OVERVIEW of COOLING TOWER

Venue : POWER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE 28 -30-JULY 2008

by T.P.Chandrawanshi DGM(OS-BoP)

Cooling Tower - Introduction

Cooling g tower is the most important p equipment q p for closed cycle water recirculation system. The efficiency of cooling tower has direct effect on condenser vacuum and in turn, the heat rate of the station. 1oC rise in cold water temperature in a 200MW unit corresponds to 5mm vacuum loss which corresponds to Rs 50-60 lakhs of loss per annum in terms of direct fuel cost.

Cooling Tower - Introduction

Hence the cooling tower performance monitoring and its proper operation and y important p for the maintenance is very efficient and economic running of the plant. At present about 96 cooling towers are in operation in NTPC and if only 1 deg. Cent. I Improvement t in i cold ld water t can save crores of rupees.

TYPES of TOWERS in NTPC

INDUCED DRAUGHT NATURAL DRAUGHT

Scheme Of Open p Recirculating g Type yp C.W.System

EVAP LOSS EVAP.LOSS BLOW DOWN CONDENSER Hstatic COOLING TOWER

C.W.SUMP MAKE UP MAKE-UP

cooling tower.exe

IDCT Counter Flow

COUNTER FLOW TOWER

NATURAL DRAFT COOLING TOWERS (4 X 210 MW)

Cooling Tower - Introduction

Total 102 cooling towers installed as given below in NTPC
Induced Draught Cooling Towers Cross flow type Counter flow splash bar fill type Counter flow film fill type Natural Draught Cooling Towers Natural draught type. type (Splash type 8 and Film type 4) Total presently in Operation 12 24 24 44

96

COOLING PRINCIPLE
HOT WATER IS COOLED IN A COOLING TOWER IN CONTACT WITH COLD AIR DUE TO: EVAPORATION ABOUT 75% BY MASS TRANSFER SENSIBLE HEAT TRANSFER ABOUT 25% BY CONDUCTION AND CONVECTION

COOLING PRINCIPLE
MASS TRANSFER IS DUE TO FLOW OF WATER VAPOUR FROM THE HOT WATER TO THE COLD AIR DEPENDING ON WET BULB TEMPERATURE OF ENTERING AIR.

COOLING PRINCIPLE
THE ENTHALPY OF ENTERING AIR INCREASES AS THE WET BULB TEMPERATURE INCREASES. THE FILL WITHIN THE COOLING TOWER IS THE CRITICAL THERMAL COMPONENT. IN WET COOLING TOWERS IT IS THE MEDIUM OVER WHICH THE HOT WATER IS DISTRIBUTED AS IT IS BEING COOLED COOLED. ITS PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR EFFICIENT HEAT TRANSFER.

COOLING PRINCIPLE
FILL IS REQUIRED IN A COOLING TOWER TO CREATE LARGE SURFACE AREA WHICH PROVIDES NECESSARY TIME OF CONTACT BETWEEN AIR AND WATER

TYPES OF FILLS SPLASH TYPE CONSISTING OF SPLASH BARS USED FOR CROSSFLOW AND COUNTERFLOW. FILM TYPE CONSISTING OF THIN FILM OF SHEETS USED MOSTLY FOR COUNTERFLOW

SPLASH FILLS IN SPLASH FILL, THE HOT WATER STRIKES OVER THE BARS AND BREAKS UP INTO MANY SMALLER DROPS.

SPLASH FILLS With splash fill, the exchange area for cooling is provided by water droplets, droplets and heat exchange occurs on the surface of these droplets. due to surface tension, these droplets are nearly perfect spheres therefore this type yp of fill does not p provide maximum possible surface area. current splash fill is primarily various shapes of extruded pvc, and is still used for projects with major fouling concerns.

