Leading Heat Transfer

WXR Evaporative Condenser Operation & Maintenance Guideline

WXR Evaporative Condenser Manipulation Rules

Before using evaporative condenser, works like pressure test, vacuum-pumping for leakage testing in the whole refrigeration system should be
completed.

1 Check before Running

(1) Check fan before using, Check the correctness of connection of pump electricity, check whether fan blade and impellers stuck and direction are
right. Make sure pipe coil and water pan are clean without any sundries. Ball cock should be good with normal water replenishing and water level
keep in normal position.
(2) Check air-inlet valve, liquid –outlet valve and pressure gauge valve of evaporative condenser. Disconnecting valve should before safety valve.
Balance valve should be on-state. Purge valve should be off-state. Electronic water processor should be in normal operating condition.
(3) Before starting the refrigeration compressor, other equipment and valves in refrigeration system should be in normal operating condition.
(4) Check the make-up value is operating freely.

2 Start-up
(1) Start fan, to observe whether ammeter needle points right.
(2) Start pump, check for the proper rotation indicated by the arrow on the pump cover and confirm condenser has provided water normally and
check spray nozzles spray water equally.
(3) Fill the water basin with fresh water to the overflow level.
(4) Set the make-up valve float so the water shuts off at the overflow level.
 Leading Heat Transfer

(5) All things are normal then start refrigeration compressor and other refrigeration equipment.

3 Check during running

(1) Fan. Pump operating without noise and abnormal shaking. Temperature increase of motor is normal.
(2) Electronic water processor operating normally
(3) Check the operating water level in the water basin. Adjust the make-up value if necessary.
(4) To observe the pointing of air-inlet pressure gauge frequently. Under any conditions, it should not over more than 1.5Mpa and under normal
conditions it should below relevant refrigerant pressure according local temperature (wet bulb temperature + 12℃)
(5) Inspect the spray nozzles and heat transfer section.

4 Air Release in Evaporative Condenser

(1) Purge valve should at the highest place of inlet air pipeline and at the top place of outlet liquid pipeline.
(2) Air of inlet air pipeline should be released when motor stoppage
(3) Air of outlet air pipeline can be released during operation.
(4) Air release tube can not only connect with the air separator, but also can release directly. When release directly, there should be a flexible tube
to lead air into water. Flexible tube and air release tube should pack firmly.
(5) Purge valve should open slowly and step by step. People should at the scene of air release to ward it.

5 Extended Shutdown
(1) The water basin should be drained and be flushed and cleaned with the suction strainer screens in place.
(2) The suction strainer screens should be cleaned and re-installed.
(3) The cold water basin drain should be left open.
(4) The casing of the unit should be inspected. Clean and refinish if necessary.

Maintenance Checklist for WXR Evaporative Condensers

 Leading Heat Transfer

Procedure: Start-up Monthly Quarterly Annually Shut down

Inspect general condition of the unit and check unit for unusual
√ √
noise or vibration
Check water distribution system and spray nozzles √ √
Drain basin and piping √ √
Inspect air inlet louvers √ √
Check and adjust operating level in water basin √ √
Check drift eliminators √ √
Check operation of make-up value √ √
Check bleed-off value √ √
Check motor voltage and current √ √
Clean fan motor exterior √ √
Check fan motor for proper rotation √
Check operation of the fan √ √
Check fan for uniform pitch √
Check fan for rotation without obstruction √ √
WARNING: Do not perform any service without first ensuring that the fans and the pumps are disconnected and locked out.

1 Maintenance of water basin

①Check the water basin monthly. The strainer should be removed and cleaned monthly or as often as necessary.
②If necessary, flush the entire water basin with fresh water quarterly. Sediment can become corrosive and cause deterioration of basin materials.
③When flushing the basin, keep the strainer in place to prevent the sediment from entering the system again.
④After the basin has been flushed, remove the strainer.
⑤Clean and replace the strainer before refilling the basin with fresh water.
 Leading Heat Transfer

2 Maintenance of Fan
①Before putting through the fan power, check whether the wire is broken or if there is creepage or other dangerous factors.
②After installing fan, keeps it running 1 hour then stop motor to check it whether in good running and whether electric motor is heat.
③The external surface of the motor must be cleaned quarterly during running to ensure the cooling of the motor.
④In normal operation, regularly check the space between fan impeller and ventilating duct wall is necessary. To observe whether there is colliding,
otherwise adjustment should be made.
⑤When following cases have happened, stop motor immediately and overhaul.
a. Temperature of fan bearing increased over 95 ℃
b. Electric current in overload operation
c. Smoking in motor
d. Strong shake or big noise of scuffing
⑥The insulation performance of the motor should be checked by ohmmeter before restart motor if don’t use for a long time.

