Aging Cooling Towers? Find out if you should replace or rebuild your cooling tower

Many building or facility managers are unaware of the importance of cooling towers in buildings. Usually cooling tower efficiency is completely neglected once it has been installed. Over time cooling towers lose their efficiency and it can result in a wide range of problems, costing you not only high energy costs but also downtime. As a building manager, you might think that it is best to replace the old cooling tower with a new one without going into the hassle of refurbishing it. However, although sometimes replacement of cooling towers is the only viable option, rebuilding it can also be done which can make the cooling tower function just as new. In this article let’s take a look at the reasons to rebuild cooling tower and why it can be a better option for you rather than replacing it. Before that let’s get into what the cooling tower is and what are its applications.

COOLING TOWER AND ITS USES

A cooling tower is basically a heat rejecting device or heat exchanger. It functions by bringing air and water into direct contact with each other in order to reduce the water’s temperature. Upon contact, water is evaporated, thereby reducing the temperature of the water that is being circulated through the tower. The cooled water is then propelled back into the condenser or process equipment where it absorbs the heat and the cycle is repeated.

Cooling towers are mainly used to facilitate heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems as well as in industrial processes. It offers a relatively cost-effective and energy efficient operation of systems that require cooling down temperatures. It is estimated that over 1,500 industrial facilities use large quantities of water to cool their plants. In addition it is used for HVAC systems that are found in large commercial buildings, offices, schools, hospitals and so on. Industrial cooling towers are also employed to remove the heat for several industrial processes in power plants, natural gas processing plants, food processing plants, petroleum refineries, besides other industrial facilities

REASONS TO REBUILD COOLING TOWER

Although there may be instances where you have no alternative but to replace the cooling tower, rebuilding it has several advantages including:

Cost effective– Cooling towers even with proper, regular maintenance and services have an approximate shelf life of 15-20 years. Some of the common problems developed by cooling towers over time include corrosion, scaling and fouling all of which results in loss of efficiency. If you try to replace the cooling tower without considering a rebuild, it can prove to be a costly endeavour for you. For example, rebuilding cooling towers can provide you with up to 20% cost savings as well as saving in labour cost and installation. 

Increased lifespan – Instead of replacing your cooling towers, when you decide to rebuild cooling tower, you can save thousands of dollars while increasing the lifespan of the cooling tower by an additional 15-20 years.

Increased efficiency – Rebuilding your cooling towers from qualified professionals will also restore your cooling tower to brand new condition with 100% efficiency, thereby making your building energy saving.

HOW DOES COOLING TOWER REBUILDING WORK?

Cooling tower rebuilding primarily focuses on fixing the structural integrity of the cooling tower. However, before proceeding on rebuilding your cooling tower, an analysis needs to be carried out to determine if the cooling tower is safe to rebuild and what kind of work needs to be done to increase the efficiency. Some common things to look for during this analysis include checking the structural integrity of the cooling tower, checking for signs of corrosion and signs of wear and tear, checking pipes, nozzles, the overall water distribution system, mechanical components as well as the condition of the fill media.

Once you have decided to rebuild and refurbish your cooling tower, you can think of some cooling tower upgrades that enhance its efficiency and increase the lifespan. For example, one of the common cooling tower upgrades is replacing wood components tower with fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) which are much more long lasting. In addition, there are also thermal upgrades available for cooling towers that are worth the bucks as they significantly increase efficiency and prolong lifespan of the cooling tower.

A-TECH Engineering – a leading energy company based in Toronto offers professional and reliable cooling tower services as well as HVAC controls and contracting services for your commercial building that can save you thousands of dollars. To learn more about rebuilding cooling tower or to request an estimate for cooling tower rebuilding, connect with an A-TECH team member today.

HVAC Monitoring App And Its Benefits

HVAC systems are important building systems when it comes to commercial space. Their core function in commercial buildings is to provide an optimum temperature for a multitude of reasons. HVAC system can differ in number and size depending on building size, functionality and so on. This is why it is imperative that you have a means to monitor your HVAC systems easily and efficiently. With the development of building automation and controls, you can find a plethora of HVAC monitoring systems, including HVAC monitoring app that allows you to remotely control your HVAC system connected through IoT.

What is a HVAC Monitoring App?

It is an application developed that can consistently track the performance as well as energy consumption of HVAC systems in a building, with an aim to provide alerts and notifications regarding any faults or inefficiencies. In addition, it also helps you reduce your energy costs as you can have better control of your system.

Importance of HVAC Monitoring Systems

HVAC is undoubtedly one of the massive energy consuming systems in a building so a proper monitoring system is crucial for maintaining the system and reducing energy costs. Without an efficient HVAC monitoring system, you may have issues that can go unnoticed for long periods of time and result in costly repairs. On top of giving you ridiculously high operating costs, persistent HVAC problems can also cause serious damage to your asset.

When you invest in monitoring your HVAC system that can screen the full system such as exhaust fans, chillers, compressors, air-filters and so on, it becomes easier for you to be on top of any impending issues and take preventive measures proactively. This results in fewer maintenance and servicing, saves you major headaches and costly repairs, thus lowering your expenses.

With a remote HVAC monitoring system, you can indulge in several benefits such as:

  • Access your HVAC systems in a building from anywhere connected to IOT.
  • Get real-time updates of your HVAC stats such as temperature, flow rates, pressure differential and so on.
  • Control temperature settings from anywhere via IOT. This results in increased occupants’ comfort as well as better performance of the overall system.
  • Ensure your HVAC system is operating at its maximum efficiency through better control of your HVAC system.
  • HVAC monitoring app gives you a unified platform with access to entire HVAC systems including chillers, exhaust fans, etc. through which issues can be perceived early on and fixed instantly.
  • In addition, energy consumption profiles can be analyzed by AI to predict when problems are going to occur so you can make minor fixes instead of costly repairs.
  • With remote HVAC monitoring app, you can view, change settings and get analytical data without the need to call a technician every time you run into an issue.

 

So how does it work?

HVAC monitoring apps are very simple and easy to use. The app uses temperature sensors and airflow sensors in the HVAC system. While temperature sensors give you an overview of temperature settings of the HVAC system, it does not give you the bigger picture. Airflow sensors allow you to monitor changes in airflow and detect problems not so easily visible, such as when your air filters are starting to clog and making your HVAC system work harder, reducing its efficiency.

A smart HVAC monitoring and alerting app will also let you see lead-lag functions of your system. For example, if you have multiple HVAC units, they are set up in a lead-lag fashion to provide the best results through rotation. A controller assures that this lead-lag is set up correctly so that all your HVAC systems run optimally. With HVAC monitoring app, you can view for yourself the comparative performance of each HVAC system and adjust accordingly for ensuring high performance. Apart from this, it provides real-time statistics on daily usage, on-off cycle data, overall operating summary for the HVAC units and so on, keeping you on top of things.

When you are considering to invest in a HVAC monitoring app, you need to keep in mind certain factors such as how easy it is easy to install and integrate into your current system, what are the prerequisites, how user-friendly it is and so on. A remote HVAC monitoring and alerting system will do the work for you while giving you peace of mind and reduce your energy costs.

 

A-TECH Engineering Ltd. a leading HVAC Controls Contractor in Toronto can help you with monitoring your HVAC system remotely from anywhere right at your fingertips with advanced IoT solutions. For details, contact one of our team members today.