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Managing Cooling Tower Leaks

Published: 2026-02-17      Revised: 2026-02-17

Overview​

When a Sample Point fails an inspection, a leak investigation workflow begins. This involves identifying the source Exchanger, repairing it, verifying the Exchanger repair, and finally re-testing the Sample Point to close the leak.

Phase 1: The Investigation (Finding the Source)​

The Investigation (Finding the Source)

Once the Sample Point leak data is synced to Chateau:

  1. Identify Associated Exchangers:
    • In Chateau, go to the Component grid.
    • Filter for components linked to the leaking Sample Point.
  2. Build Investigation Tour:
    • Select the associated Exchangers.
    • Click Build Tour, select M21 - Retest, name it "Exchanger Investigation," and assign it to the technician.
  3. Field Investigation:
    • The technician checks out their device to download the new Exchanger tour.
    • They perform M21 Inspections on each Exchanger to pinpoint which one(s) are leaking.
    • The technician Checks In the investigation results.

Phase 2: Repair & Verification​

Repair and Verification

Once the specific leaking Exchanger is identified via the investigation:

  1. Maintenance/Repair: Maintenance teams perform the necessary repairs on the identified Exchanger(s).
  2. Build Verification Tour:
    • Create a new tour containing the repaired Exchanger(s) AND the parent Cooling Tower Sample Point.
    • Assign this tour to the technician.
  3. Field Verification (Exchanger):
    • The technician syncs to retrieve the tour.
    • They perform a follow-up M21 inspection on the Exchanger to verify the repair was successful.
  4. Field Verification (Sample Point):
    • Crucial Step: Once the Exchanger passes, the technician must perform a full Cooling Tower Inspection on the Sample Point itself (following the procedure in Performing Inspections (Chateau Mobile)).
    • This confirms the repair effectively stopped the leak from reaching the cooling water stream.
  5. Sync: The technician Syncs/Checks In the final results.

Phase 3: Documentation & DOR​

Documentation and DOR

Back in Chateau, the successful Sample Point inspection will automatically Close the leak record.

  1. Review the Leak Record:
    • Go to the Leaks grid and open the Cooling Tower Sample Point leak.
    • You will see the initial failure, the Exchanger investigation, the Exchanger verification, and the final passing Sample Point inspection all linked.
  2. Delay of Repair (DOR):
    • If the Exchanger cannot be repaired (e.g., requires a shutdown) or the verification failed:
    • Select the leak in the Leaks grid.
    • Click Plan DOR and complete the standard DOR workflow.