Description
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUID IN COOLING TOWER
Technical Field
The invention relates to equipment of power plants and concerns to means, intended to ensure cooling of water, being used as a working medium of a power plant.
Background Art
Water is usually used for cooling various units of power plants.
However a disposal of warm water to environment adversely reflects on ecological conditions. Water temperature increase in natural pond on 8 - 10° C results to increased growth of protozoa water plants, to oxygen depletion in water and to death of many habitants of this pond.
The technical embodiments, enabling to use system of ponds for cooling water without adverse ecological consequences are known (see [ 1 ] page 182). These embodiments provide to create a system of ponds, connected by canals. Into one of these ponds a warm water is disposed, then flowing from one pond to another, thus being cooled on this way. Temperature difference in ponds is used usefully: to heat hothouses and greenhouses, to cultivate heat-loving fish etc.
However, this technical embodiment has not received a wide application because of essential disadvantage, connected with high cost and large area required for accommodation of ponds. Such method cannot be realized at enterprises, situated in cities and in large settlements.
Further, method of cooling warm water in spray-cooling pools is known, for example, described in [2]. In this technical embodiment a
warm water is sprayed by means of centrifugal nozzles, placed with regular intervals above surface of a pool.
However, the known method does not reach all opportunities of place saving when accommodating power plant equipment for cooling water.
Further, technical embodiments, enabling to intensify heat exchange, are known, using cooling towers of various design for heat removal. For example, in accordance with [3], an additional flow of cooling air is provided in a cooling tower due to air injection into central zone of a cooling tower be means of istalled additional ejectors.
This embodiment permits to reduce the area, occupied by a cooling tower, however dimensions of cooling towers do not permit in many cases to place them on territory of the enterprise.
Further, technical embodiments, in which a fan, intended to intensify heat exchange and thus to reduce dimensions of a cooling tower, are known, for example, as described in [4]. In this known technical embodiment significant saving of place for the lay-out of a cooling tower can be received.
However, this technical embodiment has a very complicated design of a cooling well, increased costs for its manufacturing. Increased speed of of a cooling air flow, being pumped by a fan providing an increased hydraulic resistance of an air path, results in high operational costs.
Other technical embodiments are also known, using a fan to move a cooling air, for example, described in [5] a mechanical-draft cooling tower is supplied by a system consisting of distributing pipelines and spraying nozzles, thus permitting to ensure more uniform distribution of drops of cooled water in a space of a cooling tower.
However, the known technical embodiment has a number of disadvantages, for example, increased operational costs, a complicated
system of pipelines inside a well, sprayig nozzles do not provide the optimum sizes of water drops, thus reducing efficiency of heat exchange.
Among the known technical embodiments a method of cooling liquid in a cooling tower of power plant, which is exsplained in a description of the invention [6], and a construction of a such cooling tower [6], are the closest to the claimed invention according to the set of essential features and they were accepted by the authors as the prototype of the claimed invention.
The invention accepted as the prototype and related to a method represents a method of cooling liquid in a cooling tower of power plant, in which a heat is removed to an environmental air, and a liquid flow is sprayed and directed against direction of gravitational force, when filling a space of a cooling tower well, a liquid movement is provided by a pressure created by a pump, and by gravitational force. In order to intensify heat exchange a movement of air flow is provided due to air injection created by water spray cone.
The invention accepted as the prototype and related to an apparatus represents a cooling tower of power plant, containing a well, in which an apparatus for spraying liquid flow is installed, with an output spray cone directed upwards, containing also a pool to accumulate cooled water, a pump and pipelines. Beforementioned apparatus for spraying liquid flow is performed in a form of water spraying nozzles, placed on spiral line in several layers along a cooling tower height.
Accepted as the prototype, a method and an apparatus provide an increased air flow through a cooling tower well.
