Mechanically assisted spiral-draft water-cooling tower

Claim 2

In a mechanical-draft liquid-cooling tower having an upright axis, the combination comprising a. a series of fans spaced about and outwardly from said axis, b. means defining a series of plenum passages spaced about said axis and in the direct path of gas displacement by the fans, toward the tower interior, c. multiple packing sections spaced about said axis and located in the spaces between said passages, said sections having inlet exposure to the passages and outlets communicating with the tower interior, d. said means including generally upright partitions to direct the fan-displaced gas into said packing sections after reception of the gas in said passages, and with directional flow components angled from said axis so that the gas upon exiting from said sections flows in an upward spiral course about said axis within the tower interior, said partitions extending within the plenum passages, and e. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough

Claim 3

In a mechanical-draft cooling tower having a generally circular horizontal cross section and a vertical axis, the combination comprising, a. a plurality of upright generally annularly spaced packing sections having open inlet and outlet sides laterally separated in a direction generally lengthwise of the tower periphery, the sections being spaced in said direction and about said axis for reception of gas therebetween prior and subsequent to gas flow through the sections between said sides so that the flow through the sections has substantial components parallel to said direction, the sections also being radially outwardly spaced from said direction, the sections also being radially outwardly spaced from said axis, b. certain upright partitions located in said spaces between the sections and extending generally diagonally between the outer extents of said outlet sides of the sections and the inner extents of the inlet sides of the sections, thereby to direct the gas to flow in a spiral course about said vertical axis as the gas passes through the sections and into the tower interior inwardly of said sections, there being other partitions located at the radially inner and outer ends of the sections to block airflow therethrough, c. multiple fans mounted to discharge gas under pressure into said spaces at the inlet sides of the sections for forced-draft flow through the sections, and d. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough, said flow in a spiral course inducing enhanced mixing of the moisture-laden gas so as to decrease the density thereof thereby to increase the tendency of the gas to rise in the tower.

Claim 4

In a mechanical-draft cooling tower having a generally circular horizontal cross section and a vertical axis, the combination comprising, a. a plurality of upright generally annularly spaced packing sections having open inlet and outlet sides laterally separated in a direction generally lengthwise of the tower periphery, the sections being spaced in said direction and about said axis for reception of gas therebetween prior and subsequent to gas flow through the sections between said sides so that the flow through the sections has substantial components parallel to said direction, the sections also being radially outwardly spaced from said direction, the sections also being radially outwardly spaced from said axis, b. certain upright partitions located in said spaces between the sections and extending generally diagonally between the outer extents of said outlet sides of the sections and the inner extents of the inlet sides of the sections, thereby to direct the gas to flow in a spiral course about said vertical axis as the gas passes through the sections and into the tower interior inwardly of said sections, there being other partitions located at the radially inner and outer ends of the sections to block airflow therethrough, c. multiple fans mounted to discharge gas under pressure into said spaces at the inlet sides of the sections for forced-draft flow through the sections, and d. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough, said flow in a spiral course inducing enhanced mixing of the moisture-laden gas so as to decrease the density thereof thereby to increase the tendency of the gas to rise in the tower.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 wherein said fans are mounted at the tower periphery to direct said discharge gas toward the diagonal partitions.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 including fan shroud each extending with gas-diffusing divergence from the fan peripheries toward the adjacent packing section.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 4 wherein said shrouds are vertically elongated.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 4 wherein the fans are located directly outwardly of said spaces.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 3 including vertically elongated vanes located in said spaces radially inwardly of the fans and angled to guide the gas flow into said sections.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 1 wherein the fans have blades and are housed in such relation to said passages that gas may flow past the fans into said passages when the fans are shut down.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 4 including damper means mounted for movement within at least one shroud for regulating inlet airflow.

