With the arrival of the hot summer season, cooling systems are forced to operate under the most demanding conditions of the year. High outside temperatures reduce the available thermal differential, and thus increasing the working loads on components, and any existing inefficiencies in the system are amplified.
A preventive check before summer is therefore essential to ensure production continuity, consistent performance, and controlled energy consumption.
A system that is not properly checked can encounter a series of interconnected problems during the summer months:
- Reduced cooling capacity, making it impossible to maintain the required process conditions
- Increased energy consumption, as the system operates unpredictably to compensate for inefficiencies
- Alarms and sudden shutdowns, often during peak production periods
- Loss of downstream process efficiency, with consequences for quality and productivity
To safely handle summer loads, a suitable best practice is to plan a systematic system check in advance. The main points to check are the followings:
Cleanliness and condition of heat exchangers. Heat transfer surfaces must be clean and free of deposits or fouling. Even a thin layer of fouling can significantly reduce the overall heat transfer coefficient (U), degrading the unit’s rated performance. The check must include both the process and service sides.
Water circuit and water quality. Pipe scaling, localized corrosion, and deterioration of cooling water quality are among the most common causes of problems during the summer season. It’s important to check the pH, hardness, and concentration of any inhibitors, as well as verify proper circulation within the circuits.
Ventilation and condensation components. In dry coolers and evaporative cooling towers, the condensation section is the first to be affected by high external temperatures. Checking that the fans are working properly, that the fins are clean, and that there are no obstructions to the airflow is essential to avoid compromising the unit’s capacity.
General functional check. The inspection must be completed with a comprehensive functional check: calibration of temperature and pressure controls, condition of control components, alarm management, and verification of the correct operating sequence under peak conditions.
Preventive maintenance conducted before summer allows for the identification and resolution of critical issues while there is still time to do so, avoiding emergency interventions during peak production periods.