Patent ID: 7278631

Claim:
A base for a cross flow cooling tower having a fill media and a moisture collection area, the base comprising: a plurality of elongated supports, each support including a top, a first side, a second side, a bottom, a length, a first end, a second end, an aperture, and a substantially hollow channel shape; a plurality of cross rails positioned substantially perpendicular to the supports, each cross rail engaging the top of the supports and connecting adjacent supports; a first locating plate positioned proximate to the first end of each support and substantially perpendicular to the supports; a second locating plate positioned proximate to the second end of each support and substantially perpendicular to the supports; wherein the first and second locating plates substantially position the fill media on the base; wherein each support includes a plurality of notches spaced along the length and traversing the support substantially perpendicular to the length; wherein the plurality of cross rails are positioned in the notches; and each support further including a plurality of openings positioned substantially perpendicular to the length, wherein moisture within the moisture collection area flows through the aperture in a first direction and through the openings in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.