How are tower casings constructed?
Coated and stainless steel towers are normally built in panels, with internal flanges bolted together, and sealant material in all joints. At the cheaper end of the market overlapping panels fixed with self tapping screws are common. Each joint is a potential leak, the more joints, the higher the risk. Internally flanged panels with a multitude of bolts provide landings for contaminants and make cleaning difficult. Ideally casings should be manufactured in one piece with joints kept to a minimum. This type of construction is most likely to be found in moulded plastic cooling tower casings. If site aesthetics are important plastic casings normally offer cleaner lines than their steel counterparts.
