Air-Vapor Dynamics in Large-Scale Atmospheric Spray Cooling Systems

Abstract

Atmospheric spray cooling systems are alternatives to cooling towers and cooling ponds. A quantity NTU containing the spray drop-wise parameters allows prediction of cooling range if local wet-bulb temperature is known. The essential problem is predicting local wet-bulb proceeding windward through the spray field. Theory was developed for this purpose involving wind attenuation and turbulent diffusion. Experiments were performed on a large flow-through spray canal involving segments with two types of floating spray modules. Previous experimental data are available for a fixed manifolded spray pond. A comparison of theory and experiments shows reasonable agreement.