A big chunk of energy in commercial buildings is used for heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC)? In fact, over 30 to 40% of the energy is used just for HVAC and more than half of that energy is used for cooling. In larger buildings, chillers are often used to keep the air cool.
Chillers are a type of cooling equipment that makes chilled water to cool the air. Making the cooling system as efficient as possible is an important part of reducing operating and maintenance costs.
Limitations of Open Type Cooling Towers
Open type cooling towers are often recommended for chiller condensers. An open type cooling tower is a type of cooling tower that circulates fresh water to cool the hot water generated by air conditioning or industrial processes. The hot water is typically cooled by exposing it to air, and the cooled water is then returned to the process.
The main drawback of open type cooling towers are:
Presence of scale in the condenser
Increase in frequency of condenser descaling (increase in approach temperature)
High energy consumption due to improper heat rejection by the system
Restricted water flow due to scale in pipelines, resulting in low efficiency (Water consumption/heat transfer)
Increase in chillers' operational cost
Heat transfer has the most significant impact on chiller efficiency. Clean condenser tube surfaces lead to the most efficient and economical operation of the chiller. Keeping the heat transfer surfaces clean is essential to operating at peak performance and reducing maintenance costs, which results in lower energy costs.
Open type cooling towers have problems like corrosion, deposition (scale), and microbiological fouling that can interfere with heat transfer and impact the integrity of heat transfer, making the system less efficient and increasing costs.
Conserve energy and improve efficiency with Closed Loop Cooling Tower
A Closed Loop Cooling Tower is a type of cooling tower that circulates the same water in a closed circuit, rather than using fresh water. This type of cooling tower reuses the water, reducing the need for water treatment and chemical treatment programs, and conserving water. The closed-loop design also eliminates the need for condenser cleaning and helps to prevent scaling, corrosion, and microbiological fouling, which can impact the efficiency of the system. The result is improved process efficiency, increased assets reliability, and optimized available resources, which ultimately leads to lower energy consumption.
The benefits of using Closed Loop Cooling Towers include:
Elimination of condenser cleaning
Elimination of condenser cooling water circuit scaling and corrosion
Water conservation
Elimination of water treatment and chemical treatment programs
Improved process efficiency, resulting in lower energy consumption
Increased assets reliability with increased uptime, less downtime, and a longer equipment lifespan
Optimization of available resources and elimination of man-hours required for cleaning.
In conclusion, making the cooling system in your building as efficient as possible is essential for reducing operating and maintenance costs, conserving energy, and improving the longevity of your equipment. Consider switching to Closed Loop Cooling Towers for a more efficient and reliable cooling system.
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