In modern industrial production and daily life, we often come across some large cylindrical or columnar equipment. They may seem ordinary, but they play a crucial role in heat dissipation. These are cooling towers. As an efficient heat dissipation device, cooling towers are widely used in various fields, ensuring the stable operation of all kinds of systems.

A cooling tower, as the name suggests, has the core function of lowering water temperature. It mainly utilizes the heat exchange between water and air flow to generate steam. Through principles such as evaporative heat dissipation, convective heat transfer, and radiative heat transfer, it discharges the waste heat produced in industrial production or refrigeration and air conditioning into the atmosphere, thereby reducing water temperature. In simple terms, it is to allow hot water to come into full contact with the air, transfer the heat of the water to the air, and achieve the cooling of the water.

The specific process is as follows: Dry (low enthalpy value) air is drawn into the cooling tower through the air intake screen by the fan. Meanwhile, the high-temperature water molecules with a high partial pressure of saturated steam flow towards the air with a lower pressure, and the hot and humid (high enthalpy value) water is sprayed into the tower from the water distribution system. When water droplets come into contact with air, on the one hand, due to the direct heat transfer between air and water, and on the other hand, due to the pressure difference between the water vapor surface and the air, evaporation occurs under the action of pressure, taking away the latent heat of evaporation and thus removing the heat from the water. This is evaporation heat transfer, ultimately achieving the purpose of cooling. Hot water is transported to the water distribution system of the cooling tower through pipes and other means at a certain pressure by a water pump, and is evenly sprinkled on the packing. Dry and low-temperature air enters the tower through the bottom air intake screen under the action of the fan. Hot water flows over the surface of the packing to form a water film and exchange heat with the air. High-humidity and high-temperature hot air is extracted from the top, and the cooled water droplets fall into the bottom basin and flow into the main unit through the outlet pipe.

There are various types of cooling towers. Classified by the flow direction of hot water and air, they can be divided into the following categories:

Counter-flow cooling tower: Hot water flows from top to bottom and air flows from bottom to top, moving in opposite directions. This method has a relatively high heat exchange efficiency and can achieve a better cooling effect on water. It is widely used in air conditioning systems of industries and large buildings.

Cross-flow (direct current) cooling tower: Hot water falls vertically, and air flows horizontally through the water curtain. Its structure is relatively simple, with low ventilation resistance. It is suitable for places that have certain requirements for floor space and strict noise control.

Mixed-flow cooling tower: It combines the features of counter-flow and cross-flow types, and the air flow direction is relatively complex. It also has some advantages of both and can be selected according to specific engineering requirements.

According to the application field, cooling towers can be classified into industrial cooling towers and air conditioning cooling towers:

Industrial cooling towers: Mainly serve industrial production processes, such as power generation, steel, chemical, aluminum profile processing and other industries. These industries generate a large amount of heat during the production process, which needs to be dissipated through cooling towers to ensure the normal operation of the equipment and the stable progress of the process. For instance, in power stations, the large amount of heat generated by steam turbines requires cooling towers to cool the circulating water, ensuring the efficient operation of the steam turbines.

Air-conditioned cooling towers: Commonly found in the air conditioning systems of commercial buildings, office buildings, hotels and other places. During the operation of the air conditioning system, heat is generated. The cooling tower can remove this heat, keeping the condenser of the air conditioning system at an appropriate working temperature, thereby ensuring the cooling effect and operational efficiency of the air conditioner.

Cooling towers can be found almost everywhere in every field that requires heat dissipation:

Air conditioning cooling system: Whether it is the central air conditioning system in a large shopping mall or the centralized air conditioning system in an office building, the cooling tower is an indispensable part. It can effectively lower the temperature of the air conditioner condenser, improve the energy efficiency ratio of the air conditioning system, reduce energy consumption, and create a comfortable indoor environment for people.

Freezing series: In freezing places such as cold storage rooms and refrigerators, cooling towers are used to cool the circulating water of refrigeration equipment, ensuring the stable operation of the refrigeration system, meeting the low-temperature requirements of the freezing environment, and extending the freshness period of food and other items.

In manufacturing and processing industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, metal casting, plastics, rubber, textiles, steel mills, chemicals, and petrochemical products, many devices generate a large amount of heat during the production process. The cooling tower can promptly dissipate this heat, preventing equipment from being damaged due to overheating and ensuring product quality and production efficiency. For instance, in the metal casting process, the high-temperature molten metal needs to be cooled. The cooling tower provides low-temperature circulating water for the cooling system, enabling the rapid cooling and shaping of the metal.

Mechanical operation cooling category: Generators, steam turbines, air compressors, hydraulic presses, engines and other mechanical equipment generate a large amount of heat during operation. If the heat is not dissipated in time, it will seriously affect the performance and service life of the equipment. The cooling tower provides good heat dissipation conditions for these devices by cooling the circulating water, ensuring their continuous and stable operation.

During the long-term operation of cooling towers, as most of the cooling water contains substances such as calcium, magnesium ions and acid carbonates, carbonates will be generated when the cooling water flows over the metal surface. Meanwhile, the oxygen dissolved in the cooling water can also cause metal corrosion and form rust. The formation of rust and scale will lead to a decline in the heat exchange effect of the cooling tower. In severe cases, it may even be necessary to spray cooling water outside the shell. When the scale is severe, it will block the pipes, completely losing the heat exchange effect. Studies show that scale deposits have a significant impact on heat transfer losses. Even a very thin layer of scale can increase the operating costs of the scaled parts in the equipment by more than 40%.

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