IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS AND REFRIGERATORS FOR ICEMAKING AND COOLING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I SAMUEL PUPLETT of Westmoors, Knowle in the county of Warwick Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS
AND REFRIGERATORS FOR ICEMAKING AND COOLING MACHINES to be as follows:-
My invention relates primarily to those parts of the apparatus called the
condensor and Refrigerator in all machines where cooling or freezing is effected
by the vaporization of the condensable gases but it has a special value where
condensable gases of high tension are used such as ammonia for instance. Both
Condenser and Refrigerator are similar in construction and of necessity both are
of a dual character that is to say there must be one vessel or pipes in which
condensation or vaporization is effected and another containing the cooling substance
or liquid water for example or the substance to be cooled, for ice making a non-
congealable liquid brine for example.
Inasmuch as the Condenser and Refrigerator are of similar construction to avoid
confusion I confine the description to the Refrigerator. The usual method of
construction is to have one large cylindrical vessel containing either a series of
longitudinal pipes or one or more coils of pipes-the first named being more
suitable for gases of low tension Ether for example while the vessel containing
coils of pipe is better adapted for Ammonia and gases of this character-In the first
case the Ether is vaporized in the cylinder containing the pipes through which the
brine passes to be cooled, while with gases of high tension the vaporization is
effected within the coiled pipes and the substance to be cooled has an external
contact with the pipes while passing through the containing vessel-One important
objection to this last named method is in the disproportion between the cubical
contents of the small pipes and their external surface thereby necessitating working
the machine with a light charge of the gas resulting in irregular action or if with
suitable charge causing a liability to prime and carry the unvaporized liquid
forward into the pipes outside of the cylinder where vaporization gives no
beneficial result.
Another difficulty that is met where the brine is circulated around the small
pipes is in getting all the brine in contact with the pipes without complex

page_text: arrangements to direct its flow in its passage through the vessel containing the
pipes.
To vaporize a high tension gas within the cylinder and around the pipes requires
a vessel of such strength that in machines of any considerable size the vessel is
cumbersome and difficult to handle.
There are other difficulties that need not be here recited.
The object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties and I effect it in the
manner hereinafter described reference being had to the accompanying drawing and
to the letters of reference marked thereon.
The refrigerator consists of one or more cylindrical vessels each surmounted by
another vessel of smaller diameter both the larger and the smaller cylinders contain
a series of bent tubes arranged as shewn in the drawings and a tank containing
the cylinders.
Figure 1 Sheet 1 is a sectional elevation of Refrigerator and tank on line A-B.
Figure 2 is plan of the Refrigerator.
Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of Refrigerator on line C-D.
Figure 4 is also end elevation in section on line E-F.
a. The larger of the two cylinders which may be of copper iron or steel-but
preferably of mild steel with shell and head (a) welded together thereby avoiding
all liability of leaks from rivets or calking.
b. The smaller cylinder which may be of the same material and construction as
the larger one.
The arrangement of tubes provides for unlimited expansion and consequently
these cylinders may be of any desired length.
c. The bent tubes with both ends fixed in one tube plate.
d. The pipe through which the liquefied gas enters the larger cylinder.
e. The pipe through which the gas after vaporization is discharged from tho
small cylinder.
-The entrance passage for the brine (noncongealable liquid) to be cooled into
the small cylinder.
9- -The passage for the brine from the small cylinder into one compartment of
tube chamber of the large cylinder.
h-Exit passage of the cooled brine from the tubes into the receiving compartment
at the bottom of the tank.
i. Is the tank containing the cylinders.
j. Point of entrance of warm brine.
k. Exit passage or opening for a regulated passage of the coolel brine from the
tank into the receiving compartment.
1. receiving compartment in bottom of tauk into which all the cooled brine is
discharged.
m. The passage for the cooled brine to the circulating pumps or storage receptacle.
(not shown).
From the foregoing description of the drawings it will be seen that the liquefied
gas first enters the body of the large cylinder and is there vaporized and the gas
passes into the tubes of the small cylinder in which any liquid carried forward
with the gas from the large cylinder may vaporize with beneficial result.
It will also be seen that by first discharging the liquefied gas into the large
cylinder around the tubes there is space for an ample charge of the frigorific
material and that by the arrangement of tubes providing for unlimited expansion
the cylinders can be increased in length or in numbers for large machines and in
no case requiring a diameter of cylinder incompatible with ample strength for auy
pressure and this with a very moderate thickness of plate.
The arrangement utilises every foot of metal surface both internal and external
and efficient circulation of the brine through the machine as shewn by the arrows is
effected without any complex arrangement-As arranged only the warm brine can
enter the tank and it is always the coldest that is withdrawn and by regulating

