Energy-efficient operation of an industrial evaporative cooling

"This thesis aims to develop a model for an industrial evaporative cooling system having a chiller and a production heat source using two cooling towers, to evaluate the energy consumption of the system and find an optimal approach to minimize energy consumption without incurring investment costs. To achieve this objective, the thesis will perform a comprehensive analysis of the optimal cooling system configuration, considering various factors such as ambient wet bulb temperature, chiller cooling requirements, and the maximum water temperature required by the production heat source. The proposed methodology consists of developing a function for the cooling tower outlet water temperature and chiller power consumption, implemented in a Dymola numerical model. The study will investigate different control strategies and scenarios to determine the optimal approach for minimizing energy consumption. It is essential to note that, while this research focuses solely on the development and testing of the model using simulation data, real plant data validation is not included in the scope of this study. Rather, the emphasis is on demonstrating the feasibility and accuracy of the model through rigorous testing and analysis. The expected results include the development of an efficient model and recommendations aimed at reducing energy consumption and improving overall efficiency. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights into optimizing industrial cooling systems and may serve as a basis for future research that includes real plant data validation and practical implementation".