StephenLowe

ASHRAEHamptonRoadsChapterPastPresident
AECOMDesign MechanicalEngineeringDiscipline
Manager,VirginiaBeachDivision
ProfessionalEngineer
ProfessionalEngineer CommonwealthofVirginia,
CommonwealthofVirginia
NCEES
BSME UniversityofVirginia,2002
Sheetmetalfabricator,equipmentinstaller,refrigeration
servicetechnicianduringhighschoolandcollege
ConsultingEngineerfrom2003
C
l i E i
f

Present
P

Overview
Introduction
CoolingTowerBasics
PrinciplesofOperation
TypesofCoolingTowers
CommonApplications
DesignConsiderations
SelectionCriteria
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
WaterQuality
TowerLocation
AncillarySystems
ConstructionIssues
Constructability,QualityControlandStartup
RatingandCertification
LessonsLearned
L
L
d
Conclusion
Resources
QuestionsandDiscussion

CoolingTowerBasics
PrinciplesofOperation
CoolingViaEvaporation dependsonWetBulb
Temperature
DesignDryBulbTemperaturescommonlyexceed95deg
F:poordeltaTforcoolingprocesses
DesignWetbulbmuchless:~80degF
D i W b lb
hl

d F
UseaprocessthatdependsonWBtotakeadvantageof
g
greaterdeltaT
Evaporativeeffectisachangeofstateandthusalarge
transferofenergyoccursrelativetotherequiredmass
flow

OpenCoolingTower

Cl
dCi
i
ClosedCircuit
CoolingTower

CrossFlowArrangement

CounterFlowArrangement

CoolingTowerBasics
CommonApplications
PowerPlantSteamCondensation
ProcessCooling
HVACHeatRejection

ChillerCondenserHeat
WSHPLoopHeat

*Wewillbefocusingonopen,crossflowcoolingtowersfor
j
chillercondenserheatrejectionfortheremainderofthe
presentation.

BasicHVACCoolingTo erApplication
BasicHVACCoolingTowerApplication

DesignConsiderations
DesignConsiderations
SelectionCriteria
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
WaterQuality
TowerLocation
AncillarySystems

DesignConsiderations
SelectionCriteria
Process(ChillerCondenser)TemperatureRequirements

HotWaterTemperature(HWT):Temperatureofwaterenteringthe
p
(
)
p
g
tower
ColdWaterTemperature(CWT):Temperatureofwaterleavingthe
tower
TowerRange:HWT CWT
LowerCWTgenerallyresultsinhigherChillerEfficiency

FlowRateorCapacity
AmbientConditions
Evaporation(orEntering)DesignWetBulb(EWB)
Approach:CWT EWB
Lowerapproachgenerallyresultsinalargertower

Design Conditions
DesignConditions

Design Conditions
DesignConditions

NO

YES

DesignConditions
UseEvaporationDesignWBforselectionof

evaporativeequipment
Useof0.4%,1%,or2%conditionisuptothedesigner
U f % % %
di i i h d i

basedonspecificapplicationanddesignfirmpractice
A2degreeFmarginofsafetyisrecommendedto
accountforrecirculation(ruleofthumb further
analysisisrequiredforthespecificapplication)
y
q
p
pp
CondenserwaterdeltaTdependsonmanyfactors
suchastheprocessthatiscooledandoptimizationof
thepumpingsystem
h
i

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
Coolingtowerpumpingapplicationtroublesare

generallyrelatedtooneofthefollowingissues:
ll l d
f h f ll i i
IncorrectPumpHeadEstimation
PumpCavitation
AirIntroductiontoPumpSuction
ImproperBypassConfiguration/Control

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
PumpHeadEstimation

Determineactualstaticliftheight
l
lf h h
Determineimpactofsiphondraw:eitherbreakthesiphonor
designtomaintainit.
Determinefrictionhead
Pipe
Equipment(condenser,towerspraynozzle,etc.)
Equipment(condenser towerspraynozzle etc )
Components(valves,strainers,etc.)

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
Pumpheadestimationerrorscancause:

Unstablepumpoperation
bl
Unstablecondenserflowatthechiller
Admissionofairintothepumpinlet
p p
Energywasteduetoneedforextensivethrottling
Manywastedhoursandheadachesfindingtheproblem!

