Cooling Tower side Stream Filter:

A cooling tower side stream filter is a filtration unit that continuously cleans a small portion of the recirculating cooling water and then sends it back to the system.

What it does
In a cooling tower, water picks up:
⦁ dust
⦁ sand
⦁ suspended solids
⦁ corrosion particles
⦁ algae/sludge
A side stream filter removes these impurities before they build up in the tower, basin, pipes, condenser tubes, and heat exchangers.
Why it is called “side stream”
It does not filter the full main flow directly.
Instead, it takes typically 5% to 15% of the total circulating water flow, filters it, and returns it to the cooling system.

Main benefits
⦁ reduces scaling and fouling
⦁ improves heat transfer efficiency
⦁ lowers maintenance and shutdowns
⦁ extends equipment life
⦁ reduces chemical consumption
⦁ improves water quality in the tower basin

Common filter types
⦁ sand filter
⦁ multi-grade media filter
⦁ screen filter
⦁ disc filter
⦁ automatic self-cleaning filter

Typical applications
⦁ HVAC cooling towers
⦁ industrial cooling systems
⦁ process plants
⦁ commercial buildings
⦁ power and manufacturing facilities

Simple working principle
⦁ Water is taken from the cooling tower basin or return line.
⦁ It passes through the filter.
⦁ Suspended solids are trapped.
⦁ Clean water goes back to the cooling tower circuit.
⦁ Filter is backwashed or cleaned periodically.

Example
If a cooling tower circulation rate is 1000 m³/hr, the side stream filter may handle around 50 to 150 m³/hr.
If you want, I can also give you:
⦁ a technical definition for brochure/catalog
⦁ a diagram
⦁ or selection criteria for sizing a cooling tower side stream filter.