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ISSN Online: 2379-1748

9th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC)
April, 21-24, 2024, Corvallis, OR, USA

ENHANCING THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE AIR COOLED CONDENSER UNITS IN CRITICAL WIND CONDITIONS USING WALKWAYS

Get access (open in a dialog) pages 769-777
DOI: 10.1615/TFEC2024.icp.049770

Abstract

Dry cooling systems, particularly Air Cooled Condensers (ACC), play a crucial role in thermal power plants, impacting overall plant efficiency. Environmental factors, such as wind speed, significantly affect ACC performance. This study explores the effectiveness of a horizontal walkway at the ACC platform's edge in mitigating wind-induced challenges. The optimal walkway width for two side-by-side ACC is determined through simulations at different widths and critical wind speeds for two ACC units. Results indicate that the optimal walkway width enhances thermal performance by 3.5%. The investigation reveals that increasing walkway width reduces derate for specific wind speeds, with an optimal width-to-fan-diameter ratio of 0.3. Notably, the enhancement is more significant at higher wind speeds, with a 3.5% performance increase at 9.5 meters per second. This study underscores the cost-effective potential of a walkway in mitigating wind-induced reduction in heat dissipation, emphasizing its practical application for improved ACC efficiency.