Managing boiler carryover in steam generating systems is an essential engineering process required to maintain steam purity and boiler system performance. In this expert guide the boiler specialists at Water Treatment Services review the management of industrial steam generating systems looking specifically at the impact of carryover, what causes it, why it needs to be managed and how to control it.
Expert cooling tower maintenance and engineering support.
Water Treatment Services is a leading UK water and environmental engineering services company offering expert cooling tower maintenance, engineering repairs and refurbishment solutions for all industrial and commercial cooling systems, towers and evaporative condensers.
Our cooling tower engineering and on-going service contracts are carried out by experienced specialists trained to deliver a comprehensive range of services.
Operating throughout the UK and Ireland our water treatment and engineering solutions have been developed to optimise thermal performance, improve reliability, extend asset life-cycles and ensure client safety and regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.
Our water cooling tower maintenance, engineering repair and refurbishment solutions offer a number of important benefits including:
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians and specialist engineers, we can offer comprehensive cooling tower maintenance, repair and engineering solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our engineering and water treatment solutions can help you. To speak with one of our experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use this button.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are used in a wide variety of commercial, industrial and process applications. They are designed to transfer heat away from a manufacturing or industrial process or an internal environment as efficiently as possible and then disperse that unwanted heat energy in to the atmosphere. Cooling towers do this either by allowing the water used as part of its cooling system to evaporate, thereby releasing energy, or by using air to cool the working liquids.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are typically found in power stations, petrochemical plants, oil refineries, data centres, hotels, offices and other commercial buildings and manufacturing facilities. The size of the towers varies hugely, from small compact units which sit on the roof of an office or factory to huge, free-standing hyperboloid towers typical of power stations, which can be up to 200 metres high.
Large concrete hyperboloid cooling towers.
As with any structure or item of plant or machinery in a factory or business, cooling towers should be inspected regularly to ensure that they continue to perform in the way intended. Deteriorating components and equipment can soon start to impact on how efficiently your factory processes or business is operating, and a cooling tower which has totally failed could shut down production entirely.
Another significant consideration that must be fully addressed is the health and safety dangers posed by dirty and poorly managed cooling towers. Towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in several significant outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease, a serious, potentially fatal lung condition. They are considered high risk by the Health & Safety Executive and special precautions need to be taken.
Because of this there are strict tower registration and legionella control requirements in place designed to protect the safety of employees and others and these must be followed. Failure to do so could have serious consequences and may lead to prosecution and significant fines for owners and operators of cooling towers.
The experienced and skilled engineers at Water Treatment Services can be called on to inspect, maintain and service your cooling towers, whether on an on-going basis, to pick up on any issues which could develop into a major problem, or because a situation has occurred which has required the towers to be shut down.
During a cooling tower inspection, our engineers will look at the integrity of the tower structure as a whole, they will also examine the internal components and cooling water systems and how these are treated. Additionally they will review the overall performance and heat transfer efficiencies of the tower to ensure it is operating safely and effectively.
Our engineers typically take photographs as part of the initial inspection process, and feedback all results to the client in a comprehensive written report. The client can then use this information to target where they should be concentrating repairs, or highlight any areas in the cooling tower which are a cause for concern and require further action.
Cooling towers are there to do one job only – provide cooling. Should your cooling tower fail because of poor maintenance, then the entire business operation could be compromised, especially if the cooling is critical to a manufacturing process or required to provide environmental temperature control.
Regular cooling tower maintenance will also improve operational efficiencies and prolong the lifespan of your towers, avoiding the need for a costly replacement until absolutely necessary.
Effective tower maintenance procedures will also minimise the risks of bacteria growing in the cooling water systems. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for the potentially deadly respiratory condition, Legionnaires’ disease is often linked with water cooling towers which are considered a high legionella risk. Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal, and companies which have or operate cooling towers on their premises have a legal obligation to register them with their local council, and to monitor and maintain their cooling towers to protect public health.
Under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992, if your building or site uses a cooling tower or evaporative condenser you need to write to your local council to tell them about it. The only exceptions to this are when the tower contains no water that’s exposed to the air, or the water or electrical supplies have been disconnected. Additionally, if you make any changes to the tower you also need to write to your council straight away.
Cooling towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in a number of serious outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease and are considered by the Health & Safety Executive to be high risk. To control the risks from Legionella bacteria tower owners and operators must assess the risks posed and implement suitable precautions to protect employees and others from harm. The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and their supporting health and safety guidance document HSG274 Part 1 provides clear instruction and advice on what measures need to be taken. Both documents are essential reading for any duty holder, responsible person, owner or operator of a cooling tower.
In addition to the important public health aspects, studies have shown that a water cooling tower which is poorly maintained can become energy inefficient, costing you money. Energy costs rise by approximately 5% to 6% for every degree Celsius more in temperature. Therefore, keeping up with a maintenance programme on your cooling towers could save around 15% in your annual energy costs, partially offsetting the cost of doing the maintenance in the first place.
The first step in any good cooling tower maintenance and servicing programme is to take stock of what type of cooling towers you have, how large they are, how old they are, system volumes, cooling loads, general cleanliness and a whole host of other factors.
There is no one “correct” maintenance regime for a cooling tower, and each business will have to develop their own maintenance procedures based on their specific circumstances. There are however some standard elements which usually form part of any cooling tower maintenance schedule.
First, our cooling tower engineering specialists will take an overview of the cooling units as a whole, looking for any obvious issues which might have arisen since the last inspection. Before taking a closer look at the tower, safe access must be provided and everything must be switched off and disconnected to ensure the safety of the maintenance team.
The team can then clear away any debris which has accumulated in the filters and tower pack, check for cracks and splits and look for moss, slimes and the build-up of scale. Once these visual inspections are complete, the team can then move onto checking the water supply level, flow control valves and filters, gear box and the performance of moving parts such as shaft bearings and fans; look for problems with tension and check oil levels if appropriate.
The frequency of maintenance will often depend on the type of cooling tower and how often it is used, but in many operations it is typically carried out quarterly. Record keeping is also an essential part of the maintenance process and noting down exactly what was done and when can keep you on the right side of the law when it comes to health and safety legislation, and in particular the control of Legionella bacteria and compliance with the HSE’s ACOP L8.
Even though maintenance and servicing might be a quarterly activity, your ACOP L8 legionella control procedures will require more regular testing of the water flowing through your cooling towers.
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive recommend that microbial testing for general levels of bacteria in cooling towers should be carried out weekly. These tests can be done using dip slides and an incubator which will help to give tower operators a good indication of the overall cleanliness of the cooling tower waters and if they are under microbial control.
However, you should remember that dip slide testing at monthly or longer intervals will not pick-up rapid increases in microbial growth that can occur during the late spring to early autumn. This is when temperature conditions are more favourable to the growth of Legionella bacteria.
Routine laboratory legionella testing of cooling tower waters should be carried out at least quarterly, but more frequently under certain circumstances including:
Often, a complete shut down is not required for water sampling to take place. Best practice is that the legionella sampling is done at the same place, at the same time of day, at specified periods to allow for realistic comparisons.
Any changes detected during water sampling might be the first indication that the water systems are out of microbial control and that maintenance issues are developing with your cooling tower. Those people in your organisation responsible for carrying out the water testing and record keeping should be in close contact with the water treatment contractor or in-house maintenance team so that they can quickly alert them to any problems so that remedial actions can be taken as soon as possible.
Some degree of disruption is inevitable when carrying out proactive maintenance or cooling tower repairs, but this scheduled disruption should be weighed against the inconvenience of having to shut down your facility because the towers have become contaminated with Legionella bacteria, they have developed a fault or even failed.
Many businesses choose to schedule their cooling tower maintenance for weekends, when they are not being used or at periods of the year when the factory shuts down to permit maintenance throughout the whole plant, not just on the cooling towers.
It also makes sense to keep a stock of the spare parts which are most commonly replaced during maintenance on site, or ask Water Treatment Services to stock them for you so they are available within hours when needed.
Despite what the original manufacturers of your cooling towers might tell you, it’s rarely necessary to buy original parts from the manufacturer as compatible parts will work just as well, as long as they are made to the same or better quality standards. Having a skilled in-house maintenance team, or using a specialist cooling tower contractor like Water Treatment Services to carry out the tower maintenance and servicing each time will also cut servicing time as technicians become familiar with the set-up of your cooling systems and its quirks.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians, engineers and water treatment specialists, we can offer professional cooling tower maintenance, repair and servicing solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information about our indoor air quality services … here →
Managing boiler carryover in steam generating systems is an essential engineering process required to maintain steam purity and boiler system performance. In this expert guide the boiler specialists at Water Treatment Services review the management of industrial steam generating systems looking specifically at the impact of carryover, what causes it, why it needs to be managed and how to control it.
