PALTECH COOLING TOWERS &

EQUIPMENTS LTD.
9 SITUATED AT NEW DELHI IN BUSINESS OF COOLING TOWERS, WATER TREATMENT
PLANTS, CHILLING PLANTS, HEAT EXCHANGERS & POWER SAVER FRP FANS

9 FACTORY LOCATED AT SOHNA (HARYANA) 40 K.M. AWAY FROM NEW DELHI

9 ALL MODERN FACILITIES OF MANUFACTURING COOLING TOWER COMPONENTS

LIKE: FRP/GRP Fans (Upto 10m. Dia) * Gearboxes * Drive Shafts * Fill Material * All ASCU
treated Wood Components * Packaged Cooling Towers (Upto 500TR)

9 AN ISO-9001:2000 CERTIFIED AND CONFERRED WITH NATIONAL AWARD FOR

EXCELLENCY IN ENGINEERING SECTOR BY VICE PRESIDENT OF INDIA

9 INHOUSE COMPLETE COOLING TOWER TECHNOLOGY OF ANY TOWER CROSSFLOW/

COUNTERFLOW, RCC, WOODEN, FRP, SPRAY PONDS, JET TOWERS & NATURAL
DRAFT TOWERS UPTO 40000 M3/HR. AND SINGLE CELL CAPACITY 4000 M3/HR.BASED
ON LATEST TRENDS IN COOLING TOWER TECHNOLOGY.

9 UNDERTAKE ANY REPAIRING WORK OF ANY EXISTING COOLING TOWER AND

UPGRADATION INCL. CONVERSION FROM CROSSFLOW TO COUNTERFLOW

9 SUPPLY OF SPARE PARTS LIKE FRP/GRP FANS, GEARBOXES, DRIVE SHAFTS, FILL etc.

9 INSPECTION, TESTING, COMMISSIONING AND EVALUATION

 BY
R. A. RAMARAO

PALTECH COOLING TOWERS & EQUIPMENTS LTD.

G-5, FIRST FLOOR, ‘G’ BLOCK MARKET, HAUZ KHAS, NEW DELHI – 110 016.
Tel# 011-26864351 to 53 Fax# 011-26863737
E-mail: [email protected]
PURPOSE OF FILLS IN COOLING TOWERS
# Hot water is cooled in a Cooling Tower in contact with cold air due to:
) Evaporation about 75% by mass transfer
) Sensible heat transfer about 25% by conduction and convection

# Mass transfer is due to flow of water vapour from the hot water to the cold air depending on Wet
Bulb Temperature of entering air.

# The enthalpy of entering air increases as the Wet Bulb Temperature increases.

# Cooling Ponds require large surface area for evaporation.

# Spray Ponds with spray nozzles have limited performance.

# More Splash and wetter surface area indicate more heat load extraction.

# Fill Volume indicates the efficiency of Cooling Tower.

# Fill is required in a Cooling Tower

) To create large droplet formation
) Fill has fill volume equals to Length x Breadth x Depth
) Fill provides necessary time of contact between air and water
) Splash area is the surface area of fill
) Wetted surface area is the perimeter of fill multiplied by length

# The cost of Fill is around 10% of cost of the Cooling Tower

 TYPES OF FILLS
• Splash type consisting of Splash
bars used for crossflow and
counterflow

• Film type consisting of thin film of

sheets used mostly for counterflow
 SPLASH TYPE FILLS
# ASCU treated timber laths 3/8” thick x 1½” wide.

# ASCU diamond i’size timber Splash bars.

# PVC V-Bar Splash bars 2½” x 2½” with perforations in both legs.

# PVC V-Bar 1½” wide x 1.5m thick.

# Hollow PVC 1” ∅ circular Splash bars.

# Hollow triangular PVC Splash bars.

# 1¼” High x 4” wide PVC airfoil (wedge) with 3/8” ∅ perforations.

# Pre-stressed concrete Splash bars half elliptical size 3” wide x 2” deep and pre-
stressed concrete triangular Splash bars.

# All Splash bars are mounted horizontally with length perpendicular to air flow.
 SPLASH BAR SPACING

KELLEY published Fill Characteristic Curves and Pressure Loss Curves with the
following spacings:

• Wood Splash bars 1½” x 3/8”

1 3/8” V x 4” H ; 1 3/8” V x 8” H
2” V x 4” H ; 2” V x 8” H
4” V x 4” H ; 4” V x 8” H

• PVC Splash bars 2½” x 2½” at 8” H x 8” V

• PVC Wedge Fill 8” V x 8” H

 FILM TYPE FILLS

• Film Packing consists of thin PVC film sheets 0.25 mm thickness spaced at
12mm, 19mm and 30mm in corrugated crossfluted shape

• The fill is ultraviolet stabilized with Titanium dioxide or Carbon black.

