Cooling Tower Module Joint Assembly for Watertight Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to effectively seal vertically adjacent evaporative cooling modules in cooling towers, leading to the leakage of cooling water between modules, which affects the efficiency of the cooling process.
Innovation Solution
A field joint assembly is designed with structural components and sealing components made of galvanized or stainless steel, or structural plastic, featuring flat surfaces and lips for mechanical fixing, along with a sealing material like butyl tape to create a watertight seal between the top edge of the lower module and the bottom edge of the upper module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vertically adjacent cooling tower modules are connected without a sealing mechanism, then the structure is simple and easy to assemble, but the operating liquid leaks between modules
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing component is nested within the joint assembly structure, with the sealing member positioned inside the recess of the structural edge component. This nested configuration allows the seal to be integrated into the modular design without adding external complexity, while still providing effective sealing between vertically adjacent modules
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing component acts as an intermediary element between the two structural edges of adjacent modules. The sealing member, positioned in the recess and extending across the interface, mediates the connection between modules while preventing liquid leakage, thus resolving the contradiction between simple assembly and effective sealing
2Reliability
If a sealing material is added between module edges, then liquid leakage is prevented, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing component is pre-formed with a specific geometry that includes a recess and extending sealing surfaces. This preliminary preparation of the sealing component allows it to be easily installed between modules without requiring complex assembly procedures, while still achieving a watertight seal
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is designed as a flexible component that can conform to the interface between modules. This flexibility allows the seal to be easily installed and adjusted, providing a reliable watertight connection without complicating the assembly process
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for connecting two vertically aligned cooling tower modules is provided. The assembly includes a lower module with a top structural edge and an upper module with a bottom structural edge. The top structural edge of the lower module includes an outer structural component and an inner sealing component. The bottom structural edge of the upper module includes an outer structural component and an inner sealing component. The outer structural component of the lower module has a generally flat surface that supports the bottom generally flat surface of the outer structural component of the top module. The inner sealing component of the top structural edge of the lower module includes a generally flat surface that abuts the inner generally flat surface of the outer structural component of the top structural edge of the lower module. The bottom generally flat surface of the inner sealing component of the bottom structural edge of the upper module is adjacent the top generally flat surface of the inner sealing component of the top structural edge of the lower module and a sealing component extends between such opposed flat surfaces.