GE Oil & Gas

Induced Draft Cooling Tower and

Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Monitoring
Application Guide
Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................2 7 Cooling Fan In-Depth Analysis............................................................ 14

1 Description of “Wet” Cooling Tower Fans............................................2 7.1 Cooling tower description and operation .................................................15

2 Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger (ACHE) ......................................................2 Types of towers........................................................................................................15

3 Induced Draft Fan Monitoring Challenges...........................................3 Natural draft towers.............................................................................................15

4 Failure Modes – What We Can Detect...................................................4 Mechanical draft towers.....................................................................................15

4.1 Fan.....................................................................................................................................4 7.2 The cooling tower mechanical system.........................................................16

4.2 Cooling Tower Gearbox ..........................................................................................4 7.3 Problems associated with cooling tower mechanical systems......16

4.3 Belts and bushings....................................................................................................4 Fan assembly related problems......................................................................16

4.4 Motor................................................................................................................................5 Non-mechanical cooling tower problems..................................................16

5 Selecting the Proper Transducer and Monitor Solution....................5 Fin fan operation and description.................................................................. 17

5.1 Transducer selection................................................................................................5 7.4 Observations............................................................................................................. 17

5.2 Monitor selection ......................................................................................................6 Changing attitudes.................................................................................................18

Protection System.....................................................................................................9

Management System Only....................................................................................9

6 Appendix and Supporting Information............................................. 10

6.1 Monitoring solutions.............................................................................................10

Protection ..................................................................................................................10

6.2 Sensors.........................................................................................................................12

190501 Velomitor CT............................................................................................12

200350 and 200355 Accelerometers...........................................................12

200155 Accelerometers......................................................................................13

AM1-100-T2 Accelerometer (Commtest)....................................................13

AM3100T2-Z2 (Commtest).................................................................................13

AS3100S2-Z2 (Commtest)..................................................................................14

application note
application note
Abstract 1 Description of “Wet”
Industrial fans provide important cooling to a variety of processes Cooling Tower Fans
throughout the power generation and oil and gas industries.
Production is often reduced or curtailed when fans fail and cooling
capacity is reduced.
Two very common types of fan categories are the mechanical
induced-draft, evaporative type (commonly referred to as cooling
tower fans) and the air cooled heat exchanger type (ACHE or fin
fans). Both asset types present unique challenges when selecting
the proper solution for fan assembly monitoring.
Note: Another cooling tower variation is the forced draft cooling
tower where the fan is located at the air inlet rather than the air
outlet. These cooling towers are not covered in this guide. Figure 1. Typical Cooling Tower
The purpose of this document is to help Sales Managers/Channel From Cooling Tower Manufacturers in Mumbai, www.gtpl.co.in
partners apply the proper solutions to their customers’ unique Cooling towers are heat removal devices used to transfer process
fan protection and condition monitoring problems for GE’s Bently waste heat to the atmosphere. Cooling towers evaporate water to
Nevada* product line remove heat from a process or machine.
Note: Machinery protection is implemented when vibration (or Large amounts of air must be moved through a cascade of water
other) instruments are installed permanently onto a machine to provide adequate evaporation and the desired cooling. The
and connected to a dedicated monitoring and protection system. prime mover of air is the cooling tower axial fan assembly, which is
The protection system has alarm setpoints, which are set by the mounted on the upper deck of a cooling tower.
machinery OEM or the end user to automatically raise an alarm
The fan is typically six or more blades with a radius of about 5 to 30
when the predetermined alarm level is reached. The system has
feet. The fan is situated horizontally inside a cylinder-like fan stack
alarm relays for alert and danger conditions that can initiate
(or fan housing) on top of a right-angle, speed reducing gearbox.
an automatic shutdown or trip of the machine; alternatively,
instructions to shut down the machine may be acted upon by an A long drive shaft or propeller shaft passes through to the outside
operator when an alarm occurs. Machinery protection is necessary of the fan stack and connects the gearbox to an electric motor. In
and valuable since it may prevent or minimize machine damage some cases, the motor and fan assembly are both inside the fan
and consequential losses in the event that a sudden machinery or stack.
process malfunction occurs. The motor turns the shaft and torque is transmitted through the
Safety: Cooling towers are dangerous places. Fans are on top of the speed-reducing right angle gearbox, turning the fan at speeds of
fan deck which requires climbing stairs. Sensors are mounted inside 60 to 300 RPM. The fan produces a strong upward draft that exits
the fan stack, and safe access to the gearbox can be difficult. ACHEs at the top of the fan stack, rejecting heat and water vapor into the
often are installed well above grade level and require climbing atmosphere.
ladders or steps to access the sensor locations.

