Cooling Tower

Cooling Tower Selection Tips

Want to use cooling towers to supply cold water for air conditioners but you are not sure of the type, the number of blades, brand, price, and specifications that suit your purpose? Read on to find the answers to all your questions on price, technical specifications, and the best cubic and round cooling towers on the market.
Broadly speaking, the cooling tower is tasked with cooling the water circulating the condenser in air conditioning systems, industrial processes, power plants, refineries, and other industries.
The tower cools down the circulating water based on heat transfer via mass transfer, providing sufficient surface area for heat exchange between the water entering the tower and the air passing through, as well as slowing down the descending water by packings or other media (such as boards).
When selecting the cooling tower capacity, note that the maximum temperature difference between the input and output must be less than the difference between the input water temperature and the ambient Wet-Bulb Temperature (WBT). In other words, the minimum temperature of the cooling tower output must be more than the WBT in the space where the equipment is installed. On the other hand, the lower the humidity of the air where the cooling tower is installed, the lower the ambient WBT, helping provide colder output water.

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Cooling towers can be categorized from different aspects as follows:

1. Appearance (bottle, cubic)
2. Air intake (natural, forced)
3. Working mechanism (open-circuit, closed-circuit)
4. Casing material (galvanized steel, fiberglass, concrete)
5. Air and water flow arrangement (cross-flow, counter-flow)
6. Distribution of water (nozzle, water basin, water circulation arm)

• Open-Circuit Cooling Tower The open-circuit cooling tower is, in fact, your typical cooling tower integrated into an air conditioning system that cools down the working fluid by spraying it over packings—that increase the air-water contact area—and collecting it in a basin at the bottom to be pumped back to the AC system.

• Closed-Circuit Cooling Tower This type of tower cools the circulating water by spraying it over packings exposed to flowing air. In contact with the coil running the working fluid (water, oil, or else) in a closed circuit, the sprayed water cools it down (closed-circuit cooling towers are much more expensive than their open-circuit counterparts due to integrating such equipment as heat-exchange coils and pumps).

Specify the following when picking an open-circuit cooling tower 

1. The type of cooling tower (bottle, cubic)
2. Casing material (galvanized steel, fiberglass)
3. The dry and wet bulb temperatures of the ambient air
4. The capacity of the cooling tower in proportion to the chiller capacity in Tons of Refrigeration (TR)
5. The difference between the entering water temperature and the leaving water temperature (range)
6. The difference between the temperature of the cooling tower output and the ambient WBT, aka approach (for industrial usage)
7. The flow rate of water circulating the condenser or the cooling tower (3 GPM per ton of refrigeration in a vapor compression chiller and 4 GPM per ton of refrigeration in an absorption chiller)

Notice: Cooling towers used in industrial or telecommunication facilities during the cold season are required to integrate electric heating elements in the basin at the bottom of the tower to prevent the water from freezing and damaging the equipment.

Estimating the Cooling Tower Make-up Water

The normal loss of water in cooling towers can range between 0.2 and 0.3 lit/min per nominal ton of refrigeration (it must be noted that the loss of water depends on several factors including the relative humidity of ambient air, ambient temperature, and the temperature difference between the entering water and the ambient air).

For a cooling tower in the refrigeration cycle, the make-up water is estimated as follows based on the type of chiller compressor:

Chillers with screw compressors:                         4gpm/100ton

Chillers with centrifugal compressors:                 4gpm/100ton

Chillers with reciprocating compressors:             4gpm/100ton

Absorption chillers:                                                   8gpm/100ton

Fiberglass Cooling Tower Selection Tips

• Being located in an outdoor space and exposed to direct sunlight, cooling towers are required to be protected by a Neo Penta Glycol (NPG) Gelcoat finish to prevent UV destruction.
• Further, with all the internal components of the tower in constant contact with water, they must be made of stainless or galvanized steel to keep the structural and other components (including screws and bolts) from rusting.
• The cooling surfaces (packings) in the cooling tower must be of suitable design and material. Packings are often made of antimicrobial grade, 400 micron PVC or PP sheets.
• The fan must be both statically and dynamically balanced to extend the service life of the electric motor and reduce the noises generated by it during the start-up.
• When placing an order for high-capacity cooling towers, it is best to use a transmission system equipped with a gearbox.
• Installing a ladder to access different parts of a large-scale tower, including the electric motor, is essential for maintenance.

