IS 2372 : 1991

(Reaffirmed 2000)
Edition 2.2
(2002-03)

Indian Standard
TIMBER FOR COOLING TOWERS —
SPECIFICATION
( First Revision )
(Incorporating Amendment Nos. 1 & 2)

UDC 674 : 66.045.5

© BIS 2002

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

MANAK BHAVAN , 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
NEW DELHI 110002

Price Group 1
Timber Sectional Committee, CED 9

FOREWORD
This Indian Standard (First Revision) was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, after the
draft finalized by the Timber Sectional Committee had been approved by the Civil Engineering
Division Council.
The standard was first published in 1963. Based on the experience gained in this field, several
amendments to this standard were issued from time to time. All these amendments have been
incorporated in this revision. Permissible defects in different grades of timber for cooling towers
have also been rationalised and the standard has been brought in uniformity with the style of
other standards on grading of timber.
This edition 2.2 incorporates Amendment No. 1 (May 1994) and Amendment No. 2 (March 2002).
Side bar indicates modification of the text as the result of incorporation of the amendments.
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with,
the final value, observed or calculated, expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be rounded
off in accordance with IS 2 : 1960 ‘Rules for rounding off numerical values ( revised )’. The number
of significant places retained in the rounded off value should be the same as that of the specified
value in this standard.
 IS 2372 : 1991
Indian Standard
TIMBER FOR COOLING TOWERS —
SPECIFICATION
( First Revision )
1 SCOPE 5 GRADING OF TIMBER
This standard covers the species, grades, 5.1 Cooling tower timbers shall be of three
requirements and treatments for timber used grades, namely, select grade, grade I and
in the construction of cooling towers. grade II depending on the defects permitted
2 REFERENCES ( see 5.3 ).
The following Indian Standards are necessary 5.2 Prohibited Defects (for All Grades)
adjuncts to this standard:
Timber with loose grain, reaction wood,
IS No. Title
heartwood rot, warp, worm holes which are
401 : 1982 Code of practice for preservation likely to affect strength, pitch pockets,
of timber ( third revision ) centre-heart (pith), shakes twisted grain and
707 : 1976 Glossary of terms applicable to wane shall not be selected for cooling towers.
timber technology and utilization
( second revision ) 5.3 Permissible Defects
3 TERMINOLOGY The defects to the extent specified in Table 2 for
3.1 For the purpose of this standard, the different grades of timber shall be permissible.
definition given in IS 707 : 1976, and the
6 DIMENSIONS AND TOLERANCES
following shall apply.
3.1.1 Columns 6.1 The suggested nominal sizes, rough and
finished dimensions for various thicknesses are
The main vertical supporting members in the
given in Table 3.
tower framework.
3.1.2 Fill 6.2 Tolerances
These are either splash bars or splash slats. A ± 5 mm tolerance in length shall normally be
Splashing of water takes place on these bars or permissible. In other dimensions, no minus
slats. tolerances shall be permitted but a maximum
3.1.3 Joists and Beams plus tolerance of 2 mm shall be permitted.
Horizontal supports for live and dead loads, 7 TREATMENT
such as supports for fan deck flooring, filling,
drift eliminators, cold and hot water collecting 7.1 The following treatments are
and redistributing basins, water troughs, recommended:
piping and mechanical equipment.
4 SPECIES OF TIMBER a) The structural members and the shell
members are to be treated to a net
The species of timber suitable for cooling retention of 12 kg/m3 of timber with
towers shall be as given in Table 1 copper-chrome-arsenic (CCA) or
Table 1 Timbers for Cooling Towers acid-copper-chrome (ACC) or 16 kg/m3 of
( Clause 4 ) copper-chrome-boron (CCB) or 128 kg/m3
Botanical Name Trade Name of creosote/fuel oil mixture in accordance
1. Abies pindrow fir
with IS 401 : 1982.
2. Cedrus deodara deodar
3. Picea smithiana spruce b) Fill is to be treated under pressure with a
4. Pinus kesiya khasi pine minimum average retention of 16 kg/m3 of
5. Pinus radiata radiata pine timber with copper-chrome-arsenic (CCA)
6. Pinus roxburghii chir or acid-copper-chrome (ACC) or with 20
7. Pinus wallichiana kail kg/m3 or copper-chrome-boron (CCB) or
8. Pseudotsuga taxifolia douglas fir with 160 kg/m3 of creosote/fuel oil mixture
9. Tectona grandis teak
in accordance with IS 401 : 1982.

