Natural draft dry cooling tower modelling

Predictions based on a numerical simulation of a natural draft dry cooling tower (NDDCT) has been compared with those obtained theoretically and experimentally. Experiments are conducted in a lab-scale NDDCT and are validated with a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the flow in and around the heat exchangers, which is modelled as a porous medium. Both vertical and horizontal arrangements of the heat exchangers are examined. The experimental, numerical and theoretical approaches lead to very close prediction for the air velocity and temperature at the exit of the cooling tower. Results of this study are expected to be useful for future work on the development of air-cooled condensers for geothermal power plants in Australia.