International Conference on Explorations and Innovations in Engineering & Technology (ICEIET - 2016)

DESIGN AND FABRICATION

1 2
OF MINI
3
DRAFT COOLING TOWER
Mahendran Mukund, Muralidharan,

Address for Correspondence

1
Asst. Prof., Mechanical Engineering, 2Student, K. Ramakrishnan college of Technology, samayapuram,
Trichy,Tamilnadu.

ABSTRACT
Cooling towers are equipment devices commonly used to dissipate heat from power generation units, water-
cooled refrigeration, air conditioning and industrial processes. Cooling towers offer an excellent alternative
particularly in locations where sufficient cooling water cannot be easily obtained from natural sources or where
concern for the environment imposes some limits on the temperature at which cooling water can be returned to
the surrounding. Some techniques refer to different methods used to increase the thermal performance of cooling
tower. The present paper is a detailed methodology for thermal design of cooling tower. The technical data is
taken for Mini draft cooling tower. Here the cooling is done by the application of copper plate, aluminium plate,
and stone.
KEYWORDS Cooling tower, Thermal Design, Different types of losses

INTRODUCTION more numbers of pore, which is used to fell down the

A cooling tower is a semi-enclosed device for
evaporative cooling of water by contact with air. It is a
wooden, steel or concrete structure and corrugated
surfaces or baffles or perforated trays are provided
inside the tower for uniform distribution and better
atomization of water in the tower. The hot water
coming out from the condenser is fed to the tower on
the top and allowed to tickle in form of thin drops. The
air flows from bottom of the tower or perpendicular to
the direction of water flow and then exhausts to the
atmosphere after effective cooling.
water from top to bottom of the cooling tower.
Thermal conductivity of copper (386 w/mk) and
aluminium (204.2 w/mk) is high. So there is loss in
temperature of water while passing through the
plates. After that the water is going through the stone
zone where the water is further cooled. The air flows
from bottom of the tower or perpendicular to the
direction of water flow and then exhausts to the
atmosphere after effective cooling. In order to
increase the efficiency of boiler, effective cooling is
necessary if the water is reused. So it can be reused.

ASSESSMENT OF COOLING TOWER

Figure 3 Range and Approach of cooling tower

Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a cooling water system RANGE

This is the difference between the cooling tower

In the above sketch, pump is used to raise the water
from water tank to heater. Instead of the condenser we
have to directly heating the water by using the heater
to reach temperature as condenser outlet. It is fed to
the cooling tower. In the cooling tower there are three
obstacles which are copper plate, aluminium plate,
stone. Both the copper and aluminium plate having
water inlet and outlet temperature. A high CT Range
means that the cooling tower has been able to reduce
the water temperature effectively, and is thus
performing well.
APPROACH
This is the difference between the cooling tower

ISSN: 2348 – 8360 http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 92

 International Conference on Explorations and Innovations in Engineering & Technology (ICEIET - 2016)

outlet cold water temperature and ambient wet bulb CTR = T1 – T2 = 38 – 32 = 60 C

temperature. Although, both range and approach
should be monitored, the `Approach’ is a better Now, Mass of water circulated in cooling tower
indicator of cooling tower performance. Mw1 = Volume of circulating water x Mass density
of water
EFFECTIVENESS
This is the ratio between the range and the ideal
Mw1 = 30 x 1000
range (in percentage), i.e. difference between cooling
Mw1 = 30000 Kg
water inlet temperature and ambient wet bulb
/hr
temperature, or in other words it is =
Range / (Range + Approach).
HEAT LOSS BY WATER (HL)
HL = Mw1 x Cpw x (T1 – T2)
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION HL = 30000 x 4.186 x (38 -
32) HL = 753480 KJ / hr

VOLUME OF AIR REQUIRED (V)

V = (HL x Vs1) / [(Ha2 – Ha1) - (W2 – W1) x
Cpw x T2]
So, Number of turns required (N)
N = 2 / 0.4
N=5

V = (753480 x 0.842) / [(73 - 50) –

(0.018 – 0.0118) x 4.186 x 32]
V = 28617.25 m3 / hr
HEAT GAIN BY AIR (HG)

HG = V x [(Ha2 – Ha1) - (W2 – W1) x Cpw x T2] / Vs1

DATA FROM PSYCHOMETRIC CHART HG = 28617.25 x [(73 - 50) – (0.018 – 0.0118) x
AND STEAM TABLE 4.186 x 32] / 0.842 HG
= 634430.05 /0.842 HG
= 753480 KJ / hr

MASS OF AIR REQUIRED (Ma)

Ma = Volume of air required / Specific volume of air
at inlet temperature
Ma = V / Vs1
Ma = 33987.23 Kg / hr

