What are your thoughts on hydrodynamic energy-saving cooling towers?

The poster asked whether it would be necessary to provide explanations for terms like \"water-driven energy-saving cooling tower\". What the poster referred to as a \"water-driven energy-saving cooling tower\" should actually be called a \"water-driven fan cooling tower\"; it utilizes the energy from the water pressure entering the tower to achieve energy savings. Appendix: Introduction to Water Turbine Cooling Towers Summary: While maintaining the same shape, structure, dimensions, cooling principle, and cooling efficiency, the conventional water head entering the tower is sufficient for the turbine to generate power, thereby replacing the fan motor and resulting in near-zero power consumption. Compared to current electric towers, it saves 100% in electricity consumption, and theoretical calculations as well as practical applications have confirmed the reliability of this product. Keywords: cooling tower ； turbine ； Lower power consumption ； kinetic energy ； Traffic ； head pressure ； Head ； Energy Saving 　1. Introduction 　The heat exchange capacity of a cooling tower is primarily determined by the air-to-water ratio; the desired temperature reduction of the cooling tower can be achieved by using a certain mass flow rate of air to exchange heat with a corresponding mass flow rate of hot water. Air with a mass flow rate can be obtained by any method, and it is commonly achieved using a motor-driven fan blade. 　　 According to statistics from sample data provided by various cooling tower manufacturers, the air-to-water ratio for cooling towers with a low temperature difference is 0.67, 0.84 for those with a medium temperature difference, and 1.12 for those with a high temperature difference. The optimal air-to-water ratio for efficient operation is 0.55. The gas-to-water ratio is essentially the ratio of the mass of gas to the mass of water. If a motor is not used to move the air, but rather a water turbine is employed for this purpose, then it becomes a matter of determining how much water flow is needed to generate the force required to move the air, in order to facilitate heat exchange with hot water; whereas a motor converts electrical power measured in kilowatts into the force needed to move the air for heat exchange. This can be simply achieved by making the shaft power of the turbine equal to that of the motor, thereby achieving the same cooling effect and reducing the specific power consumption of the tower to near zero. There is no need to change the tower’s shape, structure, size, or cooling principle. Moreover, the turbine has many advantages such as light weight, simple structure, easy maintenance, low noise, long service life, and suitability for all applications and tower types. 　　 The inlet water head for cooling towers is generally 5–8 meters. According to statistical data, there are significant variations in the inlet water head values set by different manufacturers, as shown in Table 1. The water pressure entering large towers often exceeds 10 m. The water head entering the tower is used for water distribution; the size of the water distribution area in the tower is usually determined by a water distribution density of 0.07 m2/t. The water pressure at each nozzle within the same tower should be the same. This approach allows it to be possible to use a single water head value for all towers, from small ones to large ones, eliminating the need for such complex and disorganized specifications and reducing the hassle of having to consult product data sheets when selecting the pump head pressure. We know that the product of head (H) and flow rate (Q) is power. From this, it can be inferred that the flow energy in a cooling tower is the head multiplied by the corresponding flow rate. For example, the energy of the water flow entering a standard 100t/h cooling tower is around 2.2 kW, and the actual shaft power of the fans used in such towers is just less than 2.2 kW; fans with higher efficiency have an shaft power of less than 2.0 kW. 　　 A hydrodynamic fan cooling tower makes full use of the energy in the water entering the tower to achieve energy savings. If our country’s standards for cooling towers are changed to require zero power consumption, this will raise the energy efficiency requirements for the cooling tower industry; it will be beneficial for companies in terms of reducing fixed costs and for society as a whole in terms of energy savings. 　　 