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LEGIONELLA UPDATE
Qubec 2012:Learned, Done & to Do
Alain Trahan,
P.Eng.
20th of March
2014
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Cooling towers are the outside
heat sinks that exhaust the heat
carried by the air conditioning
cooling water circuit used inbuildings HVAC systems.
www.h2obiotech.com
What is a cooling tower?
Pump
HVAC
Air
conditioning
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What is a cooling tower?
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Step 1:
www.h2obiotech.com
How it works
Step 2:
Magic of evaporation
Liquid water + energy Water vapor (with less energy remaining in the liquid)
Evaporative cooling
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In the real dirty world
Dry air Dry air
WindBuilding fresh
air intake louvers
Building fresh
air intake louvers
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Simple definition:
An ubiquitous aquatic organism that causes Pontiac Fever
and Legionnaires disease (lung infection) if inhaled.
Thrives in temperatures between 77 and 122 F.
Travels from infected water source through aerosolized water
droplets.
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Legionella pneumophila
In the United States
10,000 to 20,000 people get infected by legionella every year.
Various studies have shown that some 40 to 60% of tested cooling towers contained Legionella.
Legionnaires disease mortality rate: 10 to 15% of those infected.
Cooling tower drift
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Biofilms
Form on surfaces in aquatic systems.
Often resistant to biocides.
Monitoring is difficult.
Release organisms into bulk fluid.
Cost the US nation billions of dollars yearly in equipment damage, product
contamination, energy losses and medical infections.
Bacteria
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Qubec 2012: Source?
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www.h2obiotech.com
24% had Lp sp1!
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Before: ASHRAE 62.1-2010
Specifies minimum distances between CTs vs
Air Intakes & Kitchen exhausts.
Not frequently applied especially by architect.
Mitigation : UVGI of fresh Air: always when high risk
occupants
Project the CT plume higher
Prevent food particles from reaching the CT.
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Before: Pesticide Regulatory System
Pesticides need to be approved by HC for each
use with application guidelines.
Sellers & applicators need certification.
Reality : Provincial application.
No processes for CT biocides!
>75% non compliance in commercial blds for
concentration, contact time or hydraulics.
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Before: Guidelines not Standards
ASHRAE 12-2000
AWT 2003 (2008)
CTI WTB-148 (2008)
CDC
Reality : Contradict each other.
Incomplete.
Control is left to water treatment as a last step
in general. Voluntary: doesnt work.
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During
Hopes of official that situation would go away
by itself
High dose oxidizing biocide only.
CDC protocol ASSumes surfaces are clean &
circulation in whole system. Plan created during crisis.
Localisation & owners unknown.
No early public communication.
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Lessons : Emergency planning
Have a plan of action: If this then that, etc.
What, Where, How, When, Who.
Work upstream of Legionella. Do not ASSume or Hope-away.
Legislate.
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Lessons : Immediate steps
Stop the fans!
Ultra High Efficiency drift eliminators
Decontamination: Clean first to remove deposits. Circulate in whole system.
Fast acting biocide that keeps its efficiency
throughout the system.
Know system volume.
Analyze biocide concentration
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Lessons : Involve outside experts
Interview with an official from the health agencyDSP followed by one with the building code
agency, RBQ
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Lessons : Involve outside experts
Interview with an official the RBQBuilding CodeAgency
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2013 Law: Form signed by Owner!
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4 Dimensions of Risk Management
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Interrelation of the 4 dimensions
Law Description WaterTreatment
Hydraulic Solids Drift
402.1 Overwintering X X X X
402.2 Operational stops X X
402.3 Decontamination X X X X
402.4Corrosion, Scale,
OrganicsX X X
402.5 Schematics X X X
402.6 Water treatment quality X X X
402.7 Chemicals X
402.8 Mechanical Verification X X
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Law 2013, phase I: the Good
LevelResult
(logs/L)Action
Normal < 4
Intervene 4 - 6Identify causes. Validate efficiency of new
measures.
