Like any other piece of mechanical equipment, cooling towers can experience problems and fall into disrepair. Preventive maintenance can go very far when it comes to keeping cooling towers in good shape and preventing overall cooling tower problems. However, even a rigorous maintenance schedule can’t come up against common problems with cooling tower design, or mechanical problems that require expert repair.
Some problem solutions regarding cooling towers have an easy answer, and many involve just being aware and keeping to a regular maintenance schedule.
What Are Common Cooling Tower Issues?
With the exception of mechanical repair, there are some common problems and issues with cooling towers that are somewhat easy to repair, provided that they’re diagnosed in time. In a broader sense, prevention is easier than trying to repair the problem after the fact.
Some of these issues with cooling towers include:
- Corrosion. Corrosion is an inevitable part of the life cycle of a cooling tower, especially considering the tower is placed out in the open, where it is naturally exposed to the elements. Too often, a company will largely ignore corrosion, because it’s such a natural part of the life cycle. However, corrosion can easily take over and affect mechanical parts, where it can be a major problem. For this reason, the cooling tower should be inspected often, and buildup should be scaled to prevent damage.
- Scaling. This is another natural side effect of the way a cooling tower functions. Calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, silica, and magnesium silicate are all present, yet insoluble, in heated water. These are all compounds, and because of their insolubility, they leave deposits throughout the heat exchange system known as scaling. Scaling can affect energy efficiency at best, and at worst can damage piping. Water treatment and pH monitoring is necessary to keep scaling to a minimum.
- Fouling. Fouling is the result of dirt, debris, and other unwanted materials in the cooling tower. If too much fouling occurs and it is not addressed, it can affect the overall energy efficiency of the towers.
What Are Common Cooling Tower Repairs?
Even with the most routine of maintenance, cooling tower repairs do happen. Components wear out over time, and need to be replaced. Some of the more common repairs include:
- Mechanical damage, which may result in needing replacement of the pulleys, fan hubs, or fan shafts.
- Internal corrosion, which may require galvanized metal coatings for components or components to be replaced after corrosion.
- Pipeline problems, which may require a full or partial rebuild or a repair due to corrosion.
If you need an estimate for maintenance or repair for your cooling tower system in New Jersey, or have questions about maintaining our system, contact us today at Pinnacle CTS and we will troubleshoot your cooling tower problems for you.
Contact us
To learn more about cooling tower maintenance or to find out how we can help when it comes to routine cooling tower service and maintenance, contact Pinnacle Cooling Tower Service today at 732-570-9392. Our primary goals are safety, service, and customer satisfaction.
