<p>Seawater is the most promising alternative to large quantities of fresh water in cooling tower systems. However, it has a corrosive behavior when it contacts metals and their alloys in cooling tower systems. In this study, we examined the corrosion behavior of ST37-2 Low-Carbon Steel (ST37-2 LCS) in a seawater cooling tower operating under wet/dry cycles consisting of 5&#xa0;h of immersion stage followed by 19&#xa0;h of drying stage for 14 cycles. The test method is a planned interval test. Experimental and theoretical measurements of corrosion rates, high-resolution optical microscope images, SEM–EDS, XRD, and FTIR analyses were used for corrosion products characterization. According to the results of the wet/dry cycles of ST37-2 LCS in the tower, the corrosion susceptibility of the steel reduces with increasing corrosion exposure time. As a result of the wet/dry cycle tests, iron oxide in the form of Iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) and magnetite (Fe₃O₄) are uniformly produced. Corrosion can be suppressed when a stable inner rust layer (magnetite) develops on the steel surface. Furthermore, the high values of rust resistance in this study indicates that the corrosion products offer good protection in seawater cooling towers. This analysis yields predictions on the life expectancy of a seawater cooling tower. Additionally, it provides technical support for improving the life and reliability of ST37-2 LCS in high chloride media.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>