Abstract:
A drift eliminator is formed from alternating curved spacers and corrugated spacer members to define tube-like passageways for the flow of air through an evaporative cooling apparatus. The formation of the corrugated blade member with beveled side walls places the back walls of the channels in a different plane than the front walls, with the lower edge of the front walls of the channels being positioned in a common plane along with the lower edge of the blade members. The angled side walls impede the formation of a film of water across the inlet opening into the channel, which requires an increase in horsepower for the fan to push air through the drift eliminator. Mechanical fastening devices molded into the respective members connects the corrugated spacer members and the blade members. A method of forming the corrugated spacer members to provide the angled side walls is also provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a drift eliminator used in counter-flow cooling towers and other evaporative cooling devices to remove moisture from the flow of air through the drift eliminator and, more particularly, to a configuration of a drift eliminator that has a formed bevel tip to enhance drainage of accumulated water from blocking the air flow channels through the drift eliminator. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A drift eliminator has the function of removing water droplets, entrained typically as a mist which is referred to as “drift”, from the flow of air moving through the drift eliminator. The drift eliminator is utilized in evaporative cooling devices, such as cooling towers, to reduce the water volume within the air flow being discharged from the cooling device so that the circulating water is not lost from the evaporative cooling device. By retaining the circulating water within the evaporative cooling equipment, the drift eliminator allows the evaporative cooling device to retain most of the circulating water, as well as the water treatment chemicals within the circulating water. 
         [0003]    Drift eliminators are normally formed as a stack of shaped or formed members that cause the air flow moving through the drift eliminator to travel along a curved path. The curved path creates changes in direction for the air flow that result in the water droplets being removed from the air flow. The water droplets will impact the curved walls of the drift eliminator and flow by gravity to the lower end of the drift eliminator stack and be discharged into the circulating water of the evaporative cooling device. Some water droplets continue within the air flow and are discharged from the drift eliminator, and ultimately from the cooling device. 
         [0004]    “Drift rate” relates to the amount of water droplets that are carried out of the tower with the air. Drift rate is quantitatively measurable and is commonly expressed as a percentage of the circulating water flow in a tower. A critical performance criterion for drift eliminators is the velocity of the air flow moving through the drift eliminator. If the air velocity exceeds the rate for which the drift eliminator is designed to operate, the drift rate increases causing the drift eliminator to fail by exceeding the specified drift rate, i.e. allowing excessive drift to be discharged from the evaporative cooling device. The maximum operable air velocity rate is a function of the geometry of the drift eliminator, the proximity of the eliminator to the tower&#39;s water distribution system, the circulating water flow inside the tower and other factors. 
         [0005]    Generally, conventional drift eliminators can be formed in a parallel blade configuration or in a cellular configuration. Parallel blade drift eliminators are constructed from a number of parallel curved blades separated by discrete spacers, which may be separate items or integrally formed in the blade. Cellular drift eliminators are formed from a number of curved blades separated by corrugated spacers that form tube-like cells through which the moisture-laden air flow moves. The parallel curved surfaces created from the stacked blades and corrugated spacers define impingement surfaces to separate water droplets out of the air flow. The tubular design of the cellular drift eliminator configuration adds strength to the stacked assembly. Cellular drift eliminators typically have a higher drift removal efficiency than parallel blade eliminators, but at a slightly higher pressure drop and thus require more power for a fan to move air through the drift eliminator. 
         [0006]    Cellular drift eliminators are normally flat on the top and bottom with the walls of the cellular tubes terminating in a generally common horizontally extending plane. The cellular configuration provides increased strength over the parallel blade configuration. As is identified in U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,804, issued to Randall Bradley on Nov. 13, 2001, the planar configuration at the lower ends of the cellular tubes subject the tubes to being breached across the opening of the cellular tube by a film of water from the water droplets falling along the walls of the cellular tubes. The surface tension of these water blockages is sufficient to require an increase in power to move the air flow through the drift eliminator. One solution to this problem is disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,804, which is to cut a notch into the side wall of the cellular tubes so that water droplets cannot film across a horizontally planar opening. 
