The invention relates to a heat exchanger apparatus comprising at least one metal sheet (10) (e.g. aluminium), and preferably a plurality in a stack. Each metal sheet (10) has a corrugated surface, with fabric covering at least a portion of one surface of the metal sheet to promote evaporation. A wetting agent (e.g. LiCl/Polyvinyl-Alcohol (PVA) solution) is provided in the fabric to promote wetting of the fabric, and also acts as an anti-microbial agent. The fabric preferably covers all of the corrugated surface, and two planar portions are provided above and below the corrugated surface respectively. In use, the heat exchanger apparatus is disposed with a long side vertical and the corrugated surface is disposed on a middle portion, the upper planar portion is contiguous with an air outlet, and/or the lower planar portion is contiguous with an air inlet. In a preferred embodiment, the corrugated surface has in cross-section a profile of a periodic waveform, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is 11.6 mm, the amplitude is 2.5 mm, and corrugations intersect the plane of the heat exchanger apparatus at an angle to that plane of 50 degrees. Also disclosed are a cooling system incorporating the heat exchanger apparatus and methods of operating the cooling system, involving intermittently operating a water supply system for the application of water to the fabric, and/or, recirculating water from a water sump using the water supply system.

The invention relates to a heat exchanger apparatus comprising at least one metal sheet (10) (e.g. aluminium), and preferably a plurality in a stack. Each metal sheet (10) has a corrugated surface, with fabric covering at least a portion of one surface of the metal sheet to promote evaporation. A wetting agent (e.g. LiCl/Polyvinyl-Alcohol (PVA) solution) is provided in the fabric to promote wetting of the fabric, and also acts as an anti-microbial agent. The fabric preferably covers all of the corrugated surface, and two planar portions are provided above and below the corrugated surface respectively. In use, the heat exchanger apparatus is disposed with a long side vertical and the corrugated surface is disposed on a middle portion, the upper planar portion is contiguous with an air outlet, and/or the lower planar portion is contiguous with an air inlet. In a preferred embodiment, the corrugated surface has in cross-section a profile of a periodic waveform, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is 11.6 mm, the amplitude is 2.5 mm, and corrugations intersect the plane of the heat exchanger apparatus at an angle to that plane of 50 degrees. Also disclosed are a cooling system incorporating the heat exchanger apparatus and methods of operating the cooling system, involving intermittently operating a water supply system for the application of water to the fabric, and/or, recirculating water from a water sump using the water supply system.

A hybrid heat pump system comprising a heat pump loop integrated with a hydronic loop. The hybrid heat pump system offers multiple modes of operation to provide increased versatility and improved performance. Each of the loops can operate independently. In addition, the loops can operate in conjunction with each other in both heating and cooling modes. Still further, the hydronic loop can provide a reheat function when the heat pump loop is operating in the cooling mode to provide improved dehumidification of the air delivered to the conditioned space. The heat pump loop may include a hot gas bypass functionality for capacity control and/or freeze protection. The hydronic heat exchanger and the space heat exchanger of the heat pump loop may be combined in a compact single slab construction with a slit fin preventing cross-conduction between the heat exchanger sections.

A hybrid heat pump system comprising a heat pump loop integrated with a hydronic loop. The hybrid heat pump system offers multiple modes of operation to provide increased versatility and improved performance. Each of the loops can operate independently. In addition, the loops can operate in conjunction with each other in both heating and cooling modes. Still further, the hydronic loop can provide a reheat function when the heat pump loop is operating in the cooling mode to provide improved dehumidification of the air delivered to the conditioned space. The heat pump loop may include a hot gas bypass functionality for capacity control and/or freeze protection. The hydronic heat exchanger and the space heat exchanger of the heat pump loop may be combined in a compact single slab construction with a slit fin preventing cross-conduction between the heat exchanger sections.