However, accepted as the prototype a method and an apparatus have essential disadvantages, consisting that during spraying nozzle operation a relative speed of air and water drops is unsufficient, and a size of water drops is not optimum, thus resulting in reduction of efficiency of heat exchange. Inclination angles of water spray cones, accepted in the
prototype, have a value 10 ...80° to horizon and 20 ...70° to appropriate wall of a case and are not optimal. Drops of water, getting on walls, create a film, thus reducing a surface of heat exchange. A design of multilayer water distribution is complicated, thus causing rise in price. The problem of the offered invention is to increase an efficiency of using a space in cooling tower well in order to realize heat exchange between drops of water and air and to simplify a cooling tower design.
As the result of the decision of this problem a new technical outcome has been achieved, consisting in development of cooling tower design and of a method of cooling liquid in it, which permits to modernize available at enterprises cooling towers, to reduce operational costs and to ensure increased efficiency of warm water cooling. Usage of the invention in designing and manufacturing of new cooling towers will allow to reduce considerably the costs of their manufacturing and operation, therefore increasing their competitiveness in comparison with known cooling towers.
Disclosure of Invention
The given technical outcome has been achieved by following way: during realization of a method of liquid cooling in a cooling tower of power plant, in which heat is removed into an environmental air, a flow of liquid is sprayed and directed against a direction of gravitational force, when filling a space of cooling tower well, and a movement of a liquid is provided due to pressure, created by a pump, and due to action of gravitational' force; according to the invention, a spraying of a liquid flow is performed in bottom part of a cooling tower well, producing particles of a predetermined size, and a sprayed liquid is directed upwards with predetermined speed and within a range of a predetermined angle deviation from vertical direction. Therefore a spraying of a liquid is performed producing particles in size not more than 0,9 mm of an
equivalent diameter, providing counter movement of a sprayed liquid flow in a cooling air due to an excess speed of a liquid, with speed of sprayed liquid being delivered in a bottom part of cooling well equal at least 8 meters per second. In addition, when delivering sprayed liquid in a bottom part of cooling well, a deviation of a flow from vertical direction is established in quantity not more than 30 degrees, and for creating movement of air in a cooling well a natural aeration is used.
In order to realize an offered method in a cooling tower of power plant, containing a well, in which an apparatus for spraying liquid flow is istalled with a spray cone of a liquid directed upwards, containing also a pool for gathering of cooled water, a pump and pipelines, in accordance with claimed invention, an apparatus for spraying liquid flow is performed in a form of centrifugal - jet nozzles, installed in bottom part of a well, and a well is supplied by a pump which creates pressure at least 0,12 MPa before nozzles. These nozzles can be installed on periphery of a well and in this case nozzles are installed with a spray cone inclined to centre of a well, and an inclination angle is in quantity not more than 30 degrees.
Distinctive feature of the claimed invention is the fact, that spraying of a liquid flow is performed in bottom part of a well with producing particles of predetermined size and with directing sprayed liquid at predetermined speed of movement within a predetermined range of vertical deviation angle. Thus a liquid in a form of drops moves within a space of a well due to action of inertial forces caused by their mass at first upwards,- reaching zero absolute speed in top zone of a well, and then moves downwards due to action of gravitational force.
Such technical outcome permits to ensure the most extended track of a liquid drop within a space of cooling tower well and to receive therefore maximum time of heat removal from drop to cooling air. At rather small temperature differences in a heat exchange process between
liquid and cooling air the influence of heat transfer factors on amount of removed heat is much reduced in comparison with other processes of heat exchange. A surface of heat exchange and duration time of heat transfer process then become the determining factors of cooled liquid temperature decrease. The increased surface of liquid drops in comparison with liquid film, being formed on checker surfaces in chimney-type cooling towers and in mechanical-draft towers, permits to receive in a claimed invention an increased amount of heat transmitted from liquid to cooling air. Increasing of liquid flow track while contacting with cooling air flow in two times in comparison with chimney-type towers and mechanical-draft towers, in which an irrigation is provided from top zone, permits also to increase an amount of heat transmitted from liquid to cooling air, thus compensating some decrease of convective heat transfer factor in comparison, for example, with mechanical-draft tower, and to receive an essential benefit due to reduction of energy consumption.
