3 Commonly Replaced Cooling Tower Parts

Cooling towers play a critical role in managing the temperature of water heated by industrial processes. Without a functional cooling tower, it would be impossible to recirculate water throughout your facility.

Most cooling towers are constructed to be durable, but this doesn't mean the towers themselves are indestructible. You will have to replace certain parts over the lifespan of your cooling tower.

Identifying the most commonly replaced parts will allow you to be prepared for future repairs.

1. Fill Media

The fill media is one of the most critical parts of your cooling tower. Think of the fill media as a part that facilitates contact between heated water and cool air.

Heated water is distributed through the fill media. This increases the surface area of the water, allowing the evaporative cooling process to begin. Your water will cool much faster if you have quality fill media installed in your cooling tower.

Be sure that you check your fill media for signs of wear regularly, and replace the fill media often to maximize cooling.

2. Drift Eliminator

Cooling towers are fitted with a drift eliminator. The drift eliminator is responsible for reducing process water loss during the cooling process.

Evaporative cooling results in small water droplets becoming airborne. The drift eliminator causes the air and the droplets to change direction suddenly, which separates the droplets and the air molecules from one another.

The water droplets are collected on the surface of the drift eliminator before being returned to the cooled water supply. 

A damaged drift eliminator can compromise the efficiency of your cooling tower, so you must replace this part quickly when it begins to fail.

3. Fans

The evaporative cooling process that takes place inside a cooling tower requires large volumes of air. This air is generated through large fans within the cooling tower. The fans force air through the cooling tower.

It's important that you monitor your fans closely for signs of damage. Since these fans operate in a moist environment, they are extremely susceptible to corrosion. Replacing corroded fans is the best way to prevent a loss of air that could compromise your cooling process and damage other vital components within your cooling tower.

If you rely on a cooling tower to process your heated water, it's critical that you maintain each part within your cooling tower effectively.

Replacing damaged or malfunctioning parts quickly will help you maintain the efficiency and performance of your cooling tower over time. For more information about cooling tower parts, contact a local parts seller.