Cooling Tower Approach Temperature

Cooling tower approach temperature
In summary, approach temperature in a cooling tower refers in a broad sense to the temperature
difference between the cold-water temperature and the wet bulb temperature (WBT) of the air.
The [DBT-WBT] temperature drives the heat transfer process in the cooling tower and is an
important parameter in determining the efficiency of the cooling system.
When graphed, the lines representing the cold-water temperature and WBT values in a cooling
tower system become asymptotic as the air becomes more and more saturated and its RH
increases, meaning they approach each other but never meet. The cooling of water in a cooling
tower is primarily due to evaporation of water and corresponds to heat transfer due to mass
transfer. This is because as the air gets more and more saturated the evaporation of water
diminishes. As the cold water approaches WBT its temperature difference (approach) decreases,
the heat transfer process becomes less efficient and reaches a point where the two temperatures
are almost equal but never quite reach an equilibrium. This phenomenon is a result of the
diminishing returns experienced in heat transfer efficiency as the approach temperature
approaches zero. Typically, a cooling tower is designed for an approach temperature of 2 -2.5 degc.
The WBT is a measure of the saturation level of the air in the cooling tower. It represents the
temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapor and cannot hold any additional
moisture. In a cooling tower, the air never becomes fully saturated. This continuous process
ensures that an approach temperature always exists, driving the heat transfer process in the
cooling tower.
Detail
Cooling tower heat/mass transfer is complex and often not understood. It is unthinkable that a 2-
degree Celsius temperature (approach) has so much thermodynamics in it.
In any natural cooling process when air cools adiabatically, it expands as pressure reduces. The
energy for expansion comes from its total energy or enthalpy which reduces. A cooling tower is
not a natural cooling process rather it's a forced cooling process. In a cooling tower when water
evaporates water molecules need space in the air. Air has a lot of empty space. Air is compressible.
Water molecules are forced into an air-empty space without doing any work. Therefore, it is
important to note that water transfers its enthalpy into the air at a constant temperature. Another
important point to note is the ' work component of total energy, W = 0, so, H = U with W being
zero. H is enthalpy, U is internal energy and W is work.
What does this mean?
It means that in a cooling tower evaporation process, dH = dU.
What does it mean?
It means in a cooling tower at a constant pressure, total energy, H depends only on internal energy
and internal energy only depends (proportional) to its temperature, 5/2 KB T for an ideal diatomic
gas. KB is Boltzmann constant and T is temperture. So essentially, a cooling tower works at
constant pressure which is atmospheric pressure, and at constant volume because there is no
expansion of air. Cooling tower is an interplay of temperature. I repeat only temperature changes
when there is heat transfer between water and air.
What is wet bulb temperature?
It is the minimum temperature of the air when all its kinetic energy converts to potential energy at
constant pressure. The temperature cannot go down further.
What is approach temperature?
The approach temperature is the difference between cold water temperature and air wet bulb
temperature. The cooling line of water can't intersect the WBT line to make a dt =0 or zero
approach. These two lines become asymptotes and can meet only at undefined infinity.
This is the fundamental point why every cooling tower has an approach temperature.
Approach temperature is the driving force for cooling in a cooling tower.
Misconceptions
The approach is a designed number on the basis of mass transfer of moisture. It only depends on
the number of equilibrium stages or air-water contact efficacy in a cooling tower for a given heat
load based on the historical seasonal data of DBT and RH. The WBT decides the approach
temperature. Generally, a cooling tower is designed for 2 degc approach. To explain, when the
heat load increases the wet bulb temperature remains the same but cold water temperature
increases and cooling reduces. WBT is a seasonal temperature purely a property of air. It has
nothing to do with heat load. Or any other external factors.
Hypothetically what happens if approach =0
It simply means the DBT = WBT = Dewpoint. The air can't take any moisture. Rate of evaporation =
rate of condensation. At zero approach,
Efficiency = Range/ [Approach + Range]. Snce, range =0 and also appraoch = 0, Efficiency = 0/0 an
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