Form follows function in a hyperboloidical cooling Tower

Abstract

The paper proposes a computational method to study and test the relationship between shape and performance for the built environment, sustaining the use of smart geometry to support design operation. A comprehensive study of the geometry and working principles of a hyperboloidical cooling tower is presented. A case study in Marghera (Venice), built in 1938 is explored. Thanks to knowledge in descriptive geometry and mathematics, scripting procedures, digital survey, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, the paper demonstrates how hyperboloidical cooling towers represent a reference in shape optimization. Varying the fundamental parameter of the shape, reducing the throat diameter, the simulation shows the enhanced efficiency of the tower in terms of velocity and temperature. Consequently, the proposed method may be applied to other surfaces and structures.