Water collector for cooling tower
By employing alternating plates and convex strips in the cooling tower water collector, a spiral flow field is formed, which solves the problem of difficult airflow, improves water collection efficiency, and reduces energy consumption.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520571308.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-17
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-03-28
AI Technical Summary
The increased number of bends in the zigzag channel of existing cooling tower water collectors affects airflow, leading to increased energy consumption and low water collection efficiency.
Alternating first and second plates are used to form a zigzag channel. The plates are provided with raised strips that form a certain angle with the airflow direction, which promotes the rotational force of the airflow to form a spiral flow field and increases the number of collisions.
Without increasing the fan power, the water collection efficiency is improved, the airflow is ensured to be smooth, and the water drift loss is reduced.
Smart Images
Figure CN223925569U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein relate to the field of water-saving equipment technology, and more specifically, to a water collector for cooling towers. Background Technology
[0002] In industrial production and large-scale air conditioning systems, cooling towers are key equipment for achieving circulating water cooling. Cooling towers lower the water temperature and recycle it through heat exchange between water and air, thus achieving energy conservation and continuous heat dissipation. However, in this process, a large amount of hot, humid air carrying water droplets is discharged from the cooling tower, not only wasting water resources but also potentially causing adverse effects on the surrounding environment, such as causing corrosion of nearby equipment, slippery ground, and the formation of fog plumes that affect the landscape. Water collectors, installed inside the cooling tower, can capture and recover the water droplets discharged with the air, reducing water drift loss from the cooling tower.
[0003] Existing water collectors typically feature a zigzag channel. Gas carrying water droplets from the cooling tower's packing section passes through this channel under the influence of a fan above the tower. The impact of the airflow with the zigzag channel causes the water droplets to adhere to its inner wall, rather than being expelled with the gas. In practical applications, the efficiency of water droplet collection depends entirely on the number of bends in the zigzag channel. However, increasing the number of bends makes it more difficult for the airflow to pass through the channel, requiring a larger fan to draw air from the cooling tower and thus increasing energy consumption. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To overcome the above-mentioned defects, embodiments of this disclosure provide a water collector for cooling towers, which solves the problem that the increased number of bends in the zigzag channel of the prior art affects airflow.
[0005] According to one aspect, at least one embodiment of this disclosure provides a water collector for a cooling tower, disposed between a packing layer and a fan, the fan being used to draw air passing through the packing layer through the water collector, comprising:
[0006] First plate;
[0007] The second plate is arranged alternately with the first plate, forming a zigzag channel between the second plate and the first plate. The zigzag channel is used for airflow. The sidewall of the zigzag channel has several protrusions, which are distributed at intervals along the airflow direction in the zigzag channel. The protrusions have a certain angle with the airflow direction in the zigzag channel, and the protrusions increase the number of collisions when the airflow passes through the zigzag channel.
[0008] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the first plate is a corrugated plate, the first plate has a plurality of first crests and a plurality of first troughs, the first crests and the first troughs respectively abut against the second plates on the adjacent sides of the first plate, the first crests and two adjacent first troughs and one adjacent second plate form a first airflow channel, and the first troughs and two adjacent first crests and another adjacent second plate form a first airflow channel.
[0009] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the second plate is a corrugated plate, the second plate has a plurality of second peaks and a plurality of second troughs, the second peaks and the second troughs respectively abut against the first plates on the adjacent sides of the second plate, the second peaks and two adjacent second troughs together with one adjacent first plate form a second airflow channel, and the second troughs and two adjacent second peaks together with another adjacent first plate form a second airflow channel.
[0010] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel have a certain angle, the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel together form the zigzag channel, and the convex strips are respectively located between the first wave crest and the first wave trough and between the second wave crest and the second wave trough.
[0011] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the angle between the first airflow channel and the second airflow channel is 60°.
[0012] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the first plate body along the direction from the packing layer to the fan body is greater than that of the second plate body, the first plate body is closer to the packing layer than the second plate body, and the first plate body is used to support the second plate body.
[0013] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the first plate and the second plate are bonded together.
[0014] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the first wave crest has a first bonding platform, the first wave trough has a second bonding platform, the second wave crest has a third bonding platform, the second wave trough has a fourth bonding platform, and the first plate and the second plate are bonded together by the first bonding platform, the second bonding platform, the third bonding platform, and the fourth bonding platform.