TYPES OF SPLASH FILLS USED IN NTPC PROJECTS RCC BARS PVC PERFORATED V-SHAPED BAR PP GRID

TYPES OF SPLASH FILLS RCC BARS

SPLASH FILL

TYPES OF SPLASH FILLS PVC PERFORATED V-SHAPED BAR

TYPES OF SPLASH FILLS PP GRID

FILM FILLS FILM FILL CONSISTS OF FLAT OR FORMED SHEETS TO PROVIDE A SURFACE UPON WHICH WATER AND AIR COME IN CONTACT FOR HEAT EXCHANGE. CELLULAR FILL STRETCHES DROPLETS OF WATER INTO A THIN FILMS AS THE WATER PROCEEDS VERTICALLY DOWNWARD THROUGH THE CELLS, THEREBY MAXIMIZING THE SURFACE AREA AND PERMITTING THE AVAILABLE CROSSFLOW OR COUNTERFLOW AIR TO COOL THE ENTIRE MORE RAPIDLY

FILM FILLS FILM FILL PROVIDES MORE SURFACE FOR WATER/AIR CONTACT.

FILM FILLS FILM FILL CREATES A VERY LARGE SURFACE AREA ON WHICH THE HOT WATER DISPERSES ITSELF AS A THIN FILM THAT INTERACTS WITH THE AIR TRAVELING THROUGH THE TOWER, THUS ACHIEVING THE SPECIFIED COOLING. FILM FILL IS MORE COMPACT THAN SPLASH FILL AND CAN THEREBY BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE.

FILM FILLS COUNTERFLOW FILM FILLS GENERALLY EMPLOY SHEETS WITH SINUSOIDAL CORRUGATIONS MOLDED INTO THE SURFACE. PACKS, BETWEEN TWO AND SIX FEET DEEP, ARE FORMED BY GLUING INDIVIDUAL SHEETS TOGETHER IN CROSS CORRUGATED FASHION. THE PACKS ARE EITHER BOTTOM SUPPORTED OR HUNG FROM SUPPORT TUBES IN THE COOLING TOWER

FILM FILLS MOST NEW APPLICATIONS TODAY USE THE HIGH EFFICIENCY FILM FILL, , BUT IN SOME CASES IT IS NECESSARY TO CONTINUE TO USE SPLASH FILL. FOR APPLICATIONS WHERE THE COOLING WATER IS RELATIVELY DIRTY, SPLASH FILLS CAN BE USED TO PREVENT FOULING.

TYPE OF FILM FILLS USED IN NTPC PROJECTS FILM FILL PACK WITH HEIGHT (3 (3.5 5 FTFT 6FT) IN SINGLE PIECE : EACH FILL PACK IS OF CUBOIDAL SHAPE WITH 4 FT X 1 FT BASE AND 3.5-6 FT HEIGHT. FILLS ARE MADE UP OF PVC CORRUGATED SHEETS OF 0.275 MM THICK AND PACK IS MADE BY GLUEING ONE SHEET ABOVE THE OTHER. THIS DESIGN IS ADOPTED BY PCTL. C

TYPE OF FILM FILLS USED IN NTPC PROJECTS

TYPE OF FILM FILLS USED IN NTPC PROJECTS FILM FILL PACK WITH HEIGHT (6 FT) IN 3 PIECES EACH OF 2 FT HEIGHT: EACH FILL PACK IS OF CUBOIDAL SHAPE WITH 4 FT X 1 FT BASE AND 2 FT HEIGHT. FILLS ARE MADE UP OF PVC CORRUGATED SHEETS OF 0.25 MM THICK AND PACK IS MADE BY GLUEING ONE SHEET ABOVE THE OTHER. THREE SUCH PIECES ARE PUT ONE ABOVE THE OTHER. THIS DESIGN IS ADOPTED BY GIL

TYPE OF FILM FILLS USED IN NTPC PROJECTS

 BENEFIT OF FILM FILL AS FILL DEPTH REQUIRED IS MUCH LESS IN FILM TYPE FILL THERE IS A SAVING OF 4 M REDUCTION IN CW PUMP HEAD . IT MEANS A SAVING OF 780 KW OF PER 500 MW UNIT. ( 30000*4/(367.2*.875*.96) /( ) = 390 KW IT AMOUNTS TO A SAVING OF RS 5.3 CRORE FOR EACH 500 MW UNIT OF VSTPPIII FOR THE LIFE OF THE PLANT.

