Cooling towers play a crucial role in several aspects of the various industrial processes. If the cooling towers are not adequately maintained, they lose their cooling capacity and do not function as they are supposed to. In such a scenario, the production process gets impacted. One of the major causes responsible for the reduction in cooling capacity is the accumulation of large amounts of soils and dirt.
A lot of reasons explain why it is important to maintain the proper functioning of the cooling towers. When maintained accurately, it helps prevent the spread of several air-borne diseases. Maintenance and refurbishment of cooling towers are essential to ensure that the employees stay healthy and safe. Industrial Cooling Solutions provides adequate repair, maintenance, and refurbishment services.
Cooling towers are used in several different industries and also have various configurations. Each tower is developed for a unique kind of application, and hence the maintenance depends on its application.
Negative Impact of an Uncleaned Cooling Tower
A dirty cooling tower results in inadequate functioning of a system, and it also risks the health of the people who are working in the same building. People visiting the vicinity of a building in which a cooling tower is used are also at risk. Hence, proper maintenance of the cooling tower is required to ensure the wellbeing of people visiting or living near it.
The initial step of maintaining a cooling tower is its inspection. This is usually done to see if the moving parts and the housing of the tower require cleaning or not. After it is determined which different parts require cleaning, you should move forward with the cleaning task. Following are the few things that you should keep in mind while cleaning or maintaining the cooling tower.
1. Removal of Scale Deposits:
The cooling tower operates using the evaporation technique, due to which the scale deposits get built up. It requires regular maintenance in the sense that the scale deposits should be removed regularly. The deposits in the cooling tower are usually caused because of the hard minerals present in the water that is being used. The severity of accumulated deposits depends on the number of minerals that are present in the water.
For instance, when limescale gets built up, the efficiency of the system, as well as the performance, deteriorates. If the deposit is left unchecked for a longer period, it leads to deterioration of the system before it ages. Hence, we recommend getting it cleaned a few times in a single year for the best results.
2. The Tubes Should Be Cleaned Thoroughly
The tubes of the cooling tower system often get contaminated with slime, mud, scale, or algae. It further leads to clogged tubes that are partially or completely impacted. The quality of water you use or the rate at which the dirt gets built up will determine the frequency at which you should get the tubes cleaned.
Every unit of the system experiences build-up at a home point in time, and therefore you should come up with a schedule that would work best for your company. Getting the tubes cleaned regularly is one of the most efficient ways of removing debris. The tubes play a crucial role in the overall supervision of the cooling system.
3. Ensure Constant Running of Air Flow
Poor fan performance leads to system breakdown quite often. A lot of factors contribute to poor airflows, such as improper alignment of the fan, loose parts, and when the gearbox is adequately maintained. Hire a cooling tower maintenance company, who will look for sludge buildup on the floor of the system.
They often use a tower vacuum so that the contaminants are all removed and adequate airflow is restored. They will also look for bacterial and algae growth in the cooling tower.
4. Treat The Water Used
The quality of water is one of the major factors that contribute to dirt buildup in the cooling system. Treating the water is crucial to keep the system functional and efficient for longer periods. Problems related to water quality may lead to the buildup of scum and scale. Hence, it is essential to always get the water tested and treated so that any kind of previous issues are treated effectively. Water treatment is a kind of investment that will help your system work efficiently, and it will provide peak levels of performance.
5. Regular Inspection of the Water Pump
Regular cleaning and maintenance will increase the efficiency of your pumping system to the greatest extent possible. It further helps to reduce monthly energy bills. The pump plays a major role in moving water back and forth, and a maintained pump will last a little longer. You can enhance the life span of the unit by hiring skilled people from experienced companies, by getting your water pump regularly. Such inspections include alignment checks as well.
Why Should You Get Your Cooling Tower Maintained?
You can easily prevent your cooling system from getting soiled with the help of annual, regular, and preventive measures. The maintenance of the cooling tower is crucial because of the following reasons:
- The cooling capacity of the tower is retained and in some cases, it is improved as well.
- The operational reliability of the cooling tower remains optimal.
- It prevents unnecessary breakdown of the system before time.
- The operation of your tower remains adequate.
- Scheduled maintenance prevents fallouts of the production capacity of the system.
Maintenance by skilled professionals is crucial since they use the right tools and products which help to restore the efficiency of your tower.
Conclusion
Regular maintenance and water treatment are the two most crucial factors that affect the life and efficiency of the system. Regular maintenance extends the working of these towers, and it also ensures that you will not have to replace the tower system anytime soon. You must take adequate care of your system and give it the required maintenance so that it provides an excellent performance for a prolonged time.
Rhydian Choi 
Kim Marks