Aero-thermodynamic measurements of Doel-3 (Belgium) power plant cooling tower were performed to establish velocity and temperature fields of air above droplet eliminators according to the CTP method. Measurements show regions of high velocities and low temperatures of air at cooling tower circumference, leading to locally impaired heat-transfer. Established phenomenological relations enable solution of this problem, which can be achieved by variation of fill height and water mass flow rate. The influence of these two parameters was analysed numerically. A 3D numerical simulation of a single-phase turbulent airflow was performed. Local values of air velocity and air temperature were included into numerical model through source terms. Numerical results enable analysis of local irregularities and their influence on the overall cooling tower characteristics. Experimental and numerical results for velocity, temperature and buoyancy coefficient fields are presented, followed by a procedure for reducing irregularities in these fields. This procedure includes increasing of fill height at the periphery and local cooling water mass flow rate in the particular regions of the cooling tower. In the numerical model these two parameters were modelled by local modification of source terms. Modified source terms of the model lead to more uniform aero-thermodynamic properties in the tower and consequently to higher cooling tower efficiency.
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