Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.

Government of the United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Commerce

Other

David Andrew Aaron

Preston Blay

Philip Hollander

Zan Liu

Frank T Morrison

Yoon K Shin

Branislav Korenic

John Edward Rule

Andrew Beaver

Glenn David Comisac

Gregory Michael Lowman

Thomas P Carter

Yohann Lilian Rousselet

Ravindra Singh

Kevin Egolf

Piotr A Domanski

Gregory Adam Russell

Lew Charles Schon

Christopher P Chiodo

Brent G Parks

Ryan J Most

Thomas Van Dijck

Philip S Hollander

Gregory Martell

Zeynep B Dine

Wim Uytterhoeven

Adam Sheer

Greg Martell

Nikhin Herbert Mascarenhas

Preston P Blay

Xan Liu

Thomas Carter

In one aspect, a heat rejection apparatus is provided including an evaporative heat exchanger and a primary fan operable to direct first ambient air into an air inlet, cause the first ambient air to interact with the evaporative heat exchanger to produce heated air, and discharge the heated air from an air outlet. The heat rejection apparatus includes a plume abatement fan operable to direct second ambient air into contact with the heated air downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger and a controller operably coupled to the primary fan and the plume abatement fan. The controller has a plume abatement mode wherein the controller operates the plume abatement fan to cause the plume abatement fan to direct the second ambient air into contact with the heated air to cool the heated air and abate plume.

Heat rejection apparatus, plume abatement system, and method

In one aspect, a cooling tower system is provided that includes an evaporative heat exchanger, a sensor configured to detect a parameter of evaporative liquid distributed onto the evaporative heat exchanger, and an evaporative liquid treatment system. The cooling tower system further includes a controller having a normal operating mode wherein the controller operates the evaporative liquid treatment system to treat the evaporative liquid upon a determination of inadequate evaporative liquid quality based at least in part on the parameter of the evaporative liquid. The controller has a failsafe operating mode wherein the controller changes operation of the cooling tower upon a determination that the operation of the evaporative liquid treatment system is unable to remedy the inadequate evaporative liquid quality.

Cooling tower control system

An improved indirect heat exchanger including a plurality of coil circuits, with each coil circuit comprised of an indirect heat exchange section tube run or plate. Each tube run or plate has at least one change in its geometric shape or may have a progressive change in its geometric shape proceeding from the inlet to the outlet of the circuit. The change in geometric shape along the circuit length allows simultaneously balancing of the external airflow, internal heat transfer coefficients, internal fluid side pressure drop, cross sectional area and heat transfer surface area to optimize heat transfer.

Indirect heat exchanger having circuit tubes with varying dimensions

In one aspect, a heat exchange apparatus is provided that includes an evaporative heat exchanger assembly including an evaporative heat exchanger and an evaporative liquid distribution assembly configured to distribute evaporative liquid onto the evaporative heat exchanger. The heat exchange apparatus includes a plume abatement assembly downstream of the evaporative heat exchanger. The plume abatement assembly includes at least one heating element configured to increase the temperature of the airflow from the evaporative heat exchanger before the airflow leaves the heat exchange apparatus. The plume abatement assembly has an operative configuration wherein the airflow travels through the at least one heating element to permit the at least one heating element to raise the temperature of the airflow and a bypass configuration wherein less of the airflow travels through the at least one heating element of the plume abatement assembly.

Heat exchanger having plume abatement assembly bypass

An improved heat exchange apparatus is provided with an indirect evaporative heat exchange section consisting of a series of serpentine tubes which are kept uniformly spaced in the return bend section. Providing uniform return bend spacing on the return bend ends allow for ease of circuit assembly (stacking), ease of coil pull-down, ease of manufacturing, reduction in production cost, produces a higher quality hot dip galvanizing process and is a more robust design that tolerates manufacturing variability issues such as variable tube circuit length and variable return bend angles. Uniform return bend spacing also reduces scaling relative to prior art designs which had wet/dry areas resulting from shadowed tubes which were non-uniformly spaced, provides for better inspection and access to the tubes in the return bend area, maintains uniform air passage around tubes, promotes better tube wetting of the return bend area and ultimately promotes higher quality and higher performing heat exchanger coils.

