Abstract:
A grid panel includes a generally elongated, rectangular main panel section having a plurality of main panel section corners: a pair of generally elongated, rectangular end panel sections extending from the main panel section beyond the main panel section corners, each of the end panel sections having a plurality of end panel section corners; a plurality of grid notches between the main panel section corners and the end panel section corners, respectively; and a plurality of grid openings in the main panel section and each of the end panel sections.

Description:
FIELD 
     Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to grid panels. More particularly, illustrative embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a grid panel which is suitable for use as a fill material in a cooling tower and is characterized by enhanced structural stability, efficiency and longevity and low operating and maintenance cost. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Industrial cooling towers are extensively used to efficiently dissipate large quantities of heat to the atmosphere in factories, chemical processing plants, hospitals, nuclear power plants and other facilities. Cooling towers commonly include multiple vertical posts on which grid panels are supported in vertically-spaced relationship to each other as a fill material for the tower. Each grid panel includes multiple grid openings through which heated water falls and cool air rises. Therefore, the grid panels provide a surface for exchange of heat from the falling water to the rising air so the cooled water can be used as a cooling medium in an industrial process, air conditioning system or the like. 
     In cooling tower applications, it may be desirable that the grid panels have large surface areas to maximize exchange of heat from the falling water to the rising air. Moreover, it may be desirable that grid panels have sufficient strength and stability to span large areas with minimal support to maximize the surface area which is available for heat exchange. 
     Accordingly, a grid panel which is suitable for use as a fill material in a cooling tower and is characterized by enhanced structural stability, efficiency and longevity and low operating and maintenance cost is desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure are generally directed to a grid panel which is suitable for use as a fill material in a cooling tower and is characterized by enhanced structural stability, efficiency and longevity and low operating and maintenance cost. An illustrative embodiment of the grid panel includes a generally elongated, rectangular main panel section having a plurality of main panel section corners; a pair of generally elongated, rectangular end panel sections extending from the main panel section beyond the main panel section corners, each of the end panel sections having a plurality of end panel section corners; a plurality of grid notches between the main panel section corners and the end panel section corners, respectively; and a plurality of grid openings in the main panel section and each of the end panel sections. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of a grid panel; 
         FIG. 2  is a right side view of the illustrative grid panel; 
         FIG. 3  is a front end view of the illustrative grid panel: 
         FIG. 4  is a left view of the illustrative grid panel; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear end view of the illustrative grid panel; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of an end portion of the illustrative grid panel, taken along viewing lines  6 - 6  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of a middle portion of the illustrative grid panel, taken along viewing lines  7 - 7  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of an end portion of the illustrative grid panel, taken along viewing lines  8 - 8  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of an end portion of the illustrative grid panel, taken along viewing lines  9 - 9  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  10 - 10  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 10A  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  10 A- 10 A in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  11 - 11  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  12 - 12  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  13 - 13  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  14 - 14  in  FIG. 9 : 
         FIG. 15  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  15 - 15  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 16  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  16  in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 16A  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  16 A in  FIG. 6 : 
         FIG. 17  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  17  in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 17A  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  17 A in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 18  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  18  in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 18A  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  18 A in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 19  is a side view, partially in section, of a portion of a cooling tower, with multiple grid panels mounted in vertically-spaced relationship to each other as a fill material in the cooling tower; and 
         FIG. 20  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  20 - 20  in  FIG. 19 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable users skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Moreover, the illustrative embodiments described herein are not exhaustive and embodiments or implementations other than those which are described herein and which fall within the scope of the appended claims are possible. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. As used herein, relative terms such as “upper”, “upwardly” and “downwardly” are intended for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-9 ,  19  and  20  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the grid panel is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 19 and 20  and will be hereinafter further described, multiple grid panels  1  are suitable for use as a fill material in a cooling tower  60  for the purpose of cooling heated water  54  as the heated water  54  falls through the grid panels  1  and heat is transferred from the heated water  54  to air  56  as the air  56  rises through the grid panels  1 . The grid panels  1  provide a large surface area for exchange of heat from the water  54  to the air  56  and are characterized by enhanced structural stability, efficiency and longevity and low operating and maintenance cost. 
