Abstract: The invention relates to tower coolers in which the exchange of heat between the liquid to be cooled and the atmospheric air takes place in cross-flow, in plural successive heat exchangers. Liquid leaving a first exchanger is homogeneously mixed before passing to the next exchanger. This may be effected by a device comprising a first compartment sited beneath a first exchanger so as to receive the liquid which falls from said first exchanger. A spillway is placed at one end of said compartment in such a manner that the liquid is displaced therein in a first direction, either that of the airflow or the reverse direction. A second compartment is placed beneath the first and communicates therewith via the spillway such that the liquid is displaced therein in a second direction opposite to the first. Means are provided for discharging the liquid from the second compartment toward the following exchanger.

Abstract: Gas-condensation device consisting of an enclosure (3a) and chambers (1,2) for collecting the cooling fluid, the enclosure (3a) containing gases which are at least partially condensable and at least one bundle (3) of horizontal smooth tubes inside which the cooling fluid runs and which are arranged regularly in a bundle and supported by intermediate support plates and/or support grids (3b) situated between the collecting chambers, characterized by the replacement of at least part of an oblique descending row of tubes (3) by shaped elements (20) for catching and removing the condensates and which are each offset in a same direction relative to the upper neighboring element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a packing device for an installation for the biological treatment of waste waters, of the type comprising an assembly of sheets (1) having corrugations and separated by flat sheets (2), said corrugated sheets (1) defining, in conjunction with the flat sheets (2), channels (7;8) which extend from top to bottom, and in which the waste water trickles countercurrently to an oxygen-containing gas. This device is characterized in that the crests of the corrugations have crenellations (9) which in conjunction with the adjacent flat sheet (2) bound passages establishing communication between two channels (7, 7 or 8, 8) lying on the same side of a corrugated sheet.

Abstract: A heater comprising two separate tube nests of which one (29) heats the circulating water by condensation and supercooling and the other (39) heats a partial flow of this water by the desuperheating of steam. Steam is admitted through pipe (16). The foregoing partial flow of water comes from the desuperheating zone of a heater located downstream and is admitted through a manifold (41). Pipes (39) are wound round a central drum (43).

Abstract: An installation for contacting a fluid with a gas is disclosed and comprises an enclosure provided in the lower part of its periphery with at least one gas inlet opening and in its upper part with at least one gas discharge opening. The contact unit is composed of a combustible material, and the unit is disposed in the enclosure above the gas inlet opening and is suspended from a framework by cables and the cables are connected by temperature responsive means adapted to cause release of the cables in response to the detection of a predetermined temperature at the most equal to the flame temperature of the contact unit.

Abstract: A cooler employing air, as the cooling media, and a streaming liquid is of the type comprising a peripheral liquid receiving pan resting on piles which are independent and evenly spaced apart below the pan, a distribution system for a liquid to be cooled, a liquid-gas contacting unit extending under the distribution system and liquid receiving devices for the liquid including channels, disposed under the contacting unit, characterized in that the pan of the cooler rests on the piles through a wide peripheral lintel which supports an inner flange and an outer flange thereby defining a u-shaped member into which the cooled liquid collected in the channels is discharged by gravity.

Abstract: A heat exchange comprises a battery of rectilinear tubes of synthetic plastic material connected at their respective ends to headers. At least one of the headers is fixed to the wall of the tower and the remainder of the exchanger is mounted by suspension members to allow free expansion of the tubes of the battery.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for receiving a liquid which falls freely in the form of a shower or the like, of the type comprising a receiving wall which is inclined to the vertical and directs the received liquid into a trough which extends along the lower edge of the receiving wall. The devices comprise in the flow path of the liquid received on the inclined wall and before the liquid enters the trough, means for substantially reducing or eliminating the vertical velocity component of the liquid when it enters the trough.The disclosure is also directed to such a device employed in countercurrent installations for putting a liquid in contact with a gas.

Abstract: The system comprises a series of heaters arranged in cascade and fed with steam from drawoffs at pressures which progressively decrease from the steam boiler side to the condenser side of the plant.In order to improve the efficiency of the plant with which the system is associated, the system comprises a plurality of biphase turbines arranged in cascade. The first of the turbines is fed from the drain of the heater at the highest pressure and the following turbines are each fed at least in part with the outlet liquid of the biphase turbine preceding it. These biphase turbines produce mechanical energy by recovery of the kinetic energy of the condensates of the heaters feeding them.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for receiving a liquid which falls freely in the form of a shower or the like, of the type comprising a receiving wall which is inclined to the vertical and directs the received liquid into a trough which extends along the lower edge of the receiving wall. The devices comprise in the flow path of the liquid received on the inclined wall and before the liquid enters the trough, means for substantially reducing or eliminating the vertical velocity component of the liquid when it enters the trough.The disclosure is also directed to such a device employed in countercurrent installations for putting a liquid in contact with a gas.