Other distinctive feature of a claimed method is the fact, that the spraying of a liquid is performed to produce particles having size not more than 0,9 mm of an equivalent diameter.
Such technical outcome permits to receive an optimal ratio of heat temoval and evaporation on a drop surface, and the losses of water caused by evaporation are thus minimal, therefore resulting to heat removal efficiency increase.
Scientific researches and experiments, carried out by the authors, have shown essential decrease of interacting medium contact specific area, appeared in case when a size of liquid particles is more than 0,9 mm of an equivalent diameter, thus resulting in reduction of warm water cooling efficiency. The spectrum of sizes of liquid drops is defined by a diameter of spraying nozzle and by its design. Experiments, carried out by the authors, have shown that a water temperature reduction is on 2...3 °C worse in the case of appearance in a spray cone of essential amount of
liquid particles with size of drops, exceeding 0,9 mm, therefore essentially affecting cooling tower operation and worsening all working parameters for cooling tower of power plant.
One more distinctive feature of a claimed method is the fact, that the counter movement of a sprayed liquid flow in cooling air is provided due to excess speed of a liquid. It is reached due to following distinctive feature of a claimed method, namely that the speed of a sprayed liquid flow when delivering in bottom part of a well is established at least 8 meters per second. This feature at maximal temperature difference during heat exchange permits to receive the best value of convective factor thus optimizing the costs and profit, received in known technical embodiments, in which additional energy to drive a fan is needed in order to increase convective factor.
Scientific researches and experiments, carried out by the authors, have shown, that the spray fineness realised in known nozzle constructions with speed of sprayed liquid drops less than 8 mps appears unsufficient for reception of the required size (less than .0,9 mm) of liquid drops. In addition, with a liquid drop speed less than 8 mps the injecting effect disappears practically, and air injection into nozzle spray cone appears unsufficient, thus worsening resultant cooling effect.
Fig 3 shows the dependence of relative speed of a liquid and flow of cooling air plotted as a function of a height of a well. The average speed of cooling air is defined as its flow rate divided by cross section area of a well and for claimed cooling tower this average speed is equal about 3 mps. The air- flow rate caused by aeration usage (that is air movement without fan use but caused only by temperature difference and suction effect of injecting liquid) can be accepted as constant value, equal to air flow rate in a chimney-type coolig towers. At the beginning of liquid injection into a space of a cooling tower a speed of a liquid flow exceeds a speed of air, but then a speed of liquid drops decreases and after achieving
the top point of a track changes to opposite direction and begins to increase up to value of free drop fall speed in air, as is submitted on fig. 3.
When analizing plotters on fig. 3 it can be concluded, that in a claimed cooling tower the opportunity to intensify heat exchange is used in the most optimal manner in comparison with known cooling towers due to increasing of convective factor, the value of which depends on relative speed of cooling flow and flow being cooled. In a claimed invention a maximal relative speed is supported at maximal temperature difference. For example, usage of irrigated checker in known mechanical-draft cooling towers results in reduction of speed of a liquid and therefore the benefit caused by increase of air speed disappears in comparison with claimed invention.
The claimed method permits also to optimize cross section dimensions of a cooling tower. The distinctive feature of a claimed method is also the fact, that flow deviation from vertical direction is equal not more than 30 degrees when delivering sprayed liquid in bottom part of a well.
Such technical overcome permits to use much better a cross section dimensions of a cooling tower, that fact is especially essential when modernization of existing cooling towers is providing with a use of the claimed invention. Besides that, this technical outcome gives an additional positive effect, consisting in injecting of a cooling air flow due to creation of especial relative cooling air - liquid speed profiles with reception of additional injecting air effect in a centre of cooling tower well.
Experiments, caried out by the authors, have shown, that the drops reach walls of a well and deposite on them forming a film thus reducing a contact surface between air and liquid and resulting in decrease of heat removal efficiency when a deviation of liquid drop flow from vertical direction exeeds 30 degrees.
When using the mentioned above distinctive features of the claimed invention there is also the opportunity to use additional distinctive feature of the claimed method, consisting in using of natural aeration to move air flow in a well. The maximal water drop - air relative speeds are reached in bottom zone of a well (see fig. 3), and in top zone, where relative speed is small, a water drop trap is installed, thus significally reducing water ablation, for example, in comparison with mechanical-draft cooling towers.
It permits to provide effective heat removal and at the same time to reduce considerably in comparison with prototype an ablation of water caused by air flow. In addition, natural aeration use does not require any additional power consumption, thus reducing operational costs.
A cooling tower of power plant for realization of a claimed method except elements, ensuring fulfilment of considered above functions, which can basically be realized already by known means, has in addition distinctive features, provided by distribution of functions between elements of an apparatus.
The first distinctive feature of a design is the fact, that an apparatus for spraying a liquid flow is performed in form of centrifugal - jet nozzles, installed in bottom part of a well, and is equipped with a pump developing a pressure at least 0,12 MPa before nozzles.
The design of centrifugal - jet nozzles is developed by the authors on the basis of theoretical rules, described in [7 pages 26 ... 93, 189 ... 206]. Tests of these nozzles have shown, that they provide a required spectrum of the liquid drop sizes (equivalent diameter less than 0,9 mm) with a height of spray cone up to 7 ... 9 meters, which corresponds to dimensions of cooling tower wells used on the majority of power plants, provided that a pressure of a liquid before nozzles is equal at least 0,12 MPa. With a reduction of liquid pressure before a nozzle less than 0, 12 MPa there is the non-uniformity in a spectrum of produced liquid drops, thus essentially reducing efficiency of cooling. In addition, a height of a
spray cone decreases, consiquently a space of a well is not permitted to be used rather effectively.
Other distinctive feature of an apparatus design is the fact, that in this invention a variant is provided, in which nozzles are installed on periphery of a well. This variant permits more effectively to use a width dimension of a cooling tower well, that is rather essential at modernization of existing cooling towers according to claimed invention. In this case one more distinctive feature of a design - the fact, that nozzles are installed with a nozzle spray cone inclined to a centre a well - is used.
This distinctive feature permits to use an increased speed liquid flow for additional cooling air injection, thus improving heat exchange and providing required cooling of a liquid.
The additional distinctive feature of a design is the fact, that the inclination angle of a nozzle spray cone is performed in value not more than 30 degrees. This distinctive feature also permits to ensure air injection due to liquid - air relative speed in central zone of a well becomes higher than in peripheral zone. But uniformity of filling of well space with liquid drops is saved at the same time. With a nozzle spray cone inclination angle exceeding 30 degrees experiments have shown, that increased quantity of drops deposits on a well walls creating a liquid film, thus reducing a surface of heat exchange and reducing cooling efficiency.
Thus, beforementioned distinctive features of the claimed invention in comparison with known technical outcomes permit to create cheap and effective in operation cooling tower for any industrial power plant or technological installation, and consiquently this fact will provide its competitiveness on modern market.
Brief Description of Drawings
On fig. 1 a schematic diagram of a cooling tower in power plant, explaining realization of a claimed method, is submitted.
Fig. 2 represents a variant of nozzle installation on periphery of a well with inclination to centre of a well.
Fig. 3 shows a change of relative speed of water drops of water and cooling air along a height of a well.
