High performance ceramic cooling tower fill system and retainers

Abstract

High performance ceramic (“HPC”) cooling tower fill plates with scalloped top and bottom edges and cross-hatched veins are used in combination with improved retainers in order to produce high performance, cooling tower fill bundles.

I claim: 
     
         1 . Fill bundles for use in cooling towers comprising:
 a fill plate, wherein said fill plate is made of ceramic;   wherein said fill plate has a top edge opposite a bottom edge, end a first side edge opposite a second side edge, and said top edge, bottom edge, first side edge, and said second side edge define a first face and an opposing second face;   wherein said top edge is scalloped;   a crosshatch of veins on said first face and said second face; and   wherein said crosshatch of veins are in a diamond pattern when said fill plate is held generally upright.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said top and bottom edges, and said first and second side edges, and said veins  50 , are thicker than the remainder of said fill plate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said top and bottom edges, and said first and second side edges, and said veins  50 , are about 84% thicker than the remainder of said fill plate. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of said top edge that is at the lower portion of said top edge scallop and a portion of said veins connected to it, form a triangle. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a multiplicity of said fill plates; and   wherein said multiplicity of said fill plates is held as a fill bundle.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 wherein said multiplicity of said fill plates in said fill bundle are held generally upright.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein scalloped top and bottom edges ( 40  and  42 ) are offset in adjoining plates in said fill bundle. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein scalloped top and bottom edges ( 40  and  42 ) are offset in adjoining plates in said fill bundle. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a multiplicity of said fill plates; and   wherein said multiplicity of said fill plates is held as a fill bundle.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 wherein said multiplicity of said fill plates in said fill bundle are held generally upright.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein scalloped top and bottom edges ( 40  and  42 ) are offset in adjoining plates in said fill bundle. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein scalloped top and bottom edges ( 40  and  42 ) are offset in adjoining plates in said fill bundle.