Expert cooling tower maintenance and engineering support.
Water Treatment Services is a leading UK water and environmental engineering services company offering expert cooling tower maintenance, engineering repairs and refurbishment solutions for all industrial and commercial cooling systems, towers and evaporative condensers.
Our cooling tower engineering and on-going service contracts are carried out by experienced specialists trained to deliver a comprehensive range of services.
Operating throughout the UK and Ireland our water treatment and engineering solutions have been developed to optimise thermal performance, improve reliability, extend asset life-cycles and ensure client safety and regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.
Our water cooling tower maintenance, engineering repair and refurbishment solutions offer a number of important benefits including:
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians and specialist engineers, we can offer comprehensive cooling tower maintenance, repair and engineering solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our engineering and water treatment solutions can help you. To speak with one of our experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use this button.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are used in a wide variety of commercial, industrial and process applications. They are designed to transfer heat away from a manufacturing or industrial process or an internal environment as efficiently as possible and then disperse that unwanted heat energy in to the atmosphere. Cooling towers do this either by allowing the water used as part of its cooling system to evaporate, thereby releasing energy, or by using air to cool the working liquids.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are typically found in power stations, petrochemical plants, oil refineries, data centres, hotels, offices and other commercial buildings and manufacturing facilities. The size of the towers varies hugely, from small compact units which sit on the roof of an office or factory to huge, free-standing hyperboloid towers typical of power stations, which can be up to 200 metres high.
Large concrete hyperboloid cooling towers.
As with any structure or item of plant or machinery in a factory or business, cooling towers should be inspected regularly to ensure that they continue to perform in the way intended. Deteriorating components and equipment can soon start to impact on how efficiently your factory processes or business is operating, and a cooling tower which has totally failed could shut down production entirely.
Another significant consideration that must be fully addressed is the health and safety dangers posed by dirty and poorly managed cooling towers. Towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in several significant outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease, a serious, potentially fatal lung condition. They are considered high risk by the Health & Safety Executive and special precautions need to be taken.
Because of this there are strict tower registration and legionella control requirements in place designed to protect the safety of employees and others and these must be followed. Failure to do so could have serious consequences and may lead to prosecution and significant fines for owners and operators of cooling towers.
The experienced and skilled engineers at Water Treatment Services can be called on to inspect, maintain and service your cooling towers, whether on an on-going basis, to pick up on any issues which could develop into a major problem, or because a situation has occurred which has required the towers to be shut down.
During a cooling tower inspection, our engineers will look at the integrity of the tower structure as a whole, they will also examine the internal components and cooling water systems and how these are treated. Additionally they will review the overall performance and heat transfer efficiencies of the tower to ensure it is operating safely and effectively.
Our engineers typically take photographs as part of the initial inspection process, and feedback all results to the client in a comprehensive written report. The client can then use this information to target where they should be concentrating repairs, or highlight any areas in the cooling tower which are a cause for concern and require further action.
Cooling towers are there to do one job only – provide cooling. Should your cooling tower fail because of poor maintenance, then the entire business operation could be compromised, especially if the cooling is critical to a manufacturing process or required to provide environmental temperature control.
Regular cooling tower maintenance will also improve operational efficiencies and prolong the lifespan of your towers, avoiding the need for a costly replacement until absolutely necessary.
Effective tower maintenance procedures will also minimise the risks of bacteria growing in the cooling water systems. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for the potentially deadly respiratory condition, Legionnaires’ disease is often linked with water cooling towers which are considered a high legionella risk. Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal, and companies which have or operate cooling towers on their premises have a legal obligation to register them with their local council, and to monitor and maintain their cooling towers to protect public health.
Under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992, if your building or site uses a cooling tower or evaporative condenser you need to write to your local council to tell them about it. The only exceptions to this are when the tower contains no water that’s exposed to the air, or the water or electrical supplies have been disconnected. Additionally, if you make any changes to the tower you also need to write to your council straight away.
Cooling towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in a number of serious outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease and are considered by the Health & Safety Executive to be high risk. To control the risks from Legionella bacteria tower owners and operators must assess the risks posed and implement suitable precautions to protect employees and others from harm. The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and their supporting health and safety guidance document HSG274 Part 1 provides clear instruction and advice on what measures need to be taken. Both documents are essential reading for any duty holder, responsible person, owner or operator of a cooling tower.
In addition to the important public health aspects, studies have shown that a water cooling tower which is poorly maintained can become energy inefficient, costing you money. Energy costs rise by approximately 5% to 6% for every degree Celsius more in temperature. Therefore, keeping up with a maintenance programme on your cooling towers could save around 15% in your annual energy costs, partially offsetting the cost of doing the maintenance in the first place.
The first step in any good cooling tower maintenance and servicing programme is to take stock of what type of cooling towers you have, how large they are, how old they are, system volumes, cooling loads, general cleanliness and a whole host of other factors.
There is no one “correct” maintenance regime for a cooling tower, and each business will have to develop their own maintenance procedures based on their specific circumstances. There are however some standard elements which usually form part of any cooling tower maintenance schedule.
First, our cooling tower engineering specialists will take an overview of the cooling units as a whole, looking for any obvious issues which might have arisen since the last inspection. Before taking a closer look at the tower, safe access must be provided and everything must be switched off and disconnected to ensure the safety of the maintenance team.
The team can then clear away any debris which has accumulated in the filters and tower pack, check for cracks and splits and look for moss, slimes and the build-up of scale. Once these visual inspections are complete, the team can then move onto checking the water supply level, flow control valves and filters, gear box and the performance of moving parts such as shaft bearings and fans; look for problems with tension and check oil levels if appropriate.
The frequency of maintenance will often depend on the type of cooling tower and how often it is used, but in many operations it is typically carried out quarterly. Record keeping is also an essential part of the maintenance process and noting down exactly what was done and when can keep you on the right side of the law when it comes to health and safety legislation, and in particular the control of Legionella bacteria and compliance with the HSE’s ACOP L8.
Even though maintenance and servicing might be a quarterly activity, your ACOP L8 legionella control procedures will require more regular testing of the water flowing through your cooling towers.
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive recommend that microbial testing for general levels of bacteria in cooling towers should be carried out weekly. These tests can be done using dip slides and an incubator which will help to give tower operators a good indication of the overall cleanliness of the cooling tower waters and if they are under microbial control.
However, you should remember that dip slide testing at monthly or longer intervals will not pick-up rapid increases in microbial growth that can occur during the late spring to early autumn. This is when temperature conditions are more favourable to the growth of Legionella bacteria.
Routine laboratory legionella testing of cooling tower waters should be carried out at least quarterly, but more frequently under certain circumstances including:
Often, a complete shut down is not required for water sampling to take place. Best practice is that the legionella sampling is done at the same place, at the same time of day, at specified periods to allow for realistic comparisons.
Any changes detected during water sampling might be the first indication that the water systems are out of microbial control and that maintenance issues are developing with your cooling tower. Those people in your organisation responsible for carrying out the water testing and record keeping should be in close contact with the water treatment contractor or in-house maintenance team so that they can quickly alert them to any problems so that remedial actions can be taken as soon as possible.
Some degree of disruption is inevitable when carrying out proactive maintenance or cooling tower repairs, but this scheduled disruption should be weighed against the inconvenience of having to shut down your facility because the towers have become contaminated with Legionella bacteria, they have developed a fault or even failed.
Many businesses choose to schedule their cooling tower maintenance for weekends, when they are not being used or at periods of the year when the factory shuts down to permit maintenance throughout the whole plant, not just on the cooling towers.
It also makes sense to keep a stock of the spare parts which are most commonly replaced during maintenance on site, or ask Water Treatment Services to stock them for you so they are available within hours when needed.