page_text: the size of the opening at (k) the brine cooled by the external surface of the
refrigerator can be discharged at the same temperature as that passing through the
cylinders or if desired this passage may be closed and brine be discharged from
the tank at any required temperature within the cooling range of the machine and
quite irrespective of the temperature of the brine that is passed through the
refrigerator-As before stated this description refers particularly to the Refrigerator
but it will be obvious that the same apparatus used as a Condenser needs no further
description than to substitute condensing water for brine and reverse the currents
that is to say let the water enter the apparatus at the bottom at (h) and be
discharged at (f) whilst the gas would enter at (e) and be discharged at (d).
Dated this eighth day of September 1884.

page_text: I SAMUEL PUPLETT of Westmoors Knowle in the County of Warwick Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS
AND REFRIGERATORS FOR ICE MAKING AND COOLING MACHINES and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates primarily to those parts of the apparatus called the
Condenser and the Refrigerator in all machines where cooling or freezing is effected
by the vaporization of the condensable gases-But it has especial value where
condensable gases of high tension are used such as ammonia for instance.
Both condenser and refrigerator are similar in construction and of necessity both
aro of a dual character that is to say there must be one vessel or pipes in which
condensation or vaporization is effected and another vessel or pipes containing the
cooling substance or liquid water for example or the substance to be cooled for ice
making a non-congealable liquid brine for example.
Insasmuch as the condenser and refrigerator are of similar construction to avoid
confusion I confine the description to the refrigerator.
The usual method of construction is to have one large cylindrical vessel
containing either a series of longitudinal pipes or one or more coils of pipes the first
named being more suitable for gases of low tension, Ether for example whilst the
vessel containing coils of pipe is better adapted for ammonia and gases of this
character-In the first case the Ether is vaporized in the cylinder containing the
pipes through which the brine passes to be cooled while with gases of high tension
the vaporization is effected within the coiled pipes and the substance to be cooled
has an external contact with the pipes whilst passing through the containing
vessel.
One important objection to this last named method is in the disproportion
between the cubical contents of the small pipes and their external surface thereby
necessitating working the machine with a light charge of the gas resulting in
irregular action or if with suitable charge causing a liability to prime and to carry
the unvaporized liquid forward into the pipes outside of the cylinder where
vaporization gives no beneficial result.
Another difficulty that is met where the brine is circulated around the small
pipes is in getting all the brine in contact with the pipes without complex
arrangements to direct its flow in its passage through the vessel containing
the pipes.
To vaporize a high tension gas within the cylinder and around the pipes requires
a vessel of such strength that in machines of any considerable size the vessel is
cumbersome and difficult to handle.
There are other objections that need not be here recited.
The object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties and I effect it in the
manner hereinafter described reference being had to the drawings accompanying my
provisional specification and to the letters of reference marked thereon.
The refrigerator consists of one or more cylindrical vessels each surmounted by
another vessel of a lesser diameter both the larger and the smaller cylinders contain
a series of bent tubes arranged as shewn in the drawings and a tank containing
the cylinders.
Fig 1. Sheet 1 is a sectional elevation of the refrigerator and tank on line A—B.
Fig. 2. is plan of the refrigerator.
T
A

