Chemical treatment is widely used to remove or reduce fouling in counter-flow cooling towers using film fill as the cooling medium. Effectiveness monitoring and associated optimization of chemical injection is difficult without shutdown, entry and visual inspection/verification.
This paper describes how gamma scanning techniques have been adapted to monitor both progression and removal of fouling in these types of cooling towers while the cooling tower remains on-line. Case histories will be presented showing how this application has been utilized to track film fill fouling, monitor the effectiveness of a chemical treatment program, and improve the overall cooling system reliability.
