Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Doornfontein Campus

Cooling Tower Experiment

By

S MATEBESE
220069011

A Semester lab Report submitted

in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the module.

STEAMPLANT (SPLMIB2)

B. ENG TECH (BENG(TECH)) Engineering: Mechanical

LECTURER: E.B Kyahurwa

Date: 10/12/2022

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1
I would like to thank the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Technology
for giving me the opportunity to conduct this lab and compile a report as a way of
incorporating theory into practice. I would like to further give thanks to the lecturer Mr E.B
Kyahurwa, the lab technician Mrs H Modekwe and the module tutors for providing the
necessary guidance, equipment, and information.

ABSTRACT
The purpose of the cooling tower lab was to ascertain the impact of varied heat loads on the
characteristics of a cooling tower. It was discovered that the approach, evaporation rate, and
range all rise as the heat load does. As the heat load increases, the tower characteristics shift,
which could indicate a problem with the calculations or readings. Additionally, contrary to
hypothesis, it was discovered that the tower feature rises with range and approach.

2
Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................4
OBJECTIVE...............................................................................................................................5
ASSUMPTIONS........................................................................................................................5
THEORY....................................................................................................................................5
APARATUS...............................................................................................................................8
PROCEDURE............................................................................................................................9
RESULTS.................................................................................................................................10
CALCULATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS............................................................11
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION......................................................................................14
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................15
APPENDICES..........................................................................................................................16

Figure 1:Cooling Towers............................................................................................................4

Figure 2:Spray Pond...................................................................................................................5
Figure 3: Theory of Cooling Tower...........................................................................................6
Figure 4: Bench Top Cooling Tower.........................................................................................8
Figure 5:Temperature Gauges....................................................................................................8
Figure 7:Psychromatric Chart reading used to find moisture Content at inlet air...................16
Figure 8:Psychromatric Chart used to find Moisture Content at outlet air..............................17
Figure 9: Psychromatric Chart used to find Specif enthalpy of inlet air at inlet.....................17
Figure 10: Psychromatric Chart used to find specific enthalpy of air at outlet.......................18

Table 1:Observations................................................................................................................10
Table 2:Tower Characteristics..................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
In cooling water from the condenser, excess thermal energy produced by steam power plants
is entrained. Initially rejected to the rivers, this energy has since become a significant thermal

3
pollutant. The heat waste was then rejected to the environment by engineers using a building
known as a cooling tower. Figure 1 illustrates a cooling tower, which is a tall structure used
in steam power plants as a heat exchanger for cooling from the condenser. Spray ponds, seen
in figure 2, were the first to introduce this concept. The most well-known cooling tower has a
hyperboloid design, and Dutch engineers Frederik Van Iterson and Gerard Kuypers were the
first to patent it in 1918 . For maximum structural strength and minimal material utilization,
these towers have a distinctive hyperboloid design. The tower must be tall enough to release
the vapour into the atmosphere without generating any fogging on the ground, hence its
design also supports the tower's height .

Figure 1:Cooling Towers

Figure 2:Spray Pond

4
OBJECTIVE
 To compute the cooling tower coefficient/efficiency and the tower characteristics at
various water to air mass flow rates.
 To find out how range and approach alter when water flow rate increases at a mass
flow ratio of approximately 1.

ASSUMPTIONS
 Outside the tower, make-up water was supplied.
 Atmospheric pressure of 1.013 bar, was used to pull the air into the cooling tower
 The fluids kinetic and potential energies are constant.
 The air's mass flow rate stays constant.
 The specific heat capacities of air and water are 4,187 kJ/kg and 1,005 kJ/kg,
respectively.

THEORY
Merkel's equation, often known as Merkel's integral, which is equation 1, is used to construct
cooling towers.
tw
KaV dt
=C w ∫
L t
h w −ha
a

According to the cooling tower hypothesis, which is based on the equation in figure 3 below,
"heat is transported from water drops towards the surrounding air mostly by transmission of
latent and sensible heat." Because of the temperature difference, heat transfer happens
everywhere around the water film. The bulk water is then subjected to an energy balance
based on this idea. Energy cannot be generated or destroyed, in accordance with the first law
of thermodynamics. Equation 2, which represents that energy balance of bulk water, was
developed using this rule in conjunction with cooling tower theory.

