The dominant cooling mechanism in a cooling tower is latent heat transfer. When water is exposed to air, a small portion of the water evaporates. The phase change from liquid to vapor requires a significant amount of energy, known as the latent heat of vaporization (approximately 1,000 BTU/lb or 2,260 kJ/kg). This energy is extracted from the remaining liquid water mass, thereby lowering its temperature.
The process relies on the transfer of both and latent heat . cooling tower working principle
Under standard operating conditions, evaporation accounts for roughly 80% to 95% of the total heat rejection, while sensible heat transfer accounts for the remainder. Notably, evaporative cooling allows water to be cooled below the ambient dry-bulb temperature of the air, approaching the wet-bulb temperature. The dominant cooling mechanism in a cooling tower
While the fundamental principle remains the same, the physical arrangement affects efficiency. This energy is extracted from the remaining liquid