Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-20
A CLEVER YANKEE DEVICE.
Curious Cooling Towers Built of Steel
and Packed With Tile.

Curious Cooling Towers Built of Steel
and Packed With Tile.
At some of the large power plants in
and near New York city the eye Of the
visitor or the passer-by is attracted by a
new and unusual featured circular steel
tower, looking like the tall stand pipe of
some high level water system. It is, how
ever, no tank. There Is water in it, but
indeed this Is perpetually leaking out; in
fact, the perColation of the water down
ward from top to bottom Is what gives the
device its unique value. 1t is the cooling
tower of a self-cooling condenser-one Of
those numerous labor and power-saving
Yankee inventions that have placed US
where we now stand as a nation of iuyen-
tors and engineers
Every one knows that there are two
principal types Of steam engines; the non
condensing, in which the exhaust steam
escapes into the air, making the hoarse
pulling sound familiar in the locomo-
tive and the steamtug; and the condensing,
in which 1t Is delivered into a condenser
where 1t is cooled down and turned back
INTO water. In the former type the piston
has to work against the pressure of the
atmosphere-about fifteen pounds to the
square inch; In the latter it has only to
overcome the pressure Of the vapor in the
condenser, which is much less, as the con-
uensation or the steam causes partial
vacuum. Hence the condensing engine is
much the more economical Of the two.
saving fully twenty-five per cent of the
steam-and hence of the fuel-required for
the other.
Why. then are not condensine eneines
universally employed? Sometimes because
the use OF the condensing device is not
practicable. as on locomotive; still often
eI, because 1t requires an unlimited sup
ply OF water. Cold water Is the means
employed to condense the steam, and as 1t
becomes warmer, in the process. 1t can
not be used over again. Hence engines
s,, are not situated near a large water
supply-on a river bank. for instance-can-
not aVa1l themselves of the condensiup
principle and profit by it's fuel-saving pow.
CT. ana even where a river Is near land
on It's pank Is so often so much more ex-
pehsiVe mat the manufactured Irefers to
90 farther away where he can buy at a
lower Price even If he has to use a non
condensing engine avn
y But But why not cool the heated condenser
t mater. and use 1t again? This has been
lTled over and over, more or less cIuusiI,,
ara lneHectively; and 1t is exactly what
is done successfully in the cooling towers
use .auS mentioned Methods previously in
. se employ swallow ponds to cool the wa
Yer by surface evaporation, but these are
OUT OF the question IN a large cityNor
pans on the roof. which are awkward and
h taSe up room. The cooling tower. which
i 20 Sd actor1iy solved the problem and
ClIers TO the manufacturer the welcome
f,a tiice OF saving large proportion of. his
l utl, mas been in use for some time In a
at sta ai.ive h ana crude form IT. the southern
"here the condenser water was AL
lo"ed 10 cool by trickling through a maas
OF Grt sh Later in Germany. the sams
result was effected by allowing IT TO f,ow
ever a nest of pipes.
In the perfected form tho s+e., .
~, -, PACKED with layer on layer Of yttrifed
.iies' set up on end. Through these from
the top to the bottom of the tower The
Ieua Gondenser water trfckles while
10 hi
~ from a rotary fan at the base When
me water has reached the bottom It is
cool enough to use again in the conden-
b,s ll.lie OF t.trom 21a to 5 per cent
,lis e'aporated IN the process, but this loss
is more than made UP by the condensed
eSraust steam that is added as it does It's
work In the condenser. In passing through
t. ne Tower the water is cooled from about
d. ~ degrees to at least the Temperature of
ne outside air. chiefly by the evaporation
Induced by the air blast that passes
through the thing. The principle is ex-
s e tne same as when one cools his moist
hand by blowing on it.
strangely enough. the cooling Is greater
IN summer than in winter: for. though in
winter the air is colder, it is much nearer
.ne pom. OF saturation, and " ill take up
the chlef thing In the cooling Direct es-
c ape OF the heat by contact with the air
past and by radiation through the steal
sues OF the power helps. but 1t Is relative
~ unlmportant. SO, with the aid of this
device, the condensing engine, with its
great economy. is today within the reach
CT every manufacturer in the land. instead
OF perhaps half of them. The operation
or the tower is inexpensive, as the cost
OF working is only that of pumping the
wafer TO the top and operating the fan; and
thls is slight compared with the saving
nat lat results from using condensation.
Inc towers take up little room; thew
vary In size from % feet in height by <
lees IN diameter. which is suitable for a
engine to one 80 feet in
nelsht by 20 feet in diameter, for an en-
CINE OF $500 horse power