Why Refineries Need Both Sump Screens and Air Intake Screens for Reliable Cooling

In refinery operations, even small inefficiencies can lead to significant financial losses—and unplanned downtime can cost millions. Cooling towers play a crucial role in maintaining the coolness, stability, and productivity of systems. But without proper filtration, debris can compromise everything from heat exchangers to pumps and piping.

Are Air Intake Screens Sufficient for Refinery Cooling Systems?

Air intake screens protect against airborne debris entering the cooling tower, including leaves, cottonwood, dust, and sand. In a refinery where environmental exposure is high, and debris is constant, these screens are a smart first step.

However, air intake screens only block what’s coming in through the air. They do nothing for the contaminants already in your basin water—many of which are specific to refinery environments.

How Do Sump Screens Protect Refinery Cooling Systems?

In refineries, basin water often contains particles like:

1. Hydrocarbon residue
2. Rust flakes from aging infrastructure
3. Silt or scale
4. Industrial debris from nearby processes

Without a sump screen in place, this debris is drawn directly into your cooling loop—leading to:

1. Clogged nozzles and fouled heat exchangers
2. Inefficient cooling and increased energy consumption
3. Damage to pumps and downstream systems
4. Manual cleanouts that disrupt schedules and add cost

Sump screens filter debris at the source, protecting your high-value equipment from internal threats that air intake screens can’t stop.

Do Refineries Need Both Sump Screens and Air Intake Screens?

Together, sump screens and air intake screens form a complete barrier—guarding your system from both external and internal sources of contamination.

This combination delivers:

1. Improved water quality
2. Fewer shutdowns and emergency maintenance
3. Greater heat transfer efficiency
4. Extended equipment lifespan
5. Lower labor and cleaning costs

Refineries that adopt a dual-screen strategy benefit from increased reliability and reduced operating risk, which is crucial when margins and uptime are everything.

Custom Traveling Sump Screens for Refineries

At Cooling Tower Valves and Screens, we specialize in refinery-grade sump screen systems built to endure harsh conditions and constant demand. Our custom traveling sump screens continuously remove debris from the basin without interrupting operations—making them ideal for high-output, high-risk environments like yours.

Built to handle corrosive conditions and particulate-heavy water, our solutions help refineries:

1. Reduce fouling of exchangers and piping
2. Minimize labor-intensive basin cleaning
3. Improve thermal performance and energy use
4. Stay ahead of maintenance and avoid shutdowns

Don’t wait for a blockage to expose the gaps in your system protection.

Upgrade to a complete solution with both air intake and sump screens.

Reach out to Cooling Tower Valves and Screens to see how our customized solutions are helping refineries across the country stay efficient, clean, and operational.