A cooling tower is a large piece of equipment that’s typically used in an industrial environment in order to heat or cool the building. Smaller cooling towers are used in areas such as hospitals, schools, and large office buildings, while larger cooling towers are used in larger facilities, such as industrial plants, such as chemical or power plants. There are clear cooling tower benefits, as their use is an effective means to heat or cool a large space.
Cooling Tower Purpose: Why Cooling Towers Are Used
Depending on the type and size of the cooling tower, their primary function is to heat or cool a building. A cooling tower has a hyperboloid shape, which means that it is larger at the base and smaller at the top. The large space at the bottom is for water retention, and heat exchange occurs throughout the tower. As water falls down through the tower, air comes in from the sides and passes through the water. During this heat exchange, the water evaporates, which forms a mist. The cooled water at the bottom of the tower is reused for heating or air conditioning and these are the primary cooling tower uses.
How Cooling Towers Help
One of the primary benefits of cooling towers is the fact that they are energy efficient. Not only is this a benefit to the companies that use them, but it also reduces the carbon footprint. Cooling tower importance and benefits can also be extended by opting for cooling towers with improved design, which can help maximize energy efficiency. To help make your cooling tower choice more energy efficiency, you can:
- Using a closer design for the cooling tower, which provides colder water to the chiller
- Using open-circuit design and water-cooled systems
- Using a lower fan speed when it’s possible
- Using a variable speed drive (VSD) when possible
You can also maximize the energy efficiency of your cooling tower and extend its benefits by performing regular maintenance on it. Not only can regular maintenance improve energy efficiency and save you money, but it can also prevent Legionnaires’ disease, which is a very serious respiratory disease caused by bacteria often found in cooling towers. You should:
- Clean nozzles regularly
- Implement a strainer system
- Apply water treatment options, such as water modeling
- Semi-annual deep cleaning
- Clean mechanical components and belts regularly
Overall, maintenance helps reduce noise, protects against bacteria, elongates your unit’s life, and promotes energy efficiency, so that your cooling tower can continue to be beneficial.
Contact us
To learn more about how a cooling tower may be beneficial for you and your industry, contact Pinnacle Cooling Tower Service today at 732-570-9392. We serve the greater Tri-State area and pride ourselves on safety and customer satisfaction.
