Circulating water indirect contact cooling tower

Abstract

The indirect circulating water contact cooling tower performs heat exchange between circulating water returned from a user through indirect contact with air and cooling water. The cooling tower includes: an air inlet duct through which outside air flows; at least one heat exchange unit disposed on one side of the air inlet duct for flowing the circulating water returned from the user through a plurality of closed circuits and performing heat exchange between the circulating water and the air through indirect contact with the cooling water; an air exhaust duct disposed on one side of the heat exchange unit and equipped with a plurality of exhaust fans for drawing in outside air through the air inlet duct, passing it through the heat exchange unit, and discharging the air that has passed through to the outside; a water tank for storing cooling water to be sprayed toward the heat exchange unit; and a pump unit for pumping the cooling water from the water tank and spraying it toward the heat exchange unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling tower, and more particularly to a circulating water indirect contact cooling tower that exchanges heat by indirect contact with circulating water returned from a user. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a cooling tower is a type of heat exchange device that is used in the fields of power generation equipment, steelmaking equipment, chemical plants, semiconductor equipment, data equipment, etc., and exchanges heat with circulating water to enable repeated use.

[0003] Cooling towers use heat exchange methods such as counterflow and crossflow methods, which utilize the phenomenon in which heated circulating water loses its latent heat of evaporation by splashing it into contact with air flowing in from outside, thereby lowering the temperature of the circulating water below the atmospheric temperature; closed methods in which heated circulating water flows inside a coil of piping and is indirectly cooled by the piping coming into contact with the splashing water; and heat transfer methods in which multiple heat transfer plates are bundled together and piping is placed between the plates, and the circulating water flowing through the piping is indirectly cooled by the air flowing between the heat transfer plates.

[0004] In such a conventional cooling tower, contaminants (fouling) such as precipitation contamination, particulate contamination, chemical reaction contamination, corrosion contamination, biological contamination, and coagulation contamination are formed on the inner and outer surfaces of the pipes due to the circulating water flowing through the pipes and the sprayed water.

[0005] Contaminants shorten the lifespan of piping and connected equipment, and in particular, narrow the inner diameter of the pipes, hindering the smooth supply of circulating water. Therefore, they must be removed through periodic maintenance and cleaning to maintain the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0006] The reason why pollutants are formed is that in the case of open-type circulating water, the circulating water must come into direct contact with the air for heat exchange, allowing pollutants such as PM2.5, smoke, pollen, and insects from the atmosphere to flow in and contaminate the circulating water, which then deposits pollutants inside the piping or related equipment.In the case of closed-type circulating water, the sprayed water comes into contact with the surface of the coil piping, causing scale and PM2.5 from the atmosphere to be deposited on the surface of the coil piping.

[0007] Furthermore, in the case of the heat transfer type, multiple heat transfer plates are welded together, so if a specific heat transfer plate is broken or damaged, maintenance must be carried out to replace the heat exchange unit itself.

[0008] However, in the case of large-scale plants, dozens of cooling towers are connected and operated simultaneously, and in particular, the entire process line must be shut down for maintenance and cleaning of the cooling towers, which poses a fatal problem of incurring huge business losses during the maintenance and cleaning period.

[0009] Furthermore, when a cooling tower is installed in a chemical plant, there is a risk of explosion due to residual gas in the heat exchanger. In fact, in recent years, there have been cases of explosions resulting in deaths while cleaning piping lines connected to a cooling tower.

[0010] Furthermore, since conventional cooling towers are manufactured with a set heat exchange capacity, the heat exchange capacity cannot be selectively increased, and if the heat exchange capacity needs to be increased, a separate cooling tower must be installed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and technical prejudices, and its purpose is to provide a circulating water indirect contact type cooling tower that fundamentally prevents contamination of circulating water through indirect heat exchange and prevents the formation of contaminants in the piping and related equipment through which the circulating water flows. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To achieve the above object, the circulating water indirect contact cooling tower of the present invention includes an air inlet duct through which outside air flows, at least one heat exchange unit disposed on one side of the air inlet duct and configured to cause circulating water returned from a user to flow through a plurality of closed circuits and exchange heat through indirect contact between the air and the cooling water, an air exhaust duct disposed on one side of the heat exchange unit and equipped with a plurality of exhaust fans for drawing in outside air through the air inlet duct, passing it through the heat exchange unit, and discharging the air that has passed through to the outside, a water tank for storing cooling water to be sprayed toward the heat exchange unit, and a pump unit for pumping the cooling water from the water tank and spraying it toward the heat exchange unit.

[0013] In this case, it is preferable that the air inlet duct includes an inlet through which outside air flows in, and an outlet that is connected to one side of the heat exchange unit perpendicular to the inlet and guides the air that has passed through the inlet to be supplied to the heat exchange unit.

