How do cooling towers work – A record in technology with TURBOsplash PAC ®™ in cooling towers
The main function of cooling towers consists in cooling water with air flow through a widespread and prolonged contact. In addition to the processes of convection and conduction, heat exchange between water and air also takes place through a process called mass transfer, which is directly tied to water evaporation.
The amount of heat that can be transferred from water to air through this method is much higher than the one linked to convection and conduction.
Air circulation favors evaporation of small quantities of water, it absorbs the heat from the remaining water necessary in this state transition that, consequently, cools down.
Evaporation in cooling towers, namely the transfer of heat to the air, takes place thanks to the difference between water vapor pressure, in the air layer in contact with the water, and the vapor pressure of the remaining air.
An example of water and air working together for cooling water