When choosing between open or closed cooling towers based on application scenarios, the following aspects can be considered:
1、 Properties of cooling medium
If the cooling medium is ordinary clean water and the water quality requirements are not high, an open cooling tower is usually an economical choice. Open cooling towers can directly exchange heat with air, and the cooling effect is relatively obvious. For example, in some industrial production, as long as the water quality does not have adverse effects on the production process, open cooling towers can meet the demand for circulating water cooling systems.
When the cooling medium is corrosive, volatile, toxic, or requires extremely high cleanliness, a closed cooling tower is a better choice. The circulation system of a closed cooling tower is closed, which can effectively prevent the cooling medium from coming into contact with the outside air, avoiding contamination, volatilization, or chemical reactions of the medium. For example, in the manufacturing process of electronic chips, the cooling medium may be deionized water or other special liquids, which require extremely high water cleanliness. Closed cooling towers can ensure that the cooling medium is not affected by external impurities, thereby ensuring the accuracy and quality of chip manufacturing.
2、 Cooling temperature requirements
For application scenarios with relatively low cooling temperature requirements (generally below 65 ℃), both open and closed cooling towers can be considered. Open cooling towers can provide a more economical cooling solution in this situation. For example, some ordinary central air conditioning systems, small industrial cooling equipment, etc., open cooling towers can meet their cooling needs.
If the temperature of the medium that needs to be cooled is high, a closed cooling tower has more advantages. Closed cooling towers can effectively cool high-temperature media through optimized heat exchangers and efficient cooling circulation systems. For example, in industries such as metallurgy and chemical engineering, the high-temperature medium generated by certain equipment needs to be cooled. Closed cooling towers can withstand higher temperatures and ensure stable cooling effects.
3、 Environmental factors
In areas with abundant water resources and less sensitivity to water consumption, open cooling towers can be considered. Open cooling towers will experience certain water evaporation losses during operation and require continuous replenishment of new water. If the local water resources are sufficient and the water cost is relatively low, the operating cost of open cooling towers will not be too high.
In water scarce areas or places with strict requirements for water resource management, closed cooling towers are a more suitable choice. The water loss of closed cooling towers is mainly due to evaporation and a small amount of splashing, and compared to open cooling towers, the water consumption is less. And it is possible to recycle water and save water resources by setting up a collection tank and automatic water replenishment device.
For places with high environmental requirements, such as hospitals, laboratories, office buildings, etc., closed cooling towers are more suitable. Open cooling towers generate water mist and noise during operation, which may have a certain impact on the surrounding environment. Closed cooling towers can operate dry without generating water mist and have relatively low noise, which can meet the environmental requirements of these places.
4、 Maintain management requirements
If you want simple and convenient equipment maintenance and management, a closed cooling tower is a better choice. The circulation system of a closed cooling tower is closed, less susceptible to external pollution, and operates stably and reliably. Daily maintenance mainly involves checking the operating status of equipment, such as fans and pumps, cleaning heat exchangers, etc. The maintenance workload is relatively small.
Open cooling towers have relatively simple structures and lower maintenance costs. However, due to the direct exposure of circulating water to the air, it is prone to pollution and requires regular water quality treatment, such as adding disinfectants, descaling agents, etc. Moreover, the packing is prone to clogging and scaling, requiring regular cleaning or replacement, resulting in a significant amount of maintenance work.
5、 Investment cost considerations
In the case of limited initial investment budget, open cooling towers are usually cheaper and a more economical choice. The structure of an open cooling tower is simple and the manufacturing process is relatively easy, so the equipment price is relatively cheap.
Although the purchase cost of closed cooling towers is relatively high, generally 3-5 times higher than that of open cooling towers, they have good energy-saving effects and low maintenance costs during operation. In the long run, the overall cost may not be higher than that of open cooling towers. If considering the long-term operation and maintenance costs of equipment, as well as application scenarios that require high cooling efficiency and environmental requirements, closed cooling towers may be a wiser investment choice.
