Cooling Tower Tonnage Calculator By Model

Cooling Tower Tonnage Formula:

\[ \text{Tonnage} = \frac{\text{Flow Rate} \times \text{Range}}{30} \]

Cooling Tower Tonnage:

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1. What is Cooling Tower Tonnage?

Cooling tower tonnage is a measure of a cooling tower's heat rejection capacity. One ton of cooling is defined as the ability to reject 12,000 BTU/hour of heat. The tonnage helps determine the appropriate size of cooling tower needed for a specific application.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard tonnage formula:

\[ \text{Tonnage} = \frac{\text{Flow Rate (GPM)} \times \text{Range (°F)}}{30} \]

Where:

Flow Rate — Water circulation rate in gallons per minute (GPM)
Range — Temperature difference between entering and leaving water in °F
30 — Conversion factor (1 ton = 30,000 BTU/hour = 500 BTU/minute)

Explanation: The formula calculates how many tons of cooling are required based on the water flow rate and temperature difference (range) across the cooling tower.

3. Importance of Tonnage Calculation

Details: Proper tonnage calculation ensures the cooling tower is correctly sized for the application, preventing under-sizing (which leads to inadequate cooling) or over-sizing (which increases costs unnecessarily).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the water flow rate in GPM and the temperature range in °F. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the approximate cooling tower tonnage.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the difference between cooling tower tonnage and chiller tonnage?
A: While both use the same ton unit (12,000 BTU/hour), cooling tower tonnage refers to heat rejection capacity, while chiller tonnage refers to cooling capacity.

Q2: How accurate is this calculation?
A: This provides an approximate calculation. Actual tonnage may vary based on specific tower design, ambient conditions, and other factors.

Q3: What is a typical range for cooling towers?
A: Most cooling towers operate with a range of 10-30°F, though this can vary based on system design.

Q4: Does this formula work for all types of cooling towers?
A: This is a general formula that works for most standard cooling towers, but specialized designs may require more specific calculations.

Q5: How does wet bulb temperature affect tonnage?
A: While wet bulb temperature affects cooling tower performance, it doesn't directly factor into this basic tonnage calculation.