2 Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger (ACHE)

Figure 2. Typical ACHE Installation

From air exchangers | companies www.europages.co.uk
Unlike the cooling tower, the ACHE is a “dry” fan that simply moves
air over tubes that contain hot process fluid. Heat is removed
from the process fluid as the air passes over the tube bundle. The
cooling is often aided by fins that are attached to the tubes. The fins
increase the cooling surface area and are the reason some ACHEs
are called “fin fans.” An ACHE operates on the same principal as

2
 application note
that of an automobile radiator. Environment: With induced draft cooling tower fans, most of
the monitoring focus is on the gearbox and the gearbox is located
within the fan stack. The warm moist environment inside the fan
stack is very turbulent. Algae, bio fouling and corrosion are the
biggest problems to overcome when installing vibration sensors
in a cooling tower. Protecting the sensor connector and cable is
very difficult because even the best connector/cable system will
Figure 3. Heat Exchanger Finned Tube succumb to the environment over time. An integral connector/cable
Heap Dawson, www.heapdawson.co.uk is the best choice for sensor longevity, but not the easiest to install
Fans are mounted below (forced draft) or above (induced draft) the or maintain.
heat exchanger, as shown below. When instrumenting an induced draft ACHE, the sensor could be
exposed to a temperature that exceeds the limits of our sensors
so it is important to know the temperature limit and choose the
appropriate sensor.
Rotational speed: For cooling towers, sensors must be able to
detect high frequency gear and bearing faults and at the same time
detect very low speed fan related faults. ACHE speeds are usually
well within our sensor frequency range.
Location: Where to locate the monitor system is always a concern.
Mounting it up on the fan deck is easiest and most cost-effective
from a wiring point of view, but fan decks present a safety hazard to
people who need access to the monitoring system and expose the
monitoring system to a corrosive, wet environment. Mounting the
monitors at a central location at grade level is the most convenient,
but also is the most expensive, considering the electrical
implementation requirements.
Note: Sensor cable lengths of more than 100 feet should be
reviewed carefully against the transducer and cable properties to
assure the signal is not attenuated, causing a loss of critical sensor
Figure 4. Example of Induced Draft and Forced Draft Fin Fan signal.
FinFan Technical Info www.hudsonproducts.com
Generally speaking, ACHE fans are usually smaller and operate at
a higher speed than cooling tower fans. The fan is powered by an
electric motor and is often belt driven, with some using a right angle
gear drive. ACHEs often are mounted in “banks” where multiple
fans are arranged in long rows. ACHEs often are mounted well
above grade so that the hot air is ejected high enough to not cause
problems with people or surrounding assets.

3 Induced Draft Fan

Monitoring Challenges

Figure 6. 1900 installation

Figure 5. Algae in Cooling Tower Environment

www.environmentalleverage.com

3
application note
4 Failure Modes – What We Can Detect from the fan, excessive loading on the gear teeth, and improper
alignment of the gearbox to the motor. Many gearbox failure modes
are secondary in nature. For instance, the failure of an intermediate
shaft lower bearing allows the gearing to operate off parallel axis,
and hence the gear teeth fail due to poor distribution of load. The
gearbox is always located within the cooling water stream requiring
special consideration for mounting a vibration sensor. Also, the
environment is usually caustic due to chemicals added to control
the pH level of the cooling water.2
A vibration sensor must be able to measure the expected gear
mesh frequency, blade passage, and bearing defect frequencies.
Other frequencies of interest include fan balance (1X) and motor
alignment (1X and harmonics). Gear and bearing defect frequencies
tend to be the highest frequencies, while the fan balance
frequencies are the lowest to be monitored. The other frequencies
are found scattered between these extremes. Monitoring of the
gearbox can be accomplished by installing accelerometers at both
Figure 7. Typical Cooling Tower Gearbox and Fan the input and output shaft in a horizontal orientation. The output
Cooling Tower Fans, Cooling Tower Fan Parts | amertechtower.com signals from these sensors can be routed to a protection monitor
extraordinaryvitality.com for the purpose of shutdown due to high vibration or terminated at
some convenient location for interfacing with a portable vibration
data collector or scanning system.
4.1 Fan Example of gear frequency calculation:
The most common industrial cooling fan failure modes typically The highpass corner frequency of the gearbox seismic transducer
involve gearboxes or fan blades and are catastrophic in nature. should be below the running speed of the fan. For example, if the
In many cases, this type of failure leaves the gearbox and/or fan fun turns at 120 RPM the highpass corner of the accelerometer
blades lying in the cooling water pond at the bottom of the tower or would need to be less than 2 Hz. This is also required to detect
above a heat exchanger.1 problems with the fan.
These failure modes are detected using a standard piezoelectric • The lowpass corner frequency
accelerometer or a Velomitor* sensor. These sensors can be chosen should be at least 3.25X the highest
to encompass the entire frequency range of expected defects and mesh frequency, but monitoring at
used to either protect or monitor for condition based maintenance. a minimum of 2.25 X GMF may give
ample indication of an early gearbox
issue. For example, a sample cooling
4.2 Cooling tower gearbox tower gearbox from a plant in Texas
has a motor speed of 1,780 RPM and
16 teeth on the pinion. This means
that the mesh frequency is 474.7 Hz
and that the 3.25X mesh frequency is
1,543 Hz.

4.3 Belts and bushings

Belt-related failure modes are somewhat common in industrial fin
fan applications. In general, belts used with these machines can be
categorized into two different types: standard V-belts and timing
or gear belts. V-belt frequencies are always below the RPM of
both the motor or the driven machine. When belts are worn, loose
or mismatched, they normally cause harmonics of belt rotation
frequency.
Note: To detect belt frequency vibration, the sensor must have a
Figure 8. Typical Right-Angle Cooling Tower Gearbox sufficiently low highpass frequency response.
Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd. www.paharpur.com
Belt Frequency =
The central component of a cooling tower fan is the gearbox. This 3.14 x Pulley Speed x Pulley Diameter/Belt Length
is often a high maintenance source due to aerodynamic loading
1
Reliabilityweb.com 2
Reliabilityweb.com

4
 application note
Amplitudes are normally unsteady and sometimes will pulse with
either the driver or driven RPM. In regards to timing or gear belts,
wear or pulley misalignment is most commonly indicated by high
amplitudes at the timing belt frequency.