page_text: Fig 4. is also end elevation in section in line E-F. a-the larger of the two
cylinders which may be of copper iron or steel but preferably of mild steel with
shell and head a welded together thereby avoiding all liability of leaks from rivets
or calking-b-the smaller cylinder which may be of the same material and
construction as the larger one-The arrangement of the tubes provides for
unlimited expansion and consequently these cylinders may be of any desired
length--the bent tubes with both ends fixed in one tube plate-d-the pipe
through which the liquified gas enters the large cylinder-e-pipes through which
the gas after vaporization is discharged from the small Cylinder-f-the entrance
passage of the brine (non-congealable liquid) to be cooled into the small
cylinder-g-the passage for the brine from the small clylinder into one compartment
of tube chamber of the large cylinder-h exit passage of the cooled brine from
the tubes into the receiving compartment at bottom of tank-i the tank containing
the cylinders point of entrance of warm brine-k exit passage or opening for
a regulated passage of the cooled brine from the tank into the receiving com-
partment receiving compartment in bottom of tank into which all the cooled
brine is discharged-m the passage of the cooled brine to the circulating pumps.
From the foregoing description of the drawings it will be seen that the liquified
gas first enters the body of the large cylinder and is there vaporized and the gas
passes into the tubes of the small cylinder in which any liquid carried forward
with the gas from the large cylinder may vaporize with beneficial result-It will
also be seen that by first discharging the liquified gas into the large cylinder
around the tubes there is space for an ample charge of the frigorific material and
that by the arrangement of tubes providing for unlimited expansion the cylinders
can be increased in length or in number for large machines and in no case requiring
a diameter of cylinder incompatible with ample strength for any pressure and this
with a very moderate thickness of plate The arrangement utilizes every foot of
metal surface both internal and external and efficient circulation of the brine
through the machine as shewn by the arrows is effected without any complex
arrangements.
In the drawing the congealing tanks are not shewn but it may be assumed that
they are placed at or near the same level of the refrigerator tank shewn in the
drawing and as the entrance of the brine from the congealing tanks into the
refrigerator tank is near to the top it will always be the warmest. brine that will
flow into the refrigerator and as arranged only the brine that has passed through
or over the refrigerator can be withdrawn and with the means provided for
regulating the discharge of the brine in external contact with the refrigerator at
any desired temperature it will be evident that only the re-cooled brine can be
withdrawn for circulation-If desired the passage k may be closed and the brine
cooled by external contact with the refrigerator may have a separate withdrawal
and at any temperature within the cooling range of the machine and quite
irrespective of the temperature of the brine that is passed through the refrigerator.
As before stated this description refers particularly to the refrigerator but it will
be obvious that the same apparatus if used as a condenser needs no further
description than to substitute condensing water for brine and to reverse the current
that is to say that the water enter the apparatus at the bottom at h and be
discharged at f whilst the gas would enter at 6 and be discharged at d.
In case as in very hot climates for example it is found desirable to use a portion
of the cooling power of the machine to assist in condensing the gas it will be
obvious that the containing tank of the condenser may be arranged to be supplied
with brine from the refrigerator to that extent that part or all of the large cylinder
or cylinders is submerged and in this manner the gas in the lower part of the
cylinder may be cooled to a temperature below that of the condensing water which
passes through the condenser by the external contact of the cold brine.
I am aware that U bent tubes with both ends secured in one tube plate have
been previously used for condensers coolers and heaters separately and combined
with a mid feather or partition between the legs of the tubes and I make no claims

page_text: to these per se but only in combination with other devices that I believe to
be novel.
Neither do I claim or restrict myself to any precise relative proportion between
the diameters of the larger and smaller cylinders that go to make up each condenser
or refrigerator or each section of the same but preferably the proportions should be
such that the area of the smaller cylinder is equal to twice the aggregate internal
area of the tubes that enter each compartment at the end of the larger cylinder as
with this proportion the entrance of the brine into the lesser cylinder and its flow
through the pipes of the larger one is not obstructed by restricted passage.
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
First constructing condensers and refrigerators for ice making and cooling
machines of two cylinders containing pipes or in two or more sections each section
having two cylinders arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.
Second-In condensers or refrigerators for ice making or cooling machines
comprised of two cylinders or of sections and each section having two cylinders
containing pipes the arrangement whereby the condensing water or cooling brine
in its passage through the apparatus is caused to pass twice the length of the
apparatus in external contact with the condensing or cooling pipes and the same
distance through the pipes without complex arrangements to direct its flow
substantially as described and shewn.
Third-In refrigerators for ice making or cooling machines the arrangement of
the containing tank with its receiving chamber and regulating passage whereby
the warmest brine naturally flows into the tank and only the cooled brine can be
withdrawn therefrom whilst admitting of a separate withdrawal of brine at any
required temperature within the cooling range of the machine and wholly
irrespective of the temperature of the brine that is passed through the refrigerator
substantially as described and shewn.
Fourth In condensers for ice making and cooling machines comprised of two
cylinders or of sections each section having two cylinders containing pipes the
arrangement of the containing tank for submerging either partially or wholly the
lower cylinder or cylinders in a liquid of lower temperature than the condensing
water substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fifth In condensers and refrigerators for ice making and cooling machines the
general arrangement of the various parts combined substantially in the manner and
for the purposes described in the specification and as shewn in the drawings
annexed.