Patent ID: 7107782

Claim:
A method of exchanging heat comprising the steps of providing a heat exchange apparatus having a direct evaporative section and an indirect evaporative section, the direct evaporative section comprising a plurality of fill elements, the indirect section comprising a plurality of individual circuits each conducting a fluid stream, spraying an evaporative liquid generally downwardly across the direct evaporative section, moving air generally countercurrent to the spray of evaporative liquid generally upwardly across the direct evaporative section such that heat is exchanged from the evaporative liquid to the air moving across the direct evaporative section, collecting the evaporative liquid that passes through the direct evaporative section in a re-spray tray, passing the collected evaporative liquid through a plurality of re-spray branches each having a plurality of re-spray nozzles, such that the collected evaporated liquid is sprayed generally downwardly across the indirect evaporative section, and moving air generally concurrent with the spray of evaporative liquid across the indirect evaporative section, such that heat is exchanged from the fluid stream in the individual circuits of the indirect evaporative section to the evaporative liquid and to the air moving across the indirect evaporative section.