A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank

Abstract

This application discloses a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, relating to the field of cooling tower technology. It includes: a tower body, within which a spray device and a packing unit are installed; a salt collection tank is located below the packing unit; a water collection tank is located below the salt collection tank; a fan is installed at the top of the tower body; and an air inlet is located on the side of the tower body. The packing unit comprises several sheet-like packings, which are slidably installed within the tower body by a push-pull assembly, and are connected in series by connecting ropes. The spray device is located above the packing unit and is used to spray high-salt wastewater onto the sheet-like packings. A vibration device is installed above the slide rail, and a shock-absorbing device is installed at the connection between the slide rail and the tower body. This solves the problems of easy crystallization and blockage of the packing during high-salt wastewater cooling, leading to decreased heat exchange efficiency and inconvenient salt collection and cleaning. It achieves online desalination without shutting down the tower and safe and convenient salt collection, reducing labor costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cooling tower technology, and in particular to a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank. Background Technology

[0002] Crossflow open cooling towers, as highly efficient heat exchange equipment, are widely used in the treatment of high-salinity wastewater in water-intensive industries such as power, chemical, and metallurgy. They are primarily used for the evaporation, concentration, cooling, and reuse of wastewater. The working process is as follows: high-salinity wastewater is evenly distributed onto the packing surface through a spray system at the top of the tower. Under gravity, a liquid film forms and flows vertically downwards. Simultaneously, a fan forces air to flow horizontally across the packing layer from the side of the tower, creating cross-flow contact with the liquid film. Utilizing the principle of heat and mass exchange, the water in the wastewater evaporates rapidly and is discharged with the airflow, thus achieving wastewater concentration and volume reduction or salt crystallization. Compared to counterflow cooling towers, crossflow structures offer advantages such as lower airflow resistance, lower energy consumption, and easier packing maintenance. They are particularly suitable for areas with dry climates and good evaporation conditions, enabling low-cost wastewater treatment without relying on complex heat sources.

[0003] However, the aforementioned crossflow open cooling towers have significant shortcomings in actual operation. As wastewater evaporates and concentrates, supersaturation of salt easily leads to scale precipitation on the packing surface. Because the packing uses a fixed installation structure with no adjustable gaps, the crystalline salt is difficult to detach on its own, and long-term accumulation will block the transverse airflow channels, increase ventilation resistance, and reduce heat exchange efficiency. Existing solutions mostly involve adding scale inhibitors or periodically shutting down for flushing. The former increases costs, while the latter affects continuous system operation and has limited cleaning effectiveness. In addition, there is no dedicated collection structure for the crystalline salt deposited at the bottom of the tower, requiring manual cleaning, which is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and poses safety hazards. Therefore, how to achieve online desalination of the packing and convenient salt collection at the bottom of the tower while ensuring continuous operation has become an urgent problem to be solved in the field of crossflow open cooling tower technology for treating high-salt wastewater. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, achieve convenient online desalination and salt collection using the packing material, improve heat exchange efficiency, and reduce labor costs, this application provides a cooling tower with retractable packing material and a pull-out salt collection tank.

[0005] The cooling tower with expandable packing and pull-out salt collection tank provided in this application adopts the following technical solution.

[0006] A cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank includes: a tower body, a spray device installed inside the tower body, a fan installed at the top of the tower body, and an air inlet installed on the side of the tower body; and further includes: a packing unit installed inside the tower body, the packing unit comprising a plurality of sheet packings, adjacent sheet packings being linked and coordinated.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, wastewater can be evenly sprayed onto the surface of the sheet-like packing material through the spraying device. The packing unit configuration allows for synchronized movement of several sheet-like packing materials, adjusting the gaps between them and facilitating the natural shedding of crystalline salts adhering to their surface, thus achieving online desalination without shutting down the system. The fan configuration further enhances the wastewater evaporation rate, accelerating salt precipitation. In summary, this solution solves the problems of clogging and the need for shutdown for cleaning inherent in fixed packing materials, enabling efficient continuous operation and online desalination of the cooling tower without requiring manual entry for cleaning, thereby reducing labor costs.

[0008] Optionally, the spraying device includes a gravity water distribution trough and several gravity water distribution nozzles. The gravity water distribution trough is located directly above the packing unit, and the several gravity water distribution nozzles are evenly installed at the bottom of the gravity water distribution trough.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution and setting up the spray device, it can meet the gravity water distribution requirements of crossflow open cooling towers, and can distribute water evenly without pressurization, so that high-salt wastewater can be steadily sprayed on the surface of the packing material, ensuring heat exchange efficiency. At the same time, the structure is simple and not easy to clog.

[0010] Optionally, the packing unit is provided in two sets, located on both sides of the tower body respectively.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the two sets of packing units are arranged symmetrically, which increases the heat exchange area and the salt precipitation area, which is conducive to improving the water evaporation rate and heat exchange efficiency, and accelerating the salt precipitation.

