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C
bulb temperature of the air
ooling towers are an impor- stream as the hot water inlet
tant unit operation in chem- stream flows down from the
top of the cooling tower and
ical process industries (CPI) the air stream flows upward Water Tw, out
operations. Applying mass
Cooling-water supply
in = 1.148 kg/m3
design purposes, the worst sce-
nario — that is, the summer season Lout = 7,368,000 kg/h
tout = 33oC
wet-bulb temperature — needs to 1
be considered. Makeup water Cooling-water flow to
Range (ΔT). The range is the differ- Lm = 165,000 kg/h
exchanger
Heat load
ence between the water tempera- tm = 33oC 2 Q = 105 MW
tures at the inlet and the outlet of the Pump flow Cold blowdown
cooling tower (tin – tout). In this case, Hot blowdown
Lp = 7,533,000 kg/h Lp = 33,000 kg/h
the range is 12°C. The range does tp = 33 oC tp = 33 oC Lb = 0 kg/h
tin = 45 oC
not represent the cooling tower ca-
pability; rather, the range is based on FIGURE 2. This schematic diagram depicts the parameters of the case study cooling tower system.
the cooling-water circulation flowrate Note: All three cells and three fans are lumped together and shown as a single unit
(Lin), and the sum of the heat loads
taken from the heat exchangers in Use Equation (3) to apply a mass
the process unit (Q), and it is not re- balance for the entire section of (5)
lated to the size or capability of the tower. As shown in Equation (3), the
cooling tower. On the other hand, an amount of water evaporated (eL) in
increase in range will cause an in- the down-pouring liquid is the dif- Solving both mass and heat bal-
crease in approach, if all other con- ference between the inlet liquid flow ance equations [Equations (3) and
ditions are not changed. The range (Lin) and the sum of the outlet liquid (5)] simultaneously, the evaporation
is shown in Equation (1): flow (Lout) and the drift loss (dL). It is
equal to the difference of moisture
content of air across the tower. NOMENCLATURE
(1)
cw = Specific heat of water, kJ/kgK
dL = Drift loss, kg/h
Cooling tower efficiency (). The (3)
eL = Evaporation loss, kg/h
cooling tower efficiency is the ratio of
G = Air flowrate (wet), kg of air/h
actual cooling (range) to the theoreti- Where:
G' = Air flowrate (dry), kg of dry air/h
cally possible maximum cooling (that G' = the quantity of dry air flow
h = Water enthalpy, kJ/kg
is, when the approach is zero), as (which remains the same at the inlet
H = Moist air enthalpy, kJ/kg
shown in Equation (2): and outlet air streams), kg of dry air
L = Liquid flowrate, kg/h
Y = absolute humidity, kg water/kg
OL = Other losses (seal leak, pipe leaking,
dry air/h
and so on) in the system, kg/h
(2) The subscripts in and out refer to the
Q = Heat load, kW
entry and exit locations.
t = Water temperature, °C
Theoretically, an approach of The overall energy balance is given
T = Air temperature, °C
zero means the tower is 100% ef- by Equation (4):
Y = Air humidity, kg water/kg of dry air
ficient. Industrial cooling towers = Moist air density, kg/m3
typically have an approach tem- o = Latent heat of vaporization of water,
perature between 4° and 8.5°C, (4) kJ/kg
and an efficiency between 70 and = Cooling tower efficiency, %
75% [2]; in this case, the efficiency Where: ΔT = Range, °C
is 75%. h = the liquid enthalpy, kJ/kg water Subscripts
H = the moist air enthalpy, kJ/kg d = Drift water
Evaporation loss and air needs dry air b = Blowdown
Method 1. The evaporation loss Substituting Lout from Equation (3) in = Inlet location
and air flow requirement through the into Equation (4), and assuming the m = Makeup water
tower can be evaluated by solving enthalpy of the drift water hd is hout, out = Outlet location
the mass and energy balance equa- and simplifying Equation (4), one p = Pump
tions simultaneously. gets Equation (5): w = Wet-bulb temperature
HA
(6)
C YA
A
From Equation (6), eL is calculated
E D YD as 132,000 kg/h. It is to be noted
that in this method, the dry air flow
Sensible heat (G') is not required. Once eL is evalu-
transfer ated, G' is estimated from the mass
balance equation [(Equation (3)]. The
Dry-bulb temperature, oC
split of latent heat transfer and sen-
FIGURE 3. In this psychrometric chart, the relevant process condition from the case history is marked as sible air heating in this case is about
vector AB 85% and 15%, respectively.
