University of Zakho

Collage of Engineering
Mechanical department

Mechanical lab / Exp. NO. (3)

Colling tower

Name : Dalal Salih Ahmed

Stage : Fourth
Group : A

November/2020
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:Purpose -1

To study and simulate the operation of the cooling tower and draw processes that happen inside the
cooling tower using a psychometric chart.

2- Introduction:

The cooling tower is one of the most important devices in industrial applications and it is used to
cool the warm water coming from the heat exchanger (condenser) in the thermal power plant by contacting
unsaturated air.
In a typical water cooling tower, warm water flows counter current to an air stream. Typically, the
warm water enters the top of the packed tower and cascades down through the packing, and leaving at the
bottom.
Air enters at the bottom of the tower and flows upward through the descending water. The tower
packing consists of a plastic or packed bed. The water is distributed by troughs and overflows to cascade
over packing that provides large interfacial areas of contact between the water and air in the form of
droplets and films of water. The flow of air upward the tower can be induced by the buoyancy of the warm
air in the tower (natural draft) or by the action of a fan. The water cannot be cooled below the wet-bulb
temperature. (See Figure 4.1).

Fig. (4.1) Steam Power Plant with Cooling Tower

3- Apparatus:

The apparatus consists of the following components and instruments: - (see Figure 4.2, A-B).

i- Air distribution chamber.

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 viii- Packed column.
ix- Column cap.
x- Temperature indicator.
xi- Inclined tube manometer.
xii- Variable area flow meter.

Figure (4.2- A) cooling tower apparatus

Figure (4.2-B) components of cooling tower apparatus

4-Theory :

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Cooling Range: The difference between the water temperature at the inlet and outlet of the tower.

Cooling Load: The rate at which heat is removed from the water. This may be expressed in kW.

Make-up: The quantity of freshwater which must be supplied to the water circuit to make good the losses
due to evaporation and other causes.

Drift: Droplets of water which are entrained by the air stream leaving the tower.

Approach to wet bulb: The difference between the temperature of the water leaving the tower and the
wet-bulb temperature of the air entering.

By using the wet and dry bulb temperatures, for points A (inlet air into the column) and B (outlet air
from column) may be plotted this process on the psychometric chart and can be taken all properties of
moisture air:

Applying the Steady Flow Energy Equation to the system indicated by the Boundary as shown in the
figure:

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 Q̇−P=ṁ a ( hB −h A )−ṁ E hE

Q̇ rate of heat transfer (Kw), P Power of water pump (Kw), Δ K̇ E change in kinetic energy (negligible),
Δ Ḣ change in enthalpy.
hB = specific enthalpy of exit air (kJ/kg),
hA = specific enthalpy of inlet air (kJ/kg),
hE = specific enthalpy (hf) of make-up water (kJ/kg) at t7 (ambient dry bulb temperature) ………. (t 7
assumed the same as t1).

Makeup rate ( M ¿˙¿ E )¿ ¿ = quantity of water consumed in the make-up tank (ME) divided by time.

NOTE: - The pump power P is (-ve) since it is a work input.

Air enthalpy change ¿ ṁa (h B−h A )

Water enthalpy change ¿ ṁ w c p (t 6 −t 5 )

From the Mass Balance Equation:

Evaporation rate ¿ ṁa (w B −w A )

5- Experimental Procedure:
1- Fill water in the make-up tank, the level of the water should always be greater than the mark of
minimum level on the load tank.
2- Fill water at two positions of the wet-bulb temperature (inlet and outlet air positions).
1- Switch on the experiment.
2- Open the cover of the air intake damper to set the air flow rate such that the pressure drop through
the tower is 16 mm H2O.
3- Set water flow rate at 40 g/sec.
4- Switch on the heater at 1 kW.
5- Read all temperatures each 5 min. until the system reached a steady state.
6- Fill water with the make-up tank up and measure the volume of evaporated in 10 minutes to find the
rate of evaporation.

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7- For the final reading plot process on the psychometric chart and.
8- Calculate the mass of air flow rate ṁ a, Δ Ḣ of system, evaporating rate, make up the rate

( M ¿˙¿ E )¿ ¿, cooling range, approach to the wet bulb.

.NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Time (min.) 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
T1, °C 22.6 23.2 23.3 23.3 22.9 23.2

T2, °C 17.5 17.6 17.8 17.7 17.6 17.7

T3, °C 20.5 21.2 21.8 21.3 21.2 21.2

T4, °C 20 20.7 21.2 21.3 21.2 21.3

T5, °C 22.1 23 22.9 23.4 23 23.4

T6, °C 19.1 20 19.9 19.8 20 20.2

X (mm. H2O) 16 16 16 16 16 16
mw (g/sec.) 40 40 40 40 40 40
mE

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 B

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Calculation
We will take last reading

T1=23.2 T2=17.7 T3=21.2 T4=21.3 T5=23.4 T6=20.2

hA= 47.8 kj/kg ωA= 0.01208

At air entering temperature from the psychometric chart

hB= 62.3 kj/kg ωB= 0.016

At air exit temperature from the psychometric chart

υab = 0.847 m3/ kg At air exit temperature from the psychometric chart

X= 16 mm mw= 40 g/sec

Cooling range=T5-T6 =23.4 – 20.2 = 8.1 C֩

Cooling load = mw * cp (t5-t6) = 40*4.187*3.2=535.936 kw

Approach to wet bulb=T6-T2= 20.2 – 17.7 = 2.5 C֩

x 16
√
m˙a = 0.0137*
(1+ω B )υ ab
=
√( 1+0.016 ) 0.847
= 4.31192 g/s

D=6.8cm=0.068m h=2.5cm =0.025m

π π
∗D2∗h∗1000 ∗(0.068)2∗0.025∗1000
𝑚̇E = υ * ρwater = 4 = 4 = 3.0264*10−4
5∗60 5∗60

hE= CPw * T1 = 4.187*23.2 = 97.1384 kj/kg

evaporation rate = m˙a * (ωB - ωA) = 4.31192*(0.016-0.01208) = 0.0169027264

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Discussion
In this experiment we understand what cooling tower is, its purpose is to reject the
unwanted heat from a building or process. The types of cooling water (1) Natural Draft
Cooling Towers – This type of cooling tower depends on convection alone. Since it does
not have a mechanical fan, the convection process helps circulate the air within the tower.
Because warm and moist air naturally comes up and cold dry air goes down, this creates a
continuous cycle of air without the need for electric consumption. (2) Induced Draft
Cooling Towers – On the other hand, this type of cooling tower uses a mechanical fan. With
the use of the fan, the air is actively blown within the tower. In this way, the cooling
process starts. This is more effective than the natural draft, but it is definitely much more
expensive. The dry bulb always is greater than wet bulb when water evaporates, heat is
removed from the surrounding air and temperature decreases. Twb= 30 C and Tdb= 30 C,
the relative humidity is 100% from the chart psychometric. The error sources in our
experiment were human errors when recording the reading, the device didn’t reach to steady
state, till we forgot dry the air entering and exit sensor in order that has been error, so to
reduce the error the device should be stable and the quantity of water in load tank and make
up must be enough and be measured.

𝐐 –𝐏=𝚫𝐇 +𝚫𝐊 𝐄

1-(-0.1)=

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The right side of the equation nearly to the left side lastly it doesn’t equal may be the
reasons are human errors and when we took the values from chart were not accurate, also
the pump and heater may be they are not giving the enough quantity required Evaporator
rate=make up rate .

𝑚̇a* (ωB - ωA) = υ * ρwater

Our results are nearly, but not equal so there is a simple difference may be because the
psychometric chart that we were taking the inaccurate values.

6- Discussion:

Q1/ What is the purpose of using the cooling tower. What are the types of the cooling tower? Explain
them?

Q2/ Which temperature is greater, web bulb temperature, or dry bulb temperature? And why.

Q3/ If the Twb = 30 OC and Tdb = 30 OC, what is the Relative Humidity?

Q4/ what are the error sources occurring in this experiment and the procedure to reduce it?

Q5/ check whether the right side of this equation equals the left-hand side. Then discuss your results.

Q̇ – P= Δ Ḣ + Δ K̇ E

Q6/ Check whether the evaporation rate equal makes up rate. Discuss your results.

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