for side-by-side analysis to study the impact of immediate heat load on new galvanized coils. Figure 3: Evapco’s “Tiny Coolers”

The ongoing research includes the use of scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM-EDXA) to determine the elemental composition of white rusted areas and metal surfaces adjacent to the location of the corrosion product shown in Figure 2. Ongoing research and laboratory testing suggest the following aluminum content range for hot-dipped galvanized steel: 0.069 to 0.149%. Figure 2: Galvanized Coil Samples From Tiny Coolers (SEM-EDXA)

Beginning in 2011, these side-by-side coolers provided an opportunity to study the effectiveness of pH control, orthophosphate-based treatments, and other variables on the potential for, and quantity of, white rust formation on new galvanized coils started with immediate heat load. The closed-loop water supplied to the inlet of the coil bundle was heated to approximately 100°F, with the systems operating five days per week for approximately 8 to 10 hours per day. Glutaraldehyde nonoxidizing biocide was manually dosed three times per week during operation, and sodium hypochlorite was manually dosed at the end of each week just prior to the idle weekend period. The research conducted to date has not identified a correlation between aluminum content either within white rust deposits or on non-white-rusted galvanized areas near the corrosion product. It should be noted that Evapco’s current research is focused on hot-dipped galvanized coils as opposed to the “Galvanized Steel Surfaces”1 detailed in Table 1 of the 1992 Analyst article, which likely were mill galvanized.

The earliest series of tests provided makeup water “produced” by blending approximately 70% reverse osmosis (RO) permeate with approximately 30% Taneytown, Maryland, municipal water. Table 1 lists the water composition. Conductivity controllers automated the blowdown of the spray water to maintain cycles of concentration in the 2.0 to 2.5 range. Water temperature and pH data were tracked automatically with daily calibration, as required, based on handheld readings.

In support of customer requests for better commissioning outcomes, Evapco, Inc., initiated a study of the formation and control of white rust. This research focused on the formation of a passive layer capable of minimizing the formation of white rust in galvanized cooling equipment commissioned with immediate heat load.

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Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation continued

Table 1: Early Tiny Cooler Test-City and Blended Water Data Taneytown Analyte

Blended makeup

Ave.

Min.

Max. Ave.

Min.

Max.

7.2

7.35

7.83

7.7

7.6

7.9

Conductivity (mhos)

515

468

575

184

171

195

Calcium (CaCO3)

152

119

178

Alkalinity

161

155

182

Chloride (mg/L)

155

182

Sulfate (mg/L)

Later testing reduced the percentage of RO permeate to study the impact of using a variety of different acids to trim alkalinity/pH. For the earliest tests, the passivation phase of the trial lasted between four and six weeks with manual chemical feed and testing of inhibitor residuals, pH, and conductivity twice per day. Every Wednesday, makeup and recirculating water samples were collected for a complete laboratory analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy and ion chromatography. At the end of the prescribed passivation period, a transition phase of approximately two to three weeks was initiated to move to an alkaline treatment program. The Tiny Cooler testing in 2011 and early 2012 suggested the following for new galvanized equipment commissioned with immediate heat load:

In an effort to increase the pace of discovery, benchtop tests were initiated and designed to simulate equipment started with heat load. Previous Analyst articles reference the use of galvanized panels in conjunction with smallscale testing.6 A test matrix was established to evaluate hot dip galvanized test strips, mill galvanized test strips, and both varieties exposed to proprietary pretreatment processes. The test schedule incorporated six to eight weeks of simulated passivation followed by a two to three-week transition to an alkaline treatment program. All test panels were submerged by day and allowed to air dry overnight. Immersion solutions were “manufactured” by blending Taneytown city water and RO permeate to achieve calcium hardness of 50 mg/L and alkalinity at 60 mg/L (both as CaCO3). Solutions were heated to 90°F, aerated, and changed out daily during the test. pH ranged between 7.2 and 7.8, reaching a maximum of 8.0 over the course of a day. Twenty-eight separate jars, shown in Figure 4, each containing two galvanized test strips (Figure 5), were utilized during the benchtop testing. Six distinct inhibitor chemistries were tested across the 28 jars during the initial screening.

Figure 4: Benchtop Testing Setup

Simply maintaining spray water pH below 8.3 during the passivation phase does not preclude white rust formation. Commercially available orthophosphate based treatments suggested to control white rust in combination with pH control do not ensure a uniformly passivated surface. Applying factory pre-treatment to the galvanized coil prior to shipment and startup can reduce the potential for subsequent white rust formation. Although is was informative, research using the Tiny Coolers alone was time consuming. The original testing took four to six weeks, but due to the lack of satisfactory results, the passivation and transition times were increased, resulting in a significantly longer test cycle. Each test then took between 12 and 16 weeks, limiting the speed of innovation. As research unfolded, more hypotheses and variables were uncovered that were worthy of additional study.

Figure 5: Hot-Dipped Galvanized Test Strip

By 2012, AWT’s updated guide on the subject maintained its earlier reference to a survey amongst their membership, which found “white rust corrosion was identified as a serious and prevalent problem.”2 16

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation continued

The benchtop testing conducted between March and July 2012 demonstrated the following:

Figure 7: Evapco’s Nano Coolers

• Comparing jars with the same temperature, aeration, water quality, inhibitor type, and concentrations, the factory-applied pretreated test strips exhibited less white rust potential than test strips that had not received pretreatment, as shown in Figure 6. • Benchtop galvanized strips tested with inhibitors used in previous Tiny Cooler testing exhibited less white rust formation compared to the Tiny Cooler coil results.

Figure 6: Test Strip With Factory Pretreatment (L) Compared to Untreated Galvanized Strip (R)

In conjunction with the two Tiny Coolers, the addition of the Nano Coolers provides an opportunity to study more variables side by side. One example of the increased flexibility available from the Nano Coolers was a test that studied the impact of varying calcium, chloride, and sulfate concentrations in the spray water on the galvanized coil sections shown in Figure 8. Figure 8: Elevated Chloride (Nano Cooler 2) vs. Elevated Sulfate (Nano Cooler 3) Coil Sections

Galvanized test strips immersed in heated solutions do not appear to correlate well with reactions that occur when a heated coil is cooled by spray water. This suggests that heating the liquid (immersion bath) does not create the same increase in corrosion potential as heating the coil metallurgy (increasing skin temperature). Because of the poor correlation between heated solution benchtested samples and heated coils from the Tiny Coolers, the use of benchtesting was minimized to enable refocusing on tests utilizing heated coil sections. Following benchtop screening, additional research equipment was built to evaluate white rust formation on evaporative heat transfer surfaces. Four very small coolers were designed and built to provide faster testing of hypotheses and variables. Each new “Nano Cooler,” shown in Figure 7, holds up to four small coil sections, which are exposed to identical operating conditions (e.g., temperature, water quality, inhibitor dosage).

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation continued

This study demonstrated that elevated sulfate (540 mg/L) showed less potential to increase white rust compared to elevated chloride (200 mg/L), as shown in Table 2. Further, comparing two coil sections exposed to elevated chloride (200 mg/l), the coil section exposed to spray water containing an average of 66 mg/L calcium developed more white rust versus one exposed to an average of 195 mg/L calcium, as shown in Figure 9. Table 2: Water source NC1 will use water from the blended MU tank without any additions MU Rec mg/L Target Target

By Adding

mg/L mg Per in MU gallon

NC2

100

CaCl2 (Cal-Plus) (Sol. 745 g/L @ CaCl2 68 °F)

265

NC3

180

540

SO4

Na2SO4, 99% (Sol. 200 g/L @ Na2SO4 68 °F)

264

999

NC4

200

NaCl (Sol. 360 g/L @ NaCl 68 °F)

288

Proprietary passivation formulations and commercially available treatment products have been tested. Testing to date suggests that vendors and their customers should be skeptical of products that claim to passivate equipment starting with immediate heat load in as little as 24 hours, 48 hours, one week, or two weeks. A commercially available product advertised as a poly/orthophosphate inhibitor that will “prevent white rust” on galvanized surfaces in as little as three or four days or up to two weeks was tested in a Nano Cooler. Visually, the test showed promise during the first three weeks of feeding the product (see Figure 10). As the test transitioned to alkaline treatment with pHs above 8.5, however, white rust quickly appeared, as shown in Figure 11. A subsequent Nano Cooler test sequence suggests that more than four weeks may be required to sufficiently passivate new galvanized surfaces before a successful transition to an alkaline treatment program is possible. With this insight, the test of a commercially available product, shown in Figures 10 and 11, is scheduled to be repeated with a longer passivation timeframe. Figure 10: Nano Cooler 1 Following Third Week of Commercial Product Testing

Figure 9: Higher Calcium (Nano Cooler 2) vs. Lower Calcium (Nano Cooler 4) Coil Sections

Figure 11: Nano Cooler 1 Coil Section After One Day of Operation at pH 8.8

The impact of variables such as coil inlet temperature (85–100 °F), duration of passivation (2–10 weeks), transition from passivation to alkaline treatment (0–3 weeks), passivation chemistry, pretreatment techniques, wet operation (8–22 hours/day), and a variety of makeup water characteristics continue to be explored using both the Nano and Tiny Cooler systems.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Beyond Laboratory Research on White Rust and Passivation continued

The investigation continued with a goal of optimizing a cost-effective, factory-applied pretreatment capable of minimizing the formation of white rust in evaporative cooling equipment commissioned with immediate heat load. Several years of bench, Nano Cooler, and Tiny Cooler testing have consistently shown that factory pretreated galvanizing develops less white rust than untreated hot-dip galvanization in side-by-side testing under identical operating conditions, as shown in Figures 5 and 11. Significant investment in the construction and ongoing operation of the small-scale test equipment (see Figures 3 and 6) provides a platform to move beyond laboratory research relying on coupons or test strips. The ability to operate controlled tests to evaluate the impact of heat load, water chemistry, inhibitor formulations, and factoryapplied pretreatments on galvanized surfaces will help to provide the data necessary for a better understanding of the control parameters necessary for successful passivation in the presence of heat load. These insights will make it easier to provide better commissioning outcomes with reduced occurrence of white rust, for customers and water treatment professionals alike.

References

1. The Associated Labs. Technical Committee (The Analyst, Spring 1992).“An Evaluation of White Rust and Cooling Tower Metallurgy”

2. Association of Water Technologies, White Rust: An Industry Update and Guide Paper 2002

WATER IS LIFE – THAT’S WHY WE CARE

3. Rachels, G. K. (The Analyst, Spring 1991). “White Rust” (The Water Treaters’ Achilles Heel)

4. Johnson, K. M. and Mihelic, J. B. Cooling Tower Institute Technical Paper Number TP-91-14. Update on White Rust Corrosion and Control

5. Kunz, R. G. and Hines, D. W. (NACE Corrosion 90 Paper 348). Corrosion of Zinc in Cooling Water

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6. Busch, B. D. and Oldsburg, M. T. (The Analyst, Summer 2000). “Advances in the Inhibition of White Rust Corrosion”

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

6488_BNA_WaterAdditives_4.5x7inch_En.indd 1

06.04.17 13:56

Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition Matthew LaBrosse, Ph.D. and Donovan Erickson, CWT U.S. Water Services, Inc.

Abstract

Introduction

There has been an increased interest and usage of aluminum heat exchangers and boilers in recent years. Using aluminum as a construction material has many benefits. Compared to carbon steel, aluminum has a much lower density and much higher ability to transfer heat (thermal conductivity). As can be seen in Table 1, carbon steel transfers heat at roughly 27% the rate of aluminum. This translates to an aluminum heat exchanger or boiler requiring much less surface area for heat transfer, or a smaller overall design. In commercial and industrial applications, floor space is at a premium and the footprint of unit operations is a significant design consideration. Even though carbon steel is roughly seven times less expensive than aluminum,1 the higher heat transfer efficiency and smaller design makes aluminum an attractive choice for heat exchange. Table 1: Thermal and physical properties of selected metals2 Property

Carbon Steel AISI 1010

Stainless Steel AISI 316

Density (lb/ft3)

489

514

557

169

Thermal Conductivity (BTU/ft-hr-°F)

232

137

Thermal Diffusivity (10-6 m2/s)

117

There is no real gain in the slightly higher thermal diffusivity either, which is relatively close to that of aluminum. Materials with a higher thermal diffusivity require less heat absorption to reach a new thermal equilibrium. Hence, if a commercial boiler is to be operated at higher temperature, carbon steel will require much more heat than aluminum to reach the new equilibrium set point. The recent integration of aluminum metallurgy in to closed-loop systems has resulted in a significant challenge to the water treatment industry. With the addition of aluminum heat exchangers and boilers in to closed systems, there is an introduction of a strongly anodic metal. In the presence of iron and copper, which are much less anodic, aluminum provides the potential to form galvanic corrosion cells with both free copper and free iron. In these multi-metal systems, it becomes increasingly important to control corrosion of all metal surfaces. In addition to the potential for galvanic corrosion, manufacturers of aluminum heat exchangers and boilers specify pH ranges that are lower than those typically found in closed loops containing carbon steel. Commercial manufacturers of aluminum boilers instruct clients to operate the fluid in their boilers at a pH range of 7.0–8.5.3-5 Generally, hot water closed loops operate in the pH range of 8.5–10.5. The lower pH specified by the manufacturers favors reduced aluminum corrosion, but at the cost of increased carbon steel corrosion. A higher pH range favors lower carbon steel corrosion rates at the cost of higher aluminum corrosion. This article aims to explore the use of different aluminum, carbon steel, and copper corrosion inhibitors in the pH range of 7.0–8.5. The objective is to find suitable treatment options for multi-metal systems at pH ranges recommended by aluminum boiler manufacturers while providing corrosion inhibition acceptable corrosion rates.6 In addition, inhibitors are examined for their ability to protect aluminum in non-glycol-based systems with a pH above 8.5, higher than the pH range recommended by aluminum boiler manufacturers.

