Data and Results

Table A

Description unit Air flow

100% 75% 50% 25%

Packing density m-1 110 110 110 110

Air inlet dry bulb, T1 °C 20.3 20.7 20.7 20.9

Air inlet wet bulb, T2 °C 31.1 30.9 31.0 31.0

Air outlet dry bulb, T3 °C 27.2 27.7 28.2 28.8

Air outlet wet bulb, T4 °C 26.6 26.5 26.9 28.2

Water inlet temperature, T5 °C 33.0 33.9 33.9 34.1

Water outlet temperature, °C 26.9 27.3 27.7 28.5

T6
Orifice differential, DP1 Pa 85.0 63.0 44.0 23.0

Water flow rate, FT1 LPM 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

Heater power, Q1 Watt 1kW 1kW 1kW 1kW

Pressure drop across Pa 31.0 22.0 18.0 10.0

packing, DP2

Table B

Description Air Flow

100% 75% 50% 25%
Nominal velocity of air (m/s) 0.4200 0.3622 0.3033 0.2200

Approach to wet bulb (K) -4.2000 -3.6000 -3.3000 -2.5000

Pressure (mm H2O) 8.6676 6.4242 4.4868 2.3453

 Nominal air velocity, m/s

0 3.5
0.42 0.3622 0.3033 0.22

Packing pressure drop,mm H2O

-0.5 3
Approach to wet bulb (K)

-1
2.5
-1.5
2
-2
1.5
-2.5
1
-3

-3.5 0.5

-4 0

Wet bulb approach, K and Packing pressure drop mm

H2O against Nominal air velocity, m/s
Discussion

Cooling tower was very useful and needed because combined effects of expanding
agricultural, commercial and industrial activities have imposed growing demands for both
electrical power and water, especially water used for cooling (Al-Waked, 2006). Also, the cooling
process of the hot water cover a combination of heat and mass transfer principles (G. Gan,1999).

In the condenser, the hot water is sprayed on top of splash bars or film fills. It increases the
surface area of the water in direct contact with the cooling air. The moisture content of the cooling
air is less than the moisture content of the saturated air at the hot water temperature, which results
in evaporating an amount of water. The energy required for evaporation is extracted from the
remaining water, hence reducing its temperature. The cooled water is collected at the basin and
pumped back into the condenser completing its circuit. “The evaporation process inside the
cooling tower results in increasing the air temperature and humidity” (S. Riffat, 2000). Thus,
reducing the air density and making the cooling tower effluent buoyant relative to the ambient air
(S. Riffat, 2000).

The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of air velocity on both wet bulb
approach and pressure drop through the packing. The laboratory cooling tower was conducted
by using the Bench Top Cooling Tower (Model HE 152) to give a better understanding in terms
of the design, construction and operational characteristics of the system and is known as the
forced cooling tower. Cooling tower approach is the difference in temperature of the water inlet
and the wet bulb temperature. Four sets of blower opening were being tested which are at 100%,
75%, 50% and 25% to achieve the objectives of this experiment.

General start-up was performed accordingly. The experiment was started by

performing the start-up procedures followed with 100% orifice pressure drop and allowed it
stabilize for 15 minutes. The data of result were collected from the screen of computer. The
experiment was repeated with 75%, 50% and 25% of orifice pressure drop values. Based on
result obtained, the value of nominal air velocity and also wet bulb approach were calculated. In
a nutshell, the objectives of this experiment were successfully achieved.
 Every blower opening has its orifice differential. A computer was linked to the cooling tower
and it showed that at 100% of blower opening, the orifice differential was 85 Pa. The pressure
was used to calculate the orifice differential for blower openings at 75%, 50% and 25%. Average
of the data attained was calculated. Theoretically, the wet bulb thermometer measures the extent
of cooling as moisture dries from a surface. The wet bulb temperature is always lower than the
dry bulb temperature except when there is 100% relative humidity, making the wet bulb
temperature a more accurate measurement of product temperature. Hence, the result obtained
does obey the theory since temperature of air inlet for dry bulb were 20.3°C, 20.7°C, 20.7°C and
20.9°C while temperature of air inlet wet bulb were 31.1°C, 30.9°C, 31.0°C and 31.0°C.

At the same time, since the temperature of the absorbed moisture is less than the dry bulb
temperature of the air, there is reduction in the overall temperature of the air. Since the heat is
released in the stream or spray of water, its temperature of wet bulb increases. The result obtained
for the air outlet of dry bulb were 27.2°C, 27.7°C, 28.2°C and 28.8°C while the air outlet for wet
bulb were 26.6°C, 26.5°C, 26.9°C and 28.2°C.

