De nos, jours avec la démocratisation des équipements électroniques et l’explosions des services informatiques proposés sur le web, la consommation des datacenters devient un enjeu énergétique et économique majeur. Ce terme qui peut être traduit par « centre de calcul », désigne les infrastructures qui hébergent et font fonctionner en permanence des serveurs informatiques. Son rôle est de fournir aux équipements électroniques un environnement thermique adapté, ainsi qu’une alimentation électrique stable de manière à assurer une très grande sécurité de fonctionnement. Mais l’activité permanente des serveurs génère de grandes quantités de chaleurs, et un refroidissement permanent est nécessaire. Cette étude à pour objectif de mieux comprendre les phénomènes physiques qui interviennent dans le fonctionnement des datacenters afin d’apporter des solutions pour optimiser leur fonctionnement et diminuer leur consommation. A l’aide de simulations numériques, nous étudions les écoulements d’air et les transferts de chaleur qui interviennent dans la salle informatique, et nous proposons un nouveau modèle numérique qui permet de simuler le comportement des serveurs de nouvelle génération. Puis, grâce à une méthode de type POD, couplée au logiciel TRNSYS, nous développons un modèle « transversal » capable de simuler le fonctionnement complet d’un centre de calcul depuis les équipements informatiques, jusqu’au système de production d’air froid. Finalement, ce dernier est employé pour concevoir et tester un système de régulation adaptatif qui permet de réduire significativement les consommations d’énergie. / Nowadays, with the constant evolution of Information Technology (IT) equipments, the energy consumption of datacenter over the world becomes a major concern. These infrastructures are designed to provide an adapted thermal environment and an uninterrupted power supply to the IT servers, in order to guarantee a high level of reliability. However, the constant activity of electronic equipments releases a large amount of heat, and requires a constant cooling. Thus the objective of this work is to study the physical phenomena involved in an operating datacenter, in order to optimize the process and to reduce its energy consumption. Using numerical simulation, we study the air flow and the heat transfers happening in the servers’ room. To quantify the impact of new generation servers on the cooling process, we propose a numerical model that simulates the behavior of “blade” server. Then, using a Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method linked to the software TRNSYS, we propose a new “transversal” model, that simulates a datacenter behavior from the servers to the cooling plant. This model is used to develop a new adaptive regulation strategy, which constantly optimizes the system in order to ensure a safe thermal environment, and provides large energy savings.

Gas turbine engines are extensively used in the aviation and power generation industries. They are used as topping cycles in combined cycle power plants, or as stand alone power generation units. Gains in thermodynamic efficiency can be realized by increasing the turbine inlet temperatures. Since modern turbine inlet temperatures exceed the melting point of the constituent superalloys, it is necessary to provide an aggressive cooling system. Relatively cool air, ducted from the compressor of the engine is used to remove heat from the hot turbine blade. This air flows through passages in the hollow blade (internal cooling), and is also ejected onto the surface of the blade to form an insulating film (film cooling). Modern land-based gas turbine engines use high Reynolds number internal flow to cool their internal passages. The first part of this study focuses on experiments pertaining to passages with Reynolds numbers of up to 400,000. Common turbulator designs (45degree parallel sharp-edged and round-edged) ribs are studied. Older correlations are found to require corrections in order to be valid in the high Reynolds number parameter space. The effect of rotation on heat transfer in a typical three-pass serpentine channel is studied using a computational model with near-wall refinement. Results from this computational study indicate that the hub experiences abnormally high heat transfer under rotation. An experimental study is conducted at Buoyancy numbers similar to an actual engine on a wedge shaped model trailing edge, roughened with pin-fins and equipped with slot ejection. Results show an asymmetery between the leading and trailing surfaces due to rotation - a difference which is subdued due to the provision of pin-fins. Film cooling effectiveness is measured by the PSP mass transfer analogy technique in two different configurations: a flat plate and a typical high pressure turbine blade. Parameters studied include a step immediately upstream of a row of holes; the Strouhal number (quantifying rotor-stator interaction) and coolant to mainstream density ratio. Results show a deterioration in film cooling effectiveness with on increasing the Strouhal number. Using a coolant with a higher density results in higher film cooling effectiveness.