Despite what the original manufacturers of your cooling towers might tell you, it’s rarely necessary to buy original parts from the manufacturer as compatible parts will work just as well, as long as they are made to the same or better quality standards. Having a skilled in-house maintenance team, or using a specialist cooling tower contractor like Water Treatment Services to carry out the tower maintenance and servicing each time will also cut servicing time as technicians become familiar with the set-up of your cooling systems and its quirks.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians, engineers and water treatment specialists, we can offer professional cooling tower maintenance, repair and servicing solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information about our indoor air quality services … here →
World-class industrial and process water treatment courses
Water Treatment Services is a leading industrial water treatment, engineering and environmental services company offering a comprehensive range of specialist training courses. We deliver a full programme of public training courses, week-long Master Class sessions, together with courses delivered exclusively for clients at their premises. Details of our public and Master Class sessions for 2019 are provided here.
Our professional training courses cater for facilities managers, water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of commercial, industrial and process water treatment systems.
Our courses are delivered by experienced industry experts to ensure candidates develop the skills and practical knowledge required to fulfil their responsibilities with confidence.
Next Dates – Contact us for the next scheduled training dates
Location – Manchester and London, United Kingdom (On-site courses can also be arranged – please contact us →)
Availability – Places are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment … contact us →
For more information about course prices, availability or to book a place on our Industrial Water Treatment Master Class sessions for 2019 contact us today. Please note places are limited and allocated on a first-come basis. To avoid disappointment please call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
All our professional water treatment training courses are delivered by highly experienced, water industry specialists who are leading experts in matters concerning the implementation, management and control of industrial and commercial water and wastewater treatment installations.
More information about industrial water treatment … here →
World-class industrial and process water treatment courses delivered by leading experts.
Water Treatment Services is a leading independent UK water management, engineering and environmental consulting company offering a comprehensive range of professional water treatment training courses that have been developed to support organisations and individuals with responsibility for the implementation, management and optimisation of industrial and process water and wastewater treatment installations.
Our range of professional water treatment training courses cater for different roles and levels of management responsibility including facilities managers, water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of commercial, industrial and process water and waste water treatment systems.
All our courses are delivered by experienced industry experts to ensure candidates develop the skills and practical knowledge required to fulfil their responsibilities with confidence.
Our comprehensive range of professional water treatment training courses includes a number of entry level courses covering the basic chemistry of water, water analysis, and the fundamentals of industrial water treatment processes.
Our advanced level courses offer an intensive review of subjects including pre-treatment processes (base exchange water softening, de-alkalisation, de-mineralisation, reverse osmosis etc.), industrial boiler water treatment for steam raising plant, cooling water treatment for open recirculating and evaporative cooling systems, the management of closed system heating and cooling installations, and industrial wastewater treatment. We also offer a comprehensive five day course and bespoke training that can be tailored to the specific requirements of an organisation.
Public course and master class dates for 2018 →
Our specialist industrial and commercial water treatment training, wastewater treatment training and practical workshop solutions include:
Our main UK based water and wastewater training centres are located in central London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), and these are supported by satellite training centres in Belfast and Newcastle. We also offer training to international clients.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our professional water treatment training solutions can help to up-skill your staff to ensure your water and wastewater treatment systems are managed effectively. To speak with one of our water treatment experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
All our professional water treatment training courses are delivered by highly experienced, water industry specialists who are leading experts in matters concerning the implementation, management and control of industrial and commercial water and wastewater treatment installations.
Our water treatment training courses cater for different roles and levels of management responsibility including water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of industrial water and waste water treatment systems. Our range of courses includes:
Water Treatment Services offer a comprehensive range of specialist industrial and process water treatment training courses designed to support organisations and individuals with responsibility for the implementation, management and optimisation of industrial and process water and wastewater treatment installations.
Delivered by experienced industry experts our professional training courses help candidates to develop the skills and practical knowledge required to fulfil their water management responsibilities with confidence.
Our main training centres are located in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), and these are supported by satellite training centres in Belfast and Newcastle. We can also deliver all our training courses, including bespoke courses at client premises throughout the UK and internationally.
Contact us now for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information about our industrial water treatment courses … here →
Water Treatment Services offer a comprehensive range of industrial water treatment and water hygiene solutions that combine the expertise of engineering specialists with the latest high performance tools to deliver real performance, reliability, cost and safety benefits.
Our industrial water treatment and water hygiene services include:
Specialist boiler water treatment and in-field engineering support solutions for commercial and industrial boilers and steam generating systems.
Addressing the issues of scaling, corrosion and deposition that affect boiler performance our services are delivered by experienced in-field boiler water treatment specialists who combine the latest treatment techniques, equipment and data controllers to reduce costs, improve efficiency, reliability and safety; and extend asset lifecycles.
Specialist cooling water treatment and in-field engineering support solutions for institutional, commercial and industrial cooling systems including cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
Addressing the issues of corrosion, scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that can affect the safety and performance of cooling towers and cooling water systems our services are delivered by experienced in-field cooling water treatment specialists who combine the latest treatment techniques, equipment and data controllers to reduce costs, improve safety, efficiency and reliability; and extend asset lifecycles.
Specialist water treatment solutions for the management of closed system heating, cooling and chilled water systems.
Our expert services focus on addressing the issues of corrosion, fouling, biofouling and scaling that can affect the reliability and performance of closed circuit and closed loop water systems. Our specialist water management programmes are delivered by in-field water treatment experts who bring together the latest water treatment techniques, equipment and controllers to reduce costs, save energy, enhance efficiency and reliability, and extend asset life-cycles.
Expert Legionella control and specialist environmental hygiene solutions to improve the management and control of Legionnaires’ disease, Legionella, Pseudomonas and other waterborne pathogens in the workplace.
Professional water and environmental hygiene services, Legionella risk assessments, training courses and water testing for the control of Legionnaires’ disease, Legionella bacteria and other waterborne pathogens.
Expert cooling tower cleaning, disinfection, water treatment and tower maintenance solutions for all types and sizes of cooling tower installation.
Our specialist cooling tower cleaning and disinfection solutions address the common problems of scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that affect the cleanliness, safety and efficiency of cooling towers. Our services are delivered by trained engineers who can help restore cooling performance, clean and disinfect tower components; and improve safety and legionella compliance.
Expert cooling tower maintenance, engineering repairs and refurbishment solutions for all industrial and commercial cooling systems, towers and evaporative condensers.
Operating throughout the UK and Ireland our water treatment and engineering solutions have been developed to optimise thermal performance, improve reliability, extend asset life-cycles and ensure client safety and regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.
Specialist pre-commission cleaning and engineering support solutions for all newly installed and refurbished heating and chilled water systems.
Our expert pre-commission cleaning services are essential to ensure new and existing heating and chilled water systems are commissioned correctly and in accordance with the latest BSRIA guidance to improve system reliability, efficiency and extend asset lifecycles.
Expert thermostatic mixing valve servicing, maintenance, temperature monitoring and failsafe testing for TMVs installed in health and social care facilities.
Our expert TMV servicing and safety testing services are essential to ensure good water quality standards, safe water temperatures and health and safety standards are achieved and maintained in health and social care facilities including hospitals, care homes and other premises where the risk of scalding from hot water calls for the installation of specialist thermostatic mixing valves.
Comprehensive water hygiene and engineering support solutions for the treatment and disinfection of water systems using high performance chlorine dioxide generators, dosing equipment and control systems.
Our specialist chlorine dioxide water treatment, water hygiene and engineering support services include detailed site surveys, system design and specification; installation, operation and lifecycle maintenance of chlorine dioxide systems.
Expert industrial water treatment and engineering support solutions including the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of commercial water softeners and industrial water softening systems.
Our specialist commercial water softeners, engineering and delivery capabilities allow us to offer a range of expert services including in-depth site evaluation, water softening system design, turnkey installation, and lifecycle water softener maintenance services to ensure water quality standards are maintained at all times.
Expert water hygiene and engineering support solutions for hot and cold water systems including water chlorination, drinking water disinfection, cleaning of new and existing domestic water systems; water tank cleaning, tank refurbishment and replacement.
Our specialist water hygiene services are delivered by experienced engineers who combine the latest equipment and water treatment techniques to help clean and disinfect domestic water systems to control levels of waterborne bacteria, and ensure all essential water quality and safety standards are achieved.
Specialist non-destructive water leak detection and source investigation services to businesses and private individuals throughout the UK and Ireland.
Our specialist services are delivered by experienced engineers who combine the latest high performance non-destructive leak detection and investigation techniques, in-field test equipment and laboratory analysis facilities to identify the source and location of water leaks.
Specialist offering expert water tank relining, coating and refurbishment solutions for the repair of defective and leaking water storage tanks, cooling towers, containment bunds and other liquid retaining structures.