Timing Belt Frequency =

# of Sprocket Teeth x Shaft RPM

Another defect frequency is misalignment of pulleys and pulley

eccentricity, which typically results in excessive run speed vibration
in the axial direction and the radial direction respectively.
The Velomitor CT is a velocity
transducer designed for cooling
tower (CT) applications. It provides
4.4 Motor a good signal at the lower end of
the frequency response curve and
Motor vibration frequencies of interest include motor unbalance,
is the best choice for protecting the
rotor bar defects, output shaft alignment, and bearing defect
fan from large imbalance or blade
frequencies. A complimentary continuous/scanning monitoring
separation problems.
approach typically should include one accelerometer per bearing
location. Mounting orientation for the accelerometers should The Velomitor CT signal is not
be horizontal at the bearing since this is usually the axis that is compatible with acceleration
most compliant. As the motor speed is usually 1800/1500 RPM, enveloping.
economical standard accelerometers can be used. Select the cable and connector type that can withstand the
harsh environment. The CB2W100 cable assembly is an excellent
choice for most two pin MIL accelerometers used in cooling
tower monitoring and protection. The Velomitor CT is designed
to interface with conduit for added protection of the connector
and cable. Commtest also provides some excellent accelerometer
choices.

Figure 9. External Cooling Tower Motor

Cooling Fan Motor images pix-hd.com

5 Selecting the Proper Transducer

and Monitor Solution

5.1 Transducer selection

GE has a wide range of accelerometers that can detect the major
gearbox and fan failure modes.
All of the accelerometers in this document have a low end
frequency response between 12 and 90 RPM, allowing them to Figure 10. Typical 190501 Velomitor CT installation
detect 1X amplitudes in most applications. All accelerometers are
See the transducer detailed description in the appendix for
capable of taking advantage of the Enveloping signal processing
more information.
feature provided by the several of GE and Commtest monitor
solutions.

5
application note
Sensor Chart
190501 Vel CT 200350 200355 200155 AM1-100-T2 AM3100T2-Z2 AS3100S2-Z2
Sensitivity 100 mv/in/sec 100 mv/G 100 mv/G 100 mv/G 100 mv/G 100 mv/G 100 mv/G
Accuracy ±5% ±20% ±5% ±12% ±5% ±5% ±10%
Freq. 1.5 Hz-1.0 kHz 0.5 Hz - 10 kHz 0.2 Hz - 10 kHz 1.5 Hz - 10 kHz 0.4 Hz - 13 kHz 0.4 Hz - 14 kHz 0.7 Hz - 10 kHz
Response
(3db)
Dynamic ±2.5 in/s, peak ±50 g, peak ±50 g, peak ±20 g, peak ±80 g, peak ±80 g, peak ±80 g, peak
Range
Exit Top Top Top Top Top Top Right
Pricing $$$ $$ $$$$ $$ $ $ $$

Note: Despite the datasheet range specified, it may be very difficult to use an
accelerometer to measure vibration at fan speed. For example: If a fan is running at
120 RPM (2 Hz) and moving 2mm (80 mil) pk-pk, an accelerometer with a scale factor of
100 mV/g will produce a signal of 1.6mV. A Velomitor CT with a scale factor of 100 mv/
in/sec will output 50 mv signal. Practical experience has shown that the noise floor for
permanently installed sensors can be as high as 5 mV so it is very difficult to determine
the low speed shaft motion with an accelerometer. It is preferable to monitor the output
shaft with a Velomitor CT and the input shaft with an accelerometer rather than using an
accelerometer on both shafts. An accelerometer, however, is necessary for acceleration
enveloping which is useful in detecting certain gear and bearing problems. Additionally, if
the accelerometer and cable have been properly installed, high quality low frequency data
can be collected from installations with long cables. This is illustrated in Figure 11 for a Figure 11. 210 RPM Cooling Tower
210 rpm cooling tower. Select a sensor or combination of sensors that have the necessary
frequency response and signal to noise ratio to detect the faults frequencies of interest.
Accelerometer Mounting Caution: Careful consideration must be given to the mounting arrangement. A poorly mounted sensor can
have a much lower mounted resonance compared to the stated value in the datasheet.
Keyphasor*: If the cooling tower is especially large or critical (and this is rare) or if the unit is a variable speed, a Keyphasor should be
installed to capture the fan speed. This makes it easier to detect and differentiate gear and bearing faults, especially on gearboxes with an
intermediate shaft and it also will allow capturing phase data for balancing.

5.2 Monitor selection Criticality ranking is the responsibility of the user, but GE can help
by providing risk assessment services and assistance if needed.
The criticality ranking of the fan is often the deciding factor when
considering monitoring solutions. Cost is often a factor in the monitor selection
process. At a minimum, customers will want
If the customer needs machinery protection, the best choice is the a cost-effective solution to monitor the health
1900/65A with Velomitor CT sensor or a combination of Velomitor of the gearbox and have some indication of
CT and accelerometers. significant events (such as blade/hub
Fan criticality will determine the best choice: machinery protection, separation) requiring immediate attention. In
scanning condition monitoring, or portable data collection. some cases, protection is required, for instance
when upgrading from vibration switches to
more sophisticated monitoring systems.
Note: The recently introduced 2300 Series vibration monitor
provides many of the features of the 1900/65A monitor and may be
a consideration for a cooling tower or fin fan application. The 2300
Series does not currently support Velomitor sensors, proximity
sensors or temperature. However, these enhancements are
planned. Check with the FAE or Product Line Manager to determine
the suitability of the 2300 Series in a low speed fan application.

