Common Cooling Tower Problems

Nearly all cooling towers have similar problems, as seen in this video. Any building with a cooling tower must monitor and control scaling, fouling, corrosion, and biological contamination. These problems make the cooling tower less energy efficient, raising overhead costs. Failure to prevent these problems may force you to rebuild a cooling tower which can be expensive. Cooling towers are usually humid and hot, making them a breeding place for unwanted biological growth like bacteria.


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These contaminants are harmful to people and can affect the efficiency of the cooling tower.

Leaking cooling towers are prone to corrosion. When chemicals in water flow through cooling tower systems, they erode the metal, resulting in leaks. Always rebuild a cooling tower to avoid leaks and corrosion. Fouling may occur in varying areas of a cooling tower system. Fouling may occur in different regions around the cooling tower, like the fill. Fouling occurs when cooling pipes or surfaces are clogged with dust, dirt, or debris. The air doesn’t cool accordingly when water flows through the fill inappropriately. Cooling towers are designed to interchange heat from the industrial process or chiller. The mineral build-up during this process can create layers, reducing the tower’s efficiency. Property owners must rebuild a cooling tower to eliminate scaling to reduce operational costs.

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