Improvements in Distilling Apparatus for Producing Fresh Water from Sea Water.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Distilling Apparatus for Producing Fresh Water
from Sea Water.
I, SAMUEL SMILLIE of the Havelock Copper Works 71, Lancefield Street, in the
City of Glasgow, Copper Smith and Brass-founder, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to distilling apparatus for producing fresh water from sea
water and as represented in vertical section at figure 1 and in elevation at figure 2
of the accompanying drawings the improved apparatus consists of an evaporator A,
adapted to hold a supply of sea water and having fitted within it and under the
normal water level a tubular heater composed of top and bottom casings B, B¹,
connected by a series of tubes C, whilst tubes D, placed concentrically within the
tubes C, pass through the casings B, B', without opening to them. The part of the
apparatus constituting the tubular heater is similar in construction to the apparatus
described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,753 of 1884 granted to me,
but in lieu of being employed for cooling purposes it is, in the present instance,
adapted for evaporating the sea water contained in the vessel A, steam from a boiler
or other source being directed through a tube E, led through the casing A, into the
interior of the upper casing B, and passing through the annular spaces between the
tubes C, D, to the lower casing B¹ and parting with its heat to the sea water which is
in contact with the external surfaces of the tubes C and the interior of the tubes D.
The partially condensed steam is led from the lower casing B' by a tube F, passing
through the lower end of the vessel A, to a worm G, which may form a continuation
of the pipe F, and which is placed within an auxiliary water heating vessel H; and
the water of condensation is or may be led from the worm G to the hot well of the
ship's engines when the apparatus is fitted on board ship. The supply of sea water
is fed by gravitation or by pumps or otherwise into the auxiliary heater H, through
a cylindrical casing I fitted with a double piston valve J, operated by a float K,
within the water heater H. The float K is used to determine automatically the
normal level in the vessels A and H; and as the water level rises the float acting
through the connecting rod k, raises the piston valve to the position shown in which

page_text: the connection between the inlet branch i, and the vessel H, is closed; whilst when
the water level falls below the normal the piston valve is lowered and opens a
communicating port, whereby free passage is provided for the water from the
inlet i, between the pistons J, and through the port to the upper end of the
cylinder I which is open to the vessel H. A pipe L, places the vessel H in
communication with the lower end of the cylinder I and provides a water cushion
therein to prevent sudden movement or vibration of the piston valve, whilst a
communicating pipe M, between the vessels A and H, serves to maintain an equality
of pressure and water level within them.
The water fed into the auxiliary heater H passes by a pipe N into the evaporator A
and the vapour generated in the latter vessel is led off by a pipe O, to a condenser
of any suitable form from which when the evaporating apparatus is in operation a
regular supply of fresh water uncontaminated by grease from the engines or boilers
may be obtained; or the steam generated in the evaporator A, may be led off by the
pipe to the receiver of the low pressure cylinder of the ship's engines. When the
steam employed for operating the evaporating apparatus on board ship is obtained
from an auxiliary boiler the water of condensation may conveniently be used to
supply the "make up" of feed water for the main boilers of the ship's engines.
The evaporator A is provided with a gauge glass P, pressure gauge Q, scum
cock R, and blow off cock S.
To provide for flushing and emptying the apparatus a lever arm T passing through
a slot in the float rod is fitted on a shaft t passing out through a stuffing box in
the side of the vessel H, the outer end of the shaft t being fitted with a hand lever T¹
working in a quadrant. The slot in the float rod is sufficiently long to permit
of the free movement of the float for operating the piston valve, but by raising the
hand lever T¹, the lever arm may be brought to act on the float rod to raise the
piston valve and close off the water supply when the apparatus is to be emptied ; and
by lowering the lever T¹ against the action of the float the piston valve may be
lowered to permit the passage of water for flushing the apparatus.
An air cock U is fitted at the upper end of the auxiliary heater H to permit the
escape of air which is liberated from the water as it is heated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of parts constituting the improved distilling apparatus for
producing fresh water from sea water substantially as described.
2. In water distilling apparatus the combination with an evaporator of an auxiliary
heater provided with self-acting feed regulating apparatus substantially as described."
Dated this Twenty second day of June 1887.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.