Cooling Towers: Training Session On Energy Equipment

Training Session on Energy Equipment
Cooling Towers
Presentation from the Energy Efficiency Guide for Industry in Asia www.energyefficiencyasia.org
1 UNEP 2006
Training Agenda: Cooling Towers
Introduction Types of cooling towers Assessment of cooling towers Energy efficiency opportunities
2 UNEP 2006
Introduction Main Features of Cooling Towers
(Pacific Northwest National Library, 2001)
3 UNEP 2006
Introduction
Components of a cooling tower
Frame and casing: support exterior enclosures
Fill: facilitate heat transfer by maximizing water / air contact
Splash fill Film fill
Cold water basin: receives water at bottom of tower

4 UNEP 2006
Introduction
Components of a cooling tower
Drift eliminators: capture droplets in air stream
Air inlet: entry point of air
Louvers: equalize air flow into the fill and retain water within tower
Nozzles: spray water to wet the fill Fans: deliver air flow in the tower
5 UNEP 2006
6 UNEP 2006
Types of Cooling Towers

Natural Draft Cooling Towers
Hot air moves through tower Fresh cool air is drawn into the tower from bottom No fan required Concrete tower <200 m
Used for large heat duties

7 UNEP 2006
Air drawn across Types falling water Fill located outside tower
Air drawn up of Cooling Towers through falling water Fill located Natural Draft Cooling Towers inside tower
Cross flow
(Gulf Coast Chemical Commercial Inc.)
Counter flow
8 UNEP 2006

Mechanical Draft Cooling Towers
Large fans to force air through circulated water
Water falls over fill surfaces: maximum heat transfer Cooling rates depend on many parameters
Large range of capacities

Can be grouped, e.g. 8-cell tower
9 UNEP 2006

Mechanical Draft Cooling Towers
Three types Forced draft
Induced draft cross flow

Induced draft counter flow
10 UNEP 2006
Types of Cooling Towers Forced Draft Cooling Towers

Air blown through tower by centrifugal fan at air inlet
Advantages: suited for high air resistance & fans are relatively quiet Disadvantages: recirculation due to high air-entry and low air-exit velocities
11 UNEP 2006
(GEO4VA)
Types of Cooling Towers Induced Draft Cooling Towers

Two types Cross flow Counter flow Advantage: less recirculation than forced draft towers Disadvantage: fans and motor drive mechanism require weather-proofinh
12 UNEP 2006

Induced Draft Counter Flow CT
Hot water enters at the top

Air enters at bottom and exits at top Uses forced and induced draft fans
(GEO4VA)
13 UNEP 2006
Types of Cooling Towers Induced Draft Cross Flow CT

Water enters top and passes over fill Air enters on one side or opposite sides
Induced draft fan draws air across fill
(GEO4VA)
14 UNEP 2006
15 UNEP 2006
Assessment of Cooling Towers

Measured Parameters
Wet bulb temperature of air

Dry bulb temperature of air Cooling tower inlet water temperature
Cooling tower outlet water temperature

Exhaust air temperature Electrical readings of pump and fan motors Water flow rate Air flow rate
16 UNEP 2006

Performance Parameters
1. Range
2. Approach 3. Effectiveness
4. Cooling capacity
5. Evaporation loss 6. Cycles of concentration
7. Blow down losses

8. Liquid / Gas ratio
17 UNEP 2006

1. Range
Hot Water Temperature (In)
Difference between cooling water inlet and outlet temperature:

Range
Range (C) = CW inlet temp CW outlet temp

Approach
(In) to the Tower (Out) from the Tower
Cold Water Temperature (Out)
High range = good performance
Wet Bulb Temperature (Ambient) 18 UNEP 2006

2. Approach
Difference between cooling tower outlet cold water temperature and ambient wet bulb temperature:
Approach (C) = CW outlet temp Wet bulb temp Low approach = good performance
Range
Approach
Cold Water Temperature (Out) Wet Bulb Temperature (Ambient) 19 UNEP 2006

3. Effectiveness
Effectiveness in %
= Range / (Range + Approach)
Range
= 100 x (CW temp CW out temp) / (CW in temp Wet bulb temp) High effectiveness = good performance
Approach

4. Cooling Capacity
Range
Heat rejected in kCal/hr or tons of refrigeration (TR)

= mass flow rate of water X specific heat X temperature difference High cooling capacity = good performance
Approach

5. Evaporation Loss
Water quantity (m3/hr) evaporated for cooling duty
= theoretically, 1.8 m3 for every 10,000,000 kCal heat rejected = 0.00085 x 1.8 x circulation rate (m3/hr) x (T1-T2)
Range Hot Water Temperature (In)
Approach
Cold Water Temperature (Out) Wet Bulb Temperature (Ambient)
T1-T2 = Temp. difference between inlet and outlet water
22 UNEP 2006
Assessment of Cooling Towers 6. Cycles of concentration (C.O.C.)

Ratio of dissolved solids in circulating water to the dissolved solids in make up water
7. Cycles of concentration (C.O.C.)

