Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Making Fresh Water from Salt Water.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Making
Fresh Water from Salt Water.
I, FRANKLIN HOCKING, of 76, Hertford Road, Bootle, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference, mainly, to that kind of apparatus, and mode
employed, in the production of fresh water from salt water, wherein the salt water
is heated or boiled by steam or other hot fluid (such steam or hot fluid being
separated from the salt water to be heated or boiled by metal walls), and the steam
or vapour, so produced subsequently condensed.
The invention has chiefly for its object to provide a simple, effective, and reliable
apparatus for, and mode of, effecting the production of fresh water from salt water,
which shall be more particularly applicable for use on board ship, for the purpose
of producing fresh water, for feeding the steam generators of steam ships, for
drinking water for cattle, and other live stock, for human consumption, and other
general uses.
As previously stated, the fluid generally used to heat the salt water is steam,
(but it may be other fluid, such as the products of combustion of coal, coke, or gás)
and for convenience and facility of description I will, in the explanation of the
nature of this invention, confine the description chiefly to cases in which steam
only is employed, it being understood that the other fluids named could be used
instead if desired.
According to this invention the salt water is mainly heated when in a divided or
broken state, or in a thin stream or streams, that is, in contradistinction to the
general practice of heating it in bulk or mass; and by this mode of heating it,
I am enabled to attain the very desirable and necessary result or end of rendering
it possible to boil and evaporate a large quantity of salt water, in apparatus of the
type hereinbefore referred to, without causing any priming. The water is fed to
the heating surface in fine or thin streams, drops or dribbles, and these drops,
streams, or dribbles, are, in most cases, caused to flow over the heating surface,
and to thereby become more quickly converted to steam than they would be if
stationary. Any suitable kind of metallic heating surface may be employed, such
as round, curved, flat, corrugated, or any suitable irregular form, and the like.
The flow or movement of the salt water over the heating surface may be effected
by arranging the apparatus so that it falls by gravity, or the heating surface may
be made to move and to take up salt water in comparatively small and divided or
thin layers, or particles, or drops; or, another mode may consist of a combination
of the two modes, viz., the movement by gravity of the water in conjunction with
the movement of the heating surface.
When the heating surface is one adapted to be moved, a convenient shape which
it may take is a circular, polygonal, or equivalent one, and its movement may be a
rotary or vibratory one, and it may be actuated by any suitable means.
The liquid is so supplied that it is not all evaporated by the heating surfaces
when in its divided or broken up or thin stream form but a portion being a residue,
of dense salt water or brine, collects in a suitable receptacle or part of the
apparatus, and this portion may if desired be further concentrated by a further
heating surface or part of the main surface. If it forms a separate surface it may
be heated by the heating fluid after it has been used to heat the main surfaces, or
fresh steam may be used to heat it.

page_text: This second surface may be of round, polygonal, curved or flat form or contour,
and it may consist of a coil, tube, plate or the like.
The steam or vapour, thus produced, passes into a condenser connected with the
evaporator and becomes condensed, and forms the fresh water, the product of the
invention. The condenser may form an element or a part of the apparatus; or,
when an apparatus according to the invention is to be applied for the purpose of
making fresh water for the steam generator (which kind of apparatus is generally
termed a feed make-up) the main condensers belonging to the engines may be used
(provided of course it be a surface condenser) to condense the steam, which water
may flow and become mixed with the other water produced by the condensation of
steam from the engine.
When the vaporized water becomes dense in the bottom of the apparatus (or in
an equivalent chamber or vessel connected therewith), it may be caused to act on
à Hoater therein by which the passage communicating with the condenser is closed
more or less by a valve, whereby the pressure within the apparatus becomes raised,
and at a certain point forces a portion of the brine out past a valve weighted by
a spring or dead weight and the apparatus is thus prevented from becoming
salted up.
The apparatus may, if desired, be arranged and adapted to operate as a "double-
distiller, that is, the steam made in the vessel may be used to heat the water in
another, in the well known method.
