Nozzle that acts as a Valve
Variable flow has the potential for significant energy savings.
The Nozzle that Thinks it’s a Flow Control Valve and a Cash Register.
Here at Curtis Enterprises, we’ve been in the cooling tower industry for decades, and we know energy conservation requires balancing an equation – air flow to water distribution. The good news is that companies have made great strides in conserving energy on the fan, or air flow side of the equation. As an example, think of two-speed and Variable Frequency Drive fan motors. keep reading about the VFN.
But true efficiency has continued to elude the industry, which has made very little progress on the water distribution side of the equation. If you master efficiency here, then you can save a good deal of both energy and money.
The Solution that isn’t a Solution
One way to create more efficiency would be to manually manipulate the enormous flow control valves located at each cell. We know what you’re thinking, “Who’s going to do that?” Exactly. Those rusty, unwieldy valves are nearly impossible to regulate manually. Plus, the process is difficult and expensive, which countermands the whole idea of saving money in the first place.
The end result? At most cooling towers, all the pumps stay on all the time, all year round. This, friends, is a colossal waste of energy and your hard-earned money.
The Real Solution – One that Works and Saves You Money
That’s why we at Curtis Enterprises have created a viable, sustainable, and (if we may say so) brilliant solution to the problem: the Variable Flow Nozzle. If the Variable Frequency Drive, or VFD, fan motors help the air side of the equation…the Variable Flow Nozzle takes care of the water side, conserving huge amounts of energy.
How does it work?
The Variable Flow Nozzle goes with the flow, so that your money doesn’t flow out the window. The Variable Flow Nozzle has a spring-loaded orifice that automatically opens and closes with changing water pressure: in other words, the Variable Flow Nozzle doubles as a flow-control valve. That means you can turn OFF one or more of your cooling tower pumps as the wet bulb or load conditions dictate. This will conserve enormous amounts of energy.
Really? It Doubles as a Flow-Control Valve?
Yes indeed. Let’s take a look at a typical three-cell cooling tower. It has two pumps and three fans.
Two of our three cells have a single-speed, 100-horse power motor. The third cell utilizes a VFD fan motor.
There’s one two-speed pump, and one (hundred) 100-horsepower pump.
In this example, it’s a spring morning, and heat loads are down. For optimal efficiency, we run only the two-speed pump… at 1/2 speed…dispersing the hot water equally over the media in the three cells. The hot air naturally rises as it cools the water. And the Variable Flow Nozzle automatically adjusts to accommodate. No fans needed.
This is ultimate efficiency: the tower becomes a natural-draft cooling tower.
At some point, though, the heat load rises. So the next step is to engage the VFD fan motor, cycling it up in increments until it reaches capacity. Then switch it off, switch on one single-speed fan, and increase the 2-speed pump to full speed.
We now have one single-speed fan and one pump operating. And the variable flow nozzle won’t miss a beat.
This is ultimate efficiency: the tower becomes a natural-draft cooling tower.
At some point, though, the heat load rises. So the next step is to engage the VFD fan motor, cycling it up in increments until it reaches capacity. Then switch it off, switch on one single-speed fan, and increase the 2-speed pump to full speed.
We now have one single-speed fan and one pump operating. And the variable flow nozzle won’t miss a beat.
When heats loads or the wet bulb exceed that fan’s capabilities, repeat the cycle with the VFD fan motor, tracking the temperature rise to a point where two single-speed fans are required. When the third fan is required, cycle the VFD to full speed. Again, the Variable Flow Nozzles will automatically calibrate.
At maximum heat load, both of the pumps and all three fans will be operating at capacity, and still the Variable Flow Nozzle will be adjusting automatically to create maximum efficiency. No user intervention required.
Sounds great. Except I already have a tower.
No problem. The Variable Flow Nozzle solution is not only simple, but it can be applied to both existing and new cooling towers. And not just cooling towers: fluid coolers, scrubbers, trickling filters and other water-cooled equipment
Can I speak with someone?
And we’re here to answer all your questions. Just give us a call at 405-476-7003 to learn more about the revolutionary new Variable Flow Nozzle.