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Cooling Towers
A.
Bhatia
Overview
The machines and
processes of industry, as well as the air-conditioning systems for buildings
generate tremendous amounts of heat, which must be continuously dissipated if
these machines and processes are to continue to operate efficiently.
Water cooling
is the most efficient method of dissipating heat.
A cooling tower is a
device used in industry to cool hot water (by partial evaporation) before
reusing it as a coolant. Water directly contacts surrounding air and a very
small part (1-2%) evaporates. This evaporation increases the air temperature and
humidity and decreases the temperature of the water making it possible to cool
below the normal air temperature. Although this heat is usually transferred to a
cool, flowing volume of water, final rejection is always to the atmosphere and,
invariably, is accomplished by some form of heat exchanger.
The
amount of cooling that you get from a cooling tower depends on the relative
humidity of the air and the barometric pressure. For example, the more humid the
climate the lesser will be the temperature drop and vice versa.
Cooling towers are classified according to the means
employed for producing air circulation through them. The towers vary in size
from small roof-top units to very large hyperbolic structures that can be over
120 meters tall and 100 meters in length. Smaller towers are normally
factory-built, while larger units are site constructed.
This 7 hour
online course provides comprehensive information on cooling water systems and
describes different types of cooling towers, their mechanical components and the
problems associated with cooling water.
The student must take a
multiple-choice quiz consisting of thirty-five (35) questions at the end of
this course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and
skills:
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Learn
different types of heat rejection systems
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Learn the
operational theory and principles of an evaporative cooling tower
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Be able to
describe the factors affecting the performance of cooling towers
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Learn the
various materials used in construction of cooling towers
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Understand the
functions of various components of cooling towers
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Describe
various control options
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Understand the
layout and installation considerations
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Understand the
water distribution mechanisms, noise and vibration issues
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Understand the
cooling tower water balance
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Learn the
importance of cooling water treatment
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Understand
cooling tower testing requirements, various codes and standards
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Learn by
examples the equations to calculate the evaporation rate, fresh water make up
and blowdown requirements
Course
Click on the following PDF attachment and review the document prior to taking
a quiz for credit.
Cooling Towers (365 KB)
To obtain PDH credits for this course, you will need to take a quiz for
credit. Click on the link below.
(To take the quiz,
your web browser must be set to accept cookies. See how to
check your cookie settings.)
 
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