Why Repairs to Your Cooling Tower Could Be Long Overdue
Cooling towers are an instantly recognisable part of an industrial facility in many towns and cities across the country. They may have been around for generations but do need to be maintained carefully to ensure that they not just perform a crucial task, but remain "neutral" to the surrounding environment. This is crucial, as the type of fill used to line the inside of these towers can, in certain circumstances, contribute to pollution. If it's been some time since your cooling tower was inspected, why should this be a top priority?
Understanding the Risk
It's important to ensure that any exhausted air is not contaminated with tiny water droplets in a phenomenon known in the industry as "drift." These droplets could contain chemical and material matter linked to the water circulating within the tower, and these have been shown to cause health problems, especially for those who are susceptible.
Furthermore, these "drift" particles can cause damage to vehicles or equipment parked nearby, as they have corrosive properties. They may also cause issues closer to home, with damage to components within the tower leading to an unwanted repair bill.
What to Do Next
You may want to consider installing drift eliminators to help alleviate the risk, but you should play closer inspection to the fill sheets within the tower as a top priority.
Upgrade or Repair?
If it's been some time since these sheets were inspected, they may have begun to deteriorate and peel away from their supporting frame. This can often happen due to natural vibration or the weight of saturated water. Once one sheet begins to fail, this can have a knock-on effect and pull down adjoining sheets quite quickly.
Better Option
You may need to replace all of your sheets with something that is more rigid and comes in the form of a block instead. After all, the task of trying to reinstall hanging sheets in a piecemeal fashion can be particularly challenging. Often, damage can be caused to other sheets inadvertently, with obvious consequences.
Block Installation
Think about installing rigid blocks instead, which are supported from the bottom, are much thicker, and will resist the tendency to stretch or flutter. These sheets will also help to avoid the release of toxic particles and unwanted drift.
Taking Urgent Action
If you're not careful, you could run into trouble with environmental regulators, as the health risk associated with drift could be significant. Talk with contractors, like those at Marley Flow Control Pty Ltd, to see if you should replace all your sheets with blocks as soon as possible.
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