Cooling towers are heat exchangers that use water and air to transfer heat from air conditioning systems to the outdoor environment. Most commonly, they are used to remove heat from the condenser water leaving a chiller. Cooling towers are usually located on rooftops or other outdoor sites.
Typically, there are two different types of water cooling towers. The first is called an open or direct cooling tower. Open cooling towers expose the water coming from the tower directly into the air. This warm water is sprayed over a fill in the cooling tower to increase the contact area, and air passes through it. Most of the heat is removed by evaporation. The cooled water remaining after evaporation drops into the collection basin and is returned to the chiller’s condenser.
The second type of evaporative cooling towers are closed, or indirect towers. These type of towers circulate warm water through tubes located in the tower. In a closed tower, the cooling water does not come in contact with the outside air. Water that circulates only within the cooling tower is sprayed over the tubes and a fan blows air across the tubes. This cools the condenser water within the tubes.
Finding parts and products for cooling tower replacements is not difficult if you are aware of the type of product you have. Cooling tower manufacturers are readily available, as long as you can answer a few simple questions about your topic. When looking for manufacturers, be sure to ask about warranties, maintenance fees, and pricing for additional parts.Inquire about Initial cost for installation, costs of energy consumption, pump energy consumption,water use, water treatment requirements, maintenance characteristics and fees, worker safety and insurance, and expected service life.
While it may seem like a lot to ask, all of these questions are important when evaluating the purchase of a cooling tower. Be an informed consumer, and your shopping process will be significantly easier.