3 Maintenance of Pump
3.1 Maintenance in Operation
①Inlet branch must in great seal with no water and air leakage
②Prohibit long-term running if pump under condition of cavitation erosion
③Specialized person should take charge of the pump avoid occurring accidents
④For long-term running there will be wear in machine. If noise and shake become greater, motor should be stopped. If necessary, replace the
wearing parts. Generally speaking, unit needs to be checked every year.
3.2 Maintenance of Mechanical Seal
①Lubricating fluid should be cleaned with no solid particles
②Dry grinding operating is forbidden.
 Leading Heat Transfer

③Before starting pump (electric motor) should running several circles, in order to avoid breakage of seal ring for sudden starting.

4 Maintenance of spray water distribution system

The nozzles and heat transfer should be checked and cleaned monthly. The inspection procedure is as follows:
①Shut off the fan, but with the pump on.
②Check to see if the nozzles are in the standard orientation shown in Figure 1.

Nozzle

Figure 1 –Nozzle Spray Pattern

③Clean any nozzles which are clogged. The nozzle and rubber grommet may be removed for cleaning, but do so only if necessary.
④Inspect the coil surface. Any corrosion, damage or obstructions must be corrected.
⑤When the temperature is low, the speed of fan can be reduced until completely shut down. But leave the spray pump running. Plate or coil
sets can be operated in dry mode for a period of time, then turn to evaporative mode. But the circulating water pump could not stop frequently and
 Leading Heat Transfer

it may lead to coil scale and damage both evaporative and dry mode.

5 Maintenance of Fill and Drift Eliminator

Inspect and clean the fill and drift eliminators at least quarterly.
The inspection procedure is as follows:
①Shut off the fan and the spray pump.
②Inspect if any obstructions, damages and fouling in the fill. And remove any obstructions from the fill.
③Remove any minor fouling chemically. Contact your local water treatment consultant for advice.
Attention: Do not use steam or high pressure water to clean the PVC fill and eliminators.

6 Maintenance of Water Level Control Assembly

Hydraulic water level control valve is furnished as standard equipment on the unit. When the water level fall, float bowl in the value fall. Pipe
pressure make the value sealing surface open, the water flows on both sides of the value. When the water level rise to the control level, float
bowl rise.
①Inspect the make-up water value assembly monthly and adjust if necessary.
②Inspect the annually for leakage. If necessary replace the value seat.
③Maintain the make-up water supply pressure should more than 200kPa.
④During the first 24 hours of operation, closely monitor the water level in the cold water basin and adjust the level if necessary.
⑤Operating at the standard water level will ensure that the unit basin contains sufficient water volume to prevent air entrainment in the
circulating pump during system start-up.

7 Water Treatment and Water Chemistry

1) Bleed or Blowdown
A small portion of the spray water as it flows through evaporative cooling equipment causes the cooling effect. As the pure water evaporates it
leaves behind the impurities found in the systemʼs makeup water and any accumulated airborne contaminants. The concentration of the
dissolved solids increases over time and can reach unacceptable levels. If these impurities and contaminants are not effectively controlled, they
 Leading Heat Transfer