Our expert tank reline and repair solutions use a technically advanced, high performance polyurethane coating system that will quickly breathe new life in to failing and dilapidated tanks with the minimum of disruption.
Professional water testing laboratory and in-field water sampling services for an extensive range of parameters commonly found in water systems.
Our water quality analysis services include the testing of potable water (drinking water), swimming pool and spa waters, domestic hot and cold water; and water used in cooling systems, cooling towers, industrial and manufacturing processes, and other commercial and healthcare settings.
Professional industrial water treatment training courses developed to support organisations and individuals with responsibility for the implementation, management and optimisation of industrial and process water and wastewater treatment installations.
Our range of professional water treatment training courses cater for different roles and levels of management responsibility including facilities managers, water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of commercial, industrial and process water and waste water treatment systems.
Industrial water treatment is an important mechanism that helps to optimise the efficiency of industrial processes including plant and equipment that use or involve water in some way. This can include the treatment of boilers and steam generating plant, cooling water systems and cooling towers, and closed circuit and closed loop heating and cooling systems.
Good industrial water treatment practices help to improve the reliability of plant and equipment, reduce operating costs and other serious risks to on-going operations, productivity, and health and safety.
Industrial water treatment services delivered by experts. Our engineers combine their expertise with the latest high performance water treatment chemicals, equipment and controllers to reduce costs; improve safety, reliability and efficiency, and extend asset lifecycles. Expert in the management of industrial boilers and steam generating systems, cooling towers and cooling water systems; closed systems, and legionella control and compliance… water treatment →
Industrial wastewater treatment and trade effluent solutions to improve cost efficiency, process optimisation and environmental compliance. Our innovative industrial wastewater and effluent treatment solutions encompass effluent discharge, regulatory compliance and consent evaluation; process design, chemical and biological treatments, sludge management, and the latest water recycling and reuse solutions… wastewater treatment →
Expert air quality solutions to help organisations manage air quality and other environmental issues that may affect the quality of internal workplace environments and the health and well-being of building occupants. Our specialist air quality management solutions include indoor air quality assessments, LEV testing and inspections, dust and air quality monitoring, ventilation ductwork cleaning and comprehensive air hygiene services… air quality →
Innovative energy efficiency and resource optimisation solutions for organisations seeking to become more energy efficient, save water, reduce costs and build sustainable environmental performance. Our energy efficiency experts examine the use of energy and water in industrial heat transfer systems, steam boilers, HVAC, cooling towers, and the treatment of wastewater and effluent in commercial, industrial and process applications… energy efficiency →
Water Treatment Services is a leading independent UK based industrial water treatment company and environmental services specialist delivering expert advice, engineering support solutions and world-class consulting services across a range of specialist disciplines involving the use and management of water, wastewater, air and energy. Our innovative solutions for the treatment of industrial and process waters, Legionella control, industrial wastewater treatment, air quality analysis and energy efficiency are delivered through world-class teams of water management, environmental and engineering specialists who bring together unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities and practical know-how across their specialist areas of operation to deliver real performance improvements to clients. We are strategically located throughout the UK with main offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester serving the North West, and Glasgow serving Scotland. These are further supported by offices in Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South West England and Wales) and Leeds (North and North East England), regional teams of engineers, in-field specialists and technical experts who deliver advice and engineering solutions to support our clients across all institutional, commercial and industrial sectors throughout the UK and Ireland. If you’d like to learn more about what we do or how we can help you please contact us today by calling 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
Laboratory Water Testing
TMV Servicing
Water Treatment Training
Drinking Water Testing
Legionella Training Courses
About Us
Expert tower cleaning, disinfection and engineering repair solutions.
Water Treatment Services is a leading environmental engineering specialist offering a full range of services including cooling tower cleaning, disinfection, surveys and inspections, repairs, and maintenance services covering all types and sizes of tower installation.
Our cleaning and disinfection solutions address the common problems of tower scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that can affect the cleanliness, safety and performance of all cooling towers.
Our services are delivered by in-field water treatment and engineering experts who combine the latest high performance equipment and treatment techniques to help restore cooling performance, clean and disinfect tower components; extend asset life-cycles and improve safety and regulatory compliance issues.
Our expert cooling tower water treatment, cleaning, disinfection, engineering support solutions include:
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained water treatment engineers, site service specialists and technical experts Water Treatment Services offer professional, cost effective tower cleaning, disinfection, engineering support solutions to organisations throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today to learn how our expert cooling tower and engineering support solutions can help you to improve standards of cleanliness, restore cooling performance, optimise costs, reduce downtime, increase plant reliability, and improve safety and regulatory compliance. To speak with one of our experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
Cooling towers are an essential component in many industrial, commercial and manufacturing processes where equipment, air, gasses, fluids and other materials are required to be cooled in some way. For example, evaporative cooling systems are used to remove heat from machinery and process materials, and to cool air from working environments (HVAC and air conditioning systems).
However, if such cooling installations are not maintained effectively, cleaned and disinfected regularly they can become unreliable, inefficient and more seriously, become a major source of dangerous bacteria, not least of which is Legionella bacteria, the bacterium responsible for the potentially fatal condition Legionnaires’ disease.
In the UK if you operate a cooling tower or evaporative condenser at your site you must, under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992 (learn more about the regulations here) write to your local authority to let them know. You will need to confirm the location of the tower and give details about how often it is used.
In order to manage a cooling tower effectively, control levels of Legionella bacteria, minimise the risk of Legionnaires’ disease and so comply with the requirements of the Health & Safety Executives Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and HSG274 Part 1, an effective cooling tower water treatment programme should be introduced and maintained at all times while the tower is operational. This water treatment programme would typically include detailed procedures for the operation of the cooling tower supported by a suitable chemical water treatment regimen.
Regular monitoring and testing of the cooling water will also be required to validate the control measures, together with sampling and legionella tests at least every three months. The cooling tower system will also require cleaning and disinfecting regularly.
Such maintenance programmes should incorporate regular cleaning and disinfection of the cooling tower, tower pack and any other components prone to fouling. Such an approach will help to remove unwanted biofouling, scale deposition and other environmental materials that may have entered the cooling system and that could provide an ideal growth environment for legionella and other bacteria. Such cooling tower cleaning and disinfection activities should be carried out at regular intervals. Our cooling tower specialists would typically carry out detailed inspections and advise on the following:
Since many industrial towers in the UK are not traditionally in operation throughout the year, it is also sensible to ensure they are carefully maintained, serviced, cleaned and disinfected prior to start-up, and also once their period of use is over.
Water Treatment Services use the most effective cleaning techniques and procedures to ensure every part of a cooling tower is professionally cleaned and disinfected to the highest standards.
Our teams of highly trained cooling tower water treatment engineers use the latest high performance techniques to achieve industry leading standards of sterilisation and cleanliness.
To ensure complete satisfaction Water Treatment Services perform a thorough three stage cooling tower cleaning and disinfection procedure as follows.
Cooling tower packing forms an integral part of a wet cooling installation and can be vulnerable to the accumulation of unwanted debris and other fouling. It therefore needs to be maintained and kept in a good, clean condition.
As part of our comprehensive cooling tower maintenance services we can perform detailed inspections of tower packs either by removing them or where this is impractical by using specialist inspection equipment.
We offer full tower pack cleaning (either pack removal or in-situ cleaning) and replacement services to ensure your cooling tower and packing is clean and fully compliant with the HSE’s ACOP L8 and HSG274 Part 1.
Water Treatment Services offer an expert cooling tower engineering service and can inspect, repair and refurbish most cooling tower installations to extend their life and ensure they continue to operate reliably, safely and at optimum efficiency.
Typically our cooling tower repair and refurbishment services can include repairs or replacement of the following:
It is easy to assume that a good water treatment programme will be enough to keep your cooling tower operating efficiently, clean and free from legionella and other bacteria.
However, as we can see, a programme that includes a planned deep-clean and disinfection process will ensure your business consistently meets its requirements and remains compliant with the law.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to discuss your cooling tower cleaning, disinfection and maintenance requirements. We can provide expert advice and professional in-field support for most cooling towers.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers, in-field water treatment service specialists and technical experts we can offer professional, cost effective cooling tower cleaning, disinfection and engineering support services across the whole of the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information on cooling towers and cooling tower cleaning contact the specialists at Water Treatment Services
Managing boiler carryover in steam generating systems is an essential engineering process required to maintain steam purity and boiler system performance. In this expert guide the boiler specialists at Water Treatment Services review the management of industrial steam generating systems looking specifically at the impact of carryover, what causes it, why it needs to be managed and how to control it.
