ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 1

III. COOLING TOWERS

LEARNING OUTCOME

1. Define and explain the function of a cooling tower.

2. Identify the types of cooling towers.
3. Evaluate the performance of a cooling tower.
4. Solve problems regarding the performance of a cooling tower.

COOLING TOWER is a devise or equipment commonly used to cool condenser water in power and
refrigerating plants or cooling jacket water in internal combustion engine power plants. Its function is to
reject heat of cooling water from condensers or engines to the atmosphere by direct contact.
Cooling towers are rectangular or circular wood, plastic or metal structures generally with some form of
baffling devices. The hot water is delivered to the top of the tower and falls in thin films or sprays into a
tank below called catch basin or cooling pond. Air enters at the bottom and flows upward, cooling the
falling water by contact and by partial evaporation. The upward flow of air may be caused by either
natural draft or mechanical draft.

SIMPLE SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF COOLING TOWER

3
•
Warm
Water In 2
•
Warm Air
Condenser or Out
I. C. Engine Cooling
Tower

1 Atm. Air In
•
Cooled Water
Out
● • Make-Up
4
Water
Pump

➢ Factors affecting the rate of heat transfer in a cooling tower

1. The difference between the warm water temperature and the entering air wet bulb
temperature;
2. The area of water surface exposed to the air and
3. The relative velocity of air and water.

➢ Factors considered in the determination of the size and performance of a cooling tower

1. The cooling water temperature difference;

2. The difference between the leaving water temperature and the entering wet bulb temperature
of air;
3. Design wet bulb temperature itself and
4. Time of contact of air and water.

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 2

TYPES OF COOLING TOWERS:

ATMOSPHERIC or NATURAL DRAFT COOLING TOWERS – Uses natural wind velocity or flow of
atmospheric air.
Moist air out

Hot water
inlet

Cooling Pond or
Catch Basin
Atmospheric air in

Cooled Make-up water

water
outlet

a) Spray Type Natural Draft Cooling Tower – Water is simply sprayed from the top of the tower
then falls in small droplets of water to the basin as air enters from the bottom and sides of the tower.

b) Deck Type Natural Draft Cooling Tower - Consists of a series of baffling devises such as decks
made up of wood or metal over which water descends in films and through which wind circulates.

MECHANICAL DRAFT COOLING TOWERS - The mechanical draft cooling tower creates its own air current
by means of a motor driven fan.

a) Forced Draft Cooling Tower - The fan and motor assembly are mounted on the lower side of
the tower where air is blown in.

b) Induced Draft Cooling Tower - The fan and motor assembly are mounted on top of the tower
to draw the air out.
Induced Draft
Fan

Forced Draft
Fan

Forced Draft Induced Draft

Cooling Tower Cooling Tower

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 3

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS:

Cooling Range - The difference between the temperatures of the warm water supplied at the top of the
tower and the temperature of the cooled water leaving at the bottom of the tower.

■ The lowest possible temperature of water leaving the tower is equal to the wet bulb temperature
of entering air (t4 = twb1).

Theoretical Cooling Range - The difference between the temperatures of the warm water supplied at
the top of the tower and the wet bulb temperature of entering air.

TCR = (t3 – t4) = (t3 – twb1)

Actual Cooling Range – Simply called Cooling Range,

ACR or CR = (t3 – t4); (t4 > twb1)

Cooling Tower Efficiency - The actual cooling range divided by the theoretical cooling range times one
hundred. It measures the effectiveness of the tower.

t3 – t 4
CTE = x 100%
t3 – twb1

Cooling Approach - The difference between the temperature of the cooled water leaving the tower and
the wet bulb temperature of the supplied air.

CA = t4 – twb1

 The approximate temperature of water leaving the tower,

t1 + 2twb1 + t3
t4 =
4

t
Hot water inlet temperature, 3

Cooling Range

Cooled water outlet temperature, 4 t

Cooling Approach

t
Air inlet wet-bulb temperature, wb1

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 4

COOLING TOWER BASIC ANALYSIS

 Disregarding the cooling pond

m3 3
Warm water in
t3 tdb2
2 RH2
Air out
ma

tdb1
twb1 1
Air in
ma
m4
4 t4
Cooling water out

☼ If catch basin is disregarded, m4 < m3, where m4 is the weight of water falling on the surface of the
pond.

