Water chemistry for copper water-cooling systems: Corrosion and scaling prevention

Closed loop water-cooling systems operating at 1-30°C are used for cooling computers, control cabinets, server rooms and various other heat emitting applications. Most common tube alloy used in these systems is copper UNS C12200 DHP due to its good corrosion compatibility in cooling-water and ease of formability. However, corrosion resistance of this alloy is based on adequate control of the cooling-water chemistry, as without it premature failures and performance degradation are likely to occur. The literature on this subject is scattered, contradictory, often unclear, and does not usually refer specifically to water chemistry when copper is used. The aim of this work is to specify the cooling-water parameters that should be monitored, their effect on the cooling-system materials and functionality, and specific water parameters values that will ensure the system has a long lifespan and adequate performance.