[0015] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the angle between the convex strip and the airflow direction in the zigzag channel is 45°.
[0016] For example, in a cooling tower water collector provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the length difference between the first plate and the second plate is not less than 7 mm.
[0017] The beneficial effects of the embodiments disclosed herein are as follows:
[0018] In this disclosure, after the airflow enters the zigzag channel, the angle between the convex rib and the airflow direction forces the airflow to generate a rotational component force, forming a spiral flow field. This increases the number of collisions between the airflow and the zigzag channel, thereby improving water collection efficiency. The height of the convex rib, while promoting the generation of a rotational component force, ensures the smooth flow of the airflow. Under the condition of the same power fan, it increases water collection efficiency without affecting the airflow efficiency. Attached Figure Description
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this disclosure will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure and these drawings without any creative effort.
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this disclosure;
[0021] Figure 2 This is the main view of this disclosure;
[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first plate structure;
[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the second plate structure;
[0024] Figure 5 This is a top view of the present disclosure;
[0025] In the diagram: 100, first plate; 200, second plate; 300, zigzag channel; 400, raised strip; 110, first peak; 120, first trough; 130, first airflow channel; 210, second peak; 220, second trough; 230, second airflow channel; 111, first bonding platform; 121, second bonding platform; 211, third bonding platform; 221, fourth bonding platform. Detailed Implementation
[0026] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
[0027] To keep the drawings concise, each drawing only schematically shows the parts relevant to the disclosure; these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one," and "several" includes "two" and "more than two."
[0028] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure based on the specific circumstances.
[0029] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0030] In the description of this embodiment, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.
[0031] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0032] like Figures 1-5As shown, a cooling tower water collector according to one embodiment of this disclosure is disposed between a packing layer and a fan. The fan is used to draw air passing through the packing layer and through the water collector. It includes a first plate 100 and a second plate 200, which are arranged alternately, forming a zigzag channel 300 between them. The water collector is composed of 200 to 100 alternating sets of the first plate 100 and the second plate 200. The protruding ribs 400 are in the form of isosceles triangular prisms, cuboids, cylinders, etc., with a height 3 to 5 times the thickness of the zigzag channel 300. The length direction of the protruding ribs 400 maintains a certain angle with the airflow direction. When the two plates are stacked, the tip of the protruding rib 400 forms a guide structure arrayed along the airflow direction within the zigzag channel 300 on the inner wall of the channel. The spacing between adjacent protruding ribs 400 is 5 to 7 times the height of the protruding rib 400. The first plate 100 and the second plate 200 are made of materials such as polyvinyl chloride or fiberglass. The protrusions 400 on the first plate 100 and the second plate 200 are integrally formed with the first plate 100 and the second plate 200 through a mold. The first plate 100 and the second plate 200 form a folded channel 300 by bending. The thickness of the folded channel 300 is equal to the thickness of the first plate 100 and the second plate 200. The thickness of the first plate 100 and the second plate 200 is between 2 and 5 mm.
[0033] In practical use, after the airflow enters the zigzag channel 300, the angle between the convex rib 400 and the airflow direction can generate a rotational component force in the airflow, forming a spiral flow field. This increases the number of collisions between the airflow and the zigzag channel 300, thereby improving water collection efficiency. The height of the convex rib 400, while promoting the generation of a rotational component force in the airflow, ensures smooth airflow passage. Under the condition of the same power fan, it increases water collection efficiency without affecting airflow passage efficiency.
[0034] In some examples, the first plate 100 adopts a sinusoidal corrugated structure, having several first crests 110 and several first troughs 120. The height of the first crests 110 is 12-15 mm, and the depth of the second troughs 220 is 10-12 mm. When the first packing plate and the second packing plate are alternately stacked, the top surface of the first crest 110 and the bottom surface of the first trough 120 respectively abut against the second plates 200 on adjacent sides of the first plate 100. The first crest 110 and two adjacent first troughs 120, together with one adjacent second plate 200, form a first airflow channel 130, and the first trough 120 and two adjacent first crests 110, together with another adjacent second plate 200, form another first airflow channel 130. The protruding strip 400 is located on the connecting surface of adjacent first crests 110 and first troughs 120.
[0035] Airflow can pass under the first airflow channel 130 and collide with the surface of the protrusion 400 and the first plate 100.
