77-15: Copper Ion Pickup in Recirculation Cooling Tower Systems

Power plant condenser tube represents a significant metallic surface area exposed to a wide compositional range of cooling waters. Copper alloy condenser tube is most frequently employed due to many desirable properties including corrosion resistance, resistance to biofouling and high thermal conductivity. Recent environmental concerns have been expressed regarding the possible toxicity effect to aquatic life from copper in once-through cooling water discharge and the blowdown from recirculating cooling systems. The basis for these concerns relate to measurable amounts of copper that can be detected in cooling waters in contact with copper in the incoming water, is from the general corrosion of the condenser tube.