     The various components of the grid panel  1  may be fabricated in a selected cross-sectional configuration of a suitable plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene or nylon or may be steel or other metal or material having a plastic coating. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , each grid panel  1  may have a generally elongated and rectangular main panel section  2 . A pair of end panel sections  3  may terminate the main panel section  2 . Each end panel section  3  may have a width which is less than the width of the main panel section  2 . The main panel section  2  includes a main panel section frame  4  which may be generally elongated and rectangular. As illustrated in FIGS.  1  and  6 - 9 , the main panel section frame  4  may include a pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart end frame members  5 . A pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart side frame members  10  may extend between the end frame members  5 . Multiple elongated, parallel, spaced-apart inner longitudinal panel members  22  may extend between the end frame members  5 . Multiple elongated, parallel, spaced-apart transverse panel members  30 ,  36  may extend between the side frame members  10  in intersecting relationship to the inner longitudinal panel members  22 . 
     Each end panel section  3  of the grid panel  1  may include an end panel section frame  20 . The end panel section frame  20  may include a terminal panel member  44  which extends between a pair of outermost longitudinal panel members  22   a  and is disposed in spaced-apart, parallel relationship to the end frame member  5  on the corresponding end of the main panel section  2 . Each inner longitudinal panel member  22  may extend beyond the end frame member  5  and terminate on the terminal panel member  44 . At least one transverse panel member  36  may extend between the outermost longitudinal panel members  22   a  between and parallel to the end frame member  5  and the terminal panel member  44 . The main panel section  2  has multiple main panel section corners  14  at the junctions between the end frame members  5  and the side frame members  10 . Each end panel section  3  has a pair of end panel section corners  15  at the junctions between the terminal panel members  44  and the outermost longitudinal panel members  22   a.    
     A grid notch  52  extends between each main panel section corner  14  and each corresponding end panel section corner  15  of the grid panel  1 . Each grid notch  52  may be formed by and between a corresponding end segment of each end frame member  5  and a corresponding end segment of each outermost longitudinal panel member  22   a.    
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the main panel section  2  of the grid panel  1  may be divided into a middle panel portion  8  and a pair of end panel portions  9  which extend from the middle panel portion  8 . A pair of middle panel members  16  may divide the middle panel portion  8  from the end panel portions  9 . Each middle panel member  16  may extend between the side frame members  10  in parallel and spaced-apart relationship to the transverse panel members  30 ,  36 . A matrix of grid openings  50  is formed by and between the end frame members  5 , the side frame members  10 , the middle panel members  16 , the inner longitudinal panel members  22 , the transverse panel members  30 ,  36  and the terminal panel members  44 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 9-15  of the drawings, exemplary cross-sectional shapes or configurations of the end frame members  5 , the side frame members  10 , the middle panel members  16 , the inner longitudinal panel members  22 , the transverse panel members  30 ,  36  and the terminal panel members  44  are shown. As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , each end frame member  5  of the main panel section  2  may have an end frame member wall  6  and an end frame member flange  7  which extends perpendicularly from and along an upper edge of the end frame member wall  6 . As illustrated in  FIG. 10A , each side frame member  10  of the main panel section  2  may have a side frame member wall  11  and a side frame member flange  12  which extends perpendicularly from and along the side frame member wall  11 . At the respective main panel section corners  14  of the main panel section  2 , the end frame member wall  6  of each end frame member  5  may be continuous with the side frame member wall  11  of each side frame member  10  at a 90-degree angle. Likewise, the end frame member flange  7  of each end frame member  5  may be continuous with the side frame member flange  12  of each side frame member  10  at a 90-degree angle. As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , in end view of the grid panel  1 , the ends of the end frame member wall  6  of each end frame member  5  may have an end frame member bevel  5   a.    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , in cross-section each inner longitudinal panel member  22  (and each outermost longitudinal panel member  22   a ) may have a longitudinal panel member wall  23  which may be continuous with and perpendicular to the end frame member wall  6  of each end frame member  5  at the respective ends of each inner longitudinal panel member  22 . A longitudinal panel member flange  24  may terminate and extend along the upper edge of the longitudinal panel member wall  23  in a T-shaped configuration. The longitudinal panel member flange  24  of each inner longitudinal panel member  22  may be continuous with and perpendicular to the end frame member flange  7  of each end frame member  5 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , in side view of the grid panel  1 , each outermost longitudinal panel member  22   a  (and each inner longitudinal panel member  22 ) may have a straight edge segment  23   a  and a pair of beveled edge segments  23   b  which taper from opposite ends of the straight edge segment  23   a.    