[0012] Optionally, the packing unit further includes a slide rail and a packing hanger plate. The slide rail is installed on the tower body. The tops of several sheet packings are respectively arranged in parallel and slidably installed on the slide rail through the packing hanger plate. The several sheet packings are connected in series by connecting ropes. The several sheet packings are slidably installed in the tower body by a push-pull assembly.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, the arrangement, installation and sliding operation of the sheet packing are facilitated by the setting of the slide rail and the packing hanging plate. Several sheet packings are linked by the connecting rope and moved by the push-pull component, which can realize synchronous stretching and contraction. When stretching, the gap between several sheet packings is widened.

[0014] Optionally, the push-pull assembly includes a push-pull rod disposed on the tower body, and push-pull rods are disposed on both sides of the plurality of sheet packings. The plurality of sheet packings are connected together by two connecting ropes and connected to the push-pull rods, and the push-pull rods drive the sheet packings to slide.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, power is provided by push-pull rods on both sides. These rods, acting as drive mechanisms, are connected to an external power source. Several sheet-like packings are connected in series via connecting ropes, enabling each sheet-like packing to slide synchronously along the slide rail. The two connecting ropes are arranged in parallel, ensuring uniform force on each sheet-like packing and avoiding deflection or jamming caused by single-point traction. The series connection structure is simple and reliable, eliminating the need for a separate drive device for each sheet-like packing, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulty, while ensuring the synchronicity and positional accuracy of the extension and retraction movements of multiple sheet-like packings.

[0016] Optionally, the tower body is also equipped with a vibration device and a shock absorption device; The vibration device is mounted on a vibration mounting frame on a slide rail, and the vibration mounting frame is located above the packing unit. The vibration device is used to generate vibration and transmit it to the sheet packing. The vibration damping device is installed at the connection between the slide rail and the tower body to isolate the transmission of vibration to the tower body.

[0017] By employing the above technical solution, the combined use of a vibration device and a damping device accelerates the removal of stubborn scale, while the damping device isolates the vibration from being transmitted to the tower body. During the desalination process, the vibration device generates high-frequency, low-amplitude vibrations, which are directly transmitted to the sheet-like packing material via the slide rails and packing hangers. This accelerates the removal of crystalline salts adhering to the packing surface, showing a significant peeling effect, especially on stubborn scale. The damping device effectively isolates the transmission of vibration to the tower body, avoiding noise, structural fatigue, and loose connections caused by overall tower swaying. This ensures that vibration energy is concentrated on the packing material itself, improving the efficiency of vibration desalination. The synergistic effect of vibration desalination and stretching desalination significantly improves the thoroughness and adaptability of the packing unit, while simultaneously ensuring the stability of the tower structure and the long-term reliability of the equipment.

[0018] Optionally, a salt collection trough is provided below the packing unit. The salt collection trough is a pull-out type. A sliding rail mechanism is provided between the salt collection trough and the tower body. A water filter hole is opened at the bottom of the salt collection trough. A handle and a limiting block are respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the salt collection trough. The outer side plate of the salt collection trough is higher than the inner side plate.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, a pull-out salt collection tank is slidably positioned between the bottom of the packing unit and the top of the water collection tank. The outer side plate of the salt collection tank is higher than the inner side plate, and several filter holes are opened at the bottom to collect the crystalline salt that falls off the sheet packing and the wastewater falling from the spray system. Under normal operating conditions, the salt collection tank has an outer side plate that is higher than the inner side plate. Wastewater flows into the water collection tank through the filter holes, and the crystalline salt is intercepted and accumulated. When the salt accumulation prevents the wastewater from passing through the filter holes, the wastewater can overflow from the lower inner side plate to ensure the normal operation of the system. The operator pulls the salt collection tank outward along the slide rail to clean and collect the crystalline salt in the tank. After cleaning, the salt collection tank is pushed back to its original position. This solves the problems of inconvenient cleaning of crystalline salt accumulation at the bottom of the tower and the safety hazards of manual entry into the tower. It achieves safe and convenient collection of salt without affecting the continuous operation of the system.

[0020] Optionally, a water collection tank is provided below the salt collection tank, and a heat exchanger coil is provided at the bottom of the water collection tank. The two ends of the heat exchanger coil extend out of the tower body to form a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, wastewater is collected by flowing into the collection tank through the filter holes at the bottom of the salt collection tank. The wastewater is heated by the heat exchanger coils to increase the evaporation rate and accelerate salt precipitation. An external heat source medium enters the heat exchanger coils through the heat medium inlet, transferring heat to the wastewater in the collection tank as it flows through the coils, raising the wastewater temperature. The heated wastewater is then pumped to a spraying device and evenly sprayed onto the surface of the sheet-like packing material, forming a liquid film with a certain temperature. When the hot liquid film comes into contact with the flowing cold air, the combined effect of the temperature and humidity difference significantly increases the evaporation rate, causing the salt in the liquid film to quickly reach supersaturation and crystallize on the packing surface. Through the synergistic effect of bottom heating and top evaporation, the system's evaporation and concentration efficiency is greatly improved, accelerating the separation of salt from the wastewater. This method is particularly suitable for treating high-concentration, difficult-to-crystallize wastewater or scenarios requiring increased treatment capacity.

