CooLinc ToWER INSTITUTE RECOMMENDED RECIRCULATION ALLOWANCES Supplementing the text of the CTI Technical Sub-Committee #2 report on the study of “Recirculation” (CTI Bulletin PFM-110). Recirculation in water-cooling towers has been defined as “an adulteration of the atmosphere entering the tower by a portion of the atmosphere leaving the tower.” This adulteration by the exhaust air raises the wet bulb temperature of the centering air above that of the ambient air, reducing the tower over.all performance. In 1958 the Cooling Tower Institute published its Bulletin PFM-110 entitled “Recirculation” which presented the re sults of a seven year study of the recireu- lation characteristics of counterflow and crossflow mechanical draft water-cooling towers. ‘The results of the work indicated thet recirculation was predominantly a func- jon of tower length. Attempts to include ‘ther variables such as frame height, stack height, tower width, exit velocity or inlet velocity did not reveal any trend in influencing the recircul prove the correlation. The equation pub- lished, in which maximum recirculation is given as a function of tower length only, represents the experimental data adequately for both counterflow and crossflow induced draft towers.* Maximum recirculation, like maximum ‘wet bulb temperature, occurs only a por- tion of the time and to design a tower for such maximum conditions is not gener- ally economically justified. Further, proper orientation of the tower with pre- ing winds can usually be counted uponto reduce the incidence of maximum recirculation since prevailing winds and high wet bulb temperatures frequently occur simultaneously. A review of the data published indicates the average re- (For those ineresied in the subject, a com- plete discussion of the data ts presented tn ‘C11 Bullesin PPILIIO. An Appendix conten. ing all summary sheets and pertinent data i circulation to be approximately 60 per cent of the maximum for the towers in- cluded in the study. This allowance is adequate for most operating conditions and is recommended by the Cooling Tower Institute in selecting or designing counterflow or crossflow induced draft cooling towers. With the publication of reliable recir- culation data it is now possible for the purchaser to specify a design inlet wet bulb temperature simply by adding to the appropriate ambient wet bulb tem- perature the recommended recirculation allowance in degrees F for the specified conditions of performance. ‘The specification of « design inlet wet bulb temperature corrected for recireu- lation, in lieu of an ambient wet bulb temperature, provides an adequate recir- culation. allowance and further makes possible performance testing without shutting down adjacent cooling towers or cells because of their effect on the inlet wet bulb temperature of the tower or cell being tested. The curves plotted on the reverse of this sheet show wet bulb temperature cor- reetion for maximum recirculation and recommended recirculation allowances, based on 60 per cent of maximum, for water flows up to 100,000 gpm. A table of correction factors for various ranges, and approaches is also presented. HOW TO SELECT DESIGN INLET ‘WET BULB TEMPERATURE ‘The design inlet wet bulb temperature is obtained by adding a recirculation al- lowance expressed in deg. F, to the am- Dient wet bulb temperature selected for the area in which the cooling tower will Example 1. Select a design inle bulb temperature for a tower requit cool 40,000 gpm from 112 F to when the area ambient wet bulb te: ature is 75 F. From the curve, the rt mended recirculation allowance at 4 gpmis 1.2 F. From the Correction F Table, the correction factor for a of 30 F and an approach of 7 F is ‘The recommended recirculation « ance will be 1.2 F X 1.25 — 15 F design inlet wet bulb temperaty 1SF + 15F = 76.5F. Thetowers! be specified and designed to cool 4 gpm from 112 F to 82 F at a desig let wet bulb temperature of 76.5 F. Example 2. Assume above towe been installed and a 10,000 gpm « sion is desired. The recirculation « ance for the extension should be on the combined water flow of 5 gpmat the specified range and appr In this case the recirculation alloy will be 1.37 F X 125 — 1.7 F. Te tension should then be specified an signed to cool 10,000 gpm from 11 82 F at a design inlet wet bulb tem ture of 76.7 F. If the design cooling range am proach for the tower extension from the original installation, the cooling range and approach which duce the higher recirculation alloy should be used. Selection of an inlet wet bulb tem ture for a tower or tower extension vicinity of other cooling towers sl bbe made in the same manner as giv Examples 1 and 2 above. Howeve: ambient wet bulb temperature which the inlet wet bulb temperat to be based should be selected to pr for the effect of neighboring coRECOMMENDED RECIRCULATION ALLOWANCES FOR COUNTERFLOW AND CROSSFLOW INDUCED DRAFT COOLING TOWERS AVERAGE MAXIMUM RECIRCULATION WET BULB TEMPERATURE CORRECTION, °F. RECOMMENDED RECIRCULATION ALLOWANCE 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 WATER FLOW, IN 1000 GPM CORRECTION FACTORS NOTE: Recirculation allowances [Approach ec shown in Curve above are based | 4 Ambient eae ona 20 F cooling ronge onda | water | 5 10 158 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 10 F opprocch to ony wat bulb 5 029 047 064 080 097 1.14 130 147 1.63 1.80 temperature, Recirculation allow 6 031 049 048 085 103 120 137 156 173 1.91 lances for other performance con- 7 033 O51 O71 089 108 1.25 1.44 163 1.83 201 ditions con be obtained by mean 8 0.35 053 074 093 142 130 1.50 1.70 191 210 Fae eee eee 9 037, 055 076 097 116 135 156 1.77 197 218 t. For further instructions 10 039 057 078 1.00 120 140 162 1.83 204 225 eof this sheet. u 041 059 O81 1.04 124 145 1.66 188 209 231 12 043 061 0.84 107 127 149 170 192 213 236 B 045 063 0.86 1:10 130 152 174 196 217 2.40 14 046 065 088 1.13 133 155 1.77 1.99 221 244 15 047 067 090 115 136 1587 1.80 202 225 247 16 049 049 093 118 139 161 183 206 229 252 7 051 070 0.95 120 142 1.64 1186 210 233 257 18 052 072 097 122 144 1.66 1189 213 237 261 9 053 074 0.99 124 146 1.68 192 216 240 2.64 20 054 075 1.00 126 148 1.70 195 219 243 267 21 055 O77 102 128 150 1.73 198 222 246 2.70 2 056 0.79 1.04 130 152 1.76 200 225 249 273 2B 057 080 105 131 154 1.78 202 227 252 276 4 058 O81 1106 1.32 156 1.80 204 229 254 279 25 058 082" 1.07 133 157 1.82 206 231 256 281