Australia

Understanding the root cause of cooling tower fouling

295 views
One of the main components of cooling towers is the packing which is made of lightweight plastic material. The packing or fill provides a heat transfer surface for evaporation without restricting the air flow.

A narrow channel spacing is more efficient with more heat transfer area per meter cube, however also more prone to fouling from airborne particles.

The choice between a narrow and wider channel spacing is a balance between efficiency and risk of blockage usually one would see airborne debris or biological growth on the packing.

Calcium carbonate or scale are less of a problem as the surface temperatures are the lowest in the loop and calcium carbonate remains dissolved at cold temperatures.