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the transverse panel members  30  may alternate with the adjacent transverse panel members  36  between and in parallel relationship to the end frame members  5  of the main panel section  2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , in cross-section each transverse panel member  30  may have a transverse panel member wall  31  which may be continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of each intersecting inner longitudinal panel member  22  and also continuous with and perpendicular to the side frame member wall  11  of each side frame member  10  at the corresponding end of each transverse panel member  30 . A transverse panel member flange  32  may extend along the upper edge of the transverse panel member wall  31  in a T-shaped configuration. The transverse panel member flange  32  may be continuous with the longitudinal panel member flange  24  of each intersecting inner longitudinal panel member  22  and with the side frame member flange  12  of each side frame member  10  at the corresponding end of each transverse panel member  30 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 13 , each transverse panel member  36  may have a transverse panel member wall  37  which may be continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of each intersecting inner longitudinal panel member  22  and continuous with and perpendicular to the side frame member wall  11  of each side frame member  10  at the corresponding end of each transverse panel member  36 . A transverse panel member flange  38  may extend along the upper edge of the transverse panel member wall  37  in a T-shaped configuration. The transverse panel member flange  38  may be continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member flange  24  of each intersecting inner longitudinal panel member  22  and continuous with and perpendicular to the side frame member flange  12  of each side frame member  10  at the corresponding end of each transverse panel member  36 . The transverse panel member wall  37  of each transverse panel member  36  may be substantially shorter than the transverse panel member wall  31  of each adjacent transverse panel member  30 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , in cross-section each middle panel member  16  of the main panel section  2  may have a middle panel member wall  17  which may be continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of each intersecting inner longitudinal panel member  22  and continuous with and perpendicular to the side frame member wall  11  of each side frame member  10  at the corresponding end of each transverse panel member  36 . A middle panel member flange  18  may extend along the upper edge of the middle panel member wall  17  in a T-shaped configuration. The middle panel member flange  18  of each middle panel member  16  may be continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member flange  24  of each intersecting inner longitudinal panel member  22  and continuous with and perpendicular to the side frame member flange  12  of each side frame member  10  at the corresponding end of each middle panel member  16 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , in cross-section the terminal panel member  44  of each end panel section  3  may have a terminal panel member wall  45  which is continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of each inner longitudinal panel member  22 . A terminal panel member flange  46  may extend along the upper edge of the longitudinal panel member wall  45 . The terminal panel member flange  46  may be continuous with and perpendicular to the longitudinal panel member flange  24  of each inner longitudinal panel member  22 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 6-8  and  16 - 18 A of the drawings, panel reinforcing columns  42   a - c  may be provided at various locations or positions throughout the grid panel  1  for structural reinforcement purposes. The panel reinforcing columns  42   a - c  may be molded into the grid panel  1  at the junctions between the structural components of the main panel section  2  and the end panel sections  3 . For example and without limitation, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a first set of the panel reinforcing columns  42   a  may be provided generally at the junctions between each terminal panel member  44  and the respective inner longitudinal panel members  22  and outermost longitudinal panel members  22   a . A second set of the panel reinforcing columns  42   b  may be provided generally at the junctions between each end frame member  5  and the respective intersecting inner longitudinal panel members  22 . A third set of the panel reinforcing columns  42   c  may be provided generally at the junction between each inner longitudinal panel member  22  and each intersecting transverse panel member  30 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 16 , the first set of panel reinforcing columns  42   a  may include a panel reinforcing column  42   a  which extends downwardly from the terminal panel member flange  46  between the terminal panel member wall  45  of the terminal panel member  44  and the end of the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of each corresponding inner longitudinal panel member  22 . As illustrated in  FIG. 16A , a panel reinforcing column  42   a  may likewise extend downwardly from the terminal panel member flange  46  between the terminal panel member wall  45  of the terminal panel member  44  and the end of the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of each corresponding outermost longitudinal panel member  22   a  at the end panel section corner  15 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the second set of panel reinforcing columns  42   b  may include panel reinforcing columns  42   b  which are provided at the respective junctions between the end frame members  5  and the intersecting inner longitudinal panel members  22  and outermost longitudinal panel members  22   a . Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 17 , a panel reinforcing column  42   b  may extend downwardly from the longitudinal panel member flange  24  between the end of the longitudinal panel member wall  23  of the inner longitudinal panel member  22  and the end frame member wall  6  of the intersecting end frame member  5 . As illustrated in  FIG. 17A , a panel reinforcing column  42   b  may likewise extend downwardly from the end frame member flange  7  of the end frame member  5  and the side frame member flange  12  of the side frame member  10  at the junction between the end frame member wall  6  and the side frame member wall  11  at the main panel section corner  14 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the third set of panel reinforcing columns  42   c  may include a panel reinforcing column  42   c  provided at the junction between the inner longitudinal panel members  22  and each outermost longitudinal panel members  22   a  and each intersecting transverse panel members  30 . Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 18 , a pair of spaced-apart panel reinforcing columns  42   c  may extend downwardly from the transverse panel member flange  32  of each transverse panel member  30  at each junction between the inner longitudinal panel members  22  and the transverse panel members  30 . The inner longitudinal panel member  22  extends between the panel reinforcing columns  42   c . The longitudinal panel member flange  24  may be molded integrally with the panel reinforcing columns  42   c . As illustrated in  FIG. 18A , a panel reinforcing column  42   c  may likewise extend downwardly from the side frame member flange  12  of each side frame member  10  between the side frame member wall  11  and the terminus of the transverse panel member wall  31  on the transverse panel member  30 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 19 and 20  of the drawings, in exemplary application multiple grid panels  1  are used as a fill material in a cooling tower  60  to facilitate cooling of heated water  54  as the heated water  54  falls through the grid openings  50  of the grid panels  1 . The cooling tower  60  may include multiple vertical grid panel supports  61  which support the grid panels  1  in a horizontal and vertically-spaced orientation. The vertical grid panel supports  61  may be wood, metal, plastic, cement and/or other material which renders the vertical grid panel supports  61  suitable for the purpose. In some applications, the vertical grid panel supports  61  may be 2×6 wooden beams. Horizontal grid panel supports  62  may extend between the adjacent vertical grid panel supports  61  to support the grid panels  1  at a selected height on the vertical grid panel supports  61 . The grid panels  1  are typically supported on the horizontal grid panel supports  62  at the end panel sections  3 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 20 , at each level of the cooling tower  60 , multiple grid panels  1  may be supported by the vertical grid panel supports  61  and the horizontal grid panel supports  62  in adjacent relationship to each other. The grid notches  52  at the respective corners of each grid panel  1  accommodate a portion of the corresponding grid panel support  61 . Therefore, four of the grid panels  1  can be placed in side-by-side relationship to each other with a single vertical grid panel support  61  occupying the four grid notches  52  at the center of the grid panels  1 . 
     In operation of the cooling tower  60 , heated water  54  from an industrial or cooling process or the like is fed onto the top of the cooling tower  60  and falls through the grid openings  50  of the grid panels  1 . Simultaneously, cool air  56  is blown from the bottom of the cooling tower  60  upwardly through the grid openings  50 . As the heated water  54  falls through the cooling tower  60 , heat transfers from the heated water  54  to the cooled air  56 . Thus, the rising air  56  is progressively heated and is discharged from the top of the cooling tower  60  to the atmosphere as hot air. Conversely, the falling water  54  is progressively cooled and collected in the bottom of the cooling tower  60  as cooled water. The cooled water is continually distributed back through the industrial or cooling process for cooling purposes and then returned to the top of the cooling tower  60  as the heated water  54 . As it falls through the grid openings  50 , the heated water  54  strikes the surfaces of the grid panels  1  and splashes, forming a film of water on the surfaces. The water film on the surfaces of the grid panels  1  spreads the water out to maximize the surface area which is available for transfer of heat from the heated water  54  to the flowing air  56 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the surfaces of the end frame members  5 , the side frame members  10 , the middle panel members  16 , the longitudinal panel members  22 ,  22   a , the transverse panel members  30 ,  36  and the terminal panel members  44  provide a large film-forming surface area on which the water film can form for maximal heat exchange between the heated water  54  and the flowing air  56 . Moreover, the flanged L-shaped and T-shaped cross-sectional construction of the end frame members  5 , the side frame members  10 , the middle panel members  16 , the longitudinal panel members  22 ,  22   a , the transverse panel members  30 ,  36  and the terminal panel members  44 , along with the stabilizing effects of the panel reinforcing columns  42   a ,  42   b  and  42   c , impart longitudinal, transverse and torsional rigidity to the grid panel  1 . This expedient enables support of the grid panels  1  at the end panel sections  2  only without requiring additional structural support at the main panel section  2 . Therefore, each grid panel  1  can span a considerable space while utilizing 100% of that space for heat exchange between the heated water  54  and the flowing air  56 . Additionally, the grid panels  1  are capable of withstanding ice loads which may have a tendency to form on the grid panels  1  in cold weather. Furthermore, due to the positions of the grid notches  52 , the grid panels  1  are easy to install and remove on the grid panel supports  61  for replacement and/or maintenance purposes. 
     While illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.