SELECTION GUIDANCE
Cooling Tower Engineering Resources
A useful quotation starts with complete design conditions. Use this checklist before sending an inquiry.
Required Selection Data
Thermal Conditions
Circulating water flow, hot-water temperature, cold-water temperature and design wet-bulb temperature.
Installation Conditions
Project location, elevation, indoor or outdoor placement, available footprint and airflow clearances.
Mechanical Requirements
Power supply, piping connections, pump head limits, sound target, drift requirements and redundancy.
Water and Materials
Water chemistry, corrosion exposure, process contamination risk and preferred FRP or steel construction.
Core Cooling Tower Terms
Range
The difference between entering hot-water temperature and leaving cold-water temperature.
Approach
The difference between leaving cold-water temperature and ambient wet-bulb temperature. A tighter approach generally requires more heat-transfer surface and airflow.
Open vs. Closed Circuit
Open circuit towers expose circulating water directly to air. Closed circuit towers keep the process fluid inside a coil while spray water and air remove heat externally.
Crossflow vs. Counterflow
Crossflow towers move air horizontally across falling water. Counterflow towers move air upward against downward water flow.