Square Cooling Tower
A Square Cooling Tower is a type of mechanical draft cooling tower with a rectangular or square footprint, commonly used in industrial and commercial cooling applications. Unlike the cylindrical bottle-shaped design, square cooling towers offer a modular and space-efficient layout, making them suitable for large-scale heat dissipation needs.
Key Features of Square Cooling Towers:
- Rectangular/Square Shape
- Designed for easy integration into industrial plants where space is arranged in linear or grid layouts.
- Allows for modular expansion (multiple cells can be combined for higher capacity).
- Draft Type
- Forced Draft: Fans at the base push air into the tower (louder but easier maintenance).
- Induced Draft: Fans at the top pull air upwards (more energy-efficient and quieter).
- Airflow Configuration
- Crossflow Design (Most Common):
- Water flows downward over fill media.
- Air moves horizontally across the water stream.
- Lower pump power requirement compared to counterflow.
- Counterflow Design (Less Common in Square Towers):
- Air moves upward against the falling water.
- More efficient but requires higher fan power.
- Construction Materials
- Casing: Galvanized steel, stainless steel, or fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP).
- Fill Media: PVC, PP, or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for heat exchange.
- Drift Eliminators: Reduce water loss by preventing droplets from escaping.
- Modular & Scalable
- Multiple units can be linked side-by-side for increased capacity.
- Ideal for industries with variable cooling demands.
Advantages of Square Cooling Towers:
Common Applications:
- Power plants (coal, gas, nuclear)
- Oil refineries & petrochemical plants
- Steel & manufacturing industries
- HVAC systems for large buildings (e.g., data centers, malls)