The heating surface is all disposed within a case; and is connected with the
case by suitable nipples or pipes having apertures therein for the passage of heating
fluid in or out, and which convey the heating fluid to and from it as set forth in the
Specification of my invention covered under application for Patent No. 16452
of 1889.
In some instances the apparatus is of a vertical arrangement or construction,
in others, a horizontal one, or inclined; and in most cases the main heating surface
is of circular or curvilinear form in cross section, it being made in this form for
the purpose of obtaining strength. A convenient form and arrangement of such a
heating surface is a tube or cylinder, or a plurality of same, of plain, hollow, or
annular form, and of plain, indented, corrugated or like nature or construction; or
it may be the form of spiral ways formed by annular tubes in any known way, or
by a spirally coiled tube; or any suitable type or formn of heating surface may be
employed, such for.instance, as zig-zag, volute and so forth.
The salt water may be conveniently distributed to the heating surfaces by pipes
provided with apertures and caused to fall onto the surface by gravity or by
pressure and the heating surface, if consisting of a plurality of tubes or cylinders
forming a set or a number of sets, may be arranged so that the salt water not
evaporated by one. falls onto another, and if desired, then to another, and
so on.
The tubes or cylinders may be provided with rings, ridges, corrugations, or the
like to guide it and form it into a plurality of streams; or, in case of a vertical
arrangement it may be guided or controlled by a number of trays or gutters pro-
vided on the surface and having holes in them, whereby the water is caught and
redivided, once or a number of times in its descent.
When tubes or cylinders are employed as the heating surfaces, they may be
secured to the case, or to diaphragms in the case as in my former cited invention.
When a plurality of tubes or cylinders are used in a case they may be interconnected
therein and, at the inlet or outlet for heating fluid, to the case.
Two or more apparatus constructed and operating as herein described may be
connected together when desired or required.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Making
Fresh Water from Salt Water.
I, FRANKLIN HOCKING, of 76, Hertford Road, Bootle, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 bas reference, mainly, to that kind of apparatus and mode
employed in the production of fresh water from salt water, wherein the salt water
is heated or boiled by steam or other hot fluid (such steam or hot fluid being
separated from the salt water to be heated or boiled by metal walls), and the steam
or vapor so produced subsequently condensed.
The invention has chiefly for its object to provide a simple, effective, and reliable
apparatus for, and mode of, effecting the production of fresh water from salt water,
which shall be more particularly applicable for use on board ship, for the purpose
of procuring fresh water, for feeding the steam generators of steam ships, for
drinking water for cattle, and other live stock, for human consumption, and other
general uses.
As previously stated, the fluid generally used to heat the salt water is steam,
(but it may be other fluid, such as the products of combustion of coal, coke, or gas)
and for convenience and facility of description I will, in the explanation of the
nature of this invention, confine the description chiefly to cases in which steam only
is employed, it being understood that the other fluids named could be used instead
if desired.
According to this invention the salt water is mainly heated when in a divided or
broken state, or in a thin stream or streams, that is, in contradistinction to the
general practice of heating it in bulk or mass; and by this mode of heating it, I am
enabled to attain the very desirable or necessary result or end of rendering it
possible to boil and evaporate a large quantity of salt water, in apparatus of the
type hereinbefore referred to, without causing any priming. The water is fed to
the heating surface in fine or thin streams, drops, or dribbles, and these drops,
streams, or dribbles, are, in most cases, caused to flow over the heating surface,
and to thereby become more quickly converted to steam than they would be if
stationary. Any suitable kind of metallic heating surface may be employed,
such as round, curved, flat, corrugated, or any suitable irregular form, and
the like.
The flow or movement of the salt water over the heating surface may be effected
by arranging the apparatus so that it falls by gravity, or the heating surface may
be made to move and take up salt water in comparatively small and divided or thin
layers, or particles, or drops or, another mode may consist of a combination of the
two modes, it, the movement. by gravity of the water in conjunction with the
movement of the heating surface.