Expert cooling tower maintenance and engineering support.
Water Treatment Services is a leading UK water and environmental engineering services company offering expert cooling tower maintenance, engineering repairs and refurbishment solutions for all industrial and commercial cooling systems, towers and evaporative condensers.
Our cooling tower engineering and on-going service contracts are carried out by experienced specialists trained to deliver a comprehensive range of services.
Operating throughout the UK and Ireland our water treatment and engineering solutions have been developed to optimise thermal performance, improve reliability, extend asset life-cycles and ensure client safety and regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.
Our water cooling tower maintenance, engineering repair and refurbishment solutions offer a number of important benefits including:
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians and specialist engineers, we can offer comprehensive cooling tower maintenance, repair and engineering solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our engineering and water treatment solutions can help you. To speak with one of our experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use this button.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are used in a wide variety of commercial, industrial and process applications. They are designed to transfer heat away from a manufacturing or industrial process or an internal environment as efficiently as possible and then disperse that unwanted heat energy in to the atmosphere. Cooling towers do this either by allowing the water used as part of its cooling system to evaporate, thereby releasing energy, or by using air to cool the working liquids.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are typically found in power stations, petrochemical plants, oil refineries, data centres, hotels, offices and other commercial buildings and manufacturing facilities. The size of the towers varies hugely, from small compact units which sit on the roof of an office or factory to huge, free-standing hyperboloid towers typical of power stations, which can be up to 200 metres high.
Large concrete hyperboloid cooling towers.
As with any structure or item of plant or machinery in a factory or business, cooling towers should be inspected regularly to ensure that they continue to perform in the way intended. Deteriorating components and equipment can soon start to impact on how efficiently your factory processes or business is operating, and a cooling tower which has totally failed could shut down production entirely.
Another significant consideration that must be fully addressed is the health and safety dangers posed by dirty and poorly managed cooling towers. Towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in several significant outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease, a serious, potentially fatal lung condition. They are considered high risk by the Health & Safety Executive and special precautions need to be taken.
Because of this there are strict tower registration and legionella control requirements in place designed to protect the safety of employees and others and these must be followed. Failure to do so could have serious consequences and may lead to prosecution and significant fines for owners and operators of cooling towers.
The experienced and skilled engineers at Water Treatment Services can be called on to inspect, maintain and service your cooling towers, whether on an on-going basis, to pick up on any issues which could develop into a major problem, or because a situation has occurred which has required the towers to be shut down.
During a cooling tower inspection, our engineers will look at the integrity of the tower structure as a whole, they will also examine the internal components and cooling water systems and how these are treated. Additionally they will review the overall performance and heat transfer efficiencies of the tower to ensure it is operating safely and effectively.
Our engineers typically take photographs as part of the initial inspection process, and feedback all results to the client in a comprehensive written report. The client can then use this information to target where they should be concentrating repairs, or highlight any areas in the cooling tower which are a cause for concern and require further action.
Cooling towers are there to do one job only – provide cooling. Should your cooling tower fail because of poor maintenance, then the entire business operation could be compromised, especially if the cooling is critical to a manufacturing process or required to provide environmental temperature control.
Regular cooling tower maintenance will also improve operational efficiencies and prolong the lifespan of your towers, avoiding the need for a costly replacement until absolutely necessary.
Effective tower maintenance procedures will also minimise the risks of bacteria growing in the cooling water systems. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for the potentially deadly respiratory condition, Legionnaires’ disease is often linked with water cooling towers which are considered a high legionella risk. Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal, and companies which have or operate cooling towers on their premises have a legal obligation to register them with their local council, and to monitor and maintain their cooling towers to protect public health.
Under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992, if your building or site uses a cooling tower or evaporative condenser you need to write to your local council to tell them about it. The only exceptions to this are when the tower contains no water that’s exposed to the air, or the water or electrical supplies have been disconnected. Additionally, if you make any changes to the tower you also need to write to your council straight away.
Cooling towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in a number of serious outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease and are considered by the Health & Safety Executive to be high risk. To control the risks from Legionella bacteria tower owners and operators must assess the risks posed and implement suitable precautions to protect employees and others from harm. The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and their supporting health and safety guidance document HSG274 Part 1 provides clear instruction and advice on what measures need to be taken. Both documents are essential reading for any duty holder, responsible person, owner or operator of a cooling tower.
In addition to the important public health aspects, studies have shown that a water cooling tower which is poorly maintained can become energy inefficient, costing you money. Energy costs rise by approximately 5% to 6% for every degree Celsius more in temperature. Therefore, keeping up with a maintenance programme on your cooling towers could save around 15% in your annual energy costs, partially offsetting the cost of doing the maintenance in the first place.
The first step in any good cooling tower maintenance and servicing programme is to take stock of what type of cooling towers you have, how large they are, how old they are, system volumes, cooling loads, general cleanliness and a whole host of other factors.
There is no one “correct” maintenance regime for a cooling tower, and each business will have to develop their own maintenance procedures based on their specific circumstances. There are however some standard elements which usually form part of any cooling tower maintenance schedule.
First, our cooling tower engineering specialists will take an overview of the cooling units as a whole, looking for any obvious issues which might have arisen since the last inspection. Before taking a closer look at the tower, safe access must be provided and everything must be switched off and disconnected to ensure the safety of the maintenance team.
The team can then clear away any debris which has accumulated in the filters and tower pack, check for cracks and splits and look for moss, slimes and the build-up of scale. Once these visual inspections are complete, the team can then move onto checking the water supply level, flow control valves and filters, gear box and the performance of moving parts such as shaft bearings and fans; look for problems with tension and check oil levels if appropriate.
The frequency of maintenance will often depend on the type of cooling tower and how often it is used, but in many operations it is typically carried out quarterly. Record keeping is also an essential part of the maintenance process and noting down exactly what was done and when can keep you on the right side of the law when it comes to health and safety legislation, and in particular the control of Legionella bacteria and compliance with the HSE’s ACOP L8.
Even though maintenance and servicing might be a quarterly activity, your ACOP L8 legionella control procedures will require more regular testing of the water flowing through your cooling towers.
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive recommend that microbial testing for general levels of bacteria in cooling towers should be carried out weekly. These tests can be done using dip slides and an incubator which will help to give tower operators a good indication of the overall cleanliness of the cooling tower waters and if they are under microbial control.
However, you should remember that dip slide testing at monthly or longer intervals will not pick-up rapid increases in microbial growth that can occur during the late spring to early autumn. This is when temperature conditions are more favourable to the growth of Legionella bacteria.
Routine laboratory legionella testing of cooling tower waters should be carried out at least quarterly, but more frequently under certain circumstances including:
Often, a complete shut down is not required for water sampling to take place. Best practice is that the legionella sampling is done at the same place, at the same time of day, at specified periods to allow for realistic comparisons.
Any changes detected during water sampling might be the first indication that the water systems are out of microbial control and that maintenance issues are developing with your cooling tower. Those people in your organisation responsible for carrying out the water testing and record keeping should be in close contact with the water treatment contractor or in-house maintenance team so that they can quickly alert them to any problems so that remedial actions can be taken as soon as possible.
Some degree of disruption is inevitable when carrying out proactive maintenance or cooling tower repairs, but this scheduled disruption should be weighed against the inconvenience of having to shut down your facility because the towers have become contaminated with Legionella bacteria, they have developed a fault or even failed.
Many businesses choose to schedule their cooling tower maintenance for weekends, when they are not being used or at periods of the year when the factory shuts down to permit maintenance throughout the whole plant, not just on the cooling towers.
It also makes sense to keep a stock of the spare parts which are most commonly replaced during maintenance on site, or ask Water Treatment Services to stock them for you so they are available within hours when needed.
Despite what the original manufacturers of your cooling towers might tell you, it’s rarely necessary to buy original parts from the manufacturer as compatible parts will work just as well, as long as they are made to the same or better quality standards. Having a skilled in-house maintenance team, or using a specialist cooling tower contractor like Water Treatment Services to carry out the tower maintenance and servicing each time will also cut servicing time as technicians become familiar with the set-up of your cooling systems and its quirks.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians, engineers and water treatment specialists, we can offer professional cooling tower maintenance, repair and servicing solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information about our indoor air quality services … here →
Managing boiler carryover in steam generating systems is an essential engineering process required to maintain steam purity and boiler system performance. In this expert guide the boiler specialists at Water Treatment Services review the management of industrial steam generating systems looking specifically at the impact of carryover, what causes it, why it needs to be managed and how to control it.