II. Research The main working component of a turbine is the impeller, which receives the energy from the fluid and causes it to rotate. The conversion of energy is studied from a macroscopic perspective in order to establish the basic equations for cooling tower turbines. Impeller-type water turbines mainly include impulse type and reaction type. The double-click type is one of the impact types; the advantage of using this type is that there is a free surface of water between the rotor blades, which prevents cavitation from occurring on those blades and thus extends their service life ； There is no pressure difference in the water flow before and after the rotor ； Using concentrated speed allows for two impacts on the blade, resulting in a higher efficiency of energy conversion ； It has better adaptability when water flow changes significantly ； The vertical shaft arrangement is suitable for the special space of cooling towers and the in-situ replacement of motor reducers ； An additional tailwater pipe is added to recover energy for water distribution purposes. 　　According to the theorem of angular momentum, the change in angular momentum per unit time is equal to the torque of the net external force. As shown in Figure 1, the total moment of force is M = QC1L1 + QC2L2 + QC3L3 + QC4L4. To achieve a higher efficiency of the impeller, it is necessary to minimize the amount of energy that remains unutilized at the outlet of the impeller; in other words, the absolute velocity at the outlet of each subsequent blade should be as close to zero as possible. Then, 　　 M = QC1L1 + QC2L2 + QC3L3. 　　 In the last two terms of this equation, one represents the moment of momentum at the outlet, while the other represents it at the inlet. Due to the need for balance, one value decreases while the other increases, such that their sum is zero; ultimately, the moment of momentum at the inlet of the initial blades remains as the actual moment of momentum of this impeller. 　　 M = QC1L1 = QC1COSα1R The work done by the rotor’s rotation is the product of the angular velocity (ω) and the moment of momentum. 　　 P = ωM = ωQC1COSα1R The initial kinetic energy of the fluid is the product of the flow rate (Q) and the head (H); to convert the energy of the flowing water into the energy of the impeller, it is necessary to make these two expressions equal to each other. 　　 ωQC1COSα1R = QH This equation shows that the mass flow rate remains unchanged before and after energy conversion; the head of the water flow represents the energy of the turbine, and the higher the head, the greater the momentum. Every cooling tower must have water pressure entering it, and this inlet water pressure represents convertible energy that can meet the actual shaft power requirement of the fan blades. The head of the cooling circulation water pump is a constant value in the system; when a turbine is added during renovation, the resistance increases, but this does not increase the pump’s current – instead, it reduces it. The resistance of the turbine is very low, resulting only in a corresponding reduction of the current, which approaches zero. 　　 Among China’s technical standards, only the mechanical industry standard JB/T 7640—1994, \"Series Specification for Double-Click Turbines,\" provides a relatively brief overview of some performance parameters. However, this standard specifies that such turbines must be of horizontal type, and their application range is limited to power levels between 12 kW and 100 kW, head pressures greater than 8 m, and flow rates greater than 0.1 m3/s. In order to make these turbines suitable for use in cooling towers, it was necessary to develop a new design: a miniature turbine with a vertical shaft and a tailwater pipe, as shown in Figure 2. Patented on January 8, 2003. Publication of the invention patent on October 8, 2003. 　　The power consumption of the motor matched to the cooling tower is **standardly specified as less than 0.04 kW/t for standard towers and less than 0.06 kW/t for medium-temperature towers. By using a water turbine to drive the wind, there is no need to consider motor matching anymore; only it is necessary to ensure that the energy of the water flow entering the tower is sufficient to meet the shaft power requirement of the wind blades. Table 2 shows the head power, which is a statistical table of the corresponding air-water ratio, air volume, and impeller shaft power after deducting the turbine resistance of 0.5 m; achieving the corresponding values will yield a cooling effect. The air volume generated by the fan blades is determined at a certain shaft power and rotational speed; the key factor is the shaft power. As long as the shaft power reaches the rated value for that fan blade, the