ENGR.

GS ROBLES
VARIOUS PICTURES OF COOLING TOWERS….
VARIOUS PICTURES OF COOLING TOWERS….
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
STEAM POWER PLANT
COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT
DIESEL ENGINE POWER PLANT
 1. CT’S are used to supply a constant
amount of “cooling water” that is needed in
every kind of processes (machines/
equipments) to prevent such machines/
equipments from “overheating” resulting
into “mechanical failure”** further leading
to…
-- Poor Economics
-- Destruction of property
-- Loss of lives
 Electric
Boiler Generator
Electrical
Pressure Steam
Energy
Air Energy Turbine
Cooling
SHV Mechanical Tower
BurnerBoiler Energy Condenser
Thermal LV Cold H2O
HOT LVEnergy
& COLD CT H2O
Fuel
SL
BFWP
ChemicalCONDENSATION Hot H2O
SL
Energy
NORMAL TEMP. SL & HOT CT H2O

Make-up Evaporative losses

H2O

BASIC STEAM POWER PLANTS

 “FISSIONING PROCESS”

Continuous THERMAL
ENERGY liberation

Need for Thermal Stability

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

 COMBUSTION PROCESS”

Continuous THERMAL
ENERGY liberation

Need for Thermal Stability

DIESEL ENGINE POWER PLANTS

 2. CT’s are used predominantly in every
power & manufacturing industry as it allows certain
processing fluids to be cooled to a desired
temperature depending upon its usage…

Processing Cooling Cooled H2O

fluids Towers of 150C

Air Cooled
Chillers Condenser Small
Chillers

Cooled H2O Water Cooled

of 8-100C Large Chillers
 3. Or provides a means of cooling
(CENTRALIZED) for high rise industrial/
residential buildings where individual AC units
are not viable….
Help in HEAT REJECTION
COOLING process (condenser)
MEANS
As high rise industrial/
residential buildings
require large amounts of
To Condition Air conditioned air
Air agitation by FANS is
not enough
Large amounts of COOLING is
Provide low room/
necessitated to facilitate easy
work area temperature
HEAT REJECTION process
 INDUCED
DRAFT TYPE
 CT’s are Warm AIR
OUT
considered to be a
form of HEAT
REMOVAL (HEAT
TRANSFER)
DEVICES that are Liquid
used to “transfer/ Vapor IN
extract wasted Ambient
heat safely into AIR IN
the atmosphere”…
Saturated
Liquid OUT
 Such structures are used to produce
“COOLING WATER” by the use of “ATMOSPHERIC
AIR” with some designs being assisted by the use of
FANS/ BLOWERS…

MECHANICAL DRAFT
COOLING TOWERS
HYBRID DRAFT COOLING TOWERS
 CT’s are termed as “EVAPORATIVE HEAT
TRANSFER DEVICE” as certain portions of water**
evaporates along with the cooling atmospheric air…

......Plumes emitted are actually mists of water (evaporated

water) and not smokes of combustion
 Which is why
certain CT’s are
assembled with MAKE-
UPWATER PUMPS to
make up for the LOSSES
INCURRED as the water
(SL) is to be RE-USED
once again…
 Most type
of CT’s provide a
WET-TYPE OF
COOLING in that
the medium it
produces is in
direct contact
with the cooling
medium used...
 This type of cooling (WET TYPE) provides a
significantly lower water temperature than a DRY
TYPE (AIR-COOLED) heat rejection device whose
prime examples are CAR RADIATORS...

DUE TO:

Direct contact of cooling medium

Mist particle size compared to

radiator water conduit size

Cooling potential of a wet surface

is greater than a dry one
(thermal conductivity)
 The smallest cooling tower are designed to
handle water streams of only a FEW GALLONS OF
WATER PER MINUTE SUPPLIED IN 3” – 5” SMALL
WATER PIPES...
 While the largest
cooling towers (about 130 m
in height) are capable of
handling HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF GALLONS
PER MINUTE supplied in 15’
(180”) large diameter water
pipes on a large POWER
PLANT...
 Cooling towers are generally classified
either as:
1. DIRECT TYPE 2. INDIRECT TYPE

Also known as “OPEN Also known as “CLOSED

CIRCUIT TYPE”... CIRCUIT TYPE”

