Selectively controllable water curtain damper for inlet face of circular water cooling tower

A water cooling tower comprising:

• a hot water distribution basin having a generally horizontal bottom wall;
• fill structure beneath said distribution basin for dispensing hot water gravitating from the latter for enhancing the evaporative cooling of the hot water;
• a cold water collection basin beneath said fill structure for collecting cooled water gravitating from the latter;
• means for directing ambient derived air currents through said fill structure for cooling of the hot water gravitating therethrough;
• selectively actuable deicing means for deicing the outer margin of said tower, including
• horizontal, elongated slot means extending through the bottom wall of the distribution basin at an area of said bottom wall generally parallel to and overlying the outer margin of said tower,
• said slot means being configured and arranged for downward delivery of sufficient quantities of hot water therethrough directly onto at least a portion of said outer margin of the tower to effect deicing thereof under cold weather conditions;
• elongated, shiftable cover means overlying said slot means in at least partial water flow-blocking disposition thereto;
• and
• selectively actuatable means for shifting said cover means as desired from said flow-blocking disposition to a deicing position permitting free flow delivery of hot water through said slot means, and for selective return of said cover means to said flow-block disposition when deicing of the tower is complete;
• an annular, hot water carrying flume disposed horizontally adjacent said distribution basin for delivery of hot water thereto,
• said flume being configured to maintain a water level spaced above said bottom wall of the distribution basin;
• and
• means for establishing fluid flow communication between said distribution basin and said flume at an elevation corresponding to the elevation of said bottom wall such that the water in said flume above said bottom wall is available to maintain an adequate water head for providing a flow of hot water through said slot means sufficient to create a substantially continuous, vertically extending curtain of water along selected portions of said outer margin of the tower whereby air flow therethrough is temporarily blocked to enhance the deicing properties of the hot water.