Cooling Tower Design Calculation

1. Cooling Tower Column

From https://weatherspark.com/y/141434/Average-Weather-in-New-Bohol-
Philippines-Year-Round over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies
from 73°F to 92°F and is rarely below 71°F or above 95°F. In designing we will use the
average temperature which is 29° C .

From
https://www.worldweatheronline.com/dauis-weather-averages/bohol/ph.aspx the
average annual percentage of humidity is 60.0%.
The inlet air conditions:
T airin =29 °C RH air =60 %
Pai =101.3 KPa
P ai
ρ=
(R)(T ai )

Where:

kg
ρai : Air inlet density ( 3
) T ai : Air inlet temperature (K )
m

Pai : Air inlet pressure(KPa) R :Universal Constant

3
101.3 x 10 kg
ρ ai = =1.169 3
287 x 302 m
3
m
Assume air flow rate to be: V̇ blower =13
min

ṁblower=V̇ blower x ρai

(
ṁblower = 13
m3
x
min
min 60 sec
kg
)(
1.169 3 =0.253
m
kg
s )
From Psychometric Chart at 29°C dry bulb temperature and 60% relative
humidity:

kgwater
W airin =0.0154 , T air(wetbulb)=23.2 ° C .
kg air

Solving for the Mass flow rate of Dry Air:

kg
0.253
ṁ s kg
ṁdryair = blower = =0.249
1+W airin kg water s
1+0.0154
kgair

Design Conditions:

T win=42° C T airin =29 ° C

 T wout =35° C T airout =36 ° C

L
V w =3.5 T air(wetbulb)=23.2 ° C
min

kg
ρ w =1000 3
m

Solving for Volumetric Flow Rate of Water:

ṁwater =V̇ w x ρw = 3.5( L

x
min
x
1 m3
min 60 sec 1000 L
kg
1000 3 =0.0583
m )(
kg
s )
2. Cooling Tower Performance

Solving for Cooling Range:

CR=T win−T wout =42° C−35° C=7 °C

Solving for the Approach:

Approch=T wout −T air (wetbulb )=35 ° C−23.2° C=11.8 ° C

Solving for Cooling Tower Load: (Q¿¿ CT )¿

From Psychometric Chart:
kgwater KJ
T air(wetbulb)=23.2 ° C , W airin =0.0154 , h airin =68.5
kg air kg

˙ kg
(
QCT =(m ¿ ¿water ) ( Cp water ) ( CR )= 0.0583
s
4.18
KJ
kg )(
( 7 )=1.71 KW ¿ ¿ )
Solving for Enthalpy: (h)

QCT =(m ¿ ¿dryair )(h˙airout −hairin )¿ ¿

kg KJ
1.71 KW =(0.249 )(hairout −68.5 )
s kg

KJ
h airout =75.35
kg

Solving for the Mass Flow Rate that will be evaporated: (ṁevap ¿

From Psychometric Chart:

KJ kgwater
@ h airout =75.35 , T airout =36 ° C , W airout =0.016
kg kg air

ṁ evap =ṁ dryair ( W airoutside −W airinside )

( )( )
kg kg water kg water −4 kg water
¿ 0.249 0.016 −0.0154 =1.494 x 10
s kg air kgair s

Solving for Cooling Tower Effectiveness: (∈¿

T waterin −T waterout 42 °C−35 ° C

∈= = =0.593 x 100 %=59.32 %
T waterout−T air ( wetbulb ) 35 ° C−23.2 ° C
Solving for the Air Loading( G’ ) and Water Loading ( L’ ):( kg/m2 · s ¿

kg
0.0583
L L' s
= = =0.234
G G' kg
0.249
s

3. Water Tank
Tank capacity estimation
Q= ṁ x C p x ∆ T
V
ṁ=ρ x
t
Where:
kg
Q : Power Heater ( KW ) ρ : Water Density( 3
)
m
ṁ: Mass Flow Rate ( kgs ) V :Water Volume ( m )
3

KJ
C p : Specific Heat of Water ( ) t :Time need ¿ heat the water (sec )
kg ∙ K

∆ T : Temperature Difference