TP20-09: Air Flow Modifications for Optimization of Natural Draft Cooling Towers

Improving the performance of heat sink systems can generate considerable gains of
plant output by increasing the overall plant efficiency. For natural draft counter-flow
cooling towers, such improvement can be achieved by enhancing the aero-dynamics of
air inlets. Many operating cooling towers have an air inlet with a sharp-edged concrete
shell, support columns, or basin edge. The air flow entering the tower passes these
zones and easily becomes turbulent and restricts the free air inlet area and reduces the
overall air inflow. Improving these inflow conditions allows an increase in the overall air
intake of the tower and thereby improves its cooling capability.