Cooling Tower (cooling + tower)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Genotypic variability and persistence of Legionella pneumophila PFGE patterns in 34 cooling towers from two different areas

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
Inma Sanchez
Summary Genotypic variability and clonal persistence are important concepts in molecular epidemiology as they facilitate the search for the source of sporadic cases or outbreaks of legionellosis. We studied the genotypic variability and persistence of Legionella pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns over time (period > 6 months) in 34 positive cooling towers from two different areas. In area A, radius of 70 km, 52 indistinguishable PFGE patterns were differentiated among the 27 cooling towers. In 13 cooling towers we observed , 2 PFGE patterns. Each cooling tower had its own indistinguishable Legionella PFGE pattern which was not shared with any other cooling tower. In area B, radius of 1 km, 10 indistinguishable PFGE patterns were obtained from the seven cooling towers. In four, we observed , 2 PFGE patterns. Three of these 10 indistinguishable PFGE patterns were shared by more than one cooling tower. In 27 of 34 cooling towers the same PFGE pattern was recovered after 6 months to up to 5 years of follow-up. The large genotypic diversity of Legionella observed in the cooling towers aids in the investigation of community outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease. However, shared patterns in small areas may confound the epidemiological investigation. The persistence of some PFGE patterns in cooling towers makes the recovery of the Legionella isolate causing the outbreak possible over time. [source]


Application of ozone treatment and pinch technology in cooling water systems design for water and energy conservation

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2010
A. Ataei
Abstract Re-circulating cooling water systems offer the means to remove heat from a wide variety of industrial processes that generate excess heat. Such systems consist of a cooling tower and a heat-exchanger network that conventionally has a parallel configuration. However, reuse of water between different cooling duties allows cooling water networks to be designed in a series arrangement. This results in performance improvement and increased cooling tower capacity. In addition, by the integration of ozone treatment into the cooling tower, the cycle of concentration can be increased. The ozone treatment also dramatically reduces the blow-down that, in turn, is environmentally constructive. In this study, a new environmental-friendly and cost-effective design methodology for cooling water systems was introduced. Using this design methodology, Integrated Ozone Treatment Cooling System (IOTCS), achievement of minimum environmental impacts and total cost were afforded through a simultaneous integration of the cooling system components using an ozone treatment cooling tower and optimum heat-exchanger network configuration. Moreover, in the proposed method, the cooling tower optimum design was achieved through a mathematical model. The IOTCS design method is based upon a complex design approach using a combined pinch analysis and mathematical programming that provides an optimum heat-exchanger configuration while maximizing water and energy conservation and minimizing total cost. Related coding in MATLAB version 7.3 was used for the illustrative example to obtain optimal values in the IOTCS design method computations. The results of the recently introduced design methodology were compared with the conventional method. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Prediction, potential and control of plume from wet cooling tower of commercial buildings in Hong Kong: A case study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2007
S. K. Tyagi
Abstract This paper presents a case study of the prediction, potential and control of plume in wet cooling towers from a huge commercial building in Hong Kong based on the weather data available for a particular year. The power input is found to be lower and the coefficient of performance (COP) moderate when all the 10 towers with low speed are in use, while it is found to be reverse when there are five towers, especially, three low and two high-speed towers are used. It is also found that the combined heating and cooling option can be a better approach than that of the heating option alone from the point of view of thermodynamics as well as from the point of view of economics. The COP of the chillers increases from 6.01 to 7.09 when the number of cooling towers increases from five to ten. On the other hand, the power consumption first decreases and then increases which is mainly due to the increment in the consumption of fan power from 270 to 900 kW for both options. The overall power consumption decreases slightly for the combined heating and cooling option, while in the heating option, the overall power consumption increases slightly. However, it is observed that a proper operation of cooling towers is an effective means to control and/or at least reduce the potential of visible plume generated by wet cooling towers at the existing chilling plant design for this particular building. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Thermodynamic study of wet cooling tower performance

