Dow Freeport, USA

What is it?

The adoption of Nalco’s 3D TRASAR technology to optimise operations and save water at Dow Chemical’s sprawling 5,000-acre production site in Freeport, Texas.

Who is responsible?

Nalco provided the technology, which was adapted by a Dow/Nalco team to classify cooling tower systems based on a variety of control parameters.

What makes it special?

• Dow Chemical’s vast production site at Freeport, Texas, has a voracious appetite for water. By optimising water use in the site’s 80 process and comfort cooling tower systems, the company was able to achieve annual savings of 1 billion gallons of water (3.8 million m³) - enough to sustain the entire population of Freeport for three years.

• The implementation of Nalco’s game-changing 3D TRASAR technology - which automatically maintains optimal chemistry of the water used in cooling systems, greatly reducing the quantity of water and energy needed to run them - has saved Dow $4 million in annual maintenance costs.

• More than 10,000 3D TRASAR cooling water automation units are installed around the world, enabling water savings of more than 75 billion gallons (284 million m³) every year. Large-scale applications like Freeport allow Nalco to refine its technology in real-world situations - a vital tool to improving the process for the future.