Claim 12

In a natural-draft liquid-cooling tower having an upright axis, the combination comprising a. a series of fans spaced about and outwardly from said axis, b. means defining a series of plenum passages spaced about said axis and in the direct path of gas displacement by the fans, toward the tower interior, c. multiple packing sections spaced about said axis and located in the spaces between said passages, said sections having inlet exposure to the passages and outlet communicating with the tower interior, d. said means including generally upright partitions to direct the fan-displaced gas into said packing sections after reception of the gas in said passages, and with directional-flow components angled from said axis so that the gas upon exiting from said sections flows in an upward spiral course about said axis within the tower interior, said partitions extending within the plenum passages, and e. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough.

Claim 13

In a natural-draft liquid-cooling tower having an upright axis, the combination comprising a. a series of fans spaced about and outwardly from said axis, b. means defining a series of plenum passages spaced about said axis and in the direct path of gas displacement by the fans, toward the tower interior, c. multiple packing sections spaced about said axis and located in the spaces between said passages, said sections having inlet exposure to the passages and outlet communicating with the tower interior, d. said means including generally upright partitions to direct the fan-displaced gas into said packing sections after reception of the gas in said passages, and with directional-flow components angled from said axis so that the gas upon exiting from said sections flows in an upward spiral course about said axis within the tower interior, said partitions extending within the plenum passages, and e. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough.

Claim 14

In a natural-draft cooling tower having a generally circular horizontal cross section and a vertical axis, the combination comprising, a. a plurality of upright generally annularly spaced packing sections having open inlet and outlet sides laterally separated in a direction generally lengthwise of the tower periphery, the sections being spaced in said direction and about said axis for reception of gas therebetween prior and subsequent to gas flow though the sections between said sides to that the flow through the sections has substantial components parallel to said direction, the sections also being radially outwardly spaced from said axis, b. certain upright partitions located in said spaces between the sections and extending generally diagonally between the outer extents of said outlet sides of the sections and the inner extents of the inlet sides of the sections, thereby to direct the gas to flow in a spiral course about said vertical axis as the gas passes through the sections and into the tower interior inwardly of said sections, there being other partitions located at the radially inner and outer ends of the sections to block airflow therethrough, c. multiple fans mounted to discharge gas under pressure into said spaces at the inlet sides of the sections for forced-draft flow through the sections, and d. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough, said flow in a spiral course inducing enhanced mixing of the moisture-laden gas so as to decrease the density thereof thereby to increase the tendency of the gas to rise in the tower.

Claim 15

In a natural-draft cooling tower having a generally circular horizontal cross section and a vertical axis, the combination comprising, a. a plurality of upright generally annularly spaced packing sections having open inlet and outlet sides laterally separated in a direction generally lengthwise of the tower periphery, the sections being spaced in said direction and about said axis for reception of gas therebetween prior and subsequent to gas flow though the sections between said sides to that the flow through the sections has substantial components parallel to said direction, the sections also being radially outwardly spaced from said axis, b. certain upright partitions located in said spaces between the sections and extending generally diagonally between the outer extents of said outlet sides of the sections and the inner extents of the inlet sides of the sections, thereby to direct the gas to flow in a spiral course about said vertical axis as the gas passes through the sections and into the tower interior inwardly of said sections, there being other partitions located at the radially inner and outer ends of the sections to block airflow therethrough, c. multiple fans mounted to discharge gas under pressure into said spaces at the inlet sides of the sections for forced-draft flow through the sections, and d. means to supply liquid for dispersal within said sections to be cooled by the gas flow therethrough, said flow in a spiral course inducing enhanced mixing of the moisture-laden gas so as to decrease the density thereof thereby to increase the tendency of the gas to rise in the tower.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 11 wherein said fans are mounted at the tower periphery to direct said discharge gas toward the diagonal partitions.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 12 including fan shrouds each extending with gas-diffusing divergence from the fan peripheries toward the adjacent packing sections.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 13 wherein said shrouds are vertically elongated.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 13 wherein the fans are located directly outwardly of said spaces.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 12 including vertically elongated vanes located in said spaces radially inwardly of the fans and angled to guide the gas flow into said sections.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 10 wherein the fans have blades and are housed in such relation to said passages that gas may flow past the fans into said passages when the fans are shut down.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 13 including damper means mounted for movement within at least one shroud for regulating inlet airflow.