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Aligning Debris Management and Water Treatment Procedures Is Key to Cooling Tower Safety and Efficiency

The following is an important reminder of the need for all companies that use cooling towers, to adopt and keep diligent in their maintenance and water treatment program. Why? because what's at stake is a companies worker health and safety, the company's reputation and operational efficiency; these can be dramatically affected by the unsafe condition of a single cooling tower.

In 2001 a major worldwide auto manufacturer experienced a tragedy when four of its facilities maintenance employees became ill with pneumonia-like symptoms that ultimately claimed the lives of two. The cause - Legionnaires Disease caused by the Legionella bacteria found in one of the manufacturers process cooling towers. The company quickly moved to conduct a "cause analysis" by inspecting its cooling towers worldwide to identify how systems were being maintained and to determine best maintenance practices. This ultimately led to the establishment of a world class monitoring and maintenance procedure that ensures such a tragedy will never be repeated at the company.

How a Legionella Tragedy Can Happen

Interestingly, when someone becomes ill from an unsafe cooling tower it most often is not the result of a company's blatant negligence; rather, it's typically the result of a company not having a clear understanding of the need for their water treatment program to be in alignment with an effective debris management and cooling tower maintenance program. While it may seem obvious that if the amount of debris inside of a cooling tower exceeds the established biocide dosage, the demand placed on the dosage will quickly be consumed and will have little impact on the bioactivity. In other words, the debris and bioactivity occurring in a cooling tower can overwhelm the chemical dosage. It is well known and important to remember that cooling towers are highly efficient air scrubbers; anything drifting past a cooling tower is likely to get caught in its draft and be sucked-in.

When organic debris such as cottonwood seed, leaves, insects, pollen, grass, birds and their droppings, etc. get into the water and decompose, it along with the relatively warm temperatures of the water create a nutrient rich environment for bacterial growth including Legionella. Further, it's important to recognize that if the volume of decomposing debris exceeds the chemical dosage's ability to provide control, the cooling tower will silently grow dangerous even while chemical dosing continues. The fact of the matter is that it's easy for companies to develop a false sense of security that their cooling towers are safe either because they are treating the water themselves or, because they've hired a water treatment service to establish dosage levels that should ensure the tower is safe. In either case, if organic debris management isn't in alignment with water treatment dosage levels and made integral to the maintenance process, there is an increased probability of the tower becoming a health and safety hazard. It doesn't matter how large or small a company or a cooling tower is; bacteria including Legionella doesn't discriminate - it will thrive in any poorly managed cooling tower!

An Obvious Question

"What is the needed ratio of water treatment chemicals to that of debris load inside the cooling tower to ensure cooling tower safety?" Although the question is obvious, the answer isn't. Organic debris is drawn into cooling towers in different concentrations depending upon location and time of year. Every type of debris places a different demand upon the biocides and scale inhibitors being dosed into the water; therefore, there is no known ratio that will hold constant for every cooling tower. However, it is safe to say that if you don't deploy diligent maintenance procedures that specifically call for the prevention of organic debris from getting into the cooling tower or its periodic removal, more water treatment chemicals will be required to keep it safe. Some may say, "load the tower up with chemicals to ensure safety", however, federal and state EPA guidelines place restrictions on the amount and type of chemicals that can be used, therefore the use of chemical treatment alone is not the solution. Furthermore, adding chemicals to offset poor maintenance practices is a shortcut that will do little to prevent fouling and clogging of the fill, strainers, blow down valves, chiller and heat exchangers and could eventually lead to health and safety problems and a reduction in equipment performance. Although the answer to the chemical ratio to debris question isn't apparent, the answer to how to keep a safe cooling tower is crystal clear and can be simply stated - "Keep the cooling tower free of debris and deploy a good water treatment program and your cooling tower will operate safely and efficiently." This may sound like an over simplification, but in reality if you keep the debris out of the cooling tower, you will break the bacteria supporting food chain. Additionally, when you chemically treat the water you create an environment non-conducive to bacteria habitation. In short, when you eliminate food and shelter for bacteria it won't take-up residence in your cooling tower!