Expert cooling tower maintenance and engineering support.
Water Treatment Services is a leading UK water and environmental engineering services company offering expert cooling tower maintenance, engineering repairs and refurbishment solutions for all industrial and commercial cooling systems, towers and evaporative condensers.
Our cooling tower engineering and on-going service contracts are carried out by experienced specialists trained to deliver a comprehensive range of services.
Operating throughout the UK and Ireland our water treatment and engineering solutions have been developed to optimise thermal performance, improve reliability, extend asset life-cycles and ensure client safety and regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.
Our water cooling tower maintenance, engineering repair and refurbishment solutions offer a number of important benefits including:
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians and specialist engineers, we can offer comprehensive cooling tower maintenance, repair and engineering solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our engineering and water treatment solutions can help you. To speak with one of our experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use this button.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are used in a wide variety of commercial, industrial and process applications. They are designed to transfer heat away from a manufacturing or industrial process or an internal environment as efficiently as possible and then disperse that unwanted heat energy in to the atmosphere. Cooling towers do this either by allowing the water used as part of its cooling system to evaporate, thereby releasing energy, or by using air to cool the working liquids.
Cooling towers and evaporative condensers are typically found in power stations, petrochemical plants, oil refineries, data centres, hotels, offices and other commercial buildings and manufacturing facilities. The size of the towers varies hugely, from small compact units which sit on the roof of an office or factory to huge, free-standing hyperboloid towers typical of power stations, which can be up to 200 metres high.
Large concrete hyperboloid cooling towers.
As with any structure or item of plant or machinery in a factory or business, cooling towers should be inspected regularly to ensure that they continue to perform in the way intended. Deteriorating components and equipment can soon start to impact on how efficiently your factory processes or business is operating, and a cooling tower which has totally failed could shut down production entirely.
Another significant consideration that must be fully addressed is the health and safety dangers posed by dirty and poorly managed cooling towers. Towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in several significant outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease, a serious, potentially fatal lung condition. They are considered high risk by the Health & Safety Executive and special precautions need to be taken.
Because of this there are strict tower registration and legionella control requirements in place designed to protect the safety of employees and others and these must be followed. Failure to do so could have serious consequences and may lead to prosecution and significant fines for owners and operators of cooling towers.
The experienced and skilled engineers at Water Treatment Services can be called on to inspect, maintain and service your cooling towers, whether on an on-going basis, to pick up on any issues which could develop into a major problem, or because a situation has occurred which has required the towers to be shut down.
During a cooling tower inspection, our engineers will look at the integrity of the tower structure as a whole, they will also examine the internal components and cooling water systems and how these are treated. Additionally they will review the overall performance and heat transfer efficiencies of the tower to ensure it is operating safely and effectively.
Our engineers typically take photographs as part of the initial inspection process, and feedback all results to the client in a comprehensive written report. The client can then use this information to target where they should be concentrating repairs, or highlight any areas in the cooling tower which are a cause for concern and require further action.
Cooling towers are there to do one job only – provide cooling. Should your cooling tower fail because of poor maintenance, then the entire business operation could be compromised, especially if the cooling is critical to a manufacturing process or required to provide environmental temperature control.
Regular cooling tower maintenance will also improve operational efficiencies and prolong the lifespan of your towers, avoiding the need for a costly replacement until absolutely necessary.
Effective tower maintenance procedures will also minimise the risks of bacteria growing in the cooling water systems. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for the potentially deadly respiratory condition, Legionnaires’ disease is often linked with water cooling towers which are considered a high legionella risk. Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal, and companies which have or operate cooling towers on their premises have a legal obligation to register them with their local council, and to monitor and maintain their cooling towers to protect public health.
Under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992, if your building or site uses a cooling tower or evaporative condenser you need to write to your local council to tell them about it. The only exceptions to this are when the tower contains no water that’s exposed to the air, or the water or electrical supplies have been disconnected. Additionally, if you make any changes to the tower you also need to write to your council straight away.
Cooling towers and evaporative cooling systems have been implicated in a number of serious outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease and are considered by the Health & Safety Executive to be high risk. To control the risks from Legionella bacteria tower owners and operators must assess the risks posed and implement suitable precautions to protect employees and others from harm. The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and their supporting health and safety guidance document HSG274 Part 1 provides clear instruction and advice on what measures need to be taken. Both documents are essential reading for any duty holder, responsible person, owner or operator of a cooling tower.
In addition to the important public health aspects, studies have shown that a water cooling tower which is poorly maintained can become energy inefficient, costing you money. Energy costs rise by approximately 5% to 6% for every degree Celsius more in temperature. Therefore, keeping up with a maintenance programme on your cooling towers could save around 15% in your annual energy costs, partially offsetting the cost of doing the maintenance in the first place.
The first step in any good cooling tower maintenance and servicing programme is to take stock of what type of cooling towers you have, how large they are, how old they are, system volumes, cooling loads, general cleanliness and a whole host of other factors.
There is no one “correct” maintenance regime for a cooling tower, and each business will have to develop their own maintenance procedures based on their specific circumstances. There are however some standard elements which usually form part of any cooling tower maintenance schedule.
First, our cooling tower engineering specialists will take an overview of the cooling units as a whole, looking for any obvious issues which might have arisen since the last inspection. Before taking a closer look at the tower, safe access must be provided and everything must be switched off and disconnected to ensure the safety of the maintenance team.
The team can then clear away any debris which has accumulated in the filters and tower pack, check for cracks and splits and look for moss, slimes and the build-up of scale. Once these visual inspections are complete, the team can then move onto checking the water supply level, flow control valves and filters, gear box and the performance of moving parts such as shaft bearings and fans; look for problems with tension and check oil levels if appropriate.
The frequency of maintenance will often depend on the type of cooling tower and how often it is used, but in many operations it is typically carried out quarterly. Record keeping is also an essential part of the maintenance process and noting down exactly what was done and when can keep you on the right side of the law when it comes to health and safety legislation, and in particular the control of Legionella bacteria and compliance with the HSE’s ACOP L8.
Even though maintenance and servicing might be a quarterly activity, your ACOP L8 legionella control procedures will require more regular testing of the water flowing through your cooling towers.
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive recommend that microbial testing for general levels of bacteria in cooling towers should be carried out weekly. These tests can be done using dip slides and an incubator which will help to give tower operators a good indication of the overall cleanliness of the cooling tower waters and if they are under microbial control.
However, you should remember that dip slide testing at monthly or longer intervals will not pick-up rapid increases in microbial growth that can occur during the late spring to early autumn. This is when temperature conditions are more favourable to the growth of Legionella bacteria.
Routine laboratory legionella testing of cooling tower waters should be carried out at least quarterly, but more frequently under certain circumstances including:
Often, a complete shut down is not required for water sampling to take place. Best practice is that the legionella sampling is done at the same place, at the same time of day, at specified periods to allow for realistic comparisons.
Any changes detected during water sampling might be the first indication that the water systems are out of microbial control and that maintenance issues are developing with your cooling tower. Those people in your organisation responsible for carrying out the water testing and record keeping should be in close contact with the water treatment contractor or in-house maintenance team so that they can quickly alert them to any problems so that remedial actions can be taken as soon as possible.
Some degree of disruption is inevitable when carrying out proactive maintenance or cooling tower repairs, but this scheduled disruption should be weighed against the inconvenience of having to shut down your facility because the towers have become contaminated with Legionella bacteria, they have developed a fault or even failed.
Many businesses choose to schedule their cooling tower maintenance for weekends, when they are not being used or at periods of the year when the factory shuts down to permit maintenance throughout the whole plant, not just on the cooling towers.
It also makes sense to keep a stock of the spare parts which are most commonly replaced during maintenance on site, or ask Water Treatment Services to stock them for you so they are available within hours when needed.
Despite what the original manufacturers of your cooling towers might tell you, it’s rarely necessary to buy original parts from the manufacturer as compatible parts will work just as well, as long as they are made to the same or better quality standards. Having a skilled in-house maintenance team, or using a specialist cooling tower contractor like Water Treatment Services to carry out the tower maintenance and servicing each time will also cut servicing time as technicians become familiar with the set-up of your cooling systems and its quirks.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of trained technicians, engineers and water treatment specialists, we can offer professional cooling tower maintenance, repair and servicing solutions to businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information about our indoor air quality services … here →
World-class industrial and process water treatment courses
Water Treatment Services is a leading industrial water treatment, engineering and environmental services company offering a comprehensive range of specialist training courses. We deliver a full programme of public training courses, week-long Master Class sessions, together with courses delivered exclusively for clients at their premises. Details of our public and Master Class sessions for 2019 are provided here.