CW PUMPING HEAD REQUIREMENTS FOR DIFF. TOWERS ND-SPLASH : 14 M ND-FILM : 10 M

ID- SPLASH : 13 M ID-FILL : 9M

 EFFECT OF FILL HEIGHT IN CT DESIGN FROM THE ABOVE TABLE IT CAN BE SEEN THAT HIGHER FILL HEIGHT GIVES HIGHER VALUE OF KAV/L EVEN WITH HIGHER L/G VALUE. HENCE AIR FLOW THEREBY POWER CONSUMPTION CAN BE REDUCED.

 EFFECT OF FILL HEIGHT IN CT DESIGN IF HEIGHT IS RESTRICTED TO A PARTICULAR VALUE AIR FLOW IS TO BE INCREASED WHICH REQUIRES HIGHER POWER CONSUMPTION. OTHERWISE PLAN AREA TO MAINTAIN FILL VOLUME IS TO BE INCREASED WHICH CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL CAPITAL COST COST.

 CAUTION THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR FILM FILL IS PLUGGING. WHEN THE CIRCULATING WATER HAS A HIGH TOTAL BACTERIA COUNT (AEROBIC), SLIME WILL PROBABLY FORM ON THE FILL. IF THIS BUILDUP IS SLOW, THE SLIME MAY SLOUGH OFF OFF, AND POSSIBLY LIMIT THE TOTAL BUILDUP ON THE PACKS PACKS.

 CAUTION IF THE SLIME GROWS QUICKLY AND PICKS UP ADDITIONAL MATERIAL LIKE SILT OR IRON OXIDES, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THE FILL WILL PLUG. AS THE BUILDUP OF SLIME GROWS, THE PRESSURE DROP IN THE COOLING TOWER WILL INCREASE INCREASE, AND THE COLD WATER TEMPERATURE WILL EVENTUALLY RISE

 CAUTION IF THE CIRCULATING WATER ALSO CONTAINS APPRECIABLE AMOUNTS OF NUTRIENTS, LIKE NITRATES, SUGARS, ALCOHOL FATS AND PHOSPHATES, ALCOHOL, PHOSPHATES IT IS ALMOST GUARANTEED THAT STANDARD FILM FILLS WILL PLUG PLUG. IN RECENT YEARS, AS WATER TREATMENT PRACTICES HAVE COME UNDER INCREASED REGULATION, THE BIOLOGICAL FOULING AND PLUGGING OF STANDARD FILM FILLS HAS INCREASED NOTICEABLY.

 NEW FILM FILL NEW FILM FILLS HELP REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. GENERALLY, THE NEW FILLS HAVE LARGER OPENINGS AND THE CORRUGATIONS TEND TO BE MORE VERTICAL VERTICAL. HIGHER WATER VELOCITY APPEARS TO BE SIGNIFICANT IN RESTRICTING THE BUILDUP OF SLIME ON THE FILL SURFACE.

 NEW FILM FILL THOUGH THE LARGER OPENINGS AND A MORE VERTICAL FILL TUBE DESIGN HELP KEEP THE WATER VELOCITY HIGH, UNFORTUNATELY, THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THOSE FILLS ARE GENERALLY LOWER THAN FOR THE STANDARD FILM FILLS FILLS.

