GB1084964A - Apparatus for the cooling of liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

1,084,964. Contacting gases with liquids. LINDE A.G. May 4, 1965 [May 5, 1964], No. 18653/65. Heading B1R. [Also in Division F4] An apparatus for cooling downflowing water by means of upflowing air comprises a cylindrical housing 1 within which are arranged a central vertical pillar 10 securely attached to a base plate 30 by means of a support frame 2 and having concentrically attached thereto in descending order a top cover 9, at least two spray nozzles 8 spraying a contact layer 6 supported above at least two fans 4 each provided with a screen 5 and mounted in a ducting 12 within a liquid sump bath 3. The water to be cooled is supplied through a pipe 21 and the central pillar 10, serving as a rising main, to a distributor 7 and then to distributor pipes 26 fitted with spray nozzles 8 slightly inclined to the vertical so that the spray regions of adjacent pairs of spray nozzles overlap to form an elliptical spray area on the contact layer 6. Six spray nozzles may be employed to give a substantially circular spray area 28 (Fig. 2 not shown). The cooling air which is sucked through a vertical filter 29 around the outside of the support frame 2 before reaching the fans 4 passes through the contact layer 6 and escapes from the housing through the top cover 9 comprising of alternate strips of flat and corrugated synthetic resin material spirally wound so that any water entrained in the upflowing air is deposited thereon and also to prevent any light from entering the apparatus, thus reducing the rate of growth of algae. The strips may be between 60 and 100 m.m. in width and the corrugation between 10 and 20 m.m. in height. Alternatively the top cover may be formed of honeycomb plates of the same material. Each fan, embodiments with three and five are described, may be independantly controlled, and when not in use may be sealed from the housing 1 by lowering the screen 5 on pillars, 14. The screens 5 have upturned and downturned lips 15, 19 to prevent interference of the air flow by the water, any water collecting on the screen may be discharged at discharge points 16 adjacent the housing wall 1. To maintain a constant amount of liquid in the system to which the apparatus is connected a float valve 24 and an overflow pipe 25 are fitted to the liquid sump bath 3. In an alternative embodiment the contact layer 6 includes a tube coil through which a liquid to be cooled is passed and the water is pumped on a closed circuit to trickle over the coils and cool the liquid therein, the cooling action of the water being increased by the partial vapourisation of the water by the cooling air.