[0014] In addition, it is preferable that the air exhaust duct includes an exhaust port with a plurality of exhaust fans for discharging air that has passed through the heat exchange unit, and an intake port that extends perpendicularly from the exhaust port and is connected to the other side of the heat exchange unit to guide air toward the exhaust port side.

[0015] Preferably, the air inlet duct and the air outlet duct are further provided with air guide pieces having predetermined slopes or curved surfaces to prevent vortexes and resonance noise caused by the flow of inlet air and outlet air passing through the heat exchange unit.

[0016] Meanwhile, it is preferable that the pump unit includes a pump having an inlet pipe connected to the water tank on one side and an outlet pipe disposed inside the air inlet duct on the other side for supplying the cooling water drawn in through the inlet pipe, and a plurality of spray nozzles branching from the outlet pipe and disposed spaced apart from one side of the heat exchange unit for spraying the cooling water toward the heat exchange unit.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the heat exchange unit includes a support frame having four fastening bars facing in the same direction; a plurality of heat transfer plates that are closely attached to the support frame by the fastening bars, with water inlet / outlet holes and heat transfer paths through which circulating water passes formed on the plate surfaces, and that form a plurality of closed circuits through which the circulating water flows with gaskets interposed; a pair of fixing plates that are respectively arranged on both sides of the closely attached heat transfer plates and have boss tubes formed thereon to maintain the closely attached state of the heat transfer plates; and a closing plate that is arranged on top of the closely attached heat transfer plates and closes the top and bottom of the heat transfer plates, leaving only one side and the other side of the heat transfer plates open.

[0018] Preferably, each corner of the heat transfer plate is formed with a receiving groove recessed in the direction of the plate surface, and a binding bar of the support frame is housed in each receiving groove.

[0019] The heat transfer plates are preferably such that two plates face each other and are in close contact with each other, forming a single closed circuit with a gasket interposed between the plates, and each heat transfer plate having the closed circuit has a water outlet hole and a water inlet hole facing each other so that circulating water can pass through while in close contact with each other, and the water outlet hole and the water inlet hole are preferably connected by a connecting O-ring.

[0020] It is preferable that the pair of fixing plates are fastened to each other by a pressing means so as to press the closely-contacted heat transfer plates, and that the pressing means includes a fastening bolt having a predetermined length that passes through one of the fixing plates and supports the closely-contacted heat transfer plates, and a fastening nut that is screwed onto the fastening bolt that passes through the other fixing plate.

[0021] Finally, the heat transfer flow path of the heat transfer plate includes a circulating water flow path that forms a heat exchange path so that circulating water can flow in a closed circuit when the two heat transfer plates are in close contact, and an air flow path that forms an air flow path so that air can flow, and it is preferable that the air flow path is formed to be wider than the width of the circulating water flow path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the circulating water indirect contact type cooling tower of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the circulating water returned from the user flows through a closed circuit isolated from the outside in the heat exchange unit and heat exchange is performed by indirect contact, which makes it possible to use pure water circulating water or pure circulating water containing antifreeze, and fundamentally prevents contamination of the circulating water, thereby providing an outstanding effect of preventing the formation of contaminants (fouling) in the piping and related equipment through which the circulating water flows.

[0023] In addition, since no contaminants are generated, there is no need to shut down the entire process line for cleaning, which is the conventional method, and this has the effect of solving the problem of having to bear unavoidable business losses.

[0024] In addition, the heat transfer plates can be attached to and detached from the support frame through four receiving grooves formed at the corners, which allows for immediate maintenance if a specific heat transfer plate is broken or damaged. In particular, the system also has an excellent structural effect of being able to increase the heat exchange capacity of the cooling tower as additional heat transfer plates can be supplied.

[0025] Furthermore, since heat exchange can be performed using circulating pure water, cleaning is not required, which has the effect of preventing accidents resulting in loss of life caused by explosions as in the past. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a reference view showing a state in which a plurality of cooling towers according to the present invention are installed; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a cooling tower according to the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the coupled state shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit in the cooling tower according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a main part showing a state in which a heat transfer plate of a heat exchange unit is arranged so as to overlap a support frame. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are front views showing one embodiment and another embodiment of a heat transfer plate and a gasket provided in a heat exchange unit. [Figure 8] 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line II in FIG. 4, showing the heat transfer flow paths of the overlapping heat transfer plates. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which two heat exchange units are installed in the cooling tower of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, a circulating water indirect contact cooling tower 600 of the present invention includes an air inlet duct 100 through which outside air flows in, at least one heat exchange unit 200 disposed on one side of the air inlet duct 100, which flows circulating water returned from a user through a plurality of closed circuits A and performs heat exchange between the air and the cooling water through indirect contact, an air exhaust duct 300 disposed on one side of the heat exchange unit 200 and equipped with a plurality of exhaust fans 302 for drawing in outside air through the air inlet duct 100, passing the air through the heat exchange unit 200, and discharging the air to the outside, a water tank 400 for storing cooling water to be sprayed toward the heat exchange unit 200, and a pump unit 500 for pumping the cooling water from the water tank 400 and spraying it toward the heat exchange unit 200.

