Cooling tower -- hot and cold water tanks

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the use of hot and cold water tanks in open circuit cooling towers, particularly in the context of an aluminum casting workshop. Participants explore the necessity and function of these tanks within the cooling system.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that a cold water tank is essential for receiving water from the cooling tower and regulating the system's fill level.
  • There is uncertainty regarding the necessity of a warm water tank, with suggestions that it may serve surge purposes.
  • One participant proposes that a surge tank could mitigate flow rate and pressure fluctuations in the cooling process.
  • Another participant questions the need for a surge tank on the upstream side, suggesting that it may not be necessary.
  • Concerns are raised about capturing and reusing chemically treated water during maintenance, which could justify the presence of two tanks.
  • There is a suggestion that the hot water tank might provide suction head for the pump if the hot water is pumped into the tower.
  • A request for a sketch of the configuration indicates that visual representation may clarify the system's design.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the necessity and function of the warm water tank, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of specific project examples and the absence of detailed diagrams that could clarify the system configuration and the roles of the tanks.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in cooling tower design, fluid dynamics in engineering applications, and those involved in industrial processes such as aluminum casting may find this discussion relevant.

BenjaminSa
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Hi
In some projects, I saw that hot and cold water tanks have been used for open circuit cooling towers. What is the need to use these tanks?
 
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Can you give some links to the projects you saw? We need to understand the kind of project you're asking about.
 
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There has to be a cold water tank to receive what's coming out of the tower and regulate the fill level of the system. But I'm not sure why you would need a warm water tank.
 
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russ_watters said:
There has to be a cold water tank to receive what's coming out of the tower and regulate the fill level of the system. But I'm not sure why you would need a warm water tank.
maybe for surge purposes.
 
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anorlunda said:
Can you give some links to the projects you saw? We need to understand the kind of project you're asking about.
The cooling tower unit is used for the aluminum casting workshop
And the tanks were made of concrete
cold water tank: about 350 m3
warm water tank: about 350 m3
cooling water flow: 450 m3/hr
 
Chestermiller said:
maybe for surge purposes.
Can you explain more?
 
BenjaminSa said:
Can you explain more?
A surge tank is used to mitigate flow rate- and pressure fluctuations in a continuous flow process.
 
Chestermiller said:
maybe for surge purposes.
Sure, that's why it is done on the cool(downstream) side. When you turn on/off the tower, the tower fills/empties, so that water has to come from/go somewhere. But I can't envision a surge need on the upstream side. Can you think of something specific?
 
If the water includes chemical treatments, it may be that they want to capture and reuse the water if the tower has to be drained for maintenance purposes. Two tanks just to allow gravity drain?
 
  • #10
Is the hot water pumped into the tower? If so, maybe the hot tank is simply to provide suction head for the pump?

A sketch of the configuration would help.
 
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  • #11
Not the OP, but here's a typically cooling tower piping diagram with one surge tank (the tower basin):

Nd9GcRyrREENe2vprloja6vSR7aa01dToF1rVLgoA&usqp=CAU.png
 
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  • #12
Aha, that makes more sense, pump the cooler water using the tower basin for pump suction.
 
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