Methodology Closed-Loop Treatments

Table 1 shows that copper would also be a good choice for boilers. However, copper is approximately three or four times more expensive than aluminum, which is too high to justify the increased heat transfer efficiency.

There are many chemical treatment options for closed loops. A thorough description of all the closed-loop chemical treatments used in the current work can be found in a previous article.6 However, a brief summary of some of these chemical treatments is outlined below.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition continued

Nitrite prevents carbon steel corrosion by oxidizing the steel surface to create ferric oxide (Fe2O3). This surface reaction is anaerobic and the byproducts are ammonia and nitrogen. Nitrite can be a biological concern. However, for closed-loop boiler systems above 140 °F, this is not an issue. Silicates are regarded as carbon steel corrosion inhibitors, but are generally considered to behave as a passivation agent to all metals if used as an adjunct. In this study, silicates were used both as an adjunct with nitrite for aluminum and copper corrosion inhibition and as a stand-alone corrosion inhibitor. Azole chemicals are effective copper corrosion inhibitors. In this study, mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and tolyltriazole (TT) were the only chemical treatments used within the azole family. The surface reaction creates a cuprous azole passivation layer. Azoles also prevent galvanic corrosion between carbon steel and copper by reacting with cuprous ions in the bulk water. Molybdate can be a carbon steel corrosion inhibitor in the presence of oxygen. Molybdate can also be used as an aluminum corrosion inhibitor in closed loop systems. However, the mechanism for surface protection is not well known. The ideal pH for aluminum corrosion inhibition using molybdate is recommended to be 7.8–8.3. Nitrate can be an effective adjunct in the prevention of aluminum corrosion. Typically, nitrate is combined with nitrite to provide both carbon steel and aluminum corrosion protection. Nitrate functions by disrupting the oxidation of aluminum and growth of aluminum hydroxide on aluminum surfaces.

Pilot Apparatus

This study was performed using a closed-loop hot water system. The experimental setup includes a 10-gallon 3,000-Watt water heater, a circulation pump, and a corrosion coupon rack. A sacrificial magnesium anode was removed from the water heater prior to any experimental tests. The operating temperature of the water heater held a constant 160°F throughout the various trials. The circulation pump was able to provide approximately 2.0 gal/min of circulation flow, which equates to about 1.0 ft/s of linear flow through the corrosion coupon rack. It is recognized that the limitations of the circulation pump provided a linear flow rate lower than the normally recommended 3–5 ft/s.7

However, the aim of this article is to obtain quantitative results that allow for relative conclusions, given the short two-week trial for each chemical treatment program evaluated. The corrosion coupon rack was constructed of 1” schedule 80 CPVC piping. A simple diagram of the experimental setup can be seen in Figure 1. The CPVC pipe was chosen because it does not add additional metal to the system, and it can withstand the 160 °F temperature water from the water heater. Each trial included three new corrosion coupons: aluminum (Al), carbon steel (Fe), and copper (Cu). The coupons were arranged with the copper downstream of carbon steel, which was downstream of aluminum. This is consistent with accepted industry standards regarding the ordering of corrosion coupons within the galvanic series. Figure 1: Experimental closed-loop hot water system

Experimental Procedure

In preparation of each trial, the water heater was filled with soft water, circulated throughout the corrosion coupon rack for 10 minutes and drained. This procedure was repeated three times. After thoroughly rinsing the water heater, it was filled with exactly 80 lbs of soft water. The source of the soft water was the same for all trials: a 120-gallon tote that was filled prior to the first trial. The source water analysis can be seen in Table 2. The chemical treatment for a given trial was measured and added directly to the water heater. Table 2: Source water analysis for all trials Analysis

Result

Units

8.23

Conductivity

680

mmhos/cm

Chloride

13.8

mg/L as Cl

Sulfur

11.0

mg/L as SO4

Total Phosphate

1.64

Total Hardness

<0.5

Calcium Hardness

<0.5

mg/L as PO4

mg/L as CaCO3 mg/L as CaCO3

Magnesium Hardness

<0.5

Iron

<0.01

Manganese

<0.005

mg/L as Mn

Silica

16.9

mg/L as SiO2

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

mg/L as CaCO3 mg/L as Fe

Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition continued

Once the water heater was filled with treated water, brand new Al, Fe, and Cu corrosion coupons were installed in the dry coupon rack. Water was then circulated through the system, ensuring that the coupons were never exposed to untreated water. The water heater was sealed, and the system was allowed to circulate for two weeks.

Results and Discussion

A control trial was undertaken to obtain baseline corrosion data within the pH range recommended by the aluminum boiler manufacturers. For this trial and all subsequent trials requiring pH control, citric acid was added to the system as needed to maintain the desired pH range. As can be seen in Table 3, the relative baseline corrosion rates for aluminum, carbon steel, and copper are all well outside the normal acceptable corrosion limits (<2.0 mpy, <3.0 mpy, and <0.2 mpy, respectively). Trials 2 through 6 explored the use of various closedloop treatment chemicals. The second and third trials explored the use of a standard closed-loop treatment for systems containing carbon steel and copper. A combined nitrite, silicate, and azole treatment was present at the same concentration in trials 2 and 3. Because the pH was not adjusted with citric acid in the second trial, the system reached a pH of 9.6. Not unexpectedly, the aluminum corrosion rate in this trial was extremely high. The nitrite, silicate, and azole treatment was able to keep the corrosion rates for carbon steel and copper at acceptable limits. This treatment combination was ineffective at controlling aluminum corrosion at this elevated high pH. When the pH was lowered with citric acid in the third trial, the aluminum corrosion rate decreased, but the carbon steel corrosion rate increased substantially.

It is interesting to note that the carbon steel corrosion rate in trial 3, a nitrite-based treatment, is actually higher than the untreated baseline in trial 1. The pH range in both of these trials was the same, but the daily average pH for trials 1 and 3 were approximately 7.8 and 8.3, respectively. The increased carbon steel corrosion may be due to the effect of increased aluminum corrosion from trials 1 to 3. The increased aluminum corrosion from trials 1 to 3 is likely due to the higher average pH observed in trial 3. This further illustrates the extreme sensitivity of both aluminum and carbon steel corrosion rates with respect to pH.

Table 3: Corrosion rates of experimental trials in mils per year (mpy) (Citric acid was used in certain trials to control pH. Citric acid dosing was performed daily as needed.) pH pH Al Fe Cu Range Average (mpy) (mpy) (mpy)

Trial

Treatment (mg/L)

No inhibitor citric acid

7.3–8.5

7.8

39.88

10.61

0.37

nitrite (1,350 as NO2) silicate (30 as SiO2) azole (45 as MBT)

8.5–9.7

9.6

378.83

0.09

0.15

nitrite (1,350 as NO2) silicate (30 as SiO2) azole (45 as MBT) citric acid

7.3–8.5

8.3

63.25 93.78

0.18

silicate (65 as SiO2) azole (25 as TT) citric acid

7.3–8.5

7.6

29.88 10.29

0.21

silicate (130 as SiO2) azole (50 as TT) citric acid

7.3–8.5

7.5

8.99

14.07

0.23

silicate (130 as SiO2) azole (50 as TT) 7.3–8.5 molybdate (150 as Mo6+) citric acid

7.7

1.90

12.23

0.20

silicate (130 as SiO2) azole (50 as TT) 8.5–9.7 molybdate (150 as Mo6+)

9.6

0.61

0.78

0.22

9.6

0.63

1.84

0.37

silicate (130 as SiO2) azole (50 as TT) nitrate (1,000 as NO3 )

8.5–9.7

It is clear from trials 2 and 3 that MBT and silicate provide effective copper corrosion inhibition over a broad range of pH values but offered insufficient corrosion protection for the aluminum in the system. The nitrite treatment did not effectively control carbon steel corrosion at the lower pH range of 7.3–8.5 in trial 3, even when present at a concentration of 1,350 mg/L as NO2, which is higher than the normally recommended closed-loop treatment level of 600–1,200 mg/L as NO2. For trials 4 and 5, the multi-metal chemical treatment focus was changed from nitrite based to silicate based, while still maintaining a pH within specifications of aluminum boiler manufacturers. The azole product for these trials was switched from MBT to TT based on modern practices. As can be seen in trial 4, increased silicate dropped the corrosion rates for both aluminum and carbon steel, indicating that silicate may have good corrosion inhibition qualities at pH values below 8.5. To investigate this further, the concentration of both the silicate and the TT were doubled for trial 5. The increased concentrations of these inhibitors had an even greater effect on the aluminum corrosion rate, which dropped to approximately one-third the previous value but had no effect on reducing carbon steel corrosion. The increased TT had no effect on reducing the copper corrosion rate.

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Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition continued

The aluminum corrosion rate also dropped significantly. Based on observations from trials 2, 5, and 6, it appears that the molybdate alone is protecting the aluminum.

Trial 6 of the experiment pairs shows the best multimetal corrosion inhibitor package to this point. Trial 6 is identical to trial 5, with a molybdate adjunct and a concentration of 150 mg/L as Mo6+. At this concentration and pH range (7.3â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8.5), molybdate can be used to help control aluminum corrosion.6 The corrosion rate in trial 6 shows that a molybdate adjunct drastically improves aluminum corrosion at the lower pH range investigated. The carbon steel and copper corrosion rates show only minor improvement, indicating that the molybdate adjunct does not provide significant enhanced corrosion protection for these metals at the lower pH. Images of the exposed aluminum corrosion coupons from trials 5 and 6 can be seen in Figure 2. The results from Trial 1 (control) are also shown in Table 3 as a reference. As can be seen, the addition of the molybdate adjunct greatly improves the corrosion rate and appearance of the aluminum corrosion coupon in trial 6. Figure 2: Aluminum corrosion coupon images from selected trials Trial

Aluminum

Rate (mpy)

39.88

8.99

Building on the results from trial 7, trial 8 replaces the molybdate with an appropriate amount of nitrate. This treatment program was used by Drew Chemical Corporation in 1990.8 Nitrate is less expensive and less regulated than molybdate, making it a good choice to replace molybdate. As can be seen in Table 3, the carbon steel corrosion rate is slightly worse than trial 7 but still considered good by normal standards. The aluminum corrosion rate, however, is unchanged. Nitrate has not been tested with aluminum alone, so it is not clear if the aluminum corrosion protection at higher pH is derived from nitrate, silicate, or both. Further testing is needed to discern this. In the multi-metal system investigated, it was observed that the azole concentration appeared to decay as a function of exposure time. Figure 3 shows various azole measurements for trials 5 through 8. The azole measurements were performed using the HACH DR-890 handheld colorimetric test. Shown in Table 3, trials 7 and 8 show significant corrosion rate improvement over trials 5 and 6. These trials indicate that a correlation exists between azole retention and good corrosion rates of aluminum and carbon steel. Figure 3: Azole decay as a function of exposure time

Azole (mg/L as TT)

The AWT recommended closed-loop treatment concentration for TT is 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;50 mg/L.6 The results in Table 3 indicate that concentrations of TT above this range provide no additional corrosion protection for copper under these conditions.

1.90

Experimental trial 7 is identical to trial 6, excluding additions of citric acid. For this trial, the average pH was approximately 9.6, as compared to 7.7 in trial 6. The motivation for this experimental trial stems from the fact that most multi-metal closed loop systems in industry will be operated at higher pH, where carbon steel corrosion is more effectively controlled by silicate. The data from this trial show significant improvement. Not surprisingly, the carbon steel corrosion rate dropped to 0.78 mpy, confirming that carbon steel corrosion is better controlled at higher pH. It is not clear if carbon steel protection is best derived from the silicate, molybdate, or both.

