A

Seminar
On

Effect of various parameters on

the performance of Cooling Tower.
Mechanical Engineering Department
Guided by
Prof. Barahate Sanjay D.
Submitted by
Mr. Agrawal Sagar V.
Introduction.
• Cooling tower is a heat rejection device which rejects
waste heat and steam to the atmosphere.
• They are also termed as direct contact heat exchangers.
• The basic phenomenon of cooling tower is to receive the
hot feed water from the condenser and to supply the same
water at lower temperature. This reduces the cooling
water demand in any of the industries.
• The main objective of cooling tower is to attain maximum
heat transfer.
Principal of Operation.
• The basic phenomenon of cooling tower is to receive the
hot feed water from the condenser and to supply the same
water at lower temperature.
• The principal of operation requires spraying or
distributing water over heat transfer surface through
which a stream of air is passing.
Working.

A schematic working of a cooling tower.

Components of Cooling Tower.
• Frame and casing

• Fill
• Cold water basin

• Drift eliminators

• Air inlet
• Fans
Types.
1. Classification by use. (HVAC, Industrial)

2. Classification by build. (Package type, Field Erection)

3. Heat transfer methods. (Dry type, Wet type)

4. Air flow generation methods. (Natural draft, Mechanical draft)

5. Air - to - water flow type. (Cross flow, Counter flow)

Induced draft counter flow wet
mechanical cooling tower.
• Wet cooling towers are used in case of plenty water available.
In a wet cooling tower, ambient air is used to cool the warm
water exciting the condenser. Though dry towers have
attracted much attention due to less availability of water even
for makeup, they are efficient as evaporative cooling and have
better efficiency than dry cooling tower.

• As in industrial purpose, mechanical draft cooling tower is

preferred due to space constrained.
• Counter flow design over cross flow deign is considered in this
section is to understand the water distribution system and
nozzle arrangement with their effect on the performance of the
tower.

• The main advantages of mechanical cooling tower are:-

1. Low capital & construction cost.

2. Small physical structure & easy installation.

3. Assured supply of air at all loads & climatic conditions.

Mechanical draft counter flow cooling tower
Calculations.
• A cooling tower is specified by,
• Approach, (b) Range, (c) Cooling efficiency.
• The approach (𝐴) is defined as difference between the exit
temperature of cooling water and wet bulb temperature of ambient
air.
𝐴 = 𝑡𝑐2 − 𝑡𝑤𝑏
• Warm water from the condenser enters the cooling tower at a
temperature 𝑡𝑐1 & is cooled to temperature𝑡𝑐2 , which is higher than
the minimum value. The approach varies from 6o to 8oC.
• The cooling range (𝑅) is defined as the difference in the
temperatures of incoming warm water 𝑡𝑐1 & exiting cooled water
𝑡𝑐2 ,
𝑅 = 𝑡𝑐1 − 𝑡𝑐2
• It is the range by which warm water from the condenser is
cooled. The range varies from 6o to 10oC.
• The cooling efficiency is defined as the ratio of actual
cooling of water to the maximum cooling possible.

𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑐1 − 𝑡𝑐2

𝜂𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 = =
𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑐2 − 𝑡𝑤𝑏
Design parameters & its effect.
• Filling Material:
Comparision between volumetric heat transfer coffecient of investigated material
Comparision between pressure losses through investigated filling material
Conclusion.
• Each cooling tower is having an equal importance as per the
application and availability or resources.

• Installation of new techniques i.e., upgrading the components of

cooling tower would increase the efficiency of it.
Advances in cooling tower.
• One of the newest concepts, being widely developed in the past few years,
is well known as solar chimney.
• Solar chimneys are typically composed of fundamental components: a
chimney, a set of solar collectors, and a wind turbine.
• The main aim of a solar chimney is providing a great air flow by heating
the air passing through the transparent roof. As a result of the made
greenhouse effect, the trapped air obtains a great deal of energy which leads
to a density difference between the air inside and outside of the chimney.
• So the air will flow towards the turbine located at the beginning of the
tower, & by passing the air, the turbine will generate power
Schematic layout of hybrid cooling tower
References.
1. Lucas M., Ruiz J., Martínez P. J., Kaiser A.S., Viedma A., Zamora B.,
(2009) ‘Experimental study on the performance of a mechanical cooling
tower fitted with different types of water distribution systems and drift
eliminators.’, Energy Conversion and Management 50, pp.490–497.

2. Nag P. K., ‘Power plant engineering 4th ed.’, Mc Graw Hill Education Pvt.
Ltd., India, pp. 557 – 568.

3. Fisenko S. P., Brin A. A., Petruchik A. I., (2004), ‘Evaporative cooling of

water in a mechanical draft cooling tower.’ International Journal of Heat &
Mass Transfer, 47. pp.165 – 177.
5. Milosavljevic N., Heikkil P., (2001) ‘A comprehensive approach to cooling
tower design’, Valmet Corporation, Air Systems, Applied Thermal
Engineering 21, pp. 899 – 915.

6. Lienhard IV J. H., Lienhard V J. H., 2006 ‘A heat transfer textbook 3rd ed.’,
Phlogiston Press, Cambridge, USA, pp. 597 – 663.

7. Naphon P., (2005), ‘Study on heat transfer characteristics of an evaporative

cooling tower.’ International Communication in Heat & Mass Transfer, 32
pp. 1066 – 1074.

8. Muangnoi T., Asvapoositkul W., Wongwises S., (2007) ‘An exergy analysis
on the performance of a counterflow wet cooling tower.’ Applied Thermal
Engineering 27 pp. 910 – 917.
THANKYOU.