Water Cooling Capacity Calculator

The water cooling capacity calculator determines cooling system’s ability to remove heat from a process or equipment with Q = ṁ × Cp × ΔT formula.

In an industrial process cooling a 75kW electric motor, the calculator determine that with a water flow rate of 15 gallons per minute and a temperature rise of 10°C, the system can effectively remove 63kW of heat, indicating additional cooling capacity may be needed.

Data Center Cooling

• Water flow rate: 20 GPM
• Temperature difference: 8°C
• Calculated capacity: 84.3 kW
• Application: Cooling server racks in a medium-sized data center

Industrial Process Cooling

• Water flow rate: 30 GPM
• Temperature difference: 12°C
• Calculated capacity: 189.7 kW
• Application: Cooling chemical reactor vessels

HVAC System

• Water flow rate: 25 GPM
• Temperature difference: 5°C
• Calculated capacity: 65.9 kW
• Application: Building climate control system

Water Cooling Capacity Formula

The formula for calculating water cooling capacity is:

Q = ṁ × Cp × ΔT

Where:

• Q = Cooling capacity (kW)
• ṁ = Mass flow rate (kg/s)
• Cp = Specific heat capacity of water (4.186 kJ/kg·°C)
• ΔT = Temperature difference (°C)

For a flow rate of 10 GPM (0.63 kg/s), with a 6°C temperature difference: Q = 0.63 × 4.186 × 6 = 15.82 kW

How to Calculate Water Cooling Capacity?

• Measure Initial Parameters:
  • Determine water flow rate using flow meters.
  • Install temperature sensors at inlet and outlet points.
  • Record system pressure and ambient conditions.
• Convert Units:
  • Transform flow rate to mass flow (kg/s).
  • Ensure temperature readings are in °C.
  • Verify pressure readings for pump calculations.
• Apply Formula: For a practical example, consider a laboratory cooling system:
  • Flow rate: 5 GPM (0.315 kg/s)Inlet temperature: 20°COutlet temperature: 25°C

Calculation: Q = 0.315 × 4.186 × (25 – 20) = 6.59 kW cooling capacity