CenPEEP

Centre for Power Efficiency & Environmental Protection

Cooling g Tower Performance Assessment

M.K.S. M K S Kutty DGM (CenPEEP)

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing Importance po a ce o of Cooling oo g Tower o Performance o
Monitoring

Cooling water system plays a vital role in dissipation of waste heat in power station. More than 60 % of total heat input p to the plant is finally dissipated as waste heat. The waste heat from the power plant is carried away by circulating water and ultimately gets dissipated in cooling tower.

CenPEEP Importance of Cooling Tower Performance

Monitoring

The efficiency of cooling tower has direct effect on condenser vacuum and in turn, the heat rate of f the h station. i 1oC rise i in i cold ld water t t temperature t corresponds d to 2.5mm vacuum loss or 5 kcal/kWh in HR which c co corresponds espo ds to app approx. o Rs. s 68 lakhs a so of loss per annum in terms of direct fuel cost for a 500 MW unit.

CenPEEP Cooling g Tower Thermal Performance Testing

Parameters to be Measured

Wet Bulb Temperature (WBT) at Tower inlet Cold Water Temperature Hot Water Temperature CW Flow to each Tower Fan Motor Power

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing Acceptable Test Conditions CW Flow rate Cooling Range Wet-Bulb Temp Fan Motor Power : 90 110% of Design : 80 120% of Design : Design +/- 8.50 C : 90 110% of Design

Average wind velocity : < 4.5 m/s

Cooling Tower Performance Salient Terms Used in CT Testing A Approach h

CenPEEP

Difference between the Cold Water Temperature at CT outlet and Inlet air Wet Bulb Temperature Range Difference between the Hot Water Temperature (inlet to CT) and Cold Water Temperature (outlet of CT)

CenPEEP Cooling g Tower Performance Salient Terms Used in CT Testing T Tower Capability C bilit The most reliable means to assess the cooling tower thermal performance. It is defined as the percentage of water that the tower can cool to the design cold water temperature when the inlet wet-bulb, cooling range, water flow rate and fan motor power are all at their design value. value

CenPEEP Cooling g Tower Performance Tower Capability

Tower Capability in Percentage Adjusted Test Flow Rate = Adjusted Test Flow Rate Predicted Water Flow Rate

= Measured flow x { Design KW of fans}0.333 { Test KW of Fans }

Predicted Water Flow Rate =Calculated from Manufacturer graphs g p and actual test conditions i.e. WBT, Range and Cold water temperature.

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

Tower Capability = { QT } * { CellD } * { PD }.333 * 100 { Qpred } { Cell C T } { PT }

Where : QT = Measured water flow rate, t/hr Predicted water flow rate, t/hr No. of cells for design water flow rate No. of cells in operation during test Fan motor p power design, g kW Fan motor power measured, kW

Qpred = CellD = CellT = PD PT = =

CenPEEP Cooling g Tower Performance Performance Analysis CT degradation to be assessed based on Capability test Deviation to be derived from actual temperature and predicted cold water temperature

CenPEEP Causes for Performance Deterioration Fill clogging Increase in weight of 2-3 times Deposition in the fills comes from the turbidity of make up water air borne dust from the atmospheric air being drawn into the cooling tower precipitates of dissolved silica

CenPEEP Causes for Performance Deterioration

Damage of fills. Ch ki of Chocking f nozzle. l Falling of nozzle. Damage of splash bars. Algae g formation on splash bars Damaged drift eliminators Unequal water flow in different cells. Recirculation of vapors. Poor air flow due to less blade angle angle.

CenPEEP Causes for Performance Deterioration Hot water distribution pipe damage Annular clearance between distribution pipe and hot water channel Growth of trees/plants/bushes near cooling tower Overflow of cold water basin. Improper quality of water
Control of COC Control of Turbidity

Rain/any other water entering in open channel

CenPEEP Optimizing Cooling Tower Performance Maintaining proper L/G ratio

Equal water distribution between the cells Visual inspection of pipes, nozzles, fills, etc., for proper water distribution.

Increasing the air flow

By increasing blade angle to obtain max allowable loading of fans
By plugging all air path that do not pass through the fill zone
i ii iii iv v Sealing shaft hole of fan fan. Sealing door openings of fan chamber. Sealing the fan hub area. Maintaining blade tip clearances Reducing drift handled by fan

CenPEEP Optimizing Cooling Tower Performance

Cleaning of fills with water jets Cleaning of fills manually by removing from tower Cleaning of cold water basin during overhauls. Regular cleaning/checking of nozzles. Continuous Chlorination & Shock dozing to maintain required FRC

CenPEEP

CenPEEP g Tower Thermal Performance f Testing g Cooling

Location Of Inlet Wet Bulb Temperature for Station with Counter Flow Tower

L < 2 Meters, ,

X Measurement Station.