[0022] Optionally, the side of the tower body is provided with an openable outer side plate and an openable side pressure plate; The openable outer side panel consists of four pieces, two on each side, arranged parallel to the openable side pressure plate, and is a component of the tower shell. Each openable outer side panel consists of two split panels A, with the outer edges hinged to the tower body, opening from the middle to both sides. The openable side pressure plates are arranged on the side of the tower body and on both sides of the packing unit, with two plates on each side and four plates in total. The openable side pressure plates are parallel to the sheet packing and are composed of two split plates B. The outer edges are hinged to the tower body by hinges and open from the middle to both sides.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution and setting the openable outer panel, it combines the functions of an anti-airflow shell and a maintenance passage. During normal operation, the openable outer panel closes to effectively prevent airflow short-circuiting and ensure heat exchange efficiency. When maintenance or operation of the inner openable side pressure plate is required, the openable outer panel can be opened outward to provide a convenient passage for operators without disassembling the fixed shell, significantly improving the maintainability of the equipment. The openable outer panel and the openable side pressure plate are arranged in parallel and matched in size, with a compact structure and flexible opening, which not only meets the functional requirements of anti-airflow but also optimizes the maintenance space, thereby improving the overall operational reliability and ease of operation of the cooling tower.

[0024] Optionally, air inlets are provided on both sides of the tower body, and heat exchangers are respectively provided at the air inlets on both sides of the tower body. The heat exchangers include several parallel finned tubes. One end of the finned tube is provided with a heat medium inlet, and the other end is provided with a heat medium outlet for connecting to an external heat source medium. The finned tubes are arranged at the air inlets with their fin extension surfaces facing the air inlet direction, so that the flowing air can fully contact the finned tubes for heat exchange.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, through the setting of the heat exchanger, the external heat source medium enters the finned tube from the heat medium inlet. When it flows through the finned tube, it transfers heat to the fins and the surrounding air. The cold air from the outside flows through the surface of the heat exchanger first under the suction of the fan, and is preheated before entering the tower body. The preheated air temperature increases and the relative humidity decreases. When it comes into contact with the liquid film on the surface of the finned packing, it can absorb more moisture, significantly improve the evaporation rate, and accelerate the salt precipitation. It is especially suitable for operation in cold regions or low-temperature seasons.

[0026] In summary, this application includes at least the following beneficial effects: 1. In this application, by setting the packing unit, when desalination is required, the push-pull rod drives several plate packings to be stretched horizontally, thereby expanding the gap between the plates and causing the crystalline salt attached to the surface of the packing to fall off naturally. Online desalination can be achieved without stopping the machine, which solves the problem of easy clogging of fixed packings and the need to stop the machine for cleaning, and ensures the continuous operation of the system.

[0027] 2. In this application, a pull-out salt collection tank is used, with the outer side plate being higher than the inner side plate. Wastewater flows into the collection tank through the filter holes, and crystallized salt is intercepted and accumulated. When the accumulation of salt prevents the wastewater from passing through the filter holes, the wastewater can overflow from the lower inner side plate to ensure the normal operation of the system. Operators only need to pull out the salt collection tank to clean and collect the salt without entering the tower. This solves the problems of inconvenience and safety hazards in cleaning crystallized salt at the bottom of the tower, realizes convenient salt collection, eliminates the need for manual cleaning, and reduces labor costs.

[0028] 3. This application utilizes a combination of a vibration device and a damping device. Vibration accelerates the removal of stubborn scale, while damping isolates vibration from transmission to the tower body. During the desalination process, the vibration device generates high-frequency, low-amplitude vibrations, which are directly transmitted to the sheet-like packing material via the slide rails and packing hangers. This accelerates the removal of crystalline salts adhering to the packing surface, particularly effective at removing stubborn scale. The damping device effectively isolates vibration from propagation to the tower body, preventing noise, structural fatigue, and loose connections caused by overall tower swaying. This ensures that vibration energy is concentrated on the packing material itself, improving the efficiency of vibration desalination. The synergistic effect of vibration desalination and stretching desalination significantly improves the thoroughness and adaptability of the packing unit, while simultaneously ensuring the stability of the tower structure and the long-term reliability of the equipment.