THE QUANTITY OF MAKE-UP WATER

(Mmak)
Mmak = V x (W2 – W1) / Vs2
Mmak = 28617.25 x (0.018 – 0.0118) / 0.875
Mmak = 202.7736 Kg / hr
Now, taking Evaporating loss in calculation
Mmak = 202.7736 x [1 + (1.44 / 100)]
Mmak = 205.70 Kg /
hr Mmak = 205.70 / 60
DESIGN CALCULATION Mmak = 3.43 Kg / min
COOLING TOWER APPROACH (CTA)
CTA = T2 – WBT = 32 – 29 = 30 C
VELOCITY OF WATER INSIDE THE
WATER PIPE (VW)
COOLING TOWER RANGE (CTR)

ISSN: 2348 – 8360 http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 93

 International Conference on Explorations and Innovations in Engineering & Technology (ICEIET - 2016)

Δh1 = Value of Hw - Ha at T2 + 0.1 (T1 – T2)

Volume of water transfer through cooling tower per Δh2 = Value of Hw - Ha at T2 + 0.4 (T1 – T2)
hour is 30 m3 / hr. So the velocity of water through Δh3 = Value of Hw - Ha at T1 - 0.4 (T1 – T2)
pipe is Δh4 = Value of Hw - Ha at T1 - 0.1 (T1 – T2)
Vw = 30 / Area of pipe CALCULATION FOR ΔH1
Now, Area of pipe is given by = T2 + 0.1 (T1 – T2)
a = (π / 4) x di2 = 32 + 0.1 (38 - 32)
a = (π / 4) x (0.1) 2
a = 0.00785 m2 = 32.600 C
So, Vw = 30 / 0.00785 Value of Hw at 32.600 C is 136.11 KJ / Kg
Vw = 3821.65 m / hr Vw Value of Ha at 32.600 C is 89 KJ / Kg
= 1.06 m / s
Δh1 = Hw - Ha Δh1
LENGTH OF WATER PIPE REQUIRED (L) = 136.11 – 89
HL = 2πKL (T1 – T2) / log (ro /ri) (1.1) Δh1 = 47.11 KJ / Kg
Material of the pipe used in cooling tower is S.S, So CALCULATION FOR ΔH2
the thermal conductivity for the steel material is 40 W = T2 + 0.4 (T1 – T2)
/ m-deg. So,
K = 40 W / m-deg = 32 + 0.4 (38 - 32)
Put value of K in equation (1.1) = 34.400 C
753480 = 2π x 40 x L x (38 - 32) / log (0.06 /0.05)
753480 = 19045 x L Value of Hw at 34.400 C is 144.47 KJ / Kg
L = 39.60 m Value of Ha at 34.400 C is 105 KJ / Kg
Δh2 = Hw - Ha
NUMBER OF TURNS REQUIRED (N)
Height of cooling tower = 2.3 m. Δh2 = 144.47 – 105
Water pipes are used in circular shape due to shape of Δh2 = 39.47 KJ / Kg
the cooling tower is circular and circular shape is also CALCULATION FOR ΔH3
beneficial for smooth flow. = T1 - 0.4 (T1 – T2)
Consider the space between adjacent two water pipe is = 38 – 0.4 (38 - 32)
0.2 m. = 35.600 C
Pitch of the water pipe = 2 x 0.2 = 0.4 m Value of Hw at 35.600 C is 148.65 KJ / Kg
From top of the cooling tower, leave 0.3 m space for Value of Ha at 35.600 C is 111.80 KJ / Kg
maintenance and other work. Δh3 = Hw - Ha
Available height for water pipes = 2.3 -0.3
=2m Δh3 = 148.65 – 111.80
Δh3 = 36.85 KJ / Kg

COOLING TOWER CHARACTERISTIC CALCULATION FOR ΔH4

Merkel gives the cooling tower characteristics = T1 - 0.1 (T1 – T2)
equation as = 38 – 0.1 (38 - 32)
(KaV / mw1) = [(T1 – T2) / 4] x {(1 /K h1) + = 37.400 C
(1/kh2)+ (1/kh3)+ (1/kh4)} (1.2)
Where, Value of Hw at 37.400 C is 157 KJ / Kg
K = Mass transfer co-efficient (Kg / hr m2) a = Value of Ha at 37.400 C is 122.50 KJ / Kg
Constant area (m2) Δh4 = Hw - Ha

V = Active cooling volume (m3) Δh4 = 157 – 122.50

mw1 = Mass of water (Kg / hr) T 1 = Δh4 = 34.50 KJ / Kg
Hot water temperature (0 C) T2 =
Cold water temperature (0 C) Now put all above value in equation (1.2)
Now, (KaV / mw1) = 0.1540

