GB809906A - Improvements in and relating to water cooling structures - Google Patents

Abstract

809,906. Cooling-towers. VELADINI C. E. G., and MOLTUM, J. K. June 7, 1955, No. 16280/55. Class 64(1) A water cooler comprises a packing of layers of spaced conduits over which the water flows in counterflow to coolant air which rises through the spaces between the conduits, which are transverse to later flows, while further coolant air flows through the conduits, which are interconnected. In one form, Figs. 1 and 4, the conduits are horizontal tubes 7 which interconnect open-ended tubular radial headers 8 arranged one above another in radial stacks. These headers connect tubes which are at one level in one segment of the packing with tubes at a higher level in the next segment. Air enters the outer ends of the headers, and flows from them through the tubes 7, passing upwardly and inwardly from tube to tube in the headers, so as to follow a generally rising spiral path of decreasing radius. The air is discharged from the headers into a central chimney 10, and escapes from the latter through a top outlet covered by an adjustable baffle 11 and through pipes 13 with outlets 15 above the packing. The headers in each radial stack may be interconnected by passages. Some of the headers may not extend to the central chimney but instead may discharge into separate upwardly directed ducts. In a modification, the headers are not continuous but comprise hollow blocks interconnecting two tubes 7. In a modification the tubes are rectangular or parallelograms in cross-section and have longitudinal grooves along their top and if desired side surfaces. These tubes fit at their ends into separate rectangular frames which are mounted on one another so that the tubes overlap. In a tower which is rectangular in horizontal cross-section, the tubes in successive layers are at rightangles to one another, each layer resting on the one below. The tubes are square, rectangular or parallelogram in cross-section. They have upright ducts for discharging air to the space above the packing, or may be connected to tubes above them by short ducts or registering openings. In another form, Fig. 9, a tower 30 of square horizontal cross-section is divided by partitions into four sections each containing layers of horizontal tubes 32 which are at right-angles to one another from layer to layer. The outer ends of the tubes are open to the atmosphere through the outer walls, and the inner ends open into vertical passages 34 in the partitions. The passages 34 deliver the heated air to the spaces above the packing, or alternatively to ducts for central heating or to boilers. The latter ducts may have fans. The outlets of the ducts 34 have adjustable louvres 47. The cooled water is collected in troughs 46 which deliver it to a passage 41. A group of such towers are arranged in two concentric rings and have a common flat roof 39 through which their upper ends project. This roof shades the shells of the towers from the sun. The cooled water passages 41 of these towers are interconnected and deliver to a common discharge point. The passages contain vertical air tubes 43 which open at the top into the passages. The air from these tubes flows through the upper parts of the passages 41 into vertical discharge passages 45 in the towers 30. The tubes may be composed of hollow blocks of elliptical or elongated cross-section, e.g. as shown in Fig. 14. These blocks are held together by bolts passing through holes in them. The blocks are made of clay, earthenware, cementitious material or a non-corrosive material such as aluminium. Specification 809,907 is referred to.