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2006
V. D. Papaefthimiou
Abstract An analytical model was developed to describe thermodynamically the water evaporation process inside a counter-flow wet cooling tower, where the air stream is in direct contact with the falling water, based on the implementation of the energy and mass balance between air and water stream describing thus, the rate of change of air temperature, humidity ratio, water temperature and evaporated water mass along tower height. The reliability of model predictions was ensured by comparisons made with pertinent experimental data, which were obtained from the literature. The paper elaborated the effect of atmospheric conditions, water mass flow rate and water inlet temperature on the variation of the thermodynamic properties of moist air inside the cooling tower and on its thermal performance characteristics. The analysis of the theoretical results revealed that the thermal performance of the cooling tower is sensitive to the degree of saturation of inlet air. Hence, the cooling capacity of the cooling tower increases with decreasing inlet air wet bulb temperature whereas the overall water temperature fall is curtailed with increasing water to air mass ratio. The change of inlet water temperature does not affect seriously the thermal behaviour of the cooling tower. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


The performance of natural draft dry cooling towers under crosswind: CFD study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2004
Rafat Al-Waked
Abstract The thermal performance of a natural draft dry cooling tower (NDDCT) under a crosswind has been investigated using a general-purpose CFD code. A three-dimensional study using the standard k,, turbulence model to simulate airflow in and around an NDDCT has been conducted. A parametric study has been carried out to examine the effect of crosswind velocity profile and air dry-bulb temperature on the thermal performance of an NDDCT. Two approaches have been considered in this study to quantify the crosswind effect. Firstly, simulations have been conducted at the nominal conditions and crosswind effect has been represented by thermal effectiveness parameter. Secondly, the ejected heat from the NDDCT has been maintained at a constant value (285 MW) and the crosswind effect has been represented by the change in the cooling tower approach parameter. After quantifying the effect of the crosswind on the thermal performance, windbreak walls have been introduced as a means of reducing this effect. The results in this paper show the importance of considering the crosswind velocity profile. Moreover, the introduction of windbreak walls has indicated an improvement in reducing the thermal performance losses due to the crosswind. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


A zero ODP replacement for R12 in a centrifugal compressor: an experimental study using R134a

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 15 2002
C. Aprea
Abstract It is well believed that the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and their mixtures are the most promising candidates to substitute the conventional refrigerants, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and HCFCs which contain chlorine atoms in the molecule. This substitution is necessary for the harmful action of CFCs and of HCFCs toward atmospheric ozone layer damage because the disruption of ozone has been attributed to chlorine. For this reason they must be replaced by more environment-friendly refrigerants, as the new family, designated as HFCs, that are chlorine free. Centrifugal compressors differ from positive displacement compressors in two major respects: high vapour volume flow for a given physical size and lower pressure ratio. They are particularly suited to applications where differences between evaporator and condenser temperatures are low. The preferred properties for fluids used in centrifugal compressors differ in certain important aspects from those preferred for fluids used in positive displacement units. In particular centrifugal compressors typically utilize fluids such as CFC114, CFC113, CFC12 and CFC11 for which many potential candidate replacements exist; however, for CFC12, HFC134a is the most suitable replacement. A comparison of the refrigerants HFC134a and CFC12 has been carried out and the results from the tests, using data from a refrigerating plant operating with a centrifugal compressor are reported. The chilled water cooling plant, with a refrigerating capacity of 6500 kW is made up of a centrifugal two-stage compressor, a condenser linked to a cooling tower, an economizer and a flooded evaporator. Experimental results show that a lower coefficient of performance is found when R134a is used as substitute for R12; the difference between the COP values decreases rising the compression ratio. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Simplification of analytical models and incorporation with CFD for the performance predication of closed-wet cooling towers

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 13 2002
Ala Hasan
Abstract Simplified analytical models are developed for evaluating the thermal performance of closed-wet cooling towers (CWCTs) for use with chilled ceilings in cooling of buildings. Two methods of simplification are used with regard to the temperature of spray water inside the tower. The results obtained from these models for a prototype cooling tower are very close to experimental measurements. The thermal performance of the cooling tower is evaluated under nominal conditions. The results show that the maximum difference in the calculated cooling water heat or air sensible heat between the two simplified methods and a general computational model is less than 3%. The analytical model distribution of the sensible heat along the tower is then incorporated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess the thermal performance of the tower. It is found that CFD results agree well with the analytical results when the air flow is simulated with air supply from the bottom of the tower, which represents a uniform air flow. CFD shows the importance of the uniform distribution of air and spray water to achieve optimum design. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Molecular characterization and corrosion behavior of thermophilic (55,°C) SRB Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii isolated from cooling tower in petroleum refinery

MATERIALS AND CORROSION/WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION, Issue 9 2009
B. Anandkumar
Abstract Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii (D. kuznetsovii), a thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB), was identified in a cooling tower of a petroleum refinery by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and its functional gene encoding dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrAB). The thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterial species have been reported for the first time in the cooling towers of an Indian petroleum refinery. The protein coded by dsrAB gene was cloned, expressed, and identified using recombinant DNA technology. Weight loss method, electrochemical and surface analysis showed the corrosion behavior of the isolate. In the presence of D. kuznetsovii, the corrosion rate was higher when compared to control at 55,°C. It suppresses the anodic reaction and enhances the cathodic reaction by the production of organic complex and iron sulfide, respectively. Numerous pitting were noticed on mild steel which is due to the presence of D. kuznetsovii and its role in the corrosion process has been discussed. [source]


Legionella pneumophila in an ammonia plant cooling tower

PROCESS SAFETY PROGRESS, Issue 4 2002
Wim D. Verduijn
In 1999, 30 people died from infection by Legionella pneumophila bacteria after visiting a flower exhibition in Bovenkarspel, The Netherlands. This event prompted Kemira Agro Rozenburg to sample its cooling tower water at regular intervals for the presence of the Legionella bacteria. The results were consistently negative until the spring of 2000 when a sudden outbreak of the bacteria was detected. Safety measures were implemented immediately, the cause of the outbreak was discovered, and measures were subsequently taken to prevent a reoccurrence. [source]


Genotypic variability and persistence of Legionella pneumophila PFGE patterns in 34 cooling towers from two different areas

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
Inma Sanchez
No abstract is available for this article. [source]


Genotypic variability and persistence of Legionella pneumophila PFGE patterns in 34 cooling towers from two different areas

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
Inma Sanchez
Summary Genotypic variability and clonal persistence are important concepts in molecular epidemiology as they facilitate the search for the source of sporadic cases or outbreaks of legionellosis. We studied the genotypic variability and persistence of Legionella pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns over time (period > 6 months) in 34 positive cooling towers from two different areas. In area A, radius of 70 km, 52 indistinguishable PFGE patterns were differentiated among the 27 cooling towers. In 13 cooling towers we observed , 2 PFGE patterns. Each cooling tower had its own indistinguishable Legionella PFGE pattern which was not shared with any other cooling tower. In area B, radius of 1 km, 10 indistinguishable PFGE patterns were obtained from the seven cooling towers. In four, we observed , 2 PFGE patterns. Three of these 10 indistinguishable PFGE patterns were shared by more than one cooling tower. In 27 of 34 cooling towers the same PFGE pattern was recovered after 6 months to up to 5 years of follow-up. The large genotypic diversity of Legionella observed in the cooling towers aids in the investigation of community outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease. However, shared patterns in small areas may confound the epidemiological investigation. The persistence of some PFGE patterns in cooling towers makes the recovery of the Legionella isolate causing the outbreak possible over time. [source]


Prediction, potential and control of plume from wet cooling tower of commercial buildings in Hong Kong: A case study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2007
S. K. Tyagi
Abstract This paper presents a case study of the prediction, potential and control of plume in wet cooling towers from a huge commercial building in Hong Kong based on the weather data available for a particular year. The power input is found to be lower and the coefficient of performance (COP) moderate when all the 10 towers with low speed are in use, while it is found to be reverse when there are five towers, especially, three low and two high-speed towers are used. It is also found that the combined heating and cooling option can be a better approach than that of the heating option alone from the point of view of thermodynamics as well as from the point of view of economics. The COP of the chillers increases from 6.01 to 7.09 when the number of cooling towers increases from five to ten. On the other hand, the power consumption first decreases and then increases which is mainly due to the increment in the consumption of fan power from 270 to 900 kW for both options. The overall power consumption decreases slightly for the combined heating and cooling option, while in the heating option, the overall power consumption increases slightly. However, it is observed that a proper operation of cooling towers is an effective means to control and/or at least reduce the potential of visible plume generated by wet cooling towers at the existing chilling plant design for this particular building. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