Heat exchange apparatus

An indirect heat exchanger has two airflow paths and an airflow generator to draw air through the airflow paths. A fluid conduit passes through the heat exchanger such that a cooling region is positioned within each of the flow paths. A dispenser is positioned to dispense evaporative liquid on one of the cooling regions. The dispenser operates in a wet mode and a dry mode. A controller regulates airflow through the first flow path and the second flow path, and also controls the operation of the dispenser. In this way, the controller may operate the airflow paths independently such that the airflow through a flow path operating in the dry mode is greater than that of the flow path operating in the wet mode.

Automated control of heat exchanger operation

An improved heat exchange apparatus is provided with an indirect evaporative heat exchange section enclosed in a housing and a direct evaporative heat exchange section both of which are located within the same apparatus. An internal fluid stream is passed through the internal passageways of the indirect heat exchange section. An evaporative liquid is passed across the outside of the external passageways of the indirect heat exchange section to exchange heat indirectly with the internal fluid stream. The evaporative liquid that exits the indirect evaporative heat exchange section housing then passes onto and through the direct heat exchange section. The evaporative liquid exiting the direct heat exchange section is collected in a sump and then pumped upwardly to be distributed again through the indirect heat exchange section housing. The indirect heat exchange section may be comprised of a plate type heat exchanger or a circuit tube type heat exchanger located within a housing. The indirect heat exchange housing may be in direct contact with the air moving through the direct heat exchange section, be in direct contact with the cool evaporative liquid, or both, to enhance the heat transfer from the indirect heat exchange section. Air may be pumped along with the evaporative liquid through the indirect heat exchange section to agitate and increase the velocity of evaporative fluid flowing through the indirect heat exchanger. Air may also be pumped into and through the indirect eat exchange section housing when the evaporative fluid pump is off during a dry mode of operation.

Cooling tower with direct and indirect heat exchanger

A cooling tower is provided having a heat exchange section, and a fan for moving air through the heat exchange section. A water distribution assembly provides water onto and through the heat exchange section. An air inlet section is provided through which air is drawn into the cooling tower and the heat exchange section. The air inlet section has outside edges and corners. A wall assembly is provided in the air inlet section, with the wall assembly extending from the corners of the air inlet section inwardly. The water passing through the heat exchange section enters the air inlet section, and exits to a sump beneath the air inlet section. The air inlet section is comprised of a structure having outside edges and corners, and the wall assembly is comprised of a plurality of wall panel sections. Each wall panel section has an outer edge at a corner of the air inlet section, and each wall panel section extends inwardly from the corner of the air inlet section.

Cooling tower wind wall system

An improved indirect heat exchanger is provided which is comprised of a plurality of coil circuits, with each coil circuit comprised of an indirect heat exchange section tube run or plate. Each tube run or plate has at least one change in its geometric shape or may have a progressive change in its geometric shape proceeding from the inlet to the outlet of the circuit. The change in geometric shape along the circuit length allows simultaneously balancing of the external airflow, internal heat transfer coefficients, internal fluid side pressure drop, cross sectional area and heat transfer surface area to optimize heat transfer.

Indirect heat exchanger

A cooling tower is provided having a heat exchange section. A water collection basin located above the heat exchange section. The water collection basin has a plurality of openings that allow water to be distributed downwardly onto the heat exchange section. The water collection basin openings each have a diameter of from 0.2 inch to 0.6 inch.

Cooling tower water distribution system

A water recirculation system operates in a primary mode for evaporatively cooling air. When the water recirculation mode malfunctions, the controller switches a secondary once-through mode. The system includes a sump for collecting water run-off from the evaporative pads, and a pump in fluid communication with the sump. The pump transfers moisture from the sump to the distribution arrangement located at the top of the evaporative pads during the recirculation mode. An automatically operated make-up water valve delivers water to a distribution arrangement on the evaporative pads. A moisture distribution arrangement distributes moisture to the evaporative pads and an automatically operated sump drain valve retains water in the sump when closed and freely drains water from the sump when open. A water level control communicates the sump water level to a control system. A monitoring mechanism detects whether the water-recirculation system has malfunctioned or is operating correctly.

Water recirculation system

Growing community of inventors

Reisterstown, MD, United States of America

David Andrew Aaron