Year: 1886

page_text: I, SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey Gentleman do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by
John Thompson King, of the City of Madison, County of Dane, and State of
Wisconsin, U.S.A. Mechanical Engineer) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
I am aware that heretofore exhaust steam has been used for heating purposes by
direct connections between the exhaust from the engine and the heating mains, but
with imperfect provision for preventing back pressure on the engine, and at the
same time fully utilizing the heat of the exhaust steam.
The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for exhaust steam heating
which will avoid the loss of power occasioned by back pressure, and at the same
time fully utilize the heat of the exhaust steam and secure the preservation of the
water of condensation for boiler feed purposes.
I attain these objects by means of the apparatus and system illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, which show a plan and a vertical section of a building in
which is shown an apparatus embodying my improvements.
Referring to the letters marked on the drawings, A indicates the engine with
exhaust pipe U leading therefrom to the expansion chainber or drum D. 00 are
the mains or supply pipes connecting the expansion chamber or drum D with the
various coils or heaters H H, which are in turn connected to the return or 'drip
pipes LL
BB are the switches connecting the mains, OO, with the return or
drip pipes L L that open into the expansion and condensing chamber C, which is
provided with a cold water spray-jet G and stand pipe F. E is the outlet pipe of
the chamber C, leading therefrom to the hot-well W, from which the feed water
for the boiler may be taken. R is the connection from the return or drip pipes L
to the live steam trap S, which communicates with chamber C. V is the direct
ID 71

page_text: exhaust pipe connected with the expansion chamber or drum D. T is the drip pipe
leading from expansion chamber or drum D to return pipe L.
The mode of construction and application of my invention and its operation are
as follows: I first place a drum or expansion chamber D as near the engine as may
be convenient, the size of which should be governed by the size and capacity of the
engine, say for a 10" by 15" engine, exhaust pipe 3", an expansion chamber or
drum 6" by 6' is found to be sufficient. The office of this expansion chamber or
drum and the mains leading therefrom is to give instantaneous relief to the
exhaust from the engine, practically the same as if the exhaust steam escaped
into the open air. I connect the exhaust U, of the engine, to the expansion
chamber or drum D, and from it. I lead mains or supply pipes OO, to all the
different departments of the premises to be heated; said mains being of sufficient
aggregate capacity to maintain the full benefit of the relief intended to be given
to the engine by the application and use of my invention. All mains drip away
from the expansion chamber or drum D; and from these mains, which, together.
with the drum or chamber D, are placed overhead, I drop to the top of the first
coil or heater H, in the line. In the drop or feed pipe X, leading to the coil or
heater I place a valve or stop-cock as at I. Just above this valve or stop-cock
at K I place a branch pipe which leads down to and communicates with the return
or drip pipe L; this is known as the switch B, its object being to cut out the coil
or heater H and conduct the exhaust steam directly from the main O to the
return or drip pipe L. I also place a valve or stop-cock in the switch B so as to
control its use. The coil or heater H is connected to the return or drip pipe L at
its outlet M at the bottom, a stop-cock or valve being inserted in such connection.
The coil or heater should always drip towards its outlet. The same course of
construction is then pursued with all of the heaters of the entire system; each
heater being provided with a switch B in the manner above described. In order
to secure an efficient drainage for the apparatus all of the return or drip pipes
must be placed at an elevation sufficiently high at their point of connection with
the outlet of the extreme heater in each department, to allow a proper fall
throughout their entire course back to the point of their concentration into one
or more of the pipes connecting them with the expansion and condensing
chamber C. The expansion and condensing chamber C is of such shape and
capacity as may be required to receive the surplus exhaust steam from all of the
return or drip pipes without obstructing its free passage. The office of the
expansion and condensing chamber C is to provide for the final and complete
expansion and condensation of such portion of the exhaust steam as shall pass
through the system of pipes and heaters without having become condensed. For
the purpose of such condensation I arrange, in the chamber C, the spray jet G,
for cold water, with which the exhaust steam comes into contact, being thereby
condensed and prevented from passing away and being lost, and at the same time
heating the cold water used in the operation, which water is supplied in such
quantity only as may be necessary to keep up the supply for boiler purposes. The
cold spray jet will thoroughly condense the steam in the chamber C, so that it will
not escape and waste. Besides this, it causes the lime and impurities of the water
of condensation, as well as of the water of the spray jet, to be collected in the
condenser, and prevents them from being discharged into the hot well, because
the steam being condensed warms the water of the spray to the proper point of
separating such impurities. The result is the water can be used from the hot well
for the boiler in a pure state, and the impurities can occasionally be removed from
the condenser. These results I have found in actual practice to be as stated, and
to be of material advantage in a steam heating apparatus.
To the top of the chamber C is attached the stand pipe F. The office of this
stand pipe is to permit the escape of any steam which might fail to be condensed
in the chamber C, and to prevent any back pressure. Being beyond the heaters
in the course of travel of the steam under pressure, they will fill with steam first

