Improve counterflow cooling tower operation

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Hydrocarbon Processing; (USA)

OSTI ID:5819716

Burger, R ^[1]

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1. Burger Associates, Inc., Dallas, TX (US)

Counterflow cooling towers in many large petrochemical plants, refineries and power plants throughout the world were built 10 to 15 years ago and still use heat transfer techniques that are over 50 years old. When cooling towers were first developed, the concept was to break the water into small droplets and have them fall downward through wood splash bars. The bars were of a sufficient height to have the entering hot water droplets cooled adequately at the cold water basin level to approximately the required cold water temperature. However, there was still some residual heat left within the water droplets. Over the years improvements in the mechanical equipment and structural designs were made, but the basic water splash droplet concept continued. As water flow requirements increased, so did the height and size of the cooling towers to accommodate these new requirements. Listed are the various internal elements of the modern counterflow cooling tower and their engineered state-of-the-art upgrading capabilities compared to the old fashioned methods.

• OSTI ID: 5819716
• Journal Information: Hydrocarbon Processing; (USA), Journal Name: Hydrocarbon Processing; (USA) Vol. 70:3; ISSN HYPRA; ISSN 0018-8190
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200101 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Cooling & Heat Transfer Equipment & Systems
CHEMICAL PLANTS
COOLING TOWERS
COUNTERFLOW SYSTEMS
DESIGN
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
OPERATION
PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TOWERS