In air conditioning systems, the water enters the tower (from the vapor compression chiller) at 33–35 °C and leaves it for the condenser at 28–30 °C. In other words, the range (the difference between the entering water temperature and the leaving water temperature) is approximately 4–6 °C.

The multi-stage thermostat: by installing a multi-stage thermostat at the cooling tower outlet to the chiller condenser, the temperature of the water leaving the tower (for the condenser) can be controlled by adjusting the slow-opening thermostat and changing the speed of the electric motor according to the command transmitted to the inverter.

In cases without a smart control system, it is necessary that at least one thermostat capable of commanding the fan motor to stop/start is installed on the cooling tower output line to the collector for times when the weather is moderate to offer further control over the temperature of the water leaving the tower.

In case of requiring consultation on the selection, calculation, and purchase of cooling towers contact our sales specialists at DamaTajhiz.

Under the Cooling Towers category at DamaTajhiz.com—the first (from 2005) and largest online retailer for heating and cooling equipment in the Middle East (according to Alexa.com)—you can easily find a product that fits your requirements at the best price (best price guarantee) by browsing through the comprehensive descriptions provided, assured to receive original services and warranties.

When Handling or Installing the Cooling Tower Equipment, Note That

• If the fiberglass cooling tower has a diameter of over 220 cm, it is recommended to transport the equipment to the project location in pieces to prevent damage to the cooling tower. Needless to say, in this case, the re-assembly of the cooling tower will incur additional charges.
• The cooling tower chassis must be designed proportionately to the exact weight and dimensions of the tower to be capable of supporting it according to the structural conditions of the building, all the while remaining discrete not to undermine the appearance of the building.
• If using a crane at the project site is not possible for handling the equipment, make sure not to place an order for a pre-assembled cooling tower.
• Basically, the cooling tower must be installed in a location where nothing bars fresh air from flowing into the equipment. Further, if multiple towers are used in tandem, the configuration must be designed not to allow the output air of one tower to enter another directly and reduce the efficiency of the system. With the suitable cooling tower capacity determined, if the equipment can be installed in an outdoor space, exposed to open air, attaining an acceptable efficiency is not challenging. However, should the cooling tower be installed indoors or surrounded by walls, the following must be satisfied:
  a) the tower must be given enough space for fresh air to reach it without restriction.
  b) the humid cooling tower output air must be exhausted in a way that ensures it cannot return and recirculate the tower as it will increase the WBT, keeping the water circulating the system from cooling down.
  c) recirculation of air in cooling towers is particularly important in cases where several of them are installed in tandem.
  d) the location of the cooling tower is dependent on other factors as well, including the noise level at a 10 m distance (in dB), the strength of the installation foundation, costs of additional equipment, and issues concerning the building architecture.

Given the significance of the dynamic balance of the air circulation fan as regards the performance of the cooling tower and its direct impact on the durability of the fan and electric motor, make sure to have the tower installed perfectly horizontally and balanced to maintain the dynamic balance of the fan.

You can also read the article SAND FILTER AND ITS TYPES for more information.

Final speech

The specialized collection (Damatajhiz) (the first and most reliable authority in the country in the field of building facilities equipment and all air conditioning devices), offers you all kinds of sand filters and hundreds of other products, guaranteeing the originality of the product, valid warranty, and reasonable price. In addition, if you have any questions about choosing and comparing the brands of this product, you can get free advice from the heating equipment experts.

In Iran, the first and most famous specialized group in the field of building installation equipment, air conditioners, and all equipment for swimming pools, saunas, and jacuzzis since 2004, DamaTajhiz is a specialized group. Refer to the time of this group. For more information, you can get advice from the experts of DamaTajhiz Engineering and Production Company by calling 021-88822550.

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