What Are Cooling Towers?

Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin

A cooling tower is a large building that cools warm water through one of three processes: wet cooling, dry cooling and fluid cooling. Wet cooling involves the use of evaporation. Dry cooling involves the use of an air heat exchanger. Fluid cooling is done in large tubes that keep the water free come contamination and exposure to the environment. A cooling tower is also called a heat rejection device, a cooling tower works to cool the temperature of the water to a lower point than systems that rely on air cooling or dry heat rejection. This means that it’s also more energy efficient and cost effective than other forms of water cooling.

Where Are Cooling Towers Used?

The most common applications for this type of building are power plants, including electrical and nuclear, oil refineries, manufacturing plants, chemical plants, natural gas plants, and building cooling. The smallest of these applications are those designed for residential use, while the largest can cool hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each minute. A large power plant can utilize pipes up to fifteen feet in diameter to carry the water to the tower. While the size obviously affects the amount of water that can be cooled and the amount of time it takes to cool it, the principle is the same no matter what the size of the tower.

You have probably seen a cooling tower near an electrical plant, but you may not have realized exactly what you were looking at. It cools through takes place through either direct or indirect contact. The heat from the water is simply pumped into the atmosphere, which results in the white plumbs of smoke that are seen. This is steam and not pollution, as many people might think.

Factors Affecting Cooling Tower Stability

As stated above, these cooling towers are more cost effective and energy efficient than others ways of cooling water. For example, without these structures, water would have to be pumped into a river, stream, or ocean and then piped back into plant. Besides the obvious contamination factor, it would require a lot of energy to pump this water. A water cooling tower can work on the basis of gravity, which makes it a cheaper alternative. High winds and adverse weather conditions can affect the stability of these towers; however, there are new building codes in place today to help prevent these types of problems.

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How Cooling Towers Work

Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin

A cooling tower is an important component in today’s power plants, oil refineries, chemical plants, and manufacturing industrial plants. The main purpose of these towers is to remove the heat from a manufacturing or production process. The process of removing the heat can be as simple as a rooftop cooling tower air conditioning system or as complex as those towers used in oil refineries. It will vary in size depending on the cooling level needed. These towers allow the water to be cooled and then returned. The entire cooling process utilized in these towers saves a tremendous amount of money and energy.

Types of Cooling Towers

There are generally two types of cooling towers – those which cool by evaporation and those that cool by the use of air. The process that cools with air pumps the water to the top the tower. As gravity pulls the water down through a designated path, the droplets left by the water are exposed to a current of air. This cools the water, which is then returned to the production or manufacturing process.

The evaporation process is the result of a physical phenomenon. As water becomes a gas, the water temperature cools. The difference in temperatures between the air and the water affect how well this process works. The greater that difference in temperature is, the better the effect of cooling. It works in the same way as perspiration cools the body. If there is a large amount of water to cool and the environment where the plant is located is very dry, this is the best choice of cooling towers.

In most power plants and refineries, the evaporation method provides the cooling. There are exceptions, though, and the choice is often based upon the climate in the area. Dry climates seem to work better with the evaporation method, while the air cooling method works better in conditions that are more temperate.

In Closing

Cooling towers are quite beneficial and provide necessary cooling so that many of the world’s most important plants and factories can operate safely. It’s also an environmentally friendly way of cooling the water, especially since the water is reused once cooled.

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Industrial Applications for Cooling Towers

Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin

There are a number of industrial applications for cooling towers. Cooling is often an integral component of many manufacturing processes and as a result, it is almost impossible to think about these processes without envisioning a cooling tower. There are a couple of different types of cooling towers, but most use evaporative cooling. This process exposes the water to a stream of air. The water will partially evaporate, which will result in cooling. This is the best process for those industrial applications that require long hours of cooling.

The evaporative cooling process is best for such industries as petroleum refining, electricity generation, refrigeration, air conditioning, and steel manufacturing. The amount of cooling necessary to perform the above tasks is quite extensive, so most of these towers are quite large and expensive.

Since many of the manufacturing processes create a great deal of heat, the need for these towers quickly became evident during the industrial revolution. The first towers were made of wood, but today, cement, concrete, and Fiber Reinforced Plastic are the most common material in cooling towers. Also, the quality of the water is now a concern. If the water becomes contaminated, it can lead to a buildup of algae and bacterial. This eventually builds up in the equipment as scale, which can lead to corrosion. Cooling towers that focus on keeping the water uncontaminated are in high demand today.

Where to Buy Cooling Towers

There are a number of different manufacturers of cooling towers and depending on the size needed, you may find that one company produces more models of what is needed than another company does. The internet is a good place to begin your search, as you can see the various towers that are produced. Many companies will come to your location and help you determine which type of cooling tower is best suited to the industry and equipment used in that industry.

In Closing

Cooling towers fulfill an important role in today’s industrial world. Not only do they protect expensive manufacturing and production equipment, the water can be reused result in less waste. The internet is your best option for learning more about industrial applications for cooling towers.

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