rotational speed will be achieved, and consequently the air volume as well. Note: The shaft power of the fan blade is equal to the shaft power output by the turbine, calculated at 1 kW per 3.3·104 m3/h of air volume. **The standard matching motor power is less than 0.04 kW/t for standard towers, and less than 0.06 kW/t for medium-temperature towers. III. Testing: On August 1, 2003, the model turbine was tested jointly by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Shanghai Energy Conservation Center. The test results are as follows: Flow rate: 94 m3/h; Head: 4 m; Power indicated by the sensor: 0.9 Kw; Rotational speed: 326 r/min. The efficiency of the turbine calculated to be 0.88, while the JB/T standard specifies 0.82. 　　 On August 5, 2003, comparative tests were conducted on another tower at the Shanghai Dairy Research Institute – a 200 t/h tower that had undergone turbine modification and in which the fan motor had been removed; this tower had been in use for 3 years. 　　 3 pumps of type IS—150—125—250, one of which is a spare pump; the head is 20 m and the flow rate is 200 t/h. There are 2 towers, located 14 m above the ground level. The shaft power of the fan motors is 3.9 Kw. There are 2 refrigerators of type 8FS10, with a capacity of Q = 134400 kcal/h each. 1 pump serves 1 tower and 1 chiller. By using this tower over the long term, the user was able to eliminate the need for a 5.5 kW motor, achieving 100% power savings and saving a significant amount on electricity costs over three years. Users have expressed great satisfaction. IV. Power analysis of water turbines Since the advent of water-driven fan cooling towers, they have made a certain contribution to energy conservation. According to the novelty search conducted by the Shanghai Library and Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the hydrodynamic fan cooling tower exhibits high degree of novelty and innovation; no reports of similar structures exist in domestic or international literature. It indicates that the product qualifies as original. This is because the cooling tower industry is skeptical about the claim that turbines can replace fan motors to achieve 100% energy savings. Some professor-level experts in cooling towers are unaware of the characteristics of impulse turbines; they mistakenly calculate the pressure difference before and after the rotor, leading to incorrect judgments. Some users are cautious and hesitate to be the first. To this end, it is necessary to further elaborate on the characteristics of water turbines specifically designed for cooling towers. 　　1. The power of the water turbine specifically designed for cooling towers is derived from the energy equation. 　　 The formula for the output shaft power of a turbine is: 　　 W=γ×Q×H×η (kw) 　　 Where γ is the specific weight of water, equal to 1000×9.81 N/m3; Q is the water flow rate, in m3/s; H is the head, in meters; and η is the efficiency of the turbine, which is 0.88. The head of the turbine is calculated using Bernoulli’s equation: 　　 H=Z+P+V2/2g 　　 Here, Z is the difference in elevation between the inlet and outlet of the turbine, P is the pressure within the water flow, V is the speed of the water flow, in m/s, and g is the acceleration due to gravity, equal to 9.81. Since turbines used in cooling towers are of the vertical-axis type, their rotors are vertical, and the inlet and outlet levels are at the same height, so there is no potential energy involved. Z=0. The impulse turbine is of the open type; both the water entering and leaving it are in contact with air. The pressure of the water flow at the inlet and outlet remains at the same atmospheric pressure, so the pressure difference is very small and can be ignored – in other words, there is no pressure energy. P=0. At the moment of emission, the water flow has already converted pressure energy into kinetic energy—energy of motion. Therefore, the double-click turbine specifically designed for cooling towers calculates only kinetic energy when discussing head. The water pressure entering the cooling tower is known as the head, and it is calculated using the following formula: H = V²/2g. The flow velocity V represents the volume of water flowing per unit area. 　　 