Cooling tower

[WilliamTz]

Hello

If I have a number of cooling tower in parallel all connected with an equalization line can I delete the automated outlet valve and just rely on the inlet automated valve shutting off when the tower is not being used?

Regards
W

 

[moideen]

I practise the same idea, control only the inlet water line and leaving side is a common header with an isolation valve.

 

[immsk]

if its a winter application with a pan heater, you will unnecessarily waste energy because the non-operational tower will still have water in the basin which will need to be kept above freezing when the towers are off.

 

[BronYrAur]

I recommend against this!!! I completely understand the thinking and have installed systems that way. However, I have learned the hard way that this can lead to problems. I had a system of 4 towers in parallel with only isolation valves on the inlet lines. When the tower closest to the pumps was isolated,the basin would get sucked dry faster than the equalizer line could keep up. Low water sensors in that tower would then open the makeup valve. For reasons of customer preference, the makeup water did not go directly to each tower but instead was injected into the main. This caused the active towers to overflow. So perhaps a larger equalizer would have prevented this, but we instead went back and installed actuators on the tower discharge valves.

 

[moideen]

recently, I solved an issue of overflowing of 3 towers for working 10 years by placing proper equalizing line. Though it was built with automatic isolation valve, the tower was overflowing during the changing over.