[0029] 4. In this application, the wastewater is heated by heat exchanger coils to increase the evaporation rate and accelerate salt precipitation. The heat exchanger installed at the air inlet preheats the air entering the tower, increasing the air temperature and reducing the relative humidity, further enhancing gas-liquid heat and mass exchange and significantly improving evaporation efficiency. The coordinated operation of all components improves the adaptability, reliability, and maintainability of the equipment under high-salt wastewater treatment conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, as shown in Embodiment 1.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a side view schematic diagram of a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, as shown in Embodiment 1.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, as shown in Embodiment 1.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a front structural cross-sectional view of a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, as described in Embodiment 1.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a side view sectional view of a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank in Embodiment 1 (packing in contracted state).

[0036] Figure 6This is a side view sectional view (packing in stretched state) of a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank in Embodiment 1.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a top view of the structure of a cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, as described in Embodiment 1.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a sectional view of the main structure of a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank in Example 2 (the water collection tank is equipped with a heat exchanger coil).

[0039] Figure 9 This is a top view of the structure of a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank in Example 2 (the water collection tank is equipped with a heat exchanger coil).

[0040] Figure 10 This is a sectional view of the main structure of a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank in Example 3 (with a finned heat exchanger installed at the air inlet).

[0041] Figure 11 This is a side view of a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank in Example 3 (with a finned heat exchanger installed at the air inlet).

[0042] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Tower body; 2. Spraying device; 201. Gravity water distribution trough; 202. Gravity water distribution nozzle; 3. Packing unit; 301. Sheet packing; 302. Slide rail; 303. Packing hanging plate; 304. Push-pull rod; 4. Salt collection tank; 5. Water collection tank; 6. Fan; 7. Air inlet; 8. Vibration device; 9. Openable outer side plate; 10. Openable side pressure plate; 11. Heat exchanger coil; 12. Finned heat exchanger. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 11 This application will be described in further detail.

[0045] This application discloses a cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank.

[0046] Example 1 Reference Figures 1 to 7A cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank includes: a tower body 1 and a spray device 2 and a packing unit 3 arranged sequentially from top to bottom inside the tower body 1. A salt collection tank 4 is provided below the packing unit 3, and a water collection tank 5 is provided below the salt collection tank 4. A fan 6 is provided at the top of the tower body 1, and an air inlet 7 is provided on the side of the tower body 1.

[0047] A spraying device 2 is positioned above the packing unit 3 and is used to spray wastewater onto the sheet-like packing 301. The spraying device 2 includes a gravity water distribution trough 201 and several gravity-type water distribution nozzles 202. The gravity water distribution trough 201 is positioned directly above the packing unit 3, and the several gravity-type water distribution nozzles 202 are evenly installed at the bottom of the gravity water distribution trough 201. The spraying device 2 is designed to meet the gravity water distribution requirements of crossflow open cooling towers, allowing for uniform water distribution without pressurization. This ensures that high-salt wastewater is steadily sprayed onto the surface of the sheet-like packing 301, guaranteeing heat exchange efficiency. Furthermore, the device has a simple structure and is not prone to clogging.

[0048] The packing unit 3 consists of two sets, located on both sides of the tower body 1, which increases the heat exchange area and the salt precipitation area, thereby improving the water evaporation rate and heat exchange efficiency, and accelerating salt precipitation.

[0049] The packing unit 3 includes several sheet-like packings 301, a slide rail 302, a packing hanging plate 303, and a push-pull assembly. The sheet-like packings 301 are arranged in parallel and connected in series by connecting ropes, which can be steel wire ropes. The slide rail 302 is mounted on the tower body 1, and the tops of the sheet-like packings 301 are slidably mounted on the slide rail 302 via the packing hanging plate 303. The slide rail 302 and the packing hanging plate 303 facilitate the arrangement, installation, and sliding operation of the sheet-like packings 301. The sheet-like packings 301 are slidably mounted within the tower body 1 by the push-pull assembly. The push-pull assembly includes push-pull rods 304 mounted on the tower body 1, and push-pull rods 304 are provided on both sides of each sheet-like packing 301. The sheet-like packings 301 are connected in series by two connecting ropes and connected to the push-pull rods 304, which drive the sheet-like packings 301 to slide.

[0050] Power is provided by push-pull rods 304 on both sides, which act as drive mechanisms connected to an external power source. Several sheet-like packings 301 are connected in series by connecting ropes, which can drive each sheet-like packing 301 to slide synchronously along the slide rail 302. The two connecting ropes are arranged in parallel, ensuring that each sheet-like packing 301 is subjected to uniform force, avoiding deflection or jamming caused by single-point traction. The series connection structure of the connecting ropes is simple and reliable, eliminating the need for a separate drive device for each sheet-like packing 301, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulty, while ensuring the synchronicity and positional accuracy of the extension and retraction of multiple sheet-like packings 301.

[0051] Vibration device 8 and shock absorption device are also installed inside tower body 1.

