Water maker chemical cocktail help

[Surf City]

I need help with cleaning our membranes on our system. We have a system that the manufacturer has gone out of business (Aqua-Set) but needs the membranes cleaned. We have been using our system for four years and we are starting to see brown algae starting to grow in the flow meter. We have been making 140-170 liters per hour depending on water temp with ~100 ppm.

I have chemicals from a company Watermaker Services HEM but no ratios on containers for mixing instructions. I have emailed them two times but no response.

Cleaning chemical CC1 - oil, grease, bio matter and grime has
P3 Ultrasil 10 Henkel S.A. and contains sodium hydrexide

Cleaning Chemical CC2 - for removing scale
Contains Sulfamic acid

I'm not sure if we need to remove scale but I know biological growth has got to go. I still have the original manual for the process but not sure on the chemicals.

Anybody have an idea ?

Wil

[Tellie]

My personal belief is that once a boat based watermaker shows signs that the membranes are fouled it's better to just replace them. I've cleaned a lot of membranes and have found it's mostly a waste of time and effort. The few that do benefit from cleaning usually are on their last legs. If you are cruising close to home then run them till they are no longer viable and replace them then. If you are trying to revive them for long distance cruising just replace them.

Halden Marine Services – Marine Watermakers, Solar Panels, Wind Generators

[Lepke]

From Dow Chemical
The membranes are probably not made by the maker of the watermaker.
Your CC1 is probably food grade lye.

[newhaul]

Aqua set was purchased by promac
Promac Maritime Equipment & Services: Reverse Osmosis Units
Hope this helps

[Surf City]

Thank you for the advice. I will begin contacting Rich to see what brand of membranes I have and chemical % in the jars. We are heading south from BC back to the East coast in the next year.

[David B]

Originally Posted by Surf City

I need help with cleaning our membranes on our system. We have a system that the manufacturer has gone out of business (Aqua-Set) but needs the membranes cleaned. We have been using our system for four years and we are starting to see brown algae starting to grow in the flow meter. We have been making 140-170 liters per hour depending on water temp with ~100 ppm.

I have chemicals from a company Watermaker Services HEM but no ratios on containers for mixing instructions. I have emailed them two times but no response.

Cleaning chemical CC1 - oil, grease, bio matter and grime has
P3 Ultrasil 10 Henkel S.A. and contains sodium hydrexide

Cleaning Chemical CC2 - for removing scale
Contains Sulfamic acid

I'm not sure if we need to remove scale but I know biological growth has got to go. I still have the original manual for the process but not sure on the chemicals.

Anybody have an idea ?

Wil

Can't help with those specific de-scaling and cleaning chemicals other than to say an acid-based de-scaler should work, no matter the brand.

However for ensuring there is no biological growth in there, the standard 'pickling solution' is sodium metabisulphite. Normally used to preserve the membranes in the off-season, and frankly you don't need to worry too much about concentration. With our system (Desalator), you just pour crystalline sodium metabisulphite into the pre-filter, then select back-flush, until most of the powder is dissolved.

Good for six months or so if in storage mode, but if you are using continuously, then suggest you treat for a few hours, every 4-6 months. Just make sure you back-flush properly after use, then run the system for a good couple of hours to flush all of the chemical out.

The chemical is very cheap if you source from a home brew supplier (a few dollars per kilogram). I just weigh it up into smaller single dose bags, and keep several on board.

Interesting travelling internationally with small zip-bags of white powder, but so far no problems, and I always include a data sheet and IATA declaration that it is not considered a hazardous substance for air travel.