4.0 Cooling Towers

MLM 2021
Is a heat removal device that uses water to

transfer process waste heat into the
atmosphere. All cooling towers operate on
the principle of removing heat from water by
evaporating a small portion of water that is
recirculated through the unit. The mixing of
warm water and cooler air releases latent
heat of vaporization, causing the water to
cool.
Natural Draft Cooling Tower – are usually used for large
power plants and industries with infinite cooling water flow.
Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower – have air forced through

the structure by a fan that circulates air through the tower.
Crossflow Cooling Tower – have a design that allows the air

to flow horizontally through the fill and the tower’s structure
into an open plenum area. Hot water flows downward from
distribution basin.
Counterflow Cooling Tower – have a design where the air
moves upwards and the counter-current with hot water falls
downward to cool the air.
Induced-Draft Cooling Tower – is by far the most widely

used cooling tower available in HVAC industry. These towers
can be crossflow or counterflow and use axial fans.
Forced-Draft Cooling Tower – can be of the crossflow or

counterflow type, with axial or centrifugal fans. Forward-
curved centrifugal fans are commonly used in this type of
cooling tower.
▪ Range – is the reduction in temperature of the water through the cooling tower.
TR = t3 – t4
where: t3 = temperature of hot water entering
t4 = temperature of cool water entering
▪ Approach – is the difference between the wet bulb temperature of the entering air
and temperature of the leaving cool water.
TA = t3 – tWB1 where: tWB1 = temperature of hot water entering
▪ Cooling tower efficiency – is the cooling effectiveness of a cooling tower.