[0052] The vibration device 8 is mounted on a vibration mounting frame on the slide rail 302. The vibration mounting frame is located above the packing unit 3. There are two sets of packing units 3, each equipped with one vibration device 8. A total of two vibration devices 8 are installed on the entire tower. The vibration device 8 is used to generate vibration and transmit it to the sheet packing 301. The vibration device 8 can be an existing device that generates high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration, which is existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0053] The vibration damping device is installed at the connection between the slide rail 302 and the tower body 1. Multiple devices are evenly arranged on the slide rail 302. Rubber damping pads or spring dampers can be used. These are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here. They are used to isolate the transmission of vibration to the tower body 1.

[0054] Through the coordination of the vibration device 8 and the damping device, vibration accelerates the removal of stubborn scale, while damping isolates the transmission of vibration to the tower body 1. During the desalination process, the vibration device 8 generates high-frequency, low-amplitude vibration, which is directly transmitted to the sheet-like packing 301 via the slide rail 302 and the packing suspension plate 303. This causes the crystalline salt adhering to the packing surface to detach more quickly under vibration, exhibiting a significant peeling effect, especially on stubborn scale. The damping device effectively isolates the transmission of vibration to the tower body 1, avoiding noise, structural fatigue, and loose connections caused by overall tower body swaying. This ensures that vibration energy is concentrated on the packing itself, improving the efficiency of vibration desalination. The synergistic effect of vibration desalination and stretching desalination significantly improves the thoroughness and adaptability of the packing unit 3, while simultaneously ensuring the structural stability of the tower body 1 and the long-term operational reliability of the equipment.

[0055] Salt collection tank 4 is a pull-out type salt collection tank 4. A sliding rail mechanism is provided between the salt collection tank 4 and the tower body 1. The sliding rail mechanism is existing technology and will not be described in detail here. The bottom of the salt collection tank 4 has a water filter hole with a diameter of 1-3mm. This hole diameter is smaller than the average particle size of the crystallized salt to ensure that the salt is effectively retained. The front and rear ends of the salt collection tank 4 are respectively equipped with handles and limit blocks, and the outer side plate of the salt collection tank 4 is higher than the inner side plate.

[0056] By setting up a pull-out salt collection tank 4, which is slidably positioned between the bottom of the packing unit 3 and the top of the water collection tank 5, the outer side plate of the salt collection tank 4 is higher than the inner side plate. Several filter holes are opened at the bottom to collect the crystallized salt that falls off from the sheet packing 301 and the wastewater falling from the spray system. Under normal operating conditions, the salt collection tank 4 adopts a structure where the outer side plate is higher than the inner side plate. Wastewater flows into the water collection tank 5 through the filter holes, and the crystallized salt is intercepted and accumulated. When the salt accumulation causes the wastewater to be unable to pass through the filter holes, the wastewater can overflow from the lower inner side plate to ensure the normal operation of the system. The operator pulls the salt collection tank 4 outward along the slide rail 302 to clean and collect the crystallized salt in the tank. After cleaning, the salt collection tank 4 is pushed back to its original position, thus solving the problems of inconvenient cleaning of crystallized salt accumulation at the bottom of the tower and the safety hazards of manual entry into the tower. It realizes the safe and convenient collection of salt without affecting the continuous operation of the system.

[0057] The side of the tower body 1 is provided with an openable outer side plate 9 and an openable side pressure plate 10.

[0058] There are four openable outer side panels 9, two on each side, arranged parallel to the openable side pressure plate 10, which are part of the outer shell of the tower body 1. Each openable outer side panel 9 consists of two split panels A, and the outer edge is hinged to the tower body 1 by a hinge, opening from the middle to both sides.

[0059] Openable side pressure plates 10 are arranged on the side of the tower body 1 and on both sides of the packing unit 3, with two plates on each side, for a total of four plates; the openable side pressure plates 10 are parallel to the sheet packing 301 and are composed of two split plates B, with the outer edge hinged to the tower body 1 by hinges, and open from the middle to both sides.

[0060] The openable outer panel 9 serves as both a draft-proof outer shell and a maintenance access point. During normal operation, the openable outer panel 9 closes to effectively prevent airflow short-circuiting and ensure heat exchange efficiency. When maintenance or operation of the inner openable side pressure plate 10 is required, the openable outer panel 9 can be opened outwards, providing a convenient access point for operators without disassembling the fixed outer shell, greatly improving the maintainability of the equipment. The openable outer panel 9 and the openable side pressure plate 10 are arranged in parallel and matched in size, with a compact structure and flexible opening, which not only meets the draft-proof function requirements but also optimizes the maintenance space, thereby improving the overall operational reliability and ease of operation of the cooling tower.