Conclusions

A study of various closed loop corrosion inhibitor treatments was performed on a pilot hot water system with a maximum temperature of 160 Â°F. Due to specifications from aluminum boiler manufacturers, several trials were performed at pH values less than 8.5. The results show that there is a significant challenge to control corrosion of both aluminum and carbon steel simultaneously, because lower pH favors aluminum while higher pH favors carbon steel. Moreover, pH can significantly affect the performance of chemical corrosion inhibitors.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Pilot Research to Determine Effective Aluminum Corrosion Inhibition continued

For example, an effective carbon steel corrosion inhibitor at higher pH, such as nitrite, can be very ineffective at lower pH. In this study, it was found that closed loop azole treatments, such as MBT and TT, were effective at controlling copper corrosion at all pH ranges investigated. The pH range recommended by the aluminum boiler manufacturers appears to be too high. With the exception of trial 6, which contains adjunct molybdate, the aluminum corrosion rate was very difficult to control in the pH range recommended by the boiler manufacturers. A treatment based on silicate (65–130 mg/L as SiO2) and azole (50–100 mg/L as TT) provided much better aluminum and carbon steel protection at lower pH than the nitrite-based treatment used in earlier trials. The addition of a molybdate adjunct offers the best aluminum corrosion protection of any of the trials in the experiment. The data collected in this experiment indicate the best overall corrosion protection for a multimetal system at a pH below 8.5 is a treatment based on silicate and azole. In addition, a molybdate adjunct should be fed at 150 mg/L as Mo6+ to provide maximum aluminum protection. It is desirable to control corrosion in a multi-metal system containing aluminum, carbon steel, and copper at a broader pH range, particularly pH above 8.5 that is typically seen in closed-loop systems. At higher pH, it was found that an adjunct of 150 mg/L as Mo6+ or 1,000 mg/L as NO3 was effective at providing aluminum corrosion protection in a chemical program based on silicate and azole. It is recommended that testing be performed on a closed-loop system on a regular basis. There may be demands that deplete individual ingredients of a closed loop chemical treatment, as was seen with the azole in this study.

Acknowledgement

We thank the AWT Boiler Subcommittee for useful information, discussions, and feedback regarding aluminum heat exchangers and boilers in the water treatment industry. We also thank Nicole Johnson for preparing corrosion coupon analyses.

References

1. London Metal Exchange, May 3, 2011. http://www.metalprices.com/

2. F. Mills, “Basic Heat and Mass Transfer,” Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1999 3. Buderus, May 4, 2011. http://www.buderus.us/support/download- area/ manualsforsupport.html

4. Patterson Kelly, 2005. May 4, 2011. http://www.harscopk.com/ resources/document-library.aspx

5. Weil-McLain, May 4, 2011. http://www.weil- mclain.com/en/resources/ professional/product-literature/product-literature- boilers.aspx

6. S. Rey and G. Reggiani, 2005.“Molybdate and Non-Molybdate Options for Closed Systems,” Association of Water Technologies

7. B. P. Boffardi, 2000. “Standards for Corrosion Rates”, The Analyst, Spring 2000, 60–61 8. M.A. Mullins and N.J. Wayne, 1990. “Corrosion Inhibitor for a Closed Aqueous Cooling System,” U.S. Patent 4,961,878.

Donovan Erickson is senior research scientist at U.S. Water Services, Inc. He is a contributing member of AWT and has presented technical articles at the convention and in The Analyst. Mr. Erickson can be reached at (866) 663 -7633 or derickson@uswaterservices.com.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Sustainable and Safe: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Your Reclaimed Water? Janet E. Stout, Ph.D., Special Pathogens Laboratory

Introduction

Collection and reuse of greywater/rainwater for toilet flushing, irrigation, and utility systems could replace 7% of drinking water production. This goal can be accomplished by capturing, treating, recharging, and maintaining all water flow from the building, thus minimizing ground-sourced and offsite sourced water. Unfortunately, there are potential risks associated with water reuse and grey water that include amplifying waterborne pathogens like Legionella. Data from testing reclaimed water has shown the presence of a number of potential pathogens, including Legionella, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Klebsiella. Potential sources and links to disease as well as the waterborne pathogens that pose the greatest risk of infection from reclaimed water will be reviewed. A safe and sustainable water reuse program must address the potential public health implications of untreated reclaimed water. Control of microbial amplification in reclaimed water can be addressed through novel application of water treatment strategies.

Source/Uses of Water for Reuse

In recent years, concerns over dwindling reserves of groundwater and treatment plants have generated interest in the reuse or recycling of greywater for domestic and commercial use. Greywater refers to water drained from various sources and used for other water conservation applications. Sources include:

1. Rainwater 2. Rainwater collected from roofs 3. “Greywater” drained from baths, showers, washing machines, and sinks Uses for this water include: 1. Toilets/urinals 2. Cooling towers 3. Irrigation 4. Cleaning/spray washers Concerns over potential health and environmental risks have created demand for intensive water treatment systems for legal reuse of greywater for irrigation, toilets, and cooling tower makeup. All greywater contains microorganisms and may be considered a potential health and pollution hazard.

Potential Microbial Threats

A variety of illnesses have and could be associated with greywater, including gastrointestinal illness, pneumonia, and skin infection. Table 1 lists the microorganisms and the types of infection associated with them. 31

Table 1: Microorganisms found in water and type of infection Organism

Site and Type of Infection

E. coli

GI Tract/Diarrhea

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Blood, lungs, urinary tract, skin/ septicemia, pneumonia, rash

Legionella spp.

Lung/pneumonia

Aeromonas spp.

GI Tract/Diarrhea

Faecal enterococci

GI Tract/Diarrhea

Giardia

GI Tract/Diarrhea

Cryptosporidium

GI Tract/Diarrhea

Campylobacter jejuni

GI Tract/Diarrhea

Most studies to date are surveys of the microbial quality of greywater under various use conditions.1,7 There have been reports of rainwater systems not meeting microbial standards for consumption or even nonpotable contact. Simmons et al. investigated 125 domestic rooftop rainwater systems in New Zealand.10 Samples from cold water were positive for Salmonella, Aeromonas and the parasite Cryptosporidium. There was an association between gastrointestinal symptoms and presence of Aeromonas. H.J. Albrechtsen et al. investigated seven rainwater systems vs. treated potable water (control).2 They sampled toilet flush water (2–4 per system) and rainwater storage tanks. E. coli was found in all systems (conc. <1 to 54,000/100 mL). In addition, they found: E.coli in 78% (11/14) of rainwater storage tanks. Legionella spp. in 71% (5/7) of tanks and 5/5 of toilet flush water samples (vs. 1/5 of control toilets). Pseudomonas in two samples of toilet flush water and one tank. Birks et al. studied the Thames Water Recycling Plant at the Millennium Dome.3 Greywater, rainwater, and groundwater were collected and reclaimed for toilet flushing. Greywater from washbasins inside the Dome was treated using a biological aerated filter (BAF). Rainwater off the roof was treated using natural reed beds. Groundwater was treated using peroxide and granular activated charcoal (GAC), and mixed feed was treated with ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and chlorine. They found: Raw greywater – Total coliform count median of 6.5 x 105 cfu/100mL. Legionella detected in three samples, Cryptosporidium and Giardia detected in 2/3 of samples. Reed bed and lagoon system failed to completely rid rainwater of fecal coliforms. Ultrafiltration and RO effectively removed >99% of fecal coliforms and produced a water quality that met worldwide reclaimed water guidelines for toilet flushing. the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Sustainable and Safe: What’s in Your Reclaimed Water? continued

They concluded that the presence of Legionella in greywater samples shows potential for stored greywater to serve as a source of this pathogen. In fact, an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease has occurred and was linked to water reuse.11 Specifically, untreated roof-collected rainwater was linked to four cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Auckland, New Zealand. A fatal case of Legionnaires’ disease was in an 80-year-old man from a community of 1,400 households supplied with drinking water from roof-collected rainwater systems. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from the water tank, shower, kitchen tap at 3.0 to 8.0 x 105 CFU/L. A marina water blaster used to clean boats was also found to contain >100,000 CFU/L of L. pneumophila serogroup 1. Legionella from the patient matched that found in the environmental samples. Legionella has been isolated from rainwater and reclaimed water.8,10 Sakamoto et al. cultured Legionella on roads in Japan – 39% (7/18) of puddle samples were positive for Legionella.10 Legionella was also isolated from 10% of rainwater samples. A fatal case of Legionella micdadei infection was reported in 1983, and the authors noted that the patient drank from a roof rainwater collection tank before becoming ill.4

These data indicate that rainwater contaminated with pathogens can increase the level of risk in the water supply. Figure 1: Example of rainwater harvesting system (from Tahir and Han. Water Science and Technology, 2009)11

Field Survey

Water samples were collected in May, June, and July 2010 by Aqualine Water Treatment Products, Davidson, North Carolina. Samples were from two water-harvesting systems: one rainwater and one greywater system.

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Sustainable and Safe: What’s in Your Reclaimed Water? continued

Water samples were collected from locations in the system that represented pre- and post-water treatment. Samples were tested at the Special Pathogens Laboratory (SPL) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for waterborne pathogens (Legionella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudo), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Steno), and other potential pathogens), as shown in Table 2. Table 2: Microorganisms found in water harvesting systems Type of system

Water Treatment

Sample Location

Organisms Isolated

Rainwater*

Chlorine + Bag Filter

Pretreatment

Legionella, Pseudo, Steno

Greywater**

UV + Sand Filter

Post Treatment

Negative

Pretreatment

Pseudo, Klebsiella, Serratia, Steno, Citrobacter

Post Treatment

Sterno

*Sample May and July 2010; **Sample May and June 2010

Guidelines for Water Reuse

In the United States, there are no federal standards controlling the quality of reclaimed water. Individual states have developed guidelines or implemented specific treatment and monitoring requirements that are intended to protect the public from exposure to pathogens. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a guideline in 2004 that lists the various state requirements.12 These requirements may include monitoring for indicator microorganisms and other water quality parameters. Examples of indicators and limit ranges include E. coli (0–200 CFU/100mL; biological oxygen demand (20–30 mg/L); total suspended solids (5–30 mg/L); turbidity (2–5 nephelometric turbidity units) (NTU). The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines for the use of reclaimed water that recommend monitoring for fecal coliforms.13 Interestingly, none of these documents have addressed the hazard of Legionella.

Conclusions

Large-scale integration of rainwater catchment systems will require regulation and will transfer responsibility (and liability) from water authorities to property owners. Optimum performance and safety of these systems can be achieved through proper design, construction, and maintenance shown in Table 3. Risk assessment and effective biocide treatment are associated with water systems free of potential pathogens like Legionella.5 Studies have shown that such systems involving roofharvested and tank-stored rainwater can be sources of microbial pathogens, but with proper treatment, these systems can store water of acceptable quality.6

Table 3: Optimum performance parameters for water-harvested systems Parameters • Proper design • Appropriate materials • Proper water treatment/disinfection materials and procedures • Appropriate use of water • Periodic testing of water quality • Education regarding regulatory issues of the system • Consistent maintenance and operation of the system and treatment processes

References

1. Abbott SE, Douwes J, Caughley BP. A survey of the microbiological quality of roof- collected rainwater of private dwellings in New Zealand. NZ J. Environ Health. 29:6-16 (2006) 2. Albrechtsen, H-J. Microbiological investigation of rainwater and grey water collected for toilet flushing. Water Sci and Technol.: 46: 311-6 (2002) 3. Birks R., Colbourne J, Hills S and Hobson R. Microbiological water quality in a large in- building water recycling facility. Water Sci and Technol. 50(2): 165-172 (2004)

4. Back E., Schvarez R, Kallings I. Community-acquire Legionella micdadei (Pittsburgh pneumonia agent) infection in Sweden. Scand J Infect Dis. 15:313-315 (1983) 5. Carducci, A., Verani, M., Battistini, R. Legionella in industrial cooling towers : monitoring and control strategies. Letters in Appl. Microbiol. 50: 24-29 (2010) 6. Lye DJ. Rooftop runoff as a source of contamination: a review. Sci Total Environ 407(21): 5429-5434 (2009)

7. Martin AR, Coombes PJ, Harrison T.L. et al. Changes in abundance of heterotrophic and coliform bacteria resident in stored water bodies in relation to incoming bacterial loads following rain events. J Environ Monitoring: 12:255-260 (2010)

8. Palmer CJ, Bonilla GF, Roll B et al. Detection of Legionella species in reclaimed water and air with the Enviroamp Legionella PCR kit and direct fluorescent antibody stain. Appl. Environ Microbiol; 61(2): 407-412 (1995)

9. Sakamoto R, Ohno A, Nakahara T et al. Legionella pneumophila in rainwater on roads. Emerginf Infect Diseases; 15(8):1295-1297 (2009)

10. Simmons G, Jury S, Thornley C et al. A legionnaires’ disease outbreak: a water blaster and roof-collected rainwater systems. Water Research; 42:1449-1458 (2008)

11. Tahir M, Han M. Roof-harvested rainwater for potable purposes: application of solar disinfection (SODIS) and limitations. Water Science and Technol. 60.2: 347-357. (2009)

12. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Guidelines for water reuse, EPA/625/R-04/108. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 2004. http://www.epa.gov/ord/NRMRL/ pubs/625r04108/625r04108.htm 13. World Health Organization. Health guidelines for the use of wastewater in agriculture and aqua culture. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Technical Report No. 778. 1989.

