How to improve your industrial cooling tower efficiency?

Industrial cooling tower

Overview

You may not think much about the smaller and medium-sized industrial cooling towers that allow your plant to work. But that doesn’t mean you can neglect them. These towers are as important as any piece of equipment on your property that you have. In your water cooling towers, you can increase water quality and then maintain energy and save your money. The efficiency of cooling towers plays a vital role in maximizing commercial and industrial cooling systems’ overall efficiency. The industrial cooling tower, intended for an industrial one, is an integral element of the system. It would therefore be very beneficial and further necessary to sustain and moreover to increase its performance.

But how do you ensure that your cooling tower is in the most effective way possible?

Cooling towers consist of multiple components with different functions. The excellent performance correlates to the overall cooling process performance. In addition to tower component conditions, the cooling tower’s performance will depend on climatic conditions. Some considerations are considered when a cooling tower is built. These considerations include the temperature of the wet bulb, the cooling range, the approach to the temperature of the wet bulb, the rate of water circulation, the air velocity through the air passageway of the tower, and, of course, the height of the tower. These design parameters play a significant role in the cooling tower’s efficiency. 

industrial Cooling Tower

Cooling towers are typically some of the most cost-effective cooling mechanisms relative to other cooling technologies. It is still necessary to monitor your industrial cooling tower’s efficiency and operate it as smoothly as possible. This will guarantee that this facility can:

  • Save energy.
  • Decrease the volume of water consumed.
  • Decrease the number of chemicals needed to treat water.
  • Extend the service life of the equipment
  • Reduce net operating expenditures.

Understanding the type of industrial cooling tower system:

Knowing the type of industrial cooling tower you have and how it operates is the first step in ensuring that your cooling tower runs efficiently. Different types of cooling towers are exposed to various pollutants, and specific types of treatment are needed for them.

Some of the common types are mentioned below:

Once through cooling tower system: To absorb heat from steam condenser draw water from a source and circulate the water through pipes. It then discharges the warmed water into the atmosphere. Generally, these systems are the simplest and most cost-effective choice for setting up and using cooling towers. Some facilities opt for other cooling solutions. For two purposes, one of which is local regulations, and the second, finding a facility in a region with enough water to draw from can be challenging.

Open recirculating cooling tower system: If your facility uses an open recirculating industrial cooling system, the same water is used and recirculated continuously during the process, eliminating heat by evaporation. Water reuse helps decrease the amount of water needed to operate the tower. However, this increases the risk of corrosion and deposition as the solids become more concentrated after evaporation occurs in the system. The heat can also promote bacterial growth in combination with open-air conditions and extract pollutants from the air.

Closed recirculating cooling tower: They work similarly to open recirculating systems, except the transfer of released heat to a heat exchanger without open-air exposure to any part of the process. When proper water chemistry is reached, this prevents pollution. Moreover, if there is a leak, the only time there has to be added make-up water to the device.

Understand the quality of source water needed to run the system:

Your precise water treatment specifications can differ, depending on the type of industrial cooling tower you run and how it works.

Feedwater to the cooling tower: You may or may not need treatment here, depending on the cooling water feed tower’s efficiency. In this cooling tower water process, if a water treatment system is essential, then the technology removes hardness and silica adjusts the pH.

Circulatory water in the tower: Usually, in the second phase, the cooling tower would require for the tower’s flowing water. This helps keep particles free from your cooling tower to build up and foul the cooling tower. A cooling tower’s chemical treatment will usually occur inside the tower at this phase. Proper chemical treatment minimizes the formation of scales, critical equipment corrosion. It also helps to disperse suspended solids so that settling in low-flow areas can be reduced.

Cooling tower bleed to drain: Blowdown or bleeding from the tower is the last part of the treatment for the cooling of tower water. This makes it possible to concentrate and remove liquid and solid waste, while processed water can be quickly returned and reused to the tower.

How to improve the performance of industrial cooling towers?

Piping change:

You can better manage your energy consumption with easy repairs, such as modifying the water piping. Changing one pipe to discharge blowdown water to return hot water will increase the cooling system’s total energy efficiency by up to 2%. However, it’s necessary to manage the equipment carefully. Consult with experts who knows about cooling towers or the replacement of pipes.

Focus on recycling:

Ensure the cooling tower is working and recycled correctly. It is essential for the management of water, preservation of energy, and saving money. Cooling towers of high quality are manufactured and engineered to recover at least 98 percent of all wastewater in the system. Recycling a large volume of water will contribute to substantial energy and water reductions. This will save money for your company and also boost the water quality.

Periodically inspect all equipment:

Inspections are an essential part of ensuring that cooling systems are functioning correctly. You will end up wasting even more energy and resources if you neglect them. In order to run and maintain an industry, it is essential to conduct daily maintenance and repair checks on your cooling system. You have to check for heat transfer areas, corrosion, biological growth, and any deposits of particle contamination. These damages and issues will reduce energy efficiency by at least 5% and maybe even more for the entire cooling system.

Increase cooling cycles:

It is also essential to know the number of processes your cooling tower uses. We can reduce make-up water up to 20% by rising water-cooling cycles. This can also reduce the blowdown of the cooling tower by up to half. Most individuals do not rely on cooling towers because they do not have the equipment high on their priority list. In order to conserve energy, save money, and run a smooth plant, it is necessary to improve water efficiency in all your cooling towers. 

Bottom Line 

For the effectiveness and reliability of your system’s operation, it is essential to be aware of possible cooling tower water treatment problems and know how to solve them. Consulting a water treatment expert is extremely necessary for determining the correct solutions for your cooling tower water treatment. The proper management of your system would be based on the individual needs of your plant. We also assist with adequate pretreatment of the cooling tower make-up water. You can contact us for any queries regarding the industrial cooling tower water treatment. We always have a solution for you, so do not hesitate to contact us with your questions.

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