Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Cooling Water and other Liquids.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Cooling Water
and other Liquids.
I, JACOB KLEIN, of 8 and 9, South Parade, Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to that type of apparatus for cooling liquids which is
now in common use and in which the liquid is caused to trickle over groups of
plates, grids, rods, hurdles and the like, arranged vertically, and which is more
generally employed for cooling the water from steam engine condensers.
The present improvements are hereinafter described with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which :—
Figure 1 shews a side elevation ;
Figure 2, an end elevation; and
Figure 3, a modification.
Figure 4 represents a plan view of an installation of water coolers arranged to
deal with considerable quantities of the liquid.
In Figures 1 and 2 I have shewn the water cooler as a three-high series, but the
number of series may be less or more according to local conditions. I have also
shewn each series as being composed of a number of parallel hurdles or grates,
but it may consist of their equivalents such as groups of plates, rods, and the like,
so far as these improvements are applicable thereto.
The principal object which I have in view to attain by my present invention
is the more complete and effective circulation of the air in contact with the
apparatus. Now, since a larger volume of air, or, what amounts to the same thing,
a more rapid current will come into contact with the liquid the nearer it is to
the outside of the apparatus, I arrange that more of the water or liquid passes
there than nearer to the center, where there is less change of air. This can be
brought about by causing the liquid to run upon the hurdles A or their substi-
tutes, by overflow from the longitudinal edges of the delivery troughs B, which
edges have notches C, cut in them. These notches are made deeper near to the
ends of the troughs so that more liquid is delivered through them near the ends
of the hurdles than over the central parts. In the example illustrated there is
one of these troughs upon the upper edge of each hurdle.
In the existing constructions of the apparatus, the drops of liquid fall from the
whole under surface of the apparatus into the receiving tank. This wide distri-
bution of the falling drops is found sometimes to impede the ascending current
of air and thus to diminish the circulation. This may be prevented wholly or
in a great measure by sloping or converging the lowest members of the lowest
series in the apparatus in such a manner as to conduct all the drops of the liquid
into one line or vertical plane or, if desired, into two such lines or planes.
This arrangement is illustrated by Figure 2, where the bottom rails D, slope to the
point of delivery E. This point may be produced in the centre or on each side

page_text: by giving the rails a direct or inverted 'V' slope. This sloping of the bottom
members need not be limited to the lowest series, when there is more than one,
as the bottom members of each series may be similarly sloped, but in such cases
intermediate collecting and distributing troughs will be required; the use of which
it is preferred to avoid.
Instead of sloping the lowest bars rails or rods, I may, for the same purpose,
attach thereto separate troughs 0, as shewn by Figure 3. In this modification
the liquid drops lastly into one of these troughs and flows out into the receiving
tank at one or both ends.
If the air passes without eddying between the hurdles, then that air which is
next to the hurdles becomes' charged with vapours and incapable of absorbing
other vapour rapidly. To obviate this I may introduce means for deflecting or
breaking up the intermediate air currents. These means may consist of the
horizontal removable hurdle F, the undersides of the rails of which may be
V-shaped as shewn. One or more of such hurdles may be employed in each, or
either series.
In large installations of the apparatus, each vertical group or set of the coolers C,
may be arranged similarly to the black squares of a chess board as in Figure 4:
This arrangement gives perfectly free access of air upon all sides of' each group
and greatly increases the efficiency of the apparatus, the existing custom being
to arrange all the groups closely side by side. If not enough of the groups are used
to constitute such an arrangement, then I may simply arrange them with spaces
between so that a similar result is obtained.
Another object which I have in view. is to ensure a more effective flow of the
liquid to be cooled. I have already described that for this purpose I may differen-
tially notch the top edges of the delivery troughs B. In the case of a long
trough H, being required for distributing liquid. to more than one group of coolers,
and in a similar trough for one group or series only. I may construct an inner
trough with an adjustable edge or edges as is shewn for example by the Figures 1
and 2. The inner trough is made with partial false sides II, fitting closely to the
true sides JJ, and supported, if need be, with guides. At one end, each false side
is pivoted as at K, to the true side. At the other end, the false side can be
adjusted higher or lower, and can be fixed in position by any convenient means
such as a nut. and washer fitting upon a screw stud fixed in the true side and
passing through a slot L, in the false side. If a uniform distribution of liquid
into the outer trough is desired, the false side or sides is or are levelled. If. more
is wanted at one end than at the other, that end is lowered or the opposite end
is raised. The liquid may be supplied to the trough at one end through the inlet M,
and as the liquid is comparatively quiet in the inner, trough, any solid matter
will be, deposited therein from the liquid and may be washed out periodically. In
other forms of distributing troughs the liquid may also be introduced at one end
in like manner. The liquid passes out through perforations N. N, in the bottom of
the distributing troughs H, to the delivery troughs B.
"
If the path of the liquid through the apparatus be prolonged,, the liquid will
be longer and more effectively exposed to the air for cooling. To obtain this
result without increasing the dimensions of the apparatus, I may adopt the arrange-
ment shewn by Figures 1 and 2, according to which the hurdle bars a, are sloped
alternately, to the right and to the left. The result of this arrangement is, that
any individual drop of liquid, instead of falling or flowing across a rail of the
hurdle at right angles to its edge, flows at an acute angle thereto and its path is
thus, prolonged. If all the rails a sloped in the same direction, all the liquid
would tend to be conveyed in that direction. But, by sloping the bars alter-
nately to the right and to the left, I ensure an average straight path for the fluid.
Alternatively or additionally, I may incline an increased number (or the same
number),, of the rails successively breadthwise alternately to the right and to the
left as indicated by cross section in Figure 5.

page_text: In erecting the apparatus I may in some cases rely upon the natural circula-
tion of the air produced by the warm liquid but, where high efficiency is impor.
tant, it is desirable to supplement this natural agency by artificial aids such as
by a chimney or chimneys, fans, and the like, in which cases it is necessary to
enclose the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, distributing troughs hav-
ing notches of different sizes cut in their top edges, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, the combination and
arrangement with a distributing trough of an inner trough having an adjustable
side or sides, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, arranging successive bars
rails or rods with slope alternately to the right and to the left, substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
4. In liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, sloping the lowest members
in such a manner that the liquid is delivered in a vertical plane or planes instead
of from the whole under surface, substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
5. In liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, a series of troughs at the
bottom of the lowest series of coolers adapted to receive the cooled liquid and
deliver it at one or both ends so as not to interfere with the ascending air currents,
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
6. In liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, the combination and arrange-
ment with the vertical hurdles of horizontal frames or hurdles for breaking up
the internal air currents, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
7. In liquid cooling apparatus of the type set forth, the arrangement of the in-
dividual elements of a compound apparatus in such a manner that each side of
of each element is fully exposed to the air, substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
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1512 1
T
1007
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.