IP Library Granted Patent US 7,802,774
Granted Patent B2
US 7,802,774 · App. 11/595,595 · Granted Sep 28, 2010

Cooling tower air inlet and drain pan

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,802,774
App. No.
11/595,595
Granted
Sep 28, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mechanical draft cooling tower is provided. The cooling tower includes a direct cooling section having a plurality of fill sheets. Water is sprayed downwardly over the fill sheets and is collected in a collection sump. The collection sump includes two end walls, two side walls, a floor and a drain. The end walls are sloped at the floor intersection. The floor is sloped to a center section where the drain is located.

Claims (27)

1. A mechanical draft direct and indirect cooling tower comprising

at least one direct section having a plurality of fill sheets wherein a fluid is distributed over the fill sheets,

a fan to draw air into the cooling tower across the fill sheets thus cooling the fluid flowing over the fill sheets,

the fluid distributed over the fill sheets falling from the fill sheets into a collection sump,

the collection sump having a generally rectangular configuration with two parallel end walls and two parallel side walls, a sloped floor with at least two different slopes, and a drain, wherein the sloped floor has a compound slope at least one end wall and is in contact with the side walls such that a significant portion of the compound sloped floor includes a first part located above an operating sump water level and wherein the sloped floor in the first part is sloped to prevent the settling of dirt and debris,

further comprising a second part of the compound slope floor sloped towards a drain but at a lesser angle from the horizontal than the first part of the compound slope floor.

2. The cooling tower of claim 1

wherein the first part of the sloped floor is sloped 25 to 70° from the horizontal.

3. The cooling tower of claim 1

wherein the first part of the sloped floor is sloped 40 to 60° from the horizontal.

4. The cooling tower of claim 1

wherein at the operating sump water level, less than three inches of horizontal water surface prior to the air entrance to the fill section is located above the surface of the first part of the compound slope floor.

5. The cooling tower of claim 1

wherein a louver arrangement is provided through which air is drawn into the cooling tower, the louver arrangement comprising aligned slats that block the passage of airborne debris and sunlight into the cooling tower.

6. A mechanical draft cooling tower comprising

at least one direct cooling section having a plurality of fill sheets wherein a fluid is distributed to flow over the fill sheets,

a fan to draw air through an air inlet into the cooling tower across the fill sheets thus cooling the fluid flowing over the fill sheets,

the fluid distributed over the fill sheets falling from the fill sheets into a collection sump,

the collection sump having a generally rectangular configuration with two parallel end walls and two parallel side walls, a sloped floor with a least two different slopes, and a drain, wherein the sloped floor has a compound slope at least one end wall and is in contact with the side walls such that a significant portion of the compound sloped floor includes a first part in front of the air inlet located above an operating sump water level and wherein the sloped floor in the first part of the compound sloped floor is sloped to prevent the settling of dirt and debris, further comprising a second part of the compound slope floor sloped towards a drain but at a lesser angle from the horizontal than the first part of the compound slope floor.

7. The cooling tower of claim 6

wherein the first part of the compound sloped floor is sloped 25 to 70° from the horizontal.

8. The cooling tower of claim 6

wherein the first part of the sloped floor is sloped 40 to 60° from the horizontal.

9. The cooling tower of claim 6

wherein at the operating sump water level, less than three inches of horizontal water surface prior to the air entrance to the fill section is located above the surface of the first part of the compound slope floor.

10. The cooling tower of claim 6

wherein a louver arrangement is provided through which air is drawn into the cooling tower, the louver arrangement comprising aligned slats that block the passage of airborne debris and sunlight into the cooling tower.

Assignments (4)
NOTICE OF SUCCESSOR AGENT AND ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 024662/0436 Recorded Feb 10, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS THE RESIGNING AGENT
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 070157/0001 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSOR AGENT AND ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 027253/0488 Recorded Feb 10, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS THE RESIGNING AGENT
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 070157/0268 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2013
From: FACIUS, TIMOTHY P.; HELSEN, ANDRE
To: BALTIMORE AIRCOIL COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 030515/0431 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jul 12, 2010
From: AMSTED INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED; AMCONSTRUCT CORPORATION; AMRAIL CORPORATION; AMVEHICLE CORPORATION; ABC RAIL PRODUCTS CHINA INVESTMENT CORPORATION; AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.; ASF-KEYSTONE, INC.; ASF-KEYSTONE MEXICO HOLDING CORP.; BALTIMORE AIRCOIL COMPANY, INC.; BURGESS-NORTON MFG. CO., INC.; CONSOLIDATED METCO, INC.; DIAMOND CHAIN COMPANY, INC.; GRIFFIN PIPE PRODUCTS CO., INC.; MEANS INDUSTRIES, INC.; MERIDIAN RAIL CHINA INVESTMENT CORP.; TRANSFORM AUTOMOTIVE LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., (AS SUCCESSOR TO CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC.), AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024662/0436 →