Cmu cooling tower and method of construction

Abstract

A cooling tower structure and method of construction using multiples of standard concrete masonry units (CMUs) properly reinforced, using standard CMU construction methods and specifications, and using block masons of ordinary skill, costing less for construction and maintenance, requiring less heavy equipment, less transportation and lifting of heavy and large components, a smaller construction work site, and requiring significantly less time to construct and make operational.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cooling tower structure to support a cooling system of a target square size, comprising:
 a foundation of the target square size plus six feet on a longer, water-basin dimension of said cooling tower structure, plus two feet on a shorter dimension;   where said foundation has embedded within it vertical reinforcement bars for the secure attachment of said cooling tower structure;   two freestanding corner columns constructed from CMU blocks, attached to said foundation;   two corner columns incorporated into said structure, constructed from CMU blocks and attached to said foundation;   at least three bonding beams constructed from CMU blocks, supported by and attached to said corner columns;   where said bonding beams supported by said corner columns create an open chamber within a lower portion of said cooling tower structure for unobstructed intake of air;   an above-ground water basin incorporated into said cooling tower structure at said incorporated corner columns, constructed from CMU blocks and attached to said foundation;   an upper portion of said cooling tower structure, of said target square size plus two feet, constructed from CMU blocks, supported by said bonding beams, in turn supported by said corner columns;   where said upper portion is adapted to enclose a cooling system of said target square size; and   a fan pedestal constructed from CMU blocks, attached to said foundation at a point in the center of said upper portion;   where said fan pedestal is adapted to support a fan motor and fan of said cooling system of said target square size;   where said cooling tower structure is constructed from standard CMU blocks using standard materials and construction techniques known to block masons of average competence and experience; and   where said construction from standard CMU blocks is accomplished quickly and inexpensively.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling tower structure of  claim 1 , where said upper portion further encloses a forced-air counterflow type of cooling system. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling tower structure of  claim 1 , where said target square size is 24 feet, said cooling tower structure is 30 feet in the longer horizontal dimension, which includes said water basin, 26 feet in the shorter horizontal dimension, and 18 feet tall, supporting said fan at about 9 feet off the ground surface. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling tower structure of  claim 1 , where said standard CMU blocks further comprise 1576 8-by-16-by-8-inch CMUs, 26 8-by-8-by-8 CMUs, 234 deep-lintel 16-by-8-by-8 CMUs, 6 corner 16-by-8-by-8 CMUs, 37 perforated 8-by-8-by-8 CMUs, and 209 capping 1-by-8-by-8 CMUs. 
     
     
         5 . A method for constructing a cooling tower structure of a target square size, comprising:
 providing a foundation of the target square size plus six feet on a longer, water-basin dimension of said cooling tower structure, plus two feet on a shorter dimension;   embedding within said foundation vertical reinforcement bars for the secure attachment of said cooling tower structure;   providing two freestanding corner columns constructed from CMU blocks, attached to said foundation;   providing two corner columns incorporated into said structure, constructed from CMU blocks and attached to said foundation;   providing at least three bonding beams constructed from CMU blocks, supported by and attached to said corner columns;   where said bonding beams supported by said corner columns create an open chamber within a lower portion of said cooling tower structure for unobstructed intake of air;   providing an above-ground water basin incorporated into said cooling tower structure at said incorporated corner columns, constructed from CMU blocks and attached to said foundation;   providing an upper portion of said cooling tower structure, of said target square size, constructed from CMU blocks, supported by said bonding beams, in turn supported by said corner columns;   where said upper portion is adapted to enclose a cooling system of said target square size; and   providing a fan pedestal constructed from CMU blocks, attached to said foundation at a point in the center of said upper portion;   where said fan pedestal is adapted to support a fan motor and fan of said cooling system of said target square size;   where said cooling tower structure is constructed from standard CMU blocks using standard materials and construction techniques known to block masons of average competence and experience; and   where said construction from standard CMU blocks is accomplished quickly and inexpensively.   
     
     
         6 . The method for constructing a cooling tower structure of  claim 5 , where said upper portion further encloses a forced-air counterflow type of cooling system. 
     
     
         7 . The method for constructing a cooling tower structure of  claim 5 , where said target square size is 24 feet, said cooling tower structure is 30 feet in the longer horizontal dimension, which includes said water basin, 26 feet in the shorter horizontal dimension, and 18 feet tall, supporting said fan at about 9 feet off the ground surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method for constructing a cooling tower structure of  claim 5 , where said standard CMU blocks further comprise 1576 8-by-16-by-8-inch CMUs, 26 8-by-8-by-8 CMUs, 234 deep-lintel 16-by-8-by-8 CMUs, 6 corner 16-by-8-by-8 CMUs, 37 perforated 8-by-8-by-8 CMUs, and 209 capping 1-by-8-by-8 CMUs.