Cooling water systems are used to remove excess heat from a chemical process to the atmosphere. The primary components of these systems are the cooling tower and the heat exchanger network. There is a strong interaction between these individual components, thus their performances are interrelated. Most published research in this area has focused mainly on optimization of the individual components i.e. optimization of heat exchanger network or optimization of the cooling towers. This approach does not optimize the cooling water system as a whole. Previous research work in which a holistic approach was used is limited to cooling water systems with single cooling water source. This work presents a technique for integrated optimization of complex cooling water systems. The system under consideration consists of multiple cooling towers each supplying a set of heat exchangers. A superstructural approach is employed to explore all possible combinations between the heat exchangers and the cooling towers. The cooling water reuse opportunities within the heat exchanger networks are also explored. A detailed mathematical model consisting of the cooling towers and the heat exchanger networks model is developed. Two practical scenarios are considered and the mathematical formulations for Case I and II yield nonlinear programing (NLP) and mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) structure respectively. Although the reuse/recycle philosophy offers a good debottlenecking opportunity, the topology of the associated cooling water network is more complex, hence prone to higher pressure drop than the conventional parallel design. This is due to an increased network pressure drop associated with additional reuse/recycle streams. Therefore, it is essential to consider pressure drop during the synthesis of cooling water networks where the reuse/recycle philosophy is employed. The on-going research in this area is only limited to cooling water networks consisting of a single cooling water source. The common technique used is mathematical optimization using either superstructural or non superstructural approach. This work further presents a mathematical technique for pressure drop optimization in cooling water systems consisting of multiple cooling towers. The proposed technique is based on the Critical Path Algorithm and the superstructural approach. The Critical Path Algorithm is used to select the cooling water network with minimum pressure drop whilst the superstructural approach allows for cooling water reuse. The technique which was previously used in a cooling water network with single source is modified and applied in a cooling water network with multiple sources. The mathematical formulation is developed considering two cases. Both cases yield mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) models. The cooling tower model is also used to predict the exit condition of the cooling tower given the inlet conditions from the cooling water network model. The results show up to 29% decrease in total circulating cooling water flowrate when the cooling water system is debottlenecked without considering pressure drop. Consequently, the overall cooling towers effectiveness was improved by up to 5%. When considering pressure drop the results showed up to 26% decrease in total circulating water flowrate. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2013 / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted

This thesis deals with computing and experimental problems of direct water cooling of stator winding that is assigned in synchronous motors. A model with similar material characteristic to a real motor has been made for experiments. The computing results showed us the appropriate place for the cooling system. This place has been chosen due to maximum efficiency and cost of the cooling system. The experiments on the model showed us, if the computing results are credible.

Modern gas turbine blades and vanes are operated at temperatures above their material’s melting point. Active external and internal cooling are therefore necessary to reach acceptable lifetimes. One possible internal cooling method is called matrix cooling, where a matrix of intersecting cooling air channels is integrated into a blade or vane. To further increase the efficiency of gas turbines, the amount of cooling air must be reduced. Therefore it is necessary that heat transfer inside a cooling matrix is well understood. In the first part of the thesis, a methodology for estimating heat transfer in the flow of matrix cooling channels was established using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Two four-equation RANS turbulence models based on the k-ε turbulence model showed a good correlation with experimental results, while the k-ω SST model underpredicted the heat transfer significantly. For all turbulence models, the heat transfer showed high sensitivity towards changes in the numerical setup. For the k-ω SST turbulence model, the mesh requirements were deemed too computationally expensive and it was excluded from further investigations. As the second part of the thesis, a parameter study was conducted investigating the influence of several geometric parameters on the heat transfer in a cooling matrix. The matrix was simplified as a channel flow interacting with multiple crossing flows. The highest enhancement in heat transfer was seen with changes in taper ratio, aspect ratio and matrix angle. Compared to smooth pipe flow, an increase in heat transfer of up to 60% was observed. Rounded edges of the cooling channels showed a significant influence on the heat transfer as well. In contrast, no influence of the wall thickness on the heat transfer was observed. While no direct validation is possible, the base case and the parameter sweeps show a good correlation with similar cases found in the literature.

