84-18: Eliminating the Merkel Theory Approximations -- Can it Replace the

The Merkel Theory was published in 1925 and demonstrated that heat transfer in evaporative cooling tower was approximately proportional to a difference of enthalpies. Approximations of the theory are very large, mainly when water temperatures are high. This paper presents a simple method to eliminate Merkel's Theory approximations. It is practically as simple to use as the present Merkel Theory, and existing data can still be used with simple corrections. Hopefully this can be the base for a new future standard of the cooling tower industry.