Figure 12. Failure versus time curve

http://www.maintenancephoenix.com/2013/10/02/pf-curve-101-keeping-it-simple/

6
 application note

2300 Series vibration monitor

Below is a monitor/transducer compatibility and criticality chart to help determine to the most appropriate solution.

Monitor/Transducer Compatibility Chart

1900/65 2300 DSM vbOnline* Scout

190501 X Not supported X X X
Velomitor CT

Sensors 200350 X X X X X
200355 X X X X X
AM1-100-T2 X X X X X
AM3100T2-Z2 X X X X X
AS3100S2-Z2 X X X X X
High X X
(Protection)
Criticality H (Monitoring) X X X X
Medium X X X X X
Low X X

Monitor Solutions Chart

1900/65a 2300 DSM (direct vbOnline SCOUT 100/140*
input card)
Protection X X
Cond Mon X X X X X
Cooling Tower X X X X X
App
ACHE App X X X X X
Enveloping X X X X X
Sensors A, V A A, V A, V A, V
Band Pass X X X X X
Input Channels 4 2 32 16 2/4
Relays 4 2 0 2 0
Modbus X X X Only as input
Software None System 1* System 1 Ascent Ascent
Interface

7
application note
Monitor Solution Strengths and Limitations
Solution Strength Limitations
• Machine protection Difficult to interface with Bently Nevada System 1
• Vib and temp Machinery Management Software (S1)
1900/65A • Enveloping
• Local display (option)
• Modbus comms
• Monitoring and Protection • No Velomitor input
• Two Acceleration inputs • No proximity input
2300 Series vibration monitor • Enveloping • No temperature input (these are planned
• Synchronized sampling enhancements)
• One Keyphasor/Speed Channel
• High channel density • No protection
• Small footprint • Requires Ascent to view data, no S1 interface
• Easy to configure
vbOnline
• Enveloping
• Accepts wide variety of sensors
• Low cost per channel
• High channel density • No protection
• Enveloping
DSM
• Low cost (Modbus)
• Modbus comms
CM and Diagnostic • Data interval and quality
SCOUT • Access to gearbox requires switch box with an
accelerometer

General Decision Tree

8
 application note
Protection System
Example Case 1: 1900/65A monitor
Item No Qty Model No Comments
1 1 1900/65A Monitor General Purpose Vibration Monitor
2 1 190501 Velomitor CT
3 3 200350 Accelerometer, 1 on Gearbox, 2 on Motor (often reduced to only 1
accelerometer on Motor DE side)
4 4 CB2W100-xx Sensor Cable, xx (= length option)
5-1 1 168628 Stainless steel NEMA 4X weatherproof door for panel-mount display
assembly
5-2 1 168944 Fiberglass NEMA 4X/IP66 weatherproof housing with window in door

Management System Only

Example Case 2: vbOnline
Item No Qty Model No Comments
1 1 KTOC0534 vbOnline 16 device (16Ch) - Complete Kit; 16 channels active with
Level 3 Software
2 4 AM1-100-T2 Accelerometer
3 4 CB2W100-xx Accelerometer Cable, xx (= length option)

Example Case 3: Dynamic scanning module (DSM) + seismic direct input card option
Item No Qty Model No Comments
1 1 149744-aa-bb-05-dd-ee-ff-gg-hh Dynamic Scanning Module + 1 Seismic Direct Input Card
2 4 200350 Accelerometer
2 on G/B, 2 on Motor
(Often reduced to only 1 accelerometer on Motor DE side)
3 4 CB2W100-xx Accelerometer Cable, xx (= length option)
4-1 1 168628 Stainless steel NEMA 4X weatherproof door for panel-mount display
assembly
4-2 1 168944 Fiberglass NEMA 4X/IP66 weatherproof housing with window in door
5 1 S1 Legacy

