By Ben Feeney
Why would I need a tower coating or restoration?
Cooling towers are like large vacuum cleaners. They suck in dirt, silt, sand, and other windblown detritus. When you add water impurities to those solids you get an environment ripe for bacteria growth. Specifically, Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) that can lead to under-deposit corrosion on stainless steel tower basins. This is due to their anaerobic nature. They can live without oxygen and hide underneath corrosion deposits creating acids as they feed on nutrients. Like a cavity in your tooth, these SRB’s can cause leaks throughout the system.
Sometimes it’s simply age and weather causing leaks in a cooling tower. A simple way to save on costly leaks is to extend the life of your tower by adding a protective coating to the basin with a thicker coating being applied to the seams. This method is much more cost-effective than replacing the entire cooling tower.
What can I expect if I need a tower coating?
Contaminated cooling towers will need to be cleaned and disinfected. To protect your system against further damage, tower coatings are recommended. The entire process generally takes 2-3 days. The coating extends your system for up to 5-10 years longer following the restoration.
Let’s take a look at some before and after images, so you get a better idea of what systems can look like and the finished product.
Before Photos:
After Photos:
Does your cooling tower resemble the before images? Or maybe you'd just like an inspection? Give us a call for a free consultation, or learn more about water treatment, click here: