Heat-transfer characteristics of a dry and wet/dry advanced condenser for cooling towers

An experimental evaluation of two types of advanced, air cooled ammonia condensers for a phase change dry/wet cooling system for electric power plants is described. Condensers of similar design, but much bigger, are being tested in a 15 MWe demonstration plant. These condensers, featuring different air side augmentation, were tested in an ammonia phase change pilot plant (0.3 MWe). The first unit consisted of the integral shaved fin extruded aluminum tubing designed for dry operation. Heat transfer and air side pressure loss characteristics were measured under varying air face velocities (600 to 1000 FPM) and initial temperature differences, ITD (20 to 60 F). Overall heat transfer coefficients (based on air side surface), U, ranged between 7.0 to 8.6 Btu/hr sq ft. F. The second configuration constituted the Hoterv aluminum plate fin/tube assembly of which two different sizes (5 sq ft and 58 sq ft frontal area) were performance tested; in both dry and wet modes at 200 to 800 FPM air face velocities, ITD's of 10 to 60 F and at water deluge rates up to 3.0 gpm/ft. of core width.