Cleaning scale for cooling tower – The most effective method

Understanding deeper about scale, deposit to have the best treatment method with cost efficiency, save energy; increase the life of tower, heating exchanger – condenser and pipeline system.

In order for the scale treatment to be most effective, it should be done in the right way according to the scientific process. At the same time, combine with the right chemical.

In this article, let’s find out in detail about the causes, harms as well as measures to clean scale for the most effective at cooling tower

1.1 Characteristics of deposits in cooling towers

Cooling tower is the second dirtiest place after wastewater systems in factories and buildings. Deposits cause a lot of damage and harm not only to the cooling tower but also to whole system, in which the heat exchanger is most affected.

– Loss of heat transfer efficiency, clogging, hindering production.

– Soonly damaged to water system due to corrosion causing corrosion.

Contains Legionella bacteria that are harmful to health and the environment.

– The biofilm layer includes algae, mud, micro-organisms, and soft residues, which then turn into hard, causing damage to the filling plate, even collapsing the tower due to its heavy

– There are many cases where cleaning is not effective or the filling must be replaced, increasing maintenance costs.

Untreated scale, mud, algae => Accumulating in tower => Infiltration of water causing overload, towers collapsed

1.2 How to avoid or limit deposits at tower?

– Choosing an air chiller will no longer be difficulties in cleaning the water, but it also has to clean the coil or cooling plates due to dust from the air, and is only used for small capacity due to high investment cost and large installation area.

– Treatment of water before entering tower, depending on composition of water, there are harmful accumulation elements, for example, water softener to reduce hardness, sand filter or UF filter to remove suspended solid, RO filter system reduces Silica and TDS…

– Scale inhibitor and sludge dispersant chemicals should be used to prevent this trouble

– Need a large sedimentation tank for cooling water system with high nutrients such as sugar factories, or much suspended solid of steel factories, separating oil from direct cooling system of steel plants…

– Circulating filtration of suspended solid out of system, in which sand filter is the most common, simple and easy to operate.

1.3 Cleaning scale, biofilm for cooling tower will have many benefits

– Avoid clogging, ensure the stable effective operate continuously.

– Avoid large accumulation of deposits in fillings, when too much can not be cleaned; leading to damaged that must be replaced.

– Avoid corrosion, prolong service life.

– Avoid heat loss.

– Better control of Legionella.

If not good water treatment management, leading to scale in the cooling tower, even if thin silicate layer, cleaning it will not simple. Because of:

– The deposit layer contains many different components, each of which dissolved in corresponding to each type of cleaning chemical or not totally cleaned out

– It is difficult to circulate evenly inside of fillings or must use a circulation pump with large flow, wide nozzle. When circulating, it is easy to get clogging again.

– Difficult to spray deep into middle layers.

There are some ways to clean scale, including:

2.1 Flushing with high pressure pump periodically for cooling tower

This is simple, but only job when the layer of dirt is small, soft. Most cooling towers used maintenance chemical to apply this method.

2.2 Cleaning tower with cleaning chemical

– Offline cleaning: Use suitable chemical for each deposit, circulate the whole system for 2 – 8 hours, then discharge all, and use a high pressure pump to spray into fillings until cleaned. This option is simple, but only applies to small systems.

2.3 Clean fillings only with cleaning chemical

This method is very effective, but time and space consuming.

Note: The removal and re-assembly must be carefully its original position.

Steps to clean: Soaking each filling in a tub that pre-mixed with suitable chemicals from 5 to 30 minutes according to situation of deposits. Then take it outside and spray it with high pressured water.

We understand the composition of the water source and the deposit so we have the right chemical for the highest efficiency, quickly and economically.

Please refer to some types of cleaning chemical at

Download Over 300 successfully cleaned projects.

For the most effective cleaning work, the operator must have a high level of expertise, be able to accurately determine the properties of each type of scale and choose the right chemical for each situation It is necessary to test the deposits with each chemical. However, in practice it is difficult to do so for several reasons.

With more than 300 successfully cleaned projects, including cleaning of all types of cooling towers, a full range of suitable chemicals, knowledgeable and experienced personnel, laboratories to support, etc., UCE Co., Ltd will help your business.

Contact us now for the fastest support!