Sanitary Risk > 6
Apply Decontamination. Identify root
causes & correct maintenance plan.Validate efficiency of new measures.
Test for Legionella pneumophila.
Legionella pneumophila Test concentration & Action Levels
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2013 Phase I: Lessons
Plans : copy-paste
Schematics have or are:
Not up-to-date No flow speed or materials of
construction
No zones of stand-by operation Inspectors have no powers.
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After: Coroners report, 2013-09
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After: Public Health Report
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After: Media reports
Radio-Canada (CBC) had a 30
minutes piece that showed
delayed actions by officials.
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After: Workers Health & Safety
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After: Very Good CT Guide
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After: Excellent Full Day Training
Michelle Merchat, Climespace
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Law 2014, phase II: the Excellent
Specific cleaning step
independant from
decontamination Stop the fans if log 6 or more
Identification of sampling points
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Law 2014, phase II: the Good
Mandatory testing for Legionella
p. every 30 days at most.
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Interrelation of the 4 dimensions
Law Description WaterTreatment Hydraulic Solids Drift
402.7a Sampling Points X
402.8 Chemicals X
402.9 Mechanical Verification X X
406 Log book X X X
407+
408Sampling procedures X X
417 4-6 logs Action Plan X X X X
418 Interfering flora X x
419 >6 logs, Action Plan X X X X
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www.h2obiotech.com
Interrelation of the 4 dimensions
Law Description WaterTreatment Hydraulic Solids Drift
402.1 Overwintering X X X X
402.2 Operational stops X X
402.3 Decontamination X X X X
402.4+
402.9Preventive Cleaning X X X X
402.5Corrosion, Scale,
OrganicsX X X
402.6 Schematics X X X
402.7 Water treatment quality X X X
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Beyond: What we do
Guidelines, Standards & Regulationsare a minimum
ASHRAE 188 methodology
Zero risk does not exist.Risk = Probability x Consequences
Multiple barriers: if one fails we avoid
an outbreak
Non-oxydising biocide measurement
On-site one hour Legionella
measurement!
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Risk Assessment: beyond 62.1
Risk = concentration x duration. Occupants: long exposition.
High riks by Common Sense :
Close to ground, next to parking, bld entrance. Next to roof terrasse, balconies.
Adjacent to open windows.
Mitigation: UHE eliminator, lower C, continuous
or low tox or permanent biocide. Ex: Cu/Agionisation
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Beyond: Flow Speed
Higher flow speed = less biofilm5+ fps up to 10 fps especially for
horizontal lines.
No dead legs: mitigation approach
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Beyond: Deposits & Corrosion
Variable speed motors to avoid: Total evaporation deposits
Stray current corrosion.
Mechanical action to remove deposits. Zinc coatings are subject to white rust
corrosion.
Copper to steel surface ratio.
Is it clean?
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Back-Flow Preventer
Biocide means kill the biological
Some are banned from hospitals!
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Water Meter & Level Control
Towers purge water but take no make-
up?!?
No moving parts Water meter.
Convert from continuous water MU to
ON-OFF.
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Local Control: Average
Most common currentlyT compensated conductivity by dual
carbon probes
Flow switch, Pre-bleed, Bleed block,
Water meter input, permanent program.
Toroidal Conductivity :
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Probe
Toroidal Conductivity :deposits & chem.
Valve
Ball valve, not solenoid :
plugging.
Meter
No moving parts & lowflow range.
Level
Chem inventory, water MU
control.
Wireless Meter, valve, level, etc.
pH+ORP Oxydizing biocides dosing.
Record
Conductivity, T,Meter, etc.
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Beyond: Internal Tank
Last in, last out: hydraulic factor closer to
1
PE instead of steel
Easy to access
Bottom does not favor accumulation
Affects biocide selection & risk strategy
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Thank you!
Alain Trahan, [email protected]
(514) 943-9044Prepared [email protected]
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