Professional Documents
Culture Documents
J u l y 1981
'RULE-OF-THUMB'
https://plus.google.com/+ChemicalEngineeringAspenTech/posts
Stephen A. Leeper
https://plus.google.com/+ChemicalEngineeringCourses/posts
DISCLAIMER
This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an
agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States
Government nor any agency Thereof, nor any of their employees,
makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal
liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or
usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process
disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately
owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product,
process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or
otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement,
recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any
agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein
do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States
Government or any agency thereof.
DISCLAIMER
Portions of this document may be illegible in
electronic image products. Images are produced
from the best available original document.
EGG-GTH-5775
EGG-GTH--577 5
DE82 012196
Stephen A. Leeper
July 1981
CONTENTS
................................
NOMENCLATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABSTRACT
I.
11.
...........................
DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A.
Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B.
Outlet Air Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C.
Tower Characteristic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D.
Loading Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E. Tower Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F.
Water Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
G.
Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
H. Cost Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I. Sample Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INTRODUCTION
FIGURES
........................
....................
REFERENCES
1 . .
.........
...............................
Page
ii
ii i
4
4
4
5
6
6
7
8
10
11
16
19
24
Abstract
A survey of wet cooling tower l i t e r a t u r e was performed t o develop a
ii
NOMENCLATURE
Approach (T2
Base Area ( f t g2 )
B1owdown (1 bs HpO/hr)
A constant
D r i f t ( l b s H20/hr)
Evaporation ( 1 bs H20/hr)
A i r Flow Rate ( l b s a i r / h r )
Enthalpy o f A i r ( B t u / l b d r y a i r )
A i r Humidity ( l b H20/lb d r y a i r )
Bd
c
cP
twb; OF)
HP
K
Head of Pump ( f t )
Ka
3
Volumetric A i r Mass Transfer Constant ( l b s a i r / h r ftfill)
-Kav
--
L/G
Makeup ( l b s H20/hr)
Power (hp)
Range (Tl
A i r Temperature (OF)
TC
Tower C h a r a c t e r i s t i c
T2; OF)
( K a v / c l b s a i r / l b H20)
iii
Page 2
r7
Fan Efficiency
Density
F i l l Height
(ft)
(dimensionless; $0.80)
(lb/ft3)
Dollars
Subsymbol s
a
Ai r
Base Area
calc
des
Design
fill
Fan
mix
OP
Operation
Pump
sa
A i r Temperature
Water Temperature
TA
Transfer Area
wb
I n l e t Condition
E x i t Condition
F i l l Volume
...
, '
Water Vapor
iv
I.
I NTRODUCTION
IT,
4
KaB
LcP
dT
hSa-ha
--
hsa
ha
11.
DESIGN PROCEDURE
A.
Problem Statement
For a given cooling tower design, the q u a n t i t y o'f water t o be treated ( L ) and i t s inlet temperature (T1) are known. The outlet water
i
temperature (T2) i s specified. The difference between the inlet&and
outlet water temperatures i s the range ( R ) . An ambient wet-bulb
temperature '(twb;tl)i s chosen for design, such t h a t i t i s exceeded
only three t o five percent of the time. The difference between the
wet-bulb temperature and the outlet water temperature i s the approach ( A ) .
The outlet water temperature approaches the a i r wet-bulb temperature,
w h i c h i s the l i m i t i n g temperature t o which-water can be cooled. Generally, cooling towers are designed w i t h an approach of 10 t o 15 degrees (Fahrenheit). The approach i s seldom less t h a n five degrees.
B.
For a given set of cooling tower design conditions, an optimum design (outlet a i r temperature/water-air flow rate r a t i o ) exists. The
optimum design will result i n minimum construction and operating
costs. A good correlation exists between the optimum outlet a i r
temperature and the inlet and outlet water temperatures:
t2 -
T1
T2
Tower Characteristic
The tower characteristic
equati on :
- Kaa
--
i'
dT
hsa
ha
T2
Simpson's rule (see sample calculation). The most commonly used computer
solution i s the Tchebycheff method ( 2 , p.12-13). A nomograph i s
also available f o r estimation of the tower characteristic ( 2 , p.12-14).
D.
Loading Factor
The loading f a c t o r ( L ) , s p e c i f i c water flow r a t e o r water flow r a t e
d e n s i t y i s the recommended water flow r a t e per u n i t of tower c r o s s s e c t i o n a l a r e a (base area; B ) . Through experience w i t h various types
of f i l l , optimum loading f a c t o r s have been determined a s a function of
design wet-bul b temperature, range and approach. For d i f f i c u l t
cooling j o b s ( l a r g e range and/or c l o s e approach), a low loading f a c t o r
i s required and v i s a versa. Two graphical methods a r e presented f o r
determining the loading f a c t o r (Figures 3 , 4, 5 and Figure 6).
E.
Tower Dimensions
(q
V=BxZ
= ,002
M = (.0012 R + .002) L
(H2
HI) G
In this case,
M = 1.26 (H2
- H1)
+ .002 L
Power Requirements
Pump power (P ) is determined from the following equation:
P
pp
L x H
1.98 x :1 6 x
IT
hp/106 1 bs/hr
20-24
14
24-28
8.5
17
Fan power requirements can be estimated from the following approximations presented by McKelvey and Brooke (1, p.178):
F i l l Heiqht ( f t . )
hp/1000 gpm
hp/106 1 b s / h r
20-24
14
28
24-28
12
24
pF - 8,000
where
PF = Fan Power ( h p )
F = Air Flow Rate (acfm)
= Density of
Moist Air
(3
t (lbs/ft3)
Pa,t
42.6439
t + 460
PW,t
(3
t (lbs/ft3)
Cost Estimation
$1967
where
$1967
C x A + 39.2R
- 586
= 1967 d o l l a r s
(OF)
A = Approach
(OF)
279
C =
twb
[ 1 t 0.0335
(85
twb)1.143]
M u l t i p l i c a t i o n of 1967 d o l l a r s by 2.7
c o r r e c t t o 1980 d o l l a r s .
