Borates & Boric Acid: Uses and Benefits in Pools
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2/26/2020 31st NPC Annual Conference February 12-14, 2020 Houston, TX Borates & Boric Acid: Uses and Benefits in Pools 1 2/26/2020 Balancing Using Industry Guidelines May Not work APSP (PHTA) Guidelines for Outdoor Residential Pools Parameter Minimum Ideal Maximum FC (Free Chlorine), ppm 1.0 2.0 -4.0 5.0 CC (Combined Chlorine), ppm 0 0 0.2 pH 7.2 7.4 – 7.6 7.8 TA (Total Alkalinity), ppm 80-100* 60 180 100 – 120** TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), ppm 1,500 NA NA over startup*** CH (Calcium Hardness), ppm 150 200 –400 1,000 CYA (Cyanuric acid), ppm 0 30 –50 100 1 *For cal-hypo, lithium hypo or sodium hypochlorite **For sodium dichlor, trichlor or gas ***Startup includes the TDS contribution of salt found in chlorine generator equipped pools © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 3 Confusion with Minimum, Ideal & Maximum Minimum level is okay? Maximum level is okay? If a condition is between min and max is it okay? No reasons are given for when min or max level is okay 1 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 4 2 2/26/2020 All Conditions at Minimum APSP Level pH 7.2 TA 60 ppm TDS 300 ppm CH 150 ppm CYA 0 ppm The Saturation Index would be – 0.80 at 80° F 1 (if using Tables. If using App – 0.66) © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 5 All Conditions at Maximum APSP Level pH 7.8 TA 180 ppm TDS 1800 ppm CH 1000 ppm CYA 100 ppm The Langelier Saturation Index would be + 0.76 2 (if using Tables. If using App +0.93) © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 6 3 2/26/2020 All Conditions at APSP Low Ideal Range pH 7.4, TA 80 ppm, TDS 300 ppm, CH 200 ppm, CYA 30 ppm and Temp 80°F Langelier Saturation Index – 0.30 Acceptable Range for LSI is – 0.30 to + 0.50 2 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 7 What are the Right Condition Levels? Is a condition okay if within min and max? How do you decide what is okay? 2 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 8 4 2/26/2020 Replace Ideal Range with a TARGET Condition Target Notes pH and Alkalinity affect each other pH 7.5 Needs buffering from CYA, TA & Borate You Alkalinity is a buffer against pH decrease. instantly Total Alkalinity 90 ppm Raise by 10 ppm if pH drifts down know if a No Target Not very important in water balance TDS condition Max 1,500 ppm over startup SWG – Salt Level + Start + 1500 ppm is below Saturation Index based on calcium saturation 350 ppm Plaster Pools or above Calcium Min 150 ppm. Max can be higher if source 250 ppm Vinyl, Target Hardness water has high calcium. Offset with lower pH Fiberglass, etc. and TA. Not higher than 50 ppm. CYA is a buffer Cyanuric acid 30 – 50 ppm against pH decrease. CYA controls chlorine available. SWG pools need 70 ppm 3 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 9 pH – Alkalinity Relationship (Buffering) Buffers keep the pH from changing Alkalinity is a pH buffer High Alkalinity raises pH due to CO2 off-gassing Low Alkalinity makes pH too easy to change 4 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 10 5 2/26/2020 Buffering of pH Buffers prevent, inhibit or slow down pH change Alkalinity, CYA and Borate are pH buffers 4 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 11 TA keeps the pH from Going Down • At pH 8.0 the amounts of acid to lower pH are closer to each other • At pH 7.0 the amounts of acid to lower pH is more. It should take less acid to lower pH • More acid at lower pH means the pH is buffered. • Total Alkalinity prevents pH from Target Total Alkalinity is 90 ppm going down 5 © Copyright 2018 Lowry © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Consulting Group, LLC 6 2/26/2020 TA & CYA Keep the pH from Going Down • CYA also is a pH buffer • It takes more and more acid to change pH as the pH decreases. This shows that CYA and TA are buffering pH against decrease. • Together TA and CYA are the buffer The Target levels are 90 ppm TA and 50 ppm CYA system to prevent 6 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry pH from going down Borate keeps the pH from Going Up • Borate keeps the pH from going up • As pH increases, it takes more and more soda ash to raise pH (It should take less)This shows the buffering against pH increase • Borate is an excellent buffer against pH increase 7 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry 7 2/26/2020 TA, CYA & Borate Keep pH from Going Up or Down Shows TA and CYA are good pH buffers against decrease Shows Borate is a good pH buffer against increase 8 Targets TA 90 ppm, CYA 50 ppm and Borate 50 ppm © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 15 TA, CYA and Borate are the pH Buffer System TA 90 ppm Borate 50 ppm CYA 50 ppm 8 