Cooling medium is directly Cooling medium is directly

in contact with medium in contact with the conduit
to be cooled... where the medium
to be cooled flows...
1. DIRECT TYPE OF COOLING TOWER:
As the name implies, there is direct contact
between the cooling medium (ATMOSPHERIC AIR)
and medium to be cooled (warm water/ water)...
 This type makes use of a “FILL”(LABYRINTH
like), single most important component where
warm water/ water is sprayed transforming tiny
streams of water further into tinier mists of water...
 With streams of water being turned into
tinier mists particles of water, the heat transfer
process (evaporative cooling) is further enhanced...
1A. ATMOSPHERIC TYPE COOLING TOWER

A CT type that does not use any “FAN/

BLOWER” to create air flow into the tower...
 Its airflow depends upon the NATURAL INDUCTION
(ASPIRATION) provided by the pressure-spray type of water
distribution system ...Streams of water
With water being sprayed... increase in speed...

...a LOWER PRESSURE

Atmospheric air with a
REGIONS exists...
lesser speed...
...is accompanied by a
HIGHER PRESSURE
REGION...
...Moist air
...the HPR engulfs the naturally being
LPR... lighter seeks its
...enabling natural air way-out at the
circulation... top...
 They are relatively inexpensive and are only
available in small sizes since they are greatly affected
by adverse wind conditions...

Due to their
unreliability, they are not
generally recommended
into processes requiring
accurate and dependable
cold water temperatures
and as such has become
rarely used...
 1A1. HYPERBOLIC NATURAL TYPE
COOLING TOWER

Derives its name from the geometric shape of its

shell, extremely dependable and predictable in its
thermal performance and is used extensively in the field
of electric power generation where large heat loads
exists...
 Airflow naturally takes
place due to AIR BUOYANCY,
where the heated air inside tends
to move upwards while the
ambient air enters the base...
Heated air (LESS DENSE)

Ambient air (DENSE)

Such types are the tallest

having heights of as much as 130
m while capable of producing
250, 000 gpm of cooling water...
 Because most natural draft type of cooling towers
operate most effectively in higher relative humidity,
many such plants located in higher altitude locations/
regions find mechanical draft cooling towers more
applicable...

... As higher altitude locations have less dense ambient air

impeding natural airflow circulation...
1B. MECHANICAL DRAFT TYPE COOLING TOWER

Uses a single or system of FANS/ BLOWERS to

stabilize its thermal performance...
The fans/ blowers are used not as the cooling
medium but as a regulator of air flow so as to
compensate for changing atmospheric and load
conditions...
1B1. FORCED MECHANICAL DRAFT TYPE COOLING
TOWER
The fan it uses is located at the point of entry of
the ambient air...
As such it is characterized by higher air entrance
velocities and lower air exit velocities...
 Such type
however are not
favorably used due to
the possibility of AIR
RECIRCULATION
hampering its thermal
performance...
... Air exit is hampered by
Furthermore, if falling mists of water

there is cold entering

ambient air stream, it
could lead to severe
icing problems...
 1B2. INDUCED MECHANICAL DRAFT TYPE
COOLING TOWER
The fan it uses is located at the point of exit of the
ambient air characterized by lower air entrance velocities
and higher air exit velocities (entrance velocity is 3-4x that of
entrance velocities)......
Much more
favorable to use as
compared to the forced
draft type as there is less
possibility of air
recirculation and ice
formation on its
mechanical components...
 1C. HYBRID DRAFT TYPE COOLING TOWER
Maybe mistaken for a natural draft type of cooling
tower because of its outward appearance but relatively
short stacks...
Its base is assisted by a system of fans, hence they
are also labelled as FAN ASSISTED NATURAL DRAFT TYPE of
cooling towers...
 The intent of such design is to
minimize air movement with the
least stack cost...
Unassisted natural draft types
necessitates a taller stack to enhance
airflow due to AIR BUOYANCY...
Airflow in hybrid draft types all
by air buoyancy is not possible with a
shorter stack height, hence the need
for a system of fans...
2. INDIRECT TYPE OF COOLING TOWER:

As the name implies,

there is no direct contact
between the cooling
medium (ATMOSPHERIC
AIR) and medium to be
cooled (warm water/
water)...
 Are much smaller in
comparison to the direct
type and that it basically
differs in that in doesn’t use
any “FILLS”...

