If you have a cooling tower on your facility to remove heat from your operations, you should be using a drift eliminator to keep toxic chemical compounds out of the surrounding environment. Most cooling towers should be fitted with a drift eliminator as way of protecting the natural environment, according to the Federal Energy Management Program as laid out by the U.S. Department of Energy. Learn more about how these systems can help facility managers keep toxic chemicals out of the environment.
How Drift Eliminators Work
During the cooling process, a cooling tower will release water vapor into the air, which does not negatively affect the environment. But certain facilities that process or use toxic chemicals in their operations also run the risk of releasing some of the particles into the air via large water droplets. These water droplets carry toxic chemicals out of the facility and release them into the air, which can cause significant damage to the environment.
When a drift eliminator is installed on the cooling tower, it will capture these large water droplets and force them to change direction by interfering with their velocity. This causes the water droplets to turn back the way they came and re-enter the cooling tower, preventing them from leaking into the air and the atmosphere.
The Dangers of Excess Drift
Depending on what kind of facility you manage, all kinds of toxic chemicals may be released out of the cooling tower in the form of large water droplets. These droplets can then contaminate the air around the facility or fall back to the ground and contaminate the ground or nearby water supply. They can then spread to other parts of the local environment, damaging ecosystems, wildlife, and residents alike.
Drift can also negatively impact the facility in question. The excess moisture in the air can lead to corrosion problems throughout the facility, damaging the pipes, electrical components, and other equipment. This moisture can also cause the facility’s electrical systems to fail if they come into contact with one another. If the temperature outside is below freezing, this moisture can also lead to more ice on the roads, fields and buildings downwind from the facility.
In order to prevent situations like these from happening, your facility should work with a drift eliminator manufacturer that can help you find the right solution for your facility’s cooling towers. The professionals at Kimre Inc. can help you develop a custom cooling tower drift eliminator based on your facility’s specific needs. If you would like to know more about the benefits of adding a drift eliminator to your cooling towers, please contact us for more information.