e = t3 – t4
t3 – tWB
▪ Make-up water requirement
using mass balance:
mAw1 + m3 = mAw2 + m4
m3 – m4 = mA (w2 – w1)
m5 = m3 – m4
m5 = mA (w2 – w1)
where: m5 = make-up water requirement
mA = mass flow rate of air entering
m3 = mass flow rate of water entering
m4 = mass flow rate of water leaving
w1 = humidity ratio of air entering
w2 = humidity ratio of air leaving
▪ Heat Balance
Heat absorbed by air = Heat rejected by water
mA (h2 – h1) = m3 Cp (t3 – t4)
▪ Energy Balance
Energy entering = Energy leaving
mA h1 + m3 h3 = mA h2 + m4 h4
m3 h3 - m4 h4 = mA (h2 - h1)
Given: At point 1 At point 3
Va = 28.34 m³/min V1 = 28.34 m³/min
m3 = 34 kg/min
Tdb = 32°C
Tdb = 38°C
Twb = 24°C
From Psychrometric Chart From Steam table
h1 = 72.5 kj/kg h3 = hf at 38°C = 159.21 kj/kg
w1 = 0.0156
v1 = 0.884 m³/kg
Required:
At point 2
(A) t4
Tdb = 29°C
RH = 100% (B) m5 (make up water)
From Psychrometric Chart
h2 = 94.5 kj/kg
w2 = 0.0255
For ma For t4
ma = V1 / v1 Using mass balance for m4
ma = 28.34 m³/min m3 – m4 = ma (w2 - w1)
0.884 m³/kg m4 = m3 – ma (w2 - w1)
ma = 32.06 kg/min. m4 = 34 – 32.06 (0.0255 – 0.0156)
m4 = 33.68 kg/min.
From 1 for m5
Using energy balance for h4
m5 = 32.06 kg/min (0.0255 – 0.0156)
Solution: m3h3 – m4h4 = ma (h2 – h1)
m5 = 0.317 kg/min.
m4h4 = m3h3 – ma (h2 – h1)
For m5 (make up water) m5 = 19.02 kg/hr
h4 = m3h3 – ma (h2 – h1)
m5 = ma (w2 – w1) 1
m4
For t4
h4 @ saturated liquid hf 0.533 t4 – 18.12 = 33 – t4
From steam table 0.533 t4 + t4 = 33 + 18.12
Using interpolation 1.533 t4 = 51.12
138.33 33 1.533 1.533
139.78 t4 t4 = 33.35 °C
Solution: 142.50 34
h4 = (34)(159.21) – (32.06)(94.5 – 72.5) 138.33 – 139.78 = 33 – t4
33.68 139.78 – 142.50 t4 – 34
h4 = (kg/min)(kj/kg) – (kg/min)(kj/kg)
0.533 = 33 – t4
kg/min
t4 – 34
h4 = 139.78 kj/kg
0.533 (t4 – 34) = 33 – t4
Given: At point 3
At point 1
Pt = 102 kPa Tdb = 29°C Tdb = 52°C
RH = 50% From Steam table
h3 = hf at 52°C = 217.69 kj/kg
From Psychrometric
Chart At point 4
h1 = 62 kj/kg Tdb = 38°C
w1 = 0.0128 From Steam table
v1 = 0.872 m³/kg h4 = hf at 38°C = 159.21 kj/kg
At point 2
Required:
Tdb = 40°C
(A) Mass & volume of air per kg
RH = 100% of water entering
From Steam Table (B) Mass of water entering per
1 cu.m/s of air
Psat = 7.384 kPa
Pv = RH Psat (A) Solving for mass & volume of air per
Pv = (1)(7.384kPa) kg of water entering
Pv = 7.384 kPa m3 = 1kg
From 1 Using energy balance for m4
w2 = 0.622 (7.384 kPa) m3h3 – m4h4 = ma (h2 – h1)
(102 – 7.384) kPa (1)(217.69) – 159.21m4 = ma (165.10 – 62)
w2 = 0.0485
217.69 – 159.21m4 = 103.1ma
Solution: For h2
159.21m4 = 217.69 - 103.1ma
For w2 h2 = Cp t + w hg
w2 = 0.622 Pv 1 m4 = 1.37 – 0.648ma 2
hg @ 40°C = 2574.3 kj/kg
Pt – Pv h2 = (1.0062)(40) + (0.0485)(2574.3)
For Pv h2 = (kJ/kg-°C)(°C) + (kJ/kg)
RH = Pv / Psat h2 = 165.10 kJ/kg
Solution:
Using mass balance for ma ma = Va / v1
m3 – m4 = ma (w2 – w1) Va = ma v1
1 – m4 = ma (0.0485 – 0.0128) Va = (0.604 kga/kgw)(0.872m³/kga)
1 – m4 = 0.0357ma Va = 0.527 m³/kgw
ma = 28.01 – 28.01m4 3
Substitute 2 to 3 (B) Solving for mass of water
entering per 1 cu.m/s of air (m3 = ?)
ma = 28.01 – 28.01 (1.37 – 0.648ma)
Va = 1m³/s
ma = 28.01 – 38.37 + 18.15ma
ma = Va / v1
ma = -10.36 + 18.15ma
ma = 1m³/s
10.36 = 18.15ma – ma
0.872 m³/kg
10.36 = 17.15ma
ma = 1.15 kg/s
ma= 0.604 kga/kgw
Solution:
Using energy balance for m4 Substitute 4 to 5
m3h3 – m4h4 = ma (h2 – h1) m3 = 0.0411 + (1.37m3 – 0.745)
(217.69)m3 – 159.21m4 = 1.15 (165.10 – 62) m3 = 0.0411 + 1.37m3 – 0.745
217.69m3 – 159.21m4 = 118.57
m3 – 1.37m3 = 0.0411 – 0.745
159.21m4 = 217.69m3 – 118.57
-0.37m3 = -0.7039
m4 = 1.37m3 – 0.745 4
m3 = 1.90 kgw/s
Using mass balance for m3

m3 – m4 = ma (w2 – w1)
m3 – m4 = 1.15 (0.0485 – 0.0128)
m3 – m4 = 0.0411
m3 = 0.0411 + m4 5

4.0 Cooling Towers

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MLM 2021

Is a heat removal device that uses water to

Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower – have air forced through

Crossflow Cooling Tower – have a design that allows the air

Induced-Draft Cooling Tower – is by far the most widely

Forced-Draft Cooling Tower – can be of the crossflow or

▪ Cooling tower efficiency – is the cooling effectiveness of a cooling tower.

v1 = 0.872 m³/kg h4 = hf at 38°C = 159.21 kj/kg

Using mass balance for m3

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