Effect of Operating Temperature on the Perfomance Effectiveness of Cooling Tower in a Phosphoric Acid Concentration Unit
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/anthor.v5i5.1474Keywords:
Cooling Tower, Effectiveness, Range, Approach, Phosphoric AcidAbstract
Cooling towers play a crucial role in industrial cooling systems by reducing water temperature through heat transfer and evaporation. Their performance significantly affects process efficiency, particularly in phosphoric acid concentration units. This study aims to evaluate cooling tower performance based on operating temperature and to compare actual operating conditions with design specifications. Primary data inlet and outlet water temperature, wet-bulb temperature, humidity, and water flow rate were collected through direct field observation and analyzed using the range, approach, effectiveness, and heat loss parameters. The results show a significant decline in actual performance relative to the design condition: the actual range was 5.7°C, lower than the design value of 14°C, while the actual approach was 13.4°C, higher than the design value of 6°C. Cooling tower effectiveness reached only about 30%, far below the design value of 70%, indicating a substantial reduction in heat-transfer capability. This decline was attributed to scaling on the water distribution system, uneven water distribution across the fill media, and reduced fan performance. These findings provide a basis for evaluating cooling tower operating parameters and can support efforts to improve cooling-system efficiency in the phosphoric acid industry.
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