Wet Surface Air Cooler (WSAC™)

CLOSED-LOOP, EVAPORATIVE
COOLING SYSTEMS
 Agenda
• Wet Surface Air Cooler (WSAC™) System Specifications

• Packaged and Field Erected Systems

• Water Use

• Advanced Closed Circuit Cooling (Hybrid Wet/Dry)

• Case Study
 Niagara Blower
Heat Transfer Solutions
• Founded in 1904

• 100,000 sq. ft. office & manufacturing facility – Buffalo, NY

• ASME Code shop

• In-house engineering/fabrication

• Complete R&D facility

• Complete custom fabrication

 What is a WSAC™
Cooling/Condensing System?
– Heat removal device
– Direct liquid/vapor cooling
– Where is it applicable?
• Liquid cooling
– Up to max inlet temp of 180° F
• Single phase gas cooling
– Up to max inlet temp of 450° F
• Turbine exhaust vacuum steam condensing
– As low as 1.8” HgA min
• Hydrocarbon & ammonia condensing
• Condensing saturated vapors out of non-condensable
gas
How Does the WSAC™ System Work?
1.) Typical shell & tube heat exchanger 2.) Remove “shell” exposing tubes
Cooling water
out

Process Process Process Process

out in out in

Cooling water
in
4.) Air is induced over tubes in
3.) Spray water directly over the exposed tubes the same direction as the water

Water Air & Water

Process Process Process Process

out in out in
 How Does the WSAC™ System Work?
 Air is  Heat is
induced transferred
downward from the
over tube cascading
bundles water to the
air stream via
vaporization

Water  Air stream

flows forced to turn
downward 180o providing
along with maximum free
the air water removal

 Heat from the  Fans discharge air

process stream is vertically at a high
released to the velocity preventing
cascading water recirculation
 Co-Current (WSAC™ System): Counter Current:

AIR & WATER DOWNWARD: AIR UP - WATER DOWN

• AIR HELPS TO SPREAD WATER • AIR & WATER COLLIDE ON
EVENLY OVER ENTIRE TUBE BOTTOM OF TUBE CAUSING
SURFACE BARE SPOTS
• DRIFT ELIMINATORS NOT • DRIFT ELIMINATORS REQUIRED
REQUIRED FOR CARRYOVER
• SPRAY SYSTEM FULLY • SPRAY SYSTEM IN CONFINED
ACCESSIBLE SPACE WITH OBSTRUCTIONS
WSAC™ Systems are Closed-Loop

– Process fluid stays inside the tubes

– Open-loop water never contaminates system
– Open-loop uses a “flooded spray system”
– Wide tube spacing
– Higher cycles of concentration
– Poor quality water can be used as makeup source
– Maintains thermal performance
– Eliminates maintenance on closed-loop
– Minimal (easy) maintenance
Applications for WSAC™ Systems
Liquid Cooling Vapor Condensing Gas Cooling
•Water •Steam •CO2
•Industrial Wastewater •Ammonia •Natural Gas
•Deacidified water •Freon •Air
•Sour Water •Propane •Nitrogen
•Stripped Water •Acetone
•Scrubber Waters •Cyclo-butane
•De-ionized Water •Ethane
•Demineralized Water •Methane
•Mold Water
•E.Q. Feed
•Various Liquors
•Glycol
•Machine Oils
•Heavy Oils
•Quench Oil
•Mineral Oil
THE WSAC™
WSAC™ SYSTEM
REPLACES
Cooling Tower
+
Heat Exchanger Air Cooled
+
or Heat Exchanger
Pumps & Piping Loop
 WSAC™ Technology
•Design Conditions: 95
95°°F DB 75
75°°F WB
Thermal System One Stage (Latent)

Practical Approach Temp. Cpt approach to WB…10o F

Coldest Practical Final 85o F

Process Temp. (CPT)
Thermal System Single Source
Responsibility

Process Side Access for Full Mechanical

Cleaning accessibility

Retubability in Place Standard Practice

Water Treatment Able to run high

cycles of concentration
 Competing Technologies
•Design Conditions: 95
95°°F DB 75
75°°F WB
Thermal System One Stage (Sensible)

Practical Approach Temp. CPT approach to DB…25o F

Coldest Practical Final 120o F

Process Temp. (CPT)
Thermal System Single Source
Responsibility

Process Side Access for Full Mechanical accessibility

Cleaning if removable headers exist

Retubability in Place Not Normally Available

None required
Close fin spacing (8 or
Water Treatment more fin/inch) requires
frequent air side cleaning
in most industrial
atmospheres
 Competing Technologies
•Design Conditions: 95
95°°F DB 75
75°°F WB
Thermal System Two Stage (Latent/Sensible)
(1) CWT approach to WB…10o F
Practical Approach Temp.
(2) CPT approach to CWT…5o F
Coldest Practical Final
90o F
Process Temp. (CPT)
Thermal System Divided between Cooling
Responsibility Tower and Heat Exchanger
Available but requires
Process Side Access for special consideration since
Cleaning cooling tower water should
also be accessible
Retubability in Place Available