[0028] Prior to the explanation, the cooling tower 600 of the present invention has the following features: the circulating water flows through a plurality of closed circuits A formed by the heat transfer plates 220 while indirectly contacting the cooling water or the air, thereby performing heat exchange; this prevents contamination of the circulating water; and the heat transfer plates 220 of the heat exchange unit 200 have a structure that allows for disassembly and assembly, thereby facilitating maintenance and the expansion of the heat exchange capacity as needed.

[0029] The cooling tower 600 of the present invention is a device for circulating circulating water returned from a user to perform heat exchange. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cooling towers are installed at user sites (power generation facilities, steelmaking facilities, chemical plants, semiconductor facilities, data facilities, etc.) to exchange heat with the circulating water.

[0030] In this case, the cooling towers 600 may be connected to each other via separate piping (not shown).

[0031] That is, by spraying cooling water in a spray form toward the heat exchange unit 200 through which the circulating water flows, and by letting outside air flow in and pass through the heat exchange unit 200, indirect heat exchange is carried out while the circulating water is isolated from the external environment by the latent heat of evaporation of the cooling water and air.

[0032] 2, the cooling tower 600 of the present invention has an air exhaust duct 300 disposed on the left side of the drawing, an air inlet duct 100 disposed on the opposite right side of the drawing, and a heat exchange unit 200 disposed between the air exhaust duct 300 and the air inlet duct 100. A water tank 400 is disposed on the lower side of the drawing, and a pump unit is disposed below the heat exchange unit 200.

[0033] In this embodiment, the air inlet duct 100 and the air exhaust duct 300 of the cooling tower 600 having the above-described structure are shown facing upward in the drawing, but the air inlet duct 100 and the air exhaust duct 300 may be arranged at a 90-degree angle to one side or the other depending on the installation environment or surrounding requirements. In this case, the position of the water tank 400 does not change.

[0034] The air inlet duct 100 allows outside air to flow in and be supplied to the heat exchange unit 200 .

[0035] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the air inlet duct 100 has an open rectangular inlet 101 through which outside air flows in, and an open rectangular outlet 102 extending perpendicularly from the inlet 101 and connected to one side of the heat exchange unit 200, which guides the air flowing in through the inlet 101 so that it can be supplied to the heat exchange unit 200.

[0036] Although not shown, the inlet 101 may be provided with a mesh screen to block the inflow of contaminants from the outside.

[0037] That is, the air inlet duct 100 serves to draw in outside air by driving an exhaust fan 302 of an air exhaust duct 300 (to be described later) and supply it to the heat exchange unit 200 .

[0038] The air exhaust duct 300 is located on the left side of the heat exchange unit 200 (described later) in the drawing, and draws in outside air through the opposing air inlet duct 100, passes it between the heat transfer plates 220 of the heat exchange unit 200, and quickly discharges the air that has passed through the heat transfer plates 220 to the outside.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the air exhaust duct 300 has an open rectangular exhaust port 301 that discharges air that has passed through the heat exchange unit 200 to the outside, and an open square intake port 303 that extends perpendicularly from the exhaust port 301 and is connected to the left side of the heat exchange unit 200 in the drawings to guide air toward the exhaust port 301.

[0040] In addition, an exhaust fan 302 is provided at the exhaust port 301 to generate a suction force inside the air inlet duct 100 and the air exhaust duct 300. In this case, the exhaust fan 302 may be a large fan or multiple small fans.

[0041] In this embodiment, the exhaust fan 302 is shown as being composed of multiple small fans. This is because the exhaust fan 302 operates throughout the four seasons, and the number of fans in operation can be selected and driven depending on the seasonal changes in outside air temperature.

[0042] That is, the air exhaust duct 300 utilizes the suction force of the exhaust fan 302 to supply air to the heat exchange unit 200 through the air inlet duct 100, thereby enabling heat exchange of the circulating water flowing through the heat exchange unit 200, and also serves to quickly exhaust the air to the outside.

[0043] Meanwhile, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, an air guide piece C may be further formed at the corner between the inlet 101 and outlet 102 of the air inlet duct 100 and the outlet 301 and inlet 303 of the air exhaust duct 300 to prevent vortex and resonance noise caused by the flow of air supplied to the heat exchange unit 200 and exhausted through the heat exchange unit 200.

[0044] In this case, the air guide piece C may be formed with a predetermined inclined or curved surface to allow the air to flow smoothly, and in this embodiment, the air guide piece C is shown as being formed with an inclined surface.

