18-03: Thermal Performance of Cooling Tower fills – Experimental Investigation

The paper will focus on the development of Eskom’s new standardized fill test facility with which various fill materials can be tested and compared, using the Stellenbosch University test facility as a basis. Details regarding the fill performance testing methodology, using the Merkel theory as analysis basis, for the standardized test facility are also presented. Finally, the test results of a reference fill are presented in terms of the air-side pressure drop and thermal performance as obtained from tests performed in both test facilities.