Patent ID: 7100906

Claim:
A water distribution system for wetting an evaporative media pad having an air inlet side, an opposing air outlet side, a pair of sides extending between the air inlet side and air outlet side, and a top, the system comprising: a nozzle configured to spray a stream of water upwardly; a water distributor located above the top of the media pad having a receiving surface including a plurality of fingers configured to split the stream of water into a first portion directed downward toward the media pad and a second portion directed farther from the nozzle than the first portion; the receiving surface extending from a point of contact a sufficient distance to allow the stream of water to extend substantially across an entire width of the receiving surface; wherein a width of the first and second portions of the stream of water is substantially equal to a width of the media pad as defined by the distance between the pair of sides of the media pad; wherein the nozzle directs the stream of water toward the receiving surface at a non-vertical angle; and a support plate comprising a first member extending from an end of the distributor closer to the air outlet side and extending downward and toward the air inlet side.