[0045] At least one heat exchange unit 200 is arranged between the air inlet duct 100 and the air outlet duct 300, and causes the heated circulating water returned from the use destination to flow through multiple closed circuits A isolated from the outside, and heat exchange occurs through indirect contact with the air and cooling water.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, the heat exchange unit 200 may include a support frame 210, a heat transfer plate 220, a fixing plate 230, and a closing plate 250.

[0047] The support frame 210 supports the heat transfer plate 220, which will be described later, and keeps the heat transfer plate 220 in a tight contact state.

[0048] The support frame 210 includes a support portion 213 that supports the heat exchange unit 200 so that it is seated in the water tank 400 described later, and four fastening bars 211 of a predetermined length extending from the support portion 213 in the same direction.

[0049] The four fastening bars 211 maintain a U-shape so that their cross sections can be accommodated in receiving grooves 221 formed at each corner of the heat transfer plate 220 described later, and the U-shaped lower horizontal piece 212 is accommodated in the receiving groove 221 of the heat transfer plate 220 as shown in Figure 5.

[0050] At this time, the four fastening bars 211 are of course arranged by the support parts 213 at positions corresponding to the four receiving grooves 221 formed in the heat transfer plate 220 .

[0051] The heat transfer plate 220 is made of stainless steel and has a predetermined area and length. A plurality of heat transfer plates 220 are provided according to the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchange unit 200, and are closely arranged on the support frame 210 via the four fastening bars 211 of the support frame 210 as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

[0052] Each heat transfer plate 220 has a water inlet hole 222 and a water outlet hole 223 formed through the plate surface, through which the returned circulating water passes, and a heat transfer flow path 224 consisting of peaks and valleys is formed across the entire plate surface, forming multiple closed circuits A through which the circulating water flows and air flow paths 224b through which air flows through the tightly packed heat transfer plates 220 (see Figure 8).

[0053] At this time, the heat transfer plates 220 arranged in a plurality of pieces are arranged in a pair, with two heat transfer plates 220 closely contacting each other and facing each other, as shown in Figure 6, and form a single closed circuit A through which circulating water flows by means of a gasket 227 interposed between the heat transfer plates 220.

[0054] That is, one closed circuit A is provided for each set of heat transfer plates 220 .

[0055] A set of heat transfer plates 220 having a closed circuit A are arranged so that the water outlet holes 223 and the water inlet holes 222 face each other while in close contact with each other so that circulating water that has passed through one closed circuit A can flow into (pass through) the adjacent closed circuit A, and the facing water outlet holes 223 and water inlet holes 222 are connected to each other by a connecting O-ring 226.

[0056] As a result, the water outlet holes 223 and water inlet holes 222 of each heat transfer plate 220 remain on the same line, and as the circulating water continues to pass through the multiple water inlet holes 222, it also flows into each closed circuit A. The circulating water that flows into the closed circuit A is then supplied again to the adjacent closed circuit A through the water outlet holes 223 in a heat-exchanged state, and the heat exchange is repeated.

[0057] By arranging the heat transfer plates 220 on the support frame 210 in this manner, the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchange unit 200 can be adjusted.

[0058] On the other hand, the gasket 227 that forms the closed circuit A between the pair of heat transfer plates 220 maintains a rectangular ring shape as shown in FIG. 6 so as to be arranged inside along the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer plates 220.

[0059] The gasket 227 may further be formed with at least one partition piece 227a so that the circulating water flowing into the closed circuit A remains on the closed circuit A for a longer period of time.

[0060] The partition piece 227a forms a kind of wall between the water inlet hole 222 and the water outlet hole 223, thereby preventing the circulating water that has passed through the water inlet hole 222 from being immediately discharged through the water outlet hole 223. By making the length of the partition piece 227a shorter than the length of the gasket 227, the circulating water that has passed through the water inlet hole 222 passes through the flow path on the water inlet hole 222 side and heads towards the flow path on the water outlet hole 223 side.

[0061] In this embodiment, the gasket 227 is illustrated as having one partition piece 227a, but as shown in FIG. 7(c), two or more partition pieces 227a may be formed.

[0062] On the other hand, in the structure of the gasket 227, it is preferable that the water inlet hole 222 and the water outlet hole 223 are formed on the same line and spaced apart from each other on the upper side of the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer plate 220 inside the gasket 227, as shown in Figures 6 and 7(a).

[0063] This is because the circulating water that flows into the closed circuit A through the water inlet 222 is discharged through the water outlet 223 along the other flow path via one side flow path through the partition piece 227a, thereby increasing the remaining time of the circulating water and maximizing the heat exchange efficiency.

[0064] In addition, the water inlet holes 222 and the water outlet holes 223 may be formed obliquely on the upper and lower sides of the heat transfer plate 220 in the longitudinal direction inside the gasket 227, as shown in FIGS. 7(b) and 7(c).