[0036] In some examples, the second plate 200 adopts a sinusoidal corrugated structure, having several second peaks 210 and several second troughs 220. The height of the second peaks 210 is 12-15 mm, and the depth of the second troughs 220 is 10-12 mm. When the second packing plates are alternately stacked, the top surface of the second peaks 210 and the bottom surface of the second troughs 220 respectively abut against the second plates 200 on adjacent sides. The second peaks 210 and two adjacent second troughs 220, together with one adjacent second plate 200, form a second airflow channel 230. The second troughs 220 and two adjacent second peaks 210, together with another adjacent second plate 200, form another second airflow channel 230. The ribs 400 are located on the connecting surfaces of adjacent second peaks 210 and second troughs 220.
[0037] Airflow can pass under the second airflow channel 230 and collide with the surfaces of the rib 400 and the second plate 200.
[0038] In some examples, the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230 have a certain angle between them, and the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230 form a number of zigzag channels 300 for airflow to pass through, thereby increasing the number of collisions of airflow when passing through the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230 and improving water collection efficiency.
[0039] Combining the sinusoidal corrugated structure of the first plate 100 and the second plate 200 not only simplifies molding and reduces mold costs, but also simplifies installation. The included angle between the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230 can be freely selected from 45° to 90°.
[0040] In some examples, the angle between the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230 is 60°. When arranged, the angle between the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230 along the vertical direction is 60°, and their inclination directions are opposite. The protrusions 400 have a cuboid structure, a height of 2mm, and a base side length of 3mm, and are distributed at intervals along the airflow direction in the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230. The protrusions 400 on the first airflow channel 130 and the second airflow channel 230, which together form a zigzag channel 300, have opposite angles relative to the vertical direction, which is beneficial for forming vortices within the zigzag channel 300 and increasing the number of airflow collisions.
[0041] The length of the first plate 100 along the packing layer to the fan direction is greater than the length of the second plate 200. The first plate 100 is closer to the packing layer than the second plate 200. The first plate 100 is used to support the second plate 200.
[0042] In some examples, the length of the first plate 100 is set to 307 mm, and the length of the second plate 200 is set to 300 mm. During installation, the protruding portion of the first plate 100 relative to the second plate 200 rests on a support beam. Gas carrying water droplets enters the zigzag channel 300 from the bottom of the first plate 100 and the second plate 200. Because the second plate 200 is shorter, there is a certain gap between the protruding portions of adjacent first plates 100 and second plates 200. This allows for a buffer of uniform airflow before the gas enters the zigzag channel 300, ensuring even distribution of the gas and preventing gas accumulation in the middle section of the zigzag channel 300, which would increase the difficulty of airflow. Furthermore, it prevents a large amount of gas from accumulating in the middle section of the zigzag channel 300, which would cause excessive droplets within the zigzag channel 300 and create airflow resistance.
[0043] By making the length of the first plate 100 greater than that of the second plate 200, not only is a buffer space for uniform airflow provided when the airflow enters the zigzag channel 300, improving airflow efficiency under the same fan output power, but it also reduces the impact of the support on the water collector, allowing droplets adhering to the inner wall of the zigzag channel 300 to fall smoothly instead of accumulating between the water collector and the support beam. The greater length of the first plate 100 also reduces the resistance of the water film formed at the bottom by the collected water droplets to the airflow, thereby improving the efficiency of the water collector and reducing droplet loss.
[0044] In some examples, the first plate 100 and the second plate 200 are bonded together. The bonding method is simple to assemble and easy to operate. The adhesive can be a two-component epoxy resin adhesive.
[0045] In some examples, the first crest 110 has a first bonding platform 111, the first trough 120 has a second bonding platform 121, the second crest 210 has a third bonding platform 211, and the second trough 220 has a fourth bonding platform 221. The first plate 100 and the second plate 200 are bonded together by the first bonding platform 111, the second bonding platform 121, the third bonding platform 211, and the fourth bonding platform 221.
[0046] The first, second, third, and fourth bonding platforms are in a planar form, and the point contact surfaces between the first peak 110, the first trough 120 and the second peak 210, the second trough 220 are made into surface contact surfaces, thereby increasing the bonding strength and improving the overall stability of the water-saving system.
[0047] In some examples, the angle between the convex strip 400 and the airflow direction within the zigzag channel 300 is 45°.
