Cooling tower performance modeling

A device for maintaining performance of a cooling tower, the device comprising a processor configured to:

• collect real-time sensor data from the cooling tower, the real-time sensor data including ambient temperature, ambient humidity, an average inlet water temperature into a condenser, and an average outlet water temperature out of the condenser;
• calculate a wet bulb temperature based on the ambient temperature and the ambient humidity;
• calculate a flow rate through the condenser;
• calculate an expected cold water temperature using a performance model generated based on performance curves indicating a cooling performance of the cooling tower, the performance curves being from cooling tower specification information, and the expected cold water temperature being calculated based on a (i) difference between the average outlet water temperature and the average inlet water temperature, (ii) the wet bulb temperature, and (iii) the flow rate;
• compare the expected cold water temperature to the average inlet water temperature to determine a cold water temperature difference;
• calculate a back pressure penalty based on the cold water temperature difference;
• calculate a production penalty based on the back pressure penalty;
• and
• determine whether the cooling tower requires maintenance based on the production penalty.

A system for maintaining performance of a cooling tower, the system comprising:

• a cooling tower;
• and
• a device for maintaining performance of a cooling tower, the device comprising a processor configured to:
• collect real-time sensor data from the cooling tower, the real-time sensor data including ambient temperature, ambient humidity, an average inlet water temperature into a condenser, and an average outlet water temperature out of the condenser;
• calculate a wet bulb temperature based on the ambient temperature and the ambient humidity;
• calculate a flow rate through the condenser;
• calculate an expected cold water temperature using a performance model generated based on performance curves indicating a cooling performance of the cooling tower, the performance curves being from cooling tower specification information, and the expected cold water temperature being calculated based on (i) a difference between the average outlet water temperature and the average inlet water temperature, (ii) the wet bulb temperature, and (iii) the flow rate;
• compare the expected cold water temperature to the average inlet water temperature to determine a cold water temperature difference;
• calculate a back pressure penalty based on the cold water temperature difference;
• calculate a production penalty based on the back pressure penalty;
• and
• determine whether the cooling tower requires maintenance based on the production penalty.