23-03: Extended Testing on a Real World Fill Fouling Test Rig

Eskom's coal-fired power stations mostly have natural draft wet cooling towers, where excessive fouling results in maintenance and performance issues. Eskom is in the process of replacing the asbestos fill in selected cooling towers and had to evaluate potential replacement fills. A set of four test rigs have been built that simulate conditions within a natural draft wet cooling tower. Water tapped from a cooling tower is used in the test. Both the fouling and thermal performance of the fills are measured as fouling occurs over time. A previous CTI paper (TP19-05), outlined the facility. From the publication of that paper, the rig ran for two years, testing six fills. This paper presents these results and some conclusions that could be drawn.