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Design of Cooling Water Systems
February 14, 2013mycheme
A previous article described the main features of a
typical cooling water system in a chemical plant. Water is often used as a coolant because it is
cheap, non-hazardous and a good heat transfer medium. This new article gives advice on how to
design a cooling water system.
Heat Load on the System
Firstly identify the users of the cooling water system. For each user, estimate the anticipated heat
load. In the case of mechanical equipment, this data will come from the equipment suppliers. For
process users, the heat load should be calculated as part of the overall process heat and mass
balance.
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For more complex systems, heat load may vary, depending on the plant operation. If this is the case,
calculate the overall heat load on the cooling water system for a number of operating cases. The
largest heat load calculated can be used as the maximum figure.
Cooling Water Operating Temperatures
The cooling water will have a design supply and return temperature, which will need to be
determined to calculate the cooling water flowrate. Obviously the cooling water return temperature
will be hotter that the supply, as it will have picked up heat from the process.
The supply temperature will be set by the climate and the efficiency of the secondary cooling
system. Any secondary cooling system will be more effective in winter, as ambient temperatures
are lower. Hence, summer conditions will set the maximum supply temperature. Even in temperate
climates, like northern Europe, air temperatures in summer can exceed 30
o
C. Allowing for a 5
o
C to
8
o
C approach temperature gives a cooling water supply temperature in the region of 35
o
C. Cooling
waters can achieve a slightly lower supply temperature, as they rely on the wet bulb temperature
which is more consistent than the dry bulb temperature.
Typically, the designer will allow for a 5
o
C to 8
o
C temperature rise over the system. This will mean
a worst case (highest) cooling water return temperatures of between 40
o
C and 45
o
C.
Design Flowrate and System Hydraulics
The design cooling water flowrate is set by the maximum total heat load and the temperature
difference between the supply and return temperatures, using the following equation:
Graftel Calibrati on
Lab
graftel.com
Air Flow M eter Calibration. Velocity,
Air Speed, Vane, Hot Wire
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The heat capacity of water is approximately 4.2 kJ/kg.K, thus allowing for a 7
o
C rise between the
supply and return temperatures, this equation reduces to:
The system pressure drop can be estimated using the design cooling water flowrate calculated using
the above equation. Estimation of pressure drops are covered elsewhere on this site. However, the
following should be considered:
1. Is it likely that the system will be expanded at a later date? Whilst it is relatively easy to add
more secondary coolers, replacing pipe work is expensive. If expansion is likely, ensure that
the size of the cooling water pipe main is generous so that it can cope with greater flowrates.
2. A large proportion of the total pressure drop will come from pipe fittings such as elbows
and valves. Ensure that the hydraulic calculation considers pipe fittings (this is discussed
further here). Often, the hydraulics has be calculated before the pipe runs are fixed If this is
the case, the pipe lengths and number of fittings must be estimated.
3. The pump(s) should be specified to handle the maximum required flowrate and the maximum
head (as calculated above).
During commissioning, it is often found that the flow distribution through different cooling water
users is unbalanced. This results in uneven cooling water return temperatures. It is common
practice to balance the hydraulic performance by trimming flows through each user using local
valves.
Similar Articles
Description of types of cooling water systems
Types of heat exchanger
Suggested pipe sizes for cooling water flows
Selection of a Secondary Cooling System
Any heat absorbed by the cooling water is removed by the secondary cooling system. There are a
number of different types of secondary cooling systems available. The main ones are discussed
below:
Fin Fan Air Coolers
In a fin fan air cooler, the cooling water flows through a series of tubes across which air re-
circulates. Cooling performance is improved by adding fins to the outside of the tubes and driving
air across them using a fan. Fin fan coolers are not the most effective method of removing heat,
however they do not lose water this is particularly advantageous in areas of water shortage.
Cooling Towers
Cooling towers lower the water temperature by evaporative cooling. The water comes into direct
contact with the air and is then partially evaporated. Cooling towers can achieve lower water
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temperatures than other cooling methods. They also occupy a smaller plot space than a fin fan air
cooler with the same duty. However, the large amount of water evaporated has to be replaced.
Water-to-Water Cool ers
The water-to-water cooler removes heat using a secondary water circuit. Water can be taken from
either a local river or the sea. In comparison to an air cooling system, water is an effective heat
transfer medium than air. However, they need a ready supply of water. If sea water is used,
materials of construction used needs to be carefully considered.
For technical advice on heat transfer and utility systems including
equipment selection,contact us using the following link:Technical advice
service
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