• Film Packings are available in modules 30cm wide x 30cm deep and length upto
1500mm

• Film Packing has largest wetted surface area and excellent for counterflow
towers with water TDS less than 100 PPM

• Highly disadvantages for clogging and fouling due to deposits of mud, slime,
algae and scale formation

• The Film Packing is used in heights of 30cms., 60cms., 90cms. and 150cms.
 REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD FILLS

• Should not deteriorate for chemical action of water

• Corrosion resistant

• Should not sag and should be laid flat

• Should have adequate splashing and wetted surface area

• Should create good time of contact and thin film of hot water for evaporation

• Should withstand hot water temperature of water upto 50oC

• Should be fire retarding

• Should create less static pressure resistance for air flow

 DESIGN OF FILLS

Fill design consists of:

(i) Selection of proper Splash bars, their shape and material

(i) Spacing of Splash bars vertical and horizontal

(i) In case of Film packing spacing of sheets

(i) Fill Characteristic Curves follow the following equations-

KaV = C L n for Counterflow towers

L G

KaY = C L -n for Crossflow towers

L G

(v) Fill curves depend on shape of fill, spacing of fill, height of fill and these are
different
 DATA FOR EVALUATION OF FILL &
DESIGN CRITERIA
(i) Plan Width and Length of Cell (ft.)
(ii) Plan Area (Sq.ft.)
(iii) Height of Filling (ft.)
(iv) Volume of Filling (cft.)
(v) Water Loading (gpm / ft2)
(vi) Air Rate (CFM)
(vii) Water / Air Ratio (L/G)
(viii) No. of transfer units (KaV/L or KaY/L)
(ix) Unit Volume coefficient (Ka/L)
(x) Overall coefficient (Kg)
(xi) The design parameters Range, Approach, Wet Bulb Temperature and L/G ratio
determine KaV/L or KaY/L called Demand Curve
(xii) The Demand Curves were published by KELLEY for crossflow towers and CTI for
counterflow towers
(xiii) The value of KaV/L varies with L/G ratio
(xiv) The coefficient KaV/L represents temperature change per unit volume of driving
force in an incremental tower having 1 sq.ft. of plan area and is independent of
volume of filling.
 DATA FOR EVALUATION OF FILL &
DESIGN CRITERIA
(xv) KaV/L is calculated from:
T1 where, T1 – Hot Water Temperature
KaV = dT T2 – Cold Water Temperature
L hw - ha hw – Enthalpy Btu/lb at CWT
T2 ha – Enthalpy at WBT

(xvi) The Tchebycheff method for numerical evaluation of the integral is –

T1
KaV = dT = T1 – T2 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 .
L hw - ha 4 h1 h2 h3 h4
T2
Where h1 - value of (hw – ha) at T2 + 0.1 (T1 – T2)
h2 - value of (hw – ha) at T2 + 0.4 (T1 – T2)
h3 - value of (hw – ha) at T1 – 0.4 (T1 – T2)
h4 - value of (hw – ha) at T1 – 0.1 (T1 – T2)

Unit Volume coefficient = Ka = KaV/L

L V (height of fill)

Overall coefficient = Ka x L (Water Loading)

L
 DATA FOR EVALUATION OF FILL &
DESIGN CRITERIA
(xvii) A larger overall coefficient means it must remove more Btu/cft. / unit
driving force

(xviii) More filling per cft. indicates more overall coefficient and this more
capable tower

(xix) Equal distribution of water and uniform airflow are required for maximum
performance

PRESSURE LOSS OF FILL

• Flow resistance of air varies as the Square of velocity and directly as the density.

• Pressure loss is normally based on standard air rate of 27 lb/sqft./minute

corresponding to a air velocity of 400 fpm and 14.2 cft/lb of mixture or
14.67 cft/lb of dry air.

• The pressure loss is indicated in inches water gauge.

 PRESSURE LOSS OF FILL
For Crossflow towers:

Pressure loss is a function of fill solidity

Solidity = Face Width of Splash bars

(Centre to centre distance)2

No. of Slats/horizontal deck = Air travel in inches

Horizontal spacing of Splash bars

The pressure loss curves are available for various solidity ratio and No. of Slats per
horizontal deck published by Donald Baker and by Kelley.

Normally air travel varies from 5ft. to 20ft. The Solidity ratio varies from 0.005 to
0.20 and No. of Slats varies from 10 to 50.

Pressure loss due to filling depends on:

(i) Horizontal and Vertical spacing of Splash bars
(ii) Air Travel
(iii) Face width of Splash bar
 PRESSURE LOSS OF FILL

For Counterflow towers:

Solidity = Face width of Slat normal to air flow

Center to center distance (Horizontal)

Number of decks = Fill height .

Vertical spacing of Fill

Solidity of fill varies from 0.10 to 0.60

No. of Decks – Max. 20

The economical fill height is maximum 4 m and horizontal spacing 8” and vertical
spacing 12”.

MUNTERS have published Pressure Loss Curves for Film packing – C-10-12,
C-10-19, C-10-30
 IMPORTANCE OF PRESSURE LOSS

• More pressure loss due to fill increases fan power consumption which is
evaluated at Rs.2.4 Lacs / KW

• Selection of fill is important for performance and operational cost due to fill.

• Normal life of fill is 10 years if properly maintained.

• The fill cost:

Wood Splash bar Rs.5 to Rs.6 / RM

PVC Splash bar 60 x 60 Rs.12 to Rs.15

Film packing Rs.3000 / M3

• The cost of SS-304 grid Rs.250 to Rs.350