By mass balance: ma + maW1 + m3 = ma + maW2 + m4

m3 - m4 = ma(W2 - W1) ----- weight of water evaporated

By energy balance: mah1 + m3h3 = mah2 + m4h4

ma(h2 - h1) = m3h3 - m4h4 ----- heat absorbed by the air = heat
given off by water.

 Cooling tower analysis considering the cooling pond or catch basin:

m3 3
t3
2
ma
tdb2
twb2
W2
tdb1
twb1
W1 1
ma

m4 4 5 m5
● t5
t4

m3 = m4 = weight of circulated water

m5 = weight of make-up water = weight of water evaporated

By mass balance: m a + m a W 1 + m 3 + m 5 = m a + ma W 2 + m4

m5 = ma(W2 – W1) ---- weight of make-up water

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 5

By energy balance: mah1 + m3h3 + m5h5 = mah2 + m4h4

ma(h2 – h1) = m3(h3 – h4) + m5h5

If t5 is not available, assume h5 = h4

Assuming that there is no heat transfer loss between air and water, the heat given off by water is equal
to the heat absorbed by air.

QRw = QAa

QRw = m3(h3 – h4) = m3Cpw(t3 – t4)

QAa = ma(h2 – h1)

Where: Cpw = specific heat of water = 4.1868 kJ/kg-K

Examples:

1. If 15 m3/sec. of air at 32OCdb and 24OCwb at standard atmospheric pressure enter a cooling
tower and leaves saturated at 29OC,

a) How many kg/sec. of make-up water must be added to compensate the water evaporated?

b) To what temperature can this air stream cool a spray of water entering at 38 OC with a flow
rate of 20 kg/sec.?

c) What are the cooling tower efficiency, cooling range and the cooling approach?

Solution:

m3 = 20 kg/sec. 3
t3 = 38OC
2 29OC
ma Saturated

tdb1 = 32OC
twb1 = 24OC
1
V1 = 15 m3/sec.
ma

4 m4
t4 = ?

By mass balance equation,

m3 - m4 = ma(W2 - W1)

m4 = m3 – ma(W2 - W1)

V1
ma =
v1

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 6

From psychrometric chart, v1 = 0.886 m3/kg

W1 = 0.0155 kgv/kga

W2 = 0.0257 kgv/kga

h1 = 72 kJ/kg

h2 = 95 kJ/kg

V1 15 m3/sec.
ma = = = 16.93 kg/sec.
v1 0.886 m3/kg

m4 = 20 – 16.93(0.0257 – 0.0155)

m4 = 19.83 kg/sec.

By energy balance equation,

ma(h2 - h1) = m3h3 - m4h4

m3h3 – ma(h2 – h1)

h4 =
m4

From steam tables, h3 = hf at 38OC = 159.21 kJ/kg

(20)(159.21) – 16.93(95 – 72)

h4 =
19.83

h4 = 140.94 kJ/kg = hf at t4

From steam tables, t4 = tsat at hf = 140.94 kJ/kg

t4 = 33.6OC

m3 – m4 = 20 – 19.83

m3 – m4 = 0.17 kg/sec.

t3 – t4 38 – 33.6
CTE = = x 100 %
t3 – twb1 38 – 24

CTE = 31.43%

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 7

CA = t4 – twb1 = 33.6 – 24

CA = 9.6OC

2. An induced draft cooling tower is used by a large power-generating facility located in Bulacan.
The circulating water flow rate is 126 kg/sec. and enters at 38OC temperature. The air inlet
conditions are 27OCdb and 15OCwb temperatures. The exit air temperature is 32OCdb at 90% RH.
How much make-up water is required if the temperature of water leaving the tower is 27 OC?

Solution 1, disregarding the catch basin:

m3 = 126 kg/sec.
3
t3 = 38OC
2 32OC
ma 90% RH

tdb1 = 27OC 1
twb1 = 15OC ma

4 m4
t4 = 27OC

☼ If catch basin is disregarded, m4 < m3, where m4 is the weight of cooled water
falling at the surface of the basin.

