A US nuclear plant's Critical Cooling Water (CCW) exchangers were losing heat transfer to biofilm fouling. EHS and Operations restrictions ruled out bleach, hydrogen peroxide and surfactant biodispersants — leaving the plant facing NRC-directed shutdown unless an online cleanup could be designed inside those constraints.
Two consecutive operating cycles of declining heat transfer in the Critical Cooling Water (CCW) exchangers. Deposit analysis confirmed 50–75% biological forms — including filamentous and exopolymer-encapsulated bacteria — with viable sulfate-reducing bacteria present.
Bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and surfactant biodispersants were all ruled out by plant EHS and Operations constraints. Mechanical tube cleaning meant an unacceptable unit shutdown.
The plant was facing NRC-directed shutdown unless an effective online cleanup program could be designed and validated within the plant's strict chemical and operational constraints.
Designed a two-phase online cleanup program built entirely inside the plant's constraints — no bleach, no peroxide, no surfactant biodispersants, no shutdown required.
Selected a novel pairing of stabilized bromine biocide with a non-surfactant dendrimer polymer biodispersant. Validated the combination on a Bridger Scientific DATS (Deposit Accumulation Test System) sidestream test rig before full deployment to the operating system.
Executed a startup phase at higher application rates to mobilize and remove existing biofilm, followed by a lower-dose steady-state phase designed to hold heat transfer performance through the 18-month operating cycle.
Independent cooling water program design for power generation — nuclear, gas, coal and combined cycle. No chemistry sold. Novel solutions built inside your plant's constraints.