SEAWATER TREATMENT

Prevention of "Biofouling" in seacoolingwater systems

fire-fighting systems, tanks and on boxcoolers

BIOFOULING
Biofouling or simply marine growth, is one of the most common problems occurring in seawater
systems on board of ships that sail or are located in sea or brackish water. Biofouling can be
diverted in Microbiological growth and Macrobiological growth. Microbiological growth can be
described as a mix of slime forming bacteria, algae and seaweeds. Macrobiological growth
develops in case larger macro-organisms attach to seacoolingwater systems. These organisms
are mussels, tubeworms, barnacles, molluscs, etc.
In general the first stage of biofouling is the formation of a "biofilm", the second stage is the
macrobiological organism attaching to the biofilm and the growth of these organisms by con-
suming the biofilm. In a third stage for example shell-fish and barnacles will filter their food from
the coolingwater. Coolingwater systems bear excellent circumstances for the growth of these
organisms: the temperature is great, there are no or nearly no enemies and the food flows by
slowly.

PROBLEMS RELATED TO BIOFOULING

The biofilm develops acidic fluids that cause corrosion of the covered system's material. This
"under deposit" corrosion starts as general corrosion, passing into pit corrosion or "pitting".
Besides the corrosion, the biofilm creates a dramatic loss of heat transfer, causing less cooling
power. The higher flow resistance in the coolingwater system results in increased electrical
power consumption of the coolingwaterpump(s), resulting in increased fuel consumption.
The macro-organisms entering the system are smaller than the filtermesh of the inlet filters.
These organisms grow very fast due to the ideal circumstances, resulting in clogging of the cool-
ingwater lines, coolers and fire-fighting systems.
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COOLINGWATERSYSTEMS
On board ships, we differentiate coolingwatersystems in: internal flow through systems and ex-
ternally installed systems, equipped with for example boxcoolers.

Flow-through systems receive their water from a coolingwaterpump via a seawaterchest and
seawaterstrainer. The coolingwater is pumped through the pipingsystem and several coolers.
The coolers: plate-, tube- or pipecoolers cool down the internal coolingwater circuits of for exam-
ple the propulsion engine(s), auxiliairy engine(s), compressors or directly the condenser of the
steamsystem.

Externally installed systems, mostly equipped with boxcoolers located in the seachest(s), cool
down the internal coolingwatersystems directly. Boxcoolers were first installed on smaller vessels
like inland barges, small tugs, fishing boats. Nowadays large dredgers and the larger short sea
vessels are equipped with boxcoolers.

Both systems suffer from their own specific biofouling related problems.
Flow-through systems are most of the time over dimensioned, resulting in low flow velocities in
parts of the system. Locations with a low flowvelocity (< 1 m/s) suffer from sedimentation of mud
and silt. These sediments consist of both micro- and macro-organisms. Here the growth starts.
Systems equipped with boxcoolers are more and more exposed to sunlight, due to clearer
waters. Algae, slime forming bacteria and seaweeds grow much faster due to sunlight. Algae
are the perfect feeding ground for barnacles and shell-fish. The scale forming tubeworms are
becoming more and more problematic in warm waters as in the Far East.

GROWTH PROTECTION METHODS

There are several ways to protect seawater systems from biofouling, such as:
 Applying an extremly smooth coating, possibly based on nano-technology
 Applying a slow release growth protective coating (biocide(s) or heavy metal(s))
 Injection of chlorine, sodiumhypochlorite, chlorinedioxide, etc.
 Dissolving copper by induced electrical current. Release of toxic copper ions.
 Applying growth protective materials, such as CuNiFer, or CuproNickel.
 Injection of a biocide or blend of biocides
 Injection of a film forming amine combined with a biodispersant
 Ultrasonic soundwaves

Marine Care only manufactures and supplies environmental friendly products such as:

 Caretreat 5 Seawater, a growth and corrosion protective product with excellent bio-dispersing
capacities, the most environmental durable product of its kind
 Caretreat Biosonics, a revolutionary product for growth protection on boxcoolers and plate
heatexchangers
 Caretreat Sleekcoat, an ultra smooth non-biocidal epoxy coating
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OCNS REGISTERED FOR
Caretreat 5 Seawater OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS

Caretreat 5 Seawater is a biological growth and corrosion protective product with strong
bio-dispersing capacities, for treatment of seacoolingwater-, firefightingsystems and tanks.
The product evolved over the years to an environmental friendly product.

