A critical component in the efficient operation of plants working in electric power, industrial process and manufacturing is an evaporative cooling tower. These towers are also important for use in HVAC systems that control the climate in facility complexes like school campuses, medical buildings, hotels, and data centers.
Economical operation efficiency is highly dependent on properly treating and controlling water. The chemicals used to feed these systems are used to prevent microbiological contamination, corrosion, and fouling, with dosage determined by having accurate information on the system make-up and blowdown water.
Proper design flow maintenance is essential in achieving effective cooling. Insufficient cooling water can negatively impact critical equipment or affect the climate control of a building. Flow meters are an important tool in ensuring reliable flow results and controlling system costs. Let’s take a look at a couple of ways of optimizing cooling water management using a flow meter.
1. Installing a flow meter at the water intake source of the plant will allow comparing the flow data on all lines, assisting in determining possible leaks and the water system balance, as well as any other potential issues.
2. Low flow situations can be addressed by an upstream flow meter pump installation, providing low flow data system alerts and reducing the odds of a costly pump repair or worse, system shutdowns.
3. The calculating of concentration cycles, chemical treatment rates, and evaporation rates can all be done utilizing the flow information provided by make-up and blowdown water lines.
4. Flow meters are also used as deduct meters on the inlet side of the tower for the Utility to deduct the sewer charge from the water usage, given that the water for the cooling tower evaporates and does not discharge back into the sewer system.
This update is brought to you by The Avanti Company, providers of Flow Meters and Metering Systems including water meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to maximize and better utilize the data coming into your Utility. Call 1-800-284-5231 for additional information on water and wastewater system products like McCrometer or visit our website at www.avanticompany.com to learn more about the services we provide including on-site flow meter testing, sewer flow monitoring, and metering system support.