         [0007]    A drift eliminator formed from curved blades that are stacked and glued together is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,330, granted to Wilson Bradley, Jr. on Feb. 19, 1985. In this patent, the drift eliminator blades are formed from suitable polymeric material, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), into which is formed impact members to assist in the removal of water droplets from the air flow through the drift eliminator. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,105,036, granted on Sep. 12, 2006, to Gregory Shepherd, a drift eliminator is formed from a plurality of corrugated blade members in a stacked configuration to define cellular tubes for the movement of air through the drift eliminator. The corrugated blades are stacked in a manner to place troughs together so that the troughs can be bonded together by glue or other appropriate adhesive to form the cellular passageways. 
         [0008]    The approach taken in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,804 requires the formation of the polymeric corrugated blade member, which can be formed through a thermoforming process in which a flat sheet of PVC film is heated and vacuum formed into the corrugated structure disclosed therein. A subsequent manufacturing step is then required to cut the arch or notch into the side wall of the blade corrugations. In this manner, the notch in the side wall will prevent the formation of the film of water over the inlet portion of the cellular tube, while maintaining a planar surface for support of the drift eliminator. 
         [0009]    It would be desirable to provide a blade configuration that will prevent the formation of a film of water across the inlet opening of the cellular tube passageways for the flow of moisture laden air through the drift eliminator without diminishing the strength of the stacked structure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a drift eliminator that is formed from curved blades separated by corrugated spacers that define cellular tube-like passageways through the drift eliminator for the extraction of water droplets from the air flow through the drift eliminator. 
         [0011]    It is an object of this invention to provide a corrugated spacer member for use in constructing a drift eliminator in which the corrugated spacer member is fabricated with beveled side walls. 
         [0012]    It is a feature of this invention that the beveled side walls are fabricated only at the air inlet end of the drift eliminator stack. 
         [0013]    It is an advantage of this invention that the beveled side walls are located at the lower end of the drift eliminator assembly where water droplets are discharged from the drift eliminator. 
         [0014]    It is another advantage of this invention that the beveled side walls prevent water droplets from forming a film over the air inlet of the corresponding tube-like passageway. 
         [0015]    It is another feature of this invention that the back wall of a corrugated blade member does not terminate in the plane defined by the edges of the front walls of the stacked corrugated spacer members. 
         [0016]    It is still another feature of this invention that the back walls of each corrugated spacer member are attached to a blade member. 
         [0017]    It is still another advantage of this invention that blade members have a lower terminus edge that is positioned in the same plane as the edges of the front walls of the corrugated spacer members in the drift eliminator assembly. 
         [0018]    It is still another object of this invention to form the beveled side walls of the corrugated spacer members by cutting one end of the corrugated spacer member with an angled knife. 
         [0019]    It is still another feature of this invention that the corrugated spacer member is thermoformed from a sheet of PVC material at the same time as other corrugated spacer members and blade members, which members are separated by cutting the PVC material with a knife after being molded. 
         [0020]    It is yet another advantage of this invention that the structural strength of the drift eliminator assembly is maintained within acceptable parameters even though the back walls of the corrugated spacer members are not in the same horizontal plane as the lower edges of the front walls of the corrugated spacer members in the drift eliminator stack. 
         [0021]    It is yet another feature of this invention that the corrugated spacer members and the blade members can be joined though mechanical fastening devices or by an application of adhesives. 
         [0022]    It is still another advantage of this invention that the power requirements for moving air through the drift eliminator are not increased because of the formation of films of water over the air inlet openings into the cellular tube-like passageways through the drift eliminator. 
         [0023]    It is a further advantage of this invention that the formation of a beveled side wall structure on the corrugated spacer member does not require a separate manufacturing step after the corrugated spacer member has been vacuumed formed and separated from the other components formed at the same time as the corrugated spacer member. 
         [0024]    It is a further object of this invention to provide a drift eliminator assembly formed from alternating curved blade members and corrugated spacer members in which the lower edges of front and back walls of the corrugated member do not define a horizontal plane which is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use. 
