Hybrid Cooling Towers

Hybrid Cooling Towers: A Solution for Plume Abatement and Water Conservation


Plume abatement Cooling tower

Hybrid cooling towers are a type of cooling system that combines the advantages of wet and dry cooling technologies. They are designed to avoid visible plume in cold and humid ambient conditions and to reduce water consumption compared to conventional wet cooling towers.

Plume is the white vapor that forms when the moist air exiting a wet cooling tower mixes with the colder ambient air. Plume can cause several problems, such as reduced visibility, icing, corrosion, noise, and environmental concerns. Plume abatement is especially important in areas where plume can interfere with aviation, residential, or industrial activities.

Water conservation is another benefit of hybrid cooling towers, as they use less water than wet cooling towers by recirculating a portion of the water through dry heat exchangers. Water is a precious and scarce resource in many regions, and cooling systems are one of the major consumers of water in power plants, industrial facilities, and other applications.

How do hybrid cooling towers work?

Hybrid cooling towers consist of a wet section and a dry section. The wet section is similar to a conventional wet cooling tower, where water is sprayed over fillings and cooled by evaporation as air flows through them. The dry section is composed of air-cooled heat exchangers, where water flows through tubes and is cooled by fins as air passes over them.

The operation of the hybrid cooling tower can vary depending on the ambient conditions and the cooling demand. In general, there are three modes of operation:

  • Wet mode: When the ambient temperature and humidity are low, the hybrid cooling tower operates as a wet cooling tower only. The water is cooled by evaporation in the wet section, and no water flows through the dry section. This mode provides the highest cooling efficiency and the lowest power consumption.
  • Dry mode: When the ambient temperature and humidity are high, the hybrid cooling tower operates as a dry cooling tower only. The water is cooled by convection in the dry section, and no water is sprayed in the wet section. This mode prevents plume formation and reduces water consumption.
  • Hybrid mode: When the ambient temperature and humidity are moderate, the hybrid cooling tower operates as a combination of wet and dry cooling. The water is partially cooled by evaporation in the wet section, and then further cooled by convection in the dry section. This mode provides plume abatement and water conservation while maintaining a high cooling performance.

The hybrid cooling tower can automatically switch between these modes by using sensors, valves, and fans to control the water flow and airflow in each section.

What are some examples of hybrid cooling towers?

Hybrid cooling towers are suitable for a wide range of applications, such as power generation, cogeneration, district heating and cooling, oil and gas, petrochemical, steel, and metal industries.

Conclusion

Hybrid cooling towers are a type of cooling system that combines the advantages of wet and dry cooling technologies. They are designed to avoid visible plume in cold and humid ambient conditions and to reduce water consumption compared to conventional wet cooling towers. They can operate in different modes depending on the ambient conditions and the cooling demand. They are suitable for a wide range of applications, such as power generation, cogeneration, district heating and cooling, oil and gas, petrochemical, steel, and metal industries.

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