Real-Time Wet Cooling Tower Simulator

Experience evaporative cooling and wet-bulb thermodynamics in real time — purpose-built for chemical engineering education, process training, and research.

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Click on Schedule a Demo to download and to examine a full-blown demo of PiCoolTower.

• Real-Time Simulation: Physics engine updates every second. All instruments respond dynamically to control changes, just as in a physical laboratory.
• Enthalpy-Based Air Outlet State: Air outlet temperature TI-02 and relative humidity MI-02 are derived from a full enthalpy and mass balance rather than empirical approximations, ensuring thermodynamic consistency between the water-side and air-side energy balances.
• Complete Psychrometric Calculations: Inlet and outlet humidity ratios (x₁, x₂), specific enthalpies (h₁, h₂), and inlet wet-bulb temperature are computed live from TI-01, MI-01, TI-02, and MI-02 using ASHRAE psychrometric equations — values students would otherwise read from a psychrometric chart.
• Three Independent Controls: Fan speed (V-01, 0–100%), water flow valve (HV-01, 0–100%), and heater power level (H-01, Off / Level 1 / 2 / 3) allow full exploration of cooling tower operating characteristics and their effect on efficiency and evaporation rate.
• Full Instrument Set: Five temperature transmitters (TI-01 to TI-05), two humidity transmitters (MI-01, MI-02), one differential pressure transmitter (PD-01), and two flow indicators (FI-01, FI-02) — 10 live readings in total, matching the physical control panel layout.
• Startup Configuration Screen: Ambient dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity are entered before the simulation begins, setting realistic initial conditions for any climate or laboratory location.
• Cooling Tower KPIs: Cooling efficiency η = (T₄ − T₅) / (T₄ − Tᵂᵇ,in) × 100% and evaporation rate mₑᵛₐₚ = mₐᵢᵣ × (x₂ − x₁) are computed and displayed in real time.
• Real-Time Trend Charts: Separate chart panels display time-histories of all key process variables. Charts scroll automatically and can be zoomed for detailed transient analysis of startup dynamics and disturbance responses.
• Data Logging & CSV Export: All process variables are logged at every simulation step and exported to a comma-separated values (CSV) file for post-processing in Excel, MATLAB, or Python.
• Configurable INI File: Heat and mass transfer coefficients, NTU parameter, valve characteristics, heater power levels, and psychrometric constants are stored in a plain-text INI file, allowing instructors to recalibrate the model without recompiling the software.
• No Internet Connection Required: Installs and runs entirely on a Windows PC. No licence server, no cloud dependency, and no user data ever leaves the local machine.
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• Chemical Engineering Students:  Visualise and experiment with wet-bulb thermodynamics, evaporative cooling theory, and heat and mass transfer studied in unit operations, psychrometrics, and process control courses. Calculate cooling efficiency and evaporation rate from live readings — no physical equipment required.
• Process Engineers & Technicians:  Use the simulator for preliminary exploration of cooling tower performance at different ambient conditions, fan speeds, and water flow rates before implementing changes on real plant.
• Educators & Instructors:  Design structured experiments around cooling efficiency, evaporation rate, energy balance closure, and psychrometric chart reading — or demonstrate live how wet-bulb temperature sets the thermodynamic limit for outlet water temperature.
• Researchers:  Validate heat and mass transfer correlations, explore NTU-effectiveness model parameters, and generate synthetic steady-state and transient datasets for comparison with experimental data.

• Hands-On Without the Hazards:  Cooling tower experiments involve hot recirculating water and aerosol generation. PiCoolTower eliminates all associated risks while preserving the full learning value of a real startup, steady-state run, and disturbance experiment.
• Cost-Effective:  No equipment, consumables, or maintenance costs. A single software licence supports an entire class of users simultaneously.
• Flexible & Repeatable:  Users can reset the simulator instantly and repeat startup procedures or steady-state experiments as many times as needed — impossible on shared physical equipment with limited laboratory hours.
• Accessible Anywhere:  Runs on any Windows PC. Users can continue their work at home, in the library, or remotely — making it ideal for hybrid and online delivery.
• Instructor Customisable:  The plain-text INI configuration file lets instructors adjust heat transfer coefficients, NTU parameters, heater power levels, and valve characteristics to create different operating scenarios without modifying source code.
• Industry 4.0 Ready:  Simulates a process operator station experience, preparing users for the digital control environments found in modern power plants, refineries, chemical manufacturing, and HVAC management systems.

• User Manual:  Step-by-step guide to all simulator features: startup configuration screen, process diagram overview, startup procedure, steady-state operation, real-time trends, CSV data export, and INI configuration reference.
• Case Study:  Guided laboratory tasks covering cooling tower efficiency, evaporation rate, energy balance verification, psychrometric chart comparison, and dynamic disturbance response — with startup procedures, data tables, calculation templates, Excel model guide, and discussion questions.
• Configuration Reference:  Description of every parameter in PiCoolTowerConfig.INI with units, default values, physical basis, and guidance for customisation.

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