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

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5665070
;

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

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Related Subjects

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