Heat transfer inside rotating coolant channels have a significant impact in design of gas turbine airfoils and other rotating components such as generator windings.  The effects of the Coriolis acceleration and centrifugal buoyancy have a significant impact on heat transfer behavior inside such rotating coolant channels due to the complex flow patterns of coolant.  Detailed heat transfer knowledge greatly enhances the designers\' ability to validate numerical models of newly designed channels. A rotating experimental rig was designed and built to model scaled up coolant channels at speeds up to 750 rotations per minute (rpm).  A camera is mounted onto the rotating test section and a transient liquid crystal technique is used to measure detailed heat transfer coefficients on a surface of interest.  The experimental set-up is innovative, as it involves no surface heating of the test section, very little instrumentation beyond a few thermocouples and a spray coating of thermochromic liquid crystals on the test surface.  To validate the test rig and the experimental method, multipass coolant channels with rib turbulators, large diameter radially outward channels with rib turbulators, and jet impingement cooling schemes are studied during rotation.  90deg, W, and M-shaped rib enhancements are studied and detailed heat transfer measurements clearly capture the heat transfer enhancement mechanisms with and without rotation.  Jet impingement schemes with single and double rows, normal and off-angle jets, and a cross flow outlet condition are all studied under rotation.  Non-rotating studies are also performed for baseline comparisons to rotating conditions.  Large aspect ratio, diverging channels with dimple and rib turbulators are studied in a stationary condition.  Results for all different test geometries show good comparisons with published studies indicating that the rotating rig and experimental method are valid.  Jet impingement schemes produce higher heat transfer compared to the two-pass channels with ribs, however pressure losses are significantly higher.  The fewer the jets and H/d=1 produces the highest pressure losses with no significant gain in heat transfer.  Off angle jets at H/d=1 produces very high pressure losses with no heat transfer advantage.  A final study with radially outward coolant channels is performed with the highest rotation speeds.  The structure, test section, and camera are thoroughly designed to withstand the exceptional g-forces.  Heat transfer in the radial channels with and without rotation show very little effect of rotation due to the small rotation number. / Ph. D.

Arbetet baseras på en kylanläggning som installerats på ett biogas företag, som till en början var tänkt som ett pilotprojekt men som nu används fullt ut i anläggningen. Projektet var inte utvärderat eller dokumenterat och vilken effekt som överförs var obekant. Arbetets innebörd var att beräkna effekten samt dokumentera systemet i form av både beräkningar, ritning och eventuella effektiviserings områden. Beräkning gjordes via entalpi skillnaden som togs ut över involverade värmeväxlare, samt flödet som togs ut via en reglerventil med hjälp av ett mätinstrument. Ritning gjordes via programmet Visio utifrån anläggningens nuvarande konstruktion. Resultatet för kyleffekten som överfördes beräknades fram via flöde och entalpi, med resultatet 14,03kW över båda värmeväxlarna. Även beräkning på vad en potentiell förbättring av isolering i rörsystemet skulle kunna bidra med där utifrån beräkningarna skulle energibesparingen kunna fördubblas gentemot nuvarande. / The work is based on a cooling plant installed at a biogas company, which was initially intended as a pilot project but is now fully used in the plant. It is not evaluated or documented and how much power is transmitted is unknown. The meaning of the work is to find out the effect and document the system in the form of both calculations, drawing and any areas of efficiency. Calculation was made via enthalpy the difference that was taken out over the heat exchangers involved, as well as the flow that was taken out via a control valve with the help of a measuring instrument. Drawing was made via the Visio program based on the facility's current design. The result for the cooling power that was transferred was calculated via flow and enthalpy, where the result was 14.03 kW over both heat exchangers. Calculation of what a potential improvement of insulation of the pipe system could contribute, based on the calculations, the energy savings could be doubled compared to the current one.

