MITA Open-Circuit Cooling Towers

1. Solving Your Cooling Challenges with Open Circuit Technology

For Production Managers and Technical Consultants in the industrial and HVAC sectors, maintaining optimal temperatures is crucial. Uncontrolled process heat or inefficient climate control can reduce productivity, increase operating costs, and even cause equipment failure: you need a reliable and economically sustainable open circuit cooling system that integrates seamlessly into the plant and offers consistent performance.

Common challenges include…

• Managing large thermal loads: industrial processes generate significant heat that must be dissipated efficiently.

• Optimizing energy and water: rising costs require solutions that minimize resource usage without sacrificing performance.

• Reliability and durability: plant downtimes are not an option; robust equipment that can withstand harsh conditions is needed.

• Finding a partner, not just a supplier: choosing the right open cooling tower requires expertise and a consultative approach to match the technology to your specific needs.

MITA Cooling Technologies understands these pressures. Our range of open circuit towers—also known as “open cooling towers” or “open evaporative towers”—is designed to address exactly these issues. We don’t just sell cooling towers; we provide tailored cooling solutions, acting as your expert consultant to ensure your system is perfectly optimized, whether for an HVAC/R installation or a small or large industrial plant.

2. Open Circuit Cooling Towers: How They Work

An open circuit cooling tower is a heat rejection device that efficiently transfers waste heat to the atmosphere by cooling a stream of water to a lower temperature.

The primary cooling mechanism is the evaporation of a small amount of water, which removes heat with great efficiency. This is based on the principle of the latent heat of vaporization, where the phase change from liquid to vapor draws energy from the remaining water. A well-designed evaporative tower ensures maximum contact surface area between air and water, often achieved through a fill pack, to optimize this heat exchange.

A crucial physical concept for understanding their operation is the wet-bulb temperature. This parameter defines the theoretical minimum temperature achievable by an evaporative tower and is typically much lower than the dry-bulb (ambient) temperature. A properly sized tower can cool water to just 2-3°C above the wet-bulb temperature, providing optimal efficiency for cooling circuits and heat exchangers.

The main components that facilitate this process include:

• Fill Pack: the “heart” of the cooling tower, where water and air interact for heat exchange.

• Water Distribution System: sprays water uniformly over the fill pack.

• Drift Eliminators: located above the water distribution system, they capture water droplets that would otherwise be carried away by the air stream, thus minimizing water loss.

• Fans (axial or centrifugal): the mechanical components that force air through the tower, inducing evaporation.

Glossary of Cooling Technologies

Systems and components: learn more

Here are some “alternative names” by which the open circuit cooling tower might be called:

• open tower or open loop cooling tower or open circuit tower or open cooling tower,

• open circuit evaporative tower or open evaporative tower,

• wet cooling tower (a generic term that also includes closed-circuit evaporative coolers),

• open-type tower,

• direct contact tower.

Theory of Cooling Technologies

Open and Closed Circuit: learn more

3. MITA Open Loop Evaporative Towers: How to Choose

MITA Cooling Technologies offers a wide selection of open circuit cooling towers, designed to meet a broad range of industrial and HVAC/R needs.

For applications requiring small and medium capacities, MITA offers factory-assembled units. The PMS Series is entirely made of lightweight, self-supporting fiberglass, ideal for corrosion resistance, and uses efficient axial fans for low-noise operation. The MCT Series, on the other hand, offers a compact monoblock design in fiberglass, particularly suitable for tight spaces or indoor installations. It is distinguished by the use of centrifugal fans, designed for air ducting and smaller spaces, with the MCT-EC models achieving extremely low noise levels thanks to electronically controlled “plug fans”.

For medium and large capacity needs, the PME-E Series and its extension PME-XL are robust towers, also factory-assembled. Their construction combines a solid hot-dip galvanized steel structure with fiberglass sandwich panels, offering mechanical strength and good acoustic insulation. They use high-performance axial fans and are designed for easy internal access, which simplifies inspection and maintenance operations.

For large industrial plants and large-scale applications, MITA provides high-capacity solutions often assembled directly on site. The PMM Series is characterized by a modular design, with factory-pre-assembled components to facilitate transport (including via container) and rapid on-site installation. It incorporates fiberglass panels and a steel structure, with axial fans equipped with a mechanical gear reducer for optimal performance and contained noise levels. For the largest plants and the most demanding environments, the PU Series (designed by TORRAVAL Cooling) is field-erected, offering structural versatility in concrete, steel, or pultruded GRP profiles to withstand extreme conditions such as seismic loads, wind, and snow. These towers also use axial fans with gear reducers to maximize energy efficiency.

Across the entire range, MITA emphasizes resource optimization and advanced control. The MITA Control System (MCS), with VSD (inverter) support, dynamically modulates thermal performance, significantly reducing energy and water usage, mechanical wear, and noise. This system also enables Industry 4.0 functionalities, allowing for remote monitoring and data collection. MITA’s consultative approach, supported by advanced simulation software, guides customers in choosing the most suitable solution, balancing initial investment with long-term operating costs and sustainability goals, also offering options for refurbished units for a circular economy.

