Chemical Cleaning’s Discharge Problem
The Strengite Process enables the combining of the dynamic flushing and the addition and circulation of cleaners into a single step. The need for a system passivation step is completely eliminated as the Strengite Process directly passivates metal surfaces during the cleaning phase.
Traditional cleaning works by dissolving corrosion deposits and metal oxides. This creates heavy metal discharge far above required discharge limits. Virtually all the cleaners that usefully clean are based on chemistry that will violate discharge rules. It is impossible to remove corrosion deposits and mill scale formed during pipework and equipment fabrication and not dissolve metal ions. Closed loop cleaning is believed to be the largest source of heavy metals such as copper, zinc, lead, and molybdenum to the sewage system. It is a significant source of phosphorus discharge. Heavy metals and phosphorus discharges are damaging to the environment. Even when captured by a sewage treatment plant, they cause sludge disposal problems. Closed loop cleaning typically creates ten times the volume of the system being cleaned in discharge water. Approximately 0.5% of all sewage is the result of closed loop cleaning.
A Comparison of
UK Thames Water Discharge Rules vs. Typical Closed Loop Cleaning Discharge
Most phosphate free cleaners are not phosphorus free. Most contain phosphorus levels that will break discharge rules many times over.
There are two common misunderstandings relating to discharge permits:
Discharge permits are limits for the peak discharge. You are NOT allowed to average the total discharge of an ion such as copper across the entire volume of water discharged.
Any ion not listed on the permit has a discharge limit of zero. This means that if you have to list all the ions and their potential peak discharge level to legally meet discharge rules.
Complying with most regions discharge regulations and actually cleaning closed loop systems properly where corrosion deposits and scale are removed is essentially impossible – unless the Strengite Process is used.
The Strengite Process can achieve deep cleaning and no discharge. It completely avoids the issues of meeting discharge permits.