TP04-14: Selected Diagnostics to Complement a Cooling Tower Performance Test or Status Test

Early and accurate problem identification enables cooling tower repair work to be focussed and prioritized for prompt restoration of cooling tower performance thereby avoiding time and resources being wasted on less beneficial or unnecessary repair work. Annual off-season cooling tower performance or status testing has long been a recommended practice for proactive cooling tower maintenance. This paper provides examples of some of the diagnostic tests routinely employed by the author when troubleshooting cooling tower performance problems. The described examples identify cooling tower operational problems that could otherwise have eluded detection during out-of-service tower inspection or during a performance test or status test.