By mass balance equation,

m3 - m4 = ma(W2 - W1)

m4 = m3 – ma(W2 - W1) ------- equation 1

By energy balance equation,

ma(h2 - h1) = m3h3 - m4h4

m3h3 – ma(h2 – h1)

m4 = ------- equation 2
h4

Equate equations 1 and 2,

m3h3 – ma(h2 – h1)

m3 – ma(W2 - W1) =
h4

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 8

m3h4 – mah4(W2 – W1) = m3h3 – ma(h2 – h1)

ma[(h2 –h1) – h4(W2 – W1)] = m3(h3 – h4)

m3(h3 – h4)
ma =
(h2 –h1) – h4(W2 – W1)

38OC
From steam tables, h3 = hf] = 159.21 kJ/kg
27OC
h4 = hf] = 113.25 kJ/kg

32OC
From psychrometric chart, W2 ] = 0.0275 kgv/kga
90% RH

27OCdb
W1 ] = 0.00557 kgv/kga
15OCwb

32OC
h2] = 102.5 kJ/kg
90% RH

27OCdb
h1] = 42 kJ/kg
15OCwb

126(159.21 – 113.25)
ma =
(102.5 –42) – 113.25(0.0275 – 0.00557)

ma = 99.81 kg/sec.

m3 – m4 = ma(W2 – W1)

m3 – m4 = 99.81(0.0275 – 0.00557)

m3 – m4 = 2.189 kg/sec. ----- Amount of make-up water

Solution 2, considering the catch basin:

m3 = 126 kg/sec. 3
t3 = 38OC
2 32OC
ma 90% RH

tdb1 = 27OC 1
twb1 = 15OC
ma
5 m5
m4 4
●
t4 = 27OC

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 9

☼ If catch basin is considered, m4 = m3 = weight of circulating water.

Neglecting heat losses, the heat absorbed by air is equal to the heat given off by the circulating
water.

QA = QW

ma(h2 – h1) = mwCpw(t3 – t4)

mwCpw(t3 – t4)
ma =
(h2 –h1)

Where: mw = weight of circulating water = m3 = m4 = 126 kg/sec.

Cpw = specific heat of water = 4.1868 kJ/kg-C

(126)(4.1868)(38 – 27)
ma =
(102.5 –42)

ma = 95.92 kg/sec.

m5 = ma(W2 – W1)

m5 = 95.92(0.0275 – 0.00557)

m5 = 2.103 kg/sec.

3. A cooling tower with an efficiency of 70% is used to cool directly the jacket water of a 400-HP
diesel engine. If the temperature of approach is 10 OC, find the volume in liters/min. of the jacket
water that may be cooled effectively by the tower. Assume an ambient air average of 30OCdb
and 24OCwb temperatures.

m3 3

2
ma
●
WB = 400 HP
●
tdb1 = 30OC
twb1 = 24OC 1
ma
5 m5
m4 4
●

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 10

CTE = 70%

WB = 400 HP

CA = 10OC

From Table 6-1, page 164, Power Plant Engineering by Frederick B. Morse, the
average heat balances of a typical diesel engine at full load are:

Useful work = 34% of the heat absorbed by the engine.

* If engine is not operating at full load, useful work can be assumed to be from 30% to
34%. Engineers conservatively assume 32%.
Cooling loss = 30%
Exhaust loss = 26%
Friction, radiation & unaccounted losses = 10%

Therefore, output work = 32% of the heat absorbed,

WB = 0.32QH
WB 400 HP x 0.746 kW/HP
QH = =
0.32 0.32
QH = 932.50 kW

The heat loss due to cooling, QC is equal to 30% of the heat absorbed,

QC = 0.30QH

QC = 0.30(932.50) This is equal to the heat

absorbed by the cooling water
QC = 279.75 kW → jacket which is circulating in
the cooling tower.

CA = t4 – twb1 = 10OC

t4 = CA + twb1 = 10 + 24

t4 = 34OC

(t3 – t4)
CTE = = 0.70
(t3 – twb1)

t3 – t4 = 0.70t3 – 0.70twb1

(t4 – 0.70twb1) 34 – 0.70(24)

t3 = =
0.30 0.30

t3 = 57.33OC

2020 Edition
 ME 155 Power Plant Engineering 11

QC = mwCpw(t3 – t4)
QC
mw =
Cpw(t3 – t4)

279.75 kJ/sec. x 60sec./min.

mw =
4.1868(57.33 – 34)

mw = 158.28 kg/min.

mw 158.28 kg/min.
Vw = w =
1 m3
1000 kg/m3 x
1000 liter

Vw = 158.28 liters/min.

2020 Edition