Abstract A parallel air path wet-dry water cooling tower usable in one form for fog abatement and in another form as a dry cooling tower helper where makeup water resources are limited. In both instances though, hot water to be cooled is first directed to finned tube heat exchange structure where air from the ambient atmosphere moving along one path is brought into indirect heat exchange with the hot water to effect partial cooling thereof. The partially cooled water is then directed to evaporative and thus wet heat exchange structure to further cool the water by bringing the latter into direct contacting relationship with a second airstream from the ambient atmosphere moving along a second path. The dry and wet airstreams emanating from the dry and wet heat exchangers respectively are combined prior to return thereof to the atmosphere. Dampers may be provided in association with one or the other or both of the heat exchange structures to permit selective variation of air flowing along said paths thereof through the heat exchange structures. The relative sizes of the dry and wet heat exchange structures are correlated for most efficient operation to meet a particular fog abatement or water conservation requirement.
IN A WATER COOLING TOWER, THE COMBINATION OF: MEANS FOR REMOVING AMBIENT AIR FROM THE ATMOSPHERE ALONG TWO SEPARATE, SPACED PATHS OF TRAVEL; FIRST HEAT EXCHANGE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SERIES OF FINNED TUBES ADAPTED TO RECEIVE HOT WATER TO BE COOLED AND LOCATED IN A PATTERN TO BRING SUCH HOT WATER INTO INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE WITH AN AMBIENT DERIVED AIRSTREAM MOVING ALONG ONE OF SAID PATHS OF TRAVEL THEREOF PAST THE FINNED TUBES TO PARTIALLY COOL THE WATER; SECOND HEAT EXCHANGE STRUCTURE BELOW SAID FIRST HEAT EXCHANGE STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL WATER DISTRIBUTION BASIN LOCATED TO RECEIVE PARTIALLY COOLED WATER FROM THE FINNED TUBES, AND A FILL ASSEMBLY BELOW SAID BASIN FOR RECEIVING WATER THEREFROM TO BRING THE PARTIALLY COOLED
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
IN A WATER COOLING TOWER, THE COMBINATION OF: MEANS FOR REMOVING AMBIENT AIR FROM THE ATMOSPHERE ALONG TWO SEPARATE, SPACED PATHS OF TRAVEL; FIRST HEAT EXCHANGE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SERIES OF FINNED TUBES ADAPTED TO RECEIVE HOT WATER TO BE COOLED AND LOCATED IN A PATTERN TO BRING SUCH HOT WATER INTO INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE WITH AN AMBIENT DERIVED AIRSTREAM MOVING ALONG ONE OF SAID PATHS OF TRAVEL THEREOF PAST THE FINNED TUBES TO PARTIALLY COOL THE WATER; SECOND HEAT EXCHANGE STRUCTURE BELOW SAID FIRST HEAT EXCHANGE STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL WATER DISTRIBUTION BASIN LOCATED TO RECEIVE PARTIALLY COOLED WATER FROM THE FINNED TUBES, AND A FILL ASSEMBLY BELOW SAID BASIN FOR RECEIVING WATER THEREFROM TO BRING THE PARTIALLY COOLED
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A cooling tower as set forth in claim 1, wherein said basin is provided with weir defining members for confining water therebetween at a level to assure submersion of the finned tube ends in water directed to the basin for collection therein prior to gravitation onto the fill assembly therebelow.