Cooling tower systems are essential for industrial processes and help to expel waste heat and condense the steam to cool down water used during production. While the concept of this structure is rather simple and doesn’t involve overly complex technology, its efficiency can dwindle over time without proper care.
A high-efficiency cooling tower system running at peak performance should cool about .2-.3 liters per minute. This in turn helps industrial plants to save energy, reduce waste, and lower overall operating costs.
But systems that are constantly running or responsible for handling high volume will start to lose efficiency after some time. There are many reasons why this decline happens, such as:
- Weather-related damage
- Build-up from dust, minerals in the water, or other debris
- Mechanical issues
Efficiency can also fluctuate day-to-day, based on factors like the air velocity through the passageways or the water circulation rate. If the temperature of the water varies, the system may run more efficiently one day compared to the next. But as energy costs continue to rise, the need for highly efficient cooling towers is growing.
Proper cooling tower maintenance can help to reduce significant variations and keep the system running for many years. Here are just a few ways to keep your cooling tower system running as efficiently as possible.
1. Keep Up with Regular Cleaning
One of the key reasons that a cooling tower system will start to decline in efficiency is due to an overgrowth of bacteria. This is quite common, even in highly sterile industries, as cooling towers create the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria to thrive. Dark, damp spaces with lots of oxygen and specific pH levels are necessary for bacteria to reproduce, so you’ll often find it present in cooling towers.
One of the main types of bacteria to be wary of is Legionella, a type of pathogenic bacteria that can cause Legionnaire’s disease and pneumonia if ingested. Thankfully, most cooling tower systems have a closed loop that prevents water from being released into the air.
However, bacterial growth is an indication that your system is not running properly. Bacteria often form in still water, so a high level of Legionella, or other types of bacteria, may be a sign that the cool tower is not operating efficiently.
The cleaning process should include:
- Chlorinating the water
- Cleaning off the hot deck to remove scale deposits
- Disinfecting fan housing and tower basin
- Opening and washing the distribution pans
- Vacuuming the sump
OSHA recommends cleaning the entire cooling tower system twice a year with bacterial descaler and disinfectant. This will help to kill bacteria and also remove mineral buildup. If you drain the towers before the winter months, it is highly encouraged to use vacuum systems to clean out any “sludge” that has formed from debris in the water.
2. Try to Minimize Waste and Water Loss
Efficiency is not only related to the energy consumed during the process but also the waste produced or product lost. A high-efficiency cooling tower system should only lose about 1% of total water mass through evaporation for every 10° F of water cooling.
To calculate water replacement, you need to determine the cycles of concentration. This is the ratio of the solids in the makeup water compared to the total dissolved solids present in blowdown water. You want to reduce as much blowdown water as possible to maximize cycles of concentration.
By adjusting the water treatment chemicals used, you can increase these cycles of concentration. By doing this, you can reduce tower blowdown by up to 50% and cut down tower make-up water by 20%.
3. Schedule Routine Preventative Maintenance
Fixing small problems or conducting preventative repairs and replacements can help to support the efficiency of your cooling tower tremendously. It’s just like how we take care of our vehicles – if you keep up with regular oil changes, tire rotations, and routine tune-ups, your car will run for much longer with fewer major repairs needed.
There are some routine maintenance inspections that you should complete on your own. For example, test out the belts, pulleys, and screens every week to make sure they are in good condition. Also, every month you should clean out debris from strainers, adjust the bleed rate, lubricate fan shaft bearings, and check on belt tension. Making these small adjustments throughout the year can really help to improve the efficiency of your cooling tower system.
More thorough preventative cooling tower maintenance is also highly recommended. This includes a full diagnostic checkup on your cooling tower system, along with a thorough cleaning, inspection, and part replacements based on a recommended schedule.
Pinnacle Cooling Tower Service offers a preventative maintenance program with dedicated technicians who will take care of your system. Our technicians will conduct a thorough inspection, looking for any signs of issues like excessive vibration and signs of bacterial growth. They will also clean and lubricate all of the motors, fans, and pumps.
Next, they may recommend or upgrade your sensor system so it will monitor the efficiency of your cooling tower automatically. This will also send an alert if any problems arise so you can contact a maintenance or repair service right away.
Over to You
Supporting a high-efficiency cooling tower system requires commitment. While brand new cooling towers may run quite smoothly, eventually the efficiency of your system will start to wane on its own. Thankfully, cooling tower maintenance doesn’t need to be overly complicated to make a big impact.
Improving the efficiency and longevity of your cooling tower can save you lots of money and help you avoid incredibly expensive repairs down the road. A little bit of effort goes a long way. If you need help, you can reach out to Pinnacle for repairs, inspection, and maintenance.
Contact us
If you’re interested in learning more about improving the efficiency of your cooling tower by scheduling preventative maintenance, we can help. We service cooling towers throughout the state of New Jersey as well as the Greater New York City areas.