[0061] In this application, the spray device 2 allows wastewater to be sprayed onto the surface of the sheet-like packing 301. The packing unit 3 connects several sheet-like packings 301 in series via connecting ropes, and a push-pull assembly moves these packings, enabling synchronized stretching and contraction. During stretching, the gaps between the sheet-like packings 301 widen, allowing crystalline salt to naturally detach, achieving online desalination without shutting down the system. The salt collection tank 4 and water collection tank 5 allow wastewater to flow into the water collection tank 5 through the filter holes, trapping crystalline salt. When salt accumulation is too high, it overflows from the inner side plate, and the salt can be safely collected by removing the salt collection tank 4. The fan 6 helps increase the wastewater evaporation rate and accelerates salt leaching. In summary, this solution solves the problems of easy clogging and the need for shutdown cleaning of fixed packings, achieving efficient continuous operation of the cooling tower, online desalination, and convenient salt collection, eliminating the need for manual cleaning and reducing labor costs.

[0062] In Example 1, the working principle is as follows: During normal heat dissipation operation, the packing unit 3 is in a contracted state, and the sheet packing 301 is tightly arranged. The openable outer side plate 9 is in a closed state to prevent external air from entering directly without passing through the packing; the openable side pressure plate 10 is in a closed state, and the two split plates B close towards the middle to press and fix the sheet packing 301 from the side, preventing the packing from shaking or deforming under the impact of airflow. The spray device 2 sprays high-salt wastewater evenly onto the surface of the sheet packing 301 through the gravity water distribution tank (201) and gravity water distribution nozzles 202, forming a liquid film that flows vertically downward under the action of gravity. The fan 6 forces air to enter from the air inlet 7 on the side of the tower body 1, horizontally crosses the packing layer, and cross-flows with the liquid film, using the principle of heat and mass exchange to make the water in the wastewater evaporate rapidly and be discharged from the air outlet with the airflow. After the wastewater flows down through the sheet packing 301, it falls into the pull-out salt collection tank 4 below. The wastewater flows into the water collection tank 5 through the filter holes, and the crystallized salt is intercepted and gradually accumulates at the bottom of the salt collection tank 4.

[0063] When desalination is required, the two split plates B of the openable side pressure plate 10 open outwards, providing space for the sheet packing 301 to stretch to both sides. The push-pull rod 304 simultaneously pulls two steel wire ropes, which, through the limiting holes, drive each sheet packing 301 to slide synchronously to both sides along the slide rail 302, widening the gaps between the sheet packing 301 pieces. The crystalline salt adhering to the surface of the sheet packing 301 naturally falls off due to adhesion failure and its own weight, falling into the pull-out salt collection tank 4 below. Simultaneously, the vibration device 8 starts, generating high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration, which is directly transmitted to the sheet packing 301 through the slide rail 302 and the packing hanging plate 303, accelerating the removal of stubbornly attached crystalline salt. Multiple vibration damping devices evenly arranged on the slide rail 302 effectively isolate the transmission of vibration to the tower body 1, avoiding noise, structural fatigue, and loose connections caused by the overall shaking of the tower body 1, ensuring that the vibration energy is concentrated on the packing itself. During this process, the spray device 2 and the fan 6 remain in normal operation, achieving online desalination without shutting down the system. After desalination is completed, the push-pull rod 304 drives the sheet packing 301 to return to its contracted state, and the openable side pressure plate 10 closes and resets.

[0064] During the salt collection process, the pull-out salt collection tank 4 continuously receives crystallized salt and wastewater. When the salt accumulation height exceeds the upper edge of the inner side plate, preventing wastewater from being discharged through the filter holes, the wastewater overflows directly from the top of the inner side plate into the collection tank 5, ensuring the system's continuous operation is unaffected, as the outer side plate is higher than the inner side plate. When the salt accumulation in the collection tank 4 reaches a certain amount, the operator first opens the openable outer side plate 9, then opens the openable side pressure plate 10, and then pulls the collection tank 4 out along the slide rail 302 using the handle to clean and collect the crystallized salt inside. After cleaning, the collection tank 4 is pushed back to its original position, and the openable side pressure plate 10 and the openable outer side plate 9 are closed in sequence. The entire cleaning process does not require operators to enter the tower body 1, eliminating operational safety hazards.

[0065] Example 2 Reference Figures 8 to 9 A cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, comprising all the contents of Embodiment 1, and further comprising: A heat exchanger coil 11 is installed at the bottom of the water collection tank 5. The heat exchanger coil 11 is submerged in the wastewater in the water collection tank 5. Both ends of the heat exchanger coil 11 extend upward and pass through the side wall of the tower body 1, forming a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, respectively, for connecting to an external heat source medium. The horizontal projection of the heat exchanger coil 11 covers the corresponding area below the single set of plate packing 301 on one side, and is fixedly connected to the bottom of the water collection tank 5 by a bracket, maintaining a certain gap with the bottom of the tank, so as to form sufficient heat exchange contact with the wastewater in the water collection tank 5.

