Water cooling tower

AIM:

To determine the overall heat transfer coefficient in a forced draft counter

current cooling tower.
To measure Tower Characteristic parameter KV/L for various liquid and air
flow rates (L/G) in a counter-current Forced draft Cooling Tower.

INTRODUCTION:

Water from condensers and heat exchangers is usually cooled by an air stream in
spray ponds or in Cooling Towers using natural draft or forced flow of the air.
Mechanical draft towers are of the forced draft type, where the air is blown into the
tower by a fan at the bottom. The forced draft materially reduces the effectiveness of
the cooling.

THEORY:

Water may be cooled by the air as long as its temperature is above the wet bulb
temperature of the entering air. Markels theory is used which is based on enthalpy
potential difference as the driving force.

For heat transfer operation: Each particle of water is assumed to be surrounded by a film of air and the enthalpy
difference between the film and the surrounding air provides the driving force for the cooling process. Assume that
liquid is warmer than gas.

For mass transfer operation: Each particle of water is assumed to be surrounded by a film of air and the enthalpy
difference between the film and the surrounding air provides the driving force for the cooling process.
DESCRIPTION:

The apparatus is provided for the process of Forced draft countercurrent cooling of hot water using air. The water
to be cooled is heated in a heating tank using a heater.It is then circulated; through a rotameter; to the top of the
cooling tower mounted over the heating tank. Cooled water is then re-circulated to the heating tank. A blower is
provided for the cooling air. A valve is provided in airline to regulate the flow rate of air. There is an Orificemeter
mounted with its taps connected to a manometer to find the flow rate of air. A set of two temperature sensors is
provided at both inlet and outlet of air stream. These sensors gives Dry bulb & Wet bulb air temperatures. The
cooling tower is packed with Aluminium expanded wire mesh.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

1. Fill the heating tank with water, set the temperature with the help of D.T.C. and switch on heater.
2. Switch on pump & blower after desired temperature achieved.
3. Set the flow rate of water and air.
4. Record the flow rate of water and manometer reading after steady state achieved.
5. Record the temperatures.
6. Steps 3 to 5 may be repeated for different water & air flow rates within operational range.

ANIMATION SHOWING THE COOLING TOWER

EXERIMENTAL CALCULATIONS :

Diameter of Orifice, mm (d1) =34

Diameter of pipe, mm (d2) =68
Coefficient of discharge Cd= 0.6

Density of manometer fluid (water), w (kg/m3) =1000

Density of air, (kg/m3) =1.126

g = 9.81 m/s2
Flow rate = 70 ltr/hr

S. No. T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 R1(cm) R2(cm) QW (LPH)

1 19 17.5 38.6 36 44.5 30.5 5.6 9.5 3.9
2 19.5 18.1 35.4 34.4 43.7 28.3 3 12.1 9.1
3 20 18.7 35.1 34 44.1 28 0.2 14.1 13.9
 CALCULATIONS :

=34.54 m

a1 =Cross Section area of Orifice, m2= 907.46 *10-6 m

a2 = Cross Section area of pipe, m2 =3629.84*10-6 m

= 0.01463 m3/s

= 0.0165 kg/s

=0.01944 kg/s

3.9 x 1000 3900

-------------------- -------
1000x3600 3600000

=1.178

From Enthalpy table, the enthalpy of entering air at a wet bulb temp i.e.17.5 0C is h1= 15.274 Btu/lb of air

=15.274 + 1.178(44.5-30.5)
=31.766 Btu/lb of air

T,0F hwi hai

T=T2 =63.5 hw = -------- ha = h1 =15.274 --------

T=T2 +0.1(T1-T2)=63.77 hw =32.12 ha = h1+0.1(L/G)(T5-T6) =18.25 13.87
T=T2 +0.4(T1-T2)=64.56 hw =33.12 ha = h1+0.4(L/G)(T5-T6) =27.19 5.93
T=T2 -0.4(T1-T2)=65.12 hw =33.62 ha = h2-0.4(L/G)(T5-T6)= 19.84 13.78
T=T2 -0.1(T1-T2)=65.93 hw =34.11 ha = h2-0.1(L/G)(T5-T6) = 28.78 5.33
T=T1 =66.2 hw =34.32 ha = h2 = 31.76 2.56

Cooling range = T5-T6 = 140C

Temperature approach =T2-T6 = -130C

=
= 0.501
Now tower characteristics

=1.7535

On doing the similar calculations for different values of (L/G),we get the complete calculation table. From there
we draw a graph between tower characteristics and (L/G).

LABVIEW CALCULATIONS

(Note : In the snapshots all the boxes with a green background designates inputs/measurements
,with a blue background designates virtual data and with a pink background desinates user's
calculated data.)

STEP 1 : In this step the user will be given values for diameters and densities.According to thah the user has to
calculate the areas and enter the values in the boxes provided.

STEP 2 : In this step the user will be supplied with virtual data for temperature ,water levels and flow rate which
he will require for further calculations.
STEP 3 : Here the user will have to enter his calculated values based on the virtual data and formulas provided.

STEP 4 : Here the user will have to enter his calculated values based on the virtual data provided.
STEP 5 : In this step the user will be provided with virtual data for temperature and enthalpy as shown in the
snapshot below.

STEP 6 : Here the user will have to enter his calculated values based on the virtual data provided in the space
shown in the snapshot.
STEP 7 : Here the user has to enter his calculated value for the tower Characteristic parameter

STEP 8 :This is a simple comparison step between the user's calculated data and the virtual data.
STEP 9 : This is the concluding step mentioning the marks the user gets on his performance.