Method for monitoring fouling in a cooling tower
AssigneeQuantum Technical Services, Inc.
InventorsCharles B. Winfield, Stephen N. Harris, Lance Freeman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fouling in the fill portion of a cooling tower is monitored by transmitting radiation through a cooling tower, detecting the amount of radiation that has penetrated the cooling tower, and calculating the density of the fill portion of the cooling tower based on the detected radiation. A higher than expected density indicates the presence of fouling on the fill portion of the cooling tower. A rate of fouling may be established by monitoring the density of the fill portion of the cooling tower over time.
Claims12
A method for diagnosing non-uniform fouling in a fill portion of a cooling tower, the method comprising:
- (a) measuring a first density value of a fill portion of a cooling tower by transmitting radiation through a first part of the cooling tower and detecting radiation that has penetrated through the first part of the cooling tower;
- (b) measuring one or more density values of the fill portion of the cooling tower by transmitting radiation through one or more parts of the cooling tower and detecting radiation that has penetrated through the one or more parts of the cooling tower, wherein the one or more parts of the cooling tower are different from the first part of the cooling tower;
- wherein if the density values of the one or more parts are different from the first density value, then the fill portion of the cooling tower has non-uniform fouling;
- wherein the one or more density values are calculated according to the following equation:
- I=Ioe−ρμx
- wherein
- I2 is the amount of radiation detected through a portion of the cooling tower that does not contain fill;
- I is the amount of radiation detected through the fill portion;
- ρ is the calculated density of the fill portion of the cooling tower;
- x is the thickness of the fill portion;
- and
- is an absorption coefficient.
A method for monitoring fouling in a fill portion of a cooling tower having a water supply, the method comprising:
- (a) measuring a first density value of a fill portion of a cooling tower by transmitting radiation through a first part of the cooling tower and detecting radiation that has penetrated through the first part of the cooling tower;
- (b) measuring one or more density values of the fill portion of the cooling tower by transmitting radiation through one or more parts of the cooling tower and detecting radiation that has penetrated through the one or more parts of the cooling tower, wherein the one or more parts of the cooling tower are different from the first part of the cooling tower;
- (c) calculating a plurality of first density values by transmitting and detecting radiation through the cooling tower over time;
- (d) determining a rate of fouling of the fill portion of the cooling tower by tracking said in-situ density values;
- wherein if the density values of the one or more parts are different from the first density value, then the fill portion of the cooling tower has non-uniform fouling;
- (i) adding a quantity of an anti-fouling agent to the water supply;
- (ii) establishing a third density value of the fill portion by transmitting and detecting radiation through the cooling tower after said quantity of anti-fouling agent has been added;
- and (iii) comparing the third density value to the first and the one or more density values in order to determine the effectiveness of the quantity of the anti-fouling agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.