         [0025]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide a method of forming a corrugated spacer member for use in conjunction with curved blade members defining cellular tube-like passageways for the removal of water from the air passing through a drift eliminator assembly, which method is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use. 
         [0026]    These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a drift eliminator formed from alternating curved spacers and corrugated spacer members to define tube-like passageways for the flow of air through the evaporative cooling apparatus. The formation of the corrugated blade member with beveled side walls places the back walls of the channels in a different plane than the front walls, with the lower edge of the front walls of the channels being positioned in a common plane along with the lower edge of the blade members. The angled side walls impede the formation of a film of water across the inlet opening into the channel, which requires an increase in power for the fan to move air through the drift eliminator. Mechanical fastening devices molded into the respective members connects the corrugated spacer members and the blade members. A method of forming the corrugated spacer members to provide the angled side walls is also provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a drift eliminator assembly incorporating the principles of the instant invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the drift eliminator assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the top of the drift eliminator assembly corresponding to the left front corner of the drift assembly depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the side of the drift eliminator assembly corresponding to circle  4  of  FIG. 2  to show a first embodiment of the beveled tip for the lower surface of the drift eliminator assembly; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the side of the drift eliminator assembly corresponding to circle  4  of  FIG. 2  to show a second embodiment of the beveled tip for the lower surface of the drift eliminator assembly; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5A  is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the side of the drift eliminator assembly corresponding to circle  4  of  FIG. 2  to show a third embodiment of the beveled tip for the lower surface of the drift eliminator assembly; 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a blade member incorporating the principals of the instant invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the blade member shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the blade member shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged end view of the blade member shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a bevel-tipped corrugated spacer member incorporating the principals of the instant invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the bevel-tipped corrugated spacer member shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of the bevel-tipped corrugated spacer member shown in  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 13  is an end view of the bevel-tipped corrugated spacer member; 
           [0042]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the bevel-tipped corrugated spacer member taken along lines  14 - 14  in  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a square-tipped corrugated spacer member incorporating the principals of the instant invention; 
           [0044]      FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the square-tipped corrugated spacer member shown in  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0045]      FIG. 17  is a side elevational view of the square-tipped corrugated spacer member shown in  FIG. 16 ; 
           [0046]      FIG. 18  is an end view of the square-tipped corrugated spacer member shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view of the square-tipped corrugated spacer member taken along lines  19 - 19  in  FIG. 17 ; 
           [0048]      FIG. 20  is a diagrammatic view of the manufacturing process for creating the corrugated spacer members and the blade members; 
           [0049]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of the thermoformed sheet containing the components of the drift eliminator assembly prior to entering the side slitter station; 
           [0050]      FIG. 22  is a top plan view of the thermoformed sheet of components as depicted in  FIG. 21 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 23  is an end elevational view of the thermoformed sheet of components depicted in  FIG. 21 ; 
           [0052]      FIG. 24  is an end elevational view of the thermoformed sheet of components showing the location of the slitter knives to separate the blade members from the bevel-tipped corrugated spacer member and the square tipped corrugated spacer member in the side slitter station; and 
           [0053]      FIG. 25  is an end elevational view of the components after passing through the side slitter station.; and 
           [0054]      FIG. 26  is a partial enlarged detail view of a joint between two corrugated spacer members with a blade member interposed between the spacer members, the mechanical fastener button being shown in phantom before being crushed to join the members together. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0055]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1-5A , a drift eliminator assembly incorporating the principles of the instant invention can best be seen. The drift eliminator assembly  10  is formed of alternating blade members  20  and corrugated spacer members  30 ,  40  to define an array of cellular tube-like passageways  12  that pass through the assembly  10  from a lower surface  15  to an upper surface  16 . As will be described in greater detail below, each of the cellular passageways  12  follows a curved route in traveling from the inlet openings  13  at the lower surface  15  to the discharge openings  17  at the upper surface  16 . By forcing the flow of air through the drift eliminator assembly  10 , water droplets entrained in the air will impinge on the curved walls of the passageways  12  and flow by gravity to the inlet openings  13  where the collected water droplets will return to the evaporative cooling apparatus (not shown) for recirculation. 
