Cooling tower integrated inlet louver fill

Abstract

A fill sheet arrangement in a direct heat exchange section of a cooling tower is provided. Each fill sheet includes ridges, grooves, separators, and an air inlet louver zone itself having ridges, grooves and separators, that improve the performance of the fill sheet arrangement when installed as a direct heat exchange section of a cooling tower. The air inlet louver zone between adjacent fill sheets to improve the air flow capabilities and performance of the direct heat exchange section by limiting the evaporative liquid from leaving the fill sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inlet louver zone for se in a direct heat exchanger,
 wherein a first inlet louver zone comprises a generally rectangular structure having a first side edge,   a second side edge,   a top edge, and   a bottom edge,   a front surface and a rear surface, and   wherein a first fill sheet comprises a generally rectangular structure having a first side edge,   a second side edge,   a top edge, and   a bottom edge,   a front surface and a rear surface   wherein a second side edge of the first inlet louver zone is attached to the first side edge of the first fill sheet, and   wherein a second inlet louver zone comprises a generally rectangular structure having a first side edge,   a second side edge,   a top edge and a bottom edge,   a front surface and a rear surface, and   wherein a second fill sheet comprises a generally rectangular structure having a first side edge,   a second side edge,   a top edge, and   a bottom edge,   a front surface and a rear surface   wherein a second side edge of the second inlet louver zone is attached to the first side edge of the second fill sheet, and   the second inlet louver zone is adjacent the first inlet louver zone,   the first inlet louver zone including a plurality of ridges and grooves,   the second inlet louver zone including a plurality of ridges and grooves,   wherein when the first inlet louver zone and the second inlet louver zone are adjacent in the direct heat exchanger,   a ridge on the rear surface of the first inlet louver zone is adjacent a ridge on the front surface of the second inlet louver zone to form a contact surface, and   a groove on the rear surface of the first fill sheet is adjacent a groove in the front surface of the second fill sheet to form major air path,   wherein a ridge on the second inlet louver zone is slightly lowered to form a recessed ridge,   the recessed ridge having sides that start from the groove of second inlet louver zone and end at the recessed ridge to form a guiding path, and   a male indexer extends from a groove on the rear surface of the first inlet louver zone into the major air path and nests in the recessed ridge.   
     
     
         2 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the male indexer has a shape that is an elongated circle or elliptical to minimize air pressure drop.   
     
     
         3 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a plurality of male separators extending from the groove of first inlet louver zone to the ridge of first inlet louver zone contact the groove of second inlet louver zone.   
     
     
         4 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the width of each male separator of the first inlet louver zone is greater than the minimum distance between two grooves of second inlet louver zone.   
     
     
         5 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the male separator has two raised surfaces,   wherein the raised surfaces have curved ridge cutouts for air to go around the male separator without incurring a significant pressure drop.   
     
     
         6 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the male indexer extending from the groove on the rear surface of the first inlet louver zone limits the movement of the second inlet louver zone and second fill sheet relative to the first inlet zone in a perpendicular direction of the ridge in a plane of central surface.   
     
     
         7 . An inlet louver zone for use in a direct heat exchanger,
 wherein a first inlet louver zone comprises a generally rectangular structure on a first fill sheet,   with the first inlet louver zone having a first side edge,   a second side edge,   a top edge, and   a bottom edge,   a front surface and a rear surface, and   wherein a second inlet louver zone comprises a generally rectangular structure on a second fill sheet,   with the second inlet louver zone having a first side edge,   a second side edge,   a top edge and a bottom edge,   a front surface and a rear surface, and   wherein the second inlet louver zone is adjacent the first inlet louver zone,   the first inlet louver zone including a plurality of ridges and grooves,   the second inlet louver zone including a plurality of ridges and grooves,   wherein when the first inlet louver zone and the second inlet louver zone are adjacent n the direct heat exchanger,   a ridge on the rear surface of the first inlet louver zone is adjacent a ridge on the front surface of the second inlet louver zone to form a contact surface, and   a groove on the rear surface of the first fill sheet is adjacent a groove in the front surface of the second fill sheet to form a major air path,   wherein a ridge on the second inlet louver zone is slightly lowered to form a recessed ridge,   the recessed ridge having sides extending from the groove of second inlet louver zone to the recessed ridge to form a guiding path, and   a male indexer extends from a groove on the rear surface of the first inlet louver zone into the major air path.   
     
     
         8 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the male indexer has a shape that is an elongated circle or elliptical to minimize air pressure drop.   
     
     
         9 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 7 ,
 wherein a plurality of male separators extending from the groove of first inlet louver zone to the ridge of first inlet louver zone contact the groove of second inlet louver zone.   
     
     
         10 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the width of each male separator of the first inlet louver zone is greater than the minimum distance between two grooves of second inlet louver zone.   
     
     
         11 . The inlet louver zone of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the male separator has two raised surfaces,   wherein the raised surfaces have curved ridge cutouts for air to go around the male separator without incurring a significant pressure drop.   
     
     
         12 . The inlet louver zone from  claim 7 ,
 Wherein the male indexer extending from the groove on the rear surface of the first inlet louver zone limits the movement of the second inlet louver zone and second fill sheet relative to the first inlet zone in a perpendicular direction of the ridge in a plane of central surface.