How Your Cooling Towers Can Stop Wasting and Start Saving
Sustainability is now required, not optional. Cooling towers are everywhere. You may not see them, but they’re in every factory, data center and office building. As industries change and prioritize sustainability, our resource management must evolve too.
The problem? Traditional cooling tower water treatment is costing you more than you realize. Operational headaches, water waste, chemical bills and environmental impact all add up. Additionally, scaling, biofilm and Legionella risks threaten your efficiency, compliance and operation.
You could cling to the old-school methods, but why waste time, money and resources? Instead, see how sustainability leaders have cut cooling tower costs, waste and time. They’re embracing innovative alternative water treatment (AWT) systems for their cooling towers.
The Hidden Costs of Cooling Towers
Have you considered how your cooling system affects your business and the environment? If you’re using old water treatment methods, you might be struggling. Traditional methods often use harsh chemicals or energy-intensive ultraviolet (UV) water purification. These may help for a while, but they can lead to long-term problems for your facility and the planet. Also, the costs of these chemical treatments or UV energy use can add up fast. This can shrink your profits and make you reconsider your sustainability efforts.
Common Cooling Tower Challenges
- High Chemical Dependency: Large volumes of harsh chemicals drive up costs and harm the environment.
- Scaling and Fouling: Deposits and biofilms reduce energy efficiency and require constant maintenance.
- Microbial Growth: Harmful bacteria like Legionella thrive in poorly managed systems, posing potential health risks if inhaled
- Excessive Water Use: Traditional cooling towers waste significant amounts of water through blowdown cycles.
- Energy Inefficiency: Scaling, fouling, or use of energy-intensive UV water purification increases cooling system energy consumption.
Where Sustainable Cooling Matters Most
Cooling towers play a crucial role in various industries, where sustainability is becoming a top priority:
1. Data Centers, AI Facilities and Crypto Mining
Cooling towers protect equipment and allow uninterrupted service for data centers, AI facilities and crypto mining. These compute-intensive operations create immense amounts of heat. Without proper cooling, performance slows, systems degrade and hardware is vulnerable to costly failures. For their customers, this means slower response times, unreliable service and potential data loss or downtime, hurting business operations and user experience. Traditional cooling systems often use energy-consuming UV water purification to achieve UPW, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives.
As demand for AI and high-performance computing grows, so do concerns about their environmental impact. An average data center uses about 300,000 gallons of cooling water per day, which equates to daily water use of 1,000 households. By 2030, data centers are projected to use up to 10% of global electricity, a big jump from 3% in 2025. High-performance computing facilities are adopting sustainable cooling water treatment to meet future cooling demands with less water, energy and chemical waste.
2. Food and Beverage Processing
Cooling towers are critical in food and beverage processing, where precise temperature control preserves product quality and safety. These facilities must balance contamination risks, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. Poor cooling management can lead to microbial growth, spoilage and production downtime, harming profitability and food safety.
Traditional cooling methods often rely on chemical treatments and UV purification, consuming significant water and energy. Similar to datacenters, many processors use UPW to prevent scaling, corrosion and biofouling, but traditional cooling solutions are resource-intensive. With growing sustainability concerns, the industry seeks cooling alternatives that cut chemical and water use without compromising high sanitation standards. Alternative cooling water treatment is gaining traction among top food and beverage producers seeking compliance with lower costs and environmental footprint.
3. Manufacturing and Semiconductor Fabrication Plants
Semiconductor and manufacturing plants depend on ultrapure water and controlled cooling to maintain product integrity. Any deviation in cooling efficiency can lead to costly production disruptions. Traditional chemical treatments present challenges, including compliance concerns and water management inefficiencies. These industries must balance strict environmental controls with the need for cost-effective, reliable cooling solutions.
4. HVAC and Comfort Cooling
Commercial spaces like airports, hotels and hospitals rely on cooling systems to create comfortable environments. However, keeping large spaces cool while minimizing water and energy waste is an ongoing challenge. Rising utility costs and tightening sustainability regulations are forcing facility managers to rethink their approach to HVAC cooling. Many are now looking for solutions that improve efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of cooling operations.
