Photo Gallery F1: Condenser Water
Evaporative condenser water systems are common to any larger building property and are critically important to air conditioning needs. Various forms of system exist including those that serve large central refrigeration plants, smaller individual package units on each floor, and at various types of heat pump systems.
Corrosion activity is typically higher for condenser water pipe due to many different factors, and depending upon piping design, can cause serious failures and operational difficulties within just a few years. Of the many different piping systems common to any building property, condenser water systems typically require the highest maintenance and cost outlay – yet still present the highest level of problems. Operating under reduced chemical protection levels, saturated oxygen levels, constant microbiological attack, and with the cooling tower itself basically a giant air scrubbing device constantly introducing dirt and particulates into the system, corrosion levels are now considered normal by some authorities if maintained below 5 MPY – a dramatic increase from the 1 MPY level commonly maintained 30 years ago. The declining quality and increased corrosion susceptibility of new steel pipe only adds to the corrosion rate equation.
Virtually all condenser water systems are constructed of standard pipe when 12 in. and larger, and schedule 40 pipe for smaller sizes. Below 3 in., most pipe is threaded, which then removes approximately 50% of its pipe wall; in turn greatly reducing its service life. With the many negative factors influencing such piping systems, a service life of under 25 years for any threaded pipe is common, and as corrosion activity increases beyond 5 MPY, expected service plummets to around 10 years or less. Although there is substantially greater wall thickness available for any pipe 6 in. and larger, those too become more vulnerable as corrosion activity increases.
The below Photo Gallery provides some evidence to the problems we have documented. Additional photographs are available under other more specific headings.
