We use evaporative cooling towers to remove excess heat from various sources such as industrial processes or air conditioning systems. They operate on the principle of evaporative cooling, where water is exposed to air, causing some of the water to evaporate and thereby removing heat from the system. We can configure this cooling tower process in either an open or a closed circuit design.
Open circuit cooling tower operation
In an open circuit cooling tower, warm water from the heat source is directly exposed to the air within the
tower. As the water is sprayed or distributed over fill material (to increase the contact surface area between the water and the air), some of it evaporates due to the air flow (either natural or forced by fans) moving through the tower. This evaporation process removes heat from the remaining water, which then collects in a basin at the bottom of the tower and is recirculated back to the heat source for cooling. The direct contact between the water and the air allows efficient heat transfer but also means that water can be lost through evaporation, and the system might introduce impurities from the air into the water circuit.
BAC provides a diverse range of open cooling tower models, each featuring unique advantages and accompanying accessories.
Closed circuit cooling tower (fluid cooler) operation
In a closed circuit cooling tower, or a fluid cooler, the process fluid (water or a glycol mixture, which is 
used for heat transfer) is circulated through a closed coil system, and it does not directly contact the air. Instead, water is sprayed over the coil system and exposed to air. Through the evaporation of the spray water on the outside of the coils, heat is removed from the process fluid inside the coils without the two streams mixing. This setup prevents contamination of the process fluid, reduces water loss (since the process fluid is contained), and allows for more controlled cooling.
BAC provides a diverse range of closed circuit cooling towers or fluid coolers, each featuring unique advantages and accompanying accessories.
Both systems use the natural process of evaporation to achieve cooling, but the choice between open and closed circuit designs depends on factors like the need for fluid purity, water consumption considerations, and the specific cooling requirements of the application.
Consult your BAC specialist to determine which type of cooling tower best suits your needs.
