Many industrial facilities rely on evaporative cooling towers to dissipate the heat generated by various industrial machinery and processes. The cooling tower uses water to extract heat from the system and eject it into the atmosphere. For this process to work optimally, the cooling tower parts should be in excellent condition. Plants with decade-old cooling towers may experience cooling inefficiencies due to worn, broken, or damaged cooling tower parts. If you have an old cooling tower, use this replacement checklist to optimize cooling performance.
Inefficient Cooling Tower Fill
The fill is the heart of the cooling tower. It is where hot water mixes with the air to achieve evaporation and cooling. There must be maximum contact between the air and water for efficient cooling to occur. The tower fill achieves this by increasing the surface area of the water. Therefore, if it's not working properly, the cooling tower won't cool efficiently.
Below are four signs of an inefficient cooling tower fill.
- Mineral buildup in the tower fill
- Increased energy consumption of the cooling tower
- Worn support grids
- Sagging fill
These issues occur due to blockages and age-related wear and tear. Either way, they cause an uneven distribution of water and hinder the cooling process. Replacing worn and inefficient fills can restore cooling performance and lower the equipment's energy consumption.
Corroded Sheet Metal
Various parts of a cooling tower are made of sheet metal. They include the tower basins, diffuser trays, holding pans, and sidewalls. Sheet metal is prone to corrosion over time due to exposure to water treatment chemicals. Humidity and old age are also causative factors of corrosion. Corrosion of the metal tower components increases the risk of leaks, dangerous failures, and costly repairs.
The chemicals and minerals in the water can corrode most metals over time. Therefore, it's imperative to inspect metal components for signs of corrosion and leaks. Replace worn sheet metal and metal components to prevent costly downtime due to equipment failure. Invest in high-quality, corrosion-resistant metal parts that can withstand the chemicals in the water for a long time.
Damaged Mechanical Components
Cooling towers have various mechanical components that facilitate the cooling process. These parts include fans, driveshafts, gearboxes, and pulleys, and they require regular lubrication to prevent friction and mechanical wear. Unfortunately, inadequate lubrication and exposure to chemicals can cause these parts to wear out.
Worn shafts, damaged bearings, and loose pulleys affect the functionality of the mechanical components, causing premature wear and tear. Consequently, the parts fail to work correctly and strain the entire cooling tower. Replace all worn mechanical parts to ease the strain on the fans, gearboxes, driveshafts, and other key components.
Replacing the worn parts of an old and inefficient cooling tower can instantly improve cooling efficiency, eliminate costly downtime, and optimize industrial operations. Invest in high-quality replacement parts to achieve excellent performance.
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