Characteristics of an Indirect Dry Cooling System Tower
- Intermediate Heat Exchanger: The presence of the surface condenser is what defines the system as “indirect.”
- Natural Draft Often Used: Unlike the almost always fan-forced A-frame of direct dry cooling, indirect dry cooling towers are frequently natural draft hyperbolic towers (like the large, iconic curved towers associated with nuclear plants, but without the plume). The large buoyancy effect of the tower provides the airflow, making the system more efficient.
- The Cooling Tower is a “Water-to-Air” Heater: The tower itself is only handling clean water in a closed loop, not steam.