How to Keep a Safe Cooling Tower

In recent years ASHRAE has established excellent recommendations for cooling tower maintenance known as Guideline 12. In addition to recommending maintenance activities, it also calls for establishing procedures that are measurable. Although ASHRAE guidelines are excellent, companies must ultimately weigh the operational and economic realities of any maintenance procedure they deploy. As the old saying goes "There's more than one way to skin a cat". If on the one hand maintenance procedures are too frequent, cumbersome or complex, it commonly results in more downtime, lost productivity and higher maintenance costs. Furthermore, the natural human tendency is to take shortcuts to quickly complete an unpleasant job - often times with unsatisfactory results. Conversely, if the intervals between maintenance are too long, it may be more cost effective, but the condition of the cooling tower at each interval may be less than desirable and potentially place maintenance workers, employees, tenants and the public at risk. So the answer largely lies somewhere in the middle where water treatment and managing debris in the tower come together.

Today, companies have many options available to them for managing debris; they include a variety of water based filtration technologies and air intake filtration technology. Water filtration can help manage waterborne and other debris after it gets into the cooling water while Air intake filtration technology is highly effective at stopping airborne debris from getting into the tower by filtering the air as it enters the system. . Furthermore, air intake filtration can be used in glycol based cooling systems and on other air-cooled condenser systems to keep airborne debris out of the coils, enabling optimal cooling efficiency.

When determining what maintenance and debris management technology to use, it is important to first determine what the source of debris is. If the source of debris is waterborne (e.g.; sediment, algae from pond or river, or water with high dissolved solids content), water filtration in combination with a good water treatment program is typically the best solution and will protect the chiller and heat exchanger from scaling and fouling. If on the other hand, the source of debris is airborne related (cottonwood seed, insects, leaves, pine needles, paper, birds & droppings, harvest chaff, construction debris, etc), then water filtration systems will not stop the debris from getting into the cooling tower (especially the fill). For airborne debris related problems, the best solution is to prevent the debris from getting into the system by using air intake filtration technology that filters the air as it enters the system. Air intake filtration in combination with a good water treatment program is highly effective in stopping the kind of debris that clogs strainers, blow down valves, fill, chillers and heat exchangers - In short, air intake filtration effectively protects the entire system. In extreme cases where both waterborne and airborne debris is problematic, both air intake filtration and water filtration in combination with a good water treatment program may be required in order to keep the cooling tower safe and operating efficiently.

Personal Safety

No matter what procedures are adopted in maintaining cooling towers, personal safety precautions must be integral to the maintenance procedures. Best practices require workers to wear respirators, gloves and protective clothing to help prevent exposure to bacteria, especially Legionella. Important Note: cooling water doesn't have to look dirty to be dangerous - just because the water is clear doesn't mean it's clean or free of bacteria - Every cooling tower can harbor bacteria. Always, always take precautions because unless the water is routinely tested for Legionella and other bacteria, the bacteria will never announce its presence until it's too late.

Consider the Costs of a Sick Tower

Companies that don't take appropriate precautions and insist upon diligent cooling tower maintenance procedures put not only their employees health and safety at risk, but also their business and reputation. Consider the cost of a single cooling tower related Legionella incident:

• Reduced employee moral and productivity due to an unsafe work environment.
• Negative customer perceptions of the company and their willingness to buy goods & services should a Legionella outbreak become public. (especially risky for food and related processors)
• Loss of income to families when a loved one becomes ill or die from Legionella.
• High cost for litigation which can follow.
• Higher company insurance costs when claims due to job related sickness or death occur.

In comparison to the cost of a proactive maintenance initiative, the incidents listed above when considered individually or collectively carry staggering cost.

Follow a Leader

So you may be wondering exactly how the major automotive company mentioned at the beginning took a tragic situation and turned it into a world-class maintenance program. They formed an oversight committee sponsored by executive management, that was charged with the responsibility of working with consultants, water treatment professionals and maintenance employees to establish a global water management program that encompasses specific maintenance tasks, maintenance methods & procedures, maintenance schedules, management accountabilities and reporting guidelines at the facility level. The representative at each facility is accountable to a regional representative who reports activities and results to the oversight committee. The establishment of the oversight committee and its global management network ensures uniformity of their program plus, gives the company a vehicle to quickly implement changes and enhancements that provide continuous improvement to their global water management program.

It Doesn't Take Rocket Science

It simply requires that companies using cooling towers "step-up to the plate" and initiate proactive and on-going maintenance procedures that align effective debris management technology with effective water testing and treatment techniques because when these elements are in alignment, the result is a safe, healthy and efficient operation.

