Impact of Crosswind on Steady-State and Dynamic Performance of Natural Draft Dry Cooling Tower Group: A Numerical Analysis

This study investigates the performance of a natural draft dry cooling tower group in crosswind conditions through numerical analysis. A comprehensive three-dimensional model is developed to analyze the steady-state and dynamic behavior of the towers. The impact of wind speed and direction on heat rejection capacity and flow patterns is examined. Results indicate that crosswinds negatively affect the overall heat transfer capacity, with higher crosswind speeds leading to decreased heat transfer. Notably, wind direction plays a significant role, particularly at 0°. Moreover, tower response time increases with higher crosswind speeds due to increased turbulence and the formation of vortices. The response times are generally similar for wind directions of 45° and 90°, but differ when facing 0, where the leeward tower exhibits a shorter response time compared to the windward tower. These findings provide valuable insights into the performance of natural draft dry cooling tower groups under crosswind conditions, which can inform the design and operation of similar systems in practical applications.