V = Q/S, where S is the cross-sectional area through which the flow passes, in square meters. The head can also be calculated using the formula H = Q²/(2gS²). By combining these formulas, we can determine the output of a turbine specifically designed for use in cooling towers: W = 9.81×Q³/²gS²×0.88 = 0.44Q³/S². It is clear that, once the flow rate Q of the pump supplying water to the tower is known, the key factor determining the turbine’s output is the cross-sectional area S; the smaller this area, the higher the flow velocity and thus the greater the output. However, reducing the cross-sectional area leads to a decrease in flow rate; these are two interrelated contradictions. To achieve the optimal condition, it is necessary to determine the cross-sectional area based on the known flow rate, so as to obtain the best performance. 　　 Our design is based on a head of 8.4683 m; accordingly, the output power of the turbine is given by W = 9.81 × 8.4683 × Q × 0.88 = 73.1Q (kW). Once the flow rate of the cooling tower is known, the power of the turbine can be calculated accurately. By checking whether this value matches the power required by the fan shaft, it is possible to proceed with the modification of the motor used in the cooling tower. 　　 For example, for a cooling tower turbine with a capacity of 2000 t/h, the shaft power is W = 73.1 × Q = 73.1 × 0.55555 = 40.6 KW. The actual shaft power of the fan associated with it should be less than 40.6 KW (otherwise the efficiency of the fan will be low). This type of tower operates perfectly well and can completely replace electric motors, resulting in a 100% reduction in energy consumption. The key point is to check whether there is a margin of 8 meters in head pressure for the water entering the tower. 　　 Since there is no standard basis for designers to determine the inlet water pressure of the tower when designing circulating water systems, there are significant variations in the inlet water pressure of existing cooling towers. There are many cooling towers whose flow rate does not reach the rated value, and whose water pressure at the inlet is zero. Therefore, converting cooling towers using turbines is not suitable for all cooling towers. Once modification is possible, it indicates that the tower has excess head, resulting in 100% power savings. Since the condition for excess head is not met, we will make no changes, and there will be no reduction in power consumption by a certain percentage. The new cooling towers are also based on two conditions. 2. How to calculate the resistance of a turbine? 　　Adding a turbine to the circulation water pipeline of a cooling tower undoubtedly increases resistance; this increased resistance leads to a reduction in water flow, and it also affects the proper operation of the heat exchange equipment. The high resistance can even lead to accidents in which the tubes of the heat exchange equipment burst. The resistance of the turbine in the water-powered aircraft cooling tower is only 0.5 m (0.005 Mpa), which is very low. This is equivalent to adding the resistance of a bend or valve in the pipeline. It will not affect other devices. The resistance of 0.5m is clearly much lower compared to the nozzle resistance in spray towers. The resistance of the turbine is extremely low, so it’s possible to **reform existing cooling towers with confidence, without worrying about an increased load on the heat exchange equipment. The resistance of a turbine is determined by the speed of the water flow before it enters the rotor and by the shape of the water flow channels. The turbine flow channel in the cooling tower of hydroplane aircraft is of a gradually converging arc shape, and the resistance is calculated using the local head loss formula: H = ξV2/2g, where ξ is the resistance coefficient, with a value of 0.081, as determined through actual experimental use. When operating at an 8m head, the highest output is achieved at a lower flow rate; using the above formula, the friction loss of the turbine is 0.5m. 5. Comparison of the applications of different tower types. Spray towers were already in use in chemical urea production plants in China in the early 1980s; they did not contain any packing and represented a relatively advanced type of tower. With technological advancements, the pressure at the nozzles decreased from 0.4 Mpa to 0.2 Mpa. Here, a comparison is made among the electric, hydraulic, and spray types of towers, with their respective advantages and disadvantages discussed for your reference. For ease of comparison, 0.08 Mpa is set as the kinetic energy A of an electric tower. The following discussion assumes that the nominal flow rate of the tower is at its rated value. Situations such as insufficient flow, water pressure below zero, or flow exceeding the rated value with water pressure below zero are not considered. ①Analysis of the energy consumption output of cooling towers. Ⅰ. When the water pressure entering the tower is zero, the air handling