Nitrite for open recirculating cooling tower

[ak83]

I was told that nitrite cant be used for open recirculating cooling towers.
Is it becuase oxygen will convert it into nitrate whihc dont have good inhibitor properties? I will appreciate if someone can explain in details.

 

[bimr]

Not sure why you would consider using sodium nitrite in a cooling tower.

Sodium nitrite is used as a perservative in some food applications. It is known as pink salt. Of course, in food applications, it is not dissolved in a large volume of water like you would have in a cooling tower.

Sodium nitrite also has some toxic properties and would be considered to be a water pollutant.

In a cooling tower, sodium nitrite will be oxidized by oxygen in the cooling tower water to sodium nitrate, NaNO3. Note that the cooling tower water is highly oxygenated as it falls down through the tower packing.

NaNO2 + O2 ? NaNO3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_nitrite

http://www.212articles.com/learning-about-the-various-uses-of-sodium-nitrite/