𝑚̇𝑤1𝐶𝑝𝑤(𝑡𝑤1−𝑡𝑤2)=𝑚̇𝑎(ℎ𝑎2−ℎ𝑎1)………(2)

𝑚̇𝑤1=𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝑔/𝑚𝑖𝑛)

𝑚̇𝑎=𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟 (𝑘𝑔/min)

𝐶𝑝𝑤=𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟=4,187 𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔𝐾

𝑡𝑤1=𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (℃)

𝑡𝑤2=𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (℃)

5
 ℎ𝑎2=𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)
8
ℎ𝑎1=𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)

𝑚̇𝑤1𝐶𝑝𝑤(𝑡𝑤1−𝑡𝑤2)=𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑚𝑖𝑛)

𝑚̇𝑎(ℎ𝑎2−ℎ𝑎1)=𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑖𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑚𝑖𝑛)

Figure 3: Theory of Cooling Tower

An energy balance for cooling tower is further developed using the first law as well as the
cooling tower theory. Equation 3 serves as a representation of this energy balance.
𝑃𝑤+𝑡1𝑚̇𝑎𝐶𝑝𝑎+𝑚̇𝑤1ℎ𝑓5+𝑚̇𝑎𝑤1ℎ𝑔1=𝑡3𝑚̇𝑎𝐶𝑝𝑎+𝑚̇𝑤2ℎ𝑓6+𝑚̇𝑎𝑤3ℎ𝑔3……. (3)
𝑃𝑤=𝐹𝑎𝑛/𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑚𝑖𝑛)
𝑡1=𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑏 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡 (℃)
𝑡3=𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑏 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 (℃)
𝐶𝑝𝑎=𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)
𝑚̇𝑎=𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟 (𝑘𝑔/𝑚𝑖𝑛)
𝑚̇𝑤1=𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝑔/𝑚𝑖𝑛)
ℎ𝑓5=𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)
ℎ𝑓6=𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)
𝑤1=𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡 (𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑔)
𝑤3=𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 (𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑔)
ℎ𝑔1=𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)
ℎ𝑔3=𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔)
0.622Φ P s
w=
Patm −Ps

𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚=𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 (𝑏𝑎𝑟)

𝑃𝑠=𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 (𝑏𝑎𝑟)
Φ=𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑦
6
APARATUS
 Bench Top Cooling Tower H892
 Measuring flask

7
 Figure 4: Bench Top Cooling Tower

Figure 5:Temperature Gauges

PROCEDURE

 The lab instructor provided instructions on how to use the equipment and the way the
lab was to be conducted.
 It was made sure that the fan's damper was closed, and that equipment was originally
turned off.

8
  Tap water was used to wet the wicks on both the t2 and t4 wet-bulb temperature
probes.
 Water was added to the load tank over the required level.
 Using a measuring cylinder, tap water (around 1.2 L) was also added to the makeup
water tank.
 The apparatus was then turned on with no heat load (0 kW).
 After that, overall water flow rate got changed to around 40 g/s.
 The device was then left running for at least ten minutes to stabilize it and damp the
packing.
 After that, the equipment was turned off, as well as the heat load was raised to 1 kW.
 Following that, the makeup water tank was filled to the stated level on the tank.
 The water was then added, and the amount added was measured using the measuring
cylinder.
 The apparatus was then turned on, and using the fan's adjustable damper setting, it
was made sure also that orifice differential so over packing was approximately 16 mm
H2O.
 Throughout the operation, the operating conditions remained consistent.
 After five minutes, the makeup water was measured.
 Over the course of the same period, temperatures T1 through T6 were observed and
noted in table 1.

RESULTS

Observations

9
Table 1:Observations
Test 1

Air Inlet Dry Bulb t1°C 24,1

Air Inlet Wet Bulb t2°C 15,2

Air Outlet Dry Bulb t3°C 22,4

Air Outlet Wet Bulb t4°C 20,2

Water Inlet Temperature t5°C 25,9

Water Outlet Temperature t6°C 19,5

Orifice differential mm of water 16

Cooling Load 1

Water flow rate in g/s 40

Make-up Quantity mE kg 200ml

Operating time in (min) 5

CALCULATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

Sample of Calculations

Using the wet and dry bulb temperatures, points A and B may be plotted on

10
the psychrometric chart software and for water read on the steam table, and the
following values read off:

hA= 43,1 kJ/kg for water

hB= 59,5 kJ/kg mwater = 0,04 kg/s
ωA= 0,0074 kg/kg hwater @ 25,9 C = 108,6 kJ/kg
ωB= 0,0145 kg/kg hwater @ 19,5 C = 81,82 kJ/kg
υaB= 0,86 m3/kg of dry air

Air Mass flow rate

Where x = Orifice differential mm of water

m a=0.0137
√ x
(1+ ωB)vaB
¿ 0.0137
√ 16
( 1+0,0145 )(0,86)
=¿0,05866 kg/s

The pump transfers approximately 100W to the water,

Applying the Steady Flow Equation to the system.