An electric machine has a housing which has an interior space and an interior wall extending about the interior space, and a stator assembly disposed within the interior space and attached to the interior wall. The electric machine includes a rotor within the interior space and located radially inward from the stator. The rotor and stator define a gap there between and cooperate to produce flux. The rotor comprises a hollow cylindrical member having an interior region, an interior wall extending about the interior region and an exterior surface. The rotor includes magnets attached to the exterior surface and a rotor shaft support structure disposed within the interior region of the hollow cylindrical member and attached to the interior wall of the hollow cylindrical member. A rotor shaft is attached to the rotor shaft support structure. The electric machine further comprises bearings to locate and support the rotor shaft relative to the housing.

An electric machine has a housing which has an interior space and an interior wall extending about the interior space, and a stator assembly disposed within the interior space and attached to the interior wall. The electric machine includes a rotor within the interior space and located radially inward from the stator. The rotor and stator define a gap there between and cooperate to produce flux. The rotor comprises a hollow cylindrical member having an interior region, an interior wall extending about the interior region and an exterior surface. The rotor includes magnets attached to the exterior surface and a rotor shaft support structure disposed within the interior region of the hollow cylindrical member and attached to the interior wall of the hollow cylindrical member. A rotor shaft is attached to the rotor shaft support structure. The electric machine further comprises bearings to locate and support the rotor shaft relative to the housing.

The present invention is directed to a cooling tower that has a cooling tower structure having fill material supported by the cooling tower structure and configured to receive heated process fluid and a motor mounted to the cooling tower structure. The motor has a casing and a rotatable shaft and is sealed to prevent fluids, moisture, foreign particles and contaminants from entering the casing. A fan is connected to the rotatable shaft of the motor. Rotation of the rotatable shaft rotates the fan thereby inducing an upward moving mass flow of cool air through the fill material. A basin is attached to the cooling tower structure for collecting cooled fluid. A fluid distribution system distributes the cooled fluid in the basin. The fluid distribution system has a pumping device to pump cooled fluid from the basin, fluid piping to receive the pumped cooled fluid and fluid spray devices fluidly connected to the fluid piping for spraying fluid on the casing of the motor so as to transfer heat of the casing to the fluid.

The present invention is directed to a cooling tower that has a cooling tower structure having fill material supported by the cooling tower structure and configured to receive heated process fluid and a motor mounted to the cooling tower structure. The motor has a casing and a rotatable shaft and is sealed to prevent fluids, moisture, foreign particles and contaminants from entering the casing. A fan is connected to the rotatable shaft of the motor. Rotation of the rotatable shaft rotates the fan thereby inducing an upward moving mass flow of cool air through the fill material. A basin is attached to the cooling tower structure for collecting cooled fluid. A fluid distribution system distributes the cooled fluid in the basin. The fluid distribution system has a pumping device to pump cooled fluid from the basin, fluid piping to receive the pumped cooled fluid and fluid spray devices fluidly connected to the fluid piping for spraying fluid on the casing of the motor so as to transfer heat of the casing to the fluid.

The cooling systems and methods of the present disclosure involve modular fluid coolers and chillers configured for optimal power and water use based on environmental conditions and client requirements. The fluid coolers include wet media, a first fluid circuit for distributing fluid across wet media, an air to fluid heat exchanger, and an air to refrigerant heat exchanger. The chillers, which are fluidly coupled to the fluid coolers via pipe cages, include a second fluid circuit in fluid communication with the air to fluid heat exchanger and a refrigerant circuit in thermal communication with the second fluid circuit and in fluid communication with the air to refrigerant heat exchanger. Pipe cages are coupled together to allow for expansion of the cooling system when additional cooling capacity is needed. The fluid coolers and chillers are configured to selectively operate in wet or dry free cooling mode, partial free cooling mode, or mechanical cooling mode.

A fill sheet and a fill pack manufactured from a plurality of fill sheets for cooling a cooling medium in a cooling tower, each fill sheet having a plurality of flutes extending diagonally from top to bottom of the fill sheet, the diagonal orientation of the flutes resulting from a plurality of alternating longer diagonal flute segments and shorter vertical flute segments, each of the plurality of flutes having the microstructure comprising a plurality of alternating rounded mounds and rounded depressions extending between flat ridge edges and flat valley edges of said flutes.