Difference between the cross flow cooling towers and counter flow cooling towers

Author: Ankith Kumar

Cooling towers are the devices used in industries for processing hot air into cool by using coolant. Cooling towers are used in various applications based on the requirement of the industries.

But two basic types are mostly used they are cross-flow and counter-flow cooling towers. Comparing the cross flow and counter flow depends on the airflow mechanism in the device.

Let us see the differences between cross-flow cooling towers and counter-flow cooling towers.

Difference between the cross flow cooling towers and counter flow cooling towers

Cross flow cooling towers:

  • In a cross-flow cooling tower, air flows perpendicularly to the flow-down media while the water passes the side walls of the tower.
  • Cross-flow cooling towers are simple in design & easy to maintain.
  • The space requirement for a cross-flow cooling tower is high.
  • Cross flow cooling tower needs a higher cooling tower footprint.
  • Due to the low-pressure head, the fan power requirement is low.
  • The quantity of airflow requirement is too high due to non-utilization of air in cooling tower operation.
  • It has a heavier operating weight.
  • It operates in a quieter way than a counterflow cooling tower.
  • Advantages of the cross-flow cooling tower include high performance, high tolerance for oil, and contamination in the water. Then optimized power consumption
  • Most of the cross-flow cooling towers have water spillage problems.

Counter flow cooling towers:

  • In counterflow cooling towers, cooling air and water flow are in the opposite direction. Mostly used in round-shaped cooling towers or bottle-type cooling towers.
  • Counter-flow cooling towers have complicated structures and are difficult to maintain.
  • The space requirement for the cross-flow cooling tower is low.
  • Counter flow cooling tower requires less cooling tower footprint.
  • Fan power requirement is high due to the high-pressure head.
  • The quantity of airflow requirement is low.
  • It has a lower operating weight.
  • Much noisier than the crossflow cooling tower due to the fall of water.
  • Advantages of counterflow cooling towers include FRP wood or concrete structures, low pump head, and low power consumption.
  • Since the water flow is closed inside the basin, there is no water spillage problem in the counter flow cooling towers.

Final thoughts

Hope you got the idea of the major differences between these two types of cooling towers. What works for one industry may not fit another. Don’t fail to consider the climate of the site you are installing the cooling towers.

Gem equipment private limited is the pioneer of cooling tower manufacturers. Manufacturing quality products and offering great service & maintenance after the sale. Visit their website for more details.