Cooling Tower Calculator

Calculate cooling tower capacity, approach, range, and water requirements.

Tower Capacity
--
nominal tons
Range
--
°F
Approach
--
°F
Heat Rejection
--
BTU/hr
Evaporation Rate
--
GPM
Blowdown Rate
--
GPM
Total Makeup Water
--
GPM

Cooling Tower Calculations

Range = Hot Water Temp - Cold Water Temp

Approach = Cold Water Temp - Wet Bulb Temp

Heat Rejection = GPM x 500 x Range (BTU/hr)

Nominal Tons = Heat Rejection / 15,000

Evaporation = GPM x Range x 0.001 (approx)

  • Range: Temperature drop of water through the tower (typically 10°F)
  • Approach: How close cold water gets to wet bulb (typically 5-10°F)
  • A nominal cooling tower ton is 15,000 BTU/hr (not 12,000 BTU/hr)
  • Lower approach = larger, more expensive tower

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