[0065] In the case of Figure 7(b), the circulating water that flows in through the water inlet 222 undergoes heat exchange as it passes through the closed circuit A and is discharged through the water outlet 223, and in the case of Figure 7(c), the circulating water that flows into the closed circuit A flows through the flow path formed by the multiple partition pieces 227a, making multiple detours, thereby achieving high heat exchange efficiency.

[0066] As mentioned above, the number of partition pieces 227a formed inside the gasket 227 and the positions of the water inlet holes 222 and water outlet holes 223 can be changed depending on the size of the heat transfer plate 220 and the flow direction of the circulating water, so the number and positions are not limited.

[0067] In this embodiment, the water inlet hole 222 and the water outlet hole 223 are described as being formed on the upper longitudinal side of the heat transfer plate 220, but depending on the shape or size of the heat transfer plate 220, the water inlet hole 222 and the water outlet hole 223 may be formed in different positions from each other, so the formation positions are not limited.

[0068] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, a receiving groove 221 recessed in the plate surface direction is formed at each corner of the heat transfer plate 220, and each receiving groove 221 accommodates a U-shaped fastening bar 211 provided on the support frame 210.

[0069] Then, the four corners of the heat transfer plate 220 are supported simultaneously, preventing twisting or kinking of the heat transfer plates 220 that are tightly packed together, thereby ensuring uniform alignment.

[0070] Furthermore, the fastening bar 211 supports the heat transfer plate 220, and the upper and lower horizontal pieces 212 of the "C"-shaped fastening bar 211 maintain flat surfaces, so that the closing plate 250 described below can be placed on the upper and lower parts of the heat transfer plate 220 on the horizontal pieces 212 of the fastening bar 211.

[0071] In this embodiment, the structure is described in which the fastening bar 211 is coupled to the receiving groove 221 of the heat transfer plate 220, but the receiving groove 221 may be formed spherically in the heat transfer plate 220, and the shape of the fastening bar 211 may be formed to correspond thereto, so the shapes of the receiving groove 221 and the fastening bar 211 are not limited.

[0072] On the other hand, the heat transfer flow path 224, which is made up of peaks and valleys formed on the plate surface of the heat transfer plate 220, comprises a circulating water flow path 224a that forms a heat exchange path A1 so that the circulating water can flow on the closed circuit A when the two heat transfer plates 220 are in close contact, and an air flow path 224b that forms an air path A2 so that the air can flow.

[0073] That is, the circulating water flow path 224a and the air flow path 224b are formed on a single heat transfer plate 220 by peaks and valleys.

[0074] When such heat transfer plates 220 are arranged on the support frame 210, the two heat transfer plates 220 are closely packed so as to face each other, and as shown in Figure 8, the circulating water flow paths 224a face each other to form a heat exchange path A1, and the air flow path 224b facing the opposite side of the circulating water flow path 224a is closely packed so as to face the air flow path 224b of the adjacent heat transfer plate 220, forming an air path A2.

[0075] In this case, it is preferable that the air flow path 224b is formed wider than the circulating water flow path 224a. This is because, as shown in Figure 8, by forming the cross-sectional space of the air path A2 formed by the air flow path 224b larger than the cross-sectional space of the heat exchange path A, the inflow of air and cooling water into the air path A2 is increased, thereby increasing the heat exchange efficiency of the circulating water flowing through the closed circuit A.

[0076] Here, it is most ideal that the cross-sectional area ratio of the circulating water flow path 224a to the air flow path 224b is 1:3. If the size of the air flow path 224b is formed to be 3 or more, the heat exchange efficiency of the circulating water will increase, but the flow rate of the circulating water will be relatively small. Conversely, if the size of the air flow path 224b is formed to be 3 or less, the flow rate of the circulating water will increase, but there will be a problem that the heat exchange efficiency will be relatively reduced.

[0077] The process of arranging the heat transfer plates 220 having the above structure will be explained below. When the plurality of heat transfer plates 220 are brought into close contact with each other, two heat transfer plates 220 are arranged as a pair with a gasket 227 interposed therebetween, and the pair of heat transfer plates 220 is fixed to the support frame 210 so that they are in close contact with each other.

[0078] At this time, another set of heat transfer plates 220 that is in close contact with one set of heat transfer plates 220 is inverted 180 degrees in the direction of the arrow in Figure 6 and comes into close contact with the other set of heat transfer plates 220, so that the air flow path 224b facing outward faces the air flow path 224b of the other opposing heat transfer plate 220, as shown in Figure 8, and forms air path A2.

[0079] The above process is repeated until a closed circuit A, isolated from the outside, is formed between a plurality of closely-contacted heat transfer plates 220 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. In the closed circuit A, a heat exchange path A1 through which circulating water flows is formed as shown in Figure 8, and an air path A2 through which outside air and sprayed cooling water flow is also formed.

