Fill media

Definition

The large-surface-area packing inside a cooling tower or swamp cooler over which water is distributed so air can drive evaporation.

Spreading water across the fill maximizes the wetted surface and contact with air, promoting evaporative heat transfer. Biofilm fouling of fill restricts airflow and reduces evaporative efficiency, and scale reduces the tower’s ability to keep the fill wet. The same wetted-fill principle is used in swamp coolers.

Related concepts

Evaporative Cooling · Cooling Tower · Biofilm

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Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🛠️ operations