Dr. Janet E. Stout, senior consultant at Special Pathogens Laboratory, is an international expert on the impact of and control of Legionella in water systems. Dr. Stout has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and made presentations at AWT conventions. She can be reached at (877) 775–7284 or jstout@Specialpathogenslab.com

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

The Improved Financial Health of Water Technologies Companies Since the Great Recession Scott A. Hackworth, CPA, Industry Insights, Inc.

My firm and I have had the pleasure of leading AWT’s Benchmarking Survey over the past couple decades. Through this role, we have monitored the financial performance of hundreds of industry members. The past 10 years have been especially interesting, given the roller coaster ride experienced by most of the industry.

“Industrial customers tend to be more performanceoriented and are willing to pay for products and services,” explains Cindy Mitchell, president of Guardian-IPCO, Inc., and charter AWT member, AWT treasurer, and 2011 Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year.

The recession jeopardized the financial health of most AWT members. The tightened budgets of customers and prospects caused severe cash flow issues. When combining decreased sales volume, increased inventory levels, and customers that stretched out their payments, the industry was severely pinched for cash. These companies that had typically been in business for decades now found themselves stretched thin. Profits were down, cash was tight, and the future seemed uncertain.

Also, an increased portion of sales are going to resellers. However, it should be noted that those who increased their sales to resellers generally experienced less profit margin improvement than did others.

However, the recently completed AWT Benchmarking Survey reveals that the industry has learned to survive and thrive since this low point. The industry (or at least the surviving firms) remained resilient and found both new and old ways to push forward. In fact, more than 90% are doing better now than a decade ago, with the average company enjoying 56% more sales (41% median increase) and 2 percentage points more in profits.

Changing Customers

By 2009, new construction had come to a screeching halt. Over the next several years, the construction industry was nearly crippled while waiting for improved funding sources and confidence levels. The recent resurgence of construction projects has assisted water technologies companies. Approximately 5% of AWT members’ sales are now attributed to “new construction.”

On average, water technologies companies are working with significantly more “buying customers” than they did just a decade ago. Companies are now serving 330 customers, on average, compared with 250 customers less than 10 years ago. Interestingly, their customers are averaging the same dollar volume they did a decade ago (when adjusting for inflation). Members are selling more to institutional customers (hospitals, schools, universities, etc.) and industrial customers (manufacturing and industrial applications), and less sales are based on commercial customers (commercial buildings). This seems to signal that companies are following a profit trail, since the data show that those with a high portion of sales from institutional and industrial customers are more profitable than others.

Changing Sales Mixes

AWT member companies have not significantly changed their blending policies during the past 10 years. There remains a relatively even split between those who blend internally and those who hire outsiders to do their blending. Those companies that blend internally, however, are increasingly likely to blend for other companies, with 25% now blending for others, compared with 15% in 2009. Straight sales from water treatment chemicals have decreased and have been offset by customers who prefer contracted water treatment services, testing, etc. Unfortunately, water technologies companies that are mostly selling contracted water treatment services tend to be less profitable than companies that primarily sell just water treatment chemicals. As explained by Cindy Mitchell, “Many customers’ maintenance staffs have experienced cutbacks in personnel. These FTE reductions have increased customers’ service needs and expectations, without corresponding revenue increases.”

Managing Personnel

The average water technologies company has 23% more employees than in 2009, moving from 16 to 20 employees. Most of this growth is tied to sales and service personnel – and especially employees who perform both functions. This employee growth is well balanced with the industry’s general sales growth, which was up 29% when adjusting for inflation. Overall employee productivity climbed to an average of $210,000 in sales for every employee of the company. This figure represents an inflation-adjusted improvement of 5% since 2009. Companies are getting more productivity from their employees, and/or they are better utilizing technology in their businesses.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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The Improved Financial Health of Water Technologies Companies Since the Great Recession continued

Strong employee productivity is closely tied to strong profitability. In fact, companies that reached the top half, in terms of employee productivity, averaged a net profit margin of 16%, compared with an average of just 6% for companies in the bottom half of productivity. In addition to keeping a close eye on their employee levels, AWT members have also effectively managed payroll-related costs. The average employee costs between $65,000 and $80,000, when factoring in payroll, benefits, and taxes. This amount is the inflation-adjusted equivalent of payroll costs from a decade ago. Further, at 37% of sales, payroll-related expenses represent a nearly identical portion of sales as they did in 2009.

Being healthy as an industry reduces some of the inherent risks of change, and a solid balance sheet can provide the luxury of time and resources for evaluating and appropriately adapting to the new parameters. Persistent memories of the fears and struggles experienced during The Great Recession should help reign in companies and provide some perspectives, at least over the near term. Our hope is that when these reminders eventually fade away, the industry is flush enough with profits and cash to endure some mistakes and misfortunes. Bad things will happen; being prepared for them is a universal plan for longevity.

Note

The industry-specific statistics cited in this article are based on AWT Benchmarking Surveys conducted in 2010, 2013, and 2016. Cited figures are typically based on independent survey samples, and industry trends were validated by a review of organizations that consistently participated in each year’s study.

Getting Healthy

Water technologies companies are generally more profitable than they were in 2009. For every $100 of sales, they are now keeping $11 of profits, compared with $9 in 2009. The improved profitability has allowed them to repair their balance sheets (i.e., “get healthy”). They have significantly increased the size of their coffers for paying current debts and other expenses, which has helped subside general cash flow concerns. Further aiding cash flow, customers are now paying an average of three days faster than they did in 2009 (now 41 days), and inventory is being held for three fewer days (now 44 days). Because they now have solid cash flow, water technologies companies are more quickly paying their own bills. On average, they are paying vendors in 30 days, which is down from 35 days in 2009. This has likely benefited their vendor relations and may be resulting in better pricing and/or other advantages. As a sign of discipline, water technologies companies have not acquired much new debt. Their leverage amounts (debt in relation to equity) have remained steady, despite improved profits and general outlook.

The statistics are based on general averages and medians that are intended to reflect “middle” companies. However, an individual company’s own experiences may significantly vary, based on factors such as size, location, sales emphasis, etc. Scott A. Hackworth, CPA, is a vice president at Industry Insights, Inc., where he applies analytics and statistical techniques to render useful information from financial and operations-related survey data. His work has been featured in The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and numerous other publications. He has held the lead role in fielding AWT’s Benchmarking Survey over the past 10 years. Scott holds a Master of Predictive Analytics degree from Northwestern University and an MBA from Capital University.

The Road Ahead

No one can accurately predict what the road ahead will look like for water technologies companies. However, most are better positioned for adversity now than they were a decade ago…and adversity will undoubtedly reappear for the industry at some point. Companies will need to continually adapt to the changing needs and wants of their customers, and they will be forced to find ways to improve their efficiencies and productivity in order to increase or maintain profits.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Association News

AWT maintains relationships with other Related Trade Organizations (RTO) through our RTO Liaisons – AWT members who represent our interests. Following is an update from the recent NSF meeting from our liaison, William E. Pearson II, CWT. NSF has become a significant player in the water industry, as many of the standards it develops impact AWT members. NSF is currently working on Standards 453 (Cooling Towers - Treatment, Operation and Maintenance to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease) and 444 (Prevention of Injury and Disease Associated with Building Water Systems), both of which will impact AWT members. Bill Pearson, CWT, represents AWT on both the NSF 444 and 453 standard committees. AWT is an organizational representative voting member on Standard 444 committee. The NSF Standard 444 meeting took place in mid-May. Bill Pearson, CWT, reported that he is serving as an AWT voting member on the NSF Committee going forward. Bill reported that there was a lot of pushback on draft standard 453. NSF received over 300 comments and recognizes that 453 is not a standard. Given this, NSF 453 is moving from a standard to a protocol. In addition, 453 will be rolled into Standard 444 once it is implemented.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Industry Notes

H2O AquaPhoenix Scientific Delivers Mobile Testing App to Simplify Service Reports

APTech Launches Video Series on Solid Water Treatment

AquaPhoenix Scientific, Inc. recently announced the launch of their first mobile app available on iOS and Android. Aliquot™ is a mobile testing application designed for water technicians to simplify their daily testing. Aliquot allows technicians to visually plan routes, set-up and run tests, create custom reports, access other great AquaPhoenix resources, and order testing supplies. Managers have the ability to manage their entire team from one console. A dynamic map shows customer, facility, and prospect locations with color-coded geo pin. “This is just another service we now provide that will make our customers’ lives easier.” said Frank Lecrone, III, President of AquaPhoenix. “We’re excited to be able to offer a tech solution that fills a need for real-time field testing. Aliquot is slick and can replace outdated notebooks and spreadsheets…our customers don’t bang rocks together to make fire anymore!” Aliquot users can configure the app for custom testing requirements and customer reporting. Contacts, photos, notes and other pertinent information can be stored on the app and accessed via web console. The launch comes after a very successful beta test and additional development time to increase functionality and include all feedback. The recent acquisition of H2trOnics also allows for seamless integration of the app data with eServiceReport. More information on the integration to come. For more information and to see a demo video visit www.aliquotapp.com.

APTech Group recently announced the launch of a new video series that will highlight the ins and outs of its safe and sustainable solid-concentrated water 2 4 treatment solutions for boilers, cooling towers, and closed-loop systems. The educational series will have eight episodes, and each episode will be approximately three minutes long. The topics were determined by taking into consideration common questions and needs of distributors. The first episode, “Same Chemistry, Different Form,” tells of the history of industrial water treatment, common questions regarding solid chemistry, and the advantage of utilizing solidconcentrates. Subsequent episodes will be released; the topics to be covered are:

H SO

Episode 2: Dissolving Equipment Episode 3: P roduct Form – bottles, discs, sticks, tabs, BXD Episode 4: Tips from the Field Episode 5: Product Selection Episode 6: A PTech Tools – app, website, marketing tools Episode 7: Solid Sustainability – Why it Matters Episode 8: Product Estimation Calculator “Solid-Concentrates are the answer to meeting safety concerns and sustainability issues in facility rooms worldwide and many people have questions about what these products are and how to use them effectively,” says Marc Beller, vice president of global sales at APTech. He goes on, “This is an educational series that will answer the majority of questions we have fielded over the past 15 years. We also are continuing to make innovational changes to delivery systems, products, and sales tools which we share with this series. APTech is the global leader of blended solid concentrates and our industry is moving to our safer more sustainable alternative and away from traditional liquid water treatment.”

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Industry Notes continued

All videos will be available on APTech Group’s YouTube page and social media outlets (Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.) For more information, please visit www.aptechgroup.com.

AquaPhoenix Scientific increases capabilities with acquisition of H2trOnics

HANOVER, PA – May 25, 2017 – AquaPhoenix is excited to announce it has acquired H2trOnics, a water treatment equipment and software company based out of Grand Prairie, Texas. The H2trOnics product line includes pumps, tanks, sensors and controllers, as well as the design and build of custom panel and skid based feed systems. Additionally, their eServiceReport is a cloudbased reporting Software as a Service (Saas) that allows water treaters to save both wet test and controller data, generate graphs, and upload documents.

The acquisition further enhances the product offering of AquaPhoenix, allowing them to serve their customers in the water treatment industry with an even more diverse product line. “We are very impressed with H2trOnics as a company and excited to have them as part of our family,” said Frank Lecrone III, president of AquaPhoenix Scientific. “We pride ourselves on being a trusted, go-to supplier for industrial water treaters and this gives our customers even more options and opportunity.” Blaine Nagao, president of H2trOnics, expressed similar feelings. “It just makes sense,” said Nagao. “We feel our company fits very well with the AquaPhoenix culture and the needs of our combined customer base makes this a very exciting opportunity.” Learn more online at www. aquaphoenixsci.com and www.h2tronics.com.

