Dry cooling

Dry cooling is a cooling process in which the coolant (water) is not in direct contact with the air that absorbs the heat. A differentiation is made between direct and indirect air cooling.

Alternative cooling processes are hybrid cooling and wet cooling. 

Direct air cooling

• The process of direct air cooling uses only air for cooling and condensing vapour in a closed circuit. Cooling water pumps are not needed in direct air cooling.

Indirect air cooling

• In indirect air cooling, the cooling water is pumped through a dry cooling tower and then to a mixing condenser using a circulating pump.