No matter what type of cooling tower you’re using at your facility, cooling tower design is relatively the same across the board, with many of the towers generally sharing the same type of cooling tower structure. Of course, there are variances between different types of cooling towers, such as between crossflow, counterflow, and hyperbolic cooling towers, but many of the components are the same. Understanding how the individual components work can help you better understand both the function and the maintenance of your cooling towers and their systems.
Cooling Tower Components and Their Functions
Some of the major cooling tower components include:
- Packing: The packing in a cooling tower is situated so that there is as much contact between air and water as possible. The more contact between air and water there is, the more cooling that can occur.
- Drift separator or eliminator: The function of the drift eliminator is to prevent any aerosol loss, or to prevent droplets to be taken away by the airflow in the cooling tower.
- Drive gear and fans: These are some of the most important parts of the cooling tower itself. The drive gear, of course, keeps the cooling tower operational, and the fans keep airflow moving.
- Water distribution system: The water distribution system may change, depending on which type of cooling tower type is utilized, but the water distribution system and its associated pipes are a vital part of any cooling tower makeup.
- Air intake louvers: These prevent debris as well as water splashes from finding their way into the water tank.
There are, of course, other parts that are vital to a cooling tower’s operation. They include parts such as the thermostat, level probes, access hatches, absorbing mats, and noise dampers, among others.
What Are Different Types of Cooling Towers?
The type of airflow pattern will be different across different cooling towers, changing some of the different components, but the major parts will remain the same. The major types of cooling towers include:
- Crossflow cooling towers: Air moves in a horizontal pattern over a stream of water.
- Counterflow cooling towers: Air travels in a vertical path over the splash fill.
- Hyperbolic cooling towers: Use a chimney-stacking technique that allows cool air to push down damp, warm air.
- Induced draft cooling towers: Use mechanical pressure to push air upward inside of the tower.
- Passive draft cooling towers: Combine warm air with a steep chimney design that pulls airs through the tower.
Water distribution systems also may differ, depending on the type of cooling tower used.
For more information on different types of cooling towers or the components used in them, or if you need assistance with maintenance or repair, contact us at 732-570-9392 today.
Contact us
To learn more about cooling tower maintenance or to find out how we can help when it comes to routine cooling tower service and maintenance, contact Pinnacle Cooling Tower Service today at 732-570-9392. Our primary goals are safety, service, and customer satisfaction.
