373 HVAC Meets Water Treatment: Teaming Up for Customer Savings

Collaboration: Enhancing Efficiency Through Industry Partnerships

Welcome to this week's edition of Scaling UP! H2O, where we explore the critical role of water treatment in optimizing industrial processes. Today, we are privileged to hear from two distinguished guests: Tony Mormino and Justin Lynch. Tony is Technical Sales and Marketing Director for Insight Partners and host of the The Engineers HVAC Podcast specializing in education, while Justin focuses on cooling tower Reconstruction Specialists. Together, they share invaluable insights into collaborative strategies that ensure the best and most cost-effective solutions for cooling towers and closed loop systems. Their discussion focused on the importance of collaboration, cost efficiency, and proactive maintenance in the field of water treatment. Tony and Justin's insights provide a roadmap for water treaters to enhance client outcomes and operational efficiency through strategic partnerships and informed decision-making.

What Are the Cost and Efficiency Benefits of Proper Water Treatment?
Cost efficiency emerges as a significant topic. Tony Mormino underscores the financial benefits of proper water treatment, citing examples where a modest investment in water treatment can yield substantial savings. "According to the Department of Energy, 40% of a commercial building's energy consumption goes to HVAC systems," explains Tony. "Simply improving water quality can lead to 5-10% savings in energy costs. It's a quick win for green building initiatives."

How Do You Prevent Vibrations in Cooling Towers?
Bad vibrations in cooling towers can be a significant issue if not addressed early. Justin Lynch highlights the importance of monitoring biological buildup and evaporative salts on the fans. "It's very difficult to do that if you don't catch it early. Let's say we go to a facility with an old tower and an old fan—there's going to be a little bit of biology on top, which is not a big deal. You can brush that off, do a light pressure washing, and it’s not going to hurt it," explains Justin. However, the real issue arises when scale develops unevenly on each blade. "At that point, the fan may look horrible, but the tower still operates without vibration. If you clean five out of six blades well but can't get the scale off one blade, you just created a vibration, leading to other issues in the tower." Justin advises that while chemical treatments are effective, they should be done with caution and under professional guidance to avoid exacerbating the problem. This proactive maintenance is less of a concern for newer towers that have had chemical treatment from the start.

How Does Air in Closed Loop Chilled Water Systems Affect Performance?
Tony Mormino highlights a critical yet often overlooked issue in water treatment: Air in closed loop chilled water systems. This issue not only leads to rust and oxidation but also significantly impacts the system efficiency and longevity. Studies and practical examples underscore the importance of air removal systems:

Removing air from the chill water system can result in substantial benefits:

• Increase in Tonnage Output: Youngstown State University reported a 16% increase in tonnage output, equivalent to 400 additional tons.
• Improvement in Delta T: From 8.5-10°, enhancing heat transfer efficiency across chiller barrels.
• Enhanced Building Discharge Air Temperatures: Temperatures improved from 65° to 55°, optimizing HVAC system performance.
• Reduction in Pump Energy Consumption: A notable 37% reduction in annual KWH requirements due to cleaner water and improved system operation.

Moreover, practical cases like at Waukesha Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin showed a 22% reduction in Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) speed, leading to an 85% decrease in corrosion preventative chemical usage. These examples illustrate the direct correlation between air removal and energy savings, reinforcing the significant impact of proper water treatment practices on operational efficiency and cost savings in commercial HVAC systems.

How Important is Passivation for Equipment Longevity and Performance?
Justin Lynch highlights the critical role of passivation in maintaining equipment longevity, particularly in galvanized towers. "Passivation is essential to prevent corrosion and ensure optimal performance," Justin explains. "For instance, following Marley's guidelines for pH and calcium hardness during passivation can extend the life of galvanized towers significantly."

Conclusion
In the fast-evolving landscape of industrial water treatment and HVAC systems, collaboration and continuous learning are paramount. Justin Lynch's closing thoughts encapsulate this spirit perfectly: “Don't be afraid to call, don't be afraid to collaborate. You are the expert in your field; I'm supposed to be the expert in mine. There's too much going on in this industry. It's growing too fast for everyone to really understand everything. So, if you don't know, ask questions and learn together. When you can do that together, you build a good network, and customers trust you and respect you after that.” Embracing this collaborative approach not only enhances our expertise but also ensures that we provide the best possible solutions for our customers, fostering trust and respect in our professional relationships.

Timestamps
01:00 - Free Legionella Awareness Month and Industrial Water Week resources can be found on our website
09:10 - Interview with Tony Mormino and Justin Lynch
50:00 - Closing thoughts about the power of collaboration with Trace
54:30 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals
56:42 - Evaporative Salts, Scale, and using the correct language with clients
59:00 - Drop by Drop With James McDonald

Quotes
“Downtime is lost profit.” - Justin Lynch
“Water quality is key. It's crucial for maintaining a tower's expected lifespan, and without it, customers could face significant costs." - Justin Lynch
“I consider the water the lifeblood of the system because it touches every component.” - Tony Mormino
“In our industry, collaboration is essential. As experts in our respective fields, we have a responsibility to work together, share knowledge, and tackle challenges as a unified front." - shares Justin Lynch
“The best way to market is to give away good, free content.” - Tony Mormino

Connect with Justin Lynch
Phone: 919.602.1658
Email: jlynch@insightusa.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/justin-lynch-0355458b
Read or Download Tony and Justin’s Press Release HERE

Connect with Tony Mormino
Phone: 828.712.4769
Email: tmormino@insightusa.com
Website: www.insightusa.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tony-mormino
linkedin.com/company/insightusa
YouTube: @InsightPartnersHVACTV
Podcast: The Engineers HVAC Podcast

Resources Mentioned
All Cooling Tower resources can be found on our Free Industrial Water Week Page HERE in the Cooling Wednesday Tab
All Legionella Resources can be found on our Free Legionella Page HERE
Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we’ve listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.
Water Cake Recipe