Air Solution Company developed and patented the first Air Intake Filter specifically engineered to mount to the outside of cooling towers and other HVAC equipment for purposes of stopping the debris before it entered into the system. Since that time, Air Solution Company has been manufacturing and has introduced a variety of other innovative filter systems including its new Fine Mesh Filter which is engineered for use on small and medium size refrigeration coils and machine fan intake housing units. Air Solution Company Randy Simmons is with Air Solution Company, author of articles can be reached at http://www.airsolutioncompany.com

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Overview

Recent surveys of IT managers and security firms identify spyware as public enemy #1. Businesses report spyware incidents rising sharply in recent months. Typically associated with unprotected home pcs, spyware could soon qualify as the top security headache in the corporate world. When queried as to which posed a greater security threat to networks, 10% of the respondents chose phishing, 23% said viruses and 67% replied spyware. And while spyware has turned into a key security concern for those managing corporate networks, its negative impact on home users appears even more detrimental. Because of spam, spyware and related problems, it is estimated that about 44 percent of home users use email and the internet less today than they did one year ago.

The problem has become so serious that even microsoft has worked to combat it at the OS level. With the release of windows XP SP2 in 2004, the company redesigned internet explorer with a pop-up blocker and included a more-robust firewall. And since then, microsoft has included anti-spyware utilities built into the latest releases of their operating systems.

Regardless of how a PC gets infected, the results can be serious: compromised company security, overloaded networks, and significant user downtime and inconvenience. Although the symptoms of a system that's overwhelmed with spyware vary, the primary indicators include sluggish performance, broken internet connections, and possibly even an unusable PC. plus, ultimately, your identity and private information may be compromised. On a corporate level, spyware can compromise network and data security, corporate assets and trade secrets.

Aside from potential identity theft, many spyware programs steal from you by cluttering your computer's memory resources and eating bandwidth as it "talks" to the spyware's home base using your internet connection. This could lead to your computer suffering system crashes and/or slower performance.

There are some observers who think that the spyware epidemic is overblown -- at least where corporations are concerned. Since most spyware comes from users installing 'free' content or questionable software they claim that at the enterprise level businesses have the talent and budget to create and enforce policies that prevent people from installing things themselves. However, others disagree noting that misspelling a common domain name can land on a domain that will inject spyware into your PC. In fact, it is difficult to avoid getting spyware if you surf the internet at all.

Definition of Spyware

Many analysts and administrators agree that while spyware's impact is rising, its definition remains elusive. The umbrella term most commonly refers to a wide range of unethical software, from difficult-to-uninstall toolbars to home-page hijackers and pop-up window generators. In a poll of security administrators and IT managers more than half of the respondents said that most users don't know what spyware is -- which may partly contribute to its growing threat. A common definition of Spyware is any program or technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization and which is capable of locally saving or transmitting those findings without the user's knowledge or consent.

Below is a list of some of the most "successful" offenders:
PurityScan displays pop-up advertisements onto your computer whenever you are online. It induces you to install it by claiming to find and delete pornographic images.
n-CASE delivers targeted pop-up advertisements to your computer -- it is often bundled with freeware applications.
Gator has the ability to display banner advertisements based on your Web surfing habits and is usually bundled with free software programs.
CoolWebSearch has the ability to hijack your Web searches, home page, and internet explorer settings.
Transponder is an IE browser Helper Object that monitors requested web pages and data entered into online forms, and then delivers targeted advertisements.
ISTbar is a toolbar used for searching pornographic web sites that displays pornographic pop-ups and hijacks your homepage and internet searches.
KeenValue is a program that collects personal information and delivers advertisements to your computer.
Bargain Buddy delivers targeted pop-up advertisements to your computer based on key words you enter while surfing the Web.
internet Optimizer hijacks error pages and redirects them to its own controlling server at http://www.internet-optimizer.com.
Perfect Keylogger is a monitoring tool that records all visited web sites, keystrokes and mouse clicks. It is usually installed manually.
TIBS Dialer is a dialer program that hijacks your modem and dials toll numbers, usually to access pornographic "pay" Web sites.