CAUTION FOR SPLASH FILLS FILLS, BIOLOGICAL GROWTH IS GENERALLY NOT A PROBLEM. WHILE THE SLIME MAY GROW GROW, IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE SLIME TO PLUG THE FILL IN MOST CASES FILL. CASES, IT WILL NOT APPRECIABLY AFFECT THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE TOWER. IF THE GROWTH INTENSIFIES, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO NOTICE, , PARTICULARLY IN CROSSFLOW TOWERS. IT WOULD ALSO BE EASIER TO CLEAN IF BIOLOGICAL GROWTH DID BECOME A CONCERN

Chemical Treatment of CW System

Corrosion Inhibitor Scale Inhibitor Biodispersant Bi di t

SITE FILTRATION SYSTEM

TO O REDUCE UC TURBIDITY U

Site Filt. Pumps

Sand Filters
Hot Water

5% of C.W Water flow

Cold Water

C li T Cooling Tower C.W Pumps

Chemical Treatment

S.T Condenser

Cause of CT Poor Performance.

1. 1 2. Common causes are Recirc lation of vapors. Recirculation apors Poor air flow due to less blade angle, algae, deposition on blade, blade erosion. Higher blade tip clearance. Fan door sealing not proper, other opening in suction of the fan. Damaged DE causes more makeup and .

3. 4. 5 5.

Cause of CT Poor Performance

6. Chocking of nozzle by OLTC balls. 7 Falling of nozzle. 7. nozzle 8. Hot water distribution pipe leaking/braeking/end cover falling falling. 9. Fill clogging 10 Damage of fills 10. fills. 11. Lot of trees/plants/bushes growth near cooling tower 12. Poor quality of water (make-up)

Optimizing C T Performance.
Cleaning of cold water basin during overhauls overhauls. Quarterly cleaning of nozzles. Visual inspection of pipes, nozzles, fills, etc., for proper water t distribution. di t ib ti Checking of fan pitch angle, fan blade tip clearance, fan seal disc cover (at hub). Annual A l servicing i i of f gear b box. Regular removal of moisture from G/B oil and oil top up. Annual cleaning g of fills with water j jets. And cleaning g it manually by removing from tower when chocking is more. proper p lawn or brick p paving g to be done All around CT p (abut 30 meter from tower) Fan blade angle to be adjusted to avoid any recirculation of vapour during mansoon/windy days. Thickness measurement of hot water duct, inspection, cleaning/painting if required annualy.

Optimizing CT Performance.
Cleaning of civil structure annually and removal of algae from DE, Fills. y other air ingress g p point to be sealed. Fan door and any Regular condition monitoring of CT fans. Continuous chlorine dosing to be done. Sludge disposal pump to be run once in a day minimum for 15 minutes. i t Monthly checking of effectiveness of tower for comparison purpose and once checking of perf. during mansion as per OGN. Both side of OAC to be barricaded by railing with wire mesh at about 1.5 meter height and both side about 2 meter wide brick paving to be done to avoid any plant growth At CT outlet screen to be provided to remove any debris, plastic pieces if there is no TWS provided in CW system. system To protect OLTC balls and any other material going to nozzles; nozzle protector to be provided which is a hollow steel pipe inserted into H.W.D. pipe with wire mesh.

Major Problems faced in CT

Fill clogging gg g and support pp structure failure Sagging of PVC Drift Eliminators in counter flow type: It has no support in between. ACB hot water distribution pipe failure. Growth of trees/bushes/plants near CT after cleaning l i again i and d again. i Civil structure reinforced steel exposed t atmosphere to t h . Algae growth in CT structure.

Major Problems faced in NTPC

Kawas
Hot water distribution pipe end cover falling, walkway platform failure

Auraiya
Fill clogging problems, drift eliminator sagging.

Vindhyachal
Fill clogging (mud) problems,Poor quality of Drift eliminator (sagging). Falling of nozzle and failure of gear box in stage-III, OLTC b ll chocking balls h ki nozzles l

Faridabad
Fill clogging by mud.