         [0056]    As is depicted in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  5 A, the inlet openings  13  are formed with a beveled tip  14  that extends at an angle to the plane  19  defined by the aligned lower edges  22  of the blade members  20 , which corresponds to the lower surface  15  of the drift eliminator assembly  10 . The configuration of the drift eliminator assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 4  alternates bevel-tipped spacer members  30  and square-tipped corrugated spacer members  40  with blade members  20  interposed between the spacer members  30 ,  40 . The configuration of the drift eliminator  10  shown in  FIG. 5  alternates two bevel-tipped corrugated spacer members  30 ,  50  with blade members  20  interposed between the spacer members. As is noted below, the alternate bevel-tipped spacer member  50  has a supplemental bevel to the first spacer member  30  so that the shortened portions can be connected together back to back as well as the longer portions. The third embodiment shown in  FIG. 5A  replaces the square-tipped corrugated spacer members  40  with a bevel-tipped corrugated spacer members  30  in the same alignment as the first embodiment with the bevel-tipped spacer members  30  being front-to-back, instead of back-to-back as in the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0057]    The individual component members forming the drift eliminator assembly are best seen in  FIGS. 6-17 . The respective members are preferably thermoformed through a vacuum forming apparatus, which is generally known in the art, from a polymeric film, as will be described in greater detail below. The polymeric film is preferably constructed of polyvinylchloride (PVC), but is not limited to this material. The thickness of each individual member is preferably about 18 mils. The length and width of the component members can be varied according to the desired size of the finished drift eliminator assembly  10 , but will preferably have a width of approximately five and a quarter inches. The overall length is typically six to eight feet, but is dependent on the size of the evaporative cooling apparatus into which the drift eliminator assembly  10  is to be placed. 
         [0058]    The blade member  20  is best seen in  FIGS. 6-9 . The blade member  20  is not symmetrical as the lower edge  22  extends further from the curved portion  25  than the upper edge  26 , so that the bevel-tipped and square-tipped spacer members  30 ,  40  can both be fastened to the blade member  20 . Accordingly, extending from the lower edge  22 , the blade member has a lower linear portion  21  connected to a curved portion  25  that is connected to the upper linear portion  26  terminating in the upper edge  27 . The lower linear portion  21  is longer than the upper linear portion  26 . Both the lower and upper linear portions  21 ,  26  are formed with fastener buttons  23 ,  29  to provide the function of mechanically fastening the members together, as will be described in greater detail below. The position of the respective fastener buttons  23 ,  29  relative to the curved portion  25  is substantially the same. The lower linear portion, however, has a greater length from the fastener button  23  to the lower edge  22  than the fastener button  29  relative to the upper edge  27 . 
         [0059]    The corrugated spacer members  30 ,  40  are formed to define in conjunction with the interposed blade members  20  the passageways  12  through which the moisture laden air flows. As best seen in  FIGS. 10-13 , the bevel-tipped spacer member  30  is formed with a lower linear portion  31  formed with a fastener button  33  formed integrally with a curved portion  35  configured to mate with the curved portion  25  of the blade members  20  and then an upper linear portion  34 , which is also formed with a fastener button  33   a.  The corrugations in the spacer member  30  create the passageways  12  when closed against the blade members  20 . Each corrugation has a forward facing wall with the raised corrugation having a front forward facing wall  36  and the recessed corrugation having a rear forward facing wall  37 . The front wall  36  and the rear wall  37  are interconnected by transversely opposed side walls  39 . 
         [0060]    At the lower linear portion  31 , the front wall  36  defines the lower edge  32 , which is intended to align with the lower edge  22  of the blade member  20  when affixed thereto, as will be described in greater detail below. The side walls  39  are formed during the manufacturing process to angle rearwardly to the rear wall  37  so that the rear wall  37  terminates at an elevated edge  38 . When properly affixed to a blade member  20 , the elevated edge  38  is spaced vertically from the lower edge  32  defined by the front wall  36 . Accordingly, the side walls extend at an angle, preferably at about 30 degrees to the plane established by the lower surface  15  of the drift eliminator assembly  10 . With this configuration defining a beveled lower tip at the inlet openings  13  corresponding to the spacer member  30 , a film of water will not form in a manner that will block the flow of air through the corresponding passageway  12 . 