Caretreat 5 Seawater is based on a natural amine. The main advantage of this film forming amine
is that micro and macro-organisms dislike to attach to the waxy surface. This amine constitutes a
homogeneous barrier against corrosion. A positive side-effect is: scaling of coolers and piping-
systems internally and boxcoolers externally is strongly reduced. The natural amine used is the
most environmental durable amines used in the international shipping and offshore market.
Due to its strong dispersing capacity, mud and silt will not settle in the coolingwater pipes, such
as the crossover, at low flow velocities. Especially vessels, without the propulsion engine(s)
running, have low flows through the coolingwatersystems. In these cases there is a high risk of
sedimentation. Caretreat 5 Seawater's dispersing agent treats the mud and silt, resulting in light
and non sticking particles. The mud and silt will be easily transported through the system to the
coolingwater discharge.

Caretreat 5 Seawater is a maintenance product, however it contains cleaning capacities.

The product is to be used to keep the coolingwater systems clean. The natural amine layer is
wearing off, caused by the coolingwater flow. Heavily fouled coolingsystems have to be
thoroughly cleaned before introduction of Caretreat 5 Seawater.

Treatment with Caretreat 5 Seawater will reduce maintenance costs of the coolingwatersystems.
In between surveys dismantling of, for example, plate coolers is history.

For the treatment of fire fighting systems, the growth and corrosion protective capabilities are a
big advantage compared to dosage of biocides or sodiumhypochlorite. A well treated fire fight-
ing system is protected against bio-fouling and corrosion after every dosage of Caretreat 5 Sea-
water for periods up to three months.

Dosage on flow through coolingwatersystems:

The dosage is low, actually the dosage should be calculated in relation to the coolingwatersys-
tems surface to be treated. In practice 3 - 12 ml per m3 per hour of coolingwater has to be dosed
over one hour every 24 hours. (At a coolingwaterflow of 500 m3/h: 1,5 - 6 liters has to be dosed
during 1 hour every 24 hours). The dosage will be based on sailing area, season and seawater
temperature. The dosage can be proportional to the seawater temperature. Biofouling occurs
with increasing activity from 12 to approximately 32 ˚C. Injection of Caretreat 5 Seawater should
be done in the centre of the seachest(s), by means of an injection quill.
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Caretreat 5 Seawater OCNS REGISTERED FOR
OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS
Dosage on boxcoolers:
Caretreat 5 Seawater should be injected equally covering the surface of the boxcooler. Favourite
is to inject in the centre of the cooler bundle.
Most effective is to inject when the vessel is in port or at anchorage or sailing at low speed.
At high sailing speed the flow velocity through the seachest and along the boxcooler can be up
to 3 m/s. The dosage is 0,3 liters per m3 seachest contents to be dosed in 10 minutes every 24
hours.

The dosed amount or dosing interval can be altered depending on the seawater temperature.
Biofouling occurs with increasing activity from 12 to approx. 32 ˚C

Boxcoolers treated for 2 and 3 years with Boxcoolers untreated

Caretreat 5 Seawater for 2 years

Dosage on fire fighting systems:

Fire fighting systems will be treated when the fire fighting pump(s) are running on their testrun,
for example once per week or once every second week. Caretreat 5 Seawater can be dosed on
the suction side of the fire fighting pump or in the suction manifold. The product is preferably
injected in a separate seawaterchest, if available.
The dosage is 30 - 100 ml per m3 of coolingwater per hour dosed over minimal 15 minutes every
week or second week. At standstill the system is protected against biological growth and corro-
sion for a period of up to 3 months.

Dosage in tanks:
Tanks can incidentally be treated by adding 100 ml of product per m3 tank contents. Ad stand-
still the tank is protected against biological growth and corrosion for a period of up to 3 months.
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Caretreat 5 Seawater OCNS REGISTERED FOR
OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS
Caretreat 5 Seawater is successfully applied on:
 dredgers
 fishing ships
 mega-yachts
 cruise vessels
 container vessels
 tankers
 short sea vessels
 offshore platforms
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OCNS REGISTERED FOR
Caretreat 5 Seawater OFFSHORE APPLICATIONS

DOSING EQUIPMENT
Marine Care supplies standard as well as custom-built dosing equipment for the dosage of
Caretreat 5 Seawater.
Marine Care advises you on what dosing equipment is most suitable for your application.
From basic simple dosing systems, as a gravity tank combined with a needle valve controlled
flow meter to fully automated systems, even communicating via Modbus with the distributed
control system (DCS) on board.

Custom-built dosing equipment

Standard dosing equipment

MARINE CARE USA INC MARINE CARE GMBH MARINE CARE BV

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