[0080] Furthermore, the water inlet hole 222 and the water outlet hole 223 of the closely contacted heat transfer plate 220 are maintained on the same line because the heat transfer plate 220 is turned around the longitudinal direction.

[0081] Furthermore, the gasket 227 disposed between the two heat transfer plates 220 may be fixed to one of the heat transfer plates 220 .

[0082] Of the heat transfer plates 220 that are tightly packed together, the first and last heat transfer plates 220 are formed with a water inlet hole 222 and a water outlet hole 223, respectively, for the purpose of allowing the inflow and discharge of circulating water.

[0083] The fixing plates 230 are arranged in pairs on both sides of the heat transfer plates 220 arranged in close contact with each other via the four fastening bars 211 of the support frame 210, as shown in FIG. 5, and are in close contact with the heat transfer plates 220 to maintain the close contact state of the heat transfer plates 220.

[0084] The fixing plate 230 maintains a shape corresponding to the heat transfer plate 220 so that when it is pressed tightly by the pressing means 240 described later, the pressing force can be uniformly transmitted to the heat transfer plate 220, and a single boss pipe 231 is formed on the upper longitudinal side thereof corresponding to the position of the water inlet hole 222 or the water outlet hole 223 formed in the heat transfer plate 220.

[0085] The boss pipe 231 of each fixing plate 230 is connected to a pipe through which the returned circulating water flows and is supplied to the heat exchanger, or to a pipe through which the heat-exchanged circulating water is supplied to a destination.

[0086] On the other hand, the pair of fixing plates 230 are fixed by pressing means 240 .

[0087] That is, the pressing means 240 fastens the fixing plates 230 arranged on both sides of the closely contacted heat transfer plates 220 together and pulls them in the opposite directions to press the heat transfer plates 220 between the fixing plates 230, thereby ensuring that the heat transfer plates 220 are tightly contacted.

[0088] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the pressing means 240 is provided in multiple pieces along the edge of the fixed plate 230, and supports one of the fixed plates 230 by penetrating it across the closely-contacted heat transfer plate 220, and includes a fastening bolt 241 of a predetermined length that penetrates the other fixed plate 230, and a fastening nut 242 that is screwed onto the fastening bolt 241 that penetrates the other fixed plate 230.

[0089] That is, with the fastening bolt 241 passing through the pair of fixing plates 230 and supporting one of the fixing plates 230, the fastening nut 242 is screwed on the other fixing plate 230 side, thereby pressing the heat transfer plate 220 using the pair of fixing plates 230.

[0090] Furthermore, the strong pressure of the heat transfer plate 220 ensures that the closed circuit A is kept completely airtight.

[0091] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the closing plate 250 is placed on top of the closely-fitted heat transfer plate 220, thereby closing the top of the heat transfer plate 220 and leaving only one side and the other side of the heat transfer plate 220 open in the longitudinal direction.

[0092] At this time, the closing plate 250 preferably maintains a rectangular plate shape with a flat surface, and its length preferably has a minimum length corresponding to the length of the heat transfer plate 220 that is in close contact with it.

[0093] The closing plate 250 is fixed to the horizontal piece 212 of the upper fastening bar 211 of the support frame 210 supporting the heat transfer plate 220 with bolts or the like so as to close the upper part of the closely contacted heat transfer plate 220 .

[0094] Then, the closing plate 250 closes the upper part of the closely contacted heat transfer plate 220, and a pair of fixing plates 230 are arranged on both sides of the closely contacted heat transfer plate 220, and the lower side of the heat transfer plate 220 is blocked by the water tank 400 described later. In other words, only one side and the other side of the heat transfer plate 220 are open so that air can flow in one direction, thereby preventing air leakage above and below the heat transfer plate 220, preventing air loss and maximizing cooling efficiency.

[0095] The heat exchange unit 200 having the above-described structure has a plurality of heat transfer plates 220 assembled in close contact with the support frame 210 in a parallel direction, thereby enabling packaging of the heat transfer plates 220. In particular, the heat exchange unit 200 has structural characteristics that allow easy assembly and disassembly of the heat transfer plates 220.

[0096] The water tank 400 collects the cooling water sprayed during heat exchange in the heat exchange unit 200, and is disposed below the heat exchange unit 200.

[0097] More specifically, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, the water tank 400 is located directly below the heat transfer plate 220, which is placed in close contact with the fastening bar 211 of the heat exchange unit 200, and collects the cooling water sprayed by the pump unit 500, which will be described later.

[0098] The water tank 400 is maintained at a predetermined depth so that cooling water can be collected, and a water supply pipe 401 is provided on one side of the water tank 400 for replenishing the cooling water.

[0099] In this embodiment, the water tank 400 is illustrated as being disposed below the heat exchanger, but the position and size of the water tank 400 are not limited, as the width of the water tank 400 may be expanded in the directions of the air inlet duct 100 and the air exhaust duct 300 to expand the cooling water storage space.