Cooling towers has the ability to lower the temperature of water that use only air to reject
heat to the surroundings. As the air flow decreases, the transfer of heat from hot water to the air
is low. The lowest outlet water temperature was at air flow of 100% with 26.9°C since air entering
had a higher moisture content to lower the temperature of the water. The evaporated water is
absorbed by the air so its moisture content, thus the humidity increases (Satish, 2016). Hence,
the highest water temperature would be at the least air flow entering the cooling tower which was
at 25% with 28.5C because the moisture content was low and the humidity to be increased, thus
the temperature difference is small at -2.5000.

Based on the result, the nominal velocity of air at blower opening of 100%,75%, 50% and
25% were 0.4200m/s, 0.3622m/s, 0.3033m/s and 0.2200m/s. The approach to wet bulb was
calculated and it showed an increasing value as the blower opening decreases. When both
nominal air velocity and pressure drops across packing decreases, the approach to wet bulb
increase. This is because when pressure drops across packing is low, the nominal air velocity
enters the column is decrease. Thus the heat transfer between warm liquid and saturated air is
low. Hence, the wet bulb temperature keeps increasing from 100% to 25% of the blower opening.
 There are few possible errors that might occur during the experiment that may affect the
experimental result. Firstly, the load must be ensured the water is refilled before starting a new
different orifice pressure drop so that the experiment could run smoothly and it will not affect the
result. Secondly, the orifice pressure drop need to be calculated accurately. Therefore, we can
have a better result of the experiment.
APPENDICES

Air Flow: 100%

Approach to wet bulb (K)

Approach to wet bulb = Outlet water Temperature (T6) – Inlet air wet bulb temperature (T2)
= (31.1 + 273.15) – (26.9 + 273.15)
= 304.25 K – 300.05 K
= 4.2 K

Specific Volume, v (m3/kg)

From Psychometric Chart, intersection between wet bulb temperature and dry bulb temperature:

Dry Bulb Temperature (Tdb): 27.20 °C  °F

Tdb = 27.20°C * 1.8 + 32

= 80.96 °F

Wet Bulb Temperature (Twb): 26.60 °C  °F

Twb = 26.60 °C * 1.8 + 32

= 79.88 °F

Specific Volume, v: 14.1 ft3/Ib  m3/kg

14.1ft 3 0.028317m3 1Ib
X X = 0.8802 m3 /kg
Ib ft 3 0.453593kg
Air Mass Flowrate, ṁ

h
ṁ = 0.0137 √v

Orifice Differential, h (mm)

0.1019716358 𝑚𝑚
h = 85 Pa X
1 𝑃𝑎
= 8.6676 mm H2O

8.6676
ṁ = 0.0137√
0.8802

= 0.0430 kg/s

Air Volumetric Flowrate, V̇ (m3/s)

V̇ = ṁv
= 0.0430 kg/s * 0.8802m3/kg
= 0.0378 m3/s

Nominal Air Velocity, v (m/s)

𝑉̇
𝑣=
𝐴

Area, A (m2)

A=W×h

= 15 cm × 60 cm
= 900cm2
= 0.09 m2

0.0378
𝑣=
0.09
= 0.42 m/s
Air Flow: 75%

Approach to wet bulb (K)

Approach to wet bulb = Outlet water Temperature (T6) – Inlet air wet bulb temperature (T2)
= (30.90 + 273.15) – (27.30 + 273.15)
= 304.05 K – 300.45 K
= 3.6 K

Specific Volume, v (m3/kg)

From Psychometric Chart, intersection between wet bulb temperature and dry bulb temperature:

Dry Bulb Temperature (Tdb): 27.70 °C  °F

Tdb = 27.70°C * 1.8 + 32

= 81.86 °F

Wet Bulb Temperature (Twb): 26.50 °C  °F

Twb = 26.50 °C * 1.8 + 32

= 79.7 °F

Specific Volume, v: 14.12ft3/Ib  m3/kg

14.12ft 3 0.028317m3 1Ib
X 3
X = 0.8815 m3 /kg
Ib ft 0.453593kg

Air Mass Flowrate, ṁ

h
ṁ = 0.0137 √v

Orifice Differential, h (mm)