capacity of the electric tower remains constant; the power consumption of the fan is A, and the cooling efficiency of the overflow water distribution system is poor. For a hydraulic tower to replace the electric tower, an additional A amount of power must be supplied to the pump, resulting in the same power consumption as that of the electric tower. When the water pressure entering the tower reaches 8 meters, the water distribution conditions are good and the cooling efficiency is high. A spray tower requires an additional 2.5A of power to be supplied to the pump in order to replace the electric tower; when the power consumption of the fan and motor is taken into account, the total power consumption is 3.5A more. Ⅱ. When the water pressure entering the tower is 8 m, the hydraulic tower is the most suitable option; the electric tower consumes more electricity. The spray tower requires an additional 1.5 A of power in addition to that supplied by the pump, and with the electricity needed for the fan motor as well, it consumes an extra 2.5 A. Ⅲ. When the water pressure entering the tower is 20 m, the electric tower consumes an additional 2.5 A; the hydraulic tower uses 1.5 A more; the spray tower consumes 1.5 A more. ②An analysis from the perspective of maintenance and environmental protection. Electric towers have a high maintenance rate ； Difficult to repair ； High maintenance costs ； Managing complexity ； Heavy weight ； The center of gravity of the tower moves upward ； Large vibration ； The strength of the scaffolding must be increased ； There is a lot of noise ； Belt-driven motors suffer from reduced cooling efficiency due to slippage. The maintenance rate for hydrodynamic towers is low; in fact, they often do not require maintenance over long periods of time ； Easy to repair ； Easy to manage ； Stable cooling effect ； The downward shift of the tower’s center of gravity is supported by the ground ； It can reduce the material used for the tower ； Low vibration ； No noise. The spray tower has a simple structure ； Light weight ； Low cost ； Low vibration ； No noise. The disadvantage is high energy consumption due to the water pressure required to enter the tower. There must always be water pressure entering the cooling tower; without this pressure, the distribution of water is affected. This pressure is the kinetic energy that can be utilized by turbines to save energy. Kinetic energy can be calculated using head. 6. Practical examples can be illustrated through the renovation of a 700 t/h cement frame rectangular counter-current tower by Henan Zhengzhou Crystal Co., Ltd. (formerly Zhengzhou Fertilizer Factory). For comparison, there are three motor towers of the same specification placed side by side with this tower. The tower is 12m tall, with fan blades of Φ4.7m. The pump is a double-suction centrifugal pump with a capacity of 700 t/h and a head of 26 m. The horizontal distance between the tower and the pump is 50 m. Due to material constraints, there are three diameter-changing joints, ten elbows, and one valve along the pipeline; the total resistance is 18 m. There is still at least 8 m of head available for the turbine to generate power. After the modification, the rotor speed is 185 r/min, the air volume is 600,000 m3/h, and the pressure gauge on the pump shows 0.24 Mpa, indicating very low resistance. According to calculations, the output power of the turbine is W = 9.81 × H × Q × η = 9.81 × 8 × 0.194 × 0.88 = 13.4 kW. The actual shaft power of the rotor is 14 kW, so it operates well. Compared with the motor tower nearby, the performance figures, as determined by tests conducted by the same facility, are shown in Table 3. 　　It is important to note the pump’s flow rate and head; these two parameters can work together. If the flow rate is high and the head is low, or the flow rate is low and the head is high, as long as their product meets the requirements, the turbine will function properly and the blades will operate normally. For the renovation of the two 350t/h towers at Shanxi Haixin International Steel Co., Ltd., the pump flow rate is only 530t/h; the water volume per tower is 265t/h on average, which means there is a shortage of 85t/h per tower – clearly not enough. However, the pump’s head is 45 m, while the height of the tower is only 14 m. The water quality in this tower is extremely poor; the thickness of scale in the water pipes reaches 20 mm. The actual total resistance is 35 m, leaving 12 m of head available for doing work. Therefore, W = 9.81 × Q × H × 0.88 = 9.81 × 0.0736 × 12 × 0.88 = 7.62 (kW). 　　 