Hotwell alarm system

An alarm system for the detection of oil pollution in a feedwater system, comprising a housing having an inlet water line at one end and an outlet water line at the other end and formed with a series of internal, alternately disposed baffles adapted to retard water flow and forming passes thereinbetween, a light disposed in the floor of the housing before the first baffle with its beam directed to the roof of the housing, and an electric eye circuit disposed in the housing roof in registry with said beam, whereby dimming of the light beam by the introduction of oil in the water flowing inbetween activates an audible and visual alarm. Filter means are provided at the discharge end of the housing to remove sediment and particles passing through the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(a) Field of the invention. 
This invention relates to the field of pollution detection, and has for its 
objective the creation of an alarm system for ships and the like, whereby 
the accidental entry of oil or similar pollutants into the feedwater 
system and water lines leading to the ship's boilers is quickly detected 
and an alarm given, so that the crew members can act expeditiously to 
prevent such pollutants from reaching and damaging the boilers. It is also 
the object of this invention to provide a filtering system to filter the 
water before it reaches the boilers. 
(B) Prior art. 
As is well known in the art, leaks often develop in the fuel oil bunkers 
aboard ships, and the oil often finds its way into the feedwater systems, 
by seepage or otherwise. If not instantly detected and removed, the oil 
can be thus carried into the ship's boilers, thereby disabling the ship 
and causing great damage and destruction to the boilers and the boiler 
tubes. At present such detection is limited to visual examination of the 
feedwater lines by the crew as the water passes an inspection point on its 
way to the boilers. The disadvantages found in such procedure is the 
delegation of crew members for such purpose, the fact that the attention 
of the crew member may be distracted for a sufficient time to enable 
undetected oil to reach the boilers, and, further, that by the time the 
oil is detected and the flow stopped sufficient oil may have reached the 
boilers to cause damage. Various devices have heretofore been created for 
the detection of oil or a liquid of greater density in water, etc. by 
means of variations of reflection, as well as light responsiveness and 
light transmissions. However, none of such devices can be used for the 
purposes for which my invention was devised, nor can they be adapted for 
such functions. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The aforementioned disadvantages are overcome by my invention, which 
provides an intermediate housing (which hereinafter will be designated as 
a "Hotwell") through which water coming from the ship's feedwater system 
is fed into an outlet line at the other end of the hotwell and leading to 
the boilers, the housing provided internally with a series of parallel, 
spaced, alternately-open baffles, forming passes thereinbetween to impede 
the natural flow of the water and thereby slow up the passage of oil, if 
any, carried by the water, with a photoelectric alarm system disposed 
within the first pass to quickly detect and warn of the presence of any 
oil pollutant coming into the hotwell, by the change in fluid density and 
transparency, together with a filtering means within the last pass, to 
filter and remove organic particles. 
It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a hotwell 
alarm system whereby fuel oil leaking into the water lines is detected 
before it can reach and damage the ship's boilers. 
A second important object of my invention lies in the provision of a 
hotwell alarm system whereby the advance of incidental oil in the ship's 
water lines is impeded without slackening the flow of water. 
A third important object of my invention lies in the provision of a hotwell 
alarm system whereby the presence of even a small quantity of oil is 
detected within a matter of a few seconds. 
A fourth important object of my invention lies in the provision of an alarm 
system as described herein, which is inexpensive to produce and simple to 
operate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Illustrative of the embodiment shown by the drawings, my hotwell alarm 
system 10 comprises a housing or hotwell 12 formed with front and rear 
walls 14 and 16, end walls 18 and 20, a floor 22 and a roof 24, the roof 
24 provided with a pair of hinged covers 26 and 28, each of which is 
secured to the front wall 14 by a latch 30, and can be lifted from closed 
position by means of the hand bar 32. As shown more particularly by FIG. 
2, there is a water inlet line 34 leading into the hotwell 12 through end 
wall 20, and a water outlet line 36 secured in the floor 22 at the 
oppostite end of the hotwell 12. The interior of the hotwell is 
partitioned by a series of parallel, spaced, baffles 38,40,42 and 44, 
forming "passes" 46,48, 50,52, and 54, the alternate baffles 40 and 44 
extending from the floor 22 and open at their tops, and the alternate 
baffles 38 and 42 extending from the roof 24 and open at their bottoms, 
thereby to provide alternate passageway for the flow of water through the 
hotwell 12, as shown by the arrows. 
The pass 46, between baffle 44 and end wall 18, is provided with a grid or 
strainer 56, supporting layers of filtering material 58, through which the 
water is filtered before reaching the outlet line 36. A window 60 is 
disposed in the front wall 14 of the hotwell 12, through which the passing 
water may be observed. 
Coming now to the photoelectric circuit system, in the area of the pass 54 
there is provided a glass-enclosed sealed lamp 62, connected to a source 
of current (not shown), which is mounted in the hotwell floor 22 so that 
its beam is directed to the roof 24 of the hotwell, while a photoelectric 
cell 64 is mounted in the cover 28 directly in the path of the beam from 
the lamp 62, with the water from the inlet line 34 flowing through said 
light beam. As shown more fully by FIG. 3, the photoelectric cell 64 forms 
part of an electrical circuit comprising an energy source 66, transformer 
68, amplifier 70, alarm relays 72,72' buzzer 74 and signal lamp 76. There 
is also provided a stop buttom 78, by means of which the alarm can be 
turned off manually, and reset after an alarm has sounded. Such a 
photoelectric circuit is manufactured in Germany and known as the "Bega 
photoelectric switch 712", but similar circuitry capable of instantly 
detecting the slightest dimming of light from the lamp 62 can be 
substituted, as well. 
OPERATION OF THE INVENTION 
In the operation of my invention the circuitry is activated so that the 
light beam from the lamp 62 is directed to and in registry with the 
photoelectric cell 64. The normal flow of water through the hotwell 12 
enters through inlet line 34 and proceeds under and over the baffles 
38-44, as shown by the arrows, passes through the filtering material 58 
and strainer 56 and enters the outlet line 36 from where it proceeds into 
the ship's boilers. The light from lamp 62 penetrates the clear water to 
reach the cell 64, thereby keeping the alarm circuit open. In the event, 
however, that any oil enters the hotwell through the inlet line 34 its 
progress will be impeded by the baffle 38 and will tend to rise to the 
surface, forming a film on the surface, thereby obstructing the light 
beam. The slightest dimming of this light will prevent its reaching the 
photoelectric cell 64, thereby causing it to activate the switch arm 80 to 
activate the alarm circuit, and the buzzer 74 to sound, and the signal 
lamp 76 to light up.thereby providing both visual and audible warning of 
the danger. This photoelectric alarm system is so sensitive that even a 
slight dimming of the light, caused by the presence of oil, will activate 
it in a matter of a very few seconds, so that no oil has an opportunity to 
reach the boilers by penetrating further into the system. As is obvious, 
the disposition of the baffles 38,40, 42 and 44, and the filtering means 
56 and 58 serve to further impede the progress of incipient oil, to 
safeguard the boilers. 
It is to be understood that the embodiment shown and described is by way of 
illustration and not of limitation, and that various changes may be made 
in the construction, composition and arrangement of parts without 
limitation upon or departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, 
or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein, all of 
which are claimed.