An initial analysis on the energy-efficient performance of a natural draft wet cooling tower with CaCl2 solution for power plants

A survey has been held of a BG-2600 natural draft cooling tower of thermal power plants, in the reduced hydraulic load mode. The technical condition of the reinforced concrete tower, the skeleton frame, the irrigation device, the water distribution system and the air duct windows has been inspected. Defects of the cooling tower structural elements have been identified. These include: horizontal sagging of the irrigation device, considerable gaps between its blocks and their partial destruction, problems with nozzles and structures of air duct windows. The identified defects are attributed to the causes of irregular water and air flows. The degree of irregularity of irrigation density and air flow in the tower has been estimated. Over the cross-section of the tower, a significant standard deviation from the average value or irregularity of irrigation density (30%) and irregularity of air flow (23.5%) has been established. The temperature and cooling curves of the cooling tower have been plotted taking into account irregularities of irrigation density and air flow rate. Normal and defective sections of the cooling tower have been identified based on working characteristics. Standard characteristics of the BG-2600 cooling tower have been plotted based on a nomogram. A comparative analysis of the working and standard characteristics has been held. The degree of influence produced by irregularities in water and air flows on the cooling process has been established. It has been found that the established irregularities in water and air flows result in a decrease in the temperature difference on average by 2°C and a decrease of cooling capacity by 7.3 Mcal/m2∙hr with a hydraulic load of 8840 m3/h. The results indicate a significant impact produced by irregularities of flows on cooling effect. The tasks to eliminate irregularities in distribution of flows as well as to increase the tower cooling efficiency have been formulated.

Download Full-text

Design of Solar Enhanced Natural Draft Dry Cooling Tower for Solar Thermal Power Plants

Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures ◽

10.20898/j.iass.2016.187.763 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

pp. 97-103

Author(s):

Z. Guan ◽

H. Gurgenci ◽

Z. Zou

Keyword(s):

Power Plants ◽

Cooling Tower ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Solar Thermal ◽

Thermal Power Plants ◽

Natural Draft ◽

Solar Thermal Power ◽

Dry Cooling Tower ◽

Dry Cooling

Download Full-text

A Simplified Model for Predicting Natural Draft Wet Cooling Tower Performance of Large Steam Power Plants

Volume 9: Oil and Gas Applications; Organic Rankine Cycle Power Systems; Steam Turbine ◽

10.1115/gt2020-15369 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Stefan aus der Wiesche

Keyword(s):

Power Plant ◽

Steam Turbine ◽

Power Plants ◽

Cooling Tower ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Model Parameters ◽

Zone Model ◽

Present Calculation ◽

Cooling Towers ◽

Natural Draft

Abstract Flexible plant operation and rapid load changes become major issues for steam turbine operation. In thermal power plants, the steam turbine performance is closely related to the condenser, and an accurate prediction of coolant temperature as function of changing weather conditions is necessary in order to optimize power plant fleet operation. In this contribution, a one-dimensional model for simulating the performance of large natural draft wet cooling towers is presented. The evaporation zone model rests on the evaporative cooling theory developed by Merkel and Poppe. The off-design behavior of the cooling tower, that is relevant to part load performance, is modeled by an empirical power-law approach. A user-friendly method is presented in order to identify required model parameters by means of already available power plant data. The simulation tool can be employed easily for existing power plants for which the original cooling tower design and construction data lost their validity. The outcome of the present calculation method is successfully compared with field data from representative cooling towers at Middle-European sites.

Download Full-text

The Importance of Inlet Height to the Performance of a Natural Draft Wet Cooling Tower

Proceeding of the 6th International Symposium on Radiative Transfer ◽

10.1615/ichmt.2005.austheatmasstransfconf.390 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

N. Williamson ◽

Steven Armfield ◽

Masud Behnia

Keyword(s):

Cooling Tower ◽

Natural Draft

Download Full-text

Numerical investigation of swirl effects on a short natural draft dry cooling tower under windless and crosswind conditions

Applied Thermal Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.116628 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 188 ◽

pp. 116628 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yuchen Dai ◽

Yuanshen Lu ◽

Alexander Y. Klimenko ◽

Ying Wang ◽

Kamel Hooman

Keyword(s):

Numerical Investigation ◽

Cooling Tower ◽

Natural Draft ◽

Dry Cooling Tower ◽

Dry Cooling

Download Full-text

Improving Natural Draft Cooling Tower Performance With Heat Injection

2002 International Joint Power Generation Conference ◽

10.1115/ijpgc2002-26028 ◽

2002 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eugene Grindle ◽

John Cooper ◽

Roger Lawson

Keyword(s):

Water Temperature ◽

Computer Model ◽

Cooling Tower ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Combined Cycle ◽

Steam Boiler ◽

Natural Draft ◽

Circulating Water ◽

Vapor Stream ◽

Heat Injection

This paper presents an assessment of heat injection as a means of improving natural draft cooling tower performance. The concept involves injecting heat into the cooling tower exit air/vapor stream immediately above the drift eliminators in order to increase the difference between the density of the exit air/vapor stream and the ambient air. The density difference between the air/vapor in the cooling tower stack and the ambient air is the engine that drives airflow through the cooling tower. The enhancement of the airflow through the cooling tower (the natural draft) results in more evaporation and thus lowers the circulating water temperature. Because the heat is injected above the drift eliminators, it does not heat the circulating water. To evaluate the cooling tower performance improvement as a function of heat injection rate, a thermal/aerodynamic computer model of Entergy’s White Bluff 1 & 2 and Independence 1 & 2 (approximately 840 MW each) natural draft cooling towers was developed. The computer model demonstrated that very substantial reductions in cold water temperature (up to 7°F) are obtainable by the injection of heat. This paper also discusses a number of possible heat sources. Sources of heat covered include extraction steam, auxiliary steam, boiler blow-down, and waste heat from a combustion turbine. The latter source of heat would create a combined cycle unit with the combination taking place in the condensing part of the cycle (bottom of the cycle) instead of the steam portion of the cycle (top of the cycle).

Download Full-text