11-27: Hyperbolic Repack on the Run

The industry’s first hyperbolic repack of its kind was completed by last year at the Southern Companies, Miller Steam Plant in Alabama. At least one of the two units supplied by the tower remained online with water continuously circulating over half the tower throughout the project. The original fill was severely fouled. It had numerous gaps allowing air bypass, and was falling out of the tower. Our Cooling Tower Contractor removed the under-performing fill and replaced it with high performance fill packs. The new fill was rigidly supported from beneath. Our contractor introduced a pultruded fiberglass fill support system that was suspended using aspects of the old “proprietary” hanging system that was part of the tower’s original design. The new bottom-supported system gives owners a superior alternative to old hanging fill methods when replacing fill media. The project was completed safely, ahead of schedule, and resulted in a tower with improved thermal efficiency testing out at over 100%.