65-03: Cooling Tower Steam Sterilization From Year's Experience

With the increased use of mechanical draft cooling towers during 
the 1940"s, tower lumber deterioration became a serious problem. At 
first, damage was attributed to erosion by water or by suspended matter 
in the water, tearing of cellulose fibers by salt crystallization with
 in intermittently wetted wood, and chemical attack. ( l ) However, erosion
 was soon found to be an insignificant factor. Efforts to extend the 
useful life of cooling tower lumber then centered on controlling chemi
 cal attack and salt crystallization in wood.