A cooling tower is a heat rejection device that cools water by transferring heat to the surrounding air, primarily through evaporation. It is a specialized heat exchanger that uses air and water to lower the temperature of the water. Cooling towers are commonly used in power plants, industrial facilities, and HVAC systems to manage heat generated by various processes.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
How it works:
- 1. Water flow:
Hot water is pumped into the top of the cooling tower and distributed over a large surface area (often using fill materials).
- 2. Air interaction:
Air is drawn into the tower, either naturally (natural draft) or mechanically (mechanical draft).
- 3. Evaporation and cooling:
As the water comes into contact with the air, some of it evaporates, absorbing heat from the remaining water.
- 4. Cooled water collection:
The cooled water collects at the bottom of the tower and is recirculated back to the system.
Types of Cooling Towers:
- Natural Draft:
Relies on the natural draft of air due to temperature differences to draw air through the tower, says a cooling tower resource.
- Mechanical Draft:
Uses fans to force air through the tower, explains an industrial cooling tower blog.
- Wet:
Uses evaporation to cool water, according to Wikipedia.
- Dry:
Relies solely on air to cool the water.
- Hybrid:
Combines elements of both wet and dry cooling, mentioned in a ScienceDirect article.
Applications:
- Power plants: Cooling water used in turbines and condensers.
- Industrial processes: Cooling equipment, hot process water, and other sources.
- HVAC systems: Cooling chillers and air conditioning equipment.
- Data canters: Managing the heat generated by servers and other equipment.
- Cooling tower – Wikipedia
A cooling tower is a device that rejects waste heat to the atmosphere through the cooling of a coolant stream,