• Condenser Water (CW) system equipment such as pumps, cooling towers, heat exchangers, and so forth come with specifications and operational minimums and maximums that should be adhered to if possible and if not possible the ramifications must be identified. Some motors can only operate over a certain speed range. Some cooling towers require a minimum cooling tower water (CTW) flow rate specified by the manufacturer to avoid fouling of the fill media. Other cooling towers require exception to the manufacturer’s specs to prevent accelerated corrosion. Pumps have NPSH requirements, maximum and minimum flow rates and pressure limitations.
• During original construction, startup, and a few years of service some equipment is now called upon to operate outside its specified limits. Exceeding these limits may cause inefficient operation and shorten the life of the equipment. During the controls upgrade, these excesses are evaluated and corrected if indicated.