9
application note
6 Appendix and Supporting Information contacts to open or close according to the OK, Alert and Danger
statuses of any channel or combination of channels, and to provide
data from any variable from any channel on any recorder output.
6.1 Monitoring solutions The dedicated buffer output can provide the signal for each
transducer input.
Protection
A Modbus Gateway option is preferred since it allows the monitor
The 1900/65A General Purpose Equipment Monitor is designed to provide all static variables, statuses, event list, and time and date
to continuously monitor and protect equipment that is used in a information directly to any Modbus client, including distributed
variety of applications and industries. The monitor’s low cost makes control systems (DCSs), supervisory control and data acquisition
it an ideal solution for general-purpose machines and processes (SCADA) systems, programmable logic controllers (PLCs). When
that can benefit from continuous monitoring and protection. using a mA output, only one static value is provided and the three
The 1900/65A monitor provides four transducer inputs and four independent static values are not available.
temperature inputs. Software can configure each transducer Monitoring solutions
input to support 2- and 3-wire accelerometers, velocity sensors or
proximity sensors. Each temperature input supports Type E, J, K, SCOUT is well suited for use in monitoring the condition or
and T thermocouples, and asset health of industrial cooling fans. It is categorized as a
2- or 3-wire RTDs. The PVDC (portable vibration data collector), which lends itself well
monitor provides three to the location where these fans typically are installed. From a
independent static values convenience standpoint, these fans often are located in areas that
from each vibration sensor. are somewhat difficult to reach, requiring traversing stairwells and
Those selected most often ladders.
for fan monitoring are: Due to its lightweight and
Direct, filtered variable portable form, SCOUT
around 1X (only for constant easily can be worn as an
speed machines) and accessory for interfacing
acceleration enveloping. with permanently
mounted sensors that are
attached to the motor,
gearbox or fan.
BNC connectors typically
are routed to the exterior of the cooling tower or ACHE (air cooled
heat exchanger) applications and easily can be connected to a
SCOUT instrument for data collection.
This data collection most commonly is performed on a monthly
basis but can be more or less frequent based on the criticality
ranking and failure modes associated with the machine and
available resources.
Scout has a very wide frequency range and is capable of performing
both low and high frequency analysis. The ability to process this
data in the Ascent and System 1 Evo vibration analysis software,
allows all common fault modes associated with this equipment
to be measured, identified, and trended. SCOUT comes in two
varieties, a two channel device (SCOUT100) and a four channel
device (SCOUT140). They are essentially the same device, with the
main differentiating factors being channel density and additional
analysis capabilities for the SCOUT140.

vbOnline can be viewed in a very similar way to SCOUT. The main

difference is that vbOnline is a permanently installed scanning
solution that offers the opportunity for more frequency data
collection.
This product is best used with machines ranked as mid-criticality but
not requiring protection. As with SCOUT, vbOnline interfaces with
The 1900/65A monitor provides six relay outputs, four 4-20 mA Ascent for data housing, diagnostics and analytical approaches.
recorder outputs, and a dedicated buffered output. The user
This is facilitated by an Ethernet TCP/IP connection to a plant LAN
can use the 1900 Configuration software to configure the relay
that allows two way communications between vbOnline and the
Ascent database.

10
 application note
Data collection is performed using the same piezoelectric
accelerometers that typically are mounted at the motor, gearbox,
or fan. Data collection can be scheduled on condition based
parameters using the Ascent configuration portal.
Once configured, these schedules are maintained by the Ascent
Online Manager service that can be housed on the Ascent database
server. Data collection will be automated without the need for
Ascent interaction and
will continue until the
service is either stopped
or altered.
This data will be pushed
into the Ascent database
for viewing with the
Ascent software.
vbOnline comes standard Onboard processing is the key to the powerful and efficient features
with 16 input channels available with the DSM platform. Because each input card can
and can interface with any sensor providing a mv/EU signal. In process data locally, the DSM can return post-processed variables to
addition, this monitor also can accept 4-20 ma signals and Modbus the host computer and reduce the required network bandwidth.
communications for entry into Ascent.
If the host computer requires raw data, the DSM also can return
It also has two onboard tachometers or Keyphasor inputs for phase waveforms and spectrums.
information or condition based data collection and two relays that
can be configured to annunciate an event of some type based on The introduction of a Modbus digital interface now permits DSMs
alarm conditions within Ascent. to communicate directly with process control and automation
systems without the need for additional hardware.
Note: These relays are not intended to be used for protection, since
VbOnline is a scanning instrument. This capability provides a low-cost entry-level alternative to System
1 software that uses the basic trending and alarming functionality
The Trendmaster dynamic scanning module (DSM) is a compact that is integral to existing process control systems. All DSMs now
rack-based data acquisition system that is fully integrated with include Modbus over TCP/IP capability and require only the DSM
System 1 software. The DSM rack has five card slots. The first slot is Modbus Exporter software to configure all the DSM inputs and
dedicated for communications and will accept either the copper or define the Modbus interface.
fiber Ethernet card. The other four slots are general-purpose card
slots that can accept any combination of the available DSM input
cards.
The DSM supports Seismic Direct Input Card 164746-01 which
connects directly to sensors. Direct input cards support up to eight
channels and provide very rapid scanning. All input card types offer
high-resolution sampling with onboard real-time processing.

11
application note
6.2 Sensors 200350 and 200355 Accelerometers
CAUTION: Any sensor that is installed within the wet The 200350 and 200355 accelerometers are general purpose,
environment of a cooling tower MUST have adequate case-mounted seismic transducers designed for use with DSM
connector protection or an integral cable. If the sensor Seismic Direct Input Card 164746-01, and also with 1900/65A and
connector is exposed to the humid and hot environment, the 2300 instruments.
sensor lifetime may be greatly reduced due to corrosion of the The 200350 and 200355 accelerometers are contained within
connector. a hermetically sealed, stainless steel case. The design provides
an extremely rugged transducer, well suited for harsh industrial
190501 Velomitor CT environments. Each transducer’s top mounted, two-pin connector
The Velomitor CT velocity transducer is a low-frequency version of (MIL-C-5015) allows for easy installation and removal of the
our standard Velomitor piezo-velocity sensor. Its design specifically interconnecting signal cable. A ¼-28 threaded hole on the bottom
measures casing vibration velocity on cooling tower and air-cooled of the casing accommodates multiple mounting options.
heat-exchanger fan assemblies that operate at or above 90 rpm
The 200350 and 200355 accelerometers contain a piezoelectric
(typically 100 to 300 rpm). The Velomitor CT transducer can measure
sensing device, which generates charge when subjected to
vibration amplitudes at these frequencies as well as the vibration
vibration. This charge then is converted electronically to a
frequencies generated by the fan motor and speed reducer.
differential voltage signal, which is proportional to the acceleration
that is parallel to the sensitive axis of the transducer.
Frequency Response:
1.5 Hz to 1.0 kHz (90 to 60,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB
Frequency Response:
200350: 0.5 Hz to 10,000 Hz (30 to 600,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB
200355: 0.2 Hz to 10,000 Hz (12 to 600,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB

