Cooling Towers Industry Information

Cooling towers, sometimes referred to as heat rejection devices, are systems that provide cooling of water and other fluids through the removal of heat from the fluid. Essentially, a cooling tower is comprised of a water tower and a water reservoir pumping system. Some, such as chillers cooling towers, incorporate other refrigerant processes. Hot process water is fed to a cool water reservoir and then pumped to the process again. Heat in the process water is eliminated as spray nozzles distribute it over the wet deck surface. Air is simultaneously blown upward over the wet deck surface. As the stream of air flows past the heated water, the air absorbs the heat, lowering the water temperature. During the process, some of the water evaporates, which increases the amount of heat transfer. The cooled water is returned to the process after being collected in the reservoir. There are many different methods cooling systems use. Some employ evaporative cooler and HVAC cooler systems to provide a cooling effect. Construction varies with the many designs available, such as closed loop cooling towers. Many are made of fiberglass because of its strength and weather resistance. Others, such as hyperbolic cooling towers are made of steel and concrete.

Cooling tower systems produce the airflow through a couple methods. Mechanical draft towers utilize fans located on the sides of the tower in order to create airflow. Forced draft towers have fans located on the side of the cooling towers, while induced draft cooling towers have fans located on the top of the cooling tower to pull air through the tower. Natural draft cooling towers do not use fans but depend upon the rising exhaust air to create the airflow. These cooling towers use very large concrete chimneys and are typically in place only at utility power stations. In some cases, the two methods are used in conjunction with one another to create the required draft of air.

Fill pack is located on the wet deck surface and is the heart of most cooling towers. Cooling tower systems typically use PVC or polypropylene materials for fill, although other materials may be used. The labyrinthine design is formed by individual vacuum formed sheets. The sheets space themselves apart when arranged vertically side-by-side, leaving passageways for water and air. The sheets may press against each other or may be glued together. Strength may be gained by folding the edges. The channels (flutes) formed between the adjacent fill sheets are usually at an angle to vertical in order to increase the "hang time" of the water as it falls through the wet deck.

Cooling tower systems remain beneficial in cooling fluids, particularly water, in a variety of industrial applications. Useful applications for cooling towers include air conditioner cooling towers, dry cleaning, water treatment and power generation. Numerous industries, including water/wastewater, chemical, electric, pulp and paper and plastics industries, utilize the products made by cooling tower manufacturers to reduce heat in industrial facilities and systems. When selecting a cooling tower, consider industrial application, fluid type and volume, tower placement within the facility and environmental factors. Many different cooling tower cooling tower designs remain available to fulfill customer needs. In addition to standard cooling tower designs, many cooling tower manufacturers offer custom cooling tower design services. 

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