Questions on Cooling towers and Psychrometry

QUESTION 1
Air enters the base of a cooling tower at 1 atm and 17.5C. The relative humidity is 60 % and the
flow rate is 11 m3/s. Water is sprayed into the tower at 40.3 and leaves at 21.1C. The air leaves
the tower at 31C saturated.

Determine the flow rate of water to and from the cooling tower.
[11.0163 kg/s; 10.733 kg/s]

QUESTION 2
A cooling tower is designed to cool 75 l/s of water from 59C. The fan delivers 300 m3/s of air
using 55 kW in the process. Air enters the tower at 24.1C dry bulb and 18C wet bulb and leaves
at 41.6C. Atmospheric pressure is taken as 101.3 kPa and make-up water is supplied at a rate of
1.5 kg/s. Make use of the psychrometric chart and calculations to solve the following:

a) the relative humidity of the air leaving the tower; [27.32%, w4 = 0.0146 kg/kg]
b) the temperature of the water leaving the tower; [27.45C]

QUESTION 3
A cooling tower is designed to cool 50 L/s of water from 54C. The fan delivers 36 m3/s of air using
45 kW in the process. Air enters the tower at 24.1C dry bulb and 16C wet bulb and leaves at
40.3C with a relative humidity of 90%. Atmospheric pressure is taken as 101.3 kPa and make-up
water is added to the tower at 21.1C. Using the psychrometric chart determine:
a) the specific humidity and relative humidity at entry to the tower and the temperature of the
water leaving the tower, [0.008 kg/kg; 43%; 32.98C]
b) the rate of evaporation in the tower. [1.54 kg/s]

QUESTION 4
A wet cooling tower is to cool 200 kg/s of cooling water from 49.5C to 29C at a location where
the atmospheric pressure is 96 kPa. Atmospheric air enters the tower at 13C and 70 % relative
humidity and leaves at 31C with a relative humidity of 90 %. Neglecting the power input to the
fan, determine:
a) the mass flow rate of the required make-up water; [5.17 kg/s]
b) the volume flow rate of air into the cooling tower. [217.66 m3/s]

QUESTION 5
Air enters a natural draught cooling tower at 101.3 kPa and 13C and relative humidity 50 %. Water
at 60.1C from turbine condensers is sprayed into the tower at the rate of 22.5 kg/s and leaves at
29c. The air leaves the tower at 39C,
101.3 kPa and is saturated. Calculate:
a) the air flow required in m3/s. [22.99 kg/s; 18.77 m3/s]
b) the make-up water required in kg/s, [0.95 kg/s]

Take: Universal gas constant = 8.314 kJ/k mol K, Specific heat capacity of superheated steam = 1.88
kJ/kgK; Specific heat capacity of air = 1.005 kJ/kgK.

when makeup water is not supplied to the tower

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PTO
QUESTION 6
A power plant requires that 12000 kg/s of water be cooled from 40.3C to 29C. Inlet air for a
cooling tower is available at 24.1C and 35 % relative humidity and may be assumed to leave the
tower at 39C and 90% relative humidity. Make-up water is supplied to the tower at 21.1C.
Calculate:
a) the mass flow rate of the air through the tower in kg/s [567.89 kg/s]
b) the required make-up for this system. [19.72 kg/s]
when make up water is supplied to the tower, the mass of water entering the tower is equal to the
mass of water leaving the tower.
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QUESTION 7
Water is cooled from 43.8C to 24.1C in a cooling tower. The mass rate of flow of water is
2000kg/hr and is maintained constant at inlet and exit of the tower. Make up water is supplied at
21.1C.
Atmospheric air enters the tower at 29C and 40% relative humidity and leaves at 39C and 90%
relative humidity. Take atmospheric pressure as 101.325 kPa and determine:
a) the mass rate of flow of dry air. [1863.94 kg/s]
b) The make up water required per second. [58.23 kg/s]

Moran 12.60
Liquid water at 50C enters a forced draft cooling tower operating at steady state. Cooled water
exits the tower with a mass flow rate of 80 kg/min. No makeup water is provided. A fan located
within the tower draws in atmospheric air at 17C, 0.98 bar, 60 % relative humidity with a
volumetric flow rate of 110 m3/min. saturated air exits the tower at 30C, 0.98 bar. The power input
to the fan is 8 kW. Determine
a) The mass flow rate of the liquid stream entering in kg/min. [82.65 kg/min]
b) The temperature of the water exiting the tower. [26.9369C.]

Psychrometry
1. Air enters a heating section at 95 kPa, 15C. and 30 percent relative humidity at a
rate of 4 m3/min, and it leaves at 25C. Determine (a) the rate of heat transfer in the
heating section and (b) the relative humidity of the air at the exit. answers: (a) 46.2
kJ/min, (b) 16.1 percent
2. Air at 101.325 kPa, 15C, and 60 percent relative humidity is first heated to 20C in
a heating section and then humidified by introducing water vapor. The air leaves the
humidifying section at 25C and 65 percent relative humidity. Determine (a) the
amount of steam added to the air, and (b) the amount of heat transfer to the air in
the heating section. Answers: (a) 0.0065 kg H20/kg dry air, (b) 5.1 kJ/kg dry air
3. Two airstreams are mixed steadily and adiabatically. The first stream enters at 31C
and 40 percent relative humidity at a rate of 20 m3/min, while the second stream
enters at 12C and 90 percent relative humidity at a rate of 25 m 3/min. Assuming
that the mixing process occurs at a pressure of 101.325 kPa, determine the specific
humidity, the relative humidity, the dry-bulb temperature, and the volume flow rate
of the mixture. Answers: 0.0096 kg H20/kg dry air, 63.4 percent, 20.6C, 45.0
m3/min.