Method of enhancing performance of a porous evaporative media
The method of improving an evaporative performance of a porous evaporative media in a cooling system that utilizes water evaporation for heat transfer, the method comprising contacting the porous evaporative media with a nonionic surfactant, optionally in combination with an antiscalant.
1 . A method of improving an evaporative performance of a porous evaporative media in a cooling system that utilizes water evaporation for heat transfer, the method comprising contacting the porous evaporative media with a scale relocating-effective amount of a nonionic surfactant and no antiscalant,
wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises a C 8 -C 22 alcohol ethoxylate, a C 8 -C 22 ethoxylate, a C 8 -C 22 alkyl phenol ethoxylate, a terminally blocked C 8 -C 22 alcohol polyethylene glycol ether, a monododecyl ether, a nonoxynol, an ethoxylated C 8 -C 22 ester, an ethoxylated amine, a C 8 -C 22 amide, a polyethoxylated tallow amine, a poloxamer, a C 8 -C 22 ester of a polyhydroxy compound, an alkyl polyglucoside, myristamine oxide, a polyethylene oxide polymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polyethylene oxide/polypropylene oxide copolymer, octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, Triton X-100, cocamide monoethanolamine, cocamide diethanolamine, glycerol monostearate, glycerol monolaurate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, Tween 20, Tween 40, Tween 60, Tween 80, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, octyl glucoside, or a combination thereof.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting the porous evaporative media with the nonionic surfactant and optionally a chelant before using the porous evaporative media in the cooling system.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system comprises an adiabatic cooling system, an evaporative cooling system, or a humidification system.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system is used in a data center, an automotive application, an industrial application, a commercial application, or an agricultural application.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polyethylene oxide/polypropylene oxide, or a combination thereof.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises a C8-C22 alcohol ethoxylate, a C8-C22 ethoxylate, a C8-C22 alkyl phenol ethoxylate, a terminally blocked C8-C22 alcohol polyethylene glycol ether, a monododecyl ether, a nonoxynol, an ethoxylated C8-C22 ester, an ethoxylated amine, a C8-C22 amide, a polyethoxylated tallow amine, a poloxamer, a C8-C22 ester of a polyhydroxy compound, an alkyl polyglucoside, myristamine oxide, or a combination thereof.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises a polyethylene oxide polymer, a polypropylene polymer, a polyethylene oxide/polypropylene oxide copolymer, octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, Triton X-100, cocamide monoethanolamine, cocamide diethanolamine, glycerol monostearate, glycerol monolaurate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, Tween 20, Tween 40, Tween 60, Tween 80, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, octyl glucoside, or a combination thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting the porous evaporative media in the cooling system with the nonionic surfactant and optionally a chelant continuously for a period of from about one day to about one year.
9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting the porous evaporative media in the cooling system with the nonionic surfactant and optionally a chelant continuously for a period of from about one day to about three months.
10 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting the porous evaporative media in the cooling system with the nonionic surfactant and optionally a chelant continuously for a period of from about one day to about one month.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising contacting the porous evaporative media with a chelant.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the chelant comprises ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethyleneglycol bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′,N′ tetraacetic acid (EGTA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), methylglycinediacetic acid, [[(2-hydroxyethyl)imino]bis(methylene)]-bisphosphonic acid, 4-(phosphonomethyl)-2-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,4,2-oxazaphosphorinane, a salt thereof, or a combination thereof.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the porous evaporative media comprises one or more corrugated sheets.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more corrugated sheets comprises a fibrous material, a filler, a polymer binder, or a combination thereof.
15 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting the porous evaporative media with the nonionic surfactant and optionally a chelant while the porous evaporative media is being used in the cooling system.
16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising combining water of the cooling system with the nonionic surfactant and optionally a chelant to produce a treated cooling water for relocating scale formation on the porous evaporative media.
17 . The method of claim 16 , comprising continuously feeding the treated cooling water through the porous evaporative media.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the concentration of the nonionic surfactant in the treated cooling water is from about 10 ppm to about 200 ppm.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising adjusting the pH of the treated cooling water with a pH adjusting agent.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the pH adjusting agent comprises sulfuric acid, acetic acid, citric acid, nitric acid, propionic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, phosphoric acid, salts thereof, or a combination thereof.