The primary distinction between heat exchangers and cooling towers lies in their functions and applications. A cooling tower serves as a heat rejection device that dissipates waste heat into the atmosphere by cooling water, often utilizing evaporation to achieve temperatures close to the wet-bulb air temperature. In contrast, a heat exchanger facilitates the transfer of heat between a solid and a fluid or between multiple fluids, and is commonly employed in applications such as space heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, and chemical processing. Understanding these differences is crucial for selecting the appropriate thermal management solution.
PREREQUISITESEngineers, HVAC professionals, and anyone involved in thermal management systems will benefit from this discussion, particularly those seeking to optimize the performance of heat exchangers and cooling towers.