Performance Analysis of a Counter-flow Cooling Tower Under Different Weather Conditions

Abstract

The performance of the cooling tower is profoundly influenced by the climatic conditions. This study examines cooling tower performance in 42 diverse Saudi Arabian cities, addressing gaps in existing literature considering the performance parameters of temperature range, and cooling capacity. To assess the performance of the cooling tower, a mathematical model is developed and solved using the Engineering Equation Solver (EES). The assessment of the cooling tower's performance is conducted with a focus on yearly and monthly average dry-bulb temperatures as well as relative humidity. Based on the yearly average weather data, the cooling tower in Jazan exhibits the lowest performance with a temperature range of 4°C and a 50-kW cooling capacity. In Abha, the cooling tower demonstrates the best performance despite different weather conditions with almost a 7.61°C range and 95.4-kW cooling capacity. Evaluating the monthly average weather data, the cooling tower in Abha excels compared to the cooling tower in the other cities, achieving a cooling capacity of 86.1-kW in August outperforming its counterpart in Jazan by 53.5%. The summer weather conditions in Abha have led to a slight reduction in the cooling capacity of only 16.3% in comparison to the cooling capacity in winter (January).