Study on heat transfer and water saving characteristics of a new cooling tower condensation module

Abstract

Cooling towers generate large amounts of water loss during operation due to evaporation, drift and drainage and the air passing through the cooling tower is hot and humid and tends to mix with the cold and dry ambient air to form a visible white mist, resulting in poor heat transfer. In order to mitigate this effect, a new condensing module was developed and an experimental platform was set up to carry out numerical simulations and experimental studies on heat transfer, water saving and resistance characteristics. The results showed that the special structure of the new condensing module can effectively improve the heat transfer effect in the tower and reduce water losses and white mist at the top of the tower. At different flow rates, the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the wet heat channel of the new condensing module is 12.26% higher than that of the conventional condensing module, and the water vapor recovery rate is 16.81% higher; at different temperature differences, the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the wet heat channel of the new condensing module is 13.93% higher than that of the conventional condensing module, and the water vapor recovery rate is 15.45% higher. Therefore, the new condensation module provides a new method for cooling towers to improve heat transfer efficiency, as well as to remove mist and save water.