Our professional training courses cater for facilities managers, water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of commercial, industrial and process water treatment systems.
Our courses are delivered by experienced industry experts to ensure candidates develop the skills and practical knowledge required to fulfil their responsibilities with confidence.
Next Dates – Contact us for the next scheduled training dates
Location – Manchester and London, United Kingdom (On-site courses can also be arranged – please contact us →)
Availability – Places are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment … contact us →
For more information about course prices, availability or to book a place on our Industrial Water Treatment Master Class sessions for 2019 contact us today. Please note places are limited and allocated on a first-come basis. To avoid disappointment please call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
All our professional water treatment training courses are delivered by highly experienced, water industry specialists who are leading experts in matters concerning the implementation, management and control of industrial and commercial water and wastewater treatment installations.
More information about industrial water treatment … here →
World-class industrial and process water treatment courses delivered by leading experts.
Water Treatment Services is a leading independent UK water management, engineering and environmental consulting company offering a comprehensive range of professional water treatment training courses that have been developed to support organisations and individuals with responsibility for the implementation, management and optimisation of industrial and process water and wastewater treatment installations.
Our range of professional water treatment training courses cater for different roles and levels of management responsibility including facilities managers, water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of commercial, industrial and process water and waste water treatment systems.
All our courses are delivered by experienced industry experts to ensure candidates develop the skills and practical knowledge required to fulfil their responsibilities with confidence.
Our comprehensive range of professional water treatment training courses includes a number of entry level courses covering the basic chemistry of water, water analysis, and the fundamentals of industrial water treatment processes.
Our advanced level courses offer an intensive review of subjects including pre-treatment processes (base exchange water softening, de-alkalisation, de-mineralisation, reverse osmosis etc.), industrial boiler water treatment for steam raising plant, cooling water treatment for open recirculating and evaporative cooling systems, the management of closed system heating and cooling installations, and industrial wastewater treatment. We also offer a comprehensive five day course and bespoke training that can be tailored to the specific requirements of an organisation.
Public course and master class dates for 2018 →
Our specialist industrial and commercial water treatment training, wastewater treatment training and practical workshop solutions include:
Our main UK based water and wastewater training centres are located in central London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), and these are supported by satellite training centres in Belfast and Newcastle. We also offer training to international clients.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our professional water treatment training solutions can help to up-skill your staff to ensure your water and wastewater treatment systems are managed effectively. To speak with one of our water treatment experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
All our professional water treatment training courses are delivered by highly experienced, water industry specialists who are leading experts in matters concerning the implementation, management and control of industrial and commercial water and wastewater treatment installations.
Our water treatment training courses cater for different roles and levels of management responsibility including water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of industrial water and waste water treatment systems. Our range of courses includes:
Water Treatment Services offer a comprehensive range of specialist industrial and process water treatment training courses designed to support organisations and individuals with responsibility for the implementation, management and optimisation of industrial and process water and wastewater treatment installations.
Delivered by experienced industry experts our professional training courses help candidates to develop the skills and practical knowledge required to fulfil their water management responsibilities with confidence.
Our main training centres are located in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), and these are supported by satellite training centres in Belfast and Newcastle. We can also deliver all our training courses, including bespoke courses at client premises throughout the UK and internationally.
Contact us now for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information about our industrial water treatment courses … here →
Water Treatment Services offer a comprehensive range of industrial water treatment and water hygiene solutions that combine the expertise of engineering specialists with the latest high performance tools to deliver real performance, reliability, cost and safety benefits.
Our industrial water treatment and water hygiene services include:
Specialist boiler water treatment and in-field engineering support solutions for commercial and industrial boilers and steam generating systems.
Addressing the issues of scaling, corrosion and deposition that affect boiler performance our services are delivered by experienced in-field boiler water treatment specialists who combine the latest treatment techniques, equipment and data controllers to reduce costs, improve efficiency, reliability and safety; and extend asset lifecycles.
Specialist cooling water treatment and in-field engineering support solutions for institutional, commercial and industrial cooling systems including cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
Addressing the issues of corrosion, scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that can affect the safety and performance of cooling towers and cooling water systems our services are delivered by experienced in-field cooling water treatment specialists who combine the latest treatment techniques, equipment and data controllers to reduce costs, improve safety, efficiency and reliability; and extend asset lifecycles.
Specialist water treatment solutions for the management of closed system heating, cooling and chilled water systems.
Our expert services focus on addressing the issues of corrosion, fouling, biofouling and scaling that can affect the reliability and performance of closed circuit and closed loop water systems. Our specialist water management programmes are delivered by in-field water treatment experts who bring together the latest water treatment techniques, equipment and controllers to reduce costs, save energy, enhance efficiency and reliability, and extend asset life-cycles.
Expert Legionella control and specialist environmental hygiene solutions to improve the management and control of Legionnaires’ disease, Legionella, Pseudomonas and other waterborne pathogens in the workplace.
Professional water and environmental hygiene services, Legionella risk assessments, training courses and water testing for the control of Legionnaires’ disease, Legionella bacteria and other waterborne pathogens.
Expert cooling tower cleaning, disinfection, water treatment and tower maintenance solutions for all types and sizes of cooling tower installation.
Our specialist cooling tower cleaning and disinfection solutions address the common problems of scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that affect the cleanliness, safety and efficiency of cooling towers. Our services are delivered by trained engineers who can help restore cooling performance, clean and disinfect tower components; and improve safety and legionella compliance.
Expert cooling tower maintenance, engineering repairs and refurbishment solutions for all industrial and commercial cooling systems, towers and evaporative condensers.
Operating throughout the UK and Ireland our water treatment and engineering solutions have been developed to optimise thermal performance, improve reliability, extend asset life-cycles and ensure client safety and regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled.
Specialist pre-commission cleaning and engineering support solutions for all newly installed and refurbished heating and chilled water systems.
Our expert pre-commission cleaning services are essential to ensure new and existing heating and chilled water systems are commissioned correctly and in accordance with the latest BSRIA guidance to improve system reliability, efficiency and extend asset lifecycles.
Expert thermostatic mixing valve servicing, maintenance, temperature monitoring and failsafe testing for TMVs installed in health and social care facilities.
Our expert TMV servicing and safety testing services are essential to ensure good water quality standards, safe water temperatures and health and safety standards are achieved and maintained in health and social care facilities including hospitals, care homes and other premises where the risk of scalding from hot water calls for the installation of specialist thermostatic mixing valves.
Comprehensive water hygiene and engineering support solutions for the treatment and disinfection of water systems using high performance chlorine dioxide generators, dosing equipment and control systems.
Our specialist chlorine dioxide water treatment, water hygiene and engineering support services include detailed site surveys, system design and specification; installation, operation and lifecycle maintenance of chlorine dioxide systems.
Expert industrial water treatment and engineering support solutions including the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of commercial water softeners and industrial water softening systems.
Our specialist commercial water softeners, engineering and delivery capabilities allow us to offer a range of expert services including in-depth site evaluation, water softening system design, turnkey installation, and lifecycle water softener maintenance services to ensure water quality standards are maintained at all times.
Expert water hygiene and engineering support solutions for hot and cold water systems including water chlorination, drinking water disinfection, cleaning of new and existing domestic water systems; water tank cleaning, tank refurbishment and replacement.
Our specialist water hygiene services are delivered by experienced engineers who combine the latest equipment and water treatment techniques to help clean and disinfect domestic water systems to control levels of waterborne bacteria, and ensure all essential water quality and safety standards are achieved.
Specialist non-destructive water leak detection and source investigation services to businesses and private individuals throughout the UK and Ireland.
Our specialist services are delivered by experienced engineers who combine the latest high performance non-destructive leak detection and investigation techniques, in-field test equipment and laboratory analysis facilities to identify the source and location of water leaks.
Specialist offering expert water tank relining, coating and refurbishment solutions for the repair of defective and leaking water storage tanks, cooling towers, containment bunds and other liquid retaining structures.
Our expert tank reline and repair solutions use a technically advanced, high performance polyurethane coating system that will quickly breathe new life in to failing and dilapidated tanks with the minimum of disruption.
