Cooling Tower Shroud
Cooling Tower Shroud
(OP)
Hi All,
We have a very old cooling tower that is experiencing vibration at the motor. It is reading one times motor speed and showing unbalance. From what I can see the shroud on the cooling tower is drooping down and contacting the fan blades. We need to replace the shroud but we can not get a replacement for awhile. Also we are replacing this tower in a year.
Has anyone just removed the shroud and had any problems running the cooling tower? What is your expected efficiency loss?
I would rather run the fan with no shroud than run it with a broken shroud or partially removed shroud. Any thoughts or experiences from others would be greatly appreciated.
We have a very old cooling tower that is experiencing vibration at the motor. It is reading one times motor speed and showing unbalance. From what I can see the shroud on the cooling tower is drooping down and contacting the fan blades. We need to replace the shroud but we can not get a replacement for awhile. Also we are replacing this tower in a year.
Has anyone just removed the shroud and had any problems running the cooling tower? What is your expected efficiency loss?
I would rather run the fan with no shroud than run it with a broken shroud or partially removed shroud. Any thoughts or experiences from others would be greatly appreciated.





RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
We will do a second check on that for sure. The frame/structure is pretty old and rusting out so we have considered the idea that we may not be true. The bearings in the motor seem to be okay looking at the vibration report, what we are seeing is unbalance. Could be coupling shaft is unbalanced as well. We will do all the needed checks for sure the only thing I was wondering is if anyone has had experience running their cooling tower without the fan shroud.
RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
I would trim off all those falling apart sections of the shroud and would balance the blades (checking for deformations, deposits, etc.) until replacement time arrives.
You could try improving the bracing of the whole structure, anchoring of motor, coupling, bearings, etc. and even patching the shroud with some sheetmetal and rivets, if you have the budget.
"Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art." - Leonardo da Vinci
RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
RE: Cooling Tower Shroud
If you still think the coupling could be a potential contributor, take a picture of it and I can check if anything looks out of the ordinary for you.
When it comes to couplings we are always here to help.
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