An investigation of the accuracy of the Merkel equation for evaporative cooling tower calculations. Waste heat management

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:5665070

Yadigaroglu, G; Pastor, E J

The exact differential equations governing heat and mass transfer and air flow in an evaporative, natural-draft cooling tower are presented. The Merkel equation is then derived starting from this exact formulation and showing all the approximations involved. The Merkel formulation lumps the sensible and the latent heat transfer together and considers a single enthalpy-difference driving force for the total heat transfer. The effect of the approximations inherent in the Merkel equation is investigated and analyzed by a series of parametric numerical calculations of cooling tower performance under various ambient conditions and load conditions.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
• OSTI ID: 5665070
• Report Number(s): PB-293572
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
NATURAL DRAFT COOLING TOWERS
HEAT TRANSFER
PERFORMANCE
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ENTHALPY
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
COOLING TOWERS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
200101* - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Cooling & Heat Transfer Equipment & Systems