How Do You Maintain A Cooling Tower?

Keeping a cooling tower well maintained and operating smoothly is crucial to the overall running of operations on any site.

Without proper maintenance, bacteria can build up which will contaminate the water and significantly increase health and safety risks.

In addition, lack of maintenance can increase future repair costs and energy costs whilst reducing the lifespan of your cooling tower.

Can I Carry Out My Own Cooling Tower Maintenance?

If someone within your company has experience and knowledge in cooling tower maintenance, then maintenance can be carried out in-house. However, cooling tower maintenance is an ongoing task that requires time, consistency and effort.

The tower should be inspected monthly and cleaned regularly to prevent the build-up of sediment and bacteria. During inspections, any maintenance or remedial work should be identified and carried out as soon as possible.

If you do not have an in-house team member that has the knowledge, experience and time to carry out cooling tower maintenance, it is best to bring in a professional water treatment specialist.

Aside from keeping your cooling tower in working order, a water treatment specialist will also make sure all regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.

What Does Cooling Tower Maintenance Involve?

Regular (monthly) inspections to determine cleaning schedules and check for any remedial work that may need carrying out.

Regular cleaning and removal of sediment, scale deposits, slime and anything that may cause bacteria growth and Legionella growth. This includes cleaning and disinfection of the tower basin, chiller tubes and the fill.

Where applicable, the cooling tower motor, fan, water inlet/outlet, spray nozzles, drain and float valve should also be inspected. Some cooling tower parts, such as the float valve and baffles are prone to corrosion, which can cause water contamination.

The majority of the cooling tower and its parts will need inspecting as often as once per month or quarterly. Whereas some elements of the cooling tower will only need inspecting annually.

As part of your cooling tower maintenance, you should have a water treatment plan. This should include regular Legionella risk assessments and a water hygiene system to ensure you meet all health and safety regulations.

Clarion Water is a water hygiene specialist with more than 30 years worth of experience. We ensure that our clients have the correct water hygiene systems and are compliant with all of the legislation that they need to be.

What About Cooling Tower Repairs?

If cooling tower maintenance is not carried out as and when it should be, you will end up with significant problems. The build-up of sediment will lead to bacteria and Legionnaire’s Disease, which can be extremely dangerous for anyone on your site.

The bacteria build-up will also delaminate the cooling tower’s internal coating, causing corrosion and weakened surfaces. The surfaces will develop a poor chemical resistance and will begin to erode, leading to leaks.

At this stage, repairs and potentially a full cooling tower refurbishment are the best options. At Clarion Water, we will always try to carry out the most cost-effective and efficient option. We have a great deal of experience working on cooling tower repair projects.

Usually, we can often foresee issues and challenges that come with cooling tower repair projects, especially if we already maintain the cooling tower. Our team can then take the necessary steps to carry out any repairs and remedial work quickly and efficiently.

For example, if your cooling tower was leaking due to corrosion, the steps we take to repair it may include:

• Thorough preparation using specialist mechanical equipment
• Removal of all the scale, sediment and corrosion from the tank
• Shot blast abrasion to all the internal surfaces and then removal of all debris using a vacuum
• Weld repair all holes in the tank
• Apply a 3 coat WRAS approved lining system to the base and walls of the tower
• Wait for the lining system to cure, refill the tower and return to service.

Clarion Water’s WRAS approved solvent-free polyurethane coating was specifically designed for relining potable and drinking water tanks and towers. It offers fantastic protection against future erosion and corrosion.

We are so sure of our product that we offer a 10-year guarantee on all our tank lining systems.

Get In Touch

Do you need help maintaining your cooling tower? Has a recent cooling tower inspection uncovered issues that need addressing ASAP? Is your cooling tower no longer meeting water hygiene regulations?

Get in touch with Clarion Water today. Our experienced team will advise the best option for your cooling tower.