Cooling Tower Water Balance Calculator

How the cooling tower water balance calculator works

Accounted makeup requirement is the sum of evaporation, blowdown, drift, leakage and overflow during one common period. Unaccounted volume equals measured makeup minus that sum. The discrepancy remains signed, including when measured makeup is lower than accounted losses.

Use measured or independently supplied component volumes on compatible conditions. No evaporation coefficient or universal loss fraction is assumed. Avoid counting a loss in two categories. A discrepancy is a data/boundary check, not proof of a leak, an operating instruction or a cooling-tower treatment determination.

Quantities use the stated units and finite bounded inputs. Whole purchases round up under the documented model; cost components round half-up to cents before totals are summed. Undefined ratios stay unavailable. π and logarithms use normal numeric precision. Display rounding does not alter the entered assumptions.

Worked example

70 m³ evaporation, 20 blowdown, 5 drift and 5 leakage total 100 m³. Measured makeup of 105 m³ leaves 5 m³ unaccounted. Changing measured makeup to 100 m³ makes the discrepancy zero.

Sources and assumptions

The source material explains the underlying calculation or pricing structure. Entered prices, costs, schedules and scenario choices are your assumptions; this tool does not obtain supplier quotes or predict actual results.

• EPA Water Efficiency Management Guide Mechanical Systems