Experts from the company presented the latest results – allowing an even better description of the separation behavior of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes under realistic application conditions – at the 3rd International Conference on Desalination using Membrane Technology, on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria from April 2 – 5, 2017. The behavior of RO membranes is determined under realistic service conditions by a large number of parameters. The composition of the feed, for example, is of major importance. In practice, not only is the common salt normally used in tests dissolved in the feed, but other salts are too. The rejection for these different salts or ions varies enormously. The pH and temperature of the salt solution have, for each salt or ion, an individual influence on the success of separation. To gain a better understanding of all these relationships, experts from LANXESS launched a research project that uses modern Design of Experiments (DoE) methods. Only in this way can the number of necessary trials be restricted to a reasonable level, even where issues are complex. The goal of the present tests was to gain a better understanding in particular of the behavior of highly crosslinked Lewabrane membranes for the treatment of brackish water.

Multi-Ion Feeds Firmly Under Control

The more accurately a proposed concept offered to a customer takes account of the prevailing circumstances, the easier it is to satisfy the customer’s needs. To ensure that the design process of reverse osmosis systems is even more successful in the future, specialty chemicals company LANXESS continuously carries out R&D in the field of water treatment.

Bionetix_4.5x4.5.indd 1

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

1/23/17 8:12 AM

Industry Notes continued

The high crosslinkage level leads to a low effective pore size, bringing about the high rejection ability of these membranes. They are also noted for their high stability, even in extreme pH and temperature ranges. The experts were particularly interested in the separation properties of the membranes for different dissolved salts. Use was therefore made of a test mixture containing not only sodium chloride (2,000 mg/L), but also nitrate (200 mg/L), ammonium (35 mg/L), boron (6 mg/L) and silicate (75 mg/L). Such mixtures are found, for example, in industrial and household effluent, with some components also being found in agriculture, groundwater, and seawater. The separation behavior was examined both on isolated membranes and on complete reverse osmosis elements. The tests were carried out at feed pressures of 10.3 bar and 15.5 bar (low-energy or standard elements) and a yield of 15 percent in a pH range of 3–11, and at temperatures of 15–35 °C. To be able to reliably measure the separation behavior in the complete parameter range with as small a number of experiments as possible, use was made of the Design of Experiments (DoE). This was done on the basis of the Response Surface Design method (RSD) in combination with a Central Composite Design (CCD). The evaluation of the experimental results was carried out by adjusting the measuring data to a square model. The selected target values for the model were total salt rejection, rejection for individually dissolved components, and the permeate flow. The response surfaces derived from the test series describe the behavior of the membrane with regard to individual salts or ions over the entire pH and temperature range. For nitrate, for example, there was a clear pH dependence of rejection, with a maximum at pH 7–8 and with only a low dependence on temperature. The results were completely different, for example, with boron, where, in addition to the pH dependence, there was also a marked dependence of rejection on temperature.

The results allow the parameters for RO elements to be specifically selected so that optimal separation results can be obtained for the respective application. “So that we can utilize this potential in the best possible way to the benefit of our customers, the dependency functions obtained are immediately incorporated into the integrated design program, LewaPlus,” explains Julien Ogier, head of the technical service laboratory for membranes in the Liquid Purification Technologies (LPT) business unit at LANXESS. “With the present version of LewaPlus, we have been working further on the aspect of user friendliness. For example, during the design of a reverse osmosis system, we can see directly how many simulations have been created for a direct comparison. Apart from that, we have improved the design of the pdf report for the condensate polishing module so that, for the progressive regeneration, the regenerant volume and the application concentration can now also be included,” adds Ogier. The LewaPlus design software can be downloaded free of charge at lpt.lanxess.com/en/home/.

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Pulsafeeder Showcases New Members of the PULSAPRO® Line of Metering Pumps at OTC 2017

Pulsafeeder, a global leader in fluid handling technology since 1942, recently announced that it is showcasing the three newest members of the PULSAPRO Series of Hydraulically Actuated Diaphragm metering pumps at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2017) in Booth #8011. Throughout the show, Pulsafeeder is also presenting a session in its booth describing new innovations with PTFE diaphragm technology that have resulted in substantially smaller and lighter, highperformance metering pumps that are ideally suited for offshore platforms.

As a result, the PULSAPRO pumps can deliver the performance and reliability required for many offshore applications at a fraction of the size, weight, and cost of metering pumps that require metallic diaphragms. Offshore platforms and FPSOs require hundreds of pumps for applications like flow assurance, separation, and processing activities, and for delivering corrosion inhibitors and anti-scaling chemicals to clean and protect the infrastructure. The weight and footprint of these pumps matters, and the costs are easy to quantify. “For offshore platforms, each ton of equipment requires a ton of support steel above the water line, and up to two tons of support steel below the water line – at a cost of approximately $30,000 per ton,” said Axel Bokiba, vice president of product management for Pulsafeeder. “Our new pump design dramatically reduces the size and weight of each pump – but does not compromise on performance, accuracy, or reliability. We believe the advancements we’re making with PTFE diaphragm technology provide the path for all PTFE diaphragms moving forward – not just in the oil & gas industry, but also for metering pumps used in chemical processing, refineries, power generation and industrial water treatment applications.” Pulsafeeder has published a new white paper describing the cost reduction opportunities that PTFE creates as opposed to metallic diaphragms, and the innovative means with which Pulsafeeder has incorporated the diaphragm into the liquid end. To learn more, contact Pulsafeeder at pulsa(at)idexcorp(dot)com. For more information on the PULSAPRO line, please visit: www.pulsa.com/pulsapro.

The API675 compliant PULSAPRO series features a wide range of enhancements in the areas of flow rate, temperature, and pressure. Each member of the series–the 680, 880, and 7120–is designed for different flow rates that are specific to the needs of operators in the oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical processing, power generation, and water and wastewater treatment industries. Each pump also features new hydraulic diagnostics that provide immediate visual intelligence about pump and system performance. One of the key performance enhancements in the PULSAPRO line is a newly treated PTFE diaphragm that withstands greater pressure than previous PTFE variants. This enhancement is the result of extensive research and development, and an innovative clamping design that holds the diaphragm in place in a manner that enables it to withstand substantially higher pressures without buckling.

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Industry Notes continued

MicroVision EX Cooling Tower Controller With PULSAlink Communications

“Indicon Gel is faster than conventional testing methods, more cost effective, and provides a quick visual, on the spot indication if biofilm is present.”

Building on our MicroVision controller line, we are proud to introduce the MicroVision EX controller with conductivity, pH, and ORP, along with PULSAlink communication capability.

Key Features Toroidal conductivity sensor Multiple level security codes Up to 10 digital inputs Optional 4–20 mA analog outputs Dry contact alarm output Battery backup USB data logging is standard Optional PULSAlink communications

The product’s key features include: Rapidly detects the presence of invisible biofilm harborage niches. Provides a cost-effective, quick visual indication of the presence of biofilm on a surface that may contain microorganisms such as Listeria, E.coli, or Salmonella Easy, ready-to-use spray gel, no mixing needed. Allows for detection on large surface areas. Reaches niches a swab cannot. Micro-bubble reaction is readily visible on a variety of surfaces Perfect for “seek and destroy” missions. To learn more, visit www.sterilex.com.

Cortec® Named Top Player on Global Organic Corrosion Inhibitors Market 2017

PULSAlink Communications allows you to safely communicate with your MicroVision EX controller from anywhere on your laptop, phone, or tablet. Receive live readings, alarm notifications, and even change your controller settings, over an encrypted cloud-based site. MicroVision EX and PULSAlink is also eServiceReport compatible.

In the recent report conducted by Fior Markets, Cortec® Corporation has been named as one of Global Organic Corrosion Inhibitors Market 2017 Top Players.

The MicroVision EX is also available mounted on a fabricated Pulsafeeder panel system with pump mounts designed to provide complete and easy-to-install solutions for cooling tower applications. For more information, visit www.pulsatron.com.

Sterilex Launches Rapid Biological Hygiene Indicator – Indicon™ Gel

Sterilex is excited to announce the launch of Indicon Gel, a rapid biological hygiene indicator specifically designed to detect the presence of biofilm on a surface.

In a ready-to-use spray bottle, Indicon Gel provides a cost-effective, rapid, visual indication of the presence of biofilm on a wide variety of surfaces that may contain harmful microorganisms such as Listeria, Escherichia coli (E.coli) or Salmonella. When the product encounters biofilm, Indicon Gel rapidly produces white microbubbles/foam within 2 minutes, providing a quick visual indicator of potential harborage niches. “In today’s food processing environment, rapid, accurate detection of microbial ‘hot spots’ is critical to sanitation verification and quality assurance. Indicon Gel was developed to address that specific need,” said Alex Josowitz, EVP, Business Development.

Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry. This report studies organic corrosion inhibitors in the global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import, and export in these regions from 2012 to 2017, and forecast to 2022. It focuses on top manufacturers in the global market, with production, price, revenue, and market share for each manufacturer. Cortec’s team is thrilled by this report, which is the result of decades of hard work, expertise, and innovative approach. We are looking forward to making even more contributions in years to come. Cortec® Corporation team is working constantly on improving our services, and we believe this work is never finished. Strong company vision which embraces high responsibility towards our customers and the community as well as dedication to environmental safety is what has made Cortec® a world leader in the corrosion protection field. For more information, visit www.CortecVCI.com.

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Industry Notes continued

Enhancing Wastewater Treatment and Soil Bioremediation With Bionetix® Macronutrients

Bionetix® International offers many different options in its natural bioremediation tool kit. These include microorganisms that degrade soil and wastewater pollutants into harmless byproducts, biosurfactants that disperse pollutants for easier absorption by helpful bacteria, and biostimulants that promote the growth of microorganisms for speedier degradation.

One biostimulant is Bionetix® International’s Macro N/P, a free-flowing powder with the optimal 5:1 nitrogen/phosphorus ratio for nourishing helpful bacteria in wastewater. Though it may be surprising, nutrition is an integral part of waste bioremediation. All organisms require major nutrients for cellular growth, metabolic activity (including enzyme biosynthesis and activation), energy production, and storage. Unfortunately, for waste treatment facilities or oil spill cleanup crews, two key macronutrients – nitrogen and phosphorus – are often deficient in wastewater and soil. This makes it more difficult for helpful microorganisms to flourish and accomplish natural bioremediation. Bionetix® International offers a solution to nutrientdeficient soil and wastewater with its Macro N/P blend of nitrogen and phosphorus. This combination of macronutrients enhances biological wastewater treatment processes and soil bioremediation by helping existing bacteria, including those introduced as supplements, to grow, reproduce, and stimulate the bioremediation cycle. To learn more about Bionetix® innovative products, please visit www.bionetix-international.com.

Rivertop Renewables’ Sodium Glucarate Achieves European REACH Registration

Rivertop Renewables has announced that its innovative chemical sodium glucarate has achieved registration under the European Chemical Agency’s (ECHA) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. REACH registration opens the door for the commercial deployment of products derived from sodium glucarate in markets across Europe, including Waterline® CI and Headwaters® corrosion inhibitor and Rivertop’s Riose® detergent builder.

Sodium glucarate, based on glucaric acid, only recently became available in commercial quantities thanks to Rivertop’s breakthrough oxidation technology that can efficiently transform simple plant sugars into a variety of renewable chemicals with impressive cost and performance characteristics. “We are very excited to be offering products made from sodium glucarate to European markets, where there is a growing demand for chemical ingredients that are safer and high-performing,” said Jason Kiely, Rivertop sales director. “Our European customers are already beginning trials, and we look forward to the positive impact that sodium glucarate can make in such a large market.” Following the REACH registration, two European customers of Rivertop are beginning trials of the company’s Waterline® CI, a high-performing alternative to phosphorus-based corrosion inhibitors in the water treatment industry. The registration will also make Rivertop’s Riose® detergent builder available to European formulators. Riose® is a sugar-derived chelant that meets high performance standards and enables a lower total cost of formulation for dishwasher and laundry detergents. Sodium glucarate is also a key ingredient in Rivertop’s Headwaters® corrosion inhibitor, which protects vehicles and highway infrastructure from corrosion caused by salt brine used to de-ice winter roads. Rivertop plans to develop additional applications for sodium glucarate in food and canning operations, marine corrosion, and rust removal. The REACH registration of sodium glucarate comes less than a year after the chemical became the first corrosion inhibitor to be listed on the U.S. EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL), a key requirement of chemicals that are used to formulate products with the agency’s popular Safer Choice label. Sodium glucarate has also been found to meet health and safety standards under Environment Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan and is listed on the Non-Domestic Substance List (NDSL). More information is available at www.rivertop.com.