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
Pumpcavitation istheflashing(boiling)oftheworking
fluid(water)intoavaporduetoexcessivelylowsuction
pressureandisoftenconfusedwithairintroductionintothe
di ft
f d ith i i t d ti i t th
pumpsuction.
NetPositiveSuctionHead(NPSH)isthemeasureofsuction
pressure
pressure.
Therequired suctionpressureforaparticularpumpis
indicatedNPSHR andispublishedasacurveonthepump
selectionchart.
Thesuctionpressureavailable tothepumpinaparticular
systemisindicatedNPSHA andmustbecalculatedbythe
engineer.
IfNPSHA<NPSHR,cavitation
IfNPSHA NPSHR it ti will
ill occur.

NPSHAExampleCalculation

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
B&GCoolingTowerPumpingandPipingManualhas4
rulesconcerningthepumpsuctionpiping:
l
i th
ti i i
1.
2.
3.
4.

LeavethesuctionLineAlone!
Placethepumpbelowtowerpanwaterlevel
p p
p
Avoidabovethepumpairtrapsinthesuctionline
Avoidfinemesh,highpressuredropstrainersinthesuction
line

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
Airadmittancetothepumpinletistypicallycausedby:

Towerpanvortexing
Towerpandraindown
Incorrectbypassarrangement
yp
g

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
Towerpanvortexing iscausedbyexcessivevelocityin
th t
thetowerexitpipingandcanbecontrolledby:
it i i d b
t ll db

Donotexcessivelyoversizethepump
Maintainingtowerexitpipesizeforaminimumof10pipe
g
pp
pp
diameters
Increasepandepth
Provideavortexbreakerinthetowerpan
Installtowerontheequator

DesignConsiderations
OpenPipingandPumpingSystems
Towerpandraindowniscausedbyinsufficientwater
d tht fl dth t
depthtofloodthetowerexitpipingandcanbeavoided
it i i d b id d
by:

Correctlysizingthemakeupwaterline
y
g
p
EvaporationRate
Blowdown Rate
Providingacheckvalvetokeepthepipingsystemfloodedon
pumpshutdown
Properlyisolatingtowercellsinmultiplecellinstallations

WRONG
Condenserandasignificant
portionofthepipingsystemwill
drainpacktopanonpump
shutdown.Panmayfloodand
chillercouldstartwithadry
condenser.

CORRECT
Condenserwillremainflooded
onpumpshutdown.Minimal
systemvolumewilldraintopan
onshutdown,thereforepan
p
shouldnotflood.

WRONG
Bypassconnectedtopump
suctionpipingcancauseair
i i i

i
introductiontopumpinletand
unstablepumpoperation.

CORRECT
Bypassdischargingtobasinwith
B
di h i t b i ith
balancingvalvesetequalto
dischargenozzlepressuredrop
willresultinconstantpump
headandfloodedpumpsuction.
p p

CORRECT

WRONG

Separateoperatorsallowvalvestomaintain
aconstanttotalflowasbothvalves
modulate.

Linkedvalveswillresultinunstableflow.

BypassConfigurationExample

DesignConsiderations
WaterQuality
RemovalofSolids
ChemicalTreatment

Consultachemicaltreatmentprofessionalforyourspecific
application
pp

BiologicalContamination

Minimizedrift
Sitetowersawayfromairintakes
Avoidpipingdesignsthatresultinstagnantwater
Chemicallytreat
y

DesignConsiderations
WaterQuality
RemovalofSolids
Whatsthatfloatinginthebasin????
g
Whateveritis,ithasagoodshotatendingupinsideyourchiller!!!!

