In every wet cooling tower, there is a loss of water emitted out of the tower and into the surrounding environment, this is known as cooling tower drift. This is due to the evaporative cooling process. Although this is a normal part of the cooling process, it is not always safe. The drift droplets that escape contain the same particulate matter of the circulating water that they originate from. Depending on the application and the cleanliness of the tower, this can include dangerous chemicals, bacteria’s and mold. To address the loss of waste heat and contaminated drift, drift eliminators must be implemented. Due to poor design and improper installations, many cooling towers are still at risk of hazardous carry over and unproductive downtime. It is important to choose the best drift eliminator manufacturer.
To facilitate your cooling tower operations with a drift eliminator, you must choose the right manufacturer. Your drift eliminator should always be fabricated to your specifications. A custom designed drift eliminator should be able to accommodate any size cooling tower. Ideally, the flexible should allow for easy installation. If properly designed and installed, the droplets will collect, coalesce and drain the liquid away from the gas stream.
Once installed, naturally the drift eliminator will sustain wear and become brittle or clogged over time. This process can happen prematurely if proper preventative maintenance is not scheduled and implemented. Labor and down time can be costly for removal and installation of a new cooling tower drift eliminator. Therefore, it is essential to have a reputable company with the expertise to perform scheduled cooling tower maintenance, emergency troubleshooting and make adjustments when needed.
The health of your employees and surrounding residents is also of concern. It is highly recommended that you perform throughout scheduled inspections of the cooling tower and the components. For a drift eliminator to be effective, it must be washed and flushed regularly. At minimum, a bi-annually scheduled flushing and cleaning of the entire cooling system should be performed.
Choosing the most reputable and knowable drift eliminator manufacturer is key to a successful operation. Kimre is one of the most reputable mist eliminator manufacturers in the USA. We manufacture all our products to your specifications. Our DRIFTIR® drift eliminator is uniquely woven of coarse polypropylene monofilaments. The material has a UV inhibitor to protect against sunlight. The Driftor® drift eliminator can be installed over the existing drift eliminator and in many cases the tower can be operating during installation, preventing costly downtime. The material can be rolled up without compromising the structure, this is especially beneficial for easy shipping, handling, installation and storage.
To learn more about designing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining a quality drift eliminator in your cooling tower, please visit www.kimre.com or call 305-233-4249.
