Patent ID: 9091485
Filing Date: 2015-07-28
Classification: F28C,F28F,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A method for inhibiting formation of a water-based condensate from a heat exchanger apparatus operative for cooling a hot fluid to be cooled flowing from a hot fluid source, the heat exchanger apparatus having a cabinet portion, at least one air inlet opening at a bottom portion thereof and an air outlet opening at a top portion thereof, the cabinet portion forming an air-tight conduit disposed and extending between the at least one air inlet opening and the air outlet opening and defining an enclosed conduit space, the method comprising the steps of: providing the heat exchanger apparatus with a fluid distribution manifold, an indirect heat exchanger device and a direct heat exchanger device disposed in the enclosed conduit space such that: conveying the hot fluid to be cooled from the hot fluid source through the indirect heat exchanger device to the fluid distribution manifold; distributing the hot fluid to be cooled from the second distribution manifold onto the direct heat exchanger device; and causing ambient air to flow upwardly from the at least one air inlet opening and into a first ambient airstream flowing across the direct heat exchanger device to generate a hot humid airstream and into a second ambient airstream flowing across the indirect heat exchanger device to generate a hot dry airstream in a manner that the hot humid airstream and the hot dry airstream flow upwardly and parallel to each other; after the hot humid airstream and the hot dry airstream flow upwardly across respective ones of the direct heat exchanger device and the indirect heat exchanger device and past the partition top end, mixing the hot humid airstream and the hot dry air stream into a hot air mixture; and causing the hot air mixture to flow out of the heat exchanger apparatus from the enclosed conduit space through the air outlet opening, wherein the partition fluidically isolates the first and second ambient airstreams from one another commencing at the partition bottom end, continues to fluidically isolate respective ones of the first and second ambient airstreams as the respective ones of the first and second ambient airstreams transform into respective ones of the hot humid airstream and the hot dry airstream and terminates fluidic isolation of the hot humid airstream and the hot dry airstream as the hot humid airstream and the hot dry airstream flow past the partition top end.