A cooling tower is a generally large, cost-effective temperature regulating system for industrial buildings; cooling towers remove heat by showering water down the tower to remove heat from inside the building. The cooled, misted water collects at the bottom of the cooling tower and then is pumped into the building for reuse. Instead of using a traditional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, many industrial plants and large-scale sites will opt for a cooling tower. The cooling towers are often less expensive than HVAC systems for large plants, and can overall be more energy efficient, making them an undoubtedly appealing option for regulating temperature in industrial buildings.
Where are Cooling Towers Located?
Cooling towers aren’t necessary for homes, small office buildings, restaurants, and other small buildings. Cooling towers are mainly used for industrial purposes, meaning high-capacity hotels, power plants, food processing plants, natural gas processing sites, and a number of other large-scale industrial buildings benefit from using cooling towers instead of a smaller, more traditional HVAC system. Cooling towers can be effective in any climate, meaning they’re found all across industrial sites in the United States.
What are the Risks Associated with Cooling Towers?
One particularly notable risk associated with cooling towers is the system’s ability to spread bacteria. What’s concerning about this phenomenon is the ability of cooling towers to become a breeding site for Legionella bacteria if not properly maintained. Legionella bacteria thrive in warm environments, meaning that if there’s a small outbreak of the bacteria in a cooling tower, it can quickly grow at an exponential rate. This bacteria growth poses a risk to human health, as Legionella bacteria, when in water droplets that are breathed in by humans, can lead to Legionnaires’ Disease. The infection manifests with pneumonia-like symptoms, which can be treated with the proper antibiotic regimen, but is nonetheless concerning and worth being wary of. Thus, maintaining proper disinfection efforts in a cooling tower is crucial to keeping the large-scale facility–be it a hotel, food processing plant, hospital, or power plant–safe. One option for keeping the facility safe is to use chlorine dioxide, which has been proven to kill Legionella bacteria and a host of other problematic germs that can spread through water droplets.
Chlorine Dioxide Generators for Cooling Towers
PureLine is home to world-class experts in chlorine dioxide solutions for preventing the spread of bacteria and has significant experience in treating affected cooling towers and preventing the outbreaks from even occurring with chlorine dioxide generators.To learn more about PureLine’s chlorine dioxide generator solutions for cooling towers, fill out the form below and a representative will be in touch promptly.
