Design and Construction of an Experimental Cooling Tower

Abstract

Developing a full-scale system for experimentation presents several challenges, including increased complexity, high production costs, and potential inconsistencies compared to smaller-scale models. This paper presents the design and construction of an experimental counter-flow cooling tower that can be utilised as a means of testing and assessing cooling tower effectiveness within controlled settings. The methodology used in this work involved generating the conceptual design of the cooling tower, carrying out design calculations and drawings, and also carrying out the construction and performance evaluation of the equipment. To determine the influence of flow parameters affecting the cooling tower’s effectiveness, the cooling tower’s functionality was investigated. A fan with a capacity of 40 watts was needed to introduce 0.066 kg/s air into the cooling tower to effect complete heat transfer of 3,600 kJ/kg between the hot water and the air stream, causing the enthalpy of the air stream to increase from 28.3 kJ/kg on entering to 47.3 kJ/kg on exiting. The performance study demonstrates that when the total flow rate of water rises, the cooling tower’s efficiency normally falls. At greater flow rates, the water travels faster through the tower, reducing the contact period that exists between water and air, thereby restricting heat transfer, hence resulting in reduced cooling of tower efficiency.