초록 ▼

A heat exchange apparatus which can be used as an evaporative condenser, fluid cooler or wet-air cooler, is provided with a direct evaporative heat exchange section overlying an indirect evaporative heat exchange section. An air entry zone common to both heat exchange sections receives an air stream

A heat exchange apparatus which can be used as an evaporative condenser, fluid cooler or wet-air cooler, is provided with a direct evaporative heat exchange section overlying an indirect evaporative heat exchange section. An air entry zone common to both heat exchange sections receives an air stream blown into this zone by at least one fan, thereby pressurizing the plenum such that the air stream is forced to split and enter each section while inside the apparatus. This eliminates the need for separate air entries, thus condensing the size and cost of the apparatus, while increasing heat exchange capacity. A countercurrent air flow pattern through the direct section provides a uniformly cooled evaporative liquid for use in the indirect section. The evaporative liquid flow is parallel to the air stream provided in the indirect section. A process fluid inside the circuits of the indirect section can accept or reject heat from the evaporative liquid received from the direct section, with a part of the heat being is transferred into the indirect section air stream in sensible and latent form, thus increasing or decreasing the enthalpy of the air stream. The remaining heat can be either stored or released from the evaporative liquid to increase or decrease its temperature. The evaporative liquid is collected in a sump and then pumped upwardly for re-distribution across the direct evaporative heat exchange section.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] In a heat exchange apparatus, a method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:providing a direct evaporative heat exchange section and an integral indirect evaporative heat exchange section, said indirect section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of individual circuit

[ I claim:] [1.] In a heat exchange apparatus, a method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of:providing a direct evaporative heat exchange section and an integral indirect evaporative heat exchange section, said indirect section conducting a fluid stream within a plurality of individual circuits comprising said indirect section, and said direct section comprised of a fill bundle each of said heat exchange sections having a top side, a bottom side, an inboard side, an outboard side, an air inlet and an air outlet, said inboard and outboard side of each said heat exchange section defining a respective direct and indirect heat exchange section width, said direct and indirect heat exchange section widths being substantially equal;placing said direct section above said indirect section;providing a means above said direct section top side for spraying an evaporative liquid generally downwardly across said direct section;passing said evaporative liquid from said direct section downwardly across said individual circuits of said indirect evaporative heat exchange section in order for said liquid to indirectly exchange heat with said fluid stream within said circuits;providing at least one means for moving an ambient stream of air into a air inlet of said apparatus, said inlet having a horizontal extent and a vertical extent, said air inlet in communication with an air entry zone common to each of said heat exchange sections;splitting said air stream within said entry zone into a first air stream and a second air stream, said first air stream flowing upwardly into said direct heat exchange section air inlet, which said inlet is associated with said bottom side of said direct section, and said second air stream flowing downwardly into said indirect heat exchange section air inlet, which said inlet is associated with said top side of said indirect section, said first air stream flowing countercurrent with said evaporative liquid within said direct section and said second air stream flowing concurrent with said evaporative liquid within said indirect section, said first air stream evaporatively exchanging heat with said evaporative liquid in said direct section before exiting said air outlet, which said outlet is associated with said top side of said direct section, said second air stream evaporatively exchanging heat with said evaporative liquid in said indirect section before exiting said air outlet, which said outlet is associated with said bottom side of said indirect section;collecting substantially all of said evaporative liquid exiting said indirect section in a sump;pumping substantially all of said collected evaporative liquid upwardly to said direct evaporative heat exchange section for redistribution; andenclosing said sump, said spray means, and each of said heat exchange sections within a single structure, said structure having a generally open roof above said spray means, a generally solid base for containing said sump, a from wall, a near wall, and a pair of side walls interconnecting with said roof, base and front and rear walls. [12.] The method of claim 1 wherein said fill bundle contains a plurality of fill sheets, each of said fill sheets having a short side edge, a long side edge, and a face therebetween. The method of claim 1 wherein said horizontal extent of said inlet is at least as wide as said width of either of said heat exchange sections. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for moving an ambient stream of air pressurizes said air stream within said air entry zone with ambient temperature air. The method of claim 1 wherein said air inlet is a solitary inlet. An apparatus for exchanging heat comprising:a structural enclosure, said enclosure having a generally open roof, a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and a first and second side wall interconnecting with said front and back walls and said roof and base, said structure including an air inlet having a horizontal extent;a direct evaporative heat exchange section above an integral indirect evaporative heat exchange section, each of said heat exchange sections separated by a common air entry zone in communication with said air inlet, each of said heat exchange sections having a top side, a bottom side, an inboard side, an outboard side, an air inlet and an air outlet, said inboard and outboard side of each of said heat exchange sections defining a respective direct and indirect heat exchange section width, each said heat exchange section width being substantially equal to each other and to said horizontal extent of said air inlet, said integral indirect evaporative heat exchange section including a plurality of individual circuits for conducting a fluid stream within said circuits, said direct evaporative heat exchange section including a fill bundle;at least one means to move an ambient stream of air into said air inlet and into said air entry zone of said structure, wherein said air stream is split into a first stream and a second stream, said first air stream upwardly entering said direct section and said second air stream downwardly entering said indirect section, each respective said air stream evaporatively exchanging heat with an evaporative liquid flowing within each respective said heat exchange section, said indirect heat exchange section air inlet associated with said top side of said indirect section and communicating with said air entry zone, said indirect heat exchange section air outlet associated with said bottom side of said section, said indirect heat exchange section air stream flowing concurrent with said evaporative liquid therein, and said direct heat exchange section air inlet associated with said bottom side of said direct section and communicating with said air entry zone, said direct heat exchange section air outlet associated with said top side of said section and said roof, said direct heat exchange section air stream flowing countercurrent with said evaporative liquid therein;means for downwardly spraying said evaporative liquid over said fill bundle of said direct section before said liquid gravity drains into said indirect heat exchange section;a sump for collecting substantially all of said evaporative liquid after said evaporative liquid is distributed downwardly;a pump for pumping substantially all said collected evaporative liquid upwardly for redistribution to said direct heat exchange section. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 12 wherein said fill bundle comprises a plurality of individual fill sheets, each of said sheets having a short side edge, a long side edge, and a face therebetween, and wherein said direct and indirect heat exchange sections, said spray means, said sump and said passageway are enclosed within said structural enclosure, said fill sheets arranged such that said air stream flowing into said entry zone is parallel to each of said fill sheet faces. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 17 wherein said indirect heat exchange section further includes a top fluid header and a bottom fluid header, each of said top and bottom fluid headers operationally associated with respective said top and bottom of said indirect heat exchange section, each said fluid header having a pipe attached to a corresponding side face of said respective header in vertically spaced general congruency to each other, said top and bottom fluid header pipes communicating said fluid stream into and out of said top and bottom fluid headers. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 18 wherein said plurality of circuits is comprised of individual circuits arranged in a series, each of said circuits within said series including a inlet end and an outlet end, one of said inlet and outlet ends connected to one of said top and said bottom fluid headers and the other of said inlet and outlet ends connected to the other of said top and said bottom fluid headers, each of said circuits communicating said fluid stream between said fluid headers.