Professional water testing laboratory and in-field water sampling services for an extensive range of parameters commonly found in water systems.
Our water quality analysis services include the testing of potable water (drinking water), swimming pool and spa waters, domestic hot and cold water; and water used in cooling systems, cooling towers, industrial and manufacturing processes, and other commercial and healthcare settings.
Professional industrial water treatment training courses developed to support organisations and individuals with responsibility for the implementation, management and optimisation of industrial and process water and wastewater treatment installations.
Our range of professional water treatment training courses cater for different roles and levels of management responsibility including facilities managers, water and wastewater treatment engineers, plant operators, environmental and process engineers, engineering and maintenance contractors, and those with responsibility for the operation and management of commercial, industrial and process water and waste water treatment systems.
Industrial water treatment is an important mechanism that helps to optimise the efficiency of industrial processes including plant and equipment that use or involve water in some way. This can include the treatment of boilers and steam generating plant, cooling water systems and cooling towers, and closed circuit and closed loop heating and cooling systems.
Good industrial water treatment practices help to improve the reliability of plant and equipment, reduce operating costs and other serious risks to on-going operations, productivity, and health and safety.
Industrial water treatment services delivered by experts. Our engineers combine their expertise with the latest high performance water treatment chemicals, equipment and controllers to reduce costs; improve safety, reliability and efficiency, and extend asset lifecycles. Expert in the management of industrial boilers and steam generating systems, cooling towers and cooling water systems; closed systems, and legionella control and compliance… water treatment →
Industrial wastewater treatment and trade effluent solutions to improve cost efficiency, process optimisation and environmental compliance. Our innovative industrial wastewater and effluent treatment solutions encompass effluent discharge, regulatory compliance and consent evaluation; process design, chemical and biological treatments, sludge management, and the latest water recycling and reuse solutions… wastewater treatment →
Expert air quality solutions to help organisations manage air quality and other environmental issues that may affect the quality of internal workplace environments and the health and well-being of building occupants. Our specialist air quality management solutions include indoor air quality assessments, LEV testing and inspections, dust and air quality monitoring, ventilation ductwork cleaning and comprehensive air hygiene services… air quality →
Innovative energy efficiency and resource optimisation solutions for organisations seeking to become more energy efficient, save water, reduce costs and build sustainable environmental performance. Our energy efficiency experts examine the use of energy and water in industrial heat transfer systems, steam boilers, HVAC, cooling towers, and the treatment of wastewater and effluent in commercial, industrial and process applications… energy efficiency →
Water Treatment Services is a leading independent UK based industrial water treatment company and environmental services specialist delivering expert advice, engineering support solutions and world-class consulting services across a range of specialist disciplines involving the use and management of water, wastewater, air and energy. Our innovative solutions for the treatment of industrial and process waters, Legionella control, industrial wastewater treatment, air quality analysis and energy efficiency are delivered through world-class teams of water management, environmental and engineering specialists who bring together unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities and practical know-how across their specialist areas of operation to deliver real performance improvements to clients. We are strategically located throughout the UK with main offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester serving the North West, and Glasgow serving Scotland. These are further supported by offices in Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South West England and Wales) and Leeds (North and North East England), regional teams of engineers, in-field specialists and technical experts who deliver advice and engineering solutions to support our clients across all institutional, commercial and industrial sectors throughout the UK and Ireland. If you’d like to learn more about what we do or how we can help you please contact us today by calling 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
Laboratory Water Testing TMV Servicing Water Treatment Training Drinking Water Testing Legionella Training Courses About UsExpert tower cleaning, disinfection and engineering repair solutions.
Water Treatment Services is a leading environmental engineering specialist offering a full range of services including cooling tower cleaning, disinfection, surveys and inspections, repairs, and maintenance services covering all types and sizes of tower installation.
Our cleaning and disinfection solutions address the common problems of tower scaling, fouling and microbial contamination that can affect the cleanliness, safety and performance of all cooling towers.
Our services are delivered by in-field water treatment and engineering experts who combine the latest high performance equipment and treatment techniques to help restore cooling performance, clean and disinfect tower components; extend asset life-cycles and improve safety and regulatory compliance issues.
Our expert cooling tower water treatment, cleaning, disinfection, engineering support solutions include:
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained water treatment engineers, site service specialists and technical experts Water Treatment Services offer professional, cost effective tower cleaning, disinfection, engineering support solutions to organisations throughout the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today to learn how our expert cooling tower and engineering support solutions can help you to improve standards of cleanliness, restore cooling performance, optimise costs, reduce downtime, increase plant reliability, and improve safety and regulatory compliance. To speak with one of our experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use the button below to get our full contact details or submit our contact form.
Cooling towers are an essential component in many industrial, commercial and manufacturing processes where equipment, air, gasses, fluids and other materials are required to be cooled in some way. For example, evaporative cooling systems are used to remove heat from machinery and process materials, and to cool air from working environments (HVAC and air conditioning systems).
However, if such cooling installations are not maintained effectively, cleaned and disinfected regularly they can become unreliable, inefficient and more seriously, become a major source of dangerous bacteria, not least of which is Legionella bacteria, the bacterium responsible for the potentially fatal condition Legionnaires’ disease.
In the UK if you operate a cooling tower or evaporative condenser at your site you must, under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992 (learn more about the regulations here) write to your local authority to let them know. You will need to confirm the location of the tower and give details about how often it is used.
In order to manage a cooling tower effectively, control levels of Legionella bacteria, minimise the risk of Legionnaires’ disease and so comply with the requirements of the Health & Safety Executives Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 and HSG274 Part 1, an effective cooling tower water treatment programme should be introduced and maintained at all times while the tower is operational. This water treatment programme would typically include detailed procedures for the operation of the cooling tower supported by a suitable chemical water treatment regimen.
Regular monitoring and testing of the cooling water will also be required to validate the control measures, together with sampling and legionella tests at least every three months. The cooling tower system will also require cleaning and disinfecting regularly.
Such maintenance programmes should incorporate regular cleaning and disinfection of the cooling tower, tower pack and any other components prone to fouling. Such an approach will help to remove unwanted biofouling, scale deposition and other environmental materials that may have entered the cooling system and that could provide an ideal growth environment for legionella and other bacteria. Such cooling tower cleaning and disinfection activities should be carried out at regular intervals. Our cooling tower specialists would typically carry out detailed inspections and advise on the following:
Since many industrial towers in the UK are not traditionally in operation throughout the year, it is also sensible to ensure they are carefully maintained, serviced, cleaned and disinfected prior to start-up, and also once their period of use is over.
Water Treatment Services use the most effective cleaning techniques and procedures to ensure every part of a cooling tower is professionally cleaned and disinfected to the highest standards.
Our teams of highly trained cooling tower water treatment engineers use the latest high performance techniques to achieve industry leading standards of sterilisation and cleanliness.
To ensure complete satisfaction Water Treatment Services perform a thorough three stage cooling tower cleaning and disinfection procedure as follows.
Cooling tower packing forms an integral part of a wet cooling installation and can be vulnerable to the accumulation of unwanted debris and other fouling. It therefore needs to be maintained and kept in a good, clean condition.
As part of our comprehensive cooling tower maintenance services we can perform detailed inspections of tower packs either by removing them or where this is impractical by using specialist inspection equipment.
We offer full tower pack cleaning (either pack removal or in-situ cleaning) and replacement services to ensure your cooling tower and packing is clean and fully compliant with the HSE’s ACOP L8 and HSG274 Part 1.
Water Treatment Services offer an expert cooling tower engineering service and can inspect, repair and refurbish most cooling tower installations to extend their life and ensure they continue to operate reliably, safely and at optimum efficiency.
Typically our cooling tower repair and refurbishment services can include repairs or replacement of the following:
It is easy to assume that a good water treatment programme will be enough to keep your cooling tower operating efficiently, clean and free from legionella and other bacteria.
However, as we can see, a programme that includes a planned deep-clean and disinfection process will ensure your business consistently meets its requirements and remains compliant with the law.
Contact Water Treatment Services today to discuss your cooling tower cleaning, disinfection and maintenance requirements. We can provide expert advice and professional in-field support for most cooling towers.
With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers, in-field water treatment service specialists and technical experts we can offer professional, cost effective cooling tower cleaning, disinfection and engineering support services across the whole of the UK and Ireland.
Contact us today for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.
More information on cooling towers and cooling tower cleaning contact the specialists at Water Treatment Services