When the heating surface is one adapted to be moved, a convenient shape which
it may take is circular, polygonal, or equivalent one, and its movement may be a
rotary or vibratory one, and it may be actuated by any suitable means.
The liquid is so supplied that it is not all evaporated by the heating surfaces
when in its divided or broken up or thin stream form, but a portion, being a residue
of dense salt water or brine, collects in a suitable receptacle or part of the
apparatus, and this portion may, if desired, be further concentrated by a further
heating surface or part of the main surface. If it forms a separate surface it may
be heated by the heating fluid after it has been used to heat the main surface, or
fresh steam may be used to heat it.
This second surface may be of round, polygonal, curved or flat form, or contour,
and it may consist of a coil, tube, plate or the like.
The steam or vapour, thus produced, passes into a condenser connected with the

page_text: evaporator and becomes condensed, and forms the fresh water, the product of
the invention. The condenser may form an element or a part of the apparatus;
or, when an apparatus according to the invention is to be applied for the purpose
of making fresh water for the steam generator (which kind of apparatus is
generally termed a feed make-up) the main condensers belonging to the engines
may be used (provided of course it be a surface condenser) to condense the
steam, which water may flow and become mixed with the other water produced
by the condensation of steam from the engine.
When the unvaporized water becomes dense in the bottom of the apparatus
(or in an equivalent chamber or vessel connected therewith), it may be caused to
act on a floater therein by which the passage communicating with the condenser is
closed more or less by a valve, whereby the pressure within the apparatus becomes
raised, and at a certain point forces a portion of the brine out past a valve
weighted by a spring or dead weight and the apparatus is thus prevented from
becoming salted up.
The apparatus may, if desired, be arranged and adapted to operate as a "double-
distiller," that is, the steam made in the vessel may be used to heat the water in
another, in the well known method.
The heating surface is all disposed within a case; and is connected with the case
by suitable nipples or pipes having apertures therein for the passage of heating
fluid in or out, and which convey the heating fluid to and from it as set forth
in the Specification of my invention covered under Patent No. 16452 of 1889.
In some instances, the apparatus is of a vertical arrangement or construction, in
others, a horizontal one, or inclined; and in most cases the main heating surface
is of circular or curvilinear form in cross section, it being made in this form for
the purpose of obtaining strength. A convenient form and arrangement of such a
heating surface is a tube or cylinder, or a plurality of same, of plain, hollow, or
annular form, and of plain, indented, corrugated or like nature or construction; or
it may be in the form of spiral ways formed by annular tubes in any known way,
or by a spirally coiled tube; or any suitable type or form of heating surface may
be employed, such for instance, as zig-zag, volute, and so forth.
The salt water may be conveniently distributed to the heating surfaces by pipes
provided with apertures and caused to fall onto the surface by gravity or by
pressure, and the heating surface, if consisting of a plurality of tubes or cylinders
forming a set or a number of sets, may be arranged so that the salt water
not evaporated by one falls onto another, and if desired, then to another, and
so on.
The tubes or cylinders may be provided with rings, ridges, corrugations, or the
like, to guide the salt water and form it into a plurality of streams; or, in case of
a vertical arrangement it may be guided or controlled by a number of trays or
gutters provided on the surface and having holes in them, whereby the water is
caught and redivided, once or a number of times in its descent.
When tubes or cylinders are employed as the heating surfaces, they may be
secured to the case, or to diaphragms in the case as in my former cited invention.
When a plurality of tubes or cylinders are used in a case they may be inter-
connected therein, and, at the inlet or outlet for heating fluid, to the case.
Two or more apparatus constructed and operating as herein described may be
connected together when desired or required.
Having thus generally described the object, nature and effects of my invention,
I will now proceed to describe it with reference to the annexed three sheets of
drawings, which illustrate examples of how my invention may be practically
applied, and describe forms and arrangements of apparatus suitable therefor, it
being understood that the invention is not confined to the particular forms of the
examples shewn.
