Management Resource

Seasonal Shutdowns

Prepare a Cooling Tower for Shutdown

It is important to follow proper shut-down and seasonal shut-down procedures when shutting down your cooling tower water system if the shut-down will last longer than a month or for a full season. Properly laying-up a cooling tower will ensure the water system remains protected throughout the winter and will start-up again trouble free in the spring. 

Follow the guidelines below and be sure to consult your cooling tower manufacturer's manual and operator's handbook to gain more insight into proper shutdowns.

Increase the bleed-off of the cooling tower water system 2 - 3 days prior to the shutdown in order to maximize the removal of suspended solids in the system. This will also help to remove scale and calcium deposits that are suspended as well. 

Consult with your water treatment provider to determine the current cycles of concentration the system is currently running at. The bleed should then be set to about 1 - 1.5 cycles of concentration. This will increase water waste and chemical waste so be sure the water treatment pumps are turned off before this step is commenced.

One day prior to shutdown, add a chemical cleaner such as Chemenergy Water Treatment's 6120 Cooling tower cleaner. ( 6120 is added based on the total system volume, and load of the cooling tower at time of chemical addition. ) Non-Oxidizing Biocides can also be added at around twice the normal amount, but it is best to consult with a water treatment chemical provider before doing so. 

Large amounts of biocide chemicals can cause system metal damage if not added properly or without concern for system variables. Let the chemicals circulate for around 6 hours. The longer the chemicals can circulate before cleaning the physical cooling tower basin, fills and walls, the better the results will be. Do not let chemical sit for longer than 2 - 3 days in order to prevent system damage.