may cause corrosion, scale and sludge accumulations. It will reduce heat transfer efficiency and increase operating costs, even shorten the
service life of the equipment.
The concentration of dissolved solids in the circulating water can be reduced by discharging a small amount of circulating water from the system
to control the concentration cycle. Automatic conductivity controller can also be used to maximize the water efficiency of system. In this device,
the discharge rate can be adjusted by the valve on the drain line. Water quality should be checked regularly to ensure effective control of water
quality.
2) Treatment of corrosion and scale
A proper water treatment program, administered under the supervision of a competent water treatment specialist, is an essential part of routine
maintenance to ensure the safe operation and longevity of evaporative cooling equipment, as well as other system components.
The operation principle of evaporative condenser is evaporating the circulating water that flows through the surface of the coil or plate, it takes
the heat to make refrigerant condensing. When the water evaporating, the original impurities still in the water, it makes the concentration of
solid solute dissolved in water rapidly increase and may reach a high level. The impurities in the air continues to flow into the water and makes
the problem serious. If these impurities and contaminants cannot be controlled effectively, it may cause scale, corrosion and accumulation, thus
reducing the efficiency of heat transfer and increasing operating costs and damaging equipment potentially.
• Operating galvanized evaporative cooling equipment with a water pH below 6.0 for any period may cause removal of the protective zinc
coating.
• Operating galvanized evaporative cooling equipment with a water pH above 9.0 for any period may destabilize the passivated surface and
create white rust.
• Scale not only reduces heat transfer and system efficiency, but also may lead to deposit corrosion. If scale is not controlled, it may continue
building on critical components such as fill and severely impact heat transfer performance.
Therefore, the concentration of solid soluble in circulating water such as chloride and sulfide must be controlled within the parameters listed in
Table below:
Table Guidelines for circulating water quality
Parameter Galvanized steel sheet 304 Stainless steel
PH 7.0~9.0 6.5-9.0
Hardness as CaCO3 30-500 ppm 50-500 ppm
 Leading Heat Transfer

Alkalinity as CaCO3 ≤500 ppm ≤500 ppm

Total dissolved solids ≤1000 ppm ≤1500 ppm
Chlorides ≤125 ppm ≤250 ppm
Sulfates ≤125 ppm ≤250 ppm

Property of Water Galvanized steel 304 Stainless steel

PH 6.5-9.0 6.5-9.2
Total suspended Solids ≤25 ppm ≤25 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids(TDS) ≤1500 ppm ≤2500 pm
Conductivity ≤2400 ≤4000
Alkalinity as CaCO3 ≤500 ppm ≤600 ppm
Calcium Hardness as CaCO3 50-600 ppm 50-750 ppm
Chlorides(CL) ≤250 ppm ≤300 ppm
Sulfates ≤250 ppm ≤350 ppm
Silica ≤150 ppm ≤150 ppm
3) Chemical Treatment
If a chemical water treatment program is used, all chemicals selected must be compatible with the unit materials of construction as well as other
equipment and piping used in the system.
The chemical processing program must meet the following requirements:
a. The chemicals of anti-scaling and controlling corrosion should be fed to the circulating water through automatic feeders to a point which
ensures proper control and mixing prior to prevent the corrosion from part of high concentration. This should be done at a point in the
system where total mixing and dilution occur before reaching the evaporative cooling equipment. The preferred injection point is on the
discharge side of the circulating pumps. The chemical should never be batch fed directly into water basin.
b. When chlorine is added to the system, free residual chlorine should not exceed 1 ppm. Exceeding this limit may accelerate corrosion.
c. The use of acids is generally not recommended unless the equipment is made of stainless steel plate, stainless steel coil and corrosion
 Leading Heat Transfer

protection system.
4) Biological Control
The methods of controlling corrosion and scale whether the chemical treat or not are not suitable for controlling biological impurities. The
growth of algae and other microbes may reduce the heat transfer efficiency of the system. Therefore, when the system is filled for the first time,
the sterilization process of biological growth should be used. Liquid fungicides can be added directly to the water basin. If solid fungicides are
used, they must be added by a crucible feeder. If ozone water treatment is used, the concentration of ozone cannot exceed 3~4 ppm for the
maximum service life of the equipment.
One of simple, easy to apply, low-maintenance method to control microbe, IOBIO bacteria and algae is to add low concentration of iodine to the
drain tube. This method is easy, utility, high effective and less maintenance.

