Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Lab

• BE Mechanical
• Credit Hours : 01
• Course Code: ME-417
Engr. Muhammad Amin 1

Department of Mechanical Engineering 1

Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar
 Experiment

Title
Introduction to water cooling tower and General observation of
forced draft cooling tower
Objectives
• To get familiarized with water cooling tower and understand the working principle
of various components used in it.
Apparatus used
• Water Cooling Tower (made by EES Pakistan)
• Hygrometer

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 Experiment

Background Theory
Cooling Tower
• A cooling tower is a dedicated heat exchanger in which air and water are brought
into direct contact (in case of wet type of cooling tower) with each other in order to
reduce the water's temperature. As this occurs, a small volume of water is
evaporated, reducing the temperature of the water being circulated through the
tower.
• Cooling tower systems work by using water to extract waste heat from a system
and ejecting it into the atmosphere primarily through evaporation. The water is then
distributed over the top of the cooling tower where air travels past the warm water
causing a portion of the water to evaporate.

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 Experiment

Psychometry
• Psychrometry is the science of studying thermodynamic properties of moist air and
the use of these to analyze humid air conditions and processes. Air conditioning
processes can be determined with psychrometric charts and Mollier diagrams.
Common properties in the charts includes
• dry-bulb temperature
• wet-bulb temperature
• relative humidity (RH)
• humidity ratio
• specific volume
• dew point temperature
• enthalpy
With at least two known properties it is possible to find rest of properties.
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A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure the amount of water vapor in air, in soil, or in confined spaces.
 Experiment

Types of Cooling Tower

• Dry Cooling Tower
• Wet Cooling Tower
Classification of Cooling Tower
• Natural Draft cooling tower
• Mechanical Draft cooling tower
• Counter flow cooling tower
• Cross flow cooling tower
Factor affecting cooling tower performance
• Air flowrate
• Water flowrate
• Cooling load
• Enter air condition
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• Cooling water condition
Experiment

Fig. (a): Natural Draft Cooling Tower 6

Experiment

Fig. (b): Cooling Tower by EES Pakistan 7

Experiment

Fig. (c): Cooling Tower by EES Pakistan 8

Experiment

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Fig. (d): Psychometric Chart
 Experiment

Performance Parameters of Cooling Tower

• Range: is the temperature difference between cooling water inlet and outlet.
R = Tin – Tout
• Approach: is the difference between cooling water inlet and air inlet temperature.
A = Tin, W – Tin, Air
• Efficiency/Effectiveness:
𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
𝜀= × 100%
𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒+𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ
𝑅
𝜀= × 100%
𝑅+𝐴

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