Here at Hydroserve, we work closely with large business and industrial clients to ensure that their water cooling systems are safe, clean, and efficient. Many of our clients come to us with questions like “how does a cooling system work” and wonder how to maintain a cooling system to avoid deterioration and maximize efficiency. In this blog, we’ll cover these topics with you.
How Does a Cooling System Work?
Cooling systems perform a very specific job for your industry: they take waste hot water and cool it down so that it can be reused within the loop. But, how does that take place?
As the loop starts, hot water from your system’s condenser rises to the top of the tower via pumps and piping. This hot water then gets sprayed onto your cooling system’s “heat transfer media,” which can be fed through a variety of ways.
The bottom of the cooling tower serves to gather the cooled water that has flowed over the heat transfer media. This cooled water is then collected and pumped back into the water cooling loop.
In an effort to make cooling systems more efficient, large electric motors usually blow air throughout the entire system. This increases the rate of evaporation. It’s important to remember that these fans are critical to the system’s efficiency and should be checked regularly.
This is a simplification of how cooling systems work, but it can be helpful as we consider how to keep your system healthy and extend its longevity.
How to Maintain a Cooling System to Extend Its Longevity:
Here at Hydroserve, we want your system to last as long as possible. After all, a cooling system is a huge investment that you may not have the capital to replace. By following these periodic instructions, you can keep your cooling system clean and functioning at its maximum capacity. Keep in mind that the manufacturer of your system will have specific instructions that should override what we have here.
Monthly Maintenance for Cooling Systems:
It’s incredibly important to check in with your cooling system once a month. This helps you identify problems before they arise and can be a huge source of financial savings for your business. We recommend you check the following things each month:
- Do you notice any changes in the sounds or vibrations coming from your cooling system?
- Do you see any signs of wear on the system’s drive belts?
- Are there any signs of leakage on the gear reducer or lube lines?
- Clean any accumulated debris from air inlet louvers.
- Ensure that the valves have their full range of motion still.
- Remove debris from the pump suction screen.
- Check on the deposition rate of silt buildup. Monitor and record it for your records.
Semiannual Maintenance for Cooling Systems:
- Re-lubricate any bearings that are due for lubrication.
- Check your oil level for the gear reducer (with the fan off) and top it off. Make sure to re-tighten anything that is loose.
- Check out the drift eliminators inside your tower. Remove debris or scale buildup that you see. You can hire this job out to us, too.
- Check for silt, then drain the basin and clean it out if you see lots of silt.
Annual Maintenance for Cooling Systems:
Now’s the time for a complete, thorough inspection of your cooling system. Shut everything down, if you can, and hire a professional if necessary.
- Inspect every inch of your tower, cleaning debris as you go.
- Take a peek into the hot water system – if you see algae or silt, flush with disinfectant and clean the insides of the system.
- Lubricate all bearings.
- Change your drive belt if it looks worse for wear.
- Replace your gear reducer lubricant if necessary.
Minimizing Bacterial Growth in Cooling Systems
The steps above, when followed on a regular basis, will help you minimize the risk of your system developing bacterial overgrowths (like Legionella). To learn more about Legionella and how to keep your systems Legionella-free, check out Legionella: Prevention, Detection, and Destruction.
Hydroserve: Your Partner in Cooling System Efficiency
Here at Hydroserve, we want your system to last as long as possible. We even offer refurbishment services so that you can avoid total replacements of extremely pricey systems. Get in touch with our team of water treatment experts today to learn more about what we have to offer you!