[0048] The 45° angle allows the airflow to form a stable rotational force after it hits the protrusions 400 on both sides of the zigzag channel 300, thus preventing irregular turbulence caused by the protrusions on both sides of the zigzag channel 300 and affecting the airflow passage.
[0049] In some examples, the length difference between the first plate 100 and the second plate 200 is not less than 7 mm. This ensures that the first plate 100 can support the second plate 200 and that there is sufficient space between the second plate 200 and the support plate for airflow, thereby ensuring the uniformity of airflow entering the zigzag channel 300.
[0050] The water collector currently in use in my country is the BO160-45 water collector. The BO160-45 water collector has a sinusoidal waveform, a plate spacing of 45mm, and a height of 160mm. This type of water collector is fixed by curved plates, with a distance of approximately 500-600mm between the plates. The drip loss rate of the water collector is approximately 0.1% of the circulating water volume. Taking a single tower with a capacity of 5000t / h as an example, this is: 5000t / h × 0.1% = 5t / h. Assuming 8600h of operation per year, the drip loss discharged into the atmosphere annually through the water collector is approximately: 5t / h × 8000h / a = 40000t / a.
[0051] By using the water collector of this application, under the same airflow conditions, the specific surface area of the plate and the water flow increases, approximately 10 times larger than that of a water collector of the same height. The top surface of this application has a honeycomb structure, and the distance between adjacent fixing points is less than 35mm, which is more than 90% smaller than the traditional 500~600mm, thus improving the stability of the water collector and reducing the occurrence of deformation.
[0052] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this disclosure, and all such modifications and substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A water collector for a cooling tower, used for installation between the packing layer and the fan, characterized in that, include: First plate (100); The second plate (200) is arranged alternately with the first plate (100), and a zigzag channel (300) is formed between the second plate (200) and the first plate (100). The zigzag channel (300) has an inlet (310) and an outlet (320), and the zigzag channel (300) is used for airflow. A raised strip (400) is provided on the broken channel (300). The raised strip (400) is distributed at intervals along the airflow direction in the broken channel (300). The raised strip (400) has a certain angle with the airflow direction in the broken channel (300) to increase the number of collisions when the airflow passes through the broken channel (300).
2. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first plate (100) is a corrugated plate. The first plate (100) has a plurality of first peaks (110) and a plurality of first troughs (120). The first peaks (110) and the first troughs (120) respectively abut against the second plates (200) on the adjacent sides of the first plate (100). The first peaks (110), two adjacent first troughs (120) and one adjacent second plate (200) form a first airflow channel (130). The first troughs (120), two adjacent first peaks (110) and another adjacent second plate (200) form another first airflow channel (130).
3. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second plate (200) is a corrugated plate. The second plate (200) has a number of second peaks (210) and a number of second troughs (220). The second peaks (210) and the second troughs (220) respectively abut against the first plates (100) on the adjacent sides of the second plate (200). The second peaks (210), two adjacent second troughs (220) and one adjacent first plate (100) form a second airflow channel (230). The second troughs (220), two adjacent second peaks (210) and another adjacent first plate (100) form another second airflow channel (230).
4. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first airflow channel (130) and the second airflow channel (230) have a certain angle between them. The first airflow channel (130) and the second airflow channel (230) together form the broken line channel (300). Some of the convex strips (400) are located between the first wave crest (110) and the first wave trough (120), and or some of the convex strips (400) are located between the second wave crest (210) and the second wave trough (220).
5. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 3, characterized in that, The angle between the first airflow channel (130) and the second airflow channel (230) is 60°.
6. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the first plate (100) along the packing layer to the fan direction is greater than the length of the second plate (200). The lower end of the first plate (100) is closer to the packing layer than the lower end of the second plate (200). The first plate (100) is used to support the second plate (200).
7. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first plate (100) and the second plate (200) are bonded together.
8. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first peak (110) has a first bonding platform (111), the first trough (120) has a second bonding platform (121), the second peak (210) has a third bonding platform (211), and the second trough (220) has a fourth bonding platform (221). The first plate (100) and the second plate (200) are bonded together by the first bonding platform (111), the second bonding platform (121), the third bonding platform (211), and the fourth bonding platform (221).
9. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the protruding strip (400) and the airflow direction within the zigzag channel (300) is 45°.
10. A water collector for a cooling tower according to claim 6, characterized in that, The length difference between the first plate (100) and the second plate (200) is not less than 7 mm.