Cooling Towers

WINDBREAK WALLS
1. What are the functions of Windbreak walls?
The reduction in cooling tower performance during windy periods is mainly
due to inlet effects. By installing windbreaks of two perpendicular walls in
form of a cross under the fill in rain zone area, the effect can be
significantly reduced. Function of wind break walls is to reduce wind effect
on cooling tower inlet.
2. Why windbreak walls are used instead of louvers in counterflow
towers?
Louvers at inlets of counterflow induced draught and natural draught
towers can distort the air flow pattern at the inlet and through the fill. This
reduces the performance of towers. Other devices such as windwalls in the
rain zone or extended basins are generally preferred in counterflow towers
3. What shall be the optimum height of wind break walls?
Heights of windbreak walls do not necessarily have to be equal to air inlet
height of tower to produce best results. Figure 1 shows that relative
increase in heat rejection rate of cooling tower as a function of windbreak
wall height and different wall resistances different porosities. Performance
of tower increases continuously as the height of the wall increases upto a
wall height of approximately one-third of inlet height of tower. Further
increases in wall height yield no significant improvement.
A slight reduction in heat rejection rate of tower is observed when the
height of wall approaches the inlet height of the tower. This is due to
deterioration of velocity distribution through the fill.

Windbreak Walls
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Cooling Towers

Figure - 1
4. How the required penetration length of windbreak wall in the rain
zone of natural draught cooling tower is calculated?
Calculations for Length of Wind wall
Function of wind break walls is to reduce wind effect on cooling tower inlet.
Rain below fill counter acts against wind, nullifies after certain length of
travel where pressure drop in rain is equivalent to wind pressure. Hence
radial wind walls are to be provided in this disturbance zone of equivalent
length of wind penetration. This calculation meant to calculate penetration
length of wind so that walls will be provided to that extent.
V wind2
Wind pressure drop=1.0 x w x
Pascals
2
V fill2
Rain zone pressure drop=Krz x f x
Pascals
2
Thus,
V fill2
V wind2
Krz x f x
=1.0 x w x
2
2

V
Krz= w x wind
f
V fill

( )( )

However,
Krz

( DH )

air inlet

Air inlet height H is constant in the present case, and

reduced diameters.
Hence , Krz=Krz doKrz di

V
Krz=Krz doKrz di= w x wind
f
V fill

( )( )

V wind =V fill x ( Krz doKrz di )

Windbreak Walls
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f 18
x
KMPH
w
5

( )

K rz

reduces with

Cooling Towers

Using the above equation, for each

Di

, equivalent wind velocity is

calculated as under
inlet =1.149 kg /m3
fill =1.126 kg/m3
v fill=1.112 m/sec

Typical values for KAPP 3&4 NDCT design

Krz124 =24.549

di

Krz

Krz124 Krz di

(m)

124
120
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5

Diff Krz

24.549
21.984
19.087
16.505
14.209
12.174
10.376
8.791
7.401
6.185
5.128
4.212
3.424
2.750
2.177
1.696
1.295
0.965
0.697
0.484
0.319
0.194
0.105
0.046
0.012

0.000
2.565
5.462
8.044
10.340
12.375
14.173
15.758
17.148
18.364
19.421
20.337
21.125
21.799
22.371
22.853
23.254
23.584
23.852
24.065
24.230
24.354
24.444
24.503
24.537

Equivalent
wind velocity
V wind ,
km/hr
0.000
6.347
9.262
11.240
12.743
13.941
14.919
15.731
16.411
16.982
17.464
17.871
18.214
18.503
18.744
18.945
19.110
19.245
19.354
19.440
19.507
19.557
19.593
19.617
19.630

Site wind rose is presented in Figure - 2

Windbreak Walls
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Length of wind wall

(m)
124di
2
0.000
2.000
4.500
7.000
9.500
12.000
14.500
17.000
19.500
22.000
24.500
27.000
29.500
32.000
34.500
37.000
39.500
42.000
44.500
47.000
49.500
52.000
54.500
57.000
59.500

Cooling Towers

Summary of the same is as under:

Wind speeds
@ 10.0m
elevation
Calm
3-5 Km/h
6-10 Km/h
11-18 Km/h
19-28 Km/h

% of time

Cum % of
time

9.25%
8.50%
33.25%
30.50%
18.50%

9.25%
17.75%
51.00%
81.50%
100%

18.0 KMPH wind velocity is considered for design as it covers more than
2/3rd time of year.
Hence the length of radial wind wall required = 29.5 m

Figure -2: Wind Rose Diagram of KAPP 3&4 NDCT Site

5. Explain the structural arrangement of Windbreak walls provided in
KAPP 3&4 NDCT design

Windbreak Walls
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Cooling Towers

Windbreak Walls
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Cooling Towers

6. Explain the structural arrangement of Windbreak walls provided in

Counterflow IDCT design of RAPP 7&8

Windbreak Walls
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Cooling Towers

Section 2-2: Typical elevation of Windwall

Windbreak Walls
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