[0066] By using heat exchanger coil 11, the wastewater is heated to increase the evaporation rate and accelerate salt precipitation. An external heat source medium enters the heat exchanger coil 11 through the heat medium inlet, transferring heat to the wastewater in the collection tank 5 as it flows through the coil, raising the wastewater temperature. The heated wastewater is then pumped to the spray device 2 and evenly sprayed onto the surface of the sheet packing 301, forming a liquid film with a certain temperature. When the hot liquid film comes into contact with the flowing cold air, the combined effect of the temperature and humidity difference significantly increases the water evaporation rate, causing the salt in the liquid film to quickly reach supersaturation and crystallize on the surface of the sheet packing 301. Through the synergistic effect of bottom heating and top evaporation, the system's evaporation and concentration efficiency is greatly improved, accelerating the separation of salt from the wastewater. This is particularly suitable for treating high-concentration, difficult-to-crystallize wastewater or scenarios requiring increased treatment capacity.

[0067] In Example 2, the working principle is as follows: During normal heat dissipation operation, the external heat source medium enters the heat exchanger coil 11 through the heat medium inlet. As it flows through the heat exchanger coil 11, it transfers heat to the wastewater in the water collection tank 5, raising the wastewater temperature. The heated wastewater is then pumped by a circulating pump to the spray device 2, where it is evenly sprayed onto the surface of the sheet packing 301, forming a liquid film with a certain temperature. The openable outer side plate 9 is closed, sealing the widened air inlet gap, while the openable side pressure plate 10 is closed, pressing the sheet packing 301 from the side. The fan 6 forces air horizontally across the packing layer from the air inlet 7, creating cross-flow contact with the liquid film. Due to the combined effect of temperature and humidity differences, the water evaporation rate is significantly increased, and the salt in the liquid film quickly reaches a supersaturated state and crystallizes on the surface of the sheet packing 301. After flowing down through the sheet packing 301, the wastewater falls into the pull-out salt collection tank 4. The wastewater then flows into the water collection tank 5 through the filter holes, where the crystallized salt is trapped and accumulated.

[0068] When desalination is required, the openable side pressure plate 10 opens outward, and the push-pull rod 304 extends, pulling the sheet packing 301 to both sides, widening the gaps between the sheets and allowing the crystalline salt to fall off naturally. Simultaneously, the vibration device 8 activates, generating high-frequency vibration to accelerate the removal of stubborn scale. During this process, the heat exchanger coil 11 continuously heats the wastewater, maintaining a stable spray film temperature and ensuring that the evaporation efficiency is not affected by the desalination operation. After desalination is completed, the push-pull rod 304 resets, and the openable side pressure plate 10 closes.

[0069] During the salt collection process, when the salt accumulation in the salt collection tank 4 reaches a certain amount, the operator opens the openable outer side plate 9 and the openable side pressure plate 10 to remove the salt collection tank 4 and clean the crystallized salt. The heat exchanger coil 11 continues to work to maintain the wastewater temperature in the water collection tank 5, ensuring that the system can quickly resume operation during the cleaning period.

[0070] By combining bottom heating with top evaporation, this embodiment significantly improves the system's evaporation and concentration efficiency, accelerating the separation of salts from wastewater. It is particularly suitable for treating high-concentration, difficult-to-crystallize wastewater or scenarios requiring increased treatment capacity. The remaining structure and operation of this embodiment are the same as in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0071] Example 3 Reference Figures 10 to 11 A cooling tower with retractable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, comprising all the contents of Embodiment 1, and further comprising: Both sides of the tower body 1 are provided with air inlets 7, and heat exchangers, specifically finned heat exchangers 12, are installed at the air inlets 7 on both sides of the tower body 1. The heat exchangers include several parallel finned tubes, one end of which has a heat medium inlet and the other end has a heat medium outlet for connecting to an external heat source medium. The finned tubes are arranged at the air inlets 7 with their fin extension surfaces facing the air inlet direction, allowing the flowing air to fully contact the finned tubes for heat exchange. Through the heat exchanger, the external heat source medium enters the finned tubes from the heat medium inlet, transferring heat to the fins and surrounding air as it flows through the finned tubes. The outside cold air, under the suction of the fan 6, first flows over the surface of the heat exchanger, is preheated, and then enters the interior of the tower body 1. The preheated air has a higher temperature and lower relative humidity. When it comes into contact with the liquid film on the surface of the sheet-like packing 301, it can absorb more moisture, significantly increasing the evaporation rate and accelerating salt precipitation, making it particularly suitable for operation in cold regions or low-temperature seasons.

