COOLING TOWER

Dewi Permata Sari Binti Saiful Bahari (2019660264), Farah Aida Binti Md Azman (2019452304)

Abstract— Cooling tower are one type of heat exchanger.
Thus, the purpose is to lower the temperature of hot water that
are circulate throughout the cooling tower. From the process
occurred, small volumes of water vapors will then evaporate
which it will lowering the temperature of the hot water that
was being circulated throughout the cooling tower. For this
equipment, two experiments were being held which are
experiment 1 and experiment 2. In experiment 1, the changes is
heater power at 0.5kW, 1.0kW and 1.5kW while water flow
rate 1LPM remains constant. From experiment, we determine
the correspondence between cooling load and cooling range. In
experiment 2, the changes is blower opening whether it full
open, partially opened or full closed while flow of water at
1LPM and heat power 1kW remains constant. Through the
experiment, we investigate the effect of blower opening state on
wet bulb approach and pressure drop within the packing.
cooling are used. We can see that the cold water entered and
distribute by using spray nozzles and the water vapors
evaporates and flow upwards as a result from decreased
temperature of hot water. Besides, as nozzles are used to
spray the water, it helps to slows water flow down and
exposes the maximum amount of water surface area
possible which is packing for contact between air and water.
However, common cooling towers cannot be used for all
applications. As we all know, two types of cooling system
are available which are cross flow and counter flow cooling
tower. Differ interaction contact between of air and water
are their key differences.

Keywords— Cooling Tower; open circuit; packing;

evaporative cooling; hot water; cooling load; cooling range;
blower; pressure drop; wet bulb

I. INTRODUCTION
Cooling towers is an example of heat exchangers that
available where water and air are interact with each other to
decrease temperature of hot water. As we mentioned earlier,
through this process, a small volumes of water vapors will
evaporate thus lowering the temperature of hot water
circulated in the cooling tower. In a simple words, cooling
tower cools down water that heat up from equipment and
other processes occurred. Figure 1 shows cooling tower
theoretical principles, it works based on evaporative
cooling’s principle.
Figure 2. Open Circuit cooling tower

Apart from that, packing or fill pack are important to

improve effectiveness of cooling tower. It provides enough
surface area towards evaporative cooling process. Types of
packing are also depending on purpose whether for
industrial or in lab scale. Some requirements are needed to
choose the suitable type of packing:

