Evaluation and performance prediction of cooling tower rain zones
Date
2007-03
Authors
Pierce, Darren John
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
Cooling tower rain zone performance characteristics such as the loss coefficient
and the Merkel number are evaluated and simulated. To this end the influence of
drop diameter and drop deformation on the velocity, path length and cooling of
single water drops are investigated. Experimental drop size and pressure drop data
over a counterflow rain zone are presented and the effect of drop deformation on
the pressure drop is investigated using the experimental data and CFD. Using the
experimental drop size data and CFD, the performance uncertainty produced by
using the Rosin-Rammler drop distribution function as opposed to the discrete
drop distribution data is investigated. CFD models are developed to investigate
the feasibility of modelling rain zones by assuming a constant drop diameter and
to establish which diameter definition is the most representative of a particular
polydisperse drop distribution. These models were used to validate the
correlations for the rain zone performance characteristics proposed in literature.
Description
Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Mechanical engineering, Theses -- Mechanical engineering, Cooling towers, Rosin-Rammler drop distribution, Raindrops -- Evaluation