200350/355

1. 1/2” NPT x 12.2 DP (1/2” NPT x 0.48 DP)

2. 35.6 (1.40) diameter
3. Cable (not included)
4. Conduit adaptor P/N 128608-02 (not included)
5. 31.8 (1.25) hex flat
6. 31.5 (1.24) diameter
7. 3/8-24 UNF X 8.9 DP (3/8-24 UNF X 0.35 DP)

12
 application note
200155 Accelerometers AM1-100-T2 Accelerometer (Commtest)
The 200155 low-frequency accelerometer is designed for use only
Frequency response:
with Essential Insight.mesh wireless condition monitoring and DSM
0.4 Hz to 13,000 Hz (24 to 780,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB
TIM-line. It should be used only for low speed applications such as
heat exchanger fin fans.
The 200155’s broad frequency response requires a longer settling
time for measurements and should therefore not be used unless
low frequency response is specifically required by the application.
The transducer features extremely robust construction, using a
hermetically sealed, stainless steel case.

Frequency Response:
1.5 Hz to 10,000 Hz (90 to 600,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB

AM3100T2-Z2 (Commtest)
General-purpose accelerometer. 100 mV/g, top exit, +/-5%, 80 g
peak acceleration range, 1/4-28 mounting thread. Large -
142 g, C1D2-rated.

Frequency Response:
0.4 Hz to 14,000 Hz (24 to 840,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB

13
application note
AS3100S2-Z2 (Commtest) 7 Cooling Fan In-Depth Analysis
General-purpose accelerometer. 100 mV/g, side exit, +/-5%, 80 g Heat dissipation is one of the most common processes in the
peak acceleration range, 1/4-28 mounting thread. Large – 145 g, industrial plant. Cooling towers and air cooled heat exchangers (fin
C1D2-rated. fans) are the two most common methods for removing waste heat.
Frequency response: Cooling tower and fin fan use is on the rise due to economic and
0.7 Hz to 10,000 Hz (42 to 600,000 cpm) ±3.0 dB environmental reasons related to heat removal. In a chemical plant
or refinery for instance, cooling towers provide the least expensive
way of providing large amounts of chilled water to a processes’ heat
exchange system.
Fin fans are best suited for applications where precise control of
process liquids is required, such as in a styrene unit where the
process liquid is fed directly into the heat exchanger.
Power generation facilities are using cooling towers in their efforts
to comply with environmental regulations. Plants are no longer
allowed free use of lakes, rivers, or other natural bodies of water
for cooling water. If water from a natural source is used, it must be
cooled before it is discharged from the plant.
Cooling towers are being installed to either comply with thermal
discharge limits set by the EPA, or as part of a completely
self-contained closed loop cooling water system that eliminates
discharge. In areas where water is not available for evaporative
cooling, fin fans can be used.
Some geothermal power generation facilities use fin fan cooling in
this manner.
Because cooling towers and fin fans often are located in remote
areas of the plant, they have traditionally not enjoyed the
maintenance attention compared to other machines that are
located within the process unit.
However, plants can no longer afford to ignore these machines.
They are simply too important to the process and too expensive
to operate in a breakdown maintenance mode. The trend now
is to apply the same modern maintenance techniques and tools
to the heat removal systems that are being used on the process
machinery.
This trend is creating demand for better products and services for
cooling tower and fin fan maintenance.
It also is changing the way fans are monitored. Cooling tower and
fin fan users are demanding better machinery monitoring capability
for their fan mechanical systems. Two areas of concern for plant
maintenance and operations are availability of the cooling system
and safety.
On the availability side, the loss of a cooling tower fan means
reduced heat extraction capacity which often results in a loss of
production. If a fan suffers a catastrophic failure, availability is
curtailed while expensive repairs are completed. A catastrophic
fan failure can cause significant structural damage to itself and the
surrounding area.
At present, many users rely on the vibration switch as the device
that hopefully will minimize tower damage once a vibration-causing
event occurs.
Unfortunately for fan users, the effectiveness of the vibration
switch is a hit-or-miss proposition at best. Users have shared
accounts of fan failures where the switch acted too late, or not at