[0100] The pump unit 500 pumps the cooling water in the water tank 400 and sprays (sprays) the cooling water toward the heat exchange unit 200, causing the sprayed cooling water to flow through the air flow path 224b of the heat transfer plate 220 together with the air flowing in from the outside.

[0101] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the pump unit 500 includes a pump 510 connected to an intake pipe 511 connected to the water tank 400 on one side and an exhaust pipe 512 disposed inside the air inlet duct 100 for supplying the cooling water drawn in through the intake pipe 511 on the other side, and a plurality of spray nozzles 520 branching from the exhaust pipe 512 and disposed spaced apart from one side of the heat exchange unit 200 for spraying the cooling water toward the heat exchange unit 200.

[0102] In this case, the discharge pipe 512 may be connected to the pump 510 and arranged inside the air inflow duct 100 in a branched manner.

[0103] The pump unit 500 having such a structure draws in cooling water from the water tank 400 as shown in FIG. 4 and sprays (sprays) it between the closely-contacted heat transfer plates 220 through the spray nozzle 520. The sprayed cooling water flows through the air flow path 224b together with the air simultaneously flowing in from the outside, cooling the air flow path 224b by the latent heat of evaporation.

[0104] On the other hand, the cooling tower 600 of this embodiment is illustrated as having a single heat exchange unit 200 arranged therein.

[0105] However, two heat exchange units 200 may be arranged in the cooling tower 600 as shown in FIG.

[0106] In this case, it is preferable that the injection nozzle 520 be arranged between the two heat exchange units 200, and that a sub-duct D be further provided to ensure a space for the scattering of the cooling water injected between the heat exchange units 200 and a space for the flow of the incoming air.

[0107] In this case, the two heat exchange units 200 may be connected to each other through separate piping such that the boss pipes 231 of the fixing plates 230 can exchange heat with the circulating water, as shown in FIG.

[0108] In this manner, a plurality of heat exchange units 200 may be installed in the cooling tower 600 .

[0109] Hereinafter, a process of heat exchange of circulating water using the cooling tower 600 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0110] First, the cooling water returned from the use site flows through the boss pipe 231 of the fixing plate 230 into the water inlet hole 222 of the heat transfer plate 220 that is in close contact with the fixing plate 230 .

[0111] At this time, the exhaust fan 302 of the air exhaust duct 300 is driven to generate a suction force inside, and this suction force causes outside air to flow in through the air inlet duct 100 (arrow in FIG. 4).

[0112] At the same time, the pump 510 pumps the cooling water from the water tank 400 and sprays it through the spray nozzle 520 toward the closely contacted heat transfer plate 220 as shown in FIG.

[0113] The inflowing air and the sprayed cooling water flow together through the air passage A2 between the closely contacted heat transfer plates 220 due to the suction force, and in this process, the heat transfer plates 220 exchange heat with each other due to the latent heat of evaporation of the air and the cooling water.

[0114] In the above state, the circulating water flows while passing through the water inlet holes 222 of the closely contacted heat transfer plate 220, and a part of the circulating water passing through the water inlet holes 222 flows into the closed circuit A side.

[0115] The circulating water that flows into the closed circuit A flows along the heat exchange path A1 in the flow path formed by the partition piece 227a of the gasket 227 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 6, and is heat exchanged by the heat transfer plate 220 and passes through the water outlet hole 223.

[0116] The circulating water that has passed through the water outlet hole 223 flows again into the adjacent closed circuit A, and continues to exchange heat while flowing again along the heat exchange path A1 on the flow path formed by the partition piece 227a.

[0117] This heat exchange of the circulating water continues until it passes through the final closed circuit A.

[0118] The circulating water that has passed through the final closed circuit A flows to the destination via the boss pipe 231 of the fixed panel, or is supplied to the heat exchange unit 200 of another connected cooling tower 600 .

[0119] As described above, the cooling tower of the present invention allows circulating water returned from the user to flow through a closed circuit isolated from the outside in the heat exchange unit, thereby performing heat exchange through indirect contact, making it possible to use pure water circulating water or pure water circulating water containing antifreeze. This fundamentally prevents contamination of the circulating water, thereby providing an outstanding effect of preventing the formation of contaminants (fouling) in the piping and related equipment through which the circulating water flows.

[0120] In addition, since no pollutants are generated, there is no need to shut down the entire process line for cleaning, which is required in the past, and this has the effect of solving the problem of having to bear unavoidable business losses.

[0121] In addition, the four receiving grooves formed at the corners allow the heat transfer plates to be attached and detached to the support frame, which allows for immediate maintenance if a specific heat transfer plate is broken or damaged.In particular, it has an excellent structural effect of allowing for the supply of additional heat transfer plates, which allows for the expansion of the heat exchange capacity of the cooling tower.

