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CTII-1 Cooling Tower Heat Transfer PDF
CTII-1 Cooling Tower Heat Transfer PDF
FIGURE 2
Sea Level
Barometric Pressure14.696 lb/sq in
FIGURE 3 Optimum operation of a process
usually occurs within a relatively narrow
band of flow rates and cold water
temperatures, which establishes two of
HEAT = L x R the parameters required to size a cooling
LOAD towernamely, gpm and cold water
temperature. The heat load developed
by the process establishes a third
parameterhot water temperature
coming to the tower. For example, lets
assume that a process developing a heat
load of 125,000 Btu/min performs best if
HEAT LOAD, RANGE & GPM supplied with 1,000 gpm of water at 85F.
The expression Ldt in equation (1) With a slight transformation of formula (2),
heat loss represented by this change represents the heat load imposed on the we can determine the water temperature
in humidity ratio can be expressed as tower by whatever process it is serving. elevation through the process as:
G (H2 - H1) (t2 - 32), where: However, because pounds of water per unit 125,000
time are not easily measured, heat load is R= = 15F
1,000 x 813
H1 = Humidity ratio of entering usually expressed as:
airlb vapor/lb dry air. Therefore, the hot water temperature
H2 = Humidity ratio of leaving Heat Load = coming to the tower would be 85F + 15F
airlb vapor/lb dry air. gpm x R x 813 = Btu/min. (2) = 100F.
(t2 - 32) = An expression of water
Where: WET-BULB TEMPERATURE
enthalpy at the cold water
gpm = Water flow rate Having determined that the cooling tower
temperatureBtu/Ib. (The
through process and over must be able to cool 1,000 gpm of water
enthalpy of water is zero at
towergal/min. from 100F to 85F, what parameters of
32F)
R = Range = Difference the entering air must be known? Equation
between hot and cold (1) would identify enthalpy to be of prime
Including this loss of heat through
water temperaturesF. concern, but air enthalpy is not something
evaporation, the total heat balance between
(See Fig.3) that is routinely measured and recorded
air and water, expressed as a differential
813 = Pounds per gallon of water. at any geographic location. However,
equation, is:
wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures are
Note from formula (2) that heat load values easily measured, and a glance at
Gdh = Ldt + GdH (t2 - 32) (1)
establishes only a required temperature Figure 2 (psychrometric chart) shows that
differential in the process water, and is lines of constant wet-bulb are parallel
The total derivation of equation (1)
unconcerned with the actual hot and cold to lines of constant enthalpy, whereas
can be found in A Comprehensive
water temperatures themselves. Therefore, lines of constant dry-bulb have no fixed
Approach to the Analysis of Cooling
the mere indication of a heat load is relationship to enthalpy. Therefore, wet-
Tower Performance by D.R. Baker and
meaningless to the Application Engineer bulb temperature is the air parameter
H.A. Shryock, printed in the August 1961
attempting to properly size a cooling tower. needed to properly size a cooling tower,
issue of the Journal of Heat Transfer, and
More information of a specific nature is and its relationship to other parameters is
available from SPX Cooling Technologies.
required. as shown in the Figure 3 diagram.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 4 Constants:
6 Heat Load
Constants: Approach
Range 1.3 Wet-Bulb
5 Approach
Wet-bulb
1.2
Tower Size Factor
4
Tower Size Factor
1.1
3 1.0 Dec
rea
sing
.9 gpm
2
.8
1
.7
1 2 4 5 6 .6
3 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Range Variance %
Heat Load Factor
FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7
2.5 2.0
Constants: Constants:
Heat Load Heat Load
CTII-1