Evaporative cooler for a gas turbine engine

Claim 1

An evaporative cooler comprising: a frame including end supports and side supports; first and second trays each having a longitudinal axis, each tray including a bottom wall and two side walls that project upwardly from the bottom wall and extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of each tray, each tray also including two end walls that project upward from the bottom wall and extend between the side walls, the trays additionally including spaced-apart cooler media retaining members that extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of each tray between the end walls, the retaining members defining elongated channels, the trays further including end flanges that project outwardly from top edges of the end walls and side flanges that project outwardly from top edges of the side walls; the trays being positionable on the frame in an end-to-end relationship such the longitudinal axes are generally aligned with one another, the trays being mounted on the frame such that the side flanges seat on the side supports and the end flanges seat on the end supports, and one of the end flanges of the first tray is positioned adjacent to one of the end flanges of the second tray; an elongated clip for inhibiting water leakage between the adjacent trays, the clip being mounted over the adjacent end flanges of the trays and including a bridge portion that extends over the end flanges and spaced-apart legs that extend downwardly from the bridge portion along the end walls of the trays, and the elongated clip having a length at least equal to a distance between the side walls of each of the trays; and volumes of cooler media held within the elongated channels defined between the retaining members.

Claim 14

A method for assembling an evaporative cooler comprising: providing a frame; providing first and second trays each having a longitudinal axis, each tray including a bottom wall and two side walls that project upward from the bottom wall and extend along each longitudinal axis, each tray also including two end walls that project upward from the bottom wall and extend between the side walls; securing the first and second trays to the frame in an end-to-end relationship such that the longitudinal axes are aligned with one another, and one of the end walls of the first tray is positioned adjacent to one of the end walls of the second tray such that a gap is defined thereinbetween, the gap having a length that extends along a width of the trays; covering a majority of the length of the gap with one or more elongated clips such that water is inhibited from leaking through the gap; and supporting volumes of cooler media on the trays.

Claim 15

A method for assembling an evaporative cooler comprising: providing a frame; providing first and second trays each having a longitudinal axis, each tray including a bottom wall and two side walls that project upward from the bottom wall and extend along each longitudinal axis, each tray also including two end walls that project upward from the bottom wall and extend between the side walls; securing the first and second trays to the frame in an end-to-end relationship such that the longitudinal axes are aligned with one another, and one of the end walls of the first tray is positioned adjacent to one of the end walls of the second tray such that a gap is defined thereinbetween, the gap having a length that extends along a width of the trays; covering a majority of the length of the gap with one or more elongated clips such that water is inhibited from leaking through the gap; and supporting volumes of cooler media on the trays.