Reliable monitoring of cooling water with TOC analysis

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Types of Water: Cooling Water, Process Water, Water Effluent

Parameter: TOC

Keeping a cool head - Reliable monitoring of cooling water with TOC analysis

Title: Keeping a cool head - Reliable monitoring of cooling water with TOC analysis

Medium: Hydrocarbon Engineering

Media Issue: August/2014

Types of Water: Cooling Water, Process Water, Water Effluent

Parameter: TOC

Content: Today, cooling of processes or buildings takes an important position in industry. It is a basic element and thus, some processes are simply not feasible without cooling. Consequently, the failure of a cooling system can lead to a production stop and significant losses. Application-specific online TOC analyzers (total organic carbon) reduce the risk of failure of indirect cooling systems.

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The total organic carbon (TOC) is one of the most important sum parameters in the assessment of the organic pollution of water. Since it includes all carbon compounds as one mass, it is exactly defined and an absolute quantity. Therefore, it may be determined directly.

Read more about TOC measurement methods.

Total organic carbon analyzers of LAR Process Analysers AG

The chemical oxygen demand (COD) indicates the amount of oxygen which is needed for the oxidation of all organic substances in water and is thus an important indicator for water analysis. It is considered in the planning and controlling of treatment, as well as assessing its efficiency, thus forming the basis for the calculation of waste water charges.

The COD can be determined in laboratory or online, whereby these methods significantly differ in duration and consumables used.

Read more about COD measurement methods.

COD analyzers of LAR Process Analysers AG

The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) indicates the amount of oxygen which is needed for the biological degradation of organic substances in water.

Since the generally used BOD₅ excludes the nitrification part of the process, this parameter is poorly suited for the control of waste water treatment plants. Alternatively, the total BOD is well-suited, due to the determination of the nitrogen as well as the carbonaceous part of biological degradation.

Read more about the online measurement of BOD.

Toxicity is described as the direct harmful effect of a substance on organisms. These effects can already occur at low concentraions of toxic substances and are dependent on the incubation period and the dosage.

Some test methods that are available on the market can detect toxicity by using fish, daphnia, molluscs, algae or luminous bacteria and testing whether a water sample has a toxic effect on the organisms. They do not, however, identify exactly which toxins are present.

Read more about online toxicity measurements.

BOD / toxicity analyzers of LAR Process Analysers AG

The total nitrogen bound (TN_b) shows the pollution of water caused by nitrogen compounds. Nitrogen may be present as ammonia, ammonium salts, nitrites, nitrates and organic nitrogen compounds.

In contrast to single measurements of the above-mentioned components, the TN_b determination contains all these substances in a single analysis process.

Read more about online TN_b measurements.

The total phosphorus (TP) is a sum parameter that shows the organic and inorganic phosphorus compounds in water. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for humans as well as flora and fauna. However, the substance – depending on its concentration– may cause serious damage.