Direct Vs Indirect seawater cooling

[causeandeffect]

hi fellow engineers,
I know this issue has been around for many years and I am aware of various pros and cons but I would like to hear opinions and reasons from engineers why they have chosen to design and install direct seawater cooling system in lieu of indirect system (use sw to cool fresh water loop to cool), especially those with feed back from their direct sw design.
many thanks
C&E

 

[MortenA]

cost and complexibility?

Best regards

Morten

 

[gr2vessels]

Improved corrosion resistant materials and cost cutting. You can have a good seawater cooled exchanger without an additional "clean" cooling circuit. Titanium clad carbon steel plate or forgings are now trivial materials and cost effective. Try google for info...
cheers,
gr2vessels

 

[MJCronin]

cause......

Capital cost is the primary factor.

How often do you want to replace the part of the system that the seawater touches ?

Seawater eats everything (eventually)

When I worked at a USNavy shipyard 30 years ago, seawater was described as the world's oldest "universal solvent"

-MJC