| Title | Natural Draft Dry Cooling Tower |
|---|---|
| Authors | Clare Murray |
| Year | 2009 |
| Conference | Australian Geothermal Energy Conference |
| Keywords | Natural Draft, Dry Cooling, Geothermal Energy, Australia |
| Abstract | The location of geothermal power plants in central Australia raises the need for a cooling method that is not dependent on large volumes of water. The natural draft dry cooling tower is an alternative to conventional mechanically driven or evaporative systems. This design is being completed for a geothermal plant located in Innamincka, South Australia. The design of the cooling tower incorporates the arrangement of heat exchangers and the tower structure itself. This is dependent on the ambient conditions of the area and the required heat rejection rates. In a natural draft dry cooling tower air acts as the cooling medium to condense steam that is pumped through heat exchangers. Air is drawn in at the base of the tower and passes through the heat exchangers. This heated air is forced up the tower by the pressure difference created between the warm air and the ambient conditions. The heat exchangers can be placed wither vertically around the perimeter or horizontally within the mouth of the tower. This is a suitable alternative as water is not evaporated to the atmosphere and is reheated to run through the turbine again. The cooling tower will operate most effectively with a larger temperature difference and a greater tower height. |