EFFECTIVELY CLEANING CELLULAR PLASTIC COOLING TOWER FILL

Abstract

The transition from splash fill and ACB fill to cellular plastic “high efficiency” film fill in cooling towers has reduced capital and operating costs. However, the generally tight and tortuous path that provides exceptional contact between air and water in these fills also makes them highly prone to fouling. In the US Power industry, environmental regulations limiting chlorine usage, inadequate or non-existent clarification and filtration equipment, and generally lower treatment levels exacerbate the difficulty of controlling deposit formation in the fill packs. Fouled fill sacrifices the “high efficiency” performance gains and, in advanced stages, results in fill collapse into the sump and expensive fill replacement. The purpose of this paper is to outline and review successful, pro-active fill cleaning techniques that preserve thermal efficiency and avoid fill replacement. Several case histories are provided.

Keywords: Cellular plastic fill, film fill, high efficiency fill, cooling tower, cleaning

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