Cold Weather Operation

Most evaporative condensers works year-round, so operating at subfreezing ambient temperatures should be considered.
When evaporative condensers works at subfreezing ambient temperatures, the temperature of spray water will be lower than the design value
and it may lead to ice. Thus, normally the water spray should be kept at about 10 degrees. Carry out frequent visual inspections and routine
maintenance services during operation in subfreezing weather.
Load control: In order to keep proper spray water temperature, the equipment should operate at larger heat load at first and then reduce the
heat rejection of condenser. Such as turn off the fan and reduce recirculated water.
Warning: Fans must be cycled during extremely low ambient conditions to avoid long periods of idle time when water is flowing over the coil.
The number of start/stop cycles must be limited to no more than six per hour.
When the ambient temperature is too low, even though stop the fan cannot prevent the water from freezing, the fan can be reversed by blowing
the warm air out to air inlet louvers to remove all the ices.
Warning: The reverse running of the fan should not be longer than necessary. For too long may make fan blades, air duct and eliminators freeze
and damage the equipment. Due to this reason, reverse running of fan should mount vibration proof switch. The running time of reverse should
less than 30 minutes. There should be about 40 seconds between forward and reverse running.
1. Remote Sump: The simplest and most effective way of keeping the recirculated water from freezing is to use a remote sump. With a remote
 Leading Heat Transfer

sump, the recirculating water pump is mounted remotely at the sump and whenever the pump is shut off, all recirculating water drains back
to the sump.
On applications with a remote pump, the water flow and pump head should meet the requirement. Regulating value must be mounted to
adjust the flow of water on the drain line.
2. Basin Heaters: If a remote sump cannot be used, heat must be provided to the water basin. However, the basin heater will not prevent the
external water lines, pump or pump piping from freezing.
3. Heat Tracing: The make-up water supply, overflow and drain lines, as well as the pump and pump piping up to the overflow level must be
heat traced and insulated to protect them from damage.
4. Dry operating: In winter, both cooling load and ambient temperature below the design conditions. The evaporative condenser can operate
without recirculated water in dry mode. At the moment, the recirculated water is completely drained from the water basin.
Attention: Start/stop pump should not be used to adjust the energy. The condensing capacity is greatly affected by whether to use
recirculated water or not.

Troubleshooting
Item Fault Probably Cause Solutions
Inlet and outlet valve doesn’t open, or blockade in inlet and outlet branch or in
Check, get rid of the blockade
impeller flow passage
Wrong running direction of motor or Slow rotate speed dues to lacking electric
Adjust direction, fix wires
No water from phase
1 Steam leakage of suction tube Tie up every sealing face, remove air
pump
Fluid not filled the pump, air in pump chamber Open vent valve, remove air
not enough water supply on entry, suction path too high, water leakage at bottom
Motor stoppage, adjustment
valve
Over resistance in pipeline, inadequate choice of pump Reduce curve in pipeline, re-choose pump
 Leading Heat Transfer

According to item 1 at first, check cause According to I at first. clear fault

Deficient in Pipeline. Pump impeller flow passage part blockade. furring deposit, Open valve
Get rid of blockade. Adjust opening of valve again
2 pump flow not enough
rate Low voltage Regulate voltage
Impeller wears Replace impeller
Pipeline support not stable Firm pipeline
Fluid mixed with gas Raise suction pressure to remove gas
3 Noise, shake Produce mixed gas turn down vacuum
Bearing damaged Replace bearing
Electric motor overload and running in heat rise Adjust according to 5
Exceed the limited flow use Turn outlet valve down, adjust flow rate
4 Over power Suction lift too high Reduce
Pump bearing wear Replace bearing
Over flow rate, running overload turn outlet valve down
Heat rise in Rotor part knock with hard surface Check and clear fault
5
electric motor Electric motor bearing damaged Replace bearing
Deficient voltage Regulate voltage
Mechanical seal wear replace
Water leakage Sand holes on pump or pump broken Weld up or replace
6
in pump Sealing surface not flat Repair
Bolt loosen Firm
7 Fan Noise The impeller is badly damaged and the bottom is loose Adjust cylinder to provide blade tip clearance.
fan cylinder
Bearing (induced
serious wear Replace the bearing
draft models)
8 High fan current Friction between impeller and fan stack Adjust the gap between impeller and fan stack
Voltage instability Mount voltage regulators
Non-condensable gases in the system By releasing air
9 High
Long-term use, the scale is too thick Clean the scale
 Leading Heat Transfer

condensing The system pipeline is not reasonable Pipeline alignment

Air evacuation valve is not mounted Mount the evacuation valve and remove the gas
pressure
Leakage sealer tape is not uniform When installing, at least two coats of sealer tape.
resistance
between upper
10
section and The foundation is uneven and the air inlet is low Adjust the foundation
lower section