The performance of natural draft dry cooling towers under crosswind: CFD study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2004
Rafat Al-Waked
Abstract The thermal performance of a natural draft dry cooling tower (NDDCT) under a crosswind has been investigated using a general-purpose CFD code. A three-dimensional study using the standard k,, turbulence model to simulate airflow in and around an NDDCT has been conducted. A parametric study has been carried out to examine the effect of crosswind velocity profile and air dry-bulb temperature on the thermal performance of an NDDCT. Two approaches have been considered in this study to quantify the crosswind effect. Firstly, simulations have been conducted at the nominal conditions and crosswind effect has been represented by thermal effectiveness parameter. Secondly, the ejected heat from the NDDCT has been maintained at a constant value (285 MW) and the crosswind effect has been represented by the change in the cooling tower approach parameter. After quantifying the effect of the crosswind on the thermal performance, windbreak walls have been introduced as a means of reducing this effect. The results in this paper show the importance of considering the crosswind velocity profile. Moreover, the introduction of windbreak walls has indicated an improvement in reducing the thermal performance losses due to the crosswind. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Simplification of analytical models and incorporation with CFD for the performance predication of closed-wet cooling towers

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 13 2002
Ala Hasan
Abstract Simplified analytical models are developed for evaluating the thermal performance of closed-wet cooling towers (CWCTs) for use with chilled ceilings in cooling of buildings. Two methods of simplification are used with regard to the temperature of spray water inside the tower. The results obtained from these models for a prototype cooling tower are very close to experimental measurements. The thermal performance of the cooling tower is evaluated under nominal conditions. The results show that the maximum difference in the calculated cooling water heat or air sensible heat between the two simplified methods and a general computational model is less than 3%. The analytical model distribution of the sensible heat along the tower is then incorporated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess the thermal performance of the tower. It is found that CFD results agree well with the analytical results when the air flow is simulated with air supply from the bottom of the tower, which represents a uniform air flow. CFD shows the importance of the uniform distribution of air and spray water to achieve optimum design. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Molecular characterization and corrosion behavior of thermophilic (55,°C) SRB Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii isolated from cooling tower in petroleum refinery

MATERIALS AND CORROSION/WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION, Issue 9 2009
B. Anandkumar
Abstract Desulfotomaculum kuznetsovii (D. kuznetsovii), a thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB), was identified in a cooling tower of a petroleum refinery by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and its functional gene encoding dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrAB). The thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterial species have been reported for the first time in the cooling towers of an Indian petroleum refinery. The protein coded by dsrAB gene was cloned, expressed, and identified using recombinant DNA technology. Weight loss method, electrochemical and surface analysis showed the corrosion behavior of the isolate. In the presence of D. kuznetsovii, the corrosion rate was higher when compared to control at 55,°C. It suppresses the anodic reaction and enhances the cathodic reaction by the production of organic complex and iron sulfide, respectively. Numerous pitting were noticed on mild steel which is due to the presence of D. kuznetsovii and its role in the corrosion process has been discussed. [source]


Evaluation of corrosion inhibitors for cooling water systems operating at high concentration cycles

MATERIALS AND CORROSION/WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION, Issue 5 2009
E. A. de Souza
Abstract The present work aimed at evaluating AISI 1020 carbon steel corrosion resistance of a 6:4:1:1 (MoO/HEDP/PO/Zn2+) inhibitor mixture present in a solution which simulates an industrial cooling water system operating at high concentration cycles (1050 ppm Cl, and 450 ppm Ca2+). High concentration cycles are desirable, because system purge and treated water consumption are decreased. On the other hand, a high number of concentration cycles can increase the concentration of salts and dissolved impurities, causing corrosion, incrustations, and deposits inside the pipes, heat exchangers, and cooling towers. Thus, the chloride (Cl,) and calcium (Ca2+) ions aggressiveness was studied on the proposed inhibiting mixture, at the temperatures of 40 and 60,°C, through electrochemical techniques like open circuit potential measurements, anodic and cathodic polarization, and weight loss. The results showed that the inhibitor mixture conferred adequate protection to carbon steel in low concentrations, even in high aggressive media. [source]


Introductory Remarks: Bacterial Endosymbionts or Pathogens of Free-Living Amebae,

THE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2004
FRANCINE MARCIANO-CABRAL
ABSTRACT Free-living amebae are ubiquitous in the environment and can be isolated from a variety of habitats including water, soil, air, hospital water systems, dental units, contact lens cases, and cooling towers. The interaction of amebae with other microorganisms in their environment is varied. Bacteria are a major food source for free-living amebae. However, some bacteria have established a stable symbiotic relationship with amebae. Recent reports indicate an association of amebae with intracellular bacterial pathogens. Such amebae may serve as reservoirs for maintaining and dispersing pathogenic bacteria in the environment or as vectors of bacterial disease in humans. [source]