Application of CFD to closed-wet cooling towers

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is applied to predicting the performance of closed-wet cooling towers (CWCTs) for chilled ceilings according to the cooling capacity and pressure loss. The prediction involves the two-phase flow of gas and water droplets. The predicted thermal performance is compared with experimental measurement for a large industrial CWCT and a small prototype cooling tower. CFD is then applied to the design of a new cooling tower for field testing. The accuracy of CFD modelling of the pressure loss for fluid flow over the heat exchanger is assessed for a range of flow velocities applied in CWCTs. The predicted pressure loss for single-phase flow of air over the heat exchanger is in good agreement with the empirical equation for tube bundles. CFD can be used to assess the effect of flow interference on the fluid distribution and pressure loss of single- and multi-phase flow over the heat exchanger.