Evaporative cooler for a gas turbine engine

An evaporative cooler comprising:

• a frame defining a plurality of substantially vertical bays aligned in a generally side-by-side relationship, and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart substantially horizontal levels;
• a plurality of trays, each tray including a longitudinal axis, the trays including bottom walls and side walls that project upward from the bottom walls and extend along the longitudinal axis of each tray, the trays also including end walls that project upward from the bottom walls and extend between the side walls;
• the trays being positioned in the bays with the trays of common levels being arranged in end-to-end relationships;
• volumes of cooler media supported by the trays;
• and
• elongated clips for inhibiting water leakage between the end walls of trays of common levels, the clips being mounted over adjacent end walls of the trays arranged in the end-to-end relationships, the trays having widths defined between the side walls of the trays, and the clips extending across at least essentially the entire widths of the trays.

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.