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Concrete
facts
about
cooling
towers
What type of cooling tower is better FRP or concrete towers? Aslan
Barazi weighs their comparative merits to facilitate an informed choice.
Since the beginning of the the region, which include that are more than 35 years
district cooling era in the Gulf factors, such as high ambient old, thanks to their inherent
S
region, which began in the temperature, high humidity efficiency and longevity. This
UAE over a decade ago, FRP and high sea air salinity in article addresses some of the
(fibre reinforced polymer) this area. However, concrete key features and differences
cooling towers have taken the cooling towers are a tried and between the two types of
lead. This is because of the tested option. There are many cooling towers concrete and
materials ability to withstand concrete cooling towers still FRP towers.
harsh climatic conditions of in operation in the region It is worth mentioning here
that each country seems and turn brown, requiring wall is that it substantially
to have its own preference regular cleaning. reduces noise levels, since
in cooling towers. For An FRP tower is lighter the air medium between
example, the UAE appears in weight and has a higher the two FRP walls acts as a There are many
to be partial to FRP cooling stress/strain ratio, especially sound insulator. In addition,
towers, while Kuwait seems when made by reputable a double wall FRP cooling concrete cooling
to prefer concrete cooling
towers. It is interesting to
cooling tower manufacturers,
who use an FRP pultruded
tower looks better.
The point to be noted here
towers still in
note that there are many structure. is that there is an additional operation in the
examples of old and new Some cooling tower cost for a double FRP cooling
towers that use ceramic tile manufacturers offer the tower compared to the region that are
file with a 25 year standard
warranty on the fill, for both
option of a double FRP wall,
which gives it a life span
single wall corrugated FRP
structure normally in the
more than 35
plant room size projects and comparable to a concrete range of a 1.15 multiplier. years old, thanks
small scale projects. cooling tower, provided It can be argued that the
Both concrete and it is correctly specified at additional cost is justifiable,
to their inherent
FRP towers have their
advantages. An FRP cooling
the time of listing quality
specifications. With minimal
if we factor in the fire safety
aspect, lower noise level,
efficiency and
tower comes with a single alterations, it also becomes longer life and higher tower longevity.
FRP body, with either a an FM approved fire rated stability, compared to a
stainless steel construction or cooling tower. This is an single wall FRP tower. Its
an FRP pultruded structure. important factor from a visual appeal, of course, is and structural integrity
On the other hand, a safety point of view. In case an added advantage. of a cooling tower. There
concrete cooling tower is of a fire, the fire can be At this juncture, it is also are numerous instances of
made of 100% corrosion free safely contained within the important to remember that cooling towers either failing
material. This is because cooling tower cell, without a material density of FRP/ or, worse, collapsing, when
manufacturers take into the possibility of it spreading glass composite of no less cooling tower manufacturers
account the fact that even to the neighbouring cell. than 12 oz to 16 oz per have compromised on the
SS316 in the cooling towers Another advantage in square foot FRP ingredient quality of material and
has been shown to oxidise the case of the double FRP is required for the long life have supplied cooling
towers using material with pouring concrete, when economies of scale. same longevity as that of
thickness of lesser density, compared to Europe or the When we compare the life a building. This criterion
for example six oz per United States. Having said cycle cost (LCC) between could also be applied, in all
square foot or eight oz per that, it can be argued that a concrete and an FRP probability, to the ceramic
square foot thickness. the concrete needs to be cooling tower, a concrete tile fill (25 years warranty)
Concrete cooling towers, competitively priced, when cooling tower seems to that comes along with
on the other hand, have a taking into account the emerge as the clear winner the tower. Comparatively
long history, globally, and overall pricing of the tower. in the long run, particularly speaking, a standard quality
in the region, thanks to their Which means, the total in the region. If they are FRP tower has an average
longevity, compared to FRP concrete scope of the cooling manufactured by a reputable life span of about 20 to 25
cooling towers. Interestingly, towers should be part of company, and are properly years by industry standards,
what makes them a more the civil contractors total maintained, concrete cooling and therefore, needs to be
economical option in the scope, including procurement towers can be expected to replaced twice during the
region is the lower cost of and labour cost, for better last for about 50 years the life of a building. Lower in
the rung is the tower with a
Tile fill PVC fill, with an average life