As temperatures start to rise during the summer months, cooling towers become an essential part of any building’s infrastructure. Cooling towers play a crucial role in regulating the temperature of buildings by removing heat from HVAC water systems.
However, with the increase in temperature and humidity during summer heatwaves, cooling towers can become overwhelmed and fail to function effectively.
Therefore, it is essential to prepare your cooling tower for summer heatwaves to ensure that it can handle the increased demand for cooling.
It’s important to understand the steps you can take to prepare your cooling tower for summer heatwaves, and why it is important to do so.
Why is Cooling Tower Maintenance Most Important During the Summer?
Cooling towers are critical pieces of equipment, and the heat of the summertime increases their vulnerability to wear and tear.
Maintaining your cooling tower is important year round, but it is particularly crucial during the summer due to the increased head load, increased water usage, and favorable conditions for bacteria growth.
How Do You Prepare Your Cooling Tower for Summer Heatwaves?
Preparing your cooling tower for the heat of summer requires multiple steps. The good news is that working with an experienced water treatment company is the best solution for preparing your tower.
Your water treatment company can handle the key steps to ensure your tower is working efficiently and handling its summer workload. In order to handle the increased demand, it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance, monitor your tower temperature and water levels, and if necessary make adjustments to chemical use.
Cleaning Your Cooling Tower
Preparing your cooling tower for the long summer starts with your regularly scheduled tower cleaning. It is recommended that you conduct cleaning and sanitizing at least twice a year.
Whether your building staff or water treatment company is cleaning your tower, it is important to thoroughly clean the tower, including the basin, tower fill, drift eliminators, and nozzles.
Your tower cleaning should preferably be done at the beginning and end of the cooling season, but definitely before the peak of summer.
Tower cleanings help to remove dirt and debris from the system which can clog your system or lead to inefficient transfer of heat. It also helps to prevent the buildup of bacteria such as legionella and the spread of Legionnaires’ disease.
Regular Inspections, Monitoring, and Testing
Another key step in preparing your HVAC system for long summer days involves close testing and monitoring of the system’s activity prior to and throughout the season.
Your water treatment company should be making regular monthly visits and providing reporting on the following items which will indicate how your system is performing. These reports will determine if adjustments are necessary.
Tower Inspections
Inspect the cooling tower for any signs of damage or wear and tear. Check for leaks, cracks, or other issues that could affect the performance of the tower. Regular inspection can help find issues before they result in problems that lead to downtime.
Testing
Test the water quality to ensure that it is within the recommended range for the cooling tower. This includes pH levels, total dissolved solids, and biocide levels.
High levels of minerals or other impurities can cause scale buildup, which can reduce the efficiency of the tower and cause damage to the heat exchanger or other components.
Monitoring
Monitor the water levels in the cooling tower to ensure that they are adequate for the increased heat load of summer. By keeping the water level within the recommended range, the tower will be able to remove heat more efficiently, reducing energy usage and associated costs.
If the water level in the cooling tower is too low, the fill may not be wetted sufficiently, reducing the cooling capacity of the tower. Monitor the temperature of the cooling tower water and adjust the cooling tower settings as needed to maintain optimal performance. This may involve adjusting the fan speed or water flow rate.
The temperature of the water in the cooling tower affects its ability to remove heat from the HVAC system. High temperatures can cause plastic components to warp or crack, and metal components to corrode.
Chemical Adjustments
Adjust the chemical treatment of the cooling tower to ensure that it is appropriate for the summer conditions. This may involve increasing the amount of biocide or scale inhibitor, depending on the water quality and usage.
Hotter temperatures will increase demand on your system, which calls for more water use. The more water that evaporates through your tower, and the more cycles your system completes, the more chemicals you will use.
Work With the Cooling Tower Experts at Tower Water
Your cooling tower responsibilities are best left to the professionals who have years of experience summer-proofing towers so that they work at peak efficiency even during the hottest months.
From water treatment to regular cleaning and maintenance, the professionals at Tower Water can help you manage your cooling tower. Give us a call at (212) 518-6475 to learn more about preparing your cooling tower for the summer or to schedule an appointment.
