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Increasing flow rate for cooling water

Increasing flow rate for cooling water

Increasing flow rate for cooling water

(OP)
We currently have been faced with the fact that the flow rate for cooling for certain components of a power plant (which is still in its preliminary design) must be increased. If this is the case how will it affect the company that installs it? All I can think of is the following based on the fact that they can either increase the flow by either incresing the pipe diameter or putting in some bigger pumps for the cooling water or both:
1. More welding if the pipe size increses.
2. More restrictions on space for installation if the pipe size is increased.
3. More embedded plates in the ceiling required potentially for lifting should the weight increase of the pipe or the pumps.

Is there any other way of increasing the cooling water flow apart from putting bigger pumps in or increasing pipe size? The route of the pipe may change also right?

RE: Increasing flow rate for cooling water

From a physical point of view, if head loss along piping is reduced, you will obtain a larger flow with the same pumps. But I don't know how much you can actually increase the flow in this way, I think it depends much on the piping layout.

Hope it helps.

Best regards.

Stefano

RE: Increasing flow rate for cooling water

Usually the cooling tower and pumps are specified by adding up all the various users:

For example:

Condenser Plant 1 - 8500 GPM dT = 10 deg F Heat Duty = 42.5 MM BTU/h

Then you add all the consumptions up and make your pressure drop assumptions to size the pumps.

If as the design changes the total duty changes, then there most be an increase in the capacity of the tower and pumps.

The specific details of how many users must change, what are the details of the pipe runs, how does it effect the main header size must be also changed.

I would just make a list of all the consumers that changed and how that affected and individual and overall plant P&ID.

Seems to me in a "prelminary" design the idea would be to change the sizing basis for the pumps.

Good luck!

RE: Increasing flow rate for cooling water

First up you need to establish the likely losses thru' the current system etc to establish the total head required across the pumps at the design flowrate, once this is know you can then make some intelligent decisions / investigation as to whether the existing pipe system is capable of the increased flow without excessive head losses. You can also review the pumps, can they be used with an impeller change and possibly an increased driver size or are larger pump units required.

It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. (Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia.)

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