page_text: before any non-condensed steam can escape from it. The heaters will also remain
full while any non-condensed steam may be escaping from the stand pipe. The
size of the stand pipe is generally the same as that of the exhaust pipe U, but
must always be sufficient to insure the absolute freedom of the engine. To the
base of chamber C is attached the water outlet pipe E which communicates with
the hot well W, discharging at the bottom of same; the chamber C being placed
high enough above the hot well to insure easy clearance for the water.
The chamber C and accompanying stand pipe F may be located at the most
convenient point for the junction of the return or drip pipes L L, as the outlet
pipe E can be led to the hot well W which is generally located near the boiler.
The combined area of the several return or drip pipes should be at least equal to,
if not greater than, that of the stand pipe.
The heaters or coils H H may be cut out by means of the switches B B, and the
exhaust steam passed from the mains or supply pipes OO to the return or drip
pipes LL, and so on through to the chamber C, without passing through the coils
or heaters H H. This enables the engineer to obtain the greatest amount of
condensation possible, in warm weather, without unnecessary heat.
This system may also be used with live steam when the engine is idle, for which
purpose I place a stop-cock at P in main exhaust pipe U of engine. Above this
stop-cock I connect a live steam pipe U¹ to the exhaust pipe U, so that live steam
may be passed into the expansion chamber or drum D and thence to the several
mains OO. To take care of the return or drip I place a stop-cock in each return
or drip pipe L next to the condensing chamber C; and behind these stop-cocks
I connect branch R which leads to live steam trap S, the outlet of trap being
connected to condensing chamber C, so that the water returns to hot well W.
This live steam trap is supplementary to the condensing chamber C. It first
collects the water of condensation formed in the pipes which then passes into the
chamber C. It serves to make the working of the apparatus more satisfactory by
providing more thoroughly for condensation when live steam is used, because it
acts in some measure as a preliminary condenser.
The several return or drip pipes may be each supplied with a live steam trap or
they may all be connected with one; governed always by the amount of pipe to
be drained. This makes the system applicable to exhaust or live steam or both.
The expansion chamber or drum D is provided with a direct exhaust pipe V,
and also with a sufficiently large drip pipe T to keep it clear of all water, which
drip pipe communicates with one of the return or drip pipes L L.
The exhaust pipe V enables the engineer to control the supply and pressure of
steam in the heaters and to regulate the heat by turning its cock, shown in Fig. 1,
so as wholly or partially to open or close the exhaust pipe.
As all coils or heaters are fed from bottom of mains, no valves being used in the
mains or returns, stop-cocks only being used in them, the exhaust passes freely
through the mains and heaters, into the returns and thence to the condensing
chamber C. Consequently no resistance is offered to the exhaust of the engine as
the area of the mains and returns is much greater than that of the exhaust pipe at
engine.
By the use of stand pipe F, all coils or heaters will fill, and, at each exhaust of
the engine, receive a fresh supply of steam, keeping all hot without causing any
back pressure other than that of the atmosphere. The whole system is under the
control of the operator at all times whether using exhaust or live steam or both,
and all the pipes are as usual supplied with stop-cocks to supply or cut off steam
as may be desired.
In the construction of the system I aim at all times to keep the aggregate area
of the pipes on the increase from the engine to the condensing chamber C, so as
to provide absolute freedom for the exhaust. I also deem it best to use short
manifold coils or heaters as they offer the least resistance, and more effectively
utilize the heat from the exhaust steam,

page_text: 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. In an exhaust steam heating apparatus, the combination of exhaust steam
pipe U, expansion chamber D, exhaust pipe V, distributing pipes O, one or more
all
heaters H, drip pipes L, condensing chamber C, stand pipe F, and well W,
constructed, arranged, and operating togetlier, substantially as set forth.
2. In a steam heating apparatus, the combination of the return or drip pipes,
the condenser chamber C, into which they empty, the stand pipe F, and the cold
water jet within the chamber C by which the steam is condensed and impurities
deposited in the chamber, substantially as set forth.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.