loss (eL) and the dry-air require- the inlet air. But in the case of DB, Makeup water and blowdown
ment (G') are estimated as 132,000 the dry-bulb temperature of air is Makeup water (Lm) is added to the
kg/h and G' = 4,699,850 kg dry decreased and thus the air is cooled sump to compensate for the water
air/h, respectively. at the exit. In both cases, the wet- losses in the circuit. The water losses
Method 2. Depending on the tem- bulb temperature of the exit air will include evaporation loss (eL), drift
perature of the inlet air (whether it always be increased compared with loss (dL), blowdown (Lb), and other
is hot or cold), the air can be either that of the inlet air. So, the water leakage losses (OL) in the system,
heated or cooled as it travels along flowing through the cooling tower such as losses from the pump seal,
the height of a cooling tower. In the can be cooled by unsaturated air, ir- piping leak, washdown water and fil-
psychrometric chart shown inFig- respective of whether the air is hot ter backwash.
ure 3, the entering condition of the or cold.
air is denoted by point A, and the In this case study, from the field (7)
exit air (which is completely satu- measurements of DBT and WBT,
rated with water) is denoted by the psychrometric properties, such Drift loss. Small droplets that are
point B. The enthalpy difference of as absolute humidity, saturation hu- entrained by the upward-flowing air
dry air is (HA–HB). The vector AB midity and moist air enthalpy for the stream are collected in a mist elimi-
is the sum of the two components. inlet air and the outlet air, could be nator, where they accumulate to
The horizontal component AC rep- evaluated. The inlet air is marked as form larger drops that are eventually
resents the sensible heating of air, point A, and the outlet air is marked returned to the fill. In general, very
and the vertical component CB is as point B in the psychrometric little water in the form of droplets is
the latent heating of air. In a cool- chart. Another hypothetical point C carried along with the air, but those
ing tower, it is also possible to is marked in such a way that it has a droplets do results in water loss,
cool the air if the inlet air condition dry-bulb temperature similar to point called drift loss or windage loss.
is at D [3]. At point D, the air is hot B and absolute humidity similar to This drift water typically contains dis-
and dry, when compared to the air point A. It must be noted that the solved solids and may cause stain,
at point A. point C is a hypothetical and does corrosion or damage to nearby
The component DE is the sensible not correspond to any location in the buildings and structures. Drift loss is
air cooling, and the component EB is cooling tower; the point C is marked usually about 0.1–0.3% of the circu-
the latent heating of air. The net heat on the chart to see the horizontal lation water rate (Lin).
received by the air is the difference and vertical component of vector To compensate for the evapora-
between the latent air heating and AB. Moist air enthalpy for point C is tion loss and drift loss, additional
the sensible air cooling. calculated. makeup water is added. Since the
In the case of the AB process, the The total heat gained by the air makeup water typically contains dis-
dry-bulb temperature of the air is (HB–HA) has two components: the solved solids, these solids are typi-
increased at the exit — that is, the latent heat transfer (HB–HC), and the cally left behind in the sump water
exit air becomes hot compared to sensible heat transfer (HC–HA). The as the water evaporates in the cool-
66 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM APRIL 2017
350,000
ing tower. Meanwhile, since the
cooling water is a very effective air Makeup water requirements, kg/h
scrubber, dust and debris present in
300,000
the up-flowing air is washed out by
down-pouring water and collects in
the sump. As solids accumulate in
250,000
the sump, they increase the poten-
tial for scale corrosion and biological
fouling in the cooling-water circuit.
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