Cycles of concentration
Higher cycles can save water but increase scaling and corrosion risk if chemistry is not controlled.
Industrial water treatment
Cooling Tower Water Treatment & Chemical Programme
Maintain heat-transfer performance by controlling dissolved solids, corrosion, microbiological growth and deposition in open recirculating cooling systems.
Engineering approach
Manage cycles, biology and corrosion together
As water evaporates, dissolved minerals concentrate. Treatment must therefore balance cycles of concentration, blowdown, scale inhibition, corrosion control and biocide effectiveness.
Process flow
Typical cooling-water treatment loop
1Makeup water
2Cooling basin
3Circulation through heat exchanger
4Chemical dosing
5Evaporation / concentration
6Controlled blowdown
7Filtered / conditioned return
Design & operating considerations
Biocide control
Oxidising or non-oxidising programmes should be selected around system conditions and microbiological risk.
Monitoring
Conductivity, pH, inhibitor residuals and microbiological indicators provide feedback for the treatment programme.
Mechanical condition
No chemical programme can compensate for blocked strainers, poor flow distribution or heavily fouled heat-exchange surfaces.
Applications
- HVAC cooling systems
- Process cooling
- Power and utility plants
- Manufacturing plants
- Chemical and engineering industries
Support
Services include water testing, chemical dosing optimisation, cooling-tower cleaning, troubleshooting and AMC.
Final equipment configuration, chemical dosing and operating targets should be based on actual water analysis, plant load and applicable discharge/process requirements.
Technical resource
Detailed engineering guide
The expanded cooling-tower guide covers water chemistry, cycles, treatment chemistry and troubleshooting.
Open technical guideFrequently asked questions
What are cycles of concentration?
They describe how concentrated the recirculating water becomes relative to the makeup water, often tracked using conductivity or another conservative tracer.
Why does cooling-tower conductivity rise?
Evaporation removes water but leaves dissolved salts behind. Without sufficient blowdown, those salts accumulate.
Can chemical dosing alone fix cooling problems?
Not always. Mechanical fouling, poor circulation, inadequate blowdown, drift issues or tower fill condition may also need attention.