a) Process involved
b) Cooling Tower designs

In this laboratory experiment, we are experienced the open

Figure 1. Cooling Tower working principle
There are different types of cooling tower available. From
the illustration provided, the principles of evaporative
circuit cooling tower as shown in Figure 2. Through open
circuit, there is no separation occurred in the loop cooling
system throughout process flow. This is because cooled
water only flows through process then returns back into
cooling tower. This actions will repeated again where the
system increased temperature and flows of cold water again
for evaporative cooling.
II. OBJECTIVES
1. To determine the correspondence between cooling load
and cooling range.
2. To investigate effect of blowing opening state on wet
bulb approach and pressure drop within the packing.
3. To study the performance of cooling tower at
manipulated variables such as cooling load and air velocity.
III. THEORY
Cooling towers are an uncommon type of heat exchanger
that permits water and air which allows a contact with each
other to achieve a lower temperature of water. At the same
time, when small amount of water evaporates, it brings down
the temperature of the water within the cooling tower. The
impact of evaporation is important where cooling takes place
and acts as water particles. The water particles are
continuously replaced by others within the fluid. The hot
water is usually caused by air conditioning condensers or
other mechanical forms (Cooling Tower Products, 2018).
The water is cooled by means of two processes: conduction
and evaporation.
Evaporation essentially happens from a wet surface into the
surrounding air. The equilibrium temperature is the "wet
bulb temperature" under adiabatic conditions. With an
adequate air flow, the water that leaves the system will be the
wet bulb temperature. Therefore, this shows effectiveness of
the cooling of the tower. Moreover, an important parameter
of cooling towers which is the approaching to wet bulb
shows the difference between the temperature outlet and the
temperature inlet of air. The psychometric chart can give out
information such as the specific enthalpy, specific volume,
humidity ratio and relative humidity.
Figure 3. shows the sample of psychometric chart
The effect of these factors is essential in the operation of
cooling tower. The performance of a cooling tower shall be
dependent on the factors to be able to verify water flow
rates, water temperatures, airflow rate and inlet air relative
humidity.
The working principle and performance of cooling tower is
based on the thermodynamic property, inclusive of First
Law of Thermodynamic which is conversion of energy.
Conversion energy is defined as transferring energy into and
out of the unit operation. The first law of thermodynamics
also states that the differences in the internal energy of a
system, ΔU equals the heat transfer into the system Q, plus
the net work done on the system W (Openstax, 2012). This
forms an equation of the first law of thermodynamics,
ΔU=Q+W (equation 1)
The specific enthalpy of compressed liquid is given by,
h = hf +v f (p − psat) (equation 2)
For the following relationship, it is for the cooling tower
unit:
Δh = CpΔT (equation 4)
and
h = CpT (equation 5)
Where Cp = 4.18 kJ.kg-1
IV. PROCEDURES
General start-up procedures
1. V1 and V6 valves was inspected to make sure that
these valves were closed and v7 valve was slightly
open.
2. Deionised water or distilled water are used to fill
the load tank in the cooling tower instrument. It is
done by pouring the water in the load tank after
taking out the make-up tank first. Then the make-
up tank was filled up until it reach the zero mark at
the water scale after replacing it bank onto the load
tank and the bulb has been tighten.
3. The wet bulb sensor reservoir were filled with
distilled water or deionised water until it full.
4. Each deferential pressure sensor was attach to the
proper tubing.
5. In this experiment. Suitable cooling tower packing
were used.
6. The set point in temperature for this experiment
temperature was 50°C. The water heater with the
power of 1kW was on and the water were heated
up until the temperature was estimate reaching
40°C.
7. After switching on the pump, control valve (V1)
was slowly open until it reach 2.0 LPM. The water
flow uniformly through and steady operation was
achieved.
 8. The fan damper was completely open and the
blower was turn on. The orifice differential
pressure was measure by checking the differential V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
pressure sensor reading when the valve manifold.
9. The level of water in the load tank was adjust by
the float valve after letting the unit run for 20
minutes. The makeup tank was filled if needed.
10. The cooling tower is ready to use.
Experiment 1 : To determine the correspondence between
cooling load and cooling range. CONCLUSION
1. The cooling tower has been started up according to
the start-up procedure that has been prepared. Write a concise statement summarizing the results.
2. The water flow rate has been set to 1.0 LPM. The Accurately answers objective.
power was set to 0.5 kW using column A and the
blower’s opening is fully opened. The system was
allowed to stabilize for 10 minutes.
3. The data needed for the experiment have been RECOMMENDATIONS
recorded after the 10 minutes passed. The data that
Concise recommendations and closely relevant to the
were required in this experiment were T1 (°C),
experimental procedures must be included.
T2(°C), T3(°C), T4(°C), T5(°C), T6(°C),
differential pressure orifice (Pa), differential
References
pressure column (Pa) and heater power (kW)
[1] Kurnik, C. W., Boyd, B., Stoughton, K. M., & Lewis, T.
4. The power for the system is set to 1.0 kW after
(2017). Cooling Tower (Evaporative Cooling
obtaining the data without changing the systems
System) Measurement and Verification Protocol.
settings.
doi: 10.2172/1412805
5. The experiment was repeated for 1.5 kW.
[2] COOLING TOWER PACKING – ALL YOU NEED TO
Experiment 2 : To investigate the effect of blower opening KNOW. (2020, January 13). Retrieved from
state on wet bulb approach and pressure drop within the https://www.vistechcooling.co.uk/vistech-industrial-
packing. services/cooling-tower-packing-all-you-need-to-
1. The cooling tower condition has been retained know/
from experiment. [3] How Cooling Towers Work (W/ Diagram, Pictures &
2. The only condition that being change was heater Principles) 2018. (n.d.). Retrieved from
power to 1.0 kW. https://www.coolingtowerproducts.com/blog/how-
3. After 10 minutes for the system to stabilize with cooling-towers-work-diagram-pictures-
blower’s opening fully opened, the required data 2015.htm#14
has been recorded. The data that were required in [4] Cooling Tower Products. (2018). HOW COOLING
this experiment were T1 (°C), T2(°C), T3(°C), TOWERS WORK (W/ DIAGRAM, PICTURES &
T4(°C), T5(°C), T6(°C), differential pressure PRINCIPLES) 2018. Retrieved from
orifice (Pa) and differential pressure column (Pa) coolingtowerproducts.com:
4. The experiment were repeated with different https://www.coolingtowerproducts.com/blog/how-cooling
blower’s opening, partially opened and fully towers-work-diagram-pictures-2015.htm#1
closed. [5] OpenStax, The First Law of Thermodynamics.
OpenStax CNX. Aug 19, 2014
General shut-down procedures. http://cnx.org/contents/fb11b483-b85f-4cda-bec7-
1. After switching off the heater, the remaining water 4dfd136dba60@7.
in the cooling tower were left to circulate through
the system for about three to five minutes until the
temperature decrease.
2. The blower was off and the fan damper was
completely closed.
3. The pump and power supply were turn off.
4. Water in the tank were reserve for the next
experiment.
5. If it was not used, the water were drain off from the
tank.
 APPENDIX

Additional information in appendices extracted from

resources cited in references, concise and closely related to
the experiment. Raw data recorded can be included here.