HX allows for only 4-6

Water Treatment cycles of concentration
(High blowdown rate)
 GENERAL

SPECIFICATIONS
 Unit Configurations

All Metal Unit Field Erected Unit

General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems

Tube Bundles
Serpentine or Straight Through
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
Tube Bundles •Serpentine
•Straight Through
– Serpentine
• Constructed with a continuous tube
circuit
• Various tube materials available
• Carbon steel bundles all H.D.G.A.F.
• Lowest cost arrangement
• Highest pressure rating - up to 2500
psi
• ASME Code design available
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
Tube Bundles •Serpentine
•Straight Through
– Straight Through/Cleanable
• Complete internal access for
inspection and cleaning
• Offers lowest process side pressure
drop
• Various tube materials available
• Tube sheet thickness designed to
TEMA standards
• Bundles can be retubed using existing
headers
• ASME Code design available
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
•Metal
Basins •Concrete
•FRP
– Metal
• Most economical
• Constructed of heavy
gauge carbon steel
H.D.G.A.F
• Drain pan arrangement for
lower operating weight
• Fully factory assembled
and tested
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
•Metal
Basins •Concrete
•FRP
– Concrete (erect in place)
• Lowest cost for larger
installations
• Maintenance free
• Completely fireproof
• Concrete designed
• Local supply
• Reduced noise
– FRP (erect in place)
• Fan plenum or entire basin
• Corrosion resistant
• Can be cheaper alternative to
concrete
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
Fan System

– Direct Drive
• 5 ft. diameters and smaller
• 5 ft. diameters and smaller
• Plastic fan blade construction
• Plastic fan blade construction
• Carbon steel construction of all fan
• Carbon steel construction of all fan
supports, motor brackets, and fan
supports, motor brackets, and fan exhaust
exhaust rings
rings
• Adjustable pitch design
• Adjustable pitch design
• Fans directly connected to Totally
• Fans directly connected to Totally Enclosed
Enclosed Air Over (TEAO) motor
Air Over (TEAO) motor
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
Fan System

– Right Angle Drive

• 6 ft. diameters and larger
• 6 ft. diameters and larger
• Fiberglass-reinforced epoxy fan blade
• Fiberglass-reinforced epoxy fan blade
construction
construction
• Access door provided for fan system
• Access door provided for fan system
maintenance
maintenance
• Motors are TEFC, NEMA approved
• Motors are TEFC, NEMA approved
 General Specifications for WSAC™ Systems
Spray Water Distribution

– Low-pressure/high-flow design
– Fully flooded spray pattern
– Heavy duty construction
• PVC pipe for site assembled units
• Galv. CS for factory assembled units
• Large orifice non-clogging nozzles
 Water Issues

• Evaporation

• Cycles of concentration

• Drift

• Plume

• PM10

• Water makeup
 Water Issues
EVAPO R ATION

M A KEUP
W ATER

BLO W DO W N

EVAPORATION(GPM) = HEAT LOAD (Btu/hr)/500,000

MAKEUP = EVAPORATION + BLOWDOWN
CYCLES OF CONCENTRATION = MAKEUP / BLOWDOWN
 Water Issues

• Drift
– Based on spraywater rate
– “Standard” drift .02%
– Drift eliminators easily incorporated
• .005% standard (with drifts)
 Water Issues

• Plume
– Visual discharge: vapor condensing in atmosphere
– Plume abatement available for visually or
environmentally sensitive areas

• Plume Control
– Cold air introduction
– Partial wet/dry operation
– Reheat coils
 Water Issues

• PM10
– Particles up to 10 micrometers in size
– WSAC meets or exceeds PM10 requirements
– Lower total emissions/lower discharge height

• Zero discharge plants

– WSAC used as a 1st stage evaporator
 Water Sources

• Water Makeup
– Blowdown from cooling towers and boilers
– Waste streams from demineralizers, HRSG and RO
– Waste treatment plant effluent
– Brackish, seawater
 Resource Conservation

• Wet/dry systems

• Use of existing plant water

• Capacity enhancement

• Limitations
 Wet/Dry System Options
for Water Limited Plants
PARALLEL FLOW SERIES FLOW COMBINED FLOW
IN IN
IN