Depend on cycles of concentration and the evaporation losses Blow Down = Evaporation Loss / (C.O.C. 1)
23 UNEP 2006

8. Liquid Gas (L/G) Ratio
Ratio between water and air mass flow rates
Heat removed from the water must be equal to the heat absorbed by the surrounding air
L(T1 T2) = G(h2 h1)

L/G = (h2 h1) / (T1 T2)
T1 = hot water temp (oC) T2 = cold water temp (oC) Enthalpy of air water vapor mixture at inlet wet bulb temp (h1) and outlet wet bulb temp (h2)
24
UNEP 2006
25 UNEP 2006
Energy Efficiency Opportunities
1. Selecting a cooling tower 2. Fills
3. Pumps and water distribution

4. Fans and motors
26 UNEP 2006
Energy Efficiency Opportunities 1. Selecting a cooling tower

Capacity
Heat dissipation (kCal/hour) Circulated flow rate (m3/hr) Other factors
27 UNEP 2006

1. Selecting a cooling tower
Range
Range determined by process, not by system
Approach
Closer to the wet bulb temperature
= Bigger size cooling tower

= More expensive
28 UNEP 2006

Heat Load
Determined by process Required cooling is controlled by the desired operating temperature High heat load = large size and cost of cooling tower
29 UNEP 2006

Wet bulb temperature considerations:
Water is cooled to temp higher than wet bulb temp Conditions at tower site Not to exceed 5% of design wet bulb temp Is wet bulb temp specified as ambient (preferred) or inlet Can tower deal with increased wet bulb temp
Cold water to exchange heat
30 UNEP 2006

Relationship range, flow and heat load
Range increases with increased Amount circulated water (flow)
Heat load
Causes of range increase Inlet water temperature increases
Exit water temperature decreases

Consequence = larger tower
31 UNEP 2006

Relationship Approach and Wet bulb temperature
If approach stays the same (e.g. 4.45 oC)
Higher wet bulb temperature (26.67 oC)

= more heat picked up (15.5 kCal/kg air) = smaller tower needed Lower wet bulb temperature (21.11 oC) = less heat picked up (12.1 kCal/kg air) = larger tower needed
32 UNEP 2006
Energy Efficiency Opportunities 2. Fill media

Hot water distributed over fill media and cools down through evaporation Fill media impacts electricity use
Efficiently designed fill media reduces pumping costs Fill media influences heat exchange: surface area, duration of contact, turbulence
33 UNEP 2006

2. Fill media
Comparing 3 fill media: film fill more efficient
Splash Fill
Possible L/G Ratio 1.1 1.5
Film Fill
1.5 2.0 150 m2/m3 1.2 1.5 m 58m
Low Clog Film Fill

1.4 1.8 85 - 100 m2/m3 1.5 1.8 m 69m
Effective Heat Exchange 30 45 Area m2/m3 Fill Height Required Pumping Head Requirement 5 10 m 9 12 m
Quantity of Air Required
High
Much Low
Low
34 UNEP 2006
(BEE India, 2004; Ramarao; and Shivaraman)

3. Pumps and water distribution
Pumps: see pumps session Optimize cooling water treatment
Increase cycles of concentration (COC) by cooling water treatment helps reduce make up water Indirect electricity savings
Install drift eliminators

Reduce drift loss from 0.02% to only 0.003 0.001%
35
UNEP 2006

4. Cooling Tower Fans
Fans must overcome system resistance, pressure loss: impacts electricity use Fan efficiency depends on blade profile
Replace metallic fans with FBR blades (2030% savings) Use blades with aerodynamic profile (85-92% fan efficiency)
36
UNEP 2006
Training Session on Energy Equipment
Cooling Towers
THANK YOU FOR YOU ATTENTION
37 UNEP 2006
Disclaimer and References

This PowerPoint training session was prepared as part of the project Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction from Industry in Asia and the Pacific (GERIAP). While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct and properly referenced, UNEP does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. UNEP, 2006. The GERIAP project was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) Full references are included in the textbook chapter that is 38 available on www.energyefficiencyasia.org
UNEP 2006

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Training Session on Energy Equipment

Training Agenda: Cooling Towers

Introduction Main Features of Cooling Towers

(Pacific Northwest National Library, 2001)

Cold water basin: receives water at bottom of tower

Training Agenda: Cooling Towers

Types of Cooling Towers

Used for large heat duties

Types of Cooling Towers

Large range of capacities

Types of Cooling Towers

Induced draft cross flow

Types of Cooling Towers Forced Draft Cooling Towers

Types of Cooling Towers Induced Draft Cooling Towers

Types of Cooling Towers

Hot water enters at the top

Types of Cooling Towers Induced Draft Cross Flow CT

Induced draft fan draws air across fill

Training Agenda: Cooling Towers

Assessment of Cooling Towers

Wet bulb temperature of air

Cooling tower outlet water temperature

Assessment of Cooling Towers

7. Blow down losses

Assessment of Cooling Towers

Difference between cooling water inlet and outlet temperature:

Range (C) = CW inlet temp CW outlet temp

(In) to the Tower (Out) from the Tower

Cold Water Temperature (Out)

High range = good performance

Wet Bulb Temperature (Ambient) 18 UNEP 2006

Assessment of Cooling Towers

(In) to the Tower (Out) from the Tower

Assessment of Cooling Towers

(In) to the Tower (Out) from the Tower

Assessment of Cooling Towers

Heat rejected in kCal/hr or tons of refrigeration (TR)

(In) to the Tower (Out) from the Tower

Assessment of Cooling Towers

(In) to the Tower (Out) from the Tower

Cold Water Temperature (Out) Wet Bulb Temperature (Ambient)

T1-T2 = Temp. difference between inlet and outlet water

Assessment of Cooling Towers 6. Cycles of concentration (C.O.C.)

7. Cycles of concentration (C.O.C.)

Assessment of Cooling Towers

L(T1 T2) = G(h2 h1)

Training Agenda: Cooling Towers

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

1. Selecting a cooling tower 2. Fills

3. Pumps and water distribution

Energy Efficiency Opportunities 1. Selecting a cooling tower

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

= Bigger size cooling tower

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

Cold water to exchange heat

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

Exit water temperature decreases