Monitoring: The underestimated need in macrofouling control

Abstract

Most industries with once-through cooling water systems (CWS) monitor only the most basic chemical and physical parameters of the incoming raw water, if they monitor at all. They rely on operational experience and the robustness of the cooling system to cope with annual changes in ambient temperature and possibly pH. With the introduction of new macrofouling organisms (so-called exotics or alien species) into the incoming water, the need for better monitoring data (Claudi and Mackie 1994) becomes more stringent.