A claimed cooling tower contains a well 1 , in which an apparatus for spraying liquid flow is installed, comprising water-distribution header 2 and nozzles 3 with liquid spray cone directed upwards. A cooling tower contains also a pool 4 to accumulate cooled water, a pump 5 and pipelines, connecting heat exchange equipment 6 of power plant with a pump 5 and with water-distribution header 2. An apparatus for spraying liquid flow is performed in form of centrifugal - jet nozzles 3, installed in bottom part of a well 1. A cooling tower is equipped by a pump 5 with a head, ensuring suitable pressure at least 0,12 MPa before nozzles 3, which is controlled by gauge 7. When producing modernization of existing installations and having increased hydraulic resistance of cooled equipment an additional pump before nozzles 3 can be provided to ensure beforementioned pressure.
A cooling tower contains a system for airation, which includes a window 8 placed in bottom part of a well 1 , a water drop trap 9 and deflector 10.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
A claimed method is realised as follows.
Cooling water from a pool 4 is delivered by a pump 5 to cool heat exchange equipment 6. Warmed water arrives into water-distribution header 2 and is sprayed by centrifugal - jet nozzles 3 into a space of a well 1.
With water pressure before nozzles 3 at least 0,12 MPa a spray cone of water drops having size of liquid particles not more than 0,9 mm of an equivalent diameter will be formed. A direction of spray cone is established from below upwards and water drops, ejected from nozzles with speed not less than 8 mps, move upwards against gravitational force, filling a space of a well 1.
In case, when the cross section of a well 1 is increased, nozzles 3 are placed on periphery of a well 1 , as it is shown on fig. 2, and water drop spray cone is directed upwards and inclined to a centre of a well with inclination angle not more than 30° from vertical direction. Thus drops of a liquid fill a space of a well 1 and move against gravitational force.
When reaching top zone of a well 1 , the drops lose their speed and under action of gravitational force fall downwards and pass the second time through a space of a well 1 then collecting in a pool 4.
Cooling air arrives into space of a well 1 from atmosphere through window 8 and moves from below upwards under action of temperature difference, created during heat removal from liquid, and also under action of ejection forces created by liquid drops moving with increased speed. In top zone of a well 1 , where relative speed is determined only by air flow, because liquid drops loose their initial speed, there is a separation on a water drop trap of those liquid drops, which were entrained by air flow.. As far as in a claimed cooling tower an air flow speed is less, than, for example, in mechanical-draft cooling tower, the air flow entrains only very small-sized drops, which then are coalescenced on surfaces of water drop trap and under action of gravitational force fall downwards, into pool 4 passing through space of well 1. In this case the losses of cooled water entrained with air flow are minimal.
Industrial Applicability
Thus, in comparison with prototype the beforementioned distinctive features of the claimed invention increase competitiveness of the claimed technical outcome, because they provide increased profitability of operation, and reduce the costs of manufacturing.
Calculations and experiments, carried out by the authors, have shown, that in comparison with the most effective known mechanical- draft towers, which provide warm water temperature reduction on 12 — 15°C, the claimed invention provides warm water temperature reduction up to 15 — 20°C with significant reduction of energy consumption during operation and reduction of the investments for cooling tower installation.
Bibliographical data of the information sources:
1. Gurvich S.M., Kostrikin U.M. "Operater of a preparation of water", Moscow: Energoizdat Publishing House, 1981.
2. Invention certificate of USSR M? 1366842, F28C 3/06, 1986, published in bul. N°2, 1988.
3. Invention certificate of USSR > 1 158845, F28C 1 /00, 1982, published in bul. N°20, 1985. 4. Invention certificate of USSR M> 1601490, F28C 1 /00, 1988, published in bul. M?39, 1990.
5. Invention certificate of USSR M? 1071915, F28C 1 /00, 1981 , published in bul. M-5, 1984.
6. Invention certificate of USSR N° 1071915, F28C 1 /00, 1981 , published in bul. N°48, 1991 - prototype.
7. Galustov V.C. "The straightstream equipments for disperse in energetics". Moscow: Energoatomizdat Publishing House, 1989.