How To Calculate Cooling Tower Capacity

Cooling Tower Capacity Formula:

\[ Capacity = \frac{m \times c_p \times \Delta T}{3.517} \]

Water Flow Rate (m):

GPM

Specific Heat Capacity (cₚ):

BTU/lb·°F

Temperature Difference (ΔT):

°F

Cooling Tower Capacity:

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1. What is Cooling Tower Capacity?

Cooling tower capacity refers to the amount of heat a cooling tower can remove from water, measured in tons of refrigeration. One ton of cooling equals 12,000 BTU per hour, which is the heat absorption rate of one ton of ice melting over 24 hours.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the cooling tower capacity formula:

\[ Capacity = \frac{m \times c_p \times \Delta T}{3.517} \]

Where:

\( m \) — Water flow rate (GPM - gallons per minute)
\( c_p \) — Specific heat capacity of water (1 BTU/lb·°F)
\( \Delta T \) — Temperature difference between inlet and outlet (°F)
3.517 — Conversion factor (12,000 BTU/hr ÷ 60 min/hr ÷ 8.34 lb/gal)

Explanation: The formula calculates the heat removal capacity based on water flow rate, specific heat, and temperature difference, converting the result to tons of refrigeration.

3. Importance of Cooling Tower Capacity Calculation

Details: Accurate capacity calculation is crucial for proper cooling tower sizing, energy efficiency optimization, system performance evaluation, and maintenance planning in HVAC and industrial cooling systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter water flow rate in GPM, specific heat capacity (typically 1 for water), and temperature difference in °F. All values must be positive numbers for accurate calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is the conversion factor 3.517?
A: This factor converts BTU per minute to tons of refrigeration (12,000 BTU/hr ÷ 60 min/hr ÷ 8.34 lb/gal = 3.517).

Q2: What is a typical cooling tower capacity range?
A: Cooling towers range from small units of 10-100 tons for commercial buildings to large industrial towers of 1,000+ tons for power plants and manufacturing facilities.

Q3: How does ambient temperature affect cooling tower capacity?
A: Higher ambient wet-bulb temperatures reduce cooling tower capacity as they decrease the temperature difference available for heat transfer.

Q4: What factors influence cooling tower efficiency?
A: Key factors include approach temperature, range, wet-bulb temperature, air flow, water distribution, and fill media design.

Q5: When should cooling tower capacity be recalculated?
A: Capacity should be verified during system upgrades, when process loads change, or if performance issues are observed in the cooling system.