1
IS 2372 : 1991

Table 2 Permitted Defects for Different Grades of Timber for Cooling Towers
( Clause 5.3 )
Sl No. Defects Select Grade Grade I Grade II
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
i) Slope of grain Slope of grain shall not Slope of grain shall not Slope of grain shall not
exceed 1 in 18 exceed 1 in 12 exceed 1 in 8

ii) Knot/knot hole Knot up to 13 mm diameter
shall be permitted in not
more than 25 percent
pieces. In case of pin
knots total diameter of
knots shall not exceed
13 mm in any piece
iii) Check Checks up to 3 mm in depth
shall be allowed
iv) End split End split shall be permitted
up to 150 mm on either
end subject to maximum
25 percent of overall
length
Both on narrow and wide
face up to 50 mm, the
diameter of knots shall
not be more than one
fifth of the face. Beyond
50 mm face the diameter
of knots shall not to be
more than one sixth of
the face.
However in any 150 mm
of length in middle third
of the piece, the total
diameter of knots shall
not be more than the
diameter of the largest
permitted knot
Checks up to 5 mm in depth
shall be allowed
End split shall be permitted
up to 150 mm on either
end subject to maximum
33 percent of overall
length
1) For members of narrow
face less than 50 mm:
a) On wider face knots
shall not be more than
one fourth of face at
centre portion
b) On narrow face, knots
shall not be more than
one fourth of the face
up to 38 mm face and
one third beyond
38 mm.
2) For members of narrow
face 75 mm and above:
a) On wider face, knots
shall not be more than
one fourth of face at
edge and one third at
centre portion
b) On narrow face, knots
shall not be more than
one third of face up to
75 mm and same as for
wide face for more than
75 mm. However in any
150 mm of length in the
middle third of the
piece the total diameter
of knots shall not be
more than the diameter
of the largest permitted
knot
Checks up to 5 mm in depth
shall be allowed
End split shall be permitted
up to 150 mm on either
end subject to maximum
33 percent of overall
length

Table 3 Nominal and Dressed Table 4 Depth of Penetration of

Dimensions Preservative in Different Species of
( Clause 6.1 ) Timber
Nominal rough thickness 25 32 38 50 75 over 100 ( Clause 7.2 )
or width, in mm
Timber Species Depth Minimum
Minimum rough sawn 23 30 35 47.5 72.5 off 5














thickness or width, Sapwood Heartwood

in mm
Abies pindrow 100% 5* mm
Dressed thickness or 21 27 32 45 70 off 10
Cedrus deodara 100% 10 mm
width, in mm
Douglas fir 100% 5* mm
7.2 Penetration of Preservatives Picea smithiana 100% 5* mm
Pinus kesiya 100% 20 mm
The depth of penetration of the preservative
shall be as given in Table 4. Pinus roxburghii 100% 20 mm
Pinus wallichiana 100% 10 mm
7.3 Retention of Preservatives Radiata Pine 100% 20 mm

The net retention of wood preservative shall be Tectona grandis 100% Needs no
treatment
ascertained in the assay zone (recommended
*For structural members incision about 15 mm
penetration as per Table 4) for different wood should be made on all surfaces (except end) to
species used for the construction of cooling achieve the required absorption.
tower members.

2
Standard Mark
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Standards Act, 1986 and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder. The Standard Mark on
products covered by an Indian Standard conveys the assurance that they have been produced
to comply with the requirements of that standard under a well defined system of inspection,
testing and quality control which is devised and supervised by BIS and operated by the
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the Standard Mark may be granted to manufacturers or producers may be obtained from the
Bureau of Indian Standards.
Bureau of Indian Standards
BIS is a statutory institution established under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 to promote
harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and
attending to connected matters in the country.

Copyright
BIS has the copyright of all its publications. No part of these publications may be reproduced in any form
without the prior permission in writing of BIS. This does not preclude the free use, in the course of
implementing the standard, of necessary details, such as symbols and sizes, type or grade designations.
Enquiries relating to copyright be addressed to the Director (Publications), BIS.

Review of Indian Standards

Amendments are issued to standards as the need arises on the basis of comments. Standards are also
reviewed periodically; a standard along with amendments is reaffirmed when such review indicates that no
changes are needed; if the review indicates that changes are needed, it is taken up for revision. Users of
Indian Standards should ascertain that they are in possession of the latest amendments or edition by
referring to the latest issue of ‘BIS Catalogue’ and ‘Standards : Monthly Additions’.
This Indian Standard has been developed from Doc : No. CED 9 (4700)

Amendments Issued Since Publication

Amend No. Date of Issue
Amd. No. 1 May 1994
Amd. No. 2 March 2002

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