The latest trends in closed cooling tower technology and applications
Closed-circuit cooling towers (also known as evaporative coolers) are seeing continued expansion in both industrial and residential applications due to their closed-circuit, water-quality-protecting, and efficient and stable operation.
- Core Technical Advantages and Environmental Trends
The core appeal of closed-circuit cooling towers lies in their operating mode, which meets the stable and environmentally friendly requirements of modern industry:
Stable Operation and Scale-Free Operation: Circulating cooling water (typically soft water) circulates in closed pipes, isolated from the outside air. This prevents scale formation, ensures the stability of the cooling process, and ensures long-term operational efficiency of the equipment.
Water-Saving and Fully Enclosed: Compared to traditional open-circuit cooling towers, closed-circuit systems achieve a fully enclosed internal circulation of cooling water (purified water). While evaporation losses from spray water still occur, these losses are relatively low, and the quality of the circulating water is protected, making them more suitable for areas with water scarcity.
Energy-Saving Control: Modern closed-circuit cooling towers often utilize variable-frequency technology, which adjusts fan speed and the start and stop of the spray system according to ambient temperature and load fluctuations, achieving precise control of the cooling process and energy savings.
Environmental Advantages: The fully enclosed circulation system effectively protects the cooling water from external contamination and reduces the impact of spray water evaporation on the atmosphere, making it more environmentally friendly.
- Efficient Heat Transfer and Hybrid Technology Development
To further improve cooling efficiency and adapt to varying climate conditions, technological innovations are primarily focused on heat transfer components and system integration:
High-Efficiency Heat Transfer Coils: Many advanced closed-circuit coolers utilize high-performance heat transfer coil designs, such as oval coils with enhanced inner tubes (CrossCool™). This design increases heat transfer surface area and enables countercurrent flow of air and cooling water inside and outside the coil, significantly improving heat transfer efficiency.
Hybrid Cooling Towers: This is a significant industry trend. Hybrid closed-circuit coolers utilize a dry coil and an evaporative coil in series.
Dry cooling is prioritized during low temperatures or low loads, significantly reducing or even eliminating water use.
Evaporative cooling is then switched to during high loads.
Its advantages include achieving a higher dry-bulb transfer temperature (maximum cooling temperature achievable in dry mode), reducing water consumption, and effectively minimizing the generation of white mist.
- Widespread Expansion of Applications
Closed-circuit cooling towers have a wide range of applications and continue to penetrate more high-precision, demanding industrial and civilian sectors:
Industrial cooling: petroleum, chemical, steel, casting, automotive manufacturing, printing, pharmaceuticals, and power generation.
Data Centers: Serving as precision cooling solutions for high-load facilities such as data centers and server rooms.
Civilian Applications: Food processing, cold storage, and air conditioning and cooling systems for large buildings.
Summary: The closed-circuit cooling tower industry is developing towards intelligent, hybrid (dry-wet combination), and high-efficiency solutions to meet global industrial demands for water conservation, environmental friendliness, and stable operation.
