How does the elastic connection structure of cooling tower support feet mitigate stress damage caused by thermal expansion and contraction?
Publish Time: 2025-09-09
In large-scale facilities such as industrial production, building air conditioning systems, and power plants, cooling towers, as critical heat dissipation equipment, operate in high-temperature, high-humidity environments for extended periods. During startup, shutdown, and operation, the cooling tower structure experiences significant thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature fluctuations. Improper structural design can easily lead to stress concentration at the connection between the cooling tower support foot and the foundation, causing cracks, deformation, and even structural failure. To effectively mitigate these issues, modern cooling tower designs commonly utilize elastic connection structures for cooling tower support feet. These flexible designs absorb deformation energy, significantly improving the equipment's operational safety and service life.
During operation, fluctuations in the water temperature within the cooling tower can cause thermal expansion and contraction of the entire structure. For example, when a cooling tower is started from a cold state and then returns to normal operation, the tower material (typically fiberglass or concrete) expands due to heat and contracts again after shutdown and cooling. This cyclical dimensional change generates significant internal stresses in the rigidly connected support structure. If the cooling tower support foot is fixed to the foundation using traditional rigid welding or bolting, deformation cannot be relieved, and stress will be concentrated at the connection point. Over time, this can easily lead to weld cracking, bolt loosening, or damage to the concrete foundation.
Elastic connection structures are designed to address this problem. Their core principle is to introduce a connection element with a certain degree of deformation, allowing the cooling tower support foot to undergo slight horizontal and vertical displacement, thereby "absorbing" deformation caused by thermal expansion and contraction and preventing stress accumulation in the structure. Common elastic connection methods include rubber pads, spring shock absorbers, metal bellows, or sliding bearings. For example, a highly elastic rubber pad is placed at the bottom of the cooling tower support foot. The rubber material has excellent compression and shear deformation capabilities, allowing it to compress or move laterally when the tower expands and return to its original shape when it contracts, creating a dynamic buffer.
In addition, some advanced cooling towers use sliding bearings with limit devices. Sliding bearings allow the cooling tower support foot to move linearly along a pre-set track, accommodating the tower's axial expansion and contraction. Limiting devices maintain structural stability under normal operating conditions and provide protection during extreme displacement, preventing excessive deflection from compromising overall stability. This design ensures necessary structural constraints while allowing the system sufficient freedom to release thermal stresses.
The advantages of elastic connection structures lie not only in alleviating thermal stress but also in effectively reducing vibration transmission. Mechanical vibrations generated by cooling tower equipment such as fans and pumps during operation can be isolated or attenuated by elastic connections, minimizing interference with the foundation and surrounding structures, and improving system operation stability and comfort.
It is important to note that the design of elastic connections requires comprehensive consideration of factors such as load, displacement, environmental corrosion, and service life. For example, in coastal or high-humidity environments, corrosion-resistant elastic materials should be selected, and the connectors should be regularly inspected for aging to ensure their long-term effectiveness.
The elastic connection structure of the cooling tower support foot, by incorporating flexible elements, effectively compensates for thermal expansion and contraction, significantly reducing the risk of structural stress damage. This design not only improves the structural reliability of the cooling tower, but also extends the equipment maintenance cycle. It is one of the indispensable key technologies in modern cooling tower projects.
