Analysis of Heat, Mass, and Momentum Transfer in the Rain Zone of Counterflow Cooling Towers

1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 751-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. de Villiers ◽  
D. G. Kro¨ger

The rate of heat, mass, and momentum transfer in the rain zone of three counterflow cooling tower geometries is analyzed using simplifying assumptions and numerical integration. The objective of the analysis is to generate equations for use in a one-dimensional mathematical cooling tower performance evaluations. Droplet deformation is taken into account and momentum transfer is calculated from the air flow’s mechanical energy loss, caused by air-droplet interaction. A comparison of dimensionless semi-empirical equations and experimental data demonstrates the method’s capability to predict the pressure drop in a counterflow rain zone.

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-126
Author(s):  
O.K. Kaunde

Cooling towers are one of the largest heat and mass transfer devices that are in common use. A novel type of cooling tower has been proposed in which air flow rate into the tower is drawn by ejector action of sprays instead of fans as is done in conventional mechanical forced or induced draft cooling towers. This novel design offers the potential of savingthe energy cost for driving the fan. The paper presents mathematical models for momentum transfer which is the driving force causing the entrainment of air. Also the heat transfer model for co-current flow of liquid and gas in the tower has been presented. The liquid to gas ratio tend to decrease as liquid rate increases. The ratio attained in the experimentallaboratory tower was 3.3, correspondingly the Momentum transfer efficiency for the tower was 60% and was the highest. Experiments for cooling water initially at 45 o C to final water temperature 27 o C showed that the cooling tower efficiency was 54% and number of transfer unit 0.8.


2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-145
Author(s):  
Yang Zhouo ◽  
Ming Gao ◽  
Suoying He ◽  
Yuetao Shi ◽  
Fengzhong Sun

Based on the basic theory of water droplets impact noise, the generation mechanism and calculation model of the water-splashing noise for natural draft wet cooling towers were established in this study, and then by means of the custom software, the water-splashing noise was studied under different water droplet diameters and water-spraying densities as well as partition water distribution patterns conditions. Comparedwith the water-splashing noise of the field test, the average difference of the theoretical and the measured value is 0.82 dB, which validates the accuracy of the established theoretical model. The results based on theoretical model showed that, when the water droplet diameters are smaller in cooling tower, the attenuation of total sound pressure level of the water-splashing noise is greater. From 0 m to 8 m away from the cooling tower, the sound pressure level of the watersplashing noise of 3 mm and 6 mm water droplets decreases by 8.20 dB and 4.36 dB, respectively. Additionally, when the water-spraying density becomes twice of the designed value, the sound pressure level of water-splashing noise all increases by 3.01 dB for the cooling towers of 300 MW, 600 MW and 1000 MW units. Finally, under the partition water distribution patterns, the change of the sound pressure level is small. For the R s/2 and Rs/3 partition radius (Rs is the radius of water-spraying area), when the water-spraying density ratio between the outer and inner zone increases from 1 to 3, the sound pressure level of water-splashing noise increases by 0.7 dB and 0.3 dB, respectively.


Author(s):  
Shuo Li ◽  
M. R. Flynn

AbstractVisible plumes above wet cooling towers are of great concern due to the associated aesthetic and environmental impacts. The parallel path wet/dry cooling tower is one of the most commonly used approaches for plume abatement, however, the associated capital cost is usually high due to the addition of the dry coils. Recently, passive technologies, which make use of free solar energy or the latent heat of the hot, moist air rising through the cooling tower fill, have been proposed to minimize or abate the visible plume and/or conserve water. In this review, we contrast established versus novel technologies and give a perspective on the relative merits and demerits of each. Of course, no assessment of the severity of a visible plume can be made without first understanding its atmospheric trajectory. To this end, numerous attempts, being either theoretical or numerical or experimental, have been proposed to predict plume behavior in atmospheres that are either uniform versus density-stratified or still versus windy (whether highly-turbulent or not). Problems of particular interests are plume rise/deflection, condensation and drift deposition, the latter consideration being a concern of public health due to the possible transport and spread of Legionella bacteria.


