Can the air coolers and return tanks be placed above the tower?
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I wonder if anyone has seen cases where air coolers and separation tanks are installed at the top of a tower. After gas-liquid separation in the separation tank, can’t the liquid return by gravity? Why is forced reflux usually used, with pumps to send the liquid back? Under what circumstances is gravity reflux employed? What other constraints exist besides pressure? Is the air cooler a specially designed component? The design manual states that around 70s, there were over 3,200 towers in West Germany equipped with air coolers. I’m not sure which plants in China also use this design
I have never seen air coolers installed at the top of towers, but I have seen them on other condensers. This is mainly due to considerations such as the size of the condenser and the supports installed in the tower top framework structure. If it is installed at the top of the tower, it saves space and eliminates the need for a recirculation pump, which is certainly good. However, maintenance becomes quite troublesome in such cases. Most of them are installed on the lower platform of the tower, and a recirculation pump is used to force recirculation, which facilitates control and makes maintenance easier.
Thank you, very valuable sharing.
Thank you for sharing; the analysis is very comprehensive