The water temperature leaving an efficiently operating induced draft cooling tower is:

The temperature of the water leaving an efficiently operating induced draft cooling tower indeed aligns with the wet-bulb temperature of the air. This is due to how cooling towers function; they rely on the interaction between water and air to dissipate heat.

In an induced draft cooling tower, water is sprayed over fill material, and air is drawn through the tower, promoting heat and mass transfer. The cooling process involves evaporation, which cools the water. The wet-bulb temperature represents the lowest temperature that can be achieved through evaporative cooling under specific atmospheric conditions. Therefore, the water temperature exiting the cooling tower is typically very close to this wet-bulb temperature, assuming the tower operates efficiently.

This highlights the importance of understanding psychrometric principles, which deal with the thermodynamic properties of moist air, in refrigeration and cooling processes.