Drift eliminator

Claim 2

In combination with a water cooling tower having an air inlet, an air outlet and means for directing currents of air along a path of travel from said inlet to said outlet in substantially horizontal, intersecting relationship to water gravitating within the tower, a drift eliminator within the tower, disposed to remove droplets of water entrained in said air immediately prior to discharge of said air through said outlet; said drift eliminator including a plurality of eliminator panels comprising: a. a plurality of longitudinally extending eliminator blades supported at their respective ends by a pair of support members, said support members having a plurality of openings passing therethrough; b. said eliminator blades being of a cellular structure having longitudinally extending stiffening members dividing said blades into a plurality of sections; and c. pin means for securing said eliminator blades to said support members, said pin means having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion passing through said opening in said support member and grasping said blade stiffening member, said head portion being dimensioned to prevent passage of it through said support member opening; d. at least some of said openings passing through said support members being dimensioned and shaped to prevent said head portion from passing therethrough and also to permit water collected on said blades to flow therethrough.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said shank portion includes a longitudinally extending slot which receives said blade stiffening member.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein said slot is dimensioned slightly less than the thickness of said blade stiffening member such that said shank portion securely grasps said stiffening member as it is forced into said slot.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein each end of each eliminator blade is secured to said support member in at least two locations.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 wherein said eliminator blades are longitudinally inclined to cause said water collected on said blades to flow through said openings in said support members.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 wherein the edges of said eliminator blades which make first contact with said water droplet entrained air are formed with a ballistic nose of an air foil type leading edge to reduce resistance to air movement across said drift eliminator.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 wherein said eliminator blades are integrally formed of a plastic material.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 wherein said eliminator blades are integrally formed of polypropylene material.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 1 wherein said eliminator blades are integrally formed of polyvinyl-chloride material.

Claim 11

In combination with a water cooling tower having an air inlet, an air outlet and means for directing currents of air along a path of travel from said inlet to said outlet in substantially horizontal, intersecting relationship to water gravitating within the tower, a drift eliminator within the tower, disposed to remove droplets of water entrained in said air immediately prior to discharge of said air through said outlet; said drift eliminator including a plurality of eliminator panels comprising: a. a plurality of longitudinally extending eliminator blades supported at their respective ends by a pair of support members, said support members having a plurality of openings passing therethrough; b. said eliminator blades being of a cellular structure having longitudinally extending stiffening members dividing said blades into a plurality of sections; and c. pin means for securing said eliminator blades to said support members, said pin means having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion passing through said opening in said support member and grasping said blade stiffening member, said head portion being dimensioned to prevent passage of it through said support member opening; d. each of said eliminator blades being formed of first and second inclined sections having opposite slopes which are secured together at their converging ends by a third section of lesser width than said first and second sections, the end of said first section which makes first contact with said water droplet entrained air includes a ballistic nose section of an air foil-type leading edge attached thereto, said stiffening members defining the respective ends of said first, second and third sections.

Claim 12

In combination with a water cooling tower having an air inlet, an air outlet and means for directing currents of air along a path of travel from said inlet to said outlet in substantially horizontal, intersecting relationship to water gravitating within the tower, a drift eliminator within the tower, disposed to remove droplets of water entrained in said air immediately prior to discharge of said air through said outlet; said drift eliminator including a plurality of eliminator panels comprising: a. a plurality of longitudinally extending eliminator blades supported at their respective ends by a pair of support members, said support members having a plurality of openings passing therethrough; b. said eliminator blades being of a cellular structure having longitudinally extending stiffening members dividing said blades into a plurality of sections; and c. pin means for securing said eliminator blades to said support members, said pin means having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion passing through said opening in said support member and grasping said blade stiffening member, said head portion being dimensioned to prevent passage of it through said support member opening; d. each of said eliminator blades being formed of first and second inclined sections having opposite slopes which are secured together at their converging ends by a third section of lesser width than said first and second sections, the end of said first section which makes first contact with said water droplet entrained air includes a ballistic nose section of an air foil-type leading edge attached thereto, said stiffening members defining the respective ends of said first, second and third sections.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10 wherein each end of each eliminator blades is secured to said supporting member by a pair of said pin means positioned to grasp the stiffener members associated with the ends of said first and second section which make first contact with said water droplet entrained air.