Author(s):  
B E A Fisher

An assessment of the effects of visible cooling tower plumes on the local environment can be a necessary part of any proposal for a new large industrial process. Predictions of the dispersion of plumes from cooling towers are based on methods developed for chimney emissions. However, the kinds of criteria used to judge the acceptability of cooling tower plumes are different from those used for stack plumes. The frequency of long elevated plumes and the frequency of ground fogging are the two main issues. It is shown that events associated with significant plume visibility are dependent both on the operating characteristics of the tower and on the occurrence of certain meteorological conditions. The dependence on atmospheric conditions is shown to be fairly complex and simple performance criteria based on the exit conditions from the tower are not sufficient for assessments.


1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 837-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Jaber ◽  
R. L. Webb

This paper develops the effectiveness-NTU design method for cooling towers. The definitions for effectiveness and NTU are totally consistent with the fundamental definitions used in heat exchanger design. Sample calculations are presented for counter and crossflow cooling towers. Using the proper definitions, a person competent in heat exchanger design can easily use the same basic method to design a cooling tower of counter, cross, or parallel flow configuration. The problems associated with the curvature of the saturated air enthalpy line are also treated. A “one-increment” design ignores the effect of this curvature. Increased precision can be obtained by dividing the cooling range into two or more increments. The standard effectiveness-NTU method is then used for each of the increments. Calculations are presented to define the error associated with different numbers of increments. This defines the number of increments required to attain a desired degree of precision. The authors also summarize the LMED method introduced by Berman, and show that this is totally consistent with the effectiveness-NTU method. Hence, using proper and consistent terms, heat exchanger designers are shown how to use either the standard LMED or effectiveness-NTU design methods to design cooling towers.


1978 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-175
Author(s):  
Kenneth Flowers

Author(s):  
Mostafa H. Sharqawy ◽  
John H. Lienhard ◽  
Syed M. Zubair

Seawater cooling towers have been used since the 1970’s in power generation and other industries, so as to reduce the consumption of freshwater. The salts in seawater are known to create a number of operational problems including salt deposition, packing blockage, corrosion, and certain environmental impacts from salt drift and blowdown return. In addition, the salinity of seawater affects the thermophysical properties which govern the thermal performance of cooling towers, including vapor pressure, density, specific heat, viscosity, thermal conductivity and surface tension. In this paper, the thermal performance of seawater cooling towers is investigated using a detailed model of a counterflow wet cooling tower. The model takes into consideration the coupled heat and mass transfer processes and does not make any of the conventional Merkel approximations. In addition, the model incorporates the most up-to-date seawater properties in the literature. The model governing equations are solved numerically and its validity is checked by data in the literature. Based on the results of the model, a correction factor is obtained which characterizes the degradation of the cooling tower effectiveness when seawater is used.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 1583-1599 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Kurz ◽  
Jitendra Sharma ◽  
Marolo Alfaro ◽  
Jim Graham

Clays exhibit creep in compression and shear. In one-dimensional compression, creep is commonly known as “secondary compression” even though it is also a significant component of deformations resulting from shear straining. It reflects viscous behaviour in clays and therefore depends on load duration, stress level, the ratio of shear stress to compression stress, strain rate, and temperature. Research described in the paper partitions strains into elastic (recoverable) and plastic (nonrecoverable) components. The plastic component includes viscous strains defined by a creep rate coefficient ψ that varies with plasticity index and temperature (T), but not with stress level or overconsolidation ratio (OCR). Earlier elastic–viscoplastic (EVP) models have been modified so that ψ = ψ(T) in a new elastic–thermoviscoplastic (ETVP) model. The paper provides a sensitivity analysis of simulated results from undrained (CIŪ) triaxial compression tests for normally consolidated and lightly overconsolidated clays. Axial strain rates range from 0.15%/day to 15%/day, and temperatures from 28 to 100 °C.


2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 91-98
Author(s):  
Elazm Abo ◽  
Farouk Elsafty

The main objective of this study is to find a proper solution for the cross-flow water cooling tower problem, also to find an empirical correlation's controlling heat and mass transfer coefficients as functions of inlet parameters to the tower. This is achieved by constructing an experimental rig and a computer program. The computer simulation solves the problem numerically. The apparatus used in this study comprises a cross-flow cooling tower. From the results obtained, the 'characteristic curve' of cross-flow cooling towers was constructed. This curve is very helpful for designers in order to find the actual value of the number of transfer units, if the values of inlet water temperature or inlet air wet bulb temperature are changed. Also an empirical correlation was conducted to obtain the required number of transfer units of the tower in hot water operation. Another correlation was found to obtain the effectiveness in the wet bulb operation.


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