0.1019716358 𝑚𝑚
h = 63 Pa X
1 𝑃𝑎
= 6.4242 mm H2O

6.4242
ṁ = 0.0137√
0.8815
 = 0.0370 kg/s

Air Volumetric Flowrate, V̇ (m3/s)

V̇ = ṁv
= 0.0370 kg/s * 0.8815 m3/kg
= 0.0326 m3/s

Nominal Air Velocity, v (m/s)

𝑉̇
𝑣=
𝐴

Area, A (m2)

A=W×h

= 15 cm × 60 cm
= 900cm2
= 0.09 m2

0.0326
𝑣=
0.09
= 0.3622 m/s
Air Flow: 50%

Approach to wet bulb (K)

Approach to wet bulb = Outlet water Temperature (T6) – Inlet air wet bulb temperature (T2)
= (31.00 + 273.15) – (27.70 + 273.15)
= 304.15 K – 300.85 K
= 3.3 K

Specific Volume, v (m3/kg)

From Psychometric Chart, intersection between wet bulb temperature and dry bulb temperature:

Dry Bulb Temperature (Tdb): 28.20 °C  °F

Tdb = 28.20°C * 1.8 + 32

= 82.76 °F

Wet Bulb Temperature (Twb): 26.90 °C  °F

Twb = 26.90 °C * 1.8 + 32

= 80.42 °F

Specific Volume, v: 14.19 ft3/Ib  m3/kg

14.19ft 3 0.028317m3 1Ib
X 3
X = 0.8859 m3 /kg
Ib ft 0.453593kg

Air Mass Flowrate, ṁ

h
ṁ = 0.0137 √v

Orifice Differential, h (mm)

0.1019716358 𝑚𝑚
h = 44 Pa X
1 𝑃𝑎
= 4.4868 mm H2O
 4.4868
ṁ = 0.0137√
0.8859

= 0.0308 kg/s
Air Volumetric Flowrate, V̇ (m3/s)
V̇ = ṁv
= 0.0308 kg/s * 0.8859 m3/kg
= 0.0273 m3/s

Nominal Air Velocity, v (m/s)

𝑉̇
𝑣=
𝐴

Area, A (m2)

A=W×h

= 15 cm × 60 cm
= 900cm2
= 0.09 m2

0.0273
𝑣=
0.09
= 0.3033 m/s
Air Flow: 25%

Approach to wet bulb (K)

Approach to wet bulb = Outlet water Temperature (T6) – Inlet air wet bulb temperature (T2)
= (31.00 + 273.15) – (20.07 + 273.15)
= 304.15 K – 293.22 K
= 10.93 K

Specific Volume, v (m3/kg)

From Psychometric Chart, intersection between wet bulb temperature and dry bulb temperature:

Dry Bulb Temperature (Tdb): 28.80 °C  °F

Tdb = 28.80°C * 1.8 + 32

= 83.84 °F

Wet Bulb Temperature (Twb): 28.20 °C  °F

Twb = 28.20 °C * 1.8 + 32

= 82.76 °F

Specific Volume, v: 14.22 ft3/Ib  m3/kg

14.22ft 3 0.028317m3 1Ib
X 3
X = 0.8877 m3 /kg
Ib ft 0.453593kg

Air Mass Flowrate, ṁ

h
ṁ = 0.0137 √v

Orifice Differential, h (mm)

0.1019716358 𝑚𝑚
h = 23 Pa X
1 𝑃𝑎
= 2.3453 mm H2O
 2.3453
ṁ = 0.0137√
0.8877

= 0.0223 kg/s
Air Volumetric Flowrate, V̇ (m3/s)
V̇ = ṁv
= 0.0223 kg/s * 0.8877 m3/kg
= 0.0198 m3/s

Nominal Air Velocity, v (m/s)

𝑉̇
𝑣=
𝐴

Area, A (m2)

A=W×h

= 15 cm × 60 cm
= 900cm2
= 0.09 m2

0.0198
𝑣=
0.09
= 0.22 m/s
 References

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engineering, 26(4), 382-395.

2. G. Gan, S. Riffat, Numerical simulation of closed wet cooling towers for chilled ceiling
systems, Applied Thermal Engineering 19 (1999) 1279–1296.

3. S. Riffat, A. Oliveira, J. Facao, G. Gan, P. Doherty, Thermal performance of a closed

wet cooling tower for chilled ceilings: measurement and CFD simulation, International
Journal of Energy Research 24 (2000) 1171–1179.

4. Satish. (2016). Performance of Cooling Tower. International Journal odf Engineering

Trends and Technology, 7.