It also has the ability to function normally. The water pump pressure gauge showed no change before and after the modification. 　　 Turbines can be made quite large, but considering the capacity of cooling towers available on the market, the maximum water flow rate for a single tower is only around 100,000 tons per hour – which is a very small amount compared to the flow rates required by turbines. As a result, the turbines used in such systems remain of small size, while those specifically designed for cooling towers are even smaller in scale. According to similarity theory, regardless of the size of the turbine, its performance parameters remain the same. 　　 In the cooling tower industry, it is difficult to manufacture reducers for large-scale towers; no tower with a capacity of over 5000 t/h has been built using such reducers. Now, turbines have solved this problem – it is entirely feasible to design turbine blades of the appropriate size to match these towers, and natural ventilation cooling towers with a capacity of 100,000 t/h are also no problem. The mechanical towers in chemical processing systems are generally around 2000 t/h; the water volume and head are usually sufficient, making turbine energy conservation the best approach. 　　 The larger the water turbine specifically designed for cooling towers, the more reliable and stable it is. Scale accumulates inside old pipes; the longer they are in use, the smaller the inner diameter of the pipes becomes. This leads to an increase in flow velocity and resistance. With the same thickness of scale, flow velocity is less affected in pipes with larger diameters, while it is more affected in pipes with smaller diameters. Therefore, the larger the tower, the more reliable it is, and the more stable the water flow. 　　 Water-driven fan cooling towers offer a very noticeable energy-saving effect. You'll understand once you go to the site. On-site, it was observed that the external dimensions and operating conditions of the cooling tower remained unchanged; only the motor was replaced by a turbine. The fan blades continued to operate normally, the current drawn by the pump did not increase, and the cooling efficiency stayed as good as before. Over the past few years, more than 100 users have confirmed that the hydrodynamic fan cooling tower is a good product. VII Conclusion 　The use of turbines in cooling towers, whether for renovation or in new towers, has the following advantages: 　(1) Energy savings. This tower uses a water turbine in place of a fan motor, thereby eliminating the electrical energy consumption associated with the operation of the fan motor entirely, thanks to the water pressure entering the tower; this has been confirmed through multiple tests. 　　 ⑵ No noise. The energy conversion of the turbine takes place within the water flow channel, eliminating the noise source associated with the mechanical power of the cooling tower and addressing people’s complaints about the noise generated by the cooling tower’s motor. 　　 ⑶ Efficient. The shaft power of the turbine only needs to reach that of the fan blade; there is no need for an additional amount of power, as is the case with motors, to compensate for the insufficient starting current. The resistance of the turbine is only 0.5 m, which does not affect the pump’s flow rate within the pump’s head range, ensuring that the specific power consumption of the tower approaches zero. 　　 ⑷ Long service life. The turbine has a simple structure, making maintenance and replacement easy. No damage after long-term operation. 　　 ⑸ Safe. It can be used in areas with a high risk of wet corrosion and explosion hazards. 　　 ⑹ Applicable. The turbine has very low resistance, making it suitable for any type of cooling tower. Especially for the renovation of large towers, the water pressure entering the tower is often high, making it easy to achieve success; the larger the tower, the more reliable it is. Modifying large natural ventilation towers is very suitable. References: GB7190.1.2-1997. Glass fiber reinforced plastic cooling towers. JB/T7640-94. Series specifications for double-action turbines. Zhang Fei Kuang. Cooling tower turbines. Chinese patent: Patent ZL02216-112.X, dated 01-08-2003. Zhang Ke Wei. Principles of fluid machinery. Machinery Industry Press, May 2000. W. Baur. Turbomachinery. Chemical Industry Press, October 1988. Liu Da Kai. Turbines. China Water & Power Press, August 2003. Dong Zhiyong. Impulsive jets. Ocean Press, September 1997. Wen Desun. Engineering fluid mechanics (hydraulics). Higher Education Press, August 1991. Zhao Zhenguo. Cooling towers. China Water & Power Press, November 2001.