[ l.0813]
will approximately
Dickey (9) presents a method f o r estimation of cooling tower cons t r u c t i o n c o s t s . From a n a l y s i s of 39 cooling towers b u i l t by
10
.3843
A method of estimating cooling tower cost from the tower characteri s t i c i s therefore:
14.45
~
$1978
( .9964 x TC
500
-3843)
11
Sol u t i on :
Estimate o u t l e t a i r temperature (t2)and t/G:
T1 T2
t2 -
+(104F,
hl(twb
75OF)
h2 -
Cp (TI
104OF
hl
- T2)
79.31
38.62
(1.0)(119 89)
1.36
Aha -
89
95
101
107
113
119
79.31
-
38.62
= 8.139 B t u / l b a i r .
54.85
63.34
73.58
85.59
99.74
116.50
Divide
16.23
16.58
18.68
22.55
28.57
37.19
38.62
46.76
54.90
63.04
71.18
79.31
.0616
.0603
.0535
.0443
.0350
.0269
.2816
Ave =
(T
KaB
1
)= R ~
x ( hsa- ~
ha)
~
30 x .0469
~
=
ave
12
1.408
.0469
1375 l b S / h r / f t B2
1 KaV 1
=
Idc
x-
1.408 x 1375
Ka
2
B = L / i = 120,000/2.75 = 43,636 f t g
3
V = B x Z = 844,740 f t f i l l
13
100
19.4 ft.
HP
+ 10
29.4 f t .
x Hp
1.98 x lo6
pp
TI
2 1100 hp
a,t
42.6439
t2 + 460
= .0756 l b s / f t 3
w,t
26.6525
= .9624 1bs/ft3
( t + 4 6 0 ) ~Ht
(1 + H t ) G
60
'F
= 10.52 x 10 acfm ( f t / m i n )
F =
'mix,t
F
= 1300 hp
8000
14
$1978
- 14*45 L (.9964
500
x TC
= 3.36 x 10 lbs/hr
=
6720 gpm
15
6
.3843) = 1.77 x 10 d o l l a r s
I I I.
SIMULATION CALCULATIONS
Cooling towers operate most of the time a t conditions different than their
design conditions. Prediction of cooling tower performance a t various cond i t i o n s i s important i n the optimization o f power plant cycles. A change i n
one operation parameter changes the performance of the tower. Simulation
calculations are required t o determine the new operating state.
The parameter which changes most often i s the ambient wet-bulb temperature.
A change i n the wet-bulb temperature will affect the range and the approach
of the tower, b u t the tower characteristic
(K;)
wi 1 1 remain unchanged.
The a i r flow rate i s also frequently changed by reducing the fan speed.
When the a i r flow rate i s changed, not only i s the approach affected, b u t the
tower characteristic i s also changed. Water flow rate also affects the tower
characteristic. A change in the i n l e t water temperature does not affect the
tower characteristic, b u t does change the approach and can change the range.
The tower characteristic
(p)
re1 ationshi p:
or
16
KaV
-
a t design L / G ) ,
L
the intercept (logloC) can be c a l c u l a t e d and C determined. Once C i s determined, the tower c h a r a c t e r i s t i c can be determined for o t h e r L/G. The above
1
< -3X ( k )
equation i s accurate w i t h i n the following range:
-x
TCdes
2
2
I f one p o i n t on the l i n e i s known ( f o r instance,
(k)d;s
T2) = 60.26 B t u / l b a i r
= 2.34
ha
17
.
des
(F)
= 1.43
Guess 3:
Interpolation
h2 = 60.26OF
(F)
= 1.56
Guess 4:
Interpolation
- Tp =
h2 = 60.26OF
('<)
4 = 1.49
0
0 0
T2 = 79.5OF and
T1
= 105.5OF
Example 3
Consider the above cooling tower. I f the fan rpm i s reduced 50% (an
approximately 40% reduction i n a i r flow r a t e ) , what will T1 and T2 be
f o r twb = 6OoF and the range held constant?
18
Solution:
( T r i a l and Error)
- (:)op
&(:)des
.60
1.30
= 2.17
(;>
des
= 1.7442
(F)op
=
0.0
1.096 =
C x(:)
i1
T2
1.096
OP
dT
hsa
ha
19
LL
aJ
110
c,
c,
a,
100
c,
J
O
na
90
aL
J
70
c,
la
aJ
60
m
la
b>
50
50
60
70
80
90 100 110
Air o u t l e t temp., O F
20
07
.C
v)
aJ
(u
c,
I1
Q
Q
5
cu
c,
21
co
aJ
L)
5
L
aJ
Q)
c1
.V
c,
> 5
v)
aJa
L U
L ) .
..
(u
I
35
30
25
LI,
0
QI
0,
20
lu
cc
15
!lb
10
200
FIGURE 3:
400
600 800
1000 1200
_ _ _
. -
6OoF wet b u l b
Design chart
f o r mechanical d r a f t towers
[YOo
Approach
15' 10'
5O
35
LL
30
aJ
CEI
25
20
15
10
200
FIGURE 4:
400
22
Approach
200
FIGURE 5:
FIGURE 6:
15' 100 50
20'
80' wet b u l b
23
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
W. L.
4.
5.
6.
D. Q. Kern, Process Heat Transfer, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1950.
7.
8.
9.
J. B. Dickey, "Managing Waste Heat with the Water Cooling Tower, 3rd Ed.,"
Marley Cooling Tower Co., Mission, Kansas 66202, 1978.
11.
12.
24