A Sustainable Approach to Cooling Tower Water
Industries that rely on cooling towers are under increasing pressure to improve sustainability. Traditional water treatment methods come with serious trade-offs, costing businesses operational time, money and headaches. When relying on chemicals or energy-intensive UV makes more problems than it solves, modern cooling tower operations have switched to Hydroxyl-Based AOP water treatment (advanced oxidation process).
How Hydroxyl-Based AOP Works
Hydroxyl-Based AOP is one of the most powerful and efficient water treatment methods available. Using a patented AOP technology, these systems offer an innovative, non-chemical biocide. It works by generating hydroxyl radicals (•OH), the fastest-acting oxidizers in water treatment, breaking down contaminants within microseconds. NASA calls hydroxyl radicals “nature’s detergent” because they break down pollution in the earth’s atmosphere, making air healthier to breathe. Similarly, in cooling tower water, they destroy microbial growth, biofilm and scaling. Here’s how it works:
- The Hydroxyl-Based AOP system pulls in oxygen (O2) from ambient air.
- Inside the AOP system, those oxygen molecules are split (from O2 to O1).
- When the treated air, or atomic oxygen (O1), is injected into the water, it reacts to the water (H2O) to create hydroxyl radicals. No water ever touches the AOP system, preventing wear-and-tear
Hydroxyl-Based AOP oxidation runs continuously, maintaining pristine cooling tower water quality without frequent chemical dosing or adjustments. Fluorine is the only oxidizer stronger than hydroxyl radicals in water treatment. But unlike fluorine or chemical biocides, hydroxyl radicals leave pure water with no harmful residues, byproducts or environmental concerns. These systems fit into current setups and need little system maintenance, only needing a 15-minute cartridge exchange each year.
Why Hydroxyl-Based AOP Helps Cooling Systems
Adding Hydroxyl-Based AOP systems to your cooling towers is an easy way to help meet your company’s sustainability goals. It’s a win-win: your operations run smoother, you save money and you help the environment.
- Cost Savings: Cut chemical use, water bills and energy costs while saving time on maintenance and operational hassle.
- No Chemical Dependency: Removes the need for chemical biocides, simplifying compliance and reducing chemical miles.
- Scaling Prevention: Reduces mineral buildup and biofilm, keeping heat transfer surfaces clean and efficient.
- Lower Water Use: Reduced blowdown frequency lowers water consumption and operating costs.
- Energy Efficient: Cleaner surfaces improve heat exchange, cutting cooling system energy use by up to 25%.
Proven Results
Hydroxyl-Based AOP shines as a trusted solution, backed by rigorous research. Third-party studies confirm its impressive savings and results. A case study from the General Services Administration, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory confirm its effectiveness.
- Water Savings: Enjoy a notable 26% savings, estimated between 23% and 30%.
- Maintenance Reduction: Cut maintenance costs by 50%.
- Chemical-Free Standards: Adhere to GSA water standards without adding extra chemicals.
- Cost-Effective: The system pays for itself in two years, based on GSA’s average water costs.
For other cooling tower applications, you can expect the following results:
- Chemical Cost Cutting: Reduce chemical costs by up to 50% to 100%.
- Energy Efficiency: Save up to 15% to 25% in energy consumption.
- Reliable Operations: Improved system reliability with less downtime and extended equipment life.
The Future of Sustainable Cooling Towers Is Here
It’s time to modernize your cooling tower systems for sustainability and let go of traditional methods that hold your business back. Traditional cooling tower water treatment relies on chemicals and excessive water use, leading to rising costs, compliance challenges and operational headaches. However, today’s modern cooling tower systems let business to operate more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable. Hydroxyl-Based AOP water treatment eliminates unnecessary chemical use, reduces water waste and lowers costs – all while improving cooling tower performance.
It’s time to rethink cooling tower water treatment. By switching to a smarter, greener solution, businesses can cut expenses, improve performance and make a lasting environmental impact. Embracing sustainability isn’t just a good choice for the planet – it’s critical for business moving forward.
Explore how Hydroxyl-Based AOP water treatment can help your facility run more efficiently while reducing costs and waste. Download the product sheet now. »
Doug White
VP of Business Development
Gabrielle Palumbo
Marketing Director