         [0061]    The upper linear portion  34  has no need for a beveled tip as the water droplets precipitating from the air flow through the passageways  12  will flow downwardly toward the inlet opening  13 . Accordingly, the front wall  36  and the rear wall  37  are squared off during the formation of the spacer member  30 , as will be described in greater detail below, so that both the front wall  36  and the rear wall  37  lie in a common plane defining the upper surface  16  of the drift eliminator assembly  10 . 
         [0062]    The fastener buttons  33  on the lower linear portion  31  of the spacer member  30  are positioned on both the front walls  36  and the rear walls  37  so as to be engagable with the corresponding fastener buttons on the lower linear portion  21  of the blade member  20 . Accordingly, the fastener buttons  33  on the lower linear portion  31  are spaced a greater distance from the lower edge  32  than is found for the upper fastener button  33   a  on the upper linear portion  34 . This increased distance from the fastener button  33  to the lower edge  32  enables the fastener button  33  on the rear wall  37  to be located at approximately the same distance from the elevated edge  39  as is found with respect to the upper fastener button  33   a  and the upper surface  16 . Furthermore, this configuration places the lower edge  32  of the spacer member  30  in alignment with the lower edge  22  of the blade member  20  to provide enhanced strength at the lower surface  15  of the drift eliminator assembly  10 . 
         [0063]    The other spacer member  40 ,  50  can be in either configuration described below. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the spacer member alternating with the bevel-tipped spacer member  30  is a square-tipped spacer member  40 . The use of an alternating square-tipped spacer member  40  is a concession to manufacturing difficulties of forming a second bevel-tipped spacer member  50 . Tests have shown that adequate performance, measured in terms of the horsepower requirements to push air through the drift eliminator assembly, can be obtained by using a bevel-tipped spacer member  30  alternating with a square-tipped spacer member  40 . Performance would be enhanced slightly by using a reverse bevel-tipped spacer member  50 , as will be described below. 
         [0064]    As best seen in  FIGS. 15-17 , the square-tipped spacer member  40  is formed in substantially the same configuration as the bevel-tipped spacer member  30 , except for the formation of the angled side walls  39 . The lower linear portion  41  has fastener buttons  43  positioned identically on both the front wall  46  and the rear wall  47  as is found on the front wall of the bevel-tipped spacer member  30 . The lower linear portion  41  is integrally formed with the curved portion  45 , which is configured to mate with the curved portion  25  of the blade member  20 , and the upper linear portion  44 . In the square-tipped spacer member  40 , the front wall  46  and the rear wall  47  terminate in the same plane when mounted to blade members  20  as part of the drift eliminator assembly  10 . 
         [0065]    The embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the spacer member  50  alternating with the bevel-tipped spacer member  30  is a reverse bevel-tipped spacer member  50 . The configuration of the spacer member  50  is substantially identical to the spacer member  30 , except for the orientation of the angled side walls  53 . The side walls  53  are angled so that the terminus of the rear wall is the lower edge  52  that is in the same plane as the lower edge  22  of the blade member  20  and the lower edge  32  of the bevel-tipped spacer member  30 , when properly affixed to the blade member  20 . The angle of the side walls  53  positions the terminus of the front wall at an elevated edge  51  that corresponds to the elevated edge  38  on the bevel-tipped spacer member  30 . 
         [0066]    When properly mounted to blade members  20 , the lower edge  52  of the spacer member  50  is positioned against the lower edge  22  of the adjacent blade member  20 , which is also positioned next to the lower edge  32  of the spacer member  30  located on the opposing side of the blade member  20  from the spacer member  50 . All three lower edges  22 ,  32 ,  52  terminate in the same horizontal plane and provide a support structure that is three material thicknesses in width. Furthermore, the elevated edge  51  of the same spacer member  50  is affixed to a second blade member  20  which has on the opposing side thereof a second bevel-tipped spacer member  30  whose elevated edge  38  is in register with the elevated edge  51 . 