4. Technical Specifications of MITA Open Circuit Towers: Non-Corrodible and Simple

MITA Cooling Technologies offers a wide assortment of open circuit cooling towers, renowned for efficiency and robustness in industrial and HVAC sectors globally. These towers dissipate heat through direct water evaporation, representing an economical and high-performance solution for high thermal loads.

A key advantage is durability, ensured by non-corrodible materials. Fiberglass (GRP/FRP) is widely used for tower casings, basins, and fan covers, guaranteeing resistance to corrosion and UV rays. The support structures use hot-dip galvanized steel (HDGS), with stainless steel bolting.

Maintenance is always facilitated by the presence of manholes or removable panels, allowing for easy internal inspections and reducing downtime.

MITA offers different fan configurations. The PMS, PME-E, PMM, and PU models use axial fans for high air volumes and energy efficiency, with low noise. The MCT Series uses centrifugal fans, excellent for peculiar spatial configurations (typically on rooftops and in tight spaces). The MCT-EC model stands out for its electronically controlled “plug fans”, which guarantee extremely low noise levels.

For control and optimization, the MITA Control System (MCS), with VSD (inverter) support, modulates fan speed and thermal performance, reducing energy and water usage, wear, and noise. Specific silent versions are also available for noise-sensitive environments.

The range of sizes is very extensive:

• from the PMS Series for small-medium capacities (50-700 kW),

• to the PME-E Series for medium-large capacities (580-3,600 kW, with PME-XL up to 5 MW/cell).

• The PMM Series is for large industrial plants (2.6-14 MW/cell), with a modular design.

• The MCT Series offers compact solutions (28-1600 kW) entirely in fiberglass.

• For the largest sizes, the PU Series (designed by TORRAVAL Cooling) is field-erected and customizable with structures in concrete, steel, or pultruded GRP to withstand extreme conditions.

5. Applications and Case Studies: Is an Open Circuit Tower Right for You?

MITA’s open circuit cooling towers are highly efficient, versatile, and reliable, serving a wide range of sectors globally. They are an optimal solution for high thermal loads where other cooling systems become uneconomical.

Key application sectors include…

• Industrial Manufacturing: including plastics, metalworking, chemicals, food and beverage. Specific examples include aluminum extrusion, plastics industries, foundries, chemical plants, and paper mills.

• Power Generation: used for auxiliary cooling in power plants, cogeneration, and trigeneration projects.

• HVAC Systems: employed in large commercial buildings, hospitals, data centers, district heating/cooling systems, and offices.

• Refrigeration Systems: used for cooling condensers in industrial and commercial refrigeration plants. Case studies include dairies, breweries, and vinegar factories.

• Petrochemical Industry: essential for various process cooling applications.

• Artificial Snowmaking: provide efficient cooling for “snow cannons” in ski resorts.

• Wastewater Treatment: used for cooling industrial wastewater in various industrial contexts.

These applications highlight the adaptability and robustness of MITA’s open circuit cooling technologies in diverse and demanding environments.

6. The MITA Advantage: Specialized Consultation and Optimized Configuration with Software

Our approach goes beyond simple supply: for us, it is important to offer support that is truly consultative in process cooling. For this reason, our work philosophy follows some key points.

• We always start by listening. For us, finding the right solution means first understanding the specific needs of the plant and the installation area. Whether it’s a small tower for a compact plant or a large industrial central station, the goal is to provide a tailor-made system that meets concrete needs.

• We work together to optimize resources. Our aim is to help clients achieve measurable savings in water and energy over time. To do this, we use tools like our MITA Cooling Simulator, advanced software that allows us to compare different solutions and show in advance the balance between initial investment and operating costs, for a more informed choice.

• We look to the future, with concrete solutions. We develop technologies ready for Industry 4.0, such as the MITA Control System (MCS) and our IoT platform, not for the technology itself, but to simplify management, optimize resource usage, and make predictive maintenance an accessible reality.

• Our experience is founded on sustainability. In over 60 years of activity, we have learned that efficiency must go hand in hand with respect for the environment. This is why we self-produce clean energy, promote circular water management, and design regenerable products, a concrete commitment that is reflected in every one of our solutions.

• We offer flexibility for every need. We know that needs can be temporary or sudden. This is why we also design cooling towers for rental to industrial groups that require them: a practical solution to manage maintenance, work peaks, or emergency situations.

• We are by your side, always. Our support does not end with the sale. With the MITA Service, we guarantee assistance for the entire life cycle of the plant: from scheduled maintenance to the supply of spare parts (even for machines of other brands), up to remote management, because an efficient plant is a plant that is constantly monitored, maintained, and safe.

Resource Optimization and Efficiency in Industrial Cooling Systems

Read the article and learn more

7. Let's Talk About Your Adiabatic Cooling Needs

Ready to discover how MITA open circuit towers can improve operational efficiency and reliability? Our team of experts is available to answer all your questions, provide technical details, and help you select the perfect open circuit tower for your application.

Whether you are in the planning stages, want to replace an existing unit, or optimize your system, we are ready to support you.

Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation or a detailed quote.

• Request a quote.

• Find your representative in your country or province.

• Call us.

We are MITA Cooling Technologies, your partner for intelligent cooling solutions.

Need info?

Contact our Sales Partners in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the Americas.