Importance

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Abstract

A high thermal capacity crossflow water cooling tower (30) is provided having upright fill structure (32) with a plurality of water distributors (34) oriented to deliver initially hot water to upper portions of the fill structure (32) for gravitation therethrough, with a cooling air current generator for producing cooling air currents which enter the fill structure inlet face (44) and exit the fill both laterally through the fill outlet face (46) and upwardly through the horizontal fill upper face (48). In practice, at least about 50% (more preferably at least about 70%) of the total airflow through the fill structure (32) exits the fill through the outlet face (46). Low cooling potential air traversing the fill structure (32) is thus vented upwardly so that greater volumes of more effective cooling air may be drawn through the fill structure (32). Where a fan assembly (38) is employed, the diameter of the fan (80) is advantageously greater than the maximum transverse dimension of the underlying plenum (64), so that the fan (80) partially overlies the water distributors (34). Therefore, greater volumes of air can be drawn through the tower (30), as compared with conventional crossflow towers. The cooling towers of the invention have been shown to exhibit up to about a 33% increase in thermal capacity over prior crossflow designs.

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First Claim