It is noted that in virtually all establishments of the gas and petrochemical industry, basic and auxiliary production equipment is cooled by a circulating water-supply system equipped with cooling towers. Here, the working tower releases air saturated with water vapor to the atmosphere, and the establishment must maintain the water-circulating systems from natural sources. A water-trap design for cooling towers, the use of which will make it possible to reduce appreciably the moisture content in the vapor-gas flow released by the tower, is described.The water resources of Russia are a national treasure, and not only the level of economic development of the country, but also the health of the people depend on their condition. In this connection, the problem of rational utilization and protection of surface water from contamination and depletion requires serious attention [1].Autonomous closed water-supply systems function for the purpose of rational utilization of water resources at industrial establishments. Water cooling of basic and auxiliary equipment is currently most economically expedient. In turn, the circulating water that passes through a production cycle is cooled to the required temperatures in air-cooled vessels, chimney-type cooling towers, and mechanical draft towers.One of the negative factors in the operation of cooling towers is the carry-off of drops of circulating water in which various chemical compounds are found, for example, heavy-metal ions, detergents, pesticides, biogenic elements, toxic chemical compounds, phenols, petroleum products, and chlorine-based organic compounds. The amount of atmospheric carry-off from cooling towers is regulated by the Construction Rules and Regulations, and is defined as the water lost due to carry-off by the wind (in chimney-type cooling towers), and a fan-blown discharge of air (in mechanical-draft towers).The amount of carry-off allowed by the Construction Rules and Regulations depends on the type of coolant and the harmfulness (toxicity) of the water. It ranges from 0.05 to 0.20% for cooling towers with water traps, and from 0.5 to 1.0% for chimney-type cooling towers without water traps [2]. Even at chemical plants, however, mechanical-draft towers are not often equipped with water traps, and the slightly effective designs currently installed fail to meet modern ecological requirements. As a result, drop carry-off amounts to 5-7%; this results in appreciable degradation of the ecological situation in the industrial regions and areas within their immediate vicinity. Here, feed maintenance of the circulating-water system is increased by fresh water from natural sources.
