Experimental investigation of the performance characteristics of a counterflow wet cooling tower

An experimental investigation of the performance characteristics of a counter flow wet cooling tower represented by the heat rejected by the tower and its thermal effectiveness is presented in this paper The tower is filled with a VGA (Vertical Grid Apparatus) type packing which is 0.42 m high and contains four (04) galvanised sheets having a zigzag form, between which are disposed three (03) metallic vertical grids in parallel with a cross-sectional test area of 0.15 m x 0 148 m The investigation is concerned mainly on the effect of the air, water flow rates and the Inlet water temperatures on the thermal effectiveness of the cooling tower as well as the heat rejected by this tower from water to be cooled to the air stream discharged into the atmosphere. The two operating regimes which were observed during the air/water contact inside the tower, a Pellicular Regime (PR) and a Bubble and Dispersion Regime (BDR) appear to be important, as The BDR regime enables to cool larger amount of water flow rates, while the Pellicular regime results with higher thermal effectiveness. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.