Accuride
400-Ton Cooling Tower System, Erie, PA
In order to conserve the tremendous water usage required to cool hydraulic fluid for several large forge presses, Rabe designed and installed a new piping system at Accuride-Erie that utilizes a cooling tower. The cooling tower allows water to evaporate into the airstream passing through it, and, as a result, removes heat from the remaining water. The cool water is then returned and recycled.
A fraction of the original water consumption is now required to make up for the evaporation loss and to prevent impurities from being concentrated in the system.
Specifications
- Single flow, cross flow open circuit tower (CTI certified)
- 60 hp primary flow double suction centrifugal pump with vertical split casing
- Variable frequency drives to ensure optimum make-up water and primary flow pump/motor performance
- Allen Bradley PLC valve control, safety interlocks, alarms, temperature & pressure sensor feedback
- Projected ROI: Less than three years
- Projected savings: $209,000 per year on utilities
- Less than 3 percent of original water consumption