In the various figures of the drawings the same or equivalent parts are
designated by the same letters and figures of reference used in the following
anlamation

page_text: Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of an apparatus for making fresh water
from salt water, containing improvements under this invention.
Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus shewn in Figure 1 (with the cover
removed).
Figure 3 is an elevation, with the cover removed, of the device, connected with".
the apparatus, for clearing the brine from the main apparatus.
Figure 4 is a plan of the device shown in Figure 3.
Figures 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, arc, respectively, sectional elevations and
plans of modifications of apparatus comprising improvements under this invention.
Figures 13-14 illustrate in sectional elevation and end view, respectively, a
further modification of apparatus according to this invention.
Figures 15-16 are, respectively, an elevation and an end view shewing the
application of an apparatus according to this invention to the main-exhaust-pipe.
of a steam engine.
With reference to the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, which
illustrate a horizontal form of apparatus, a designates a cylindrical case or vessel in
which are contained a plurality of heating surfaces in the form of closed tubes b,
having bars wound spirally round them externally. The tubes are supported
in the vessel a by the brackets c. d is the steam supply pipe, and a distributing
conduit to the two upper tubes b b. e are communication conduits between the two
upper tubes bb and the two lower tubes bb. is a condensed water outlet, common
to the two lower tubes bb. is the salt water inlet pipe, having branches, the
undersides of which are perforated, and which extend the whole length of, and
just above, the two upper tubes bb, and inside the vessel a. i is a perforated pipe
for conveying away the steam evaporated in the vessel a, to a condenser. jis a
drain pipe for leading off the concentrated salt water or brine from the vessel a,
this brine being the residue of the salt water not evaporated in passing over the
heating surfaces, such water being supplied in such quantities as to have an
unevaporated residue continually passing from the tubes or heating surface. Pro-
vision is made for automatically withdrawing this brine from the bottom of the
vessel a.
To this end the drain pipe and the evaporated steam pipe i are
connected to a vessel k, and in this vessel k there is provided a float 1, having upon
it a bar to which is secured an upright bar m (adjustable on the bar by a slot l
and bolt 3 as shewn) having a slot m in which works a pin m² of a weighted bell
crank lever fulcrumed, at a', to an internal pipe. In this pipe is a throttle
valve p, mounted on the spindle n' of the lever n, the function of said bell crank
lever n being to operate the throttle valve p-that is, close and open it—according
to the depth of brine in the vessel k. The conduit leads from the vessel k to the
condenser. At the bottom of the vessel k, is provided a spring-weighted brine.
Outlet valve The vessel has an easily fixed and disconnected door k¹. The
action of the device or apparatus comprised in the vessel is as follows: —
R
As the brine from the vessel a accumulates in the vessel k, the float is raised,
and when the closed lower end of the slotted bar m comes in contact with the pin m²
of the bell crank lever n, it throws the lever over to the position shewn in Figure 3,
and the weight causes the bell crank lever n to close the valve p and so prevents
the escape of steam through the pipe i². The steam then accumulates in the
vessel & and its pressure rises. When it has risen to the requisite degree it causes
the brine to lift the escape valve 7 and pass away from the vessel. Then, when
the brine and the float fall to the point where the closed upper end of the bar m
comes in contact with the pin m², the bell crank lever n is thrown over, the
weight being caused to lie on the opposite side of the spindle n' to that shewn,
and the throttle valve is again opened, thereby allowing tlie steam in the vessels k
and to escape to the condenser. These automatic operations go on continuously,
in succession, whilst the apparatus is in operation.

page_text: In operation the salt water flows from the pipes in small or thin streams,
drops, or dribbles, onto the heating tubes b, and the bars or ridges cause the salt
water falling upon the tubes from the pipes to flow in properly distributed or
divided streams over them. The result is that the water is quickly and evenly
evaporated and no priming takes place.