DesignConsiderations
WaterQuality
RemovalofSolids

Guywithshovelandbucket
h h l db k
Inlinestrainers
Sidestreamfilters
Basinsweepingsystem

DesignConsiderations
TowerLocation
Visibility
Sound
Drift

GettingtheproperRealEstate
Location,location,location
CoolingTowersarehighlyvisibleduetophysicalsize

andplume
d l
Needampleclearancetominimizerecirculationand
ensureproperperformance
Lowfrequencysoundemittedfromlargefanstravels
greatdistance
Driftcanmarkwindowsandpaintjobs

DesignConsiderations
AncillarySystems
FreezeProtection

TowerSumpBasin
Electric
SteamInjection
Recirculation
Piping

WaterTreatmentSystems
ChemicalSystems
SolidsFiltration
ControlSystems
Pneumaticoperators willrequirefreezeprotectioninsome
climates
Largevalvesrequirelotsoftorque electricoperatorsmayneedto
beindustrialgrade

ConstructionIssues
Constructability,Startup,QualityControl
Thereislotsoflargepipingunderneaththetower,make
sureyougetplentyofspaceforit
Considerlayingoutallofthepipingbasedona
manufacturersparticulartower
Usethemanufacturersstartupchecklistonyoursite
U h
f

h kli
i
visit
Readtheinstallationandoperationmanualduring
p
g
design;therearelotsofoptionsthataffectthecostof
thetower.Youneedtospecifythemifyourapplication
needsthem.

ConstructionIssues
RatingsandCertification
ManufacturersRatedPerformance
CTICertification
PerformanceBasedCommissioning

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
TowerBasinFreezeProtection

Directsteaminjectionispopularinindustrialandlargescale
l
d
l dl
l
HVACapplications.
Chemicalusedforboilerfeedwater mayreactwithcondenser
waterchemicaltreatmentresultinginthereleaseofnoxious
gases.
Ahotwatercirculatorpumpcoupledtoaheatsourcecanbe
p p
p
usedinstead.

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
VerticalLoopinSuctionPiping

Towermountedongradeadjacenttomechanicalroom
d
d d
h
l
Coldwaterpipeexitsbottomofbasinandpassesthrough
mechanicalroomwall
Pipeistherunupthewalltotheroofstructuretogetthepipe
acrosstheroomtothepump
Uponshutdown,thesystemequalizesandthepipingatthe
rooflevelbecomesairlocked
Thepumpwillrequiremanualpriminginordertostart

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
FloodingToweronPumpShutdown

Towerismountedongradeadjacenttomechanicalroom.
Towerismountedongradeadjacenttomechanicalroom
Thereisasignificantvolumeofwaterlocatedabovethetower
basinduetoalonghorizontalrunofhotcondenserwaterpipe
inthemechanicalroom.
inthemechanicalroom
Thedivertingvalveisinstalledinthehorizontalwiththe
bypassconnectionfacingdown.
Wheneverthepumpshutsdown allofthewaterinthe
Wheneverthepumpshutsdown,allofthewaterinthe
horizontalpiperunsthroughthedivertingvalveandbackto
thebasin.
Thebasinoverflowsintheparkinglotresultinginan
p
g
g
unsightlypuddleandwastedchemicaltreatment

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Airintroducedtopumpsuctionviabypass

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Airintroducedtopumpsuctionviabypass
AIRCANBEDRAWNINTO
PUMPSUCTION

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Airintroducedtopumpsuctionviatowerdischarge
manifold
if ld

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Airintroducedtopumpsuctionviatowerdischarge
manifold
if ld

MUSTISOLATETOWER
DISCHARGE

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Floodinghotwaterpansonmanifolded towers

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Floodinghotwaterpansonmanifolded towers

AUTOFLOWVALVE

ConstructionIssues
LessonsLearned
Multipleconnectedtowersshouldhaveanequalization
line.
li
Whenaddingorreplacingtowersconnectedthroughan
equalizationline,designthetowerandframingto
q
,
g
g
ensurethattheexistingoperatingwaterlevelis
matchedwiththenewtower.
If itisnecessarytoprovidevibrationisolationforthe
i i

id ib i i l i f h
tower,thepipingsystemmust beisolatedfromthe
tower.

Resources
B&GCoolingTowerPumpingandPipingManual
MarleyCoolingTowerCompany CoolingTower

Fundamentals
F
d
l
BaltimoreAirCoilProductandApplicationHandbook
E
Evapco
E i
EquipmentLayoutManual
L
M
l
www.CTI.org
ASHRAEH db k 2008HVACSystemsand
ASHRAEHandbook
8HVACS t
d
Equipment,Chapter39

Questions?