Air Conditioning Services Design
Problem:
1. Air conditioning cooling tower efficiency drop
2. Condenser unit of split unit air conditioning burned
Roof Cause:
The main problem is caused by the louvers roof above the cooling tower which we advised the architect that on the top of the cooling tower should not have anything which might block the hot air ventilated from the cooling tower as the cooling tower fan don’t have static head to push the hot air out. However the architect insists to construct the louvers roof due to the architectural view. Another cause of the above problem is the whole top level has been concealed with louvers and window which is not very good in air ventilation. The louvers roof block the hot air from ventilated out from the top floor of the building which cover by roof. The hot air trap inside the top floor and hot air circulating at the cooling tower, the whole top floor become oven due to the hot air circulating and trap inside. This eventually reduces the cooling efficiency of the cooling tower and cause 1 unit of condenser burned.
Louvers Wall around the Top Floor
Solution:
The louvers roof above the cooling tower has been take off in order to resolve the above problem. Besides that, ducting has been constructed as shown below in order to guide the hot air discharge out from the cooling tower.
Taking off the Roof Louvers
Ducting to Guide the Hot Air
Recommendation:
For any cooling tower design, minimum of 2.3m~ 3m spacing shall be provided for the air intake of the cooling tower. Anything below that will cause the efficiency of the cooling tower drop. Besides that, top of the cooling tower shall be free from any blockage which might block the ventilation of the hot air as cooling tower fan usually don’t have static head, any blockage will cause the hot air unable to be discharged out from the cooling tower.
