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Cooling as a part of utility section is also playing important role to support main processes [refinery, chemical, power plant, etc] as a heat rejection equipment Selection of cooling type can be a hard task due to complex consideration before deciding which one is choosen. It is not only considering performance of cooling system itself but also the impact of the selection to the main process/plant performance as overall system The accurate estimation of the advantages of the available cooling system can be a lenghty and time consuming process, and will be difficult to justify for any but the largest plant. The engineer will have to make the choice in many cases without the benefit of such a study, so some general rule of thumb would be helpfull
This option can be selected where : [1] If the raw water is particulary corrosive [2] If it is important that the process cooling water be clean [3] If the risk of leakage of water into the process is unacceptable The secondary coolant maybe either treated water or other fluid when mixing leakage water with process fluid is not tolerated Main disadvantage : The secondary coolant has to be run at a temperature above that of raw water temperature
This may be chosen for various reason : [1] If direct air cooler has to be made of expensive material, there may be an economic case for using this option [2] Low pressure gas tends to require a high ratio of pressure drop to absolute pressure when cooled or condensed in an ACHE, which may be expensive in compressor power
Straight forward air cooling is the most common alternative to a evaporative cooling tower system, particulary when supplies of suitable water is not readily available or when there are severe enviromental restriction on discharge of cooling tower blowdown.
It is used to cool process fluid below ambient air or ambient water temperature
Economic consideration
(a) Should water be available near plant battery limit, in sufficient quantity to ensure the cooling of every part of the unit, then use it in preference to air cooling (b) If it will be necessary to use towns main water or other highly treated water for CT make up water then choose air cooling
process consideration
In heat transfer term, water has more favourable properties than air : (a) Water has 4 times higher specific heat Cpw = 4.19 kJ/kg.oC than ambient air Cpa = 1.00 kJ/kgoC (b) Water is 830 times more dense than air. For example, cooling water at 15oC has density as much 999 kg/m3 than air density as much 1.2 kg/m3. This result in higher volumetric heat capacity and heat transfer coefficient (c) Water has volumetric heat capacity as much 4182 kJ/m3.oC approximately 3450 times than ambient air 1.21 kJ/m3.oC. This implies that in order to have same heat transfer effect, 3450 more volume of air has to be moved than in case of water resulting in the need for bulky expensive equipment for air handling plus higher electricity consumption for the air fans than the water pump
(d) In condenser, water yields typical heat transfer coefficient hw = 4.84 kW/m2.oC that is 58 times higher than the one of air ha = 0.084 kW/m2.oC. This implies that the surface of the condenser and the corresponding costs will be accordingly higher if air is used as cooling fluid rather than water
process consideration
There is striking differences between cooling mechanism inside ACHE with evaporative CT. Only heat transfer path that occurs in ACHE rather than simultant mass and heat transfer inside evaporative CT. As the result : approach temperature of ACHE refers to ambient air dry bulb temperature that is higher than approach temperature of evaporative CT that refers to wet bulb temperature. Other concern refer to TEMA standard - is that approach temperature shall be optimised for HE but it shall not be smaller than :
Layout consideration
ACHE is bulky and produce noise and warm air then their sitting should be considered at an early stage of plant design.
site consideration
Various site conditions may force the choice of air or water cooling : (a) Enviromental conditions may forbid the use of evaporative CT by imposing excessively stringent constraint on plumes or discharge of the blow down
(b) If there is a shortage of suitable make up water then air cooling is forced to be a choice
(c) An excessively stringent noise requirement may force water as cooling media
(d) When as is the case in dry tropical climates and there is large difference between wet and dry bulb then water cooling would be especially favorable
noise consideration
Noise specification fall into 2 classes : (a) Limitation near the ACHE to protect operators hearing (b) Limitation at points remote from the plant to protect the amenity of neighboring communities Any reasonable hearing protection specification can be met at reasonable cost, using normal design and standard fan although hearing protection devices may have to be specified for personnel working in the vicinity unit. Community noise specification can be very difficult to meet. A tight noise specification, coupled with the requirement fan rating can lead to a practically imposible task for ACHE designer. Great attention should be given to the alternate cooling method evaporative CT. Planning authorities sometimes impose a more stringent noise specification at night time than during daytime. As ambient air temperature is usually lower a night, it may be possible to run the fans at lower speed during the night time.
altitude consideration
The performance of given ACHE will be less at higher altitude due to fall off in air density and hence volumetric heat capacity, for example at 1500 m the air density is approximately 85% of that at sea level for the same ambient temperature. In other way, evaporative CT thermal performance will increase at higher altitude due to higher ambient air saturation increasing driving force for mass transfer (evaporating).
scaling
This problem occurs when specified ion concentration is exceeding its saturation concentration. Common mineral scale found in cooling water are : (a) Calcium carbonate (b) Calcium sulfate (c) Calcium phospate
corrosion
Corrosion is the mechanism by which metals are reverted back to their oxidized state Common form of corrosion found at cooling system are : (a) Crevice corrosion (b) Tuberculation (c) Underdeposite corrosion (d) Oxygen corrosion
fouling
It is phenomena that solid material accumulate then settle on HE surface. Common fouling found at cooling system are : (a) Silt, Sand, Mud and Iron (b) Dirt & Dust (c) Process contaminants, e.g. Oils (d) Corrosion Products (e) Microbio growth (f) Carryover (clarifier/lime softener), etc
(6) pH
(7) Conductivity
Cycle of concentration
Total water mass balance : MU = EV + BD + DR + LK MU = make up rate; EV = evaporation rate; BD = blow down rate; DR = drift rate; LK = leakage rate
Water velocity
Normally, water velocity is designed at range 1~3 m/s to prevent precipitation at lower velocity and even erosion at higher velocity
Moly-Phosphonate program
General Control Guidelines : Molybdate 6-16 ppm (as MoO4) Phosphonate 1-2 ppm (as PO4) Calcium 0-500 ppm M-Alkalinity 50 -2,000 ppm HTI 120 Hours max Temperature 135-180F [57-82C] Conductivity 2,000 micromhos max
ANTIMICROBIOLOGYCAL GROWTH
Oxidizing Biocides : (a) Chlorine or Bromine base (b) Kill microorganism directly and fastly (c) Continuous injection (d) Must control residual strictly because residual is aggressive to some equipment material Non Oxidizing Biocides : (a) Isothiazoline, Glutaraldehyde, DBNPA, Quaternary, Amines or Glut/Quat Combo base (b) Interfere microorganism metabolism or destroy cell wall (c) Slug dose injection rather than continuous