Chapter 2

2.1 Literature Survey

A detailed literature survey in the area of cooling tower performance has been done. Few
significant work reported here.
Jiasheng Wu et . al. has studied applied artificial neural network analysis of the
performance characteristics of a reversibly used cooling tower under cross flow
conditions for heat pump heating system in winter. This study deals with prediction the
performance characteristics of a reversibly used cooling tower (RUCT) under cross flow
conditions for heat pump heating system in winter using artificial neural network (ANN)
technique. For this aim, extensive field experimental work has been carried out in order
to gather enough data for training and prediction. After back-propagation (BP) training
combined with principal component analysis. The three-layer ANN model with a tangent
sigmoid transfer function at hidden layer with 11 neurons and linear transfer function at
output layer was obtained. The predictions agreed well with the experimental values with
a satisfactory correlation co efficient in the range of .9249-0.9988, the absolute fraction
of variance in large of 0.8753-0.9976, and the m\mean relative error in the range of
0.0008-0.54%, moreover, the root mean square error values for the ANN training and
predictions were very low relative to the range of the experiments. The result reveal that
ANN model can be used effectively for prediction the performance characteristics of
RUCT under cross flow conditions, the providing the theoretical basis on the research of
heat and mass transfer inside RUCT, which is important for design and running control of
the RUCT system.

Alejandro et. Al. has worked 25 years of cooing research in office buildings: Review for
the integration of cooling strategies into the building façade (1990-2014).This paper
seeks to present a panorama of cooling related research in office buildings, categorizing
reported research experiences from the past 25 years in order to identify knowledge gaps
and define current paths and trends for further exploration. The general goal behind this
research is to support the design of sustainable office buildings in warm claimates
through examination of past experiences, thus the paper focuses on strategies at buildings
level and specially related with façade design. Peer reviewed journal articles were
selected as the source for the study, given the reliability of the information published
under peer-review processes. Several queries were carried out throughout three online
journal article database. Several queries were carried out throughout three online journal
articles database(Web of science, SCOPUS and science direct), considering published
papers from 1990 onward. The resulting article database was e\te explored through
descriptive analysis and in-depth review of some articles to expand on specific topics in
order to thoroughly visualize scientific interest and tendencies within the field of study
for the last 25years. As result of the review it is possible to state the high current
relevance of cooling research, having experienced an increase of publications under
different climate context and varied topics ranging from passive to solar cooling, which
is seen as a research field on its own. Also, in terms of research methods, software,
Simulations seem to be the primary tool for cooling research, which makes sense for
performance driven developments. On the other hand , the main knowledge gaps
identified are the need for specific research regarding possibilities for application and
architectural integration of cooling systems, the lack of articles addressing some specific
cooling strategies, such as the use of evaporative and ground cooling and the need for
more information about the operation of cooling systems, especially takking users
perception and their behavior into account.

Qan Zhang et. Al. has worked on calculations on performance characteristics of counter
flow reversibly used cooling towers. This paper aims at developing an analytical model
for the coupled heat and mass transfer processes in a counter flow Reversibly Used
Cooling Tower (RUCT) based on operating Conditions, which is more realistic than
most conventionally adopted Merkel approximations. Temperature and moisture content
differences are chosen as the driving forces of heat and mass transfer correspondingly and
a system of specific difference equations is developed to solve the model more efficiently.
The model is investigated by using an iterative algorithm, which is validated with the
experimental data reported. The analytical model also accommodates the direct and quick
calculation of air and water temperature profiles, moisture content of air and the water
mass flow rate change along the vertical length of the RUCT, With the aid of the
developed model, the thermal behavior of the counter flow RUCT under various
operating and environmental conditions is also studies in this paper, The result reveal that
the proposed model can provide a theoretical foundation for practical design and
performance evaluation of counter flow RUCT.