W ET /
DRY
ACC SECTION WSAC
W SAC
(FINNED
COILS) System
ACC WSAC
WSAC System

OUT
WSAC
WSAC System

OUT

OUT

IN

DRY
SECTION
W SAC System
WSAC
W ET
SECTION

OUT
 Water Usage Graph
Percentage Water Use

Conventional
Dry / Wet

Dry Only

Cumulative Hours per Year

 Advantages of Wet/Dry Auxiliary
Coolers and Condensers

• Reasonable first cost

• Single source thermal responsibility
• Low process outlet/condensing temps
• No plume in cold weather
• Low annual horsepower consumption

UP TO 70% ANNUAL WATER REDUCTION

Reducing Water Consumption
in Existing Facilities
200,000 GPM - 104°F in/81°F out

EVAPORATION
4,800 gpm

200,000 gpm

OPEN
COOLING
FRESH Plant Cooling 104
TOWER
MAKEUP 81 Load
5,350 gpm
200,000 gpm

BLOWDOWN
550 gpm
 5% Fresh Water Reduction
EVAPORATION
4,560 gpm

190,000 gpm

OPEN
COOLING
FRESH Plant Cooling 104
TOWER
MAKEUP 81 Load
5,100 gpm
200,000 gpm

EVAPORATION
240 gpm

81 10,000 gpm

WSAC 104

BLOWDOWN
AS MAKEUP
BLOWDOWN
540 gpm 300 gpm
 5% Fresh Water Reduction
MAKEUP WATER SAVINGS
5,350 gpm  5,100 gpm = 250 gpm
120 MILLION gal/yr
-----------------------
BLOWDOWN WATER REDUCTION
550 gpm  300 gpm = 250 gpm
120 MILLION gal/yr
-----------------------
$$ COSTS FOR:
WATER…DISPOSAL…TREATMENT
De-Bottlenecking/Adding Capacity
in Existing Open-Loop Systems
EVAPORATION

OPEN PLANT PLANT

COOLING COOLING COOLING
FRESH
TOWER LOAD LOAD
MAKEUP

BLOWDOWN EVAPORATION
COOLING TOWER
BLOWDOWN FOR
MAKEUP NEW WET
SURFACE AIR
COOLER

BLOWDOWN
Advantages of the WSAC™ System for
Sites with Poor Quality Makeup Water

• Spray water on the exterior surface of the tubes, not

inside heat exchanger
– Ability to run higher cycles of concentration

• Co-current flow of water and air

– Even distribution of water over the tubes

• Unit material selection based on makeup water

quality
– Stainless, Titanium, Brass, Galvanized Steel
 Advantages of Using the WSAC™
System for Resource Conservation
•More efficient, evaporative cooling can be accomplished using
poor quality water
•Significant makeup water savings & blowdown reduction
•Maintains system performance with less makeup water
•Allows for additional thermal capacity without having to
acquire “new” water
•Alternative water sources can be used as makeup
•Operates as a 1st stage evaporator
 WSAC™ Demonstration Project
New Mexico Power Plant

•Funded by EPRI & DOE

•Test water quality limits in a WSAC™ system
•Monitor unit performance using cooling different sources
of water as spray system makeup:
-2005 cooling tower blowdown (river water makeup)
-2006 “produced” water from the mining process
WSAC™ Demonstration Project
New Mexico Power Plant

•WSAC™ unit built with various tube materials:

-Duplex Stainless
-90/10 Cu-Ni
-Titanium
-SEA-CURE®
WSAC™ Demonstration Project
New Mexico Power Plant
WSAC™ Demonstration Project
New Mexico Power Plant
EVAPORATION

OPEN
COOLING STEAM
RIVER
TOWER SURFACE
WATER
MAKEUP CONDENSER

EVAPORATION
BLOWDOWN

WSAC
“OTHER” WATER
CT BLOWDOWN
AS MAKEUP MAKEUP
BLOWDOWN
 WSAC™ Demonstration Project
New Mexico Power Plant
•Operating at 35 – 50 cycles of concentration using cooling
tower blowdown as WSAC™ makeup
•CT blowdown contains phosphonate inhibitors to control
Calcium Sulfate
•Controlling pH in the range of 7.3 - 7.7
•Calcium at saturation (in solution) as fed to WSAC™ system
•Phosphate level 2 – 4 ppm (from phosphonate inhibitor)
•Conductivity 5,000 ppm
•Produced water will be used as makeup in 2006
•Chlorine residual maintained at 0.05 to 0.10 mg/lCl2
NO DEGRADATION OF THERMAL PERFORMANCE
 Cost Analysis
Water Quality & Tube Material
Exotic
Good

TUBE MATERIAL

$ WATER
Cost

Poor Std.

Quality
 Design Considerations

Makeup
Water
Water
Treatment
Quality

WSAC™
System
Tube Operation
Material
 NIAGARA
Niagara Blower Heat Transfer Solutions
673 Ontario St., Buffalo, NY 14207
Phone: (716) 875-2000 ~ Fax: (716) 875-1077
sales@niagarablower.com / www.niagarablower.com