The registration confirms the health and safety characteristics of sodium glucarate for manufacturers, customers, regulators, and NGOs in Europe.

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Industry Notes continued

Tiarco Chemical Expands Dalton Chemical Plant

Tiarco Chemical, a subsidiary of Textile Rubber & Chemical Company announced the ongoing expansion of its Dalton chemical production facility. The chemical site produces a variety of component chemistry used in the manufacture of lubricant, latex articles, water treatment markets. Tiarco also serves the growing demands of the contract & toll manufacturing market. This project is a strategic investment which will further ensure the company’s ability to meet future industry demand and demonstrates Tiarco’s commitment to serving these key markets. “With a robust pipeline of new chemistries, the expansion will provide a flexible and updated manufacturing platform to meet our valued customer’s future requirements” according to Kevin Nolan, VP & GM Tiarco Chemical.

“The expansion of Tiarco’s Dalton site will allow us to maintain our excellent safety and environmental standards for both our employees and the surrounding community. Also, the increased footprint will provide space for future expansions,” said Chris James, Director of Operations – Dalton. Construction of the new unit began in the first quarter of 2017 and will be fully operational by the second quarter of 2018. The additional capacity will add approximately 40% to the sites operational and quality control footprint. These improvements will support the growing pipeline of new products to serve our valued customers. The Tiarco Chemical Plant is located on the Parents Corporate Campus in Dalton Georgia, about 20 miles south of Chattanooga Tennessee. For more information, visit www.tiarcochem.com.

Scaling UP! The Podcast for Water Treaters by Water Treaters and “Why?”

For almost 10 years I have had the honor of being one of the trainers at AWT’s training seminars. The education committee started me out doing the math presentation, probably because no one else wanted to do it. Nevertheless, I am now the AWT math guy and proud of it! Two years ago, I started working on the Fundamentals and Applications training. For those of you unfamiliar with this training, it used to be called Service Technician Training. The name change was to help clarify that it wasn’t just a beginning water treatment training class but rather training on the foundational principles that all water treatment knowledge is built upon.

Having this newly structured class allowed the Water Treatment Training class (the one next door) to start at a higher level, thereby allowing the training seminars, as a whole, to cover more information within the short time frame allotted. A common mistake I have heard water treaters make is that they should attend the Technical Training class over the Fundamentals and Applications class. This may or may not be the best choice. My advice is to take both. The new format of the two classes allows us to start the Fundamentals and Applications class at a certain level and take it to a point where the Technical Training class picks up, providing a more complete overview of our field. Moreover, the Fundamentals and Applications class gives seasoned water treaters a way to refine their ability to explain what they do to a novice or someone with no water treatment experience at all. Material is currently being updated to allow for a more seamless transition between the two classes. When all is said and done, the two curricula will complement each other and allow attendees to understand, retain, and utilize more of the information they receive at AWT’s Training Seminars. Additionally, the Technical Training class earns you 15 CEUs toward the recertification of your CWT. One of the biggest issues I personally have as a trainer is not having enough time to really explore the topics we cover in the seminars. Since there is a limited amount of time at the training seminars (three days), we can only hit the highlights. Then there are questions. In many cases, I answer questions from attendees after class because we don’t have enough time to explore them as a group. This is helpful for the person who asked the question, but others not in attendance do not get the benefit of the discussion that took place after hours. Being a considerate trainer, I record good questions from previous trainings and work them into my following presentations. For those of you who have taken one of my classes, you know that I talk about the magic of “why.” If I were to tell you how something works, you would be able to repeat my words. However, if you come to the conclusion of why something works, you understand what is going on. And better yet, you can explain it to others, in your own words, in any situation (not just the situation of events I explained). Getting to “why” is the key to understanding what you are learning and the driving force behind me starting a podcast. First, for those of you out there who do not know what a podcast is (and you know who you are)… A podcast is like a radio show that you access over the internet, most commonly through services like iTunes for Apple devices and Sticher for Android devices. the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Industry Notes continued

There are currently about 500,000 worldwide podcasters, and they speak on pretty much any topic you can think of. Except for one… As a trainer, I truly enjoy the time I spend with water treaters, encouraging them to treat our industry with the respect it deserves, as my father taught me to respect it. My father was my original instructor in the water treatment world, and much of what I know about water treatment is credited to him. The water treater’s learning journey typically goes in this fashion: many of us learn all we can for the first year and then stop learning after that first year, simply repeating that first year of experience over and over and over again. Meaning that someone who has been in the industry for 10 years may only have the knowledge of one year repeated 10 times over. I don’t think this is intentional; we just have so many day-to-day activities, we learn the basics of what we need to know then we go out and do it, not making time to get better and learn more. My job as a trainer is to motivate water treaters to want to get better and push themselves to always learn, ultimately making the industry better because that water treater is part of the industry and, at the same time, is giving the industry the same respect as my father taught me. For the three days I have those water treaters at training, I think they understand everything and are inspired to get better every day. But then training is over and everyone

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goes home. Now what? Some will continue to be selfmotivated and learn everything they can, but most will fall back into old habits and continue on as they did before training. This is where the podcast comes in. I recently started a podcast called Scaling UP! It is the only podcast out there for water treaters. It is made by water treaters – me and you, which I’ll explain later. It is the podcast where we Scale UP! on water treatment knowledge so we don’t Scale UP! our systems. But better than all of that, it allows me to continue to push those water treaters who do want to get better but need that slight push to get there. And I am able to deliver this training (push) in a format that aligns with how we work. Truth be known, I only started listening to podcasts myself about a year ago. Let me tell you, there are some good ones out there. One of my favorites is called the Tim Ferriss Show. If you were to look at my smartphone, you would see that I subscribe to about 20 podcasts. Among those is my own, Scaling UP! Maybe that’s self-serving, but I’m ok with that. Podcasts are great for me personally because I can learn about any topic of my choosing while I’m in my car driving to my next appointment. We water treaters spend a lot of time in our cars making this the perfect format for us to learn! If you have never subscribed to a podcast before, don’t worry, it’s easy. Using your Apple or Android phone download itunes or Sticher, respectively. Set up your account and search for Scaling UP! in the search bar. Hit subscribe and play, that’s it. Every time a new episode comes out, you will have access to it. There couldn’t be an easier way to turn your car into a mobile learning auditorium.

STOP SCALE AND CORROSION WHILE PROTECTING THE PLANET Cortec® VpCI® water treatments give you the green building blocks to stop scale and corrosion during system operation. VpCIs can be added to your current treatment program as a liquid or powder. They are ideal for both closed and open loop systems, providing a complete inhibitor package for multi-metal protection and scale inhibition. Cortec® VpCIs replace nitrites, amines, phosphates, azoles, molybdates, and other corrosion and scale inhibitors. For protection against bacteria, ask about Cortec’s green bio-dispersant.

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Cortec_Water_Treat_4.5x4.5.indd 1

So why should you subscribe to my show, Scaling UP!? Easy, I’m the host! Ok, if you are not my mom, you may need a better reason. I get it. Scaling UP! is the only podcast about water treatment. That being said, it is the only podcast just for us. And the podcast format is perfect for how we work. We are always in our cars going to and from accounts. Now we have a learning medium that suits our workstyle. It’s pretty hard to read a book while driving (although being an Atlanta resident I have seen it attempted on I85). The other reason I hope you subscribe is, as one of the trainers at AWT, I plan on using this podcast to continue training throughout the whole year. And, it gets even better – you will not just hear me talking about stuff.

1/23/17 2:57 PM

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Industry Notes continued

I will have guests that know more than I do, and they talk about stuff. More importantly, they are the experts in their field about that particular stuff. For the record, “stuff” is really water treatment tips, tricks, knowledge, information and so on… My hope is the podcast is the perfect format on the perfect topic that gets us all motivated to be better water treaters. You may ask how I know what to talk about on the show. The answer at present time is that I have a list of questions I have been asked, or heard someone ask at the training seminars. My first shows are based on this list. However, even though the list is several pages long, I know I will run out of topics very quickly. This next part is why you are going to love this show. You are going to tell me what you want me to talk about and who to talk to. As I said, it is a podcast for water treaters by water treaters. I just didn’t mention that the “by water treaters” is you. I ask that you go to our website, www.scalinguph2o.com, and tell me what questions you have, who you want me to interview, what ideas you have for the show and so on… This is a show made for you by you, so let me know what you need the show to do for you.

One of my favorite messages so far was from a business owner (I keep all my contributors anonymous), who told me he requires all his people to listen to every new episode within one week of it coming out, and then they have a company meeting around the topics discussed. This is taking my idea to a whole new level, and I appreciate it! It’s my hope that even though Scaling UP! is required listening for this group, all who listen enjoy it and learn from it. It is also my hope that all who read this article will subscribe to Scaling UP! Please help me spread the word so that we can inspire as many water treaters as we can to respect this industry and learn something new about it every day. Let’s all Scale UP! on water treatment knowledge so we don’t Scale UP! our systems.

Are you thinking that this sounds too good to be true? A free format, a free show, and free training. What is Trace Blackmore getting out of this? Truth be known, I’m getting more than you are. Let me explain. I truly love the water treatment industry. I was introduced to it at an early age by my father. My father not only taught me how to perform tasks in the industry, as I mentioned before, he taught me to respect the industry. He also unlocked a passion in me to teach it, but to teach it in the way I described earlier, unlocking the desire in others to answer the question “why?” Scaling UP! allows me to reach more people than I ever could as a trainer at a single venue. It allows me to reach a multitude of water treaters and give them the catalyst they need to become better at what they do. I am pleased to announce that many of you are already subscribed to Scaling UP! and have sent me comments, ideas, and messages through my site, www.scalinguph2o.com.

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Making a Splash

Bonnee Randall

Water Tech Specialities, Inc., Fremont, California

What prompted you to start volunteering with AWT? I wanted to get more involved with AWT and see “behind the curtains.” This organization has always intrigued me. Instead of standing in the back wondering how everything gets done, I decided to step up and volunteer. Knowledge is power! What has been the most rewarding thing about volunteering? The most rewarding part of volunteering has been being able to give back to AWT. This organization is successful because of the countless hours that people give of their own time. AWT has given our business easy access to learn about new regulations or groundbreaking technology. I believe in paying it forward. How has volunteering improved your professional career? I have been in the industry for 25 years and the education aspect of AWT has greatly improved my professional career. Staying up with the current laws and regulations is vital, and that aspect alone makes my AWT membership invaluable.

Why would you encourage others to become a volunteer? I highly recommend that everyone becomes a volunteer, especially the young professional. What better way to learn than to roll up your sleeves and get dirty with best of the best. There are several aspects of this organization that need people to give a little bit of their time. It makes sense that instead of one person giving eight hours, eight people give one hour. The same amount of work will get done, and there is an opportunity for eight great new ideas to flourish. Volunteering is also a great way to meet people, especially if you are new to the industry. Tell us about a current project your committee is working on. The Young Professional is currently working on a water treatment overview video that will be available for AWT members on the members only page. We collaborated with many great minds to help develop the slides and script. I really enjoyed working with everyone on this project, and Michelle Farmerie is a great leader. How have you been able to utilize the expanded business connections you’ve made while volunteering? The expanded connections are vital to any business, and I take full advantage of these connections. My favorite part of this equation is the personal relationships that I build. Having a network that is not only throughout the United States, but globally, is unparalleled.

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Certification Corner The Certified Water Technologist (CWT) exam is the only legally defensible exam that represents the highest professional credential in the industrial and commercial water treatment field. Designed and tested by AWT, it provides professional recognition for individuals involved in water treatment and technology to indicate to the general public, co-workers, employers, and others that an individual has achieved a certain level of experience, knowledge, and education in the water treatment industry. The CWT designation ensures that the water treatment professional possesses a core body of knowledge and has extensive professional experience in all aspects of water treatment. Preparation materials, such as the types of questions to be asked on the exam, can be obtained from this column and from selected text and manuals. The following reference materials are available for purchase through the AWT bookstore at www.awt.org: AWT Technical Reference and Training Manual AWT Raw Materials Specifications Manual Water Treatment: Industrial, Commercial and Municipal (Textbook) Boiler Water Treatment: Principles and Practice, Volumes I and II (Textbook) Cooling Water Treatment (Textbook)

1. If a desired chemical feed rate is 15 gallons per day, how many ml/min should a pump deliver if it only operates 50% of the time.

