1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for distributing water and other fluids, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a water distributor for use in a cooling tower.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical prior art cooling towers utilize a grid work of overhead sprinklers much like a typical building fire sprinkler system. The grid work of sprinklers develops a plurality of overlapping circular spray patterns for the purpose of distributing water over the upper surface of a layer of fill material through which air is drawn. The water flows downward through the fill material as the air flows upward through or across the fill material, and thus heat is transferred from the water to the air.
It is important to obtain as uniform a distribution as possible of the water over the upper surface of the fill material so that the water will uniformly flow through the fill material across the entire cross-sectional area of the tower. If the water distribution is not uniform, channels will develop which are substantially void of water and which thus provide a low pressure path through which the air will channel thus greatly reducing the efficiency of the heat exchange operation conducted by the cooling tower.
Conventional grid work overhead sprinkler systems utilize a plurality of sprinklers which each have circular spray patterns. By its very nature, these systems tend to have areas of greater concentration and areas of lesser concentration of water distribution across the upper surface of the fill material thus leading to the inefficiencies described. Furthermore, the only way these sprinklers can be adjusted is by replacement of the orifices with different size orifices.
Furthermore, conventional overhead sprinkler systems have relatively small openings in the sprinkler heads which are prone to clogging by debris and corrosive buildup which is a natural result of handling the rather dirty water typically encountered in industrial cooling situations. As the sprinklers clog, further irregularities are created in the water distribution pattern thus further decreasing the efficiency of the cooling tower.
There is a need, particularly in the cooling tower industry, for a water distribution system which alleviates the problems mentioned above. There is a need for a distribution system which uniformly distributes water over the upper surface of the fill. There is a need for a clog-free distribution system. There is a need for a corrosion-resistant distribution system. There is a need for a distribution system having an adjustable nozzle. Furthermore, anything which can increase the efficiency of the tower greatly aids the economic viability of the tower since increased efficiency can lead to reduced size which can lead to reduced power consumption for exhaust fans and for hydraulic pumping.