Effect of Wind Break Walls on Performance of

Environmental cross winds usually distord the uniform distributions of both air flow and air resistance at inlet to cooling towers and subsequently cause hot areas due to insufficient local cooling of water by air. Curative devices, such as windbreaks, are developed to enhance the performance of the power station cooling towers. At present experimental investigation, the effects of curative devices on performance of a 1/1000 scaled isothermal model of a 660MW wet cooling tower were quantified, using intake dynamic and total pressure losses. Dimensional simulitudes were used in the isothermal modelling of the wet cooling tower. A dimensionless pressure loss coefficient in the tower was defined, as the performance indicator, which is the ratio of total pressure drop in the heat exchanger region (i.e. combined packing and rain zone) to the dynamic pressure. Over twenty three curative devices were designed, manufactured, and their effects on the pressure loss coefficient were quantified. Pressure drop coefficient with no curative device was selected as the base condition and was compared with the presence of curative devices. Up to 33% improvement was noticed in the pressure loss coefficient. The top three most efficient curative devices were selected and presented here.