Category Archives: Cooling Towers

A cooling tower can be thought of as a specialized heat exchanger where water and air meet with the purpose of reducing the temperature of the water. When this happens, a small total of the water evaporates, hence reducing the water temperature that is circulated throughout the tower.

This water is pumped through pipes to the cooling tower. Nozzles are used as the water sprays onto material known as fill that slows the flow of the water as it travels through the cooling tower and maximizes air and water contact. When they meet, a cooling action is created and the cooled water is then pumped back to the processing equipment where it absorbs hear. From there it is pumped back to the cooling tower and obviously, cooled again.

Crossflow Cooling

In these the water flows vertically while air flows in a horizontal manner. Hence, air doesn’t have to pass through the system of distribution, allowing the use of hot water that is gravity flowed with basins for distribution mounted at the top of the cooling unit.

Counterflow Cooling

These are designed so air flows in an upward direction to counter the falling water in the fill. it is not possible in the vertical airflow to utilize open gravity-flow basins in crossflow designs. Instead they use pressurized sprays to spray water onto the top of the fill. As air must pass through the system the pipes and nozzles are further apart so airflow is not restricted.

Induced Draft Versus Forced Draft

Induced system have fans on top of the units and they pull the air throug hthe fill. On the other hand, air is pushed by blowers located near the base of the air inlet on draft towers that have been forced.

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Cooling Tower Products has over 4 decades of experience with cooling tower maintenance and can help you with any cooling tower related project. Contact us today and get the professionals at Cooling Tower products on your side.

At some point, the majority of cooling towers will be contaminated with Legionella. The most effective deterrent is a quality program of water treatment that not only prevents the aforementioned risk but also ensures a safer and more efficient operation of the system as well as a longer life for the system. However, no maintenance system and water treatment alone will guarantee to keep legionella at bay. So read on to learn more about the best practices to use!

Cooling towers, of course, contain pools of water that is not only warm but open to the atmosphere, ideal conditions for legionella bacteria if there is no regular maintenance and frequent disinfecting and cleaning taking place. There is no question that managing the risk falls within the purview of the manager and facility owners. Let’s look at the hazards and how they can be prevented in further detail.

Water Source Quality

Hazard – Usually coming from a municipal or well supply but can sometimes come from a holding tank, makeup water often contains sludge, sediment, and rust.

Preventative Measures – The cooling tower should be disinfected and cleaned focusing on the entire tower and any holding tank by removing any sediment, sludge, and rust at least two times per year. If the water is coming from a river, reservoir or lake, antimicrobial treatments should be used before the water enters the cooling system to prevent fouling.

Treatment Of Water

Hazard – The flow velocities, temperature and other environmental factors of cooling tower waters vary.

Preventative Measures – The system should be designed so water can circulate throughout the system whenever it is operating. System operation should be coordinated with a full chemical treatment of the water. Also, keep the system clean by removing all dirt and debris. If the cooling tower needs to be shut down for more than three days, the entire system should be drained.

Understanding Disinfection

Hazard – Cooling towers are open to the environment and the system can rapidly become recolonized with micro bacteria.

Preventative Measures – Vary the antimicrobial stresses in the cooling tower microbial control program by alternating between two non-oxidizing biocides.

Significance of Biofilms

Hazard – Dust, dirt and suchlike enter the cooling tower water during the cooling process. Depending on where the cooling tower is located, the amount of material can be extensive. The presence of biofilms is important for Legionella survival and growth providing nutrients in water systems.

Preventative Measures – It is strongly advised to use a compatible and environmentally acceptable dispersant and/or detergent to penetrate biofilm and sediments. Make sure to follow proper cleaning and maintenance for your cooling system to ensure top performance and to minimize the risk of disease

Looking For Cooling Tower Maintenance?

Cooling Tower Products has over 4 decades of experience with cooling tower maintenance and can help you with any cooling tower related project. Contact us today and get the professionals at Cooling Tower products on your side.

On average, cooling towers cost about $125,000 to replace. In the United States, a cooling tower replacement will typically cost between $50,000 and $200,000 for the year 2019. A commercial cooling tower will last between 15 and 20 years according to most manufacturers of commercial cooling towers.

When a cooler tower age past 20 years there will be a need to completely rebuild or refabricate the tower. This means that towers built pre 2000 will need some form of commercial rehab or a total replacement. Shareholders of commercial cooling towers are often aware of the baffling costs associated with a complete rebuild of a cooling tower versus the savings of time and money for common maintenance and rehabbing of a cooling tower.

