Improved Evaporative Condenser

Abstract

An evaporative condenser for use in a refrigeration or air-conditioning system includes one or more condensing coils arranged in a condensing coil zone. The coils condense therewithin a refrigerant of the system. The condenser also includes a mechanism for wetting the one or more condensing coils. The condenser further includes drift eliminators arranged to remove free water from an airstream A that has flowed past the one or more condensing coils and wetting mechanism. The condenser additionally includes a divergent zone that diverges from the condensing coil zone towards the drift eliminators such that, once the airstream has flowed past the one or more condensing coils, it flows into and through the divergent zone to the drift eliminators.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An evaporative condenser for use in a refrigeration or air-conditioning system, the condenser comprising:
 one or more condensing coils arranged in a condensing coil zone, the coils for condensing therewithin a refrigerant of the system;   a mechanism for wetting the one or more condensing coils;   drift eliminators arranged to remove free water from an airstream that has flowed past the one or more condensing coils and wetting mechanism;   a divergent zone that diverges from the condensing coil zone towards the drift eliminators such that, once the airstream has flowed past the one or more condensing coils, it flows into and through the divergent zone to the drift eliminators.   
     
     
         21 . The condenser according to  claim 20 , wherein the one or more condensing coils are arranged as a bundle in the condensing coil zone. 
     
     
         22 . The condenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the condensing coil zone comprises a section of the condenser of generally constant cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         23 . The condenser according to  claim 20 , wherein the divergent zone is configured to cause the airstream flowing therein to decelerate before reaching the drift eliminators. 
     
     
         24 . The condenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the divergent zone comprises a hollow frustum through which the airstream flows. 
     
     
         25 . The condenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the drift eliminators are immediately located at an air leaving side of the divergent zone. 
     
     
         26 . The condenser according to  claim 21 , further comprising an air inlet chamber located at an air entry side of the condensing coil zone. 
     
     
         27 . The condenser according to  claim 21 , wherein the mechanism for wetting the one or more condensing coils comprises spray nozzles that are arranged with respect to the divergent zone to spray water into the one or more condensing coils in a direction counter to the airstream flow through the one or more condensing coils. 
     
     
         28 . The condenser according to  claim 27 , wherein the nozzles are arranged in the divergent zone so as to spray the water generally as a liquid cone onto the one or more condensing coils. 
     
     
         29 . The condenser according to  claim 20 , further comprising a collection zone for collecting water that has passed through condensing coil zone, and a recycling system for recycling collected water to the wetting mechanism. 
     
     
         30 . The condenser according to  claim 29 , wherein the recycling system comprises a pump for pumping the collected water via pipework to the wetting mechanism and, as necessary, a water make-up mechanism for maintaining a predetermined amount of water for effective operation of the evaporative condenser. 
     
     
         31 . The condenser according to  claim 29 , further comprising a heat exchanger through which the collected water is passed prior to recycling it to the wetting mechanism, and through which the condensed refrigerant is passed to exchange heat with the recycled collected water. 
     
     
         32 . The condenser according to  claim 20 , wherein each of the one or more condensing coils comprises stainless steel tube. 
     
     
         33 . An evaporative condenser for use in a refrigeration or air-conditioning system, the condenser comprising:
 one or more condensing coils arranged in a condensing coil zone, the coils for condensing therewithin a refrigerant of the system;   a mechanism for wetting the one or more condensing coils;   drift eliminators arranged to remove free water from an airstream that has flowed past the one or more condensing coils and wetting mechanism;   a collection zone for collecting water that has passed through condensing coil zone;   a recycling system for recycling collected water to the wetting mechanism; and   a heat exchanger through which the collected water is passed prior to recycling it to the wetting mechanism, and through which the condensed refrigerant is passed to exchange heat with the recycled collected water.   
     
     
         34 . The condenser according to  claim 33 , further comprising a divergent zone that diverges from the condensing coil zone towards the drift eliminators such that, once the airstream has flowed past the one or more condensing coils, it flows into and through the divergent zone to the drift eliminators. 
     
     
         35 . An evaporative condensation process forming part of a refrigeration or air-conditioning cycle, the process comprising:
 passing refrigerant through one or more condensing coils;   wetting the one or more condensing coils with water;   passing an airstream over the one or more wetted condensing coils whereby refrigerant is caused to condense within the coils, and whereby a portion of the water is caused to evaporate into the airstream;   eliminating water that is present in the airstream leaving the one or more condensing coils;   wherein the velocity of the airstream leaving the one or more condensing coils is caused to decelerate prior to eliminating the water that is present in the airstream.   
     
     
         36 . An evaporative condensation process forming part of a refrigeration or air-conditioning cycle, the process comprising:
 passing refrigerant through one or more condensing coils;   wetting the one or more condensing coils with water;   collecting the water that passes through the one or more condensing coils and recycling it to wet the one or more condensing coils with water;   passing an airstream over the one or more wetted condensing coils whereby refrigerant is caused to condense within the coils, and whereby a portion of the water is caused to evaporate into the airstream;   eliminating water that is present in the airstream leaving the one or more condensing coils; and   exchanging heat between the condensed refrigerant and the collected water prior to recycling it to wet the one or more condensing coils.   
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein the process takes place in an evaporative condenser that comprises:
 one or more condensing coils arranged in a condensing coil zone, the coils for condensing therewithin a refrigerant of the system;   a mechanism for wetting the one or more condensing coils;   drift eliminators arranged to remove free water from an airstream that has flowed past the one or more condensing coils and wetting mechanism; and   a divergent zone that diverges from the condensing coil zone towards the drift eliminators such that, once the airstream has flowed past the one or more condensing coils, it flows into and through the divergent zone to the drift eliminators.   
     
     
         38 . A process as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the process takes place in an evaporative condenser that comprises:
 one or more condensing coils arranged in a condensing coil zone, the coils for condensing therewithin a refrigerant of the system;   a mechanism for wetting the one or more condensing coils;   drift eliminators arranged to remove free water from an airstream that has flowed past the one or more condensing coils and wetting mechanism; and   a divergent zone that diverges from the condensing coil zone towards the drift eliminators such that, once the airstream has flowed past the one or more condensing coils, it flows into and through the divergent zone to the drift eliminators.   
     
     
         39 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein the refrigerant condensed in the one or more condensing coils comprises a chemical or natural refrigerant.