Measurement system for mobile units in cooling towers

Shadani, Ramin (author), Hočevar, Marko (mentor)

Motivacija za pričetek projekta je bilo dejstvo, da na trgu trenutno ni na voljo naprav, ki bi merile temperaturo, relativno vlago in hitrost vetra znotraj hladilnih stolpov (HS). Natančneje, v HS sta temperatura in relativna vlaga zelo visoki, dodatno pa delovno okolje poslabšuje tudi slaba vidljivost. Zaradi navedenih neugodnih okoljskih pogojev ni možno, da bi človek vstopil in deloval v tem okolju. Posledično se v HS pojavijo anomalije, ki pa ostanejo neopažene in posledično niso odpravljene. To se odraža kot poslabšanje učinkovitosti HS, ki pa lahko vodi v zmanjšano učinkovitost elektrarne, povečane emisije in finančne izgube. Cilj projekta je bil oblikovati napravo, ki bi lahko bila nameščena na mobilno enoto, vstopila v HS in tam opravila meritve temperature, relativne vlage in hitrosti vetra. Naprava mora biti lahka in njena oblika oblikovana tako, da zagotavlja ustrezno namestitev senzorjev, ki merijo zgoraj omenjene okoljske parametre. Končen prototip je bil oblikovan tako, da je izpolnil vse zgoraj omenjene zahteve. Prototip naprave je bil oblikovan s programom CREO in izdelan z uporabo 3D printerja. Za izdelavo prototipa je bil uporabljen acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Ta material je namreč odporen na zahtevne pogoje v notranjosti HS. Pri izbiri temperaturnega senzorja in senzorja za merjenje relativne vlage je bilo glavno vodilo hitrost opravljene meritve in cena. Natančneje, cena senzorjev naj bi bila nizka, medtem ko je moral senzor opraviti meritev v najkrajšem možnem času. Za potrebo opravljanje validacije prototipa je bil izdelan zračni kanal, katerega ki je zagotavljal enakomernega zračni tok. V zračnem kanalu so bile opravljene meritve, ki so nam služile za ugotovitev razmerja med hitrostjo vetra in številom rotacij na sekundo. Če povzamemo, v toku pričujočega projekta je bila uspešno razvita naprava, ki nameščena na mobilno enoto, lahko vstopi v HS in tam izmeri temperaturo, relativno vlago in hitrost vetra. Predvidevamo, da bo z uporabo te naprave mogoče uspešno opaziti anomalije v notranjosti HS in tako preprečiti zmanjšano učinkovitost elektrarn, povečanje emisij in finančnih izgub.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Anemometer Senzor za merjenje temperature Senzor za merjenje relativne vlage Hladilni stolp
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Year: 2018
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-100617
• Publication date in RUL: 01.04.2018

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Merilni sistem za mobilne enote v hladilnih stolpih

Abstract

The motivation that set the present project in motion has been the awareness that due to harsh environments inside the natural draft cooling towers (NDCT), there is currently no technology available to measure environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity and airflow velocity. Specifically, in NDCTs, the temperature and relative humidity are very high where this environment is additionally exacerbated by a poor visibility. Due to such conditions, it is difficult for a human to enter and operate in NDCTs. Consequently, the NDCT´s drop in efficiency goes unnoticed, thereby resulting in unattended damages of NDCT. This can result in significant decrease of total plant’s efficiency, increased plant‘s emissions and ultimately in financial losses. The goal of the present project was to design a measuring unit that will, with the help of mobile units, enter the NDCT and provide accurate and reliable measurements of the temperature, relative humidity and airflow velocity. Housing was designed and manufactured to fit the chosen sensors. The final prototype was designed in a way that it fulfilled all of the above mentioned requirements. A CREO software and 3D printer were used for design and manufacture. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material was used to make the prototype. This material is resistant to demanding conditions inside the NDCT. When choosing a temperature sensor and a sensor for measuring relative humidity, fast time response and low price were required. To carry out the validation of the prototype, a wind tunnel was constructed, which ensured even air flow distribution. In the air channel, measurements were made and were used to determine the ratio of the wind speed to the number of rotations per second of the vane anemometer. To sum up, in the course of the present project, a device installed on a mobile unit was successfully developed. It enables measurements of temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity inside NDCT. It is anticipated that the use of this device will successfully detect anomalies inside the NDCT. This will prevent reduction of efficiency, increase of emissions and financial losses.

• Keywords: Vane Anemometer Temperature sensor Humidity sensor Natural draft cooling towers