Machinery that will be continuously bathed in a spray of water throughout its operating life is certainly a good candidate for some corrosion protection. Locate this equipment outdoors, perhaps in a coastal area, and the potential to gain benefits from a corrosion resistant installation are more than clear.
Cooling towers fit my previous description admirably, and their scope of application makes them an essential element of facility operation. Every unit is exposed to combined effects of variable water chemistry, constant saturation at elevated temperatures, and aeration. Some cooling towers also are impacted by potentially harmful agents in the process water and various airborne pollutants, including sulfur oxides and acid rain.
For those not entirely familiar with how a cooling tower works, here are the very basics. Cooling towers transfer an amount of heat from one or more water-cooled machines or systems to outdoor air. Heated water from the water cooled systems enters the cooling tower, distributes over a heat transfer surface (sometimes called the fill), and is cooled by an induced air flow that is forced through the fill. The flowing air causes a portion of the water to evaporate, removing heat and lowering the temperature of the water. The cooled water is collected in a basin and returned to the system to repeat the heat transfer cycle.
Traditionally, cooling towers were fabricated of metal because of its structural strength and ability to be formed using readily available fabricating means. Differing metals were employed, at basic to premium price points, to provide increased levels of resistance to the ever present corroding nature of water and weather. Many cooling towers built today employ the same, or similar, materials and methods used decades ago. There is, and has been for quite some time now, a modern alternative to metal cooling tower construction that provides substantially increased levels of corrosion resistance at a competitive price point.
Delta Cooling Towers, Inc. manufactures cooling towers using structural and other plastics, enabling them to provide a 20 year warranty covering the basic structure of the unit. The product line provides capacity and performance range to cover almost any requirement. If you are in the business of specifying heat rejection equipment for your own facility, or one of your client’s, you should get more detailed information about this equipment. Have a discussion about your application requirements, and concerns about operational longevity, with a product specialist. Good decisions come from combining the knowledge and experience of many.
As a quick reference, included below is a list of materials used in the construction of the Delta Cooling Towers unit. A quick glance by anyone familiar with the corrosion susceptibility of metals used in tower construction will see that the superior performance of the plastic materials should be given serious consideration on a cooling tower project.