EXPERIMENT NO.

COOLING TOWER

Date of Experiment:

OBJECTIVE: To perform test on cooling tower and calculate various performance parameters
such as efficiency, evaporation loss, range and approach.

EXPRIMENTAL SETUP

1. Cooling Tower: The cooling tower model is fabricated of M. S. sheet and angle frame and
front side is provided with a Perspex sheet for visualization of tower operation.

Hot water is sprayed from the top of tower to distribute water over the zigzag shaped wire
mesh packing. At the bottom of the tower a wind box is fitted with drilled holes on all sides
for uniform entry of air in the tower.
• Tower size: cross section 0.3m x 0.3m; height 1.25m

2. Wire mesh packing- Expanded wire mesh is used as tower packing material. This type of
wire mesh is considered as unique for film packing. The forming of wire mesh is made
such that each little aperture acts as a directing vane for air, moving bulk of air alternatively
from one side to other. This action results in air traveling a distance of about 1.5 times of
the total depth of packing.
• The packing comprises 2 sets of expanded wire mesh.

3. Blower- A 3-H.P. centrifugal blower is used to supply air to the cooling tower. Air is
provided with control valve and orifice meter for air flow variation and measurement
respectively.

4. Measuring Tank-Water after passing through the tower packing is carried to a measuring
tank for measuring water flow rate and calculating evaporation loss. After these
measurements water is directed to the sump.

5. Other Instruments-
• At the top of tower and in the wind box, dry /wet bulb thermometers (psychrometer) are
fitted to measure DBT and WBT of exit and entry air. The tower is vertically divided
into 5 zones/sections and for each zone psychrometer gun is used for DBT and WBT
measurement.

• Water line for cooling tower is provided through a rotameter for flow measurement and
is passed through electric geysers (2 in no.) for water heating.

• A thermometer pocket is provided to measure hot water inlet temperature. There are 2
sets of thermometers ranging from 0-100 degree centigrade.

• Hand valve provided at inlet to waterline is used to vary flow rate. By simultaneously
varying water flow rate and changing numbers of geysers used for heating, various inlet
water temperatures can be achieved.
 • A new concept of psychrometric gun is used to measure dry/wet bulb temperature of air
at intermediate points of tower packing depths. By this method, air is sucked through the
tower packing with the help of supply blower and passed over the dry/wet bulb
thermometers. This gives fairly good condition of air in the packing at specific section
of the tower. An orifice meter fitted in the suction line of psychrometric gun measures
aspiration velocity of air sucked through the tower. This aspiration velocity is
responsible for accuracy of wet bulb depression.

Control Panel:

The control panel is provided with

i. A rotameter for water flow measurement,

ii. D.P. switches for putting on / off individual geysers,
iii. U tube manometer for air flow measurement,
iv. Well type manometer for aspiration velocity measurement through psychrometric gun.
v. A cupboard is also provided at the bottom of control panel for keeping the accessories, tools, etc.

OBSERVATIONS:
Performance of cooling tower is evaluated by using experimental results and their analysis is done
using psychrometric chart.

Fixed parameters:-
1) Area of measuring tank = Π/4 * (45 x 45) cm2
2) Diameter of orifice = 2.4 cm.
3) Coefficient of discharge = 0.8

Observation table:-

S. Heater Air inlet Air outlet Water Manomete Temp. of water in diff.
No. condition temp. (oC) temp. (oC) temp. (oC) r reading zones (oC)
(mm.)
WBT DBT WBT DBT IN OUT T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
1 1 Heater
on

S. Inlet Outlet water Psychrometric gun reading

No. water flow lt/hr.
flow Z1(oC) Z2(oC) Z3(oC) Z4(oC) Z5(oC)
lt/hr. DBT WBT DBT WBT DBT WBT DBT WBT DBT WBT
1 300 1cm/24.5 sec
kg/hr

CALCULATIONS:

Performance of the cooling tower is evaluated by using experiment results obtained during testing.
The analysis can be carried out by two methods:

METHOD 1: END STATES THEORY:

In this method performance is evaluated by writing energy and mass balance equations at the entry
and exit of the tower. This is the simplest method of examining the performance range of cooling
tower without delving into the complex processes of heat and mass transfer taking place within the
tower.

Notations:-

P = atmospheric pressure = 1.033 kg/cm2.

Inlet conditions (subscript 1 is used): -

t1= DBT of air 0C
t `1 = WBT of air 0C
td1 = dew point temperature of air 0C
Φ1 = relative humidity (%)
w1 = specific humidity (kg of moisture / kg of dry air)
m a1 = mass flow rate of inlet air per unit area of packing (kg/hour)
mv1 = mass flow rate of water vapor present in moist air per unit area of packing
(Kg/hour)
mw1 = water flow rate per unit area of packing (kg/hour)
Pv1 = partial pressure of water vapor at t1 (kg/cm2)
P`v1= inlet saturation water vapor pressure at t’ (kg/cm2)
Ps1 = saturation water vapor pressure at t1 (kg/cm2)
Pa1 = partial pressure of dry air at t1 (kg/cm2)
hv1= specific enthalpy of superheated vapor (kcal/kg)
hg1= enthalpy of saturated steam (kcal/kg)
hw1= specific enthalpy of water (kcal/kg)
Va1= specific volume (kcal/kg)

Similarly use subscript 2 for outlet conditions.