Q – P = ΔH + ΔKE
Q – P = 1.0 – (–0.01) kW
= 1.1 kW

0,2kg −3 −1
Make up rate m E =200ml= 5× 60 s =0,667 ×10 kg /s and hmake up water = 101,074 kJ/kg

Mass Balance:

Mwhw1+ MahA – Mehe = Mwhw2 + MahB

(0,04) (108,6) +ma (43,1) - (0,667 ×10−3)(101,074) = (0,04) (81,82) + ma (59,5)

Ma= 0,06 kg/s

Enthalpy change across the heat load

ΔH  m a hB  m a hA  m E hE
 m a (hB  hA)  m E hE
= 0,05866(59,5-43,1) – (0,667 ×10−3)( 101,074)
= 0,894 kW

11
Evaporation rate
m E  m steamB  m steamA  m (ω  ω
a B A) =0,05866 (0,0145-0,0074)= 0,416
×10−3 kg/ s

Make up water = m E × 300s = 0,416×10 kg/s × 300s =0,125 kg

−3

Water enthalpy change for heat load

L ×C pw׿ 1-T6) = ΔH
0,04× 4,187 ×6,4 = ΔH= 1,07 kj/kg

Approach to Wet Bulb and Cooling Range:

Approach to Wet Bulb = t6 – t2 = 19,5-15,2 = 4,3

Cooling Range = t5 – t6 = 25,9-19,5 = 6,4

Range 6,4
Efficiency of the tower in % = = ×100=58,8
Range+ Approach 6,4 +4,3

Range 6,4
Effectiveness of the tower = = =3,05
Range+ Approach 6,4−4,3

L
×C pw׿ 1-T6) = ΔH
G

0,04
× 4,187 ×6,4= ΔH=18,29 kJ/kg
0,0586

Table 2:Tower Characteristics

12
 Temperatur Specific Change
Specific 1/change
e in enthalpy of in
enthalpy
water specific
of air
enthalp
y
outlet 19,5 43,1
1 20,1 57,555 44,927 12,628 0,079
4
2 22,0 64,660 50,408 14,258 0,07
6
3 23,3 68,44 54,062 14,378 0,0695
4
4 25,2 76,5 59,543 16,957 0,0589
6
inlet 25,9 80,798

∑1/Δh (kg/kJ) 0,2774

KaV/L 1,858

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

An approach to wet bulb temperature with this experiment is 4,3°C, which makes it a dictator
toward the performance of the cooling tower. As when the wet bulb temperature decreases,
13
so does the cooling water, and vice versa. This is because cooling towers are designed based
on with there highest wet bulb temperature.

Through using energy balance equation, it is found that perhaps the air flow rate via the
orifice is roughly equal to a air flow rate. The difference between the calculated and recorded
makeup water is 0.07 kg. Both the water enthalpy changes given heat load and the enthalpy
change throughout the heat load are roughly equal.

Water loss in the cooling tower is a known occurrence. The factors that contribute to water
loss are drift losses, which are estimated to account for 0.1– 2% of a supply water,
evaporation rate/loss, which was determined to be 0.416 10(-3) kg/s, and blowdown losses.

In the end, it is demonstrated that the air to enter cooling tower is less humid than the air
exiting; in this experiment, the air exiting the cooling tower contained more heat and
moisture than the air entering.

The air that enters a cooling tower is shown to be less humid than the air that exits; inside
this experiment, the air leaving the cooling tower had more moisture and heat than the air
entering.

14
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15
APPENDICES

Figure 6:Psychromatric Chart reading used to find moisture Content at inlet air

Figure 7:Psychromatric Chart used to find Moisture Content at outlet air

16
Figure 8: Psychromatric Chart used to find Specif enthalpy of inlet air at inlet

Figure 9: Psychromatric Chart used to find specific enthalpy of air at outlet

17