4. Softener backwash rates are independent of water temperature. A. True B. False

5. The best application point in a boiler for phosphate based scale control treatments is: A. Make-up water line to the deaerator B. Storage section of the deaerator C. Suction line to the boiler feed pump D. Discharge side of the boiler feed pump E. To the boiler drum

6. When treating the feedwater line, which of the following types of phosphate would be best to use: A. Disodium phosphate B. Trisodium phosphate C. Potassium phosphate D. Sodium tripolyphosphate E. Neutralized phosphoric acid

7. In open HVAC cooling water systems, scale deposits are most likely to occur. A. In the tower basin B. On the tower deck C. In the blowdown line. D. In the chiller’s evaporator E. In the chiller’s condenser

8. The most common factors affecting scale formation in open cooling water systems are: A. Calcium, temperature, alkalinity, and TDS B. Phosphate, temperature, and pH C. Phosphonate, temperature, and TDS D. Calcium, phosphonate, temperature, and TDS E. None of the above combinations

A. 39.4 B. 45.3 C. 78.8 D. 96.0 E. None of the above

2. You have been given test results on raw water from an outside analytical laboratory. These results show the following: A. Calcium, Ca2+22 mg/L B. Magnesium, Mg2+13 mg/L C. Sodium, Na+ 5 mg/L D. Bicarbonate, HCO3- 60 mg/L E. TDS 300 mg/L

What is the total hardness expressed in grains/gallon as CaCO3? A. 598.5 B. B. 5.1 C. 6.3 D. 3.2 E. None of the above

3. During backwash, it is desirable to “expand” the resin bed by about: A. 10 % B. 25 % C. 50 % D. 75 % E. E. 100 %

9. About how many mg/L of 66° Baume sulfuric acid are required to react with 1 mg/L of bicarbonate alkalinity as CaCO3? A. 0.6 B. 1.0 C. 3.3 D. 6.6 E. None of the above

10. Makeup water calcium and chloride values are 88 and 35 ppm respectively. The calcium and chloride levels in the cooling water system are 396 and 175 mg/L respectively. The system maintains a continuous free chlorine residual in the circulating water between 0.2 and 0.4 mg/L Cl2 and the pH is controlled between 7.1 and 7.6 units. What are the cycles of concentration? A. 4.0 B. 4.5 C. 4.75 D. 5.0 E. Not enough information given

Answers: 1 C, 2 C, 3 C, 4 B, 5 E, 6 D, 7 E, 8 A, 9 B, 10 B 56

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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CWT Spotlight

Jason St. Cyr, CWT

Texas Air Systems, Irving, Texas

What prompted you to obtain your CWT? One of our core values at Texas AirSystems is being a lifelong learner. We are always encouraged to expand our knowledge base and areas of expertise. Having the CWT designation confirms the abilities that I have developed through a combination of education and experience. What advice would you give those thinking about taking the exam? Get as much practical experience as you can. Experience is the best teacher. For the disciplines that you don’t work in on a regular basis, find various methods to study – read, talk to others, watch videos, etc. The AWT technical training seminars are a great opportunity to do all of these at the same time. Why do you feel this credential was important to have? It is an easy way to separate yourself from the field and is a great marketing tool. It’s an easy reminder to others that you’re committed to being one of the best in your field.

What has been your greatest professional accomplishment? I also tutor kids in math and science. I love that moment when you can see the change in a kid’s eyes as they finally get it. It is amazing to see someone excited about something that moments before filled them with dread. What do you think are the most prominent issues facing the water industry today? Every year, millions of people suffer and die from waterborne illnesses. We can share some of the basic tools that we routinely use in order to educate and equip others to improve not just the length, but the quality of their life. I’m proud to be a part of AWT’s partnership with Pure Water For the World. This isn’t just a thirdworld problem; we’ve seen our share of contaminated water supplies and disease outbreaks here in the U.S. We need to be actively involved, both locally and globally, in trying to make the world a better place for all.

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3/27/17 1:04 PM

Ask the Experts

The discussion below occurred on AWT’s listserv and/or LinkedIn page. Be sure to join to be part of the conversation!

Question: Does high sulfite in a steam boiler affect the OH alkalinity? I have a couple of 250 HP boilers at a steam plant. The sodium sulfite in one of them is 190 because an engineer slug fed some into the boiler a couple of weeks ago. The OH alkalinity dropped to 40. Two senior engineers said they had heard that high sulfite affects OH readings but that was learned a long time ago. I can’t find anything that says anything about those two being related. Can someone shed some light on this issue for me please?? Answer 1 Depending on how much they put in there it could easily kill your OH readings due to the depression in pH from the oxygen scavenger. Typical sulfite based oxygen scavengers have a pH of 5.5 or less. Answer 2 If the sulfite is not buffered, it will drive the pH down, as it is typically between 3 and 4 (neat/undiluted). Answer 3 The pH of the steam is not necessarily related to the overfeed of sulfite. Sounds like the operator may have overfed the streamline treatment as well.

If not...does this boiler run more or less often than the other boiler? What kind of condensate return are you getting, why are they feeding alkalinity booster in the first place? Is it high cycles? What does the P and M alkalinity levels look like? Are you on a phosphate program? If yes, has there been any recent hardness upsets that have caused sludge formation which would depress the OH alkalinity? This issue may not be related to sulfite at all, just inconvenient timing.

Answer 6 If the sulfite is a liquid product, it most likely could have a low and acidic pH. That being the case, the OH-Alkalinity in the boiler water would decrease in proportion to the amount of sulfite fed. Regardless, sulfite will not consume the oxygen in the hydroxide (OH-) radical. What is the nature of the sulfite used in the BWT program? Response 1 One thing many of you have mentioned that I looked at was the pH of the sodium sulfite. Our pH in powdered form is in the 9.6 to 9.9 range at 1%. That doesn’t seem like low pH to me – i.e.: where the hydrogen ions are coming out of solution and bonding with the OH ions. Anyone care to comment or elaborate...?

Answer 4 The high sulfite reading only adds a little to the TDS. It should not have a significant impact on the OH alkalinity. On the hand, you probably need to add a little sodium hydroxide and/or run the TDS around 3000 ppm. Answer 5 Just keep in mind the ratio of sulfite to oxygen. If that boiler that was slug fed was on low fire or layup, they required dosage might have been extremely high to get that level. If that’s the case then the pH in the boiler would have been depressed.

Answer 7 It has been my experience, over the last 40 years, that high sulfite levels > 150 – 200 always deplete the OH. Regardless of the form or pH of the sulfite formulation. I have seen a low pH formulation of sulfite, when over fed, reduce the boiler water pH. That aside, get your sulfite down to normal levels, and OH will reappear. There may be a good chemist out there can explain the reaction, but I am only certain that it will happen.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Ask the Experts continued

Answer 8 Your problem is becoming more interesting, but before adding more to the conversation please answer the following questions: 1. I would understand ’10 L per kilogram’ to be equivalent to approximately ten thousand grams of catalyzed sulfite per quart of water [one Kg is equivalent to ~2.2-lb or ~1-qt of water]. At best, sodium sulfite has a limited water solubility, roughly about ten percent. Can you clarify? 2. I do not recall all of the email threads pertaining to this problem but if there was a significant over-feed of sulfite to the boiler(s), did the operator react to the higher boiler water TDS levels with a greater blowdown rate? If such was the case, excessive blowdown would decrease boiler water alkalinities.

Response 2 1 kilogram per 10 L is 2.2 pounds per 11 quarts of water or 3.2 ounces (weight) per qt The overfeed was between 15 and 20 days ago. No one really panicked because the engineers and me all thought that once the freshwater diluted the sulfite, those levels would drop and the OH alkalinity would return. We are still waiting for that to happen as the demand for steam has diminished with the warmer weather.

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

T.U.T.O.R.

Technical Updates, Tips, or Reviews

Troubleshoot by Measuring Solids

In solid/liquid separation applications we often need to know the amount and form of solids to troubleshoot a treatmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance. The relative concentration of total solids, suspended solids, and d i ssolved solids can be very valuable indicators. By definition, total suspended solids (TSS) is measured as the solids captured on a glass fiber filter paper with a 1.5 micron pore size. Total d issolved solids (TDS) is the difference between total solids and total suspended solids. Fine, colloidal solids can pass through the filter and show up as dissolved solids. For example, if we are treating to precipitate and settle metals from the effluent, measuring both total and soluble metals can provide valuable information about the operation. The precipitation stage of the metal-treating process is designed to convert soluble metal ions to a solid metal precipitate, i.e., from Fe3+ to Fe(OH)3. Then, a polymer may be used to capture and settle the precipitate in a clarifier. If the effluent metals concentration is high, this may be due to either incomplete precipitation of the metals or insufficient capture of the metal precipitate. By its nature, a soluble metal ion will not be captured on a filter, but a metal precipitate is a solid particle t h a t should capture on a filter. To determine the form of the metal, we can then measure the metal content before and after filtration. If the metals are high in the filtrate, we can assume that the precipitation reaction was not complete, and the metals are still soluble and therefore cannot be removed by settling.

However, if the metals are high in the unfiltered sample but low in the filtrate, then the metals are effectively precipitated to a solid form and should be removable by polymer addition. This can also be helpful in determining the treatability of a wastestream for removal of BOD or COD. Supposing a treatment plant needs to reduce BOD by 30%. We can perform a quick treatability study by filtering a sample of the waste to determine whether the BOD is soluble. If filtering the sample reduces the BOD by the desired amount, we can then assume that enough of the BOD is associated with the suspended particles that an effective polymer treatment will be able to remove it. If it is not sufficiently reduced by filtration, a process such as biological processing, carbon adsorption, or chemical precipitation will be required to remove the BOD. A practical limitation to this test is that occasionally particles can be so minute that they will pass through the pores in the filter media. So, if the filtrate appears turbid, it may be necessary to use a finer filter medium, such as a Millipore 0.45 micron filter, to ensure capture. When measuring higher solids levels, such as sludge solids in a dewatering operation, we normally measure total solids. However, we can be fooled by this as well. ln one application, the sludge solids feeding a belt press measure red 1.2%, total solids, and we based our dosage calculations on that number. But, the plant waste had a very high (0.5%) amount of dissolved solids, so the actual particulate portion of the sludge (TSS) was only 0.7%. When this was taken into account by the plant, the dosage was significantly higher.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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T.U.T.O.R. continued

Determining the Percent Sludge Solids

This procedure measures total solids, including both dissolved solids and suspended solids.

(0.065 g x 1000 x 1000 mL) / 100 mL = 650 mg/L

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1. After zeroing the balance, record the weight of an empty weighing dish, e.g., 34.56 grams. 2. Add sludge sample to weighing dish and record total weight, e.g., 56.78 grams. The difference between this weight and dish weight is “wet weight” (56.78 – 34.56) = 22.22 grams. 3. After drying the dish with the samples in a 105 °F oven for at least 1 hour, weigh the cooled (room temperature) dish and record the weight. This value is “dry weight” (37.25 – 34.56) = 2.69 grams. (dry weight/wet weight) x 100% = (2.69 g/22.22 g) x 100 % = 12.1 %

Determining Total Suspended Solids

1. After zeroing the balance, record the weight of a dry filter pad on a dish, e.g., 1.2045 g 2. Remove the filter pad and place it in a vacuum filter. Filter a measured quantity (100 mL) of sample through the filter pad and place the pad back onto the pre-weighted dish. 3. Dry the dish with the filter pad in a 105 °F oven for at least 1 hour. Weigh the cooled (room temperature) dish with filter pad and record the total weight; e.g., 1.2695 g. The difference between this weight and the original dish with filter pad (step 1) is “dry weight” (1.2695 – 1.2045) = 0.065 g. (dry weight x 1000 x 1000 mL/ sample size) = mg/L

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Capital Eyes

What a Presidential Budget Tells Us Every year, the president submits a budget to Congress that outlines his spending priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. While this document serves as merely a “blueprint” of priorities and very rarely is even approved by Congress, it does offer a detailed view of where the president might choose to make changes in federal agencies’ authority and reach. With a new president in office, this exercise was even more critical this year in determining where the White House wants to focus spending federal dollars.

Who Won

No doubt about it – the Trump Administration is putting its focus (and dollars) on defense spending. Overall, the $4.1 trillion budget request would slash spending for non-defense domestic programs by $54 billion and raise defense discretionary accounts by $489 billion. The budget also emphasizes the need to avoid cuts to Social Security and Medicare programs. Other priorities include $1 trillion for public infrastructure and $2.6 billion for border security.

Who Lost

By far the biggest loser in this proposed budget is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and these cuts could seriously impact the agency’s enforcement and legal initiatives. Under this plan, EPA’s current budget would be slashed by about one-third, or from $8 billion in the current fiscal year to $5.7 billion next year. This would also include a cut of about one-fifth of EPA’s workforce, or decreasing the current 15,000 Agency workforce to about 11,600.

