| Closed Circuit vs. Open Circuit Cooling Tower Feature Open Circuit Cooling Tower Closed Circuit Cooling Tower Process Fluid Exposed directly to the atmosphere. Contained within a sealed coil. Contamination Risk High (from air, water, and debris). Very Low. Water Consumption High (process water is lost to evaporation). Lower (only spray water is evaporated). Maintenance Requires maintenance of the entire system. Focused on the separate spray system. Initial Cost Lower. Higher. Fouling/Scaling Common in the process loop. Rare in the process loop. Freeze Protection Can be challenging for the entire system. Easier, as the process loop can be glycol-fluid. |