[0122] Furthermore, since heat exchange using circulating pure water is possible, cleaning is not required, which has the effect of preventing accidents resulting in loss of life caused by explosions as in the past.

Claims

1. an air inlet duct (100) through which outside air flows; At least one heat exchange unit (200) is arranged on one side of the air inlet duct (100), and the returned circulating water, air, and cooling water are flowed into a closed circuit (A) between arranged heat transfer plates (220) for indirect heat exchange, and a closing plate (250) is arranged on the upper part of the heat transfer plate (220) to block the inflow of outside air into the closed circuit (A) side and allow the air and cooling water to flow only in one direction without leakage to the upper side of the closed circuit (A), and the closing plate (250) is connected to and supported by a plurality of fastening bars (211) having a U-shaped cross section that are fastened to each corner of the heat transfer plate (220) along the arrangement direction of the heat transfer plate (220); an air exhaust duct (300) with a plurality of exhaust fans (302) disposed on one side of the heat exchange unit (200), for drawing in outside air through the air inlet duct (100), passing the air through the heat exchange unit (200), and discharging the air to the outside; a water tank (400) disposed under the heat exchange unit (200) by the fastening bar (211) and storing cooling water to be sprayed toward the heat exchange unit (200); a pump unit (500) for pumping the cooling water in the water tank (400) and spraying it toward the heat exchange unit (200); Including, The heat transfer plate (220) has a receiving groove (221) formed at each corner thereof to receive the bent end of the fastening bar (211). A circulating water indirect contact cooling tower characterized by:

2. The air inlet duct (100) includes an inlet (101) through which outside air flows in, and an outlet (102) that is connected to one side of the heat exchange unit (200) perpendicular to the inlet (101) and guides the air that has passed through the inlet (101) to be supplied to the heat exchange unit (200). The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 1.

3. The air exhaust duct (300) includes an exhaust port (301) with a plurality of exhaust fans (302) for discharging the air that has passed through the heat exchange unit (200), and an intake port (303) extending perpendicularly from the exhaust port (301) and connected to the other side of the heat exchange unit (200) to guide the air toward the exhaust port (301). The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 1.

4. The air inlet duct (100) and the air outlet duct (300) are further provided with air guide pieces (C) having predetermined slopes or curved surfaces to prevent vortexes and resonance noises caused by the flow of the inlet air and the outlet air through the heat exchange unit (200). The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 1.

5. The pump unit (500) a pump (510) connected to one side with a suction pipe (511) connected to the water tank (400) and to the other side with a discharge pipe (512) disposed inside the air inlet duct (100) for supplying the cooling water drawn in through the suction pipe (511); a plurality of spray nozzles (520) branching from the discharge pipe (512) and spaced apart from one side of the heat exchange unit (200) for spraying cooling water toward the heat exchange unit (200); The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 1.

6. A support frame (210) is further provided to integrally connect the plurality of fastening bars (211), The plurality of heat transfer plates (220) are arranged in close contact with the support frame (210) by the fastening bars (211) with water inlet holes (222) and water outlet holes (223) through which circulating water passes and heat transfer channels (224) formed on the plate surfaces, and form a plurality of closed circuits (A) through which circulating water flows with the interposition of gaskets (227). A pair of fixing plates (230) are further provided, each of which is disposed on both sides of the arranged plurality of heat transfer plates (220) and has a boss tube (231) formed thereon to keep the heat transfer plates (220) in close contact with each other. The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 1.

7. The heat transfer plates (220) are arranged so that two heat transfer plates (220) face each other and are in close contact with each other, and form a single closed circuit (A) by a gasket (227) interposed between the heat transfer plates (220), Each heat transfer plate (220) having the closed circuit (A) has a water outlet hole (223) and a water inlet hole (222) facing each other so that circulating water can pass through while being in close contact with each other, and the water outlet hole (223) and the water inlet hole (222) are connected by a connecting O-ring (226). The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 6.

8. The pair of fixing plates (230) are fastened to each other by a pressing means (240) so as to press the closely contacted heat transfer plates (220), The pressing means (240) a fastening bolt (241) having a predetermined length that passes through one of the fixing plates (230) and supports the heat transfer plate (220) that is in close contact with the plate (220) and passes through the other fixing plate (230); and a fastening nut (242) threaded onto the fastening bolt (241) passing through another fixing plate (230). The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 6.

9. The heat transfer flow path (224) of the heat transfer plate (220) includes a circulating water flow path (224a) that forms a heat exchange path (A1) so that circulating water can flow in the closed circuit (A) when two heat transfer plates (220) are in close contact with each other, and an air flow path (224b) that forms an air path (A2) so that air can flow. The air flow path (224b) is formed to have a width greater than that of the circulating water flow path (224a). The circulating water indirect contact cooling tower according to claim 6.

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