Water Collection/Deflection Arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018094884-A1
Application number	US-201715717441-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 5, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Improved water management systems which deflect or collect evaporative liquid exiting counterflow heat exchangers and improve airflow distribution are provided. Such heat exchangers include open cooling towers, closed circuit cooling towers, and evaporative condensers. The improved water management systems eliminate water splash out and the noise associated with water splashing. Further, when the fan assemblies are located below the evaporative heat exchanger, the improved water management systems keep the fans dry and prevent freezing in subzero climates.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A cooling tower comprising
an outer structure, an evaporative heat exchanger within the outer structure, a fan assembly located within the outer structure, a gutter assembly located below the evaporative heat exchanger and within the outer structure, an evaporative liquid distribution assembly located above the evaporative heat exchanger and within the outer structure, a sump, wherein the gutter assembly collects a portion of the evaporative liquid falling from the evaporative heat exchanger and directs the collected evaporative liquid to the sump.

2 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
wherein the portion of evaporative liquid collected by the gutter assembly is between 30-90%.

3 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the portion of evaporative liquid collected by the gutter assembly is substantially all the evaporative liquid falling from the evaporative heat exchanger.

4 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the evaporative heat exchanger is an indirect evaporative heat exchanger.

5 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the evaporative heat exchanger in a direct evaporative heat exchanger.

6 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the fan assembly is located below the gutter assembly.

7 . The cooling tower of claim 6 further comprising
a louver structure extending from the gutter assembly to isolate the fan assembly from the evaporative liquid.

8 . The cooling tower of claim 7 wherein
the louver structure extends at an angle of greater than 90 degrees from the vertical.

9 . The cooling tower of claim 6 wherein
the fan assembly is kept essentially free from any incursion of evaporative liquid.

10 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the fan assembly is located above the evaporative heat exchanger.

11 . The cooling tower of claim 1 further comprising
a collection trough that collects the evaporative liquid exiting the gutter assembly and deposits the collected evaporative liquid into the sump.

12 . The cooling tower of claim 11 further comprising
a trough louver structure extending from the gutter assembly adjacent to the collection trough to isolate the fan assembly from the evaporative liquid.

13 . The cooling tower of claim 12 wherein
the trough louver structure extends at an angle of greater than 90 degrees from the vertical.

14 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the gutter assembly is sloped towards the sump wherein such slope is greater than 1 degree from the horizontal.

15 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
a pressurized water system is connected to the gutter assembly.

16 . The cooling tower of claim 1 further comprising
two gutter assemblies which slope downwardly towards each and towards an evaporative liquid trough wherein such trough collects the evaporative liquid and directs it into the sump.

17 . The cooling tower of claim 1 further comprising
two gutter assemblies which slope downwardly away from each other and each gutter assembly is sloped towards an evaporative liquid trough wherein such troughs collect the evaporative liquid and directs it into the sump.

18 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the sump is isolated from the air and water within the outside structure.

19 . The cooling tower of claim 1 wherein
the gutter assembly is comprised of a plurality of adjacent channel structures with a top and bottom frame,
each channel structure is comprised of a primary collection channel and a secondary collection channel,
each primary collection channel having a first end and each secondary collection channel having a first end,
wherein the first end of at least one of the primary collection channels of one channel structure extends above and laterally overlapping with the first end of a secondary collection channel of an adjacent channel structure.

20 . The cooling tower of claim 19 wherein
at least one first end of a primary collection channel comprises a louver channel with a drip edge.

21 . The cooling tower of claim 19 wherein
each channel structure is comprised of a deflection section having a first end,
wherein the first end of at least one deflection section of one collection structure extends above and laterally overlapping with the first end of a primary collection channel of an adjacent channel structure.

22 . The cooling tower of claim 19 wherein
a slot is provided in at least one of the channel structures between the primary collection channel and secondary collection channel.

23 . The cooling tower of claim 19 wherein
the gutter assembly is comprised of a plurality of adjacent channel structures,
each channel structure is comprised of a primary collection channel a secondary collection channel, and a tertiary collection channel
each primary collection channel having a first end, each secondary collection channel having a first end, each tertiary channel having a first end
wherein the first end of at least one of the primary collection channels of one channel structure extends above and laterally overlapping with the first end of a secondary collection channel of an adjacent channel structure and wherein the tertiary collection channel extends above the primary and secondary channels.

24 . A cooling tower comprising
an outer structure, an evaporative heat exchanger within the outer structure a fan assembly located within the outer structure, a sloped panel located below the evaporative heat exchanger and within the outer structure, an evaporative liquid distribution assembly located above the evaporative heat exchanger and within the outer structure, a sump, wherein the sloped panel deflects a portion of the evaporative liquid falling from the evaporative heat exchanger and directs the deflected evaporative liquid to the sump.

25 . The cooling tower of claim 24 wherein
wherein the portion of evaporative liquid deflected by the sloped panel is between 30-90%.

26 . The cooling tower of claim 24 wherein
the evaporative heat exchanger is an indirect evaporative heat exchanger.

27 . The cooling tower of claim 24 wherein
the evaporative heat exchanger in a direct evaporative heat exchanger.

28 . The cooling tower of claim 24 wherein
the fan assembly is located below the sloped panel water management assembly.

29 . The cooling tower of claim 28 further comprising
a louver structure extending from the sloped panel to isolate the fan assembly from the evaporative liquid.

30 . The cooling tower of claim 29 wherein
the louver structure extends at an angle of greater than 90 degrees from the vertical.

31 . The cooling tower of claim 28 wherein
the fan assembly is kept essentially free from any incursion of evaporative liquid.

32 . The cooling tower of claim 24 wherein
the fan assembly is located above the evaporative heat exchanger.

33 . The cooling tower of claim 24 wherein
the sloped panel is sloped towards the sump at an angle greater than 1 degree from the horizontal.

34 . A cooling tower comprising
an outer structure, an evaporative heat exchanger within the outer structure, a fan assembly located within the outer structure, an overlapping sloped panel assembly lo

Assignees

• Baltimore Aircoil Co Inc

Inventors

• Rousselet Yohann Lilian
• Auth Christopher Patrick
• Malamud Dina

Classifications

• F28F25/12 Primary

  Ducts; Guide vanes, e.g. for carrying currents to distinct zones · CPC title

• F28F25/04

  Distributing or accumulator troughs · CPC title

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title

• F28C1/00

  Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers (building construction E04H5/12; enclosed spaces cooled by trickle F25; components parts of trickle coolers F28F25/00; {indirect-contact cooling towers F28B1/06}) · CPC title

• F28C1/14

  comprising also a non-direct contact heat exchange · CPC title