Cooling towers work on the natural process of evaporation where cool air comes in contact with hot water to bring down its temperature. Then this cooled water is used again to carry heat with it. In thermal plants this is a never-ending cycle. We have drawn basic outline of the cooling towers, now let us weigh FRP and concrete cooling towers on their merits.
Both the types of cooling tower have their positives and negatives. A comparative analysis will create a heightened awareness and a better understanding.
Erection: The designing and erection of FRP i.e. fiberglass reinforced plastic cooling tower is a lot faster than concrete cooling tower. FRP Cooling Towers Manufacturer uses lightweight components, initiating faster completion of basic framework. Large and expensive foundations are required in case of concrete towers.
Strength & Flexibility: The ideal choice for the locations prone to earthquake is FRP cooling towers. They are stronger and more flexible than concrete towers. If the concrete cooling tower lack ample structural support or reinforcement it can easily be damaged by a smallest calamity. Inspection of FRP towers can be quickly performed within no time whereas a thorough inspection is needed for the latter.
Cleaning: Concrete is porous; so it holds dirt and bio films strongly than FRP towers. FRP cooling towers can easily be washed than concrete cooling towers.
Material Quality: Concrete quality test is somewhat difficult and there are high chances of overlooking defects as they are poured in place. FRP made components are finely tested in factory and only okay quality components are released. FRP structural components are dimensionally accurate whereas concrete finished structure isn't.
Safety: FRP deck has non-skid surface, on the other hand fan decks of concrete tower can be slippery.
Maintenance Cost: FRP structures do not demand special attention, hence incur low maintenance cost. Damaged components are easily detectable and replaceable. Concrete cooling towers possess huge and long maintenance cost. Concrete cracks and repairs are tricky and expensive.
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