Softening Cooling Tower Makeup Helps Hospital Reduce Costs

GoalReduce cooling tower operating costs by increasing cycles of concentration and improving water efficiency.

<p><!-- wp:acf/two-cols-text {"name":"acf/two-cols-text","data":{"option_change_padding_block":"1","_option_change_padding_block":"field_6629e1de35327","padding_options":"py-to-60","_padding_options":"field_6629e0d2860af","background_colour":"blue","_background_colour":"field_6629e20935328","block_options_clone":"","_block_options_clone":"field_662a1b96b768f","block_title":"Overview","_block_title":"field_6629f36ac5d6b","block_content_clone":"","_block_content_clone":"field_662a1b96b76fb","text_list_0_text_item":"\u003cul\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndustry: \u003c/b\u003eUniversity Hospital Campus\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_0_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_1_text_item":"\u003cul\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eApplication\u003c/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e:\u003c/b\u003e 12,500‐ton Cooling Tower\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_1_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_2_text_item":"\u003cul\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eProblem: \u003c/b\u003eHigh water cost due to poor water quality forcing low cycles.\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_2_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_3_text_item":"\u003cul\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eSolution\u003c/b\u003e: Water softener installed to soften cooling tower makeup water to increase cycles and reduce water usage.\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_3_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_4_text_item":"\u003cul\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eResult:\u003c/b\u003e 11.6 million gal/yr of water savings, resulting in over $62,000/yr net savings, and a 1.3 year Return on Investment (ROI).\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_4_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list":5,"_text_list":"field_662a1bb97d244"},"mode":"edit"} /--><!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --></p> <h5 class="wp-block-heading">Customer Challenge</h5> <p><!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>A large university hospital campus in the southern United States was looking for ways to save money and reduce total costs of operation. The high hardness in the cooling tower makeup water quality forced operation at low cycles of concentration (cycles) to prevent scale formation. This&nbsp;resulted in high water, sewer, and chemical costs for the cooling tower systems.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {"id":16600,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none"} --><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/link/1de08acf4abd4939835e21ed48df5570.aspx" alt="" width="365" height="221" /></p> <p><!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --></p> <h5 class="wp-block-heading">Recommended Solution</h5> <p><!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>A survey and cost analysis was performed to evaluate the cost benefits of installing a water softener to increase the cooling tower cycles. Increasing the cycles reduces the amount of blowdown that must be discharged to the sewer. This in turn reduces makeup water, sewage, and chemical treatment<br />requirements.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>A trial was conducted to evaluate the cost savings using an existing water softener with excess capacity. Based upon the success at this location, a water softener system was installed on a second location&rsquo;s cooling tower system.</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/link/9e23c177e3724dd79dbbcd586d09575a.aspx" alt="" width="800" height="392" /></p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {"id":16599,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none"} --><!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --></p> <h5 class="wp-block-heading">Results Achieved</h5> <p><!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:list --></p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The facility was able to increase cycles from 2.7 cycles to 5 cycles saving the university millions of gallons of water annually. The project was a sustainability and economic success, with a 1.3 year ROI.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Savings based upon actual numbers after a year of operation: 970,000 gal/month for a total savings of 11.6 million gal/yr</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Over $62,000/yr net savings which will pay for the project in 1.3 years.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <p><!-- /wp:list --><!-- wp:image {"id":16602,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none"} --><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/link/24cc04d5127d4da182e6b4f386ed229d.aspx" alt="" width="612" height="366" /></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p><em>CS</em>2-016</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:acf/two-cols-text-ctas {"name":"acf/two-cols-text-ctas","data":{"option_change_padding_block":"1","_option_change_padding_block":"field_6629e1de35327","padding_options":"py-none","_padding_options":"field_6629e0d2860af","background_colour":"white","_background_colour":"field_6629e20935328","block_options_clone":"","_block_options_clone":"field_662a2539a7d03","block_text_list_0_block_title":"","_block_text_list_0_block_title":"field_662a2573bc047_field_6629f36ac5d6b","block_text_list_0_block_excerpt":"","_block_text_list_0_block_excerpt":"field_662a2573bc047_field_6629f37dc5d6c","block_text_list_0_show_cta_button":"1","_block_text_list_0_show_cta_button":"field_662a2573bc047_field_662b4b6278ee7_field_6629f386c5d6d","block_text_list_0_block_cta_button":{"title":"Download PDF","url":"https://www.chemaqua.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/08/CS2-016.pdf","target":""},"_block_text_list_0_block_cta_button":"field_662a2573bc047_field_662b4b6278ee7_field_6629f39cc5d6e","block_text_list_0_use_special_button":"0","_block_text_list_0_use_special_button":"field_662a2573bc047_field_663af6cb5a467","block_text_list":1,"_block_text_list":"field_662a2550bc046"},"mode":"edit"} /--><!-- wp:paragraph --><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p>