Cooling Towers
Cooling towers are water-recycling devices or structures used to dissipate excess heat produced by industrial processes. The towers are commonly used in hydroelectric plants, nuclear plants, petroleum refineries, processing plants and in large buildings such as hospitals and schools to extract waste heat into the atmosphere by means of evaporation and natural air cooling. By bringing heated water in contact with air inside the towers, the water is able to cool and be reused as a coolant.
Large cooling towers can reach heights as high as 400 feet, cooling hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each minute in order for the water to be cooled to temperatures as low as 10 to 20 degrees Celsius.
Power plants and other buildings that generate large amounts of heat require cooling towers for environmental reasons, as heated water cannot be released into oceans or rivers due to the potential risk to wildlife and ecosystems.
How a Cooling Tower Works
In a cooling tower, the cooling process begins when heated waste water is pumped to the top of a cooling tower structure. The water then flows down with the force of gravity into various partitions within the tower, while an upward stream of air passes over the water.
The inner partitions, also known as the "fill," resemble a latticework that turns the stream of water into tiny droplets. Small droplets of water will evaporate more easily and transfer heat more quickly within the structure, as there is an increased surface area exposed to the surrounding air. The fill can be a splash fill or a film fill, depending on the type of fill material used.
A small percentage (2 to 5 percent) of the water evaporates into the atmosphere and may form the visible plume of mist that escapes from the top of a cooling tower.
Asbestos Used in Cooling Towers
Prior to the 1980s, asbestos was often used in the construction of cooling towers. Asbestos was most commonly found in the inner "fill" material, as thin, layered sheets of asbestos cement or asbestos paper could provide resistance to heat and conductivity.
Additional uses for asbestos within cooling towers include:
- Wall coatings
- Fittings
- Laggings
- Insulation
- Cement water pipes
- Adhesives
- Cement board and walls
- Exterior louvers (slats that admit air into the tower)
- Interior partitions
Hazards of Asbestos in Cooling Towers
Cooling towers that utilize asbestos materials can pose a health hazard, as the evaporation of water from the tower can release asbestos fibers into the air. The risk is increased if the asbestos material has disintegrated or the asbestos cement has been damaged or dissolved over time. Asbestos fibers can easily attach to water molecules and be carried out of the tower and into the atmosphere.
Since the 1980s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has required the removal and replacement of most asbestos components of cooling towers. If asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested from surrounding air, the fibers can permanently lodge in lung tissue and lead to complications such as lung scarring, asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers.
Individuals who may have been exposed to asbestos from cooling towers include:
- Those who lived or worked in or near cooling towers
- Demolition crews who worked with cooling towers
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
