Using Natural Draft Cooling Tower While Still Under Construction 1

[goutam_freelance]

Our concrete natural draft cooling tower is about 170 m tall. It is about 25% complete now. In another 6 months we need to run auxiliary cooling water system which has about 10% of heat load. After 6 months the cooling tower may reach about 100 m height. Is there any example of running the NDCT at small load while still under construction at top ?

 

[SlideRuleEra]

Is there any example of running the NDCT at small load while still under construction at top?

I'm not aware of an example, and there are good reasons not to use the tower until it is complete:

1) The tower is not going to work very well (create natural draft); the venturi is missing.

2) CT Fill, sprays, drift eliminators will have to be installed and working, anything "dropped" inside the tower during construction will take out some of this equipment.

3) Circulating water has to be operational, so the basin will be flooded with flow established. No construction activities from the basin floor will be possible.

4) If the tower is in use, workers at the top may have limited lines of sight because of condensing water vapor, a safety issue.

My advice... finish the tower, then put it into use.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[JStephen]

Extra heat or humidity in the tower could be a hindrance for workers as well.

 

[racookpe1978]

Your crane lifts and material movement ARE the construction process.

Performance of your workers ARE the construction efficiency and thus schedule and thus quality and ultimate cost.

Putting hot air and vapor and humidity through the middle of your construction project puts them through the middle of your construction safety, quality, performance, efficiency and price. Don't do it.

 

[EdStainless]

If you need to run then rent/buy a small forced draft aux cooler.
The site should have one anyway for emergencies, they are fairly common.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[goutam_freelance]

Thanks all for your valuable suggestions !