COOLING TOWER PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

1. Cooling tower use/ sequencing (daily)

Turn off/sequence unnecessary cooling towers

2. Overall visual inspection (daily)

Complete overall visual inspection to be sure all equipment is operating and safety

systems are in place

3. Inspect for clogging (daily)

Make sure water is flowing in tower

4. Fan motor condition (weekly)

Check the condition of the fan motor through temperature or vibration analysis and

compare to baseline values

5. Clean suction screen (weekly)

Physically clean screen of all debris

6. Test water samples (weekly)

Test for proper concentrations of dissolved solids, and chemistry. Adjust blow-down and

chemicals as necessary.

7. Operate make-up water (weekly)

Operate switch manually to ensure proper float switch operation

8. Vibration (weekly)

Check for excessive vibration in motors, fans, and pumps

9. Check cooling tower structure (weekly)

Check for loose fill, connections, leaks, etc.

10. Check belts and pulleys (weekly)

Adjust all belts and pulleys

11. Check lubrication (monthly)

Assure that all bearings are lubricated per the manufacture’s recommendation

12. Check motor supports and fan blades (monthly)

Check for excessive wear and secure fastening

13. Motor alignment (monthly)

Aligning the motor coupling allows for efficient torque transfer

14. Check drift eliminators, louvers, and fill (monthly)

Look for proper positioning and scale build up

15. Clean Cooling tower (annually)

Remove all dust, scale, and algae from tower basin, fill, and spray nozzles

16. Check bearings (annually)

Inspect bearings and drive belts for wear. Adjust, repair, or replace as necessary.

17. Motor condition (annually)

Checking the condition of the motor through temperature or vibration analysis assures

long life

General Requirements for Safe and Efficient Cooling Towers Provide

1. Safe access around the cooling tower, including all points where inspection and

maintenance activities occur.

2. Fall protection around inspection and maintenance surfaces, such as the top of the cooling tower.

3. Lockout of fan motor and circulating pumps during inspection and maintenance.

4. Protection of workers from exposure to biological and chemical hazards within the cooling water system.

5. Cooling tower location must prevent cooling tower discharge air from entering the fresh air intake ducts of any building.�

6. When starting the tower, inspect and remove any accumulated debris.

7. Balance water-flow following the tower manufacturer’s procedure to ensure even distribution of hot water to all areas of the fill. Poorly distributed water can lead to air bypass through the fill and loss of tower performance.�

8. Follow your water treating company’s recommendations regarding chemical addition during startup and continued operation of the cooling system. Galvanized steel cooling towers require special passivation procedures during the first weeks of operation to prevent “white rust.”�

9. Before starting the fan motor, check the tightness and alignment of drive belts, tightness of mechanical hold-down bolts, oil level in gear reducer drive systems, and alignment of couplings. Rotate the fan by hand and ensure that blades clear all points of the fan shroud.

10. The motor control system is designed to start and stop the fan to maintain return cold water temperature. The fan motor must start and stop no more frequently than four to five times per hour to prevent motor overheating.

11. Blow-down water rate from the cooling tower should be adjusted to maintain between two to four concentrations of dissolved solids.