14
 application note
all, during a fan failure. What users want is a reliable monitoring Cooling towers are divided into sections called cells. The cell is the
system that can provide not only shutdown capability, but a smallest tower subdivision that can function as an independent unit
pre-shutdown warning of increasing vibration amplitudes, access with regard to air and water flow.
to the vibration signal for analysis, remote reset capability, a way Each cell may have one or more fan stacks and one or more water
to verify alarm set points, and a way to periodically verify if the distributions systems.
monitor is operating properly.
Safety is also a concern. In order to manage a fan mechanical Types of towers
problem, operators need as early warning as possible to safely take Many factors determine the type, size, and shape of a cooling tower.
a fan out of service for repairs. Effective shutdown capability is also The final choice is determined by many factors such as individual
a must for failures that happen instantaneously. user requirements, economic considerations, local weather
The industry needs a reliable fan monitoring system that can patterns, and aesthetics. The two basic cooling tower designs in use
address the unique needs of cooling towers and fin fans. GE has today are the natural draft tower and the induced-draft tower.
the experience, knowledge and products to provide a quality fan
Natural draft towers
monitoring and protection system.
Natural draft cooling towers rely on natural forces to move air
through the cooling section of the tower. The most recognizable
7.1 Cooling tower description example of the natural draft tower is the large hyperbolic tower
used by many nuclear power generation stations. Hyperbolic
and operation towers work much like a chimney where the air flow is induced by
Cooling towers and fin fans are used throughout the refining, convection.
petrochemical, power generation and other industries as a means Natural-draft cooling towers are best suited for large water
of dissipating unwanted heat to the atmosphere. Even though capacity requirements, where space is a limiting factor. Although
their objectives are the same, cooling towers and fin fans differ simple in design and easy to maintain, the natural draft cooling
significantly in design and usage. tower’s use is limited by its high initial cost. Most towers in use
A cooling tower is a device for reducing the temperature of water by today rely on fans to move air through the tower.
bringing it in contact with air. Most of the heat exchange in a cooling
tower happens through the evaporative process when hot water Mechanical draft towers
is passed over cool air through a medium called “fill.” As water Mechanical draft towers rely on axial or centrifugal fans to move
falls through the fill, air is blown across it by a fan. As the water air through the cooling tower fill. Mechanical draft towers may be
evaporates, an exchange of heat takes place, the temperature of either forced or induced draft. Forced draft fans are used on smaller
the water is reduced, and heat is rejected to the atmosphere. towers where there is more of a need to control the air flow (hence
the temperature), and less of a need for high air exit velocities.
The critical need for energy efficient cooling together with water
conservation has increased the popularity of cooling towers. An induced draft fan has a high air exit velocity, which serves
to push hot, humid air away from the tower, preventing it from
The cooling tower is a large, framed structure with wood being
recirculating into the tower. Induced draft towers are typically larger
the most common building material. Man-made materials such as
in size and provide larger air and water flow capacity.
steel, fiberglass, and concrete are becoming increasingly popular
because the price of wood is increasing every year, and because the Towers also are characterized by how air and water are brought
chemicals used to preserve the wood are being scrutinized by the together. In a cross-flow tower, air is mixed with a downward flow
EPA. of water in a horizontal direction. Hot water is pumped to the top
of the tower into a basin that runs along the length of the tower.
The fan deck is at the top of the tower and consists of the fan
Gravity feeds the water into the fill through small holes in the
mechanical assembly and the fan stacks. Between the basin
bottom of the basin. The cross-flow design usually provides a low
and the fan deck is the frame and support structure. The frame
resistance to air flow, enabling the tower to pass more air for a
is enclosed with a wood or fiberglass casing at each end with
given amount of power when compared to the cross-flow design.
louvered sides to allow air entry. The cooling section of the tower
contains the fill. Where the fill is located within the tower depends In a cross-flow tower, air enters the bottom of the tower and moves
on whether the tower is a cross-flow or counter-flow design. The upward against the falling water. Hot water is distributed to the
bottom of a cooling tower consists of a concrete basin where the fill with a pressurized spray system that runs through the inside
cold water is collected after passing through the tower. of the tower. This arrangement makes more efficient use of the
fill because it places the coldest water at the bottom to the fill
Above the fill area is the hot water distribution system. The method
in contact with the incoming air which is at the lowest wet bulb
of distributing the hot water to the fill is also dependent on tower
temperature. Counterflow towers have greater air resistance, and
design. The distribution system will be either a shallow pan-shape
lower flow rates, than cross-flow towers.
basin, located along the deck, that drops water over the fill, or it
will be a system of spray nozzles mounted inside the frame below
the fan stacks. Drift eliminators are located above the fill, and
just below the fan stack. Drift eliminators prevent water droplets
(unevaporated water) from escaping through the fan stack.