abstract: Passive cooling techniques, specifically passive downdraft cooling (PDC), have proven to be a solution that can address issues associated with air conditioning (AC). Globally, over 100 buildings have integrated PDC in its different forms, most of which use direct evaporative cooling. Even though all surveyed buildings were energy efficient and cost-effective and most surveyed buildings were thermally comfortable, application of PDC remains limited. This study aims to advance performance of the single stage passive downdraft evaporative cooling tower (PDECT), and expand its applicability beyond the hot dry conditions where it is typically used, by designing and testing a multi-stage passive and hybrid downdraft cooling tower (PHDCT). Experimental evaluation on half-scale prototypes of these towers was conducted in Tempe, Arizona, during the hot dry and hot humid days of Summer, 2017. Ambient air dry-bulb temperatures ranged between 73.0°F with 82.9 percent coincident relative humidity, and 123.4°F with 7.8 percent coincident relative humidity. Cooling systems in both towers were operated simultaneously to evaluate performance under identical conditions. Results indicated that the hybrid tower outperformed the single stage tower under all ambient conditions and that towers site water consumption was at least 2 times lower than source water required by electric powered AC. Under hot dry conditions, the single stage tower produced average temperature drops of 35°F (5°F higher than what was reported in the literature), average air velocities of 200 fpm, and average cooling capacities of 4 tons. Furthermore, the hybrid tower produced average temperature drops of 45°F (50°F in certain operation modes), average air velocities of 160 fpm, and average cooling capacities exceeding 4 tons. Under hot humid conditions, temperature drops from the single stage tower were limited to the ambient air wet-bulb temperatures whereas drops continued beyond the wet-bulb in the hybrid tower, resulting in 60 percent decline in the former’s cooling capacity while maintaining the capacity of the latter. The outcomes from this study will act as an incentive for designers to consider incorporating PDC into their designs as a viable replacement/supplement to AC; thus, reducing the impact of the built environment on the natural environment. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Architecture 2017

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The meteorological conditions at Eskom’s Majuba Power Station are measured, evaluated and trended in this dissertation. The results are used to evaluate the current natural draught wet-cooling tower (NDWCT) design- and performance test specifications and to compare these to the original design- and performance test specifications. The evaluation reveals that the design parameters for the NDWCTs at Majuba Power Station, a cooling system that was originally designed optimally, could have been determined differently and arguably more accurately by using the wet-bulb temperature (Tawb) as the main design variable instead of the dry-bulb temperature (Ta). A new technique to determine optimal NDWCT design and performance test conditions is consequently proposed. In order to satisfy the atmospheric conditions required for a successful NDWCT performance test, it is also proposed that the tests be undertaken between 12:00 and 14:00 during Summer. It is found that the NDWCT inlet Tawb, measured at specific heights, does not compare well to the far-field Tawb measured at the same heights when a Tawb accuracy of 0.1 K is required. It is proposed that a more representative far-field Tawb measuring height of 10 m should be used in future NDWCT designs as the NDWCT design temperature reference height. The industry-standard reference height should, however, still be used during temperature profile calculations. A parametric study of the water-steam cycle and wet-cooling system at Majuba indicates that during full load conditions, the generated output (Pst) is primarily dependent on the condenser saturation pressure (pc). The latter is reliant on Tawb, the temperature lapse rate (LRT) that is represented