Abstract: The process avoids, in a cold period, the formation of ice inside a cooler having lower air inlets and employing atmospheric air and a freezable liquid stream. The process comprises providing the air inlet apertures with vertical metal trellises which extend in a part of the apertures from the top of the latter downwardly. In cold periods, cold water is caused to stream along the trellises so as to form, under controlled conditions, curtains of ice on the trellises which partly close the apertures. When the temperature of the air, and consequently the temperature of the water cooled inside the cooler, resumes a sufficiently high temperature to avoid the formation of ice inside the cooler, the curtains of ice formed on the trellises are melted.

Abstract: Device for mixing dry and humid air streams of a combined atmospheric cooler employing parallel air streams. The device comprises a wet exchange unit and a dry heat exchange unit which are disposed in parallel in the air stream. The device for mixing the dry and humid air streams comprises surfaces for deflecting the air streams disposed upstream of the wet heat exchange unit and is characterized in that the deflecting surfaces are constituted by at least one channel which is open in the direction of the air outlet of the cooler and which extends in the space located upstream of the wet heat exchange unit. The at least one channel extends from the region in which the humid air stream arrives adjacent the part of the dry heat exchange unit which is the nearest of said region and toward the center of the cooler.

Abstract: A furnishing device comprises liquid carrying fill sheets which are juxtaposed and vertically corrugated and define therebetween passages for a gas, said sheets comprising in succession, in a direction parallel to the crests of the corrugations at least two regions in which the corrugations have different amplitudes, namely a region having corrugations of large amplitude and a region having corrugations of small amplitude which are interconnected by a transition region. Each sheet has at intervals along the crests of its corrugations spacer devices by means of which one sheet may be fixed to an adjacent sheet and maintained out of contact with the latter except in the region of the spacer devices.

Abstract: An installation for contacting a fluid with a gas is disclosed and comprises an enclosure provided in the lower part of its periphery with at least one gas inlet opening and in its upper part with at least one gas discharge opening. The contact unit is composed of a combustible material, and unit is disposed in the enclosure above the gas inlet opening and is suspended from a framework by hooking means which comprise temperature responsive means adapted to cause release of said hooking means in response to the detection of a predetermined temperature at the most equal to the flame temperature of the contact unit.

Abstract: Heat exchange units are disclosed for exchanging heat between at least one fluid, for example water, and a gas, for example air, comprising at least one battery of heat exchange tubes which are parallel to each other and extend generally vertically and in which circulates one of the fluids. The gas, such as air, passes between the tubes of the battery generally transversely of the heat exchange tubes, and means are provided for selectively spraying a liquid on the heat exchanger tubes. The heat exchange units may be employed in atmospheric natural draft, or forced draft coolers, or cooling towers, or combinations of such draft-producing means may be employed in a single cooling tower.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a battery of rectilinear tubes of synthetic plastic material connected at their respective ends to headers. At least one of the headers is fixed to the wall of the tower and the remainder of the exchanger is mounted by suspension members to allow free expansion of the tubes of the battery.

Abstract: A liquid collecting device comprises a liquid collecting trough, an inclined wall extending above the trough for directing generally vertically falling liquid into the trough and a panel composed of a plurality vertically directed intersecting walls positioned a small distance above a major portion of the inclined wall. The collecting device has particular utility liquid-gas contacting apparatus.

Abstract: A fluid-fluid heat exchanger comprises a plurality of flexible synthetic tubes extending in a curved path between a pair of headers with the tubes being maintained in a plurality of spaced apart superimposed layers by a plurality of spaced apart generally radially disposed spacers.

Abstract: A cooling tower for condensing water has a hyperbolical main wall with an per portion which defines a passage for ascending vapor-laden air. The upper portion contains an annular insert serving to intercept currents of cool air which develop and tend to flow into the interior of the intermediate portion of the main wall at low wind velocities and/or to intercept turbulent air which develops and tends to flow into the intermediate portion when the wind velocity at the top of the tower is high. The insert may constitute a sheltered passageway for workmen and may be made integral with the upper portion of the main wall. The width of the annular space which is defined by the insert and upper portion of the main wall may be a whole multiple of the depth of such space, and the cross-sectional area of this space can approach one-half the cross-sectional area of the passage through which cooling air escapes from the tower by flowing upwardly within and above the insert.

Abstract: A supporting framework for heat exchange surfaces for atmospheric cooling towers includes a plurality of primary generally vertically directed support members hingedly interconnected and further support members connected to the primary support members via elastic members having a high modulus of compression and a low modulus of elasticity relative to the elements forming the framework.