Industries · Captive power
Cooling Towers for Captive Power Plants
Large multi-cell RCC, FRP and wooden cooling towers for steam turbine condensers and auxiliary cooling at captive and co-generation power plants. Designed and built in India since 1975.
- Turbine condenser duty
- Multi-cell designs
- CTI member · ISO 9001:2015
- 4,900+ towers supplied
Quick answer
What cooling tower is best for a captive power plant?
Captive power plants usually need a multi-cell induced draft cooling tower sized for the steam turbine condenser, the largest heat load on site. For large, permanent plants an RCC cooling tower gives a long-life concrete structure, while pultruded FRP field-erected towers (up to 6,000 m³/hr per cell) install faster with lighter foundations.
Condenser vacuum, and so turbine output, depends on the cold water temperature. The tower must therefore be designed for your summer design wet-bulb with a realistic approach.
Applications
Where cooling towers are used in captive power plants
Most of the heat from fuel burned in a thermal power plant leaves through the condenser cooling water. The cooling tower rejects that heat so the turbine can keep generating.
Challenges
Cooling tower challenges at captive power plants, and how we design for them
Power plant cooling towers run continuously, often at full load through the hottest months. These are the conditions we design around.
Tower types & materials
Which cooling tower suits your captive power plant?
We manufacture all three materials in-house, so we recommend the one that fits your duty, not the one we happen to make.
| Feature | RCC cooling tower | FRP cooling tower | Wooden cooling tower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large, permanent condenser cooling | Fast installation and auxiliary cooling | Economical large-flow cooling |
| Corrosion resistance | Very good – concrete structure with HDG / SS hardware | Excellent – no rust; suits chemical, coastal and seawater duty | Good – CCA-treated timber with HDG / SS hardware |
| Models | 92 | 98 | 107 |
| Capacity | Sized to project | Up to 6,000 m³/hr per cell (pultruded) | 45 – 5,000 m³/hr per cell |
| Civil work | Civil structure built locally from our drawings | Minimal – FRP or RCC cold water basin | RCC cold water basin by purchaser (drawings provided) |
Materials are selected for continuous duty and confirmed against your circulating water analysis.
| Component | Material of construction |
|---|---|
| Structure and casing | RCC, FRP or treated timber |
| Fill | PVC film or splash fill |
| Drift eliminator | PVC, cellular or blade type |
| Nozzles | Polypropylene (PP) |
| Hardware | Stainless steel or hot-dip galvanised MS |
| Fan | Cast aluminium alloy or GRP blades |
| Fan cylinder | FRP |
| Electric motor | To suit your site standards and area classification |
How it works
What we need to size your cooling tower
Send these details and our engineers will recommend the model, number of cells and fill for guaranteed performance.
Why Cooltech
Trusted by power and process plants since 1975
Our clients include Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), Welspun Power & Steel and Sahanu Sponge & Power, alongside plants across the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.
years designing cooling towers
cooling towers manufactured
towers exported
member · ISO 9001:2015
FAQ
Cooling towers for captive power plants: FAQs
Which cooling tower is best for a captive power plant?
For most captive power plants, a multi-cell induced draft RCC or pultruded FRP cooling tower is the best fit. RCC suits large, permanent installations, while FRP installs faster with lighter foundations. Wooden towers remain an economical option for large flows.
How is a cooling tower sized for a steam turbine condenser?
We size the tower from the condenser cooling water flow, the hot and cold water temperatures and your site design wet-bulb temperature. The approach to wet-bulb you choose sets the cold water temperature, which in turn sets condenser vacuum and turbine output.
Why does the cooling tower affect power output?
Warmer cold water raises condenser back pressure, so the turbine produces less power from the same steam. A correctly sized, well-maintained tower keeps cold water at the design temperature.
Can one cell be maintained while the plant is running?
Yes. In a multi-cell tower each cell can be isolated for inspection or repair while the remaining cells carry the load.
Can you upgrade or rebuild an existing power plant cooling tower?
Yes. We repair and reconstruct cooling towers of any make, and supply spares such as FRP fans, fills, nozzles, drift eliminators, fan stacks and gearboxes.
Do you supply cooling towers for power plants outside India?
Yes. We have exported more than 1,500 cooling towers to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa, and our clients include Kenya Electricity Generating Company.
Related industries
Cooling towers for related industries
Our clients
Clients who trust Cooltech
Industry leaders in India and abroad rely on Cooltech cooling towers.
Need a cooling tower for your captive power plant?
Share your condenser flow, temperatures and site details. Our engineers will recommend the right RCC, FRP or wooden cooling tower.