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry 8 2/26/2020 DEMO Raising pH without Raising Alkalinity Aeration, turbulence or splashing raises pH with no change to Alkalinity CO2 is driven out of the water and the pH goes up More later … 8 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 17 Liquid Chlorine does NOT Raise pH Liquid chlorine, liquid bleach, cal hypo and lithium hypo (called hypochlorites) will not raise pool water pH Hypochlorites have a net zero effect on pH Hypochlorites have a pH from 11.0 to 13.0 8 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 18 9 2/26/2020 Reactions of Chlorine Products When Added to Water Cl2 + H2O → HOCl + HCl gas chlorine and water forms hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid Each of the hypochlorites + – NaOCl + H2O → HOCl + Na + OH sodium hypochlorite and water forms hypochlorous acid and sodium ion and hydroxyl ion produce Hydroxyl 2+ – – Ca(OCl)2 + 2H2O → 2HOCl + Ca + 2OH (Hydroxide OH ) and calcium hypochlorite and water forms hypochlorous acid and calcium ion and hydroxyl ion + – HOCl – they raise pH LiOCl + H2O → HOCl + Li + OH lithium hypochlorite and water forms hypochlorous acid and lithium ion and hydroxyl ion But wait, there’s more … Cl C N O + 3H O → 3HOCl + H C N O trichlor3 and3 water 3forms hypochlorous3 acid2 and cyanuric acid 3 3 3 3 NaCl C N O •2H O + H O → 2HOCl + H C N O + Na+ + OH– dichlor dihydrate2 and3 water3 forms3 hypochlorous2 acid and cyanuric2 acid and sodium ion and hydroxyl ion 3 3 3 3 9 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 19 What Happens to HOCl When Used Hypochlorite makes hydroxide (OH) – pH goes up HOCl + UV makes HCl (hydrochloric acid) – pH goes down HCl made almost equals the OH made – net pH difference is zero or nearly zero If the pH in your water is always going up, the total alkalinity is too high unless you have a chlorine generator or 9 a negative edge pool or spill overs © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 20 10 2/26/2020 Zero Change to pH from Hypochlorites 9 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 21 Outdoor Pools Lose about 1.0 ppm Free Chlorine per Day Chlorine loss is 75% in 2 hours or complete loss in 4 hours 30 ppm CYA keeps chlorine 8 times longer Residential pools lose 1.0 ppm of chlorine per day even with CYA if in the sun all day 10 ppm per week chlorine demand or consumption (less if in shade) 10 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 22 11 2/26/2020 Service Techs Use Liquid Chlorine and Trichlor 10 ppm/week chlorine use difficult to do Techs use liquid chlorine and trichlor Problem – trichlor adds more CYA and acid 10 ppm of chlorine added by trichlor, CYA goes up by 6.0 ppm Leave some liquid with the pool owner, use peristaltic pump, or use a liquid feeder Supplement with borate, cal hypo tabs, SWG, ozone, UV, AOP, 10 enzymes, or phosphate removers © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 23 Increasing CYA Affects Chlorine Kill Rate Increasing CYA from trichlor Affects the kill rate of chlorine Increases free chlorine needed Lowers pH and alkalinity Affects the calculation of the Saturation Index Wonder why algae starts weeks after startup? I would suggest not using trichlor – more later Maximum CYA 50 PPM (70 ppm in summer in sunny regions) 10 © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 24 12 2/26/2020 Borates for Pools Keeps the pH from going up (pH buffer against pH increase) Helps prevent algae (it is an algaestat) Lowers chlorine demand due to algae prevention Saves 30% to 50% in chlorine use Water is silkier feeling and sparkles Add it once and only add more if there is big water loss © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 25 Borate as a Buffer Acid lowers pH Base Raises pH Buffers prevent, inhibit or slow down pH change © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 26 13 2/26/2020 Borate for Pools with SWG Pools with SWGs need a level of borate of 70 ppm Borate keeps pH from going up so there is less calcium carbonate scaling on the hydrogen gas generation plate (cathode) of SWG Keeping 70 ppm borate lowers free chlorine requirement from 7.5% to 5.0 % (more later) Less run time for SWG = longer life © Copyright 2018-20 Robert W Lowry Slide 27 Best Water Conditions with SWG Condition Target Notes pH 7.5 – 7.7 Add acid when pH is >7.8 Total Alkalinity 80 - 90 ppm Can lower to 70 ppm if pH is rising CYA 70 – 80 ppm Add CYA when < 60 ppm Borate 60 – 70 ppm Add borate when < 50 ppm Calcium Hardness 350 - 400 ppm Lower calcium when > 500 ppm Salt 3,000 – 3,400 ppm Use amount recommended by manufacturer TDS Maximum Start + 1,500 ppm + Salt Include salt with TDS for LSI calculation Free Chlorine 3.0 to 4.0 ppm – 5% of CYA Chlorine loss to UV is less with higher FC LSI should be adjusted for CYA and Borate LSI (Sat.