Chills And Spills: What You Need To Know About Cooling Tower Leaks
What causes leaks in cooling towers?
Cooling towers are crucial pieces of equipment used in facilities using water-cooled systems. Despite being resilient, the effects of weather and harsh elements over time can cause costly faults in cooling towers. Wearable items can fail in cooling towers reducing efficiency or creating leaks. Many facilities shut down cooling towers during winter months and don’t begin using them until warmer weather. This shut down can cause moving parts to bind.
Hot summer months place excessive demands on cooling towers, which can expose areas of weakness. The majority of faults and damage occur during the warmer months when the need to have a well-operating cooling tower is critical. So if your cooling tower is not in good physical shape, there could be a terrible price to pay from the compounding effects of oxidation and time.
Where do leaks most commonly occur?
Joints & Seams:
Fiberglass cooling towers can develop leaks around stressed components if not adequately supported. As fiberglass does not corrode like its steel counterparts, it does need to be supported properly, so the weight of the water and connections are properly distributed.
Steel towers develop leaks more frequently over time than fiberglass towers. With treatment such as galvanized dips or stainless steel options, this corrosion can be delayed.
Pipe systems:
Pipe systems, which connect cooling towers to other HVAC components, are also prone to issues when it comes to leaks. A combination of external and internal corrosion can develop into thin and through-wall defects, reducing the functionality of the entire system. Also, due to the movement between pipes and the cooling tower, poor connections can cause leaks. Proper support of components and piping are critical to avoid stressing joints and piping, causing leaks.
Fan components:
The mechanical moving parts of your cooling tower are crucial for the tower to cool on the hottest of days. Fan motors and bearings are wearable items that need to be checked for alignment and wear before they create a cooling tower failure.
What impact do they have?
Like overheating the engine in your car, the loss of cooling capability from industrial cooling towers during summer months can result in several serious problems. These can include excessive downtime, destruction of equipment, and loss of product due to quality issues. These issues can be costly and paralyzing for your business and are exceptionally debilitating during summer months when there is the highest strain on the tower.
In addition to the issues of cost and efficiency, the effects of leaks in heat exchangers can harm the environment. The potential impact of these seemingly minor issues over time cannot be overstated.
What can you do about it?
The best thing you can do is to have your cooling tower professionally inspected for leaks. Thermatec has over 44 years of experience specializing in industrial cooling equipment. By getting a full assessment of your cooling tower, you will save money in future costs, increase your efficiency and performance, and ensure that your cooling tower is safe for the environment and your employees.
Ready to put a stop to your leaks?