[0072] In Example 3, the working principle is as follows: During normal heat dissipation operation, an external heat source medium (such as hot water, steam, or heat transfer oil) enters the finned tube through the heat medium inlet, transferring heat to the fins and surrounding air as it flows through the finned tube. Under the suction of the fan 6, the outside air first flows over the finned surface of the finned heat exchanger 12, is preheated, and then enters the tower body 1 through the air inlet 7. The preheated air has a higher temperature and lower relative humidity. When it horizontally crosses the packing unit 3, it comes into contact with the liquid film on the surface of the sheet packing 301, absorbing more moisture and significantly increasing the evaporation rate, thus accelerating salt precipitation. The increased temperature difference between the preheated air and the sprayed liquid film enhances the heat and mass exchange process, causing the water in the wastewater to evaporate faster and the salt to crystallize and precipitate more quickly, making it particularly suitable for operation in cold regions or during low-temperature seasons.

[0073] When desalination is required, the openable side pressure plate 10 opens outward, and the openable outer side plate 9 opens as needed. The finned heat exchanger 12 continues to operate, and the preheated air continues to participate in the evaporation process, ensuring that the evaporation efficiency does not decrease during desalination. The remaining structure and operation process of this embodiment are the same as in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0074] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "side," "top," "below," "both sides," "front end," "rear end," "below," "bottom," "above," "middle," "inner," "both ends," "one end," and "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the term "connection" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or it can be a connection within two elements, a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances.

[0075] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the invention should be included within the protection scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank, comprising: The tower body (1) is equipped with a spray device (2), a fan (6) is provided on the top of the tower body (1), and an air inlet (7) is provided on the side of the tower body (1). The tower body (1) is characterized by further comprising: a packing unit (3) is provided inside the tower body (1), the packing unit (3) includes several sheet packings (301), and adjacent sheet packings (301) are linked and cooperate with each other.

2. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spraying device (2) includes a gravity water distribution trough (201) and several gravity water distribution nozzles (202). The gravity water distribution trough (201) is located directly above the packing unit (3), and several gravity water distribution nozzles (202) are evenly installed at the bottom of the gravity water distribution trough (201).

3. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The packing unit (3) is provided in two sets, located on both sides inside the tower body (1).

4. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The packing unit (3) further includes a slide rail (302) and a packing hanger (303). The slide rail (302) is set on the tower body (1). The tops of several sheet packings (301) are respectively arranged in parallel and slidably set on the slide rail (302) through the packing hanger (303). Several sheet packings (301) are connected in series by connecting ropes. Several sheet packings (301) are slidably set in the tower body (1) by a push-pull assembly.

5. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 4, characterized in that, The push-pull assembly includes a push-pull rod (304) set on the tower body (1), and push-pull rods (304) are set on both sides of several sheet packings (301). Several sheet packings (301) are connected together by two upper and lower connecting ropes and connected to the push-pull rods (304). The push-pull rods (304) drive the sheet packings (301) to slide.

6. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 5, characterized in that, The tower body (1) is also equipped with a vibration device (8) and a shock absorption device; The vibration device (8) is mounted on a vibration mounting frame on a slide rail (302), the vibration mounting frame being located above the packing unit (3), and the vibration device (8) is used to generate vibration and transmit it to the sheet packing (301). The shock absorption device is installed at the connection between the slide rail (302) and the tower body (1) to isolate the transmission of vibration to the tower body (1).

7. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, A salt collection tank (4) is provided below the packing unit (3). The salt collection tank (4) is a pull-out type. A sliding rail mechanism is provided between the salt collection tank (4) and the tower body (1). A water filter hole is opened at the bottom of the salt collection tank (4). A handle and a limiting block are provided at the front and rear ends of the salt collection tank (4) respectively. The outer side plate of the salt collection tank (4) is higher than the inner side plate.

8. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 7, characterized in that, A water collection tank (5) is provided below the salt collection tank (4). A heat exchanger coil (11) is provided at the bottom of the water collection tank (5). Both ends of the heat exchanger coil (11) extend out of the tower body (1) to form a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet.

9. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tower body (1) is provided with an openable outer side plate (9) and an openable side pressure plate (10) on its side. The openable outer side panel (9) has four pieces, two on each side, arranged in parallel with the openable side pressure plate (10), and is a component of the outer shell of the tower body (1); each openable outer side panel (9) consists of two split plates A, and the outer edge is hinged to the tower body (1) by a hinge, opening from the middle to both sides. The openable side pressure plate (10) is arranged on the side of the tower body (1) and on both sides of the packing unit (3), with two plates on each side and four plates in total. The openable side pressure plate (10) is parallel to the sheet packing (301) and is composed of two split plates B. The outer edge is hinged to the tower body (1) through a hinge and opens from the middle to both sides.

10. A cooling tower with expandable packing and a pull-out salt collection tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both sides of the tower body (1) are provided with air inlets (7), and heat exchangers are respectively provided at the air inlets (7) on both sides of the tower body (1). The heat exchangers include several parallel finned tubes. One end of the finned tube is provided with a heat medium inlet, and the other end is provided with a heat medium outlet for connecting to an external heat source medium. The finned tubes are arranged at the air inlets (7), and their fin extension surfaces face the air inlet direction so that the flowing air can fully contact the finned tubes for heat exchange.

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