Did you know your cooling tower may not be running at peak efficiency or at full capacity – even if it’s only a few years old?
Efficiency diminishes quickly and this can impact the output and energy consumption of your cooling tower. Many service providers might recommend upgrades or other investments to improve its functionality.
But are they really worth it?
Knowing what is necessary and unnecessary in a cooling tower upgrade is not always clear. In this post, we want to educate you on the most important factors to consider in an upgrade – and if they are worth the money. Let’s dive in.
1. Galvanized Steel Structures
If an inspection shows that the structural integrity of your cooling tower is compromised, you’ll need to repair it. Galvanized steel coatings for cooling towers have been used since the 1950s. Most companies recommend using galvanized steel because it’s an inexpensive repair solution. The steel is usually coated in zinc to protect it from corrosion.
The downside to this solution is that galvanized steel is not very strong. The zinc coating can wear off over time leading to corrosion. This is especially true with the severe weather here in the tri-state area. Your cooling tower takes a beating all year round due to rainstorms, frequent weather changes, and relentless winters.
It’s a better investment to go with stainless steel. Stainless steel is much stronger, will last longer, and is naturally resistant to corrosion. The upfront cost might be a bit higher than other options, but it will pay for itself in fewer repairs and headaches in the long run.
2. Preventative Maintenance Services
Regular inspections are a must for your cooling tower. Along with that, preventative maintenance is extremely important to ensure that your cooling tower is performing at optimal capacity. This is the time to resolve any small issues that could eventually lead to bigger and more expensive issues.
Just like your car gets oil changes, tires rotated, and fluids topped off, your cooling tower deserves the same tender-loving care. Spending a little extra money periodically can save you lots of money in repairs (or even a cooling tower rebuild) in the long run. This ensures that your cooling tower is always running at peak performance levels.
No matter what kind of cooling tower you have, preventive maintenance not only extends the life of your tower and keeps it running efficiently, but it also helps keep anyone working near the cooling tower healthy. Keeping the water in the tower clean stops bacteria from growing and ensures that workers aren’t breathing contaminated air.
Preventive maintenance on your cooling tower can involve the following:
- Cleaning all its motors, fans, and pumps
- Lubrication of all motors, fans, and pumps
- Visual inspection of all cooling tower components
Several other tasks need to be done regularly to maintain the efficiency of your cooling tower. They include:
- Cleaning all debris from the strainers
- Monitoring for scale buildup
- Adjusting the bleed rate to keep within local water quality regulation
- Lubricating fan shaft bearings
3. New Fan Driver
There are many different types of fan drivers that are used in cooling tower systems.
- Belt
- Gear
- Direct Drive
- EC Motor
Belt Drives function like a pulley system. They include a belt that is powered by another source and constantly moves. The speed of the belt’s movement depends on the size of the sheave. Belt drives need continual monitoring and regular maintenance because the parts are not housed separately. This means they are not protected from the extreme environment in the cooling tower.
Installing a belt drive is inexpensive at first – but the maintenance costs increase over time. Belt drive maintenance normally includes belt replacement and lubrication, which needs to be performed several times per year. You can already see the costs go up.
Gear Drives are most often used for larger horsepower fans. These parts are built specifically to withstand extreme environments and can function well in the heat/humidity that exists inside a cooling tower. The downside is they can incur higher maintenance costs and typically involve longer downtimes.
Direct Drives are expensive to install initially, but they do not require much maintenance. In fact, out of the four options discussed, direct drives have the lowest maintenance cost, which means a low cost of total ownership. They do not require much relubrication and do not need alignments or any other transmission components. They have a VFD (variable frequency drive) that regulates the speed of the fan shaft and helps with energy conservation.
EC Drives (electronically commutated) is a direct drive with a VFD built together into a small, compact motor. These are easy to install and replace due to their size and are the most energy-efficient option. The motor is sealed and does not need any maintenance, which is also a plus. The big downside is that due to its size, EC drives may not work well for large-scale cooling towers.
4. Platforms
Even if you’re able to keep your cooling tower functioning like it’s brand new, there will come a time when it needs maintenance, parts replacements, or an inspection. To make that easier on you and the technicians, it’s recommended that you install an external motor and access platforms.
External motors will last longer because they’re not exposed to the high heat and moisture that exists inside of a cooling tower. Internal motors age prematurely due to corrosion because of this exposure. That isn’t a problem you’ll have with an external motor.
These motors are easier to access, which leads to repairs being completed faster. That means less downtime and more money saved. Adding access platforms around your cooling towers makes inspections and potential repairs much easier and safer to complete.
Wrap Up
Your cooling tower is expected to do a lot of work. To maintain its peak efficiency and performance, it’s important to know what upgrades make the most sense for your system. There are many options out there and it can be confusing to know what to choose from a financial and performance point of view.
Contact us
Pinnacle CTS is your cooling tower expert here in the Tri-State area. We’re available 24/7 for all your cooling tower needs. Our foundational values are a safe work environment; quality of work performed, and customer satisfaction. We’ll never deviate from those values.
Contact us for all your cooling tower upgrades, repairs, and preventative maintenance services.
