How to Install a Cooling Tower
Cooling towers, a heat rejection device, cools waste heat to a lower temperature and ejects it into the atmosphere. The heat rejection device allows a portion of the cooled water to evaporate into an air stream, which raises the air's temperature creating a steam-based humidity that ejects into the atmosphere. This evaporative heat rejection technology achieves a cost-effective and energy-efficient operation that other heat rejection devices do not offer. Commercial and residential cooling towers operate similarly, except for the conversion ratio and sheer volume between both entities. Residential cooling towers require an adequate background in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC). Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Cooling tower assembly
- Instruction manual, diagrams, parts list
- Protective goggles
- Gloves
- Steel-toed shoes
- Helmet
- Ear muffs
- Lifting crane
- Spreader bars
- 4 or 6 hold-down anchors
- Anchor bolts
- Packing support
- Conduit
- 3/8-inch screws
- PVC pipe lines
- Equalizing pipe lines
- Pipe valves
- Chain wrench
- PVC lock nuts
- SS hexagonal lock nuts
- Support brackets
- Handsaw
- Miter box
- Chamfer, 10 to 15 degree
- Chamfering tool
- Hand sander
- Clean rag
- Acetone
- Primer compound
- Bristle brush
Instructions
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1
Employ safety procedures in accordance with HVAC standards. Be sure to follow all regulations and codes. Wear safety equipment, such as protective goggles, gloves, steel-toed shoes, helmet and ear muffs to minimize risk of injury.
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2
Inspect the shipment of any damage upon arrival. Notify the freight carrier and manufacturer immediately of all damage occurred during transit. Check the nameplate on the cooling system unit to verify if it's the correct model. Verify whether the instruction manual, diagrams and parts listed on the shipping bill arrived safely.
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3
Inspect the connection between the mounting frame and cooling tower. Adjust and tighten as necessary until properly secured. Position the crane and lift the tower from the four corner lifting holes located on the mounting base. Use spreader bars to minimize damage to the tower's slings. Maintain a 60 degree angle between slings. Be sure to avoid direct contact with the cooling tower's shell.
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4
Choose a firm, level and unobstructed foundation that can support the cooling tower unit and a sump's maximum water load. Find the installation site near structural columns or beams as outlined in the factory diagram. Mount the four hold-down anchors with anchor bolts to the small, residential cooling towers and six hold-down anchors for the large, industrial cooling towers.
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5
Remove all the shipping material from the equipment. Inspect and re-tighten all joints and attachments on the cooling tower unit. Examine the packing support for misalignment that may have occurred during shipment or transfer and adjust as necessary.
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6
Consult the National Electrical Code and local governing agencies for proper building codes. Install a vibration cutout switch before hard-wiring the remaining electrical connections. Size the motor starter on the appropriate voltage, horsepower and maximum load current, often found on the nameplate. Select the motor heaters in accordance to the maximum load current basics and service factors found on the unit's nameplate. Route malleable conduit from the motor conduit box to the terminal box outside the cooling tower. Use 3/8-inch screws to mount conduit holding clip screws into the cooling tower's wall.
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7
Consult the cooling tower's factory diagrams for the recommended layout and pipe connections. Size all piping connections in accordance with standard practices. Consider differential piping designs for gravity drain to indoor storage sump connections. Estimate the appropriate allowance for pipe size, flow, layout and cooling tower distance from the indoor sump. Install equalizing lines between the cooling tower sumps if installing multiple cooling towers. Install separate valves on each tower to balance flow and servicing. Use a chain wrench to tighten PVC lock nuts on all bulkhead fittings before start-up check. Tighten the SS hexagonal lock nuts on the PVC flanges on the inlet and outlet. Do not rotate the bolt while tightening. Install support brackets for all supply and return piping.
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8
Use a handsaw and miter box to cut pipe ends square. Mount a 10 to 15 degree chamfer with a chamfering tool. Use a hand sander to remove gloss around the area before cementing. Wipe the pipe's surface and fitting socket with a clean rag and acetone. Insert pipe and fitting one-third of the way to determine its alignment. Apply a primer compound to the fitting socket with a bristle brush. Use a clean brush to apply a coat of solvent cement to the male end of the fitting socket. Apply a thin coat to the inside of the fitting socket. Twist the pipe into the fitting socket with a quarter-turn. Hold the fitting socket together for 30 seconds until the joint sticks firmly together. Wait 24 hours before pressure testing the connection.
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