EFFICIENCY OF COOLING TOWER

ISSN: 2348 – 8360 http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 94
 International Conference on Explorations and Innovations in Engineering & Technology (ICEIET - 2016)

η = (T1 – T2) / (T1 – WBT)

η = (38 - 32) / (38 - 29) XC / XM = M / (M - EL)
η = 66.67 % XC / XM = 363 / (363 - 153)
η XC / XM = Cycles = 1.7286
EFFECTIVENESS OF COOLING TOWER So, Blow down loss
ε = (T1 – T2) / (T1 – Ta1) BL = EL / (Cycles - 1)
ε = (38 - 32) / (38 - 20)
ε = 0.33 BL = 153 / (1.7286 - 1)
BL = 210 Kg / hr
DIFFERENT TYPES OF LOSSES
DRIFT LOSSES (DL) CONCLUSION

Drift losses are generally taken as 0.10 to 0.20% of The design of cooling tower is closely related to
circulating water. tower Characteristic and different types of losses
generated in cooling tower. Even though losses are
DL = 0.20 x mw1 / 100 DL generated in the cooling tower, the cooling is
= 0.20 x 30000 / 100 achieved due to heat transfer between air and water.
DL = 60 Kg / hr In ideal condition, the heat loss by water must be
WINDAGE LOSSES (WL) equal to heat gain by air. But in actual practice it is
not possible because of some type of losses. Cooling
Windage losses are generally taken as 0.005 of tower performance increases with increase in air flow
circulating water. rate and characteristic decreases with increase in
water to air mass ratio.
WL = 0.005 x mw1
WL = 0.005 x 30000 REFERENCE
WL = 150 Kg / hr 1. Kai Wang, Feng - zhong Sun, Yuan-bin
Zhao, Ming Gao, Lei Ruan, Experimental
EVAPORATION LOSSES (EL) research of the guiding channels effect on
the thermal performance of wet cooling
Evaporation losses are generally taken as 0.00085 of towers subjected to crosswinds – Air guiding
circulating water. effect on cooling tower, Applied Thermal
Engineering 30 (2010) 533–538.
EL = 0.00085 x mw1 x (T1 – T2) 2. Z. Zhai, S. Fu, Improving cooling efficiency
EL = 0.00085 x 30000 x (38 - 32) of dry-cooling towers under cross-wind
EL = 153 Kg / hr conditions by using wind-break methods,
Applied Thermal Engineering 26 (2006)
1008–1017
BLOW DOWN LOSSES (BL) 3. Jameel - Ur - Rehman Khan, Bilal Ahmed
Qureshi, Saiyed M. Zubair, A
Number of cycles required for cooling tower is given comprehensive design and performance
by evaluation study of counter flow wet cooling
towers, Internal Journal of Refrigeration 27
Cycles = XC / XM (2004) 914-923.
Where,
4. A. K. M. Mohiuddin, K. Kant, Knowledge
XC = Concentration of solids in circulating base for the systematic design of wet cooling
water XM = Concentration of solids in Make- towers. Part I: Selection and tower
up water characteristics, Int J. Refrig. Vol. 19, No. 1,
pp. 43-51, 1996
Water balance equation for cooling tower is 5. Quan Zhang, Jiasheng Wu, Guoqiang
M = WL + EL + DL Zhang, Jin Zhou, Yonghui Guo, Wei Shen,
Calculations on performance characteristics
M = 150 + 153 + 60 of counter flow reversibly used cooling
M = 363 Kg / hr towers, International journal of refrigeration
ISSN: 2348 – 8360 http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 95
 International Conference on Explorations and Innovations in Engineering & Technology (ICEIET - 2016)

35 (2012) 424-443
6. M. Lucas, P. J. Martinez, A. Viedma,
Experimental study on the thermal
performance of a mechanical cooling tower
with drift eliminators, energy conversion and
management50 (2009) 490-497.
7. J.Smrekar, I.Kuštrin, J.Oman, methodology
for evaluation of cooling tower performance-
part 1: Description of the methodology,
Energy Conversion and management 52
(2011) 3257–3264.
8. Mohiuddin AKM, Kant K. Knowledge base
for the systematic design of wet cooling
towers. Part II: fill and other design
parameters. Int J Refrig 1996;19(1):52–60.
9. Ronak Shah, Trupti Rathod thermal design of
cooling tower , L.D.R.P. Institute of
Technology and Research,
Gandhinagar,Gujarat Technological
University, India IJAERS/Vol. I/ Issue
III/April-June, 2012/26-29

ISSN: 2348 – 8360 http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 96