The following information comes from a source that provides details on turbine cooling towers; I’d like to share it: Misconceptions about the use of turbines in cooling towers. 1. Turbines operate by utilizing the pressure of water. It is believed that water turbines used in cooling towers must have sufficient head to be applicable. This is a mistaken perception. 　　 In a cooling tower that meets the **standards and is operating properly, the water flow entering the tower must have the pressure required by the cooling tower for spraying water. With this water pressure, the turbine can function properly; there is no need to require an additional excess water pressure. The water pressure entering a typical cooling tower is at least 3 meters. With the development of turbine technology to date, an head of 3 meters is sufficient to fully utilize the efficiency of turbines. Therefore, all cooling towers that operate in accordance with national standards can be replaced with water turbines, including those equipped with new systems. 　　 II. Turbines operate by means of water pressure. The water pressure entering the tower is used up; after flowing through the turbine, there is no more water pressure available for distributing the water. This is a mistaken perception. 　　 The work done by a turbine relies mainly on three forms of energy. The first is the kinetic energy of the water flow. As the water enters the cooling tower, from entering the turbine to reaching the water distributor, its flow velocity remains constant, as there is no diversion of water within the closed circulation pipeline and thus no losses. Kinetic energy is the product of mass and velocity; since both mass and velocity remain unchanged, the kinetic energy also remains unchanged. In turbines, speed changes are used to do work, but the tailwater speed after leaving the turbine is reduced. Kinetic energy is not lost throughout the flow path, remaining until it reaches the inlet of the water distributor. Secondly, there is no loss of potential energy; the turbine is located above the water distributor, and its inlet and outlet are on the same horizontal level. Potential energy is the product of height and mass, and since the heights of the inlet and outlet water levels remain unchanged, there is also no loss of potential energy. Potential energy is used when water enters the turbine, and it is restored when the water exits the turbine. Third is pressure energy, which is the product of water pressure and water mass. If all the potential energy is used up, there is still kinetic energy. There is also the potential energy due to the vertical height between the turbine tailwater pipe and the water distributor. Sufficient energy for water distribution. But turbines cannot utilize all of the head. 　　 III. The efficiency of double-action turbines is very low; the cooling tower requires a certain amount of water and head pressure, and since part of this water is used by the double-action turbines, it affects the cooling efficiency of the cooling tower. This is a mistaken perception. 　　 It is a widely held belief that double-action turbines have very low efficiency; this conclusion was reached by experts in Britain, Hungary, and other countries back in the 1810s, two hundred years ago, including experts on cooling towers who do not understand turbines today. No further in-depth research or exploration has been conducted on the double-click type; when they are unable to explain the complex flow patterns within the double-click type turbine as well as the relationship between water inflow and outflow, they avoid dealing with it. In today’s era of technological advancement, we have conducted further research on this ancient structure. Through numerous experiments, particularly focusing on the optimal design of the turbine blade profiles, it has been concluded that due to the hydraulic double action, its efficiency is very high; it is even comparable to that of mixed-flow turbines, reaching over 95%. It’s really great for use in cooling towers. The power output of a turbine relies on water pressure; water pressure represents the resistance, and the greater this resistance, the greater the loss in water flow. In hydroelectric power generation, the water pressure for turbines is generated by the height of the dam used to hold back water. In cooling towers, the water pressure is provided by the head generated by pumps. The water pressure in hydroelectric turbines can reach several hundred meters, but there is no need to consider losses due to resistance in such cases. The water pressure for the cooling tower turbine is three meters. With a water pressure of 3 meters, the flow rate of water is 7.67 meters per second, which is even lower than the conventional design flow rate in the spray nozzles of cooling towers. So there’s no need to worry that the turbine will reduce the water volume. It will not affect the cooling efficiency of the cooling tower. 4. Turbines are suitable for small cooling towers with a capacity of 500 tons per hour or less; they are not suitable for large cooling towers with a capacity of 700 tons per hour or more, especially those with a capacity of 3000 tons per hour or more. There is a clear difference between large and small cooling towers, and these concepts should not be confused or applied interchangeably. This is a mistaken perception. 　　 Regardless of their size, cooling towers operate on the same principle, and the water pressure required is identical. Large cooling towers can achieve cooling effects with a water head of 3 meters, and small cooling towers also need a water head of 3 meters to achieve the same cooling effect. There are significant differences in the inlet water pressure for large and small cooling towers provided by various cooling tower manufacturers; it’s just for show. For cooling tower water turbines, the efficiency achieved with the same head is the same regardless of size. The efficiency obtained when using a 3-meter head to drive a turbine in a small cooling tower is exactly the same as that achieved when using a 3-meter head in a large cooling tower; the only difference lies in the flow rate of water. The difference between cooling towers lies in their size; the only variation is in the water flow rate. This fully conforms to the principle of similarity. This post was last edited by multimedia on 2008-7-7 18:24.]