How Does Spyware Find You?
You visit a few web sites on the internet
You download freeware/shareware applications
You swap music or photos with other users
You open spam email messages or open attachments
Other people use your computer

Symptoms of a Spyware Infection
different default homepage
Unusually slow internet access -- Spyware clogs bandwidth because it is importing information while sending out information about the user or their habits
Reduced computer productivity -- Spyware slows the system because it operates in the background
More frequent pop-up ads
New or different search toolbars
Unidentified toll charges on your phone bill -- a dialer can initiate outgoing calls from your PC to 900 numbers with the sole intention of generating large phone bills

Spyware Protection
In an effort to help in the fight against the spyware epidemic, microsoft has been focused on getting their anti-spyware software updates to users as quickly as possible. The company claims that people are reporting spyware-related issues more than ever, and that over one-third of the reported crashes in their applications are related to spyware issues.

There are several ways that one can minimize the threat that spyware poses to us all. These include:
Practice safe surfing
apply fairly secure configuration settings to your browser
Delete spam email
Be wary of cookies -- these may add convenience to your browsing, but they can also track your activities and relay that information back to third parties. The outbound communication caused by cookies also slows your internet connection
Be wary of peer-to-peer file sharing services
run anti-spyware software -- the most highly regarded are Spybot-search & Destroy, spy Sweeper and SpywareBlaster. Actually, running a "cocktail" of the three is the most effective. However, some spyware programs insert themselves in internet Explorer's Trusted Sites -- and even the anti-spyware software won't remove them from there. So it is necessary to clean that out manually. This can be accessed from IE's main menu by selecting Tools -> internet Options -> security -> Trusted Sites

Steve Leytus is a senior software engineer and develops applications for NutsAboutNets.com. For more information about AirSleuth 2.4 ghz Spectrum Analyzer and other low cost, PC-based diagnostic tools for installing, optimizing and trouble-shooting 802.11 (Wi-Fi) wireless networks please visit www.NutsAboutNets.com.

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This article is Part 2 of a series of 9 articles dedicated to help anyone to trade the foreign exchange.

The spot forex is a support and resistance market. Period. Whatever tools and indicators you are using to trade the spot forex market, the experience can be greatly enhanced by understanding near term support and resistance along with longer term support and resistance numbers for the currency pairs of interest.

Every spot forex trader and the major institutions are watching critical areas of support and resistance on the various pairs. If any major pair breaks through a critical support or resistance number it makes news everywhere on the forex newswires or on national and global news shows.

Support and resistance is somewhat repetitive, the major support and resistance numbers tend to repeat themselves over time as the pairs range or trend up and down.

Monitoring the critical areas of short term or long term support and resistance on the spot forex is easy using price alarms. You can use desktop alarms, alarms to wireless devices, or email alerts when prices are breached. Make sure your broker of choice gives you the ability to set price alarms and alerts. They should also provide them for free on their trading platforms.

price alarms can be used for the various needs of a trader.

If a currency pair is currently trending price alarms can be used to notify the trader when the trend is resuming so you can intercept the movement. Another use is to set price alarms at specific support or resistance prices where the indicators can be reevaluated for profit taking. This assists with money management.

Another use is for setting price alarms where double tops and double bottoms can occur, the double tops and double bottoms occur frequently on the spot forex and can represent entry points into complete reversals after large sell-offs or up cycles.

price alarms can also be set to alert a trader when a pair is going in your favor so you can reset your stops up or down to improve your money management or entry management. price alarms can also be set on top of partial limit orders or entry orders to notify the trader that an order was executed.

Also if a currency pair is not trending but trading in a narrow range a straddle alarm can be used to assist in to determining a breakout of the current range.

In conclusion the spot forex market knows where these critical short term and long term support and resistance numbers are, the other traders know where these numbers are, and the institutions also know, this means you should know too, dont waste time staring at the forex all night. monitor the market with price alarms and go on about your business, get a lot more sleep and still be in the know as to when your favorite pairs are moving.

Mark Mc Donnell is the lead trading plan writer for forexearlywarning, an inexpensive trading plans service available to all spot forex traders. He has many years of experience trading stocks, equity options and the spot forex. He has spent the last four years of his career devoted solely in studying the movements of the spot forex, conducting trend analysis, and determining how this impacts retail level forex traders. Copyright 2007, http://www.forexearlywarning.com

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