NOTE: - ma1 = ma2 = ma

CALCULATING PARAMETERS: (Using steam tables)

1) At inlet:-
Using the Carrier’s equation, we have
Pv1 = P` v1 – ((P – P` v1)*(t1 –t `1)) / (2800 – 1.3(1.8t1 + 32))
Reading the value of P` v1 from steam table = ……. kPa and substituting we get
Pv1 = …. kPa
Φ1 = P v1*100/ P s1
= …..
Where Ps1 = partial pressure of saturated water vapor at t1 = …..kPa (from steam tables)
w1 = 0.622* Pv1/P-P v1
= …. gm of moisture / kg of dry air

2) At outlet:-
Pv2 = P`v2 – ((P – P`v2)*(t2 –t`2)) / (2800 – 1.3(1.8t2 + 32))
Reading the value of P’ v2 from steam table = …..kPa and substituting we get
 Pv2 = …… kPa
Φ2 = (Pv2 / Ps2) * 100
= ……
Where Ps2 = partial pressure of saturated water vapor at t2 =….. kPa
w2 = 0.622* (Pv2/ P-P v2)
= …. gm of moisture / kg of dry air

Evaporation loss:-

By continuity equation for dry air

m a1= m a2 = ma
Density of air ρ = Pa / RT = 1.14 kg/m3
Volumetric flow rate of air through the orifice = Q = Cd * A* V
where Cd = coefficient of discharge of orifice = 0.8
A = area of orifice = (pi/4) * d2 = ……. m2
V = velocity of flow of air = (2gh) ½ = ……. m/s
Q = Π/4 * (d2) * Cd * (2gh) ½
Q = ……. m3/s
ma = Q * ρ = …… kg of dry air/s = …. kg of dry air/hr
m v1= m a1 * w1 at inlet = …. gm of moisture/s = …. kg moisture/ hr
m v2= m a2 * w2 at outlet = ….. gm of moisture/s = ….. kg moisture/ hr
mw1= …. lit/hr = …. kg/hr
mw2= (volume of tank filled/hr) * 1000 = …. kg/hr

Hence theoretical evaporation loss = m v2-mv1 kg/hr = …. kg/hr

Actual evaporation loss = mw1-mw2 kg/hr = …. kg/hr

ENERGY BALANCE:-

Here energy change in air stream = energy change in water

Thus,

Energy change in air stream= ma*Cpa*(t2-t1) + (m v2*h v2 - m v1*h v1)

where
Cpa = specific heat of air at mean air temperature = 1.005 kJ/kg
Now
hv1= 2501 + 1.88t1 = …… kJ/kg
hv2= 2501 + 1.88t2 = ….. kJ/kg
Hence energy change in air stream = ….. kW
Change in energy of water= mw1*hw1-mw2*hw2
= ……. kW
where
hw1= …. kJ/kg at ……0C inlet water temperature
hw2= …… kJ/kg at …… 0C outlet water temperature

METHOD 2: USING PSYCHROMETRIC CHART:

In this method entry and exit conditions of moist air are represented directly on psychrometric chart
giving quicker results.
Conditions at Inlet (1)

1. t1 =…. deg C
2. t’1 =….. deg C
3. Φ1= …. %
4. va1 =…. m3/kg
5. w1 =…… kg/kg of dry air
6. h1=……..KJ/ Kg of dry air

Conditions at Outlet (2)

1. t2 =….. deg C
2. t`2 = ….. deg C
3. Φ2 =….. %
4. va2 =….. m3/kg
5. w2 =……. kg/kg of dry air
6. h2=……..KJ/ Kg of dry air

For 1 kg of dry air

Change in specific enthalpy of moist air = h2 – h1 = …… KJ/kg of dry air
Now ma1= air volume flow rate/sp. Volume = Q/va1 = …. kg of dry air/sec
Change in total enthalpy of air stream = ma1 * (h2-h1) = ….. kW
Then mv1=ma1*w1
= …… Kg/sec = …… kg/hr
mv2=ma2*w2
= …….Kg/sec = …….kg/hr
Thus theoretical evaporation loss = mv2-mv1
= …..kg/hr
actual evaporation loss = mw1-mw2 kg/hr.
= …… kg/hr
change in energy of water = mw2*hw2 - mw1*hw1.
= …….kW

CALCULATION OF RANGE AND APPROACH:-

The range is the temperature difference between the water inlet and exit states.

Range = ……..0C

The approach is the difference in temperature between the cooled-water temperature and the inlet-
air wet bulb temperature

Approach = ………0C
EFFICIENCY:
Efficiency = (range/approach) *100 = …..%
RESULTS:

1) Actual evaporation loss = ….. kg/hr

Theoretical evaporation loss (using tables) = ……kg/hr
Theoretical evaporation loss (using chart) = ……..kg/hr

2) Range = …..0C

3) Approach =…..0C

4) Efficiency = ……… %

PRECAUTIONS:-

1) Sufficient time must be allowed for water to be heated in the heater and readings should be
taken only once the temperature becomes stable.

2) Care should be taken while noting down the temperatures.

3) The hose pipe should not eject out of the psychrometric gun and hence handle it carefully.

QUESTIONS:-

Q1 What is the function of a cooling tower?

Q2 What are the different types of cooling towers and mention the cooling tower of the lab.
Q3 What different flow measurement devices are used for water and air and why?
Q4 Why mercury is used in cooling tower?
Q5 Why hose pipe is to be used for air inlet?
Q6 Can we get chilled water out of cooling tower?
Q7. Identify the major heat transfer process in cooling tower.