CenPEEP g Tower Thermal Performance f Testing g Cooling

Location Of Inlet Wet Bulb Temperature for Station with Cross Flow Tower

L < 2 Meters,

X Measurement Station.

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing Wet Bulb lb Temp. measurement setup

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing Grid setup p for f Cold Water Temp. p measurement

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing Grid setup for Cold Water Temp. measurement of single cell

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing Grid setup for Cold Water Temp. measurement of single cell

CenPEEP
Grid Measurement for Cold Water Temperature for one Cell

Grid of 48 probes

CT Performance Test
Design CWT HWT WBT CW Flow Fan Power (A (Average) ) Range Approach Effectiveness (Actual) Effectiveness (EXP) Capability 100 32 44 27 7 27.7 2222/40000 47.81 12 4.3 73.62 Cell -14 31 33 31.33 40.51 24 52 24.52 2520 45.65 9.18 6.81 57.4 63.22 87.13 Cell - 11 31 84 31.84 41.13 24 42 24.42 2515 43.84 9.29 7.42 55.59 64.4 80.04

CenPEEP
Total Tower 31 6 31.6 41.1 24 6 24.6 44188 44.17 9.50 7.0 57.58 64.32 85.07

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

90% Flow; Cold Water vs. Wet Bulb

37.0 36.0 35.0 34.0 33.0 32.0 31.0 30.0 29.0 28.0 27.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0

COLD WATER RATURE C TEMPER

Wet Bulb (C)

C-8.8C

B-11.0C

A- 13.25C

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

100% Flow; Cold Water vs. Wet Bulb
37.0 36 0 36.0 35.0 34.0 33.0 32 0 32.0 31.0 30.0 29.0 28 0 28.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0

COLD W WATER TEMPER RATURE C

Wet Bulb (C)

C-8.8C

B-11.0C

A- 13.25C

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

110 % Flow; Cold Water vs. Wet Bulb
37.0 36.0 35.0 34.0 33.0 32 0 32.0 31.0 30.0 29.0 28 0 28.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0

COLD WATER TEMPER RATURE C

Wet Bulb (C)

C-8.8C

B-11.0C

A- 13.25C

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

90% Flow; Cold Water vs. Wet Bulb COLD D WATER R TEMPE ERATURE EC

37.0 37 0 36.0 35.0 34.0 33.0 32.0 31.0 30 0 30.0 29.0 28.0 27.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0

Wet Bulb (C)

C-8.8C

B-11.0C

A- 13.25C

Test WBT 25.7 C

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

Cold Water vs. Cooling Range
30.8 30.6 30.4 30.2 30 0 30.0 29.8 29.6 29.4 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0

COLD W WATER TEMPERA ATURE (C)

COOLING RANGE (C) 90% Flow

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

Cold Water vs. Cooling Range COLD D WATER T TEMPERATU URE (C C)
32.0 31.5 31.0 30 5 30.5 30.0 29.5 29.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0

COOLING RANGE (C) ( ) 90% Flow 100% Flow 110% Flow Test Range

Test Cooling Range 10.1 C

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

Cold Water vs. Predicted Flow
30 8 30.8

COLD WA ATER TE EMPERATU URE (C)

30.6 30.4 30.2 30.0 29 8 29.8 29.6 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115

Predicted Flow (%)

Test Cold Water Temp 35.9 C

CenPEEP Cooling Tower Thermal Performance Testing

Cold Water vs. Predicted Flow
37.0 35.0 33.0 31.0 29.0 27.0 25.0 25,000 35,000 45,000 55,000 65,000 75,000 85,000

COLD W WATER TEM MPERATUR RE (C)

Predicted Flow (t/hr)

Test Cold Water Temp 35.9 C Predicted Flow 77,000 t/hr, Actual Flow - 30,977 t/hr

DEPOSITS IN FILL

CenPEEP

ALGAE FORMATION

CenPEEP

ONLINE FILL CLEANING RIHAND

CenPEEP

AIR PASSAGE THROUGH SHAFT OPENING

CenPEEP

CenPEEP
SEALING OF AIR PASSAGE THROUGH SHAFT OPENING

SEALING FAN HUB AREA

CenPEEP

SEALING FAN HUB AREA

CenPEEP

Rain Water Entering Cold Water Basin CenPEEP