15
application note
7.2 The cooling tower mechanical 7.3 Problems associated with
system cooling tower mechanical systems
As mentioned earlier, the larger field erected towers use axial • Imbalance of the fan assembly
type fans to move air through the tower. The axial fans are part • Imbalance of the drive shaft assembly
of a fan mechanical system consisting of an electric motor, drive
shaft, couplings, gearbox, and mechanical support. A fan stack • Misalignment between motor and gearbox
surrounds the fan assembly. The fan stacks are miniature versions • Drive shaft bow.
of hyperbolic towers which aid air movement through convection.
Note: Drive shaft bow usually happens to steel or aluminum
• Fans: Fan blades are made of aluminum, stainless steel, plastic shafts that have been sitting idle. In the daytime, the sun will
or fiberglass. The length varies from 5 to 20 feet. Fan blades heat one side of the shaft, causing a bow. This can cause high
are designed to move a maximum amount of air with the least vibration if the fan is started with a bowed shaft. Many users are
amount of power. Other design considerations include safety, installing composite shafts that resist bowing.
noise abatement, erosion resistance, chemical resistance,
• Coupling failure
interchangeability (balance), and UV resistance. Fan blades are
fixed to a hub that maintains fan position and pitch. Typical fan • Loose gearbox mount
tip speed is 12,000 fps, but due to OSHA noise restrictions tip Note: Corrosion of fasteners holding the gearbox to the
speeds are sometimes lowered to around 11,000 fps. mechanical support are the main cause of this condition.
• Motors: Motors usually are furnished in accordance with the • Loose fan-to-hub hardware
purchaser’s specification. Motors range from 50 to 200 hp,
and typically use anti-friction type bearings. Motors operate • Loose motor mount
at 1,800/1,500 rpm. Variable speed motors and motors that
can be operated at half speed are being used more often as
Fan assembly related problems
process control requirements demand tighter control of the • Loose hub hardware
cooling capacity. The motor is mounted on the same support • Blade pitch change
as the gearbox, but outside the fan stack and away from the
wet cooling tower air stream. Note: Blade pitch change or irregularities will cause a 1X
vibration component. This condition is similar to a balance
• Drive shaft and couplings: Power is transmitted from the problem.
motor to the gearbox via a floating drive shaft. Drive shafts are
made from stainless steel or composite materials. Composite • Fan blade-to-fan stack rub
shafts are becoming more popular because they are lighter • Fan blade erosion
than steel and less prone to bowing. Composite shafts can
• Fan auto-rotation (wind milling effect)
span 20 feet without the need of an intermediate support
bearing. Couplings are typically the composite or steel disk • Gearbox bearing wear
type design. • Gearbox gear wear
• Gear drives: The gear drive purpose is to reduce the speed • Gearbox lubrication failure
from the motor to a speed required by the fan. Gear drives
also change horizontal rotation to a vertical direction. The • Oil temperature
most common gear drive on a large cooling tower is the • Water ingression
double-reduction, right-angle drive utilizing spiral bevel or
• Motor bearing failure
helical gears. Typical reduction ratio is 18 to 1. The 18 to 1 ratio
provides a fan rotational speed of 90 to 100 rpm. Gear drive • Motor temperature problems
ratios below 10 to 1 can use a single reduction gear. These are
used on smaller towers with faster fan speeds. Splash type Non-mechanical cooling tower problems
lubrication is more common than forced lubrication. • Water treatment
The motors and pumps that deliver water to the water distribution • Blow down disposal.
system are also part of the cooling tower’s mechanical system.
Note: Since the operation of a cooling tower depends on
evaporation as the principal means of heat dissipation,
chemicals present in the water will be concentrated. Blow down
is cooling tower water that is discharged from the system to
control concentration of salts, water treatment compounds,
wood treatment chemicals, or other impurities in the circulating
water. These compounds are used to maintain water quality, or
are presented as dissolved solids in the makeup water.
• Bacteria control

16
 application note
• Corrosion control
7.4 Observations
• Wood deterioration
Changing Attitudes
• Weather (wind, ice, sun)
Users of cooling towers and fin fans are willing to invest dollars to
• Improper water loading improve their fan monitoring systems. There are several reasons for
• Drift escape this, some of which have been discussed earlier. The main reasons
are:
• Plume control
• The current solution does not work since unanticipated failures
Note: Plumes are the visible water vapor clouds that are
continue to occur.
discharged from the fan stack under certain weather conditions.
The plumes are pure water vapor and are not harmful to • Users are becoming more knowledgeable in vibration
the environment. However, these very noticeable plumes are measurements, and demand better performance.
perceived by the public as pollution. Cooling tower users take • The pressure to reduce operating and maintenance costs
measures to abate the plume whenever possible to maintain makes false trips and missed trips intolerable. Reliability is of
public relations. utmost importance.
• Rain/precipitation • Downsizing is reducing maintenance staff headcount,
• Noise increasing the chance that cooling towers and fin fans will be
neglected.
Fin fan operation and description • Users are realizing the potential danger a fan failure could pose
Fin fans do not use the evaporation of water to provide cooling. to humans, thus increasing the awareness of the need for a
Fin fans consist of several bundles of finned tube heat exchangers warning of impending failure.
mounted in a fabricated metal box. Fin fans operate on much the
same principal as the condenser unit of an air conditioning system.
Air is moved across the heat exchanger with a motor-driven induced
draft or with a forced draft fan. On an induced draft fin fan, the fan
assembly is mounted above the finned tubes. Induced draft units
minimize warm air recirculation and provide more precise process
temperature control. Forced draft units operate with the fans below
the tube bundles, and are better suited for higher inlet process
temperatures because the fan assembly is not in the hot air path.
The fin fan mechanical system consists of a motor driven axial
flow, propeller type fan. V-belts transmit the power from the
motor to the fan. The fan rotational speeds range from 200 to
400 rpm. In some cases, a small right angle gear speed reducer is
used in place of the belts. The method used is determined by user
preference. The belt system costs less but the gear drive system
is more reliable and more efficient. The motor and fan assembly
are mounted to a common support channel that runs across the
structure’s mid-section. Fin fans are used as single, standalone
units, or bolted together in groups of two or three.
Fin fans are used to cool fluids other than water. They are used
mostly for cooling process liquids in the refining and petrochemical
industries. They are much smaller, and easier to install than cooling
towers.

17
 Copyright 2016 Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC ("BHGE") All rights reserved.
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The information contained in this document is subject to change without prior notice.
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Application Guide, GEA 32335, June 2016