Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water collection systems are used in wet-cooling towers (WCTs) with fill over which water to be cooled flows and in evaporative air-cooled heat exchangers (EACHEs) having deluged tube bundles over which water flows to transfer heat from the tubes. They collect and remove water falling from the bottom of the fill or heat exchanger tube bundle while allowing air to pass with limited flow resistance. There are basically two types of collection systems, categorized as trough and basin systems. Trough systems comprise of multiple, evenly spaced parallel troughs extended in one direction with inclined capture plates to direct water into the troughs. The water collects in the troughs and drains under gravity to a collecting tank or manifold from where it is pumped to the sprayers. In basin systems water falls directly into an open basin under gravity where it is collected and can be pumped to the sprayers. The hybrid (dry/wet) dephlegmator (HDWD) for air-cooled steam condensers, which is being developed at Stellenbosch University as discussed by Heyns (2008), Owen (2013) and Anderson (2014), requires a more effective water collection system with a lower pressure drop than what current designs have to offer. In this thesis, an existing trough system is systematically evaluated by means of various high speed camera and flow experiments to determine its performance characteristics and to find ways to improve its catchment effectiveness. A modification is proposed which increases the effectiveness from approximately 92% to 100 % with a relatively small increase in pressure drop, by adding a small deflector plate and reducing the spacing between adjacent troughs. Experimental data and CFD models are used to determine the performance characteristics of the modified trough system for design purposes. For comparison, various basin system designs are proposed and investigated using CFD, where the baseline model is validated by means of experimental data of rectangular cooling tower inlets by Kröger (2004). Rectangular cooling tower inlets are relevant as they have a similar re-circulating flow pattern to what is seen with the water basin inlets at the vicinity of the inlet wall. The numerical data is correlated to determine empirical relations for the flow performance characteristics. The comparison between the modified trough and the different basin systems yields that the trough system requires significantly less fan and pumping power than basin systems and the costs are also expected to be less. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wateropvangstelsels word gebruik in nat koeltorings en verdamping verkoelers, waar waterdruppels in teen-vloei is met n lugstroom. Die stelsel vang die water wat val op en verwyder dit uit die lugstroom met 'n minimale lugweerstand. Daar is twee wateropvangstelsels wat as volg gekategoriseer word: trog stelsel en wateropvangbak stelsel. 'n Trog stelsel bestaan uit eweredige gespasieerde trôe parallel aan mekaar met 'n skuinsvlak om water in die kanaal op te vang. Water dreineer as gevolg van swaartekrag na 'n opvangs tenk waarvan dit terug gepomp word na die sproeiers. In 'n wateropvangbak stelsel val water direk in die bak en word terug gepomp na die sproeiers. 'n Lugverkoelde kondenserstelsels met 'n hibriede (droog/nat) deflegmator wat huidiglik by die Stellenbosch Universiteit ontwikkel word benodig 'n meer effektiewe wateropvangstelsel met 'n lae drukval. In hierdie tesis word bestaande trog stelsels sistematies geëvalueer deur middel van verskeie toetse met 'n hoë spoed kamera en lugvloei eksperimente om die werkverrigtingskarakteristieke te bepaal en om die opvangsvermoë te verbeter. 'n Verbetering word voorgestel wat die opvangsvermoë verbeter van ongeveer 92 % na 100 % met 'n relatiewe klein verhoging in die drukval deur 'n klein leilem by te voeg en die spasiëring tussen trôe te verminder. Eksperimentele data en BVD (berekeningsvloeidinamika) modelle word gebruik om die werkverrigtingskarakteristieke te bepaal van die nuwe trog stelsel vir ontwerps doeleindes. Die modelle is bekragtig deur gebruik te maak van literatuur van inlaatverlies korrelasies vir reghoekige koeltorings, soos gedoen deur Kröger (2004). Die inlaat van reghoekige koeltorings het soortgelyke vloeipatrone en vloeiwegbreking soos wat by die inlaat van die wateropvangbak stelsel gesien word. Die numeriese data word gebruik om 'n vergelyking vir die vloei karakteristieke te bepaal. 'n Vergelykende studie tussen die nuwe trog stelsel en die wateropvangbak stelsel het bewys dat die trog stelsel noemenswaardig minder waaier drywing en pomp drywing benodig.