The Administration’s main contention for the drastic cuts is that the agency should be returned to its core mission and not be involved in functions that states and others could and should be managing themselves. To quote the budget, “The Administration is committed to retuning EPA to its core work and there is no need for the agency to run programs that can be taken on by industry associations and consumer groups.”

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Capital Eyes continued

Specifically, several areas were targeted by severe cuts. For example, the budget singled out EPA’s categorical grants (which are doled out to state environmental regulators to help enforce laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act) by 45%. The budget would also eliminate funding for popular EPA programs like Energy Star, which certifies products as energy efficient. The environmental and management program would also see a decrease by more than $800 million. This would clearly impact the Agency’s ability to conduct climate change regulatory activities. Finally, federal support for air quality management, a category that includes EPA’s air toxics program and support for development of state implementation plans, would be chopped by 24%. Of particular importance and interest to domestic manufacturers is the cut to the Agency’s enforcement division. The budget would impose an almost 24% cut on programs under the umbrella of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. While the budget would allow EPA “to maintain a core enforcement oversight role to ensure a consistent and effective program,” it does “eliminate the duplication of enforcement actions carried out by the states and focuses federal enforcement efforts in those states that do not have delegated authority.” Specifically, funding for criminal enforcement would fall almost 17%, and spending on overall civil enforcement activities would be sliced by about 20%. One of the few offices that would see an increase in funding is the office that reviews and regulates toxic chemicals. However, it should be pointed out that this is most likely due to the language for increased oversight and changes to the program that was included in the Toxic Substances Control Act update legislation that was approved last year by Congress.

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In the End

As mentioned above, presidential budgets rarely get passed or approved by Congress and do not carry the weight of law. However, it does clearly demonstrate that the Trump Administration wants to decrease the reach of the Environmental Protection Agency. Therefore, the White House could be looking at additional executive orders to achieve these savings. Janet Kopenhaver is president of Eye on Washington and serves as the AWT Washington representative. She can be reached at (703) 528-7822 or janetk@eyeonwashington.com. ospmicrocheck.com | info@ospmicrocheck.com

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Business Notes

Losing Money Might Have a Silver Lining

It’s probably safe to say that your goal as a business owner is to make, not lose, money. But there are situations in which your company might be able to minimize the impact from business losses. If your company’s tax-deductible expenses exceed your taxable income in a given year, this results in a net operating loss (NOL). With proper planning, you might be able to use NOLs to reduce your tax liability.

Complex Rules, Simple Concept

The IRS rules about NOLs can be complex, but the concept is relatively simple: NOLs allow businesses to use losses incurred in one year to offset income earned in other years, thus reducing taxable income and the amount of tax due in those profitable years. NOLs can generally be carried back to the prior two tax years, or the prior three tax years in certain situations. Carrying back NOLs will enable you to recover past tax payments and result in a tax refund, thus boosting your current cash flow. Alternatively, NOLs can be carried forward up to 20 years. In other words, you can offset income earned in future years with losses your business incurs now.

Should You Carry NOLs Back or Forward?

So which strategy makes more sense: carrying NOLs back to offset income in one or both of the prior two years or holding onto NOLs to possibly offset future income? The answer depends on several different factors. 68

First, how is your current cash flow? If it’s relatively strong and you don’t necessarily need a cash flow boost in the form of a current tax refund, you might decide to hold onto the NOL and save it for the future. Of course, this assumes that you anticipate having profitable years in the future. But you also should consider the time value of money – in other words, the fact that tax savings realized now are inherently more valuable than those realized in the future. According to this thinking, it’s more beneficial to carry NOLs back to reduce taxes in prior years and reap the tax benefits right away. Another factor is whether you expect your business income to increase in future years and, if so, by how much? Higher business income in future years could push your company into a higher tax bracket. This would make NOLs more valuable in the future because they would be used to offset income that would otherwise be taxed at a higher rate. If you have NOLs in more than one year, it’s usually wise to exhaust all of the NOLs from the first year when they were created before using the losses from more recent years. If you have any remaining NOLs after 20 years, they will be canceled – so this strategy reduces the risk of losing the tax-saving benefits of your earlier losses.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Business Notes continued

Tax Reform and NOLs

With the new presidential administration, there’s been a lot of talk about substantive tax reform. It’s still too early to get a good sense of what that reform might look like, including whether it would impact the strategy of using NOLs to reduce taxes. So, keep a close eye on tax reform developments going forward. And speak with your tax advisor about their possible effect on this tax-saving strategy.

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How NOLs Can Save Taxes

Here are several examples that help illustrate how NOLs can save a business tax dollars:

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Example 1. Suppose your company has taxable income of $500,000 and deductible expenses of $700,000 this year. This would result in an NOL of $200,000. Two years ago, however, the numbers were reversed: You had taxable income of $700,000 and deductible expenses of $500,000, or a net profit of $200,000. You could carry this year’s $200,000 NOL back to offset that year’s $200,000 profit, which would result in no tax due and a refund of the taxes you paid for that year.

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Example 2. Now let’s suppose your company had a $100,000 profit two years ago and the same $200,000 NOL this year. You could carry back half of your NOL to offset that year’s profit, leaving you another $100,000 to carry forward from two years ago to last year.

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Example 3. Then imagine you broke even last year. In that case, you’d have $100,000 of the loss available to offset profits in future years. So if your company has a $50,000 profit each of the next two years, these profits could be offset by the remaining $100,000 NOL, resulting in no tax due in either of these years.

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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Financial Matters

The Responsibilities of Being an Executor

Before a person agrees to be an executor of an estate, he or she should understand what the role entails. While serving as an executor can be an honor, the role carries significant responsibilities. This article highlights the multiple tasks required by an executor (called a “personal representative” in some states), which includes filing tax returns, taking inventory of the deceased’s assets and closing the estate. A sidebar explains how an executor is paid.

Make Sure You’re Up to the Task

If a good friend or favorite relative asks you to be the executor of his or her estate, make sure you understand what the role entails before responding. While serving as an executor (called a “personal representative” in some states) can be an honor, the role carries significant responsibilities.

Multiple Tasks Are Required

An executor handles all jobs required to settle the deceased’s estate. One of the first is to obtain certified copies of the death certificate, which are often needed to notify financial firms where the deceased had an account. Typically, the funeral home or other organization that handled the deceased’s remains can provide them. It’s not unusual to run through a dozen or more copies. The executor must also locate and read the will, if one exists. He or she must know how the assets are to be distributed. An attorney who specializes in estate planning should be able to advise you on the terms of the will and the laws that apply. If the deceased had a trust, additional responsibilities may be involved. 71

Depending on local law, you may also need to file the will in probate court, even if probate proceedings aren’t necessary. Probate, or the legal process for administering an estate, is more common with larger, more complex estates. If the deceased had minor or incapacitated children, they may need to be connected with their guardians. A clear, logical trail of the actions taken can show that the decisions you made as executor were prudent and in the interest of the estate. This can be critical if a beneficiary contests the estate’s administration.

Filing Tax Returns

You’ll likely need to file an income tax return for the year of the deceased’s death, and check that the deceased’s other tax filings are up to date. If he or she had been sick, it’s possible that some returns were neglected. Estates valued at less than $5.45 million (for 2016) generally don’t need to file estate tax returns. However, a return must be filed if a surviving spouse plans to use any part of the estate tax exemption that the deceased’s estate didn’t use, even if there’s no tax liability at the deceased spouse’s death.

Taking Inventory

Ideally, the deceased will have had a list of assets. If not, some digging may be required. For instance, reviewing the checkbook may reveal regular deposits to a retirement account or life insurance premium payments. Then you’ll need to find out the value of these assets. the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Financial Matters continued

Bring In an Expert

If the deceased received government benefits, such as Social Security, notify the agency as soon as possible. You may need to have fine jewelry and similar assets appraised. And you’ll need to maintain insurance on some assets, such as vehicles and real estate that will remain in the estate.

Settling Debts and Distributing Assets

The deceased’s taxes and debts typically are paid before assets are distributed to the heirs. These might include funeral expenses, ongoing mortgage and utility payments, and credit card bills. You should be able to open a bank account in the name of the estate to make the payments. If you’ll need to delay payments while you sort out the deceased’s assets and expenses, let creditors know as soon as possible. Keep beneficiaries and heirs apprised of the status of the will. Once the deceased’s bills and taxes have been paid, you typically can begin distributing assets according to the terms of the will. However, some states require court approval before you take this step.

Closing the Estate

Last, you’ll need to close the estate. This typically occurs after debts and taxes have been paid and all remaining assets have been distributed. Some states require a court action or agreement from the estate’s beneficiaries before the estate can be closed and the executor’s responsibilities terminated.

Acting as an executor is an honor and a responsibility. Because the laws regarding executors’ duties can be complex and vary by state, it’s wise to consult experts early on. An attorney can provide insight on applicable laws and help mediate any disagreements between beneficiaries. And your financial professional can provide guidance on tax and other financial matters.

Are Executors Paid?

In recognition of the difficult job executors assume, compensation is often provided for within wills. Some states provide a schedule of compensation for executors, even if the will doesn’t provide for payment. In addition, legitimate expenses an executor incurs to administer a will can be paid from the deceased’s assets. This typically includes the costs of the funeral, burial or cremation and reasonable fees for legal or financial expertise. It also includes the expense of maintaining certain assets, such as insurance payments required on real property held within the estate. © 2016 Thomson Reuters

Completing the executor’s jobs can take a year or more, depending on the complexity of the estate. Moreover, in carrying out these duties, the executor acts as a fiduciary for the estate, and can be liable for improperly spending estate assets or failing to protect them.

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

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the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

Advertising Index 5

Albemarle Corporation

17 IDEXX

ProMinent Fluid Controls, Inc.

AMSA, Inc.

Lakewood Instruments LLC

Pulsafeeder, Inc.

AquaPhoenix Scientific, Inc

LMI Pumps

QualiChem, Inc.

Bionetix International

Lovibond Tintometer, Inc

Ques Industries, Inc.

Bio-Source, Inc.

Lubrizol Corporation

Radical Polymers

Brenntag North America

Sanipur US, LLC

Browne Laboratories, Inc.

69 Mid South Chemical Company, Inc.

Scranton Associates

Bulk Systems, Inc.

Special Pathogens Laboratory

Chem-Met Company

Univar USA

Cortec Corporation

62 Environmental Safety Technologies, Inc. 20 H2trOnics

38 – 39 Myron L Company 59 Neptune Chemical Pump Company 42 North Metal & Chemical Company 65

Odysee Enironnement

OSP Microcheck, Inc.

26 USABlueBook 13

Walchem, IWAKI America

WaterColor Management

Water Science Technologies

the Analyst Volume 24 Number 3

WST CHEM TIMES AWT Annual Convention and Expositions | Grand Rapids, MI

| September 13-16 2017 | Booth 423

Shameful Booth Name Nearly Forgotten After Extraordinary Vendor Booth Revealed Grand Rapids, MI After 152 years, the dark cloud that has haunted the name Booth may soon drift off into haze of forgotten past. The upcoming show in Grand Rapids, MI is sure to dissolve the lasting gloom that WST >> 1A BELOW

Michigan Man Found in Blissful Daze at Nearby Park

WST Outshines Competitors Again CONTINUED FROM ABOVE has become synonymous with “Booth” due to the outstanding efforts of WST and their AWT Annual Convention and Expositions exhibit. “Our booth, not to be confused with the infamous presidential assassin, will likely obliterate any recollection of the tragic events of the past. In fact, we have been contacted by the Booth family to tour our exhibit nationwide and spread good will,”

said someone close to the exhibitors who prefers to remain anonymous. Previous WST booths have left visitors dumbfounded and reveling in a haze of instantaneous joy and admiration for the Birmingham, AL company. “I didn’t even know where I was,” stated a man who previewed the booth concept at an undisclosed location. “It took me 15 hours just to feel normal again.” He was found hours later on a nearby park bench smiling at passers-by and sipping an iced tea. This kind of occurrence has not been limited to this year’s efforts. A Delaware woman who had attended last year’s event said, “I replaced all of my family photos around the house

STORY >> 6B

with pictures from the WST booth. I just wanted to relive those precious, fleeting moments.” Her children were quite put out at first, but after viewing their mother’s numerous selfies and 93-minute home video of the booth, found peace with the change. “Honestly, my fourth grade recital and baby pictures didn’t come close,” her eldest daughter admitted. “Sometimes I bring my friends over just so we can watch the video together.” The WST booth (423) will be available for visitation at the AWT Annual Convention and Expositions September 13-16 2017 with a possible encore by request.

WST Birmingham Headquarters: 1701 Vanderbilt Road, Birmingham, AL 35234 • 866.284.9244 • info@wstsp.com • www.wstsp.com

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