Jian-Guo et. Al. worked on Discrete model-based operation of cooling tower based on
statistical analysis. This study is aimed to utilize the operation data to build a physical-
meaningful and precise-enough models to assist the operation of a cooling tower, to do
so, this work introduces a dimensionless index, which can describe the cooling capability
of a cooling tower in terms of effective power utilization. In the first phase of this study,
principal component analysis, one of factor analysis method is used to investigate effects
of ambient air temperature and relative humidity on the cooling capability of a cooling
tower. Based on the proposed cooling capability index, the operation can be partitioned
into different groups by the fuzzy c-mean. The resulted groups are distinctly categorized
by the conditions and relative humidity. In the second phase of the study, data within the
same mode of a set of fans are portioned by the fuzzy c-mean clustering algorithm. The
resulted groups of data are then modeled by linear regression. The acquired multiple
models are highly accurate in predicting the output temperature of cooling water from the
cooling tower. The acquired models assist the operator to accurately select the proper fan
mode when process conditions e.g. cooling loading, or environment conditions, e.g.
ambient air temperature, change. It result in electricity saving. This study is concluded by
the presentation of a discrete model-based approach to determine the fan mode. The
application to a real cooling tower in an iron and steel plant is promising in saving
electricity consumed by the fan set.
Seyed Rashid Alvi et. al. performed experimental investigation on thermal performance
of natural draft wet cooling tower employing an innovative wind-creator setup. Natural
draft wet cooling towers are one of the most widely-used types of wet cooling towers inn
the large-scale power plants. In the present research, the heart transfer performance of
natural draft counter-flow wet cooling towers is investigated under cross-wind and
windless conditions by virtue of an innovative wind-creater setup provided so as to
implement intrinsic feature of the natural wind speed profile precisely. As a matter of
fact, their investigation will focus on the influences of cross-wind velocity, inlet water
temperature and water flow rate on the water temperature difference and cooling
efficiency of the studied cooling tower, with an emphasis on the role of wind speed
feature. Interestingly, twofold trend is exhibited by the water temperature difference and
cooling efficiency with respect to variation of the cross-wind velocity. Furthermore, to
have a more applicable study, regression analysis of the experimental results is utilized
for the sake of developing general mathematical equations and thus facilitating further
analyses. Finally, these mathematical equations are employed in order to recommend a
guideline for the purpose of reaching optimum operating conditions of natural draft wet
cooling towers.

Ming Gao et. al. did experimental research on circumferential inflow air and vortex
distribution for wet cooling tower under crosswind conditions. Based on similarity they,
this research conducts a thermal-state mode experiment, studying the change of
circumferential inflow air on the bottom of wet cooling tower and study on the
circumferential inflow air reveals that the symmetric distribution of circumferential
inflow air is affected by crosswind , and this phgenomenon is very obvious when
crosswind velocity is more than 0.2 m/s. at the velocity of m/s, the circumferential inflow
air velocity in windward side is about 1.875 times that of windless conditions, but the
circumferential inflow air velocity in leeward side is about 0.3 times that of windless
conditions. Visualization research of vortex distribution research of vortex distribution
reveals that as the crosswind velocity increases, the vortex is in windward side enlarges
and the vortex in leeward side becomes larger at the beginning, but then gradually
disappears, the vortex in leeward side reaches maximum when crosswind velocity is 0.4
m/s. the unsymmetrical circumferential inflow air and vortex under and deteriorate the
heat and mass transfer performance.

Arash Mirabdolah et. al has performed experimental study on the thermal performance of
mechanical cooling tower with rotational splash type packing. This paper deals with an
experimental investigation of thermal performance of a forced draft counter flow wet
cooling tower filled with a rotational splash type packing. Tower’s parameters are
compared when the packing has been rotated and when it does no rotate (like common
existing towers). However, no reference regarding the effect of the rotational packing on
the cooling tower performance have been found in the reviewed bibliography.The pacing
has 0.85 m2 area and consists of six horizontal wooden slats fixed on a threaded metallic
shaft. This investigation is carried out for three inlet air temperatures 27 0C, 340C and
410C while wate temperature is kept constant at 45 0C.The ranges of packing velocities are
between 0 to 17 rpm AND ALSO SEVERAL RANGES OF WATER TO AIR FLOW
ATE RATION ARE EXPERIMENTED: 0.4 & 2.8. The obtained results showed that
thermal characteristics of the cooling tower are affected by packing’s rotation. The result
show that rotational splash type packing with higher rotational velocity rejects more heat
from water considerably.

After performing literature survey it has been observed that there is no work reported
significantly where adiabatic air is use to improve the performance of cooling tower.
 Chapter 3
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
3.1 Required machine tools & equipments used in fabrication

The tools and equipment, which needed for project induced draft cooling tower. We must
required different machines for different operations like,
 Sheet cutting machines (Hand shearing machines)
 Sheet bending machine
 Welding machine
 Cutter
 Drilling machine
 Hand grinder

And also, some equipment’s like:

 Measuring ttape (500mm)
 Vernier caliper (200mm)
 Marker (Standard quality)
 Hand hacksaw (300mm)
 Drill bit (3mm to 15mm)
 Right (single) point cutting tool.

3.2 The main experimental setup consists of following components

 Digital temperature measuring sensors
 Hot water tank
 Cold water basin
 Water supply
 Electric fan for forced and induced draft
 Electric heater