by the temperature profile exponent (bT), the main cooling water flow rate (mcw), atmospheric pressure (pa), and wind speed (VW). Using historical plant data relatively simple methods, enabling the quick and effective determination of these relationships, are proposed. The plant-specific and atmospheric parameters required for these analyses are also tabulated. Two NDWCT effectiveness models, one mathematical (Kröger, 1998) and one statistical artificial neural network (ANN) model are presented and evaluated. ANNs, which are not often used to evaluate NDWCT effectiveness, provide accurate NDWCT temperature approach results within 0.5 K of measured values for varying dependent variables. This motivates that an ANN, if set up and used correctly, can be an effective condition-monitoring tool and can be used to improve the accuracy of more empirical NDWCT performance models. The one-dimensional mathematical effectiveness model provides accurate results under NDWCT design conditions. The dependency of Majuba’s NDWCT to the rain zone mean drop diameter (dd) is evaluated by means of the one-dimensional mathematical model. A reduction in dd from 0.0052 m to 0.0029 m can reduce the NDWCT re-cooled water temperature (Tcwo) so that the rated pc is reduced by 0.15 kPa, which relates to a combined financial saving during peak and off-peak periods of R1.576M in 2013 and R1.851M in 2016. Similar improvements can result in higher savings at other wet-cooled stations in the Eskom fleet due to less optimally-designed wet-cooling systems. The proposed techniques should be considered in future economic evaluations of wet-cooling system improvements at different power stations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die meteorologiese toestande by Eskom se Majuba-kragstasie is deur die navorser gemeet en -evalueer. Die resultate word gebruik om die Natuurlike-trek, Nat koeltoring (NTNKT) se ontwerp- en werkverrigting toetsspesifikasies te evalueer en vergelyk met die oorspronklike toetsspesifikasies. Die resultate dui daarop dat die ontwerpsparameters vir die NTNKTs by Majuba-kragstasie, ‘n verkoelings-sisteem wat aanvanklik optimaal ontwerp is, op ‘n ander, selfs meer akkurate manier bepaal kon word deur die natbol-temperatuur (Tawb) te gebruik as die hoof-ontwerpsparameter inplaas van die droëbol temperatuur (Ta).’n Nuwe tegniek wat gebruik kan word om akkurate NTNKT ontwerp- en werkverrigting toetsspesifikasies te bepaal word voorgestel. Die tydperk vir die mees optimale atmosferiese toestande, wanneer NTNKT-toetse uitgevoer moet word, word vasgestel as tussen 12:00 en 14:00 tydens Somermaande. Dit word bewys, vir ’n Tawb akkuraatheid van 0.1 K, dat die NTNKT inlaat-Tawb, gemeet by verskillende hoogtes, nie vergelykbaar is met Tawb wat ver van die NTNKT af op dieselfde hoogtes gemeet word nie. ’n Meer aanvaarbare hoogte van 10 m word voorgestel as die NTNKT ontwerpstemperatuur verwysingshoogte vir toekomstige NTNKT ontwerpe wanneer die Tawb ver van die NTNKT af meet word. Die industrie-standaard temperatuur verwysingshoogte moet wel steeds gebruik word tydens temperatuur-profielberekeninge. ’n Parametriese studie van die turbine se water-stoom siklus en die nat-verkoelingstelsel by Majuba dui daarop dat die generator se uitset (Pst) hoofsaaklik afhanklik is van die kondensator se druk (pc) gedurende vol-vrag toestande. Druk (pc) is weer afhanklik van Tawb, die temperatuur vervaltempo (LRT) wat voorgestel word deur die temperatuur profiel eksponent (bT), die verkoelingswater-vloeitempo (mcw), atmosferiese druk (pa) en windspoed (VW). Deur die gebruik van historiese data word redelike eenvoudige metodes voorgestel om dié verhoudings doeltreffend te bepaal. Die atmosferiese- en stasie-spesifieke parameters wat benodig word vir dié ontleding is ook getabuleer. Twee modelle vir NTNKT-effektiweit, ’n wiskundige (gebaseer op Kröger, 1998) en statistiese kunsmatige neurale-netwerk (KNN) model, word aangebied en geëvalueer. KNNe, wat nie gereeld gebruik word om NTNKTe se effektiwiteit te evalueer nie, lewer akkurate NTNKT temperatuur-benadering resultate binne 0.5 K van die gemete resultate vir wisselende afhanklike parameters. Dié resultate motiveer dat ’n KNN wat korrek opgestel is doeltreffend gebruik kan word om die toestand van NTNKTs te bepaal en om die akkuraatheid van ander NTNKT-modelle te verbeter. Die eendimensionele, wiskundige model lewer akkurate resultate onder NTNKT ontwerpspesifikasies. ’n Wiskundige NTNKT-model word gebruik om die afhanklikheid van Majubakragstasie se NTNKTe tot die reënsone druppelgrootte (dd) te bereken. 