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Thermal capacity of elliptically finned heat exchanger

  • US 10,288,352 B2
  • Filed: 01/09/2017
  • Issued: 05/14/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An evaporative heat exchanger for cooling or condensing a process fluid, consisting essentially of:

  • an indirect evaporative heat exchange section;

    a direct heat exchange section situated beneath the indirect evaporative heat exchange section;

    a water distribution system located above the indirect evaporative heat exchange section and configured to spray water over the indirect evaporative heat exchange section;

    the indirect evaporative heat exchange section comprising a process fluid inlet header and a process fluid outlet header, and an array of serpentine tubes connecting said inlet header and said outlet header, said serpentine tubes having an elliptical cross-section with spiral fins;

    said serpentine tubes further having lengths extending along a longitudinal axis, said lengths connected to adjacent lengths of a same serpentine tube by tube bends;

    said direct section comprising a plenum where water distributed by said water distribution system and having received heat from said indirect evaporative heat exchange section is cooled by direct contact with air moving through said plenum;

    a water recirculation system, including pump and pipes, configured to take water collecting in a basin at the bottom of said plenum and deliver it to said water distribution system;

    an air mover configured to move ambient air into said plenum and up through said indirect evaporative heat exchange section;

    wherein said evaporative heat exchanger is configured so that air is moved by said air mover into said plenum in a direction that is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said tube lengths and perpendicular to longitudinal axes of said spiral fins.

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