Assignment # 2
Subject Chemical Engg Plant Design
Submitted To Dr Azam Saeed
Submitted By 2016-CH-418
Topic Difference and Working of
Dry and Wet Cooling
Tower.
UET Lahore FSD Campus
Cooling Tower
A cooling tower is a specialized heat exchanger in which
air and water are brought into direct contact 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.
Working Principle
Cooling tower works basically on the principle of evaporation.
In this process the sensible heat of hot water is converted to latent heat of vaporisation. Thus
reducing the temperature of the exposed surface area of water to the air. More is the surface
area of water exposes to air greater is the cooling, thus requires lesser height of construction of
cooling tower. Water is generally sprinkled into the cooling tower. To create more turbulence
sometimes cooling towers have packings. However, in case of closed circuit drying, the water is
aircooled without immediate contact.
In this process there is loss of water both due to evaporation and entrainment. To minimise the
entrainment losses drift eliminators is fitted into the tower.
In cooling tower there is theoretic limit to which the water can be cool and near the wet bulb
temperature of air.
Even though for cooling to the theoretical limit you need the height of tower approaching infinity.
For closed circuit cooling theoretical limit is the dry bulb temperature of the surrounding air.
Wet Cooling Towers
Wet cooling towers are heat removal devices used to transfer waste heat from industrial and
other processes to the atmosphere.
Wet cooling towers rely on the latent heat of water evaporation to exchange heat between the
process and the air passing through the cooling tower.
Working:
Cooling towers are divided as counter flow and cross flow towers according to operating
principles. In counter flow cooling towers, the water flows top-down while the air moves from
down-top. In cross flow cooling towers, while the
water fall top down, air current is horizontal. In recent
years, forced draft counter flow towers has being
preferred.
In counter flow induced draft type cooling towers,
heated water, coming from facility, is homogenously
sprayed to all section of tower in top-down with the
help of specially manufactured waterworks system and
fountains. Sprayed water mass falls into pieces by
floating in tower fills. Air, having the humidity of
exterior environment, is absorbed from down to top on
fills with the help of motor fan group. Water, meeting
the air on the inlay cooling surface, heats input to the
air and a part of it cools by vapouring. Cool water is
sent to facility by gathering in tower cold water basin.
Air, whose humidity rises (close to saturation point) as
result of vapouring, is thrown to atmosphere from the
fan deck at the top of tower.
According to thermodynamic facts; for achieving each
gram water’s phase change, nearly 540 cal/energy is
absorbed from the system.
With this approach; for each 6 ºC cooling of water, circulating in the system, nearly %0,9 of
water flow rate must vapour. This amount can be calculated with formula above:
Vapouring Amount(m³/h) = 0.00085 x 1.8 x Flow (m³/h) x (Tin—Tout)
Advantages of wet cooling tower
1. No mechanical or electrical components.
2. Low maintenance costs.
3. Large water loading capacity.
4. Use comparatively small ground area.
5. Local icing and fogging may be eliminated by high level plume discharge.
Disadvantages of wet cooling tower
1. Internal resistance to air flow must be kept to a minimum.
2. Great tower height is necessary to produce draft, thus capital investment is higher than for
mechanical type.
3. Exact control of outlet temperature is difficult.
4. Blow down disposal problem.
Dry Cooling Tower
DRY COOLING TOWER is an equipment which is used to cool and maintain the temperature of
process hot water at a particular level.
This operates on the principle of heat transfer by a heat exchanger with extended fins. The fan
is driven by an Electric motor.
Working
The main function of the offered dry cooling tower is to cool and maintain the temperature of
process hot water at a particular level. The tower works on a principle of heat transfer and is
driven by an electric motor. The wound copper tubes eliminate any unnecessary leakage after
installation. The tubes also allow better heat transfer efficiency.
The positive and controlled expansion between the tube and fin provides a clean, smooth inner
tube surface for water pressure drop and guarantees uniform heat transfer. The rigid galvanized
steel frame provides protection against tube damage during expansion and installation.
Also, it is mounted on a heavy duty channel base frame. The axial flow fans are noise-free. The
low speed of the motor minimises noise and increases efficiency. Motors are specially designed
to withstand moisture, rain and dust.
Advantages of dry cooling tower:
1. Eliminate fogging, mist, icing.
2. Eliminate water problems, such as availability of water, evaporative losses, blow down and
thermal pollution.
Disadvantages of dry cooling tower:
1. High construction costs.
2. High maintenance costs.
3. Large volume of air flow is needed.
4. Turbine output is limited by high cooling temperature.
5. Larger land area is required than for wet tower.
Difference
Wet cooling tower Dry cooling tower
1. Uses evaporation to transfer heat 1. Uses evaporation to transfer heat.
2. Water can be cooled to a temperature 2. Heat is transferred through a
lower than the ambient air “dry bulb” surface that separates the water
temperature from ambient air.
Refrences
Christopher, P. J. and Forster, V. T., "Rugeley Dry Cooling Tower System/' Proceedings of
Mechanical Engineers, Volume 184, 1969-1970.
Heeren, H. and Holly, L., "Dry Cooling Eliminates Thermal Pollution—II," Combustion,
November, 1972.
Jimeson, R. M. and Adkins, G. G., "Waste Heat Disposal in Power Plants," Cooling
Towers—Prepared by Editors of Chemical Engineering Progress.
McKelvey, K. K. and Brooke, M., Cooling Towers, Elsevier Publishing Company, New
York, 1959.
Oleson, K. A. and Budenholzer, R. J., "Economics of Wet/ Dry Cooling Tower Show
Promise," Electrical World, Volume 178, December 15, 1972.
