The cooling tower is a cooling instrument that utilizes evaporative cooling of water to cool the hot water in the tower. Cooling water is cleaned and recycled to make maximum use of water resources, decrease the burden on the urban tap water distribution system, and save operational costs.
The crossflow cooling tower is a type of mechanical draft cooling tower where the upward flow of air cools the hot water dripping down from the top hot water basin onto the bottom cold water basin.
Crossflow cooling tower maintenance is simplified since the distribution system can be sectioned and serviced individually for reducing outages. Air travels horizontally through the fills over the downward fall of water in a cross-flow arrangement. A distribution basin dispenses the hot water so that it falls evenly into the fill through gravity via nozzles or orifices. Gravity removes the need for a pressurized spray system.
This evaporative cooling tower is preferred in most industrial works because of many reasons. Firstly, they have a wide enclosure area due to their design. This means that the crossflow cooling towers have an access door that facilitates examination. Furthermore, the area inside these cooling towers allows for simple access to mechanical components within the cooling tower. Also, as the water runs down the fills only due to gravity’s downward pull, the operation would be feasible for low and high hot water flows. This design also allows for effective functioning in cold regions.
Let us now look at the 6 things you need to know about the crossflow cooling tower.
1. Components
All the components in a cross-flow cooling tower serve different purposes. Mentioned below are these elements which are a must in this cooling device.
- Fill
- Coldwater basin
- Fan
- Hot water basin
- Spray nozzles
- Air inlet louvers
- Drift Eliminator
- Makeup water inlet
- Water outlet
- Overflow
- Drain
2. Functioning
The crossflow cooling tower operates on the same principles as other cooling towers. It increases the water surface area as it moves through the fills and cools the water by convective heat transfer to the passing air. The water flows down the fills vertically owing to gravity, but the air comes into touch with it horizontally, giving rise to the term “crossflow.” The inclusion of a hot water basin is a typical technique for constructing the cross-flow cooling tow to ensure that the water falling on the fill medium is uniformly distributed.
3. Space Requirements
A big plan area is required for a cross-flow cooling tower. A cross-flow tower has just two air inlets, making it more suited for places where the installation of large fans may be problematic. Because of the vertical arrangement of the fill, the height of a cross-flow cooling tower is lower. As a result, a cooling tower manufacturer requires a larger surface area but a lower height to set up this type of cooling tower.
4. Maintenance
Crossflow cooling towers are easier to maintain since access to the plenum is possible, allowing for repairs to the interior equipment. Furthermore, the nozzles in the distribution basin are available at all times. Because of the design of crossflow cooling towers, it is possible to enter the mid-plenum and examine the drift eliminators and mechanical equipment from below, even when the tower is in operation. Also, the nozzles for the cooling towers’ cross-flow arrangement can be accessed, inspected, cleaned, and even changed if necessary.
5. Water Distribution
In a cross-flow cooling tower, the process water is pushed to the top of the tower and discharged through nozzles into a hot water basin. The nozzles are gravity propelled, with the key driver being the height of the water above the nozzles. Only the height from the pump to the top of the tower and the friction loss in the pipe, including any flow control valves must be considered while sorting a condenser water pump for a cross-flow cooling tower.
6. Variable Flow and Cold Weather Operation
Using nozzle cups, a crossflow tower can use as little as 30% of the design flow while maintaining uniform water distribution over the fill. A consistent pressure drop over the fill helps manufacturers to correctly estimate the tower’s performance. Furthermore, in cold weather operation, using nozzle cups on the inboard side directs the heat burden to the side of the fill that is exposed to the environment.
Final words
Crossflow cooling towers are more suitable for access to maintenance, variable flow, and cold-weather functioning. When it comes to crossflow cooling towers, serviceability is also a significant plus. This is a major reason why a significant number of industries prefer crossflow cooling towers. Find the best one that works for your industry at Towertech.
