Description
This low-maintenance, bench-mounting product contains a heated water tank, a pump, a ducted fan and an instrument panel. Each cooling column fits securely to the heated water tank. An electronic controller ensures a constant heated water temperature throughout the tests. The centrifugal pump delivers the heated water to a spray nozzle at the top of the column. The water sprays into the column, passing over ‘packing’ inside the column and returning to the heated water tank. The fan directs air upwards through the column in counter flow to the water, extracting the heat. Electronic sensors measure the air and water flow, humidity, pressures and temperatures at key points, shown on clear, multiline displays. This gives all measurements needed to understand the evaporative cooling tower operation. Controls for the fan and water circuits allow the students to adjust the flow rates for a full range of experiments. A clear tube above the heated water tank allows the user to measure the water lost to evaporation. The Cooling Towers apparatus comes with one tower as standard, for base experimentation. For comparison and additional experiments, we offer four optional cooling columns. Two have different internal design or ‘packing density’ for a comparison of cooling performance. The third column has the same dimensions as the first three but has no packing. This column can show free-fall cooling (a spray tower). It also allows the user to insert other packing materials (not supplied). The fourth column measures the effectiveness of evaporation cooling at three intermediate stages during the water-toair heat transfer. Each column is of high-grade clear acrylic material. This allows the user to see the complete process including the water distribution and packing arrangement. The equipment does not need a computer, as the displays show all the measurements. However, we has included the powerful VDAS® inside the product. When connected to a suitable computer (not provided), VDAS® collects and displays accurate, real-time data quickly and easily. It also displays live psychrometric charts.
Learning Outcomes
- How key variables affect the performance of a cooling tower, including:
- Variation of water flow rate
- Variation of air flow rate
- Packing density and arrangement
- Variation of water temperature
- Energy and mass balance
Specifications
- ATICO is committed to a programme of continuous improvement; hence we reserve the right to alter the design and product specification without prior notice.
- Nett dimensions and weight:
- 1016 mm wide x 620 mm front to back x 1180 mm high with a cooling tower fitted and 70 kg.
- Cooling columns: All have internal dimensions of 150 mm x 150 mm
- Column included as standard: 506 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm and 6.3 kg
- Packing density: 110 m2/m3
- AEUO016a: Cooling Column Type A 506 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm and 5.6 kg
- Packing density: 77 m2/m3
- AEUO016b: Cooling Column Type B 506 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm and 8.4 kg
- Packing Density: 200 m2/m3
- AEUO016c: Empty Cooling Column 506 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm and 3.6 kg
- AEUO016d: Packing Characteristics Column 792 mm x 210 mm x 210 mm and 9.5 kg
Operating Conditions:
- Operating Enviroment:
- Laboratory
- Storage Temprature Range :
- –25°C to +55°C (when packed for transport)
- Operating Temprature range:
- +5°C to +30°C
- Operating relative humidity range:
- Maximum: 70% up to 31°C decreasing linerly to 50% at 40°C For best results < 55%
