Investigation of Bamboo Grid Packing Properties Used in Cooling Tower

• Published in: Forests Vol. 9; no. 12; p. 762
• Main Authors: Chen, Li-Sheng, Fei, Ben-Hua, Ma, Xin-Xin, Lu, Ji-Ping, Fang, Chang-Hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Bamboo; bamboo grid packing; Cement reinforcements; Chemical industry; Cooling; cooling packing; cooling tower; Cooling towers; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Density; Electric power; Forestry; Fungal infections; Fungi; Glass fiber reinforced plastics; Heat; Investigations; Mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; Modulus of rupture; Moisture content; Organic chemistry; Packing; Petroleum refineries; Polyvinyl chloride; Power plants; Quarantine; Scanning electron microscopy; Beijing China; Washington DC; China
• ISSN: 1999-4907; 1999-4907
• DOI: 10.3390/f9120762

Due to its advantages of good heat-resistance, environmental-friendliness, and low cost, bamboo grid packing (BGP) has become a promising new type of cooling packing. It is being increasingly used in Chinese industrial cooling towers to replace cooling packings made of polyvinyl chloride, cement, and glass fiber reinforced plastic. However, mechanical properties and fungal resistance are a concern for all bamboo applications. In this study, the modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), density, crystallinity, and environment scanning electron microscope (ESEM) properties were compared between fresh BGPs and those that had been in service for nine years in the cooling towers. The results showed that the MOR, MOE, density, crystallinity, and the crystal size of the used BGPs decreased to some extent, but still met the requirements for normal use in a cooling tower. The ESEM observation showed that the used BGPs were not infected by fungi. The decrease in mechanical properties could be caused by the decrease of density, crystallinity, and the decomposition of the chemical components of bamboo, but not by fungal infection.