A cooling tower can be segregated on the basis of a variety of parameters like the structure, model, etc. And one way of identification is the material used to construct a cooling tower. While the functioning and internal mechanisms of a cooling tower remain the same, cooling tower manufacturers offer variety in the material for various reasons.
Each material has an inherent quality which makes it fit or unfit for a cooling tower. The basis of judging which material is the best might also depend on factors like geographical location, budget constraints, maintenance and space requirements, etc.
This article will focus on the four major materials used in construction of a cooling tower In India. Let’s look at each of these in detail:
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Wood: Nature has given us wood in abundance and almost all countries in the world have a reserve of wood. Therefore, selected wood species become a good choice when it comes to building cooling towers. However, wood needs to be treated before being used because of its vulnerability to decaying, termite, etc. In recent times, the demand for wood cooling towers has declined because of deforestation, lack of labour who can construct cooling towers with woods, and also because other modern and more feasible options are available.
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Metal: Durable alloys like steel are also used to erect cooling towers. Steel is a preferred choice because of the qualities like durability, sturdiness, etc. Besides being used in structure building, cooling tower manufacturers, widely use metal alloys in the internal components like fan, motor, etc. These uses of metal within the cooling tower cannot be replaced with any other material and thus metal is popularly used in the manufacturing industry.
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Plastic: It is anti-corrosive, lightweight, weather-resistant and the list goes on. All these properties make plastic material like PVC and FRP a great material for cooling towers. FRP cooling towers are widely used because these are easy to maintain and cooling tower manufacturers offer a variety made of FRP because of its desired properties. FRP is also used in some of the internal components like basin.
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Concrete: Concrete structures are nothing new but its use in cooling tower is relatively new and began in the 1960s. Concrete is used to create sturdy structures which are long lasting. But, this same property becomes a downside because not all industrial units have the budget and space to erect a concrete cooling tower. Concrete cooling towers have high setting up cost which gets diminished subsequently but then overall not all businesses are willing to invest so much in a go.
Each material has associated pros and cons and therefore selection can be a difficult decision. While wood and concrete are environmentally sound choices, plastic and metals contribute to the major environmental issues.
At the same time, wood is not a very durable choice and so is concrete which is prone to wear and tear. On the other hand, plastic and metal towers are more durable. With these consideration, it is on you to decide your cooling tower material.
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