How to Fix Cooling Tower Noise

Noise from a cooling tower can irritate those who live or work close to the source. It can constitute noise pollution resulting in complaints and even legal action. This noise is usually generated by falling water within the tower or the fans and motors of the air handling system. A professional analysis of the noise from a cooling tower can determine your legal exposure and also provide recommendations for abating it. However, there are some practical and relatively easy fixes that may help this problem before you undertake a highly technical and expensive consultation.

Instructions

• 1

  Try adjusting pump speed until the noise moderates, according to ITT Tech Talk, "Practical Tips for Reducing Pump Noise."

• 2

  Inject compressed air into the pump suction to break up cavitation bubbles in the water flow, according to ITT Tech Talk.

• 3

  Reduce fan speed, advises David Coate Consulting, in a report on the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

• 4

  Float an acoustic mat on the surface of the water to stop the sound of water dripping or splashing, according to the Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong.

• 5

  Build a noise barrier between the tower and nearby buildings to block sound radiation, according to the Hong Kong EPD.

• 6

  Plant trees. The State of Kentucky's Division for Air Quality, in "8 Reasons to Plant a Tree," reports that trees can muffle urban noise almost as effectively as a stone wall. Thick shrubbery or densely planted trees between the source and the complaints will absorb some noise, but take longer to achieve the effect.