Enhancing Thermal Efficiency in Fluidized Bed Cooling Towers: An Experimental Approach to Bed Design

The study aimed to investigate the thermal performance of a fluidized bed cooling tower (FBCT) by examining the effects of varying bed heights and circular tempestuous spheres on cooling efficiency. An experimental setup was designed to evaluate the FBCT's performance under different conditions, including variable water flow rates, bed heights ranging from 200 to 300 mm, and spherical balls with diameters of 25 mm and 50 mm. Critical parameters such as the range and approach of temperature and the liquid-to-gas (L/G) ratio were analyzed to understand their influence on the cooling tower's efficiency. The findings indicated that more petite turbulence balls significantly enhanced air mixing efficiency, improving thermal performance. It was observed that an increase in the ratio of water mass flux to air mass flux resulted in decreased cooling tower effectiveness. The static bed height was also identified as a critical factor affecting performance, with the entry water temperature impacting the static bed height. The study concluded that optimizing bed height and utilizing more petite spherical balls can enhance the thermal efficiency of fluidized bed cooling towers. The relationship between water and air mass flow rates is crucial for achieving effective cooling performance, highlighting the importance of these parameters in the design and operation of FBCTs in industrial applications.