Water cooling towers are devices for cooling water used in industrial air conditioning applications, comfort air conditioning applications and process water in industry. It is common for cooling towers to directly or indirectly cool process water in industry, and in some cases it is a cooling method for which there are no alternatives. However, in air conditioning applications, cooling towers may or may not be preferred equipment depending on the cooling system selected.
How Cooling Towers Work?
In counter-flow water cooling towers, hot water from the plant is sprayed homogeneously from top to bottom over the entire cross-section of the tower with the help of a specially manufactured water distribution system and sprinklers. The sprayed water masses are filtered and disintegrated between the tower fillings. The air with the humidity of the external environment is sucked from bottom to top over the fillings with the help of the engine fan group. The water that meets the air on the cooling surface of the embankment cools down by giving heat to the air and a small part of it evaporates. The cooled water is collected in the cold water pool of the tower and sent back to the plant. The air whose humidity increases as a result of the evaporation of the water (close to saturation rate) is discharged to the atmosphere from the fan pressure at the top of the tower.
Cooling Tower Types:
Cooling Tower Types According to Working Principle
A) Counter Flow Towers (Counter Flow Towres); While water floats from top to bottom on the embankments, air moves from bottom to top. They are the most preferred towers today.
Induced draft towers; fans are on top. Air is drawn upwards through the air louvers on the side with the help of the fan on top and cooling is provided.
Forced draft towers; fans are on the sides, air is pushed upwards from the bottom with the help of the fan and cooling is provided.
B) Cross Flow Towers (Cross Flow Towers): Water fills in cross flow cooling towers
The air flow is horizontal or diagonal as it descends from top to bottom. In cross-flow towers, there are forced thrust and forced draft types.
Tower Types According to Cooling Type:
A) Open Cycle Water Cooling Towers; In open cycles, the cooling water is cooled directly in the tower.
cooling is provided by spraying on the fillings. Efficiency is higher in this type of towers, water is likely to be contaminated when it comes into contact with the environment.
B) Closed Cycle Water cooling towers; In closed type towers, the cooling water in the tower is metal
circulates in coils (heat exchangers). The water in the heat exchanger is cooled by cold air and the circulating water of the tower due to the outer surface of the pipe. In this type of towers, the cooling water always remains clean as it does not come into contact with the environment. Indirect cooling reduces tower efficiency.
Cooling Tower Usage Areas
Cooling towers are used for many industrial and commercial applications.
Air conditioning systems: Cooling towers are used for cooling air conditioning systems in places such as large commercial buildings and industrial plants.
Power plants: Large-scale power plants need cooling towers to cool the water used. This ensures that the water used in the energy production process remains at lower temperatures.
Petrochemical plants: The oil and gas industry uses cooling towers for temperature control in many of its processes.
Food processing plants: food processing plants require low temperatures for the storage and transportation of products. Cooling towers can be used to provide these low temperatures in food processing plants.
Plastic production facilities: Plastics production facilities are exposed to high temperatures during the molding and forming of plastics. Cooling towers help to keep these high temperatures under control.
Some of the products we have developed within Cemkimsan Kimya and produced in our factories our water treatment products;
CK-229; Stabilized phosphate cooling water treatment chemical.
CK-429Fully organic cooling water treatment chemical.
C BIOCIDE 886Non-oxidising biocide for cooling towers
CK-699pH regulator in cooling towers.
CK-180Cooling water dispersant.
Resul AĞBULUT
Chemical Engineer
Water Treatment Consultant
Source:
https://www.ttmd.org.tr/PdfDosyalari/Dergi-Eki-41-1-1.pdf
https://ensotek.com/bilgi-bankasi/su-sogutma-kulesi-nedir
TMMOB Chamber of Chemical Engineers Water Handbook
Cemkimsan Chemistry Lecture Notes