Title: A Quick Look At The Different Types of Open Circuit Cooling Towers
1A Quick Look At The Different Types of Open
Circuit Cooling Towers
- Submitted By Tower Tech Cooling Systems Pvt.
Ltd
2- Cooling towers are proven to be an essential part
of manufacturing and industrial plants. Cooling
towers are categorized into two main kinds- the
closed circuit cooling tower and the open circuit
cooling towers. Under each kind are the different
types and designs. Today, we are going to talk
about the 5 main types of open circuit cooling
towers. - Although cooling tower systems are mostly used by
manufacturing plants and industrial buildings,
many large office buildings are also now enjoying
the benefits that an efficient system offers.
Cooling towers are proven to be an essential part
of manufacturing and industrial plants like
petrochemical plants, chemical plants, oil
refineries, thermal power stations or power
generation plants, and other industries with
buildings that need a fully functional HVAC
system for cooling. The main purpose of
industrial water cooling towers is to efficiently
and effectively extract and reject waste heat
from the industrial plants, manufacturing
buildings, and large offices by cooling the water
used in various processes and by generating lower
water temperatures.
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4- Cooling towers are categorized into two main
kinds- the closed circuit cooling tower and the
open circuit cooling towers. Under each kind are
the different types and designs. Although all the
types and kinds of cooling towers perform the
same function, they differ in various points
especially in terms of how they cool the water
used in the process. - Today, we are going to talk about the 5 main
types of open circuit cooling towers. But before
that, let us discuss first what is an open
circuit cooling tower and a closed circuit
cooling tower, as well as the primary difference
between the two.
5Open Circuit Cooling Tower
- The open circuit cooling tower is an enclosed
heat exchanger or structure that distributes warm
water over a fill or packing and cools down the
warm water through direct contact with air. The
labyrinth-like fill provides an expanded
air-water interface for air heating which allows
evaporation to occur. Partially, the heat
transfer happens by way of heat exchange, and
mainly via evaporation. It is during evaporation
when the water has to be cooled down. The process
of cooling down takes place as the water falls
through the fill. The water will then be
collected in the cold basin built below the fill.
The heated air which is heavily loaded with
moisture leaves the fill and gets released into
the atmosphere.
6- An open circuit cooling tower system offers
optimal cooling and allows low process
temperatures. This system also provides colder
water. Though the operating cost of an open
cooling tower is generally lower, it may
dramatically increase in time as this type of
cooling system needs additional water treatment.
The cost may even increase if the heat exchangers
get fouled. In order to prevent or at least
minimize the chances of fouling and other issues
that affect the efficiency of the system, the
cooling tower parts especially the heat
exchangers have to be checked and maintained
regularly.
7Closed Circuit Cooling Tower
A closed circuit cooling tower functions almost
the same way as the open circuit cooling tower.
What makes the previous different from the latter
is the fact that it does not involve direct
contact between the fluid being cooled and the
air. Also, the closed circuit cooling tower has a
heat exchanger coil built within the tower. This
coil is responsible for separating the cooling
tower water from the cooling water. The closed
circuit cooling tower is also designed with two
separate fluid circuits. Unlike an open circuit
cooling tower, a closed circuit cooling tower
does not experience fouling which is mainly
caused by dirt and oxygen. This is because the
cooling water is contained in the coil and is not
exposed to the atmosphere.
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9Different types of open circuit cooling tower
- There are 5 primary types of open circuit cooling
towers. These are - Round / Bottle Cooling Tower
- Square / Rectangular Cooling Tower
- Field Erected Cooling Tower
- Fan Less, Fills Less Cooling Tower
- Cross Flow Cooling Tower
10Round / Bottle Cooling Tower
- The round cooling tower, also called the bottle
shape cooling tower, is popularly known for its
superb technology and outstanding compact design.
It is available in different flute sizes. Because
of its round shape, it allows the air flow to get
evenly distributed and it also offers maximum
heat transfer per contact surface area and unit
volume. The round or bottle cooling tower uses
the counter flow-induced draft technology and is
designed with cross corrugated PVC film fills
heat transfer media. It is constructed from
fiberglass-reinforced plastics. - The round cooling towers are usually fabricated
and designed at the water cooling towers
manufacturers factory and are only assembled at
the job site. This can be used in various
applications including process cooling, chemical
plants, HVAC, refrigeration, steel melting, light
to medium industrial plants, plastic processing
plants, and pharmaceutical plants.
11Fan Less, Fills Less Cooling Tower
As its name suggests, the fanless, fill less
cooling tower does not have any fill or fan which
is used to cool down the waste heat water.
Instead, it utilizes the outside wind passage as
the cooling media. It has wooden louvers that
serve as the sidewall that restricts water
spillage. The fanless, fill less cooling tower is
the most economical choice and has the lowest
maintenance cost among the different types of
cooling towers.
12Cross Flow Cooling Tower
The crossflow cooling water is best used for
industrial applications. In this type of open
circuit cooling tower, the air flows horizontally
through the fills while the water vertically
falls down. It is especially used in dirty water
applications like an oil refinery and chemical
process cooling where the water can get
contaminated with ammonia compound, sugar, oil,
fats, and other nutrients.
13Square / Rectangular Cooling Tower
- The rectangular or square cooling tower is
perhaps the most popular cooling tower. Like the
round cooling tower, the square cooling tower
also utilizes the counter flow-induced draft
technology. Its heat transfer media are cross
corrugated PVC film fills. - The construction material of the rectangular or
square cooling tower is fiberglass reinforce
plastics while its structural components are made
with mild steel, hot-dipped galvanized. Some
models have pultruded fiberglass structure and
gear reducer direct-drive electric motor. - The rectangular or square cooling tower is
available in a single cell and multi-cell. It can
be used in various applications including light
to medium and medium to heavy industrial
processes, pharmaceutical plant, refrigeration,
process cooling, HVAC, steel melting/heating
furnace, power generation, chemical plant,
plastic processing plant, and chemical plant.
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15Field Erected Cooling Tower
- Not all industrial and manufacturing plants can
find the right standard designed cooling tower
for their specific needs especially those with
the poorest industrial ambiance. This is why
there is this so-called field-erected cooling
tower. This type of open circuit cooling tower is
custom made. It is designed with pultruded
fiberglass and is modeled using stainless steel
for fasteners, pultruded FRP sections, fiberglass
reinforced polyester (FRP) sheets for cladding,
and other hardware.
16- The field-erected cooling tower can be used both
for old and new cooling tower projects. As
compared to the traditional constructional
materials like wood, concrete, and steel, the FRP
offers more advantages. One of its remarkable
advantages is its resistance. FRP is highly
resistant to various elements, fire, temperature,
corrosion due to acid, salt, and sand, as well as
to the varying weather conditions. The material
is also highly recyclable and can remain friendly
to the surroundings even for years. This type of
cooling water is perfect for high-temperature
cooling water process applications since it can
withstand high-temperature levels. It can also be
utilized for all kinds of water regardless of
whether it is clean or not like seawater,
chemical water, and brackish water, to name a
few. - There are indeed many types of cooling towers.
While all of these types serve the same purpose,
not all of them can suit your needs well. It is
important to know what your industrial plants
needs are first before you pick a specific type
of cooling tower. Remember that the efficiency
and efficacy of the cooling tower depend on
whether you picked the right type or not. -
17- Tower Tech Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd
18Thankyou