'n Vermindering in dd van 0,0052 tot 0,0029 m kan die NTNKT se afgekoelde watertemperatuur (Tcwo), van só 'n aard verlaag dat pc verminder met 0,15 kPa. Só kan ’n gesamentlike vol- en gedeeltelike vrag finansiële besparing van R1.576M in 2013 en R1.851M in 2016 behaal word. Soortgelyke verbeterings aan verkoelingstelsels sal lei tot meer en hoër besparings by ander Eskom nat-verkoelde stasies. Dié tegnieke moet in ag geneem word tydens toekomstige ekonomiese evaluasies van verbeterings tot nat-verkoelingstelsels by ander kragstasies.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The confidence level of modeling cooling towers, where oblique air flow within anisotropic fills takes place, is higher when the change in fill‟s performance cha-racteristics, dependent on the way that air flows through the fill, is better unders-tood. A trickle fill‟s performance characteristics in crossflow are compared to its per-formance characteristics in counterflow by doing crossflow fill tests that are per-formance comparable to counterflow tests with the same fill. In order to do these tests, an existing crossflow fill test facility is critically evaluated and improved. The difference between crossflow and counterflow trickle fill performance charac-teristics is found to depend on air mass velocity (Ga) and water mass velocity (Gw) and to be between 0 and 35% for the Merkel number (Me) and up to almost 200% for the loss coefficient. Additionally, the validity of a recently developed 2-dimensional evaporative cool-ing model is investigated by comparing its predictions to experimental results. The following conclusions are made: - For trickle fill and rain zone tests, the model, with the present assumptions, predicts the average temperature of the outlet air to within approximately 0.4 °C. - Currently, temperature profiles that are experimentally measured at the air and water outlets are subject to significant edge effects, which prevent a fair com-parison to model predictions. - The model predictions can be improved if local variations in Me and the redi-stribution of water by the fill are taken into account. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die betroubaarheid van die modellering van koeltorings, waar lug skuins deur anisitropiese pakking (of “fill” in Engels) vloei, is hoër indien die verandering in die pakking se verrigtingseienskappe, wat afhang van die manier waarop die lug deur die pakking vloei, beter verstaan word. „n Drup pakking (of “trickle fill” in Engels) se verrigtingseienskappe in kruisvloei word vergelyk met dié in teenvloei deur kruisvloei pakking toetse, wat direk vergelykbaar is met teenvloei toetse vir dieselfde pakking, te doen. Ten einde hieredie toetse te doen, word ʼn bestaande kruisvloei toets fasiliteit krities ondersoek en verbeter. Dit word bevind dat die verskil tussen die drup pakking se kruisvloei en teenvloei verrigtingseienskappe afhang van lug massa snelheid (Ga) en water massa snelheid (Gw) en 0 tot 35% is vir die Merkel getal (Me) en so groot as 200% is vir die verlies koëffisiënt. Verder word die geldigheid van ʼn 2-dimensionele nat-verkoelingsmodel wat onlangs ontwikkel is ondersoek deur die model se voorspellings te vergelyk met eksperimentele resultate. Die volgende gevolgtrekkings word gemaak: - Die model, met huidige aannames, voorspel die gemiddelde uitlaat lug temperatuur met ʼn afwyking van ongeveer 0.4°C. - Die temperatuur profiele wat eksperimenteel gemeet word by die lug en water uitlate is onderworpe aan noemenswaardige rand effekte, wat ʼn behoorlike vergelyk met model voorspellings verhoed. - Die model se voorspelling van die profiele kan verbeter word indien die lokale variasies in Me en die herverdeling van die water deur die pakking in ag geneem kan word.