Photo Gallery I1:  Cooling Tower Corrosion

A corrosion problem at any condenser water system is likely to be first exposed by conditions at the cooling tower.  While some issues such as algae in the pans or tower fill does not necessarily indicate a corrosion problem, it does indicate a lower level of care and maintenance – from which a higher corrosion level may also result.  White scaling deposits covering the tower fill, side walls, and pans indicate its operation at excessive cycles of concentration.  Muddy or highly turbid water certainly indicate a higher than normal corrosion condition.  Pinholes through the pan, a far greater concern which usually hard to ignore.

Removing buckets of rust and chip scale during start-up or during regular maintenance of the cooling tower should suggest some further investigation since that rust now ending up in the dumpster represents the building’s former pipe wall.

Although most newer condenser water systems have water filtration installed, the overwhelming majority of filtration units are installed either entirely wrong, or in a configuration greatly limiting their effectiveness. One cup of rust debris captured in a settling tank after a year of service provides proof defining an installation or operational issue.

Above all, and in contrast to all claims by filtration representatives, clean condenser water does not in any way define a clean piping system free of rust deposits.  The primary focus at obtaining clear water, in virtually every investigation we have performed, has been shown to have allowed a high corrosion condition to continue unabated.