Major Problems faced in NTPC

KORBA : Hot water distributor pipe leakage, pipe breakages, drift eliminators damage, falling of nozzles in ST-I. CT-I has been replaced with new PVC pipe, nozzles, and DE. Splash bars replacement in process in CT-I GANDHAR: Fill clogging, fill cleaning and replacement done UNCHAHAR Fill clogging by scale, Fills are very brittle, replacement required. Fill support structure is also damaged damaged. sagging of drift eliminators. Hot water ACB pipe damage Nozzles missing. Fill replacement done in Ct-IV and in CT-III it is in process TALCHAR KANIHA Fill clogging gg g by y mud. Cleaning g by y removing g it from tower. Fill support structure damage.

Best Practices in NTPC

Quarterly film fill pack weight is taken to know the clogging status during PM (Rihand, Sipat) All around CW-OAC, brick paving is done for about 4 meter and nylon net is placed over to avoid growth of plants near POAC and falling of suspended particle in OAC. At CT outlet screen is provided to remove any debris, plastic pieces falling into the cold water basin.(Kh, TTPS) Civil structure is cleaned by bleaching powder during PM to keep it free from algae (Rihand) To arrest the OLTC balls from going to nozzles, nozzle protector sleeve with mesh is provided in hot water distribution pipes (RSTPP) CW duct cleaning and painting done in all 6 units of ST-I (VSTPP)

Design constraints faced

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Maintenance problem in counter flow tower Visual inspection of nozzles, HWD pipes fills, is not possible in running condition. y late when situation deteriorates. Problem identifies very For any maint. on nozzles, pipe; maint. person had to walk on film fill or crawl on pipe in case of splash bar fills which is unsafe. Hot water header is over the ground on pedestal and near to the tower causing air flow restriction restriction. Some of the tower manufacturer is not giving the horizontal concrete beam on ground level in cooling tower civil structure; which is required for making platform for any maint. Job like fill cleaning; fill replacement. There is no barricade provided for f cold water basin and therefore f any man/animal may fall into the basin Film type fill clogging 1 1. Clogging by mud/scale 2. Fill cleaning 100% is not possible in situ. 3. For cleaning, removal from CT damages fill pack. Time is very high (15 days for 1 cell) cell), maint maint. and material cost is very high. 4. Make up and side stream filtration system is not given in CW system

Algae Growth in the Intake Channel at Jhanor Jh G Gandhar dh

Algae growth

Algae growth

View of Chocked & clean PVC fills

Chocked PVC Fills

Cleaned PVC Fills

Clogged Fills at JGGPS

Deposited dust p particles

Clogged Fills at JGGPS

Deposited p dust particles

Sagged Drift Eliminators at JG

Sagged Drift Eliminators

Clogging Of Fill Packs-TSTPS-II

Clogged Fills

PVC fill pack sagging-TSTPS-II

Excessive E i weight i ht initiating bending of SS Supports

Sagging of SS supports of PVC fills at TSTPS-II

PVC Fills resting on RCC beams after sagging at TSTPS-II

PVC Fills resting on RCC beams & temporary supports given at TSTPS-II

Drift Eliminators not in position.

Asbestos Drift Eliminators in C.T.

Stage-I CT

Drift Eliminators that are not properly laid only serve to block the air passage

Fan hub area not sealed

Fan hub area to be sealed

Hub Seal Disc Fi d (Stg-I) Fitted (S I)

Shaft hole of fan not sealed

Inspection door not sealed

To be sealed properly

Clogging Of Fill Packs

PVC fill pack sagging

Sagging gg g of SS supports pp of PVC fills

PVC Fills resting on RCC beams after sagging

PVC Fills resting on RCC beams & temporary supports given

Drift Eliminators not in position.

Asbestos Drift Eliminators in C.T.

Stage-I CT

Drift Eliminators that are not properly laid only serve to block the air passage

Fan hub area not sealed

Fan hub area to be sealed

Hub Seal Disc Fi d (Stg-I) Fitted (S I)

Shaft hole of fan not sealed

Inspection door not sealed

To be sealed properly

CC-OS-BoP