US4830761A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cooling tower cleaning system
Assignee: FRONTIER RESEARCH AND CHEMICAL Co
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Filing: 1988-04-29
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Granted: 1989-05-16
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Expires: 2008-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A portable, manned method and apparatus for cleaning cooling towers having a water collection basin at the base while permitting the tower to continue in operation comprises removing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin by venturi suction or aspiration through a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate matter from a defined area of contact. The suction wand is moved around the bottom of the cooling tower basin to remove water and particulate matter therefrom. The removed water is filtered to separate coarse contaminant particles therefrom. The filtration is by a plurality of screens positioned one above another of successively finer mesh from top to bottom and having a motor for vibrating the screens to remove collected particulate matter therefrom. A collector is positioned adjacent to the ends of the screens to receive the particulate matter discharged by vibration of the screens by the motor. The filtrate is then passed through a plurality of bag filters of successively smaller porosity ranging from about 400 mesh down to about 1 micron to remove fine particles therefrom. Then the filtrate from the bag filters is recirculated to the cooling tower basin for reuse therein. Part may be is recirculated through the aspirator or venturi to produce a vacuum for withdrawing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack S. Leach
- 👤 Thomas H. Baize
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:32
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D36/00; B01D36/02; B01D29/00; B01D29/11; B01D29/13; B01D29/23; B01D29/27; B01D29/50; B01D29/52; B01D33/00; B01D33/01; B01D33/03; B01D33/0346; B01D33/35; B01D33/41; B01D33/70; B01D33/705; C; C02; C02F; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/02; C02F2103/023; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for cleaning cooling towers having a water collection basin at the base while permitting the tower to continue in operation which comprises removing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin by venturi suction or aspiration through a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate material from a defined area of contact and manually moved around the bottom of said cooling tower basin to remove water and particulate matter therefrom, filtering said recovered water to separate coarse contaminant particles therefrom, passing the filtrate through a plurality of bag filters to remove fine particles therefrom, recirculating filtrate from said bag filters to said cooling tower basin for reuse therein, and recirculating part of the water recovered as filtrate through an aspirator or venturi to produce the vacuum for withdrawing said water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for cleaning cooling towers having a water collection basin at the base while permitting the tower to continue in operation which comprises removing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin by venturi suction or aspiration through a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate material from a defined area of contact and manually moved around the bottom of said cooling tower basin to remove water and particulate matter therefrom, filtering said recovered water to separate coarse contaminant particles therefrom, passing the filtrate through a plurality of bag filters to remove fine particles therefrom, recirculating filtrate from said bag filters to said cooling tower basin for reuse therein, and recirculating part of the water recovered as filtrate through an aspirator or venturi to produce the vacuum for withdrawing said water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1 in which said coarser particles are removed from the mixture water and particles removed from the tower basin by multiple screening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1 in which said finer particles are removed from the mixture water and particles removed as filtrate from the multiple screening by passing said filtrate through a plurality of bag filters of successively smaller porosity ranging from about 400 mesh down to about 1 micron.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
A method according to claim 1 in which said water and particulate contaminants are removed from the bottom of the tower basin by venturi suction or aspiration, and said water and particulate contaminants are removed from the bottom of the tower basin by venturi suction or aspiration through a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate matter from a defined area of contact, said coarser particles are removed from the mixture water and particles removed from the tower basin by multiple screening, and said finer particles are removed from the mixture water and particles removed as filtrate from the multiple screening by passing said filtrate through a plurality of bag filters of successively smaller porosity ranging from about 400 mesh down to about 1 micron.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
168 words
A portable, manned apparatus for cleaning cooling towers having a water collection basin at the base while permitting the tower to continue in operation which comprises venturi suction or aspiration means including a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate material from a defined area of contact operable to be positioned in the bottom of the tower basin to remove a mixture of water and particulate contaminants therefrom, filter means to separate coarse contaminant particles from said mixture of water and particulate contaminants, a plurality of bag filters to remove fine particles from the filtrate from said filter means, pump means for circulating filtrate from said filter means to said bag filters, pump means connected to recirculate filtrate through said aspirator or venturi suction means to produce a vacuum for withdrawing said water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin, and pump means connected to recirculate filtrate from said bag filters to said cooling tower basin for reuse therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
168 words
A portable, manned apparatus for cleaning cooling towers having a water collection basin at the base while permitting the tower to continue in operation which comprises venturi suction or aspiration means including a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate material from a defined area of contact operable to be positioned in the bottom of the tower basin to remove a mixture of water and particulate contaminants therefrom, filter means to separate coarse contaminant particles from said mixture of water and particulate contaminants, a plurality of bag filters to remove fine particles from the filtrate from said filter means, pump means for circulating filtrate from said filter means to said bag filters, pump means connected to recirculate filtrate through said aspirator or venturi suction means to produce a vacuum for withdrawing said water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin, and pump means connected to recirculate filtrate from said bag filters to said cooling tower basin for reuse therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 in which said filter means comprises a plurality of screens positioned one above another of successively finer mesh from top to bottom, and motor means for vibrating said screens to remove collected particulate matter therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 in which said plurality of bag filters are of successively smaller porosity ranging from about 400 mesh down to about 1 micron.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 in which said suction means for removing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin is venturi suction or aspiration means, said venturi suction or aspiration means includes a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate matter from a defined area of contact, said filter means comprises a plurality of screens positioned one above another of successively finer mesh from top to bottom, and motor means for vibrating said screens to remove collected particulate matter therefrom.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
116 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 in which said suction means for removing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin is venturi suction or aspiration means, said venturi suction or aspiration means includes a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate matter from a defined area of contact, said filter means comprises a plurality of screens positioned one above another of successively finer mesh from top to bottom, motor means for vibrating said screens to remove collected particulate matter therefrom, and collection means positioned adjacent to the ends of said screens to receive the particulate matter discharged by vibration of said screens by said motor means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
111 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 in which said suction means for removing water and particulate contaminants from the bottom of the tower basin is venturi suction or aspiration means, said venturi suction or aspiration means includes a tubular wand having an elongated wide opening to draw in water and particulate matter from a defined area of contact, said plurality of bag filters are of successively smaller porosity ranging from about 400 mesh down to about 1 micron, said filter means comprises a plurality of screens positioned one above another of successively finer mesh from top to bottom, and motor means for vibrating said screens to remove collected particulate matter therefrom.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-05-15 | 1992-11-14 | 1993-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-05-15 | 1996-11-14 | 1997-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-05-15 | 2000-11-14 | 2001-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |