US 9,057,563 B2 · Cooling tower with indirect heat exchanger · patentgrep

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Abstract

A heat exchange apparatus is provided with an indirect evaporative heat exchange section and a direct evaporative heat exchange section. The indirect evaporative heat exchange section is usually located above the direct evaporative heat exchange section, and an evaporative liquid is passed downwardly onto the indirect heat exchange section. The evaporative liquid that exits the indirect evaporative heat exchange section then passes downwardly across and through the direct heat exchange section. The evaporative liquid is collected in a sump and then pumped upwardly to be distributed again across the indirect heat exchange section. The indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate type heat exchanger.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:

providing a direct evaporative heat exchange section and an indirect heat exchange section,
the indirect heat exchange section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of pathways,
the direct heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the indirect heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the indirect heat exchange section being placed generally above the direct heat exchange section,
distributing an evaporative liquid generally downward onto and through the indirect heat exchange section such that indirect heat exchange occurs between the fluid stream within the plurality of pathways and the evaporative liquid, and hence indirectly exchanging heat with the fluid stream within the plurality of pathways in the indirect section,
distributing substantially all of the evaporative liquid leaving the indirect heat exchange section generally downward onto the direct heat exchange section,
wherein the indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate type heat exchanger,
the plate type heat exchanger comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes forming an alternating arrangement of first series of flow passages and a second series of flow passages,
an inlet header and an outlet header operatively connected to the first series of flow passages such that the fluid stream can pass into the first series of flow passages and out from the first series of flow passages,
the second series of flow passages arranged such that the evaporative liquid can pass through the second series of flow passages.

8 more elements

A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:

providing an indirect heat exchange section,
the indirect heat exchange section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of pathways,
the indirect heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
distributing an evaporative liquid generally downward onto and through the indirect heat exchange section such that indirect heat exchange occurs between the fluid stream within the plurality of pathways and the evaporative liquid, and
within the plurality of pathways in the indirect section,
wherein the indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate heat exchanger,
the plate heat exchanger comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes forming an alternating arrangement of a first series of flow passages and
a second series of flow passages,
an inlet header and
an outlet header operatively connected to the first series of flow passages such that the fluid stream can pass into the first series of flow passages and out from the first series of flow passages,
the second series of flow passages arranged such that the evaporative liquid can pass through the second series of flow passages, and wherein in the plate heat exchanger comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes forming an alternating arrangement of a first series of closed loop flow passages and
a second series of open loop flow passages,
a second inlet header and a second outlet header are operatively connected to a third series of closed loop flow passages in the plate heat exchanger
such that a second fluid stream can pass into the third series of closed loop flow passages and
out from the third series of flow passages.

12 more elements

A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:

providing a direct evaporative heat exchange section and an indirect heat exchange section, the indirect heat exchange section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of pathways,
the direct heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the indirect heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the direct heat exchange section being placed generally above the indirect heat exchange section,
distributing an evaporative liquid generally downward onto and through the direct heat exchange section such that direct heat exchange occurs,
distributing substantially all of the evaporative liquid leaving the direct heat exchange section generally downward onto the indirect heat exchange section,
wherein the indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate type heat exchanger,
the plate type heat exchanger comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes forming an alternating arrangement of first series of flow passages and a second series of flow passages,
an inlet header and an outlet header operatively connected to the first series of flow passages such that the fluid stream can pass into the first series of flow passages and out from the first series of flow passages,
the second series of flow passages arranged such that the evaporative liquid can pass through the second series of flow passages, and wherein in the plate type heat exchange comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes
forming an alternating arrangement of a first series of closed loop flow passages and
a second series of open loop flow passages,
a second inlet header and a second outlet header are operatively connected to a third series of closed loop flow passages in the plate heat exchanger
such that a second fluid stream can pass into the third series of flow passages and
out from the third series of flow passages.

12 more elements

A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:

providing a direct evaporative heat exchange section and an indirect heat exchange section, the indirect heat exchange section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of pathways,
the direct heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the indirect heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the direct heat exchange section being placed generally above the indirect heat exchange section,
distributing an evaporative liquid generally downward onto and through the direct heat exchange section such that direct heat exchange occurs,
distributing substantially all of the evaporative liquid leaving the direct heat exchange section generally downward onto the indirect heat exchange section,
wherein the indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate type heat exchanger,
the plate type heat exchanger comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes forming an alternating arrangement of first series of flow passages and a second series of flow passages,
an inlet header and an outlet header operatively connected to the first series of flow passages such that the fluid stream can pass into the first series of flow passages and out from the first series of flow passages,
the second series of flow passages arranged such that the evaporative liquid can pass through the second series of flow passages, wherein two direct heat exchange sections and
two indirect heat exchange sections are provided, with one direct heat exchange section located generally above one indirect heat exchange section, with the second direct heat exchange section located generally above the second indirect heat exchange section.

8 more elements

A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:

providing a direct evaporative heat exchange section and an indirect heat exchange section, the indirect heat exchange section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of pathways,
the direct heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the indirect heat exchange section comprising a top and a bottom,
the direct heat exchange section being placed generally above the indirect heat exchange section,
distributing an evaporative liquid generally downward onto and through the direct heat exchange section such that direct heat exchange occurs,
distributing substantially all of the evaporative liquid leaving the direct heat exchange section generally downward onto the indirect heat exchange section,
wherein the indirect heat exchange section is comprised of a plate type heat exchanger,
the plate type heat exchanger comprised of a series of adjacent plate cassettes forming an alternating arrangement of first series of flow passages and a second series of flow passages,
an inlet header and an outlet header operatively connected to the first series of flow passages such that the fluid stream can pass into the first series of flow passages and out from the first series of flow passages,
the second series of flow passages arranged such that the evaporative liquid can pass through the second series of flow passages, wherein two indirect heat exchange sections are provided,
with the direct heat exchange section located generally above both indirect heat exchange sections.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/716,911Filed 17 Dec 2012
Published: US 2014/0166241 A119 Jun 2014
Granted: 16 Jun 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

F28C 1/14
Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers: comprising also a non-direct contact heat exchange
B01F 23/2321
Using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles: by moving liquid and gas in counter current
F28C 3/06
Other direct-contact heat-exchange apparatus: the heat-exchange media being a liquid and a gas or vapour
F28D 5/00
Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the

Family

US 2014/0166241 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jun 2014
US 9,057,563 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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