About Cooling Tower Performance Calculator (Formula)
A Cooling Tower Performance Calculator is a tool used to calculate the performance or efficiency of a cooling tower based on the input of three temperature values: hot water temperature, cold water temperature, and wet-bulb temperature.
The formula used in the calculator is:
E=(H−C)∗100/(H−W)
Where E is the cooling tower performance/efficiency expressed as a percentage, H is the hot water temperature, C is the cold water temperature, and W is the wet-bulb temperature.
The cooling tower performance formula is based on the principle that cooling towers work by using evaporative cooling to transfer heat from the hot water stream to the atmosphere. The hot water is circulated through the tower and sprayed onto a packing material. Air is also circulated through the tower, and it comes into contact with the hot water as it flows over the packing material. This causes some of the water to evaporate, which absorbs heat from the remaining water and lowers its temperature.
The wet-bulb temperature is a measure of the lowest temperature that can be achieved through evaporative cooling. It is determined by measuring the temperature of a thermometer bulb that is covered with a wet wick and exposed to moving air. The wet-bulb temperature represents the temperature at which the water in the tower will evaporate given the current atmospheric conditions, such as humidity.
The cooling tower performance formula relates the difference between the hot water temperature and the cold water temperature to the difference between the hot water temperature and the wet-bulb temperature. It expresses the efficiency of the cooling tower in terms of the amount of heat that is transferred from the hot water stream to the atmosphere. A higher cooling tower performance indicates a more efficient cooling tower, meaning that more heat is being transferred from the hot water to the atmosphere for a given set of operating conditions.
Overall, the Cooling Tower Performance Calculator and the formula it uses are important tools for engineers and operators to evaluate the performance of cooling towers and to optimize their operation to ensure efficient and effective heat transfer.