CTI ATC-105: Water Cooling Tower Acceptance Testing Explained
What CTI ATC-105 measures, how the Cooling Technology Institute publishes the code, and how Synergy applies its procedures in Thailand.
CTI ATC-105 is the Acceptance Test Code for Water Cooling Towers, published by the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI). It defines how an acceptance test measures a cooling tower’s performance and compares the result with the tower’s original design rating. Synergy Services applies CTI test procedures and ATC-105-informed methods when inspecting and testing industrial cooling towers in Thailand.
What is CTI ATC-105?
ATC-105 is a public standard for measuring water cooling tower performance. It sets out the measured variables needed to interpret a test, including:
- hot-water and cold-water temperatures;
- entering wet-bulb temperature;
- circulating-water flow rate;
- airflow and fan power recorded alongside the thermal measurements.
Two useful derived values are Range and Approach. Range is the hot-water temperature minus the cold-water temperature. Approach is the cold-water temperature minus the entering wet-bulb temperature. A wider Approach than the design value, at a comparable Range and wet-bulb temperature, can point to lost capacity somewhere in the tower.
The code is published by CTI. It is a public standard and does not require the site owner to hold a certification simply to understand or use the code as a reference for an acceptance test.
How Synergy applies ATC-105
Synergy Services uses calibrated instruments to record wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperature, water flow, cold-water and hot-water temperature, and fan power. We collect data during a stable operating period, analyse it with CTI Toolkit or equivalent thermal-modelling software, and issue a report with findings and recommendations. On multi-cell towers, we test and report cell by cell rather than reducing the tower to one average number.
Synergy Services is a member of the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI). That membership is stated as membership only. Our field work follows CTI test procedures; it does not represent CTI endorsement of a particular result.
A field test is not a CTI capability assessment and is not CTI certification. The report keeps the measured field result separate from any estimate based on a generated reference curve or from a comparison with the original design basis when the manufacturer’s performance curve is unavailable.
What the report helps you decide
The measurements provide a baseline for maintenance and upgrade decisions. They can show whether a gap is associated with water distribution, fill or drift-eliminator condition, airflow, fan power, or another part of the tower’s operating condition. The findings can then support a plan for continued monitoring, parts replacement, overhaul and maintenance, or an upgrade.
Testing does not require a shutdown. A standard single-cell test typically takes 4–8 hours of on-site data collection, plus analysis and report preparation. Multi-cell towers may take 1–2 days. We recommend testing after major maintenance or overhaul, when process temperatures are higher than expected, or as part of an annual energy-efficiency review.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CTI ATC-105?
CTI ATC-105 is the Acceptance Test Code for Water Cooling Towers, published by the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI). It describes how to measure cooling-tower performance against the original design rating.
What does an ATC-105-informed test measure?
The test records hot-water and cold-water temperatures, entering wet-bulb temperature, circulating-water flow, airflow and fan power. Range and Approach are derived from the temperature measurements.
How does Synergy apply CTI ATC-105?
Synergy Services follows CTI test procedures and uses ATC-105-informed methods when inspecting and testing cooling towers in Thailand. Synergy is a member of the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI).
Does an ATC-105 field test certify a cooling tower?
No. A Synergy field test is not a CTI capability assessment and is not CTI certification. The report states the measured conditions, comparison basis and any limitations clearly.
Does the tower need to stop for testing?
No. Performance testing runs while the tower is in normal operation. A single-cell test typically takes 4–8 hours of on-site data collection, while multi-cell towers may take 1–2 days.
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