A cooling tower cools (227 mathrm{~m}^{3} / mathrm{h}) of water from (314 mathrm{~K}) to (306 mathrm{~K}) using
Question:
A cooling tower cools \(227 \mathrm{~m}^{3} / \mathrm{h}\) of water from \(314 \mathrm{~K}\) to \(306 \mathrm{~K}\) using a countercurrent forced draft of air entering at \(317 \mathrm{~K}\) and wet-bulb temperature of \(299 \mathrm{~K}\). Measurements indicate that the air leaves at \(309 \mathrm{~K}\) with a wet-bulb temperature of \(308 \mathrm{~K}\). The plant manager wishes to cool the water to as cold a temperature as possible. One possibility is to increase the air flow rate, and it is found that the fan speed can be increased without overloading of the motor so that the airflow is 1.5 times the previously used. Tower flooding will not occur at this higher gas rate. Previous experience with the type of packing use leads the plant engineer to predict that \(K_{Y} a\) is proportional to \(G^{\prime}{ }_{S} 0.8\). Assuming that the cooling load remains the same, what will be the outlet temperature attained with the higher air rate?
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