Instead of one fluid

circuit (conduit) there are
two fluid circuits..
One circuit is for the
cooling water and the other It’s like a blown
for the different fluid to be radiator in its cross-
cooled... section...
1. CLASSIFICATION BY AIRFLOW:
Cooling towers are also classified by the relative flow
movement of air and water within the water and are as follows:

1A. CROSS-FLOW TOWERS 1B. COUNTER-FLOW TOWERS

1A. CROSS-FLOW TOWERS

Have a fill
configuration through
which the air flows
horizontally across the
downward fall of
water...
The system of
fills are actually located
at one side/ at both
sides with the center
most portion virtually a
CROSS-SECTION OF A CROSS-FLOW INDUCED
voided space serving as MECHANICAL DRAFT TYPE OF COOLING TOWER:
the exit point of the
warm moist air...
Ambient air at two inlets Ambient air at a single inlet
across two fills... across a single fill...

Has a TAPERED FLAT FACE…

1B. COUNTER-FLOW TOWERS

Have a fill configuration through which the air flows

vertically countering the downward fall of water...

The fill encompasses

the center most portion
where the mists of
water and ambient air
collide.
Due to their differences
in densities, water and
air part ways.

CROSS-SECTION OF A CROSS-FLOW INDUCED

MECHANICAL DRAFT TYPE OF COOLING
TOWER:
Has a VERTICAL FLAT FACE…
2. CLASSIFICATION BY CONSTRUCTION:
2A. FIELD ERECTED TOWERS

Are those whose primary construction takes place at the

site of ultimate use where the pieces are partially assembled,
piecemarked and shipped to the site for final assembly...
 2B. FACTORY ASSEMBLED TOWERS

Are those that undergo a virtually complete assembly at

their point of manufacture whereupon they are shipped to the
site in as few sections as the mode of transportation will
allow...
3. CLASSIFICATION BY SHAPE:
3A. RECTILINEAR TOWERS

Are constructed in cellular fashion (STRAIGHTLINE)

increasingly linearly to length and number of cells depending
upon the type of thermal performance required...
3B. ROUND MECHANICAL DRAFT (RMD)/ OCTAGONAL
MECHANICAL DRAFT (OMD) TOWERS

Are constructed in
a way wherein the fans
are clustered as close as
possible around the
center point of the tower
and uses the space
where it is to be erected
in a much efficient
manner as compared to
the rectilinear type of
draft towers...
1. SPRAY PONDS:

Is like the natural

draft type of cooling tower
in that it does not use any
fans/ blowers and fill but
just a piping system where
the water is sprayed upside
down and uses the natural
cooling effect of passing
ambient air...
Main drawback is that it relies on existing ambient
conditions and utilizes large tracks of land with
substantial water losses...
2. WATER AT GREAT DEPTHS:

Water at great depths

are very cold but this is
almost impractical due to:
1. Corrosive nature of the
liquid (saltwater)...

2. Exhorbitant costs in using

a very long deep piping
system...

3. Possible damage to the

natural ecosystem which
is a heftier price to pay...
 MECHANICAL DRAFT
INDUCED TYPE
COUNTER FLOW

SINGLE FLOW

MECHANICAL DRAFT
INDUCED TYPE
COUNTER FLOW

RECTILINEAR
SINGLE/ DOUBLE FLOW
MECHANICAL DRAFT
RECTILINEAR
CROSS-FLOW

INDUCED

MECHANICAL DRAFT

RECTILINEAR
COUNTER FLOW
INDUCED
HYPERBOLIC NATURAL MECHANICAL DRAFT
DRAFT TYPE
FORCED DRAFT
FAN UNASSISTED
SINGLE FLOW
 MECHANICAL DRAFT MECHANICAL DRAFT
INDUCED DRAFT FORCED DRAFT
COUNTER-FLOW TYPE SINGLE FLOW

SINGLE/ DOUBLE FLOW

HYPERBOLIC NATURAL MECHANICAL DRAFT
DRAFT TYPE
INDUCED DRAFT
FAN UNASSISTED
CROSS-FLOW
SINGLE FLOW
 ROUND MECHANICAL
HYBRID TOWERS DRAFT
FAN ASSISTED FAN ASSISTED
SHORT STACK