Industrial water cooling can be achieved in one of three ways dependent on your required process water temperature:
Evaporative cooling towers - to cool water to within 3°C of wet bulb ambient
Advantages:
- Low capital cost.
- Low power consumption.
Disadvantages:
- Has to be registered with local authorities.
- Requires water treatment.
- Has to be cleaned twice per year.
- Small water loss.
Dry air coolers - to cool water to within 5°C of ambient
Advantages:
- Moderate capital cost.
- Low power consumption.
- Little or no water treatment.
- Low maintenance.
- No water loss.
- Possible heat reclaim.
Disadvantages:
- Will only cool to within 5°C of ambient which in the summer for a few days for short periods will be 30°C or higher.
Refrigerated water chillers - to cool water/glycol to any temperature below ambient
Advantages:
- Stable water temperature independent of ambient.
- Little or no water treatment.
- No water loss.
- Possible heat reclaim.
Disadvantages:
- High capital cost.
- High running cost.