ACTS Cooling Tower Hurricane Planning
Many industrial plants along the Gulf Coast depend on
cooling towers for process cooling. Most of these
cooling towers, depending on age and design specifications, were
built to withstand between 90 mph and 120 mph winds, but only the
structure will withstand this level of wind. Louvers, casing, fan
stacks, wind walls, and other external components are likely to be
damaged by winds well below 120 mph. Furthermore, most of the
industrial cooling towers in service today are
constructed of wood that is continually exposed to very harsh
conditions that over time reduces the structural integrity of the
tower. Many towers currently in operation are significantly aged
and in some cases poorly maintained. Towers that fit this profile
are at significant risk of partial or complete collapse if exposed
to hurricane force winds.
Hurricane Winds and Your Cooling Tower
When an industrial cooling tower is moderately damaged in a
storm, cooling tower repairs can take between a
few days and several weeks to complete. When a cooling tower is
damaged to a point it must be rebuilt or replaced, the time
required to complete the rebuild will range from several weeks to
several months. In the event of a significant hurricane making
landfall in a heavily industrialized area, many cooling towers are
likely to be damaged by the same storm. When numerous cooling
towers are damaged at one time, demand for materials and
construction personnel will exceed supply resulting in even longer
lead times.
Rental Cooling Towers Can Help You Maintain Operations
Today
Rental cooling towers are a great resource and a great way to
quickly replace lost cooling capacity until the permanent cooling
tower is repaired. However, sufficient rental cooling tower
capacity may not be available when it is needed most if prior
arrangements are not in place. Unless cooling capacity is reserved
in advance of a significant hurricane, sufficient rental
cooling capacity may not be available to meet the cooling
needs left behind by the storm. When a hurricane makes landfall in
a heavy industrialized area, it is not uncommon for numerous
cooling towers to be damaged or destroyed, easily exceeding the
available rental cooling capacity. Facilities that are dependent on
cooling towers should consider their risk and decide if reserving
rental cooling tower capacity is right for their business.
Rental Cooling Tower Contingency Plans
A contingency plan that utilizes
rental cooling towers can make a big difference when it
comes to getting process cooling water restored quickly. In most
cases rental cooling towers can be installed within just a few
days, allowing a plant to return to full operation without cooling
limitations while the damaged cooling tower is being repaired or
replaced. Rental cooling tower capacity is available to support the
largest of cooling towers. Aggreko owns more than 1,500,000 GPM of
cooling tower capacity along with pumps, piping, and electrical
distribution to complete the system. Combined with Aggreko’s vast
fleet of
rental generators, Aggreko can provide a
complete temporary cooling system - one that is also powered
by Aggreko.
There are many different levels of action that
can be taken to reduce the time it takes to recover from a cooling
tower emergency. Based on a company’s level of risk and their
tolerance for risk the company can choose to prepare for a loss of
cooling water by reserving 100 percent of the cooling capacity
required to replace all of their cooling towers, choose to reserve
a moderate capacity, or they can choose to only develop a response
plan that aids in the decision making and implementation process
following an emergency. No matter what level of rental cooling
tower contingency planning required, Aggreko has the experience,
resources and expertise to aid our customers in the process.
For more information on our cooling
tower rentals and hurricane planning, fill out
the Contact
Us form, email us at Aggreko Cooling Tower
Services or call at
888.496.6208.