Explain Cooling Tower, What is a cooling tower, How does a cooling tower work



Explain cooling tower speaks to what is a cooling tower and how does a cooling tower work and explains how heat is removed from the condenser water. It uses the evaporation of water to remove heat and cool the condenser water. They may vary in size from small to large depending on the application.

Cooling towers are classified by use, building HVAC or industrial. We will speak of building HVAC, as used to reject heat from a chiller.

Water cooled chillers are more energy efficient than air cooled coolers because of heat rejection to tower water at or near wet bulb temperatures. Wet towers operate on the principle of evaporation. The condenser water and the evaporated fluid are one and the same.

Explain Cooling Tower Operation

In a wet tower, the warm water can be cooled to a temperature lower than the ambient air dry bulb temperature. As the ambient air is drawn over a water stream, evaporation occurs.

Evaporation results in saturated air conditions, lowering the temperature of the condenser water to the wet bulb temperature. This is lower than the ambient dry bulb air temperature, the difference determined by the humidity of the ambient air.

There are four methods to draw air through the tower: <

  • natural draft.
  • mechanical draft.
  • induced draft.
  • forced draft.

    The fans may run continuously or may be automatically energized to maintain the condenser water at design temperature. The fans may be single or dual speed.

    Building Cooling Systems

    Return from explain cooling tower to homepage

    Hard copy and E book for sale. Introduction to Building Mechanical Systems. Click here.

    Hard copy and E book for sale. What's Killing You and What You Can Do About It. A humourous look at ageing and disease. Click here.