         [0067]    Referring now to  FIGS. 18-22 , the manufacturing process to produce the individual components  20 ,  30 ,  40  can best be seen. The manufacturing process begins with a conventional forming station  55  that includes a mold that vacuum forms the heated polymer material into the shape defined by the mold. Preferably, the polymer material is fed into the mold in a continuous manner so that the product is formed in sequential sections. Once the polymer material has been molded into a formed product sheet (not shown), the product sheet is moved to an end shear station  56  where the continuous product sheet is cut transversely into discrete product panels  60  having a desired length. As can be seen in  FIG. 21 , the transverse cut made to the continuous product sheet to form the product panel  60  is a staggered cut with the offset corresponding to the subsequent cut to separate the two spacer panels  30 ,  40 . 
         [0068]    The product panel  60  is then taken to the side slitter station  57  where longitudinal cuts are made to the product panel  60  to separate the component parts  20 ,  30 ,  40  from the scrap material  61  between the two blade members  20  and the respective spacer members  30 ,  40 . One skilled in the art will recognize that the product panel  60  will also have opposing side scrap pieces (not shown) corresponding to the feeding apparatus at the forming station  55 , end shear station  56  and the side slitter station  57 . These side scrap pieces are not shown in the drawings for purposes of clarity. As is best seen in  FIG. 24 , the side slitter station  57  uses vertical knives  58  to make the vertical longitudinal cuts separating the first blade member  20  from the square-tipped spacer member  40 ; between the two spacer members  30 ,  40  to separate the two spacer members without creating scrap material; and to separate the second blade member  20  from the bevel-tipped spacer member  30 . In addition, an angled knife  59  is used to make the angled cut on the side walls  39 . One skilled in the art will also note that the vertical knife  58   a  at the center of the product panel  60  to separate the two spacer members  30 , 40  is slightly off center so that the longer lower linear portion  41  is formed on one side of the knife  58   a  and the shorter upper linear portion  34  is created on the other side of the knife  58   a.    
         [0069]    One skilled in the art will recognize that a second angled knife  59   a,  schematically depicted in phantom lines in  FIG. 24 , in conjunction with the central vertical knife  58   a  to form the reverse bevel-tipped spacer member  50 , instead of the square-tipped spacer member  40 . While other orientations of the respective components  20 ,  30 ,  50  on the product panel  60  could be utilized to make the use of the second angled knife  59   a  more convenient, the orientation of the components of the product panel  60  as shown in  FIG. 24  is preferred as the assembly of the separated components, whether the square-tipped spacer member  40  or the reverse bevel-tipped spacer member  50  is formed, are oriented for mechanical assembly without requiring a re-orientation of any of the separated components. Referring to  FIG. 25 , one skilled in the art will recognize that the respective lower linear portions  21 ,  31 ,  41  are all oriented in a manner that the components can be engaged, whether manually or by machine, and stacked without requiring any of the components to be re-oriented. 
         [0070]    Once the component members  20 ,  30 ,  40  have been separated at the side slitter station  57 , the component members  20 ,  30 ,  40  are then assembled into the drift eliminator assembly  10 , as depicted in  FIGS. 1-5 . The assembly can be automated or done manually. The spacer members  30 ,  40  are oriented with a blade member between them, as is represented in  FIG. 26 , where the fastener buttons  23 ,  33 ,  43  are stacked and nested together and then crushed to merge the fastener buttons and secure the three components together. This fastening process is repeated for each set of nested fastener buttons along both the upper and lower portions of the components. One skilled in the art will note that the curved portions of the blade members  20  and the spacer members  30 ,  40  are also formed with fastener buttons  25   a,    35   a,    45   a  that are arranged to nest when assembled properly. These fastener buttons  25   a,    35   a,    45   a  on the curved portions  25 ,  35 ,  45  are not crushed, however, but are utilized to prevent shifting of one curved portion relative to the other curved portion due to the interengagement of the fastener buttons  25   a,    35   a,    45   a.    
         [0071]    It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.