Cooling tower is used in the industrial and commercial fields widely, which are mainly divided into two categories: closed cooling towers and open cooling towers. So, what is the difference between these two types? Next, we will explore the significant differences between them.

Open Cooling Tower (OCT)

The circulating water in OCT is evaporative cooled by filling which are usually PVC films, similar to the thickness of mineral water bottles and hard in texture. However, since the water is directly exposed to the air, the OCT is lead to water quality deterioration. In order to solve this problem, people later invented closed cooling towers.

Closed Cooling Tower (CCT)

The design feature of the CCT is that circulating water is disconnected to the air. The water flows through several groups of small copper tubes, and the outside of the copper tubes is sprinkled with ordinary water. This design makes the water quality in the copper tubes more stable and less likely to deteriorate. In terms of price, a 100-ton OCT costs about 20,000￥, while a 100-ton CCT may cost about 100,000￥.

Next, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of cooling towers in detail.

1、The tube of the CCT is a closed loop, the circulating water usually use in distilled or pure by some treatments. So that, the fouling, contamination and corrosion of the heat exchanger and fine piping in the vacuum furnace body can be prevented effectively. Through the above measures, the service life of the furnace can be extended significantly, almost doubling it.

2、Compared with the OCT, the circulating water in CCT almost no consumption. The same type of equipment can save about 7000 tons of water per year, with significant energy-saving advantages.

However, the CCT also has some of disadvantages: the CCT cost is about three times that of the OCT. But it is worth noting that the CCT still has a high recycling value after long-term use, which is expected to reach 80,000-100,000￥ after ten years, while the open tower has almost no recycling value.

The advantages of the OCT mainly include:

● Relatively low cost, only about one-third of CCT.

● In some specific environments, such as poor water quality or cooling demand is not high occasions, open-type tower can meet the demand for use.

However, the OCT also have some shortcomings:

● Circulating water is consumed to a certain extent and needs to be replenished regularly.

● As the water is in direct contact with the air, it is susceptible to external pollution and requires regular cleaning and maintenance.

Overall, the choice of cooling tower should be based on actual needs and conditions. In the pursuit of high efficiency and long-term benefits, the CCT have significant advantages; while in the limited budget or cooling efficiency requirements are not high occasions, the OCT may be more appropriate.

It should also be noted that there are some potential problems with the OCT. The OCT need to be accompanied by a certain capacity of pools or tanks in order to cope with the additional power demand brought about by the water fall and open head loss. This means that the pump should high head, so the power consumption is relatively high.

In summary, although the closed cooling tower quality, maintenance needs less, but its high price often let many customers shy away. In contrast, the open cooling tower to glass fiber reinforced plastic as the main material, the price is more friendly, but the maintenance needs are relatively more. When choosing, should be based on individual needs and the actual situation to pick the right cooling tower.