Per Ton Replacement Cost

The cost per ton for a cooling tower depends on the size of a cooling tower, as well as other features like epoxy treatment or brand specific equipment. The general rule of thumb is that larger cooling towers cost more to be installed, transported, and maintained. By now it should be apparent that by maintaining equipment with preventative maintenance and rehabbing will drastically reduce repair costs.

Cost of Refurbishing a Cooling Tower

Cooling tower products provide detailed evaluations and inspection services coupled with repair plus cleaning services! By performing regular cleaning and inspections, cooling tower repair costs will be decreased during the lifetime of cooling towers. Since a refurbishment is not the same as a repair, often-times cooling tower owners can raise capital to cover these costs! Not only does it make it easier to pay for refurbishments you can also expect a cost savings of 60% when compared to a repair.

Cooling Tower Cost for Feeder Water System

Without going into the specifics of different cooling tower systems a general ballpark cost will be between $50,000 to $100,000 for 100 Gallons Per Minute if desilicizer and softener treatment are required costs vary from $100,000–$250,000.

Cooling Tower Cost for Circulation Water System

A side stream filtration unit may cost about $50,000 at 100 GPM all the way up to $300,000 at 1,000 GPM, depending on the filtration type needed.

Cooling Tower Cost for Blowdown System

If you are looking to treat a cooling tower blowdown system which needs around seventy-five percent of water to be reused and recovered (100 Gallons Per Minute Stream), this type of system would cost about $300,000. A zero liquid discharge can be required based on the regulatory conditions present which can push costs to $3,000,000- $5,000,000 which includes crystallization and evaporation of water.

Cooling Tower Installation, Replacement, & Refurbishment in Arizona & Nevada

Our team offers complete cooling tower refurbishment that will save your company tens of thousands of dollars over buying and installing new cooling towers.  Cooling tower refurbishment and rebuilding adds about another 15 years of life to your equipment and helps you get your money’s worth out of your original investment in your cooling tower or property. We offer cooling tower installation, replacement, and refurbishment in Arizona and Nevada. We also sell other cooling tower parts and products.

If you are searching for cooling tower maintenance tips, this post should help. Cooling Tower Products is the largest supplier of cooling tower parts and products and can help you to keep your cooling tower in perfect working order.

Through regular use, a cooling tower that has been neglected means its leaving water temperature will increase. This raises the cost of energy up to 6% for every 2 degrees Fahrenheit of increase. Conversely, a cooling tower that has been regularly serviced and maintained will continue to function at the original level of optimum performance helping to keep the costs of energy as low as possible.

The following cooling tower maintenance tips are simple and can help you save up to 15% on the costs of electricity. As well as conserving water, a regular maintenance routine also extends the functional life of cooling equipment and ensure you get the maximum performance possible from your cooling towers.

1. Inspect the unit and having listened to it, take note of any noises that seem unusual to use as a baseline for any potential issues that may arise.
2. Follow the recommended and proper lock out procedures and disconnect motor switches before the commencement of any hands-on work. This is to ensure your safety.
3. Having made an inspection of the strainers cleaning debris from them will help to maintain excess materials from infiltrating the system.
4. Conduct an inspection of the water distribution system and check for dry areas over the fill coil section to increase system capacity by avoiding scale build up.If the surface is not fully wetted, check the nozzles for clogs and cracks.
5. Flush debris and dirt through the sump strainer or tower drain from the cold water basin to keep dirt from accumulating and to ensure maintenance of water filtration.
6. Find the appropriate predetermined water level by checking the makeup water supply. This will reduce air entrainment and conserves water.
7. As per the evaporation and local water quality regulations where you live, adjust the bleed rate to prevent the accumulation of solid mater in what that is being recirculated.
8. Optimal performance of the belt drive system is reliant upon any tension problems being properly addressed and fixed.
9. Always follow the manufacturers recommendations for assuring reliable service by routinely checking the oil quantity, oil level and shaft alignment for a gear drive system.
10. Every three months at a minimum, lubricate the bearings of fan shafts to ensure proper operation. You can eliminate the need for monthly bearing maintenance with the installation of bearing greasers that are automatic. This is an easy task to perform.

Frequency of maintenance does vary depending on the circulating water condition and the environment in which the unit operates. If you practice the habits of good maintenance you will not only extend the life of your equipment but also help to prevent the failure of equipment. If you also want to reduce downtime further in the event of an emergency where you cannot afford a stoppage, continue storing critical parts in inventory so they are at hand when you need them the most. Hopefully these tips will save you energy, time and money and assist you in getting the most value from your cooling equipment.

Looking For Cooling Tower Maintenance?

Cooling Tower Products has over 4 decades of experience with cooling tower maintenance and can help you with any cooling tower related project. Contact us today and get the professionals at Cooling Tower products on your side.