Problems

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On the surface it would appear that evaporation in a cooling tower would not have a negative affect on the cooling water chemistry. However, we must remember that most of the water we encounter is not "pure". Specifically, when a raindrop falls through the atmosphere it collects a variety of dissolved gases.

Once that drop contacts the earth’s surface, it picks up their contaminants such as dissolved and suspended solids. In essence, by the time the water is used for cooling tower makeup, it contains a variety of contaminants. These contaminants, coupled with process leaks or other surface contaminants, intensify the potential water problems in a cooling system.

The cooling tower magnifies the potential water problems in two ways.

First, the tower acts as a giant air washer.

As large quantities of air are brought into contact with the cooling water, the water scrubs out any
Impurities the air may contain.

	Second, changes in the water chemistry occur during the evaporation process.
	Third, temperature variations across the system.
	Fourth, a noticeable residence time in the system, permiting side reactions, biological growths etc.

The main problems occuring in Open recirculation Cooling Water Systems are falling into the following categories :

	Deposition
	Corrosion
	Microbiological growth

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