Changing the cooling tower fans from electric drive to hydraulic drive is indeed a good energy-saving measure. However, considering the characteristics of our plant’s circulating water system, it is necessary to further verify from a design perspective whether the hydraulic drive method can meet the process requirements. Our factory has three cooling towers in total; two of them are used during the hot summer months, while one operates during normal times. In winter, when the temperatures at night are low, stopping the fans of the cooling towers is sufficient to meet the process requirements. Additionally, the circulating water outlet is divided into two paths: the main unit area and the light oil stabilization area. The height difference between the heat exchangers is significant; the pressure at the inlet of the circulating water in the highest-positioned heat exchanger is controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the cooling water return valve (the current valve opening degree is approximately 50%). When the cooling tower fans are switched from electric drive to hydraulic drive, the following situations may occur: 1. The valve opening is small, resulting in insufficient hydraulic driving power and an cooling effect that does not meet the process requirements ； 2. When the valve is opened wide, the inlet pressure of the circulating water to the heat exchangers in the main unit area and the stabilization area decreases, resulting in insufficient flow rate and a reduced heat exchange efficiency.

After all, the energy required for the turbine to operate still comes from the water pump; thus, adding a turbine does not result in energy savings, but rather energy is wasted due to the excess head capacity of the existing water pump. Agree with what was said on floor 5. :handshake

Water consumption is already high in the summer, and the pressure head for water supply and drainage also decreases accordingly. If, at this time, the speed of the turbine drops as well, and insufficient cooling air leads to an increase in water temperature, then that would be putting the cart before the horse! If you really have the money, it would be better to change the frequency of the pump motor.

After consulting various parties, our factory has decided to upgrade one of the three cooling towers first; I will share the results of this upgrade with everyone later. As the saying goes, is practice the sole criterion for testing truth? Hehe.

Simply put, America’s SPX Cooling Technology (which acquired Malley Company) has a history of several hundred years in the research of cooling towers. The focus in this research is on achieving energy savings and higher efficiency; yet to this day, no expert there has proposed the use of water-driven fans. Think about it – could it be that Americans don’t want to save energy? It’s just the strange ways of thinking of the Chinese at work; have everyone forgotten the absurdity of the idea that water can be turned into oil? Can the law of conservation of energy be changed? Although there are various test reports and such, what are people’s opinions on those test reports? The above are merely my personal opinions; any shortcomings can be discussed.

One of our circulating water cooling towers has just been converted to a turbine, and the effects are currently under observation; it is estimated that results will not be available until next summer. The energy of the turbine comes from the excess energy of the circulating water delivery pump.

Let’s start with the concluding opinion: it will not save energy. As for the reasons: the rotation of the turbine relies on water pressure and flow rate, both of which require energy from pumps to be generated. I don’t deny that some users consider this to be energy-saving, and there is data to support that view; the issue here lies in the problems with the design and operation of the cooling system. First, there is a significant difference in the elevation of the cooling equipment, which leads to severe throttling at the inlet water valves of the equipment located at lower elevations, resulting in high energy waste. Second, due to design or layout reasons, some pieces of equipment are located far away from the pump room; the pipe diameters are insufficient, and the resistance is high. To ensure an effective cooling effect, it is necessary to increase the pressure at the pump outlet, but most of the equipment does not require such high pressure. As a result, control is achieved through valves, which leads to excess water energy. The use of variable frequency drives is the best solution for energy-saving measures; it allows the pressure at the pump outlet to be reduced as much as possible while still ensuring effective cooling. This requires that the valves of the cooling equipment remain open at 60–80% of their capacity during normal operation, in order to avoid throttling. Additionally, using pressure pumps locally on devices that are far away or face high resistance to reduce the overall system water pressure is an effective way to save energy. It is absolutely impossible to make generalizations about a single problem; one must analyze the reasons for the existence of excessive potential energy, and eliminate that excess potential energy through operational adjustments and local improvements, so that the turbine can no longer rotate. I know that the cost of modifying hydroturbines is very high; removing a 75kw motor gearbox costs over 500,000 RMB. There are said to be \"patent fees\" involved, which is actually a way of deceiving people.

It seems to be referring to hydroturbines. A few manufacturers have now entered this industry, but their performance is not yet significant. In the current environment, energy conservation is necessary; however, that’s just the way things are in China – companies always hesitate when faced with new technologies, especially design firms. I think it will take some time before this promising industry can grow rapidly