How Do Cooling Towers Work?
Written by Brian B

How Do Cooling Towers Work?

Industrial cooling towers provide a proven way to remove heat from one place to another by using water as a transportation agent. Typically, cooling towers are utilized in areas that need a reliable source of cool when temperatures range from 70-100 degrees, year round. So, how exactly do these cooling towers work?

How Cooling Towers Work

Cooling towers are generally found in large power plants and manufacturer buildings. The towers can vary in size, though. Cooling towers can also be spotted on mall, university and hospital rooftops. They are commonly found inside an HVAC system, used to cool the inside of a building. The cooling load is determined by the amount of space in the building and/or location which needs the heat extracted. Humidity of the air is also accounted for, as cooling towers in Florida will differ from a tower located in the dry heat of Arizona.

Evaportaive cooling is a cycle that turns cooling evaporating water into air. This is a natural process, and one that can be seen utilized often in athletics. Next time you watch any sort of game, scan the sidelines for misters used to cool the players down after competing. Another example would be what happens the moment one steps out of the shower. The water on the skin quickly evaporates and pulls the heat from the body. We then feel the cooling sensation taking over.

Simply put, cooling towers are large boxes equipped to maximize the evaporation of water. Plastic sheets inside the tower create a large surface area, ready for evaporation. Just like nuclear power plants, these cooling towers rely on natural airflow throughout the tower. To help the process, some towers utilize a motor to generate quicker and more efficient airflow.

Cooling Tower Uses

These cooling towers are used to cool several products and machinery. Despite the various uses and machinery associated with this product, all cooling towers operate in the same way. Evaporative cooling is utilized in all circumstances.

Cooling towers are used for the following, plus many more applications:

  • Food and beverage service
  • Machine tools
  • Chemicals
  • Semi-conductors

Evaportavie Cooling Process

To further expand on evaportaive cooling, this is a very simple but necessary process used by cooling towers. Essentially, warm water is pumped all the way up to the top of the tower. This is where the water distribution system is located. Water is then spread out and sent to the wet deck, courtesy of the cooling tower nozzles. Air is released from the tower at the same time, thus forcing water to evaporate. Finally, the hot air leaves the tower.

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