The above automatically operating brine discharge may be applied in all cases
if desired, and constitutes a very simple and certain means of effecting the end
sought.
The modifications of apparatus shewn in Figures 5 to 12 are vertically arranged
apparatus, that is the heating surfaces are vertical and not horizontal as in that
shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
In the example shewn in Figures 5 and 6, bare annular tubes, the salt water
being delivered in streams, drops, or dribbles, from the pipes h¹ over the inner and
outer surfaces of the inner tube b, and over the inner surface only of the outer
tube b, there being trays, with suitable openings in the bottoms, at intervals down
them, by which the water is properly distributed over the whole surfaces on its way
down them to the bottom of the vessel a.
In the examples shown in Figures 7 and 8, and 9 and 10, the heating surface
consists of a single tube or vessel b, which in Figure 7 is plain, whilst in Figure 9
is corrugated as shewn. The action of these apparatus is the same substantially as
that set forth with reference to Figures 5 and 6.
The apparatus shewn in Figures 11 and 12 is again substantially identical with
that described with reference to Figures 9 and 10, except that the heating tube or
vessel is corrugated longitudinally in lieu of horizontally.
With reference now to Figures 13 and 14, the heating tubes bare horizontal, as
in Figures 1 and 2, but in this case they are connected at their ends to a steam
chamber d', and condensed water outlet chamber f¹, and the containing vessel a is
a narrow vertical one, the tubes being arranged over one another. In other
respects this apparatus is the same, substantially, as that shewn in Figures 1 and 2,
as will be evident by the drawings.
The apparatus shewn in Figures 15 and 16 is designed to use as the heating fluid
the exhaust steam from say a steam engine, of which the pipe d is the exhaust pipe.
The vessel a is of trough form, and the heating pipes are plain tubes internally
open at their ends which are fixed to plates or diaphragms a' formed or fixed on
the detachable cover a², the spaces d¹ and f forming inlet steam distributing
chamber to the pipes 6 and outlet chamber therefor, respectively. The pipe fis
the continuation of the exhaust steam pipe, and by it the exhaust steam and water
passes away to the ordinary condenser or other point of discharge. The action of
the salt water, its distribution and evaporation is the same as that hereinbefore
specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, it is to be remarket that
the featfres of this invention may be used as a whole, or on the other hand one or
more of them may be employed in connection with apparatus which differs from
the forms of apparatus hereinabove set forth; and I declare that what is claimed
in respect of this invention is :-
1. In apparatus for making fresh water from salt water for purposes such as
specified, effecting the evaporation of the salt water by supplying such water in thin
or small streams, drops, dribbles, or equivalent manner, onto heated pipes or
surfaces, substantially as herein described.
2. In apparatus for making fresh water from salt water, supplying the salt water
in thin or small streams, drops, dribbles, or the like, onto heated pipes or surfaces,
and effecting its distribution or guidance in its passage over said surfaces, by means
or in the manner substantially herein described.
3. In apparatus for making fresh water from salt water, supplying the salt water
onto heated pipes or surfaces in thin or small streams, drops, dribbles, or their

page_text: equivalent, in such quantities that such water is not all evaporated in its flow over
the heating surfaces, but a residue, being a strong brine, remains and passes away
from the apparatus; substantially as herein set forth.
4. In apparatus for making fresh water from salt water, the means, operating
substantially as herein set forth, by which the brine is automatically drawn off from
the apparatus.
5. Apparatus for making fresh water from salt water constructed and adapted
to operate substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawings.
6. Apparatus for making fresh water from salt water constructed and adapted to
operate substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 5 and 6; Figures 7
and 8; Figures 9 and 10; and Figures 11 and 12, of the drawings.
7. Apparatus for making fresh water from salt water constructed and adapted
to operate substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 13 and 14, of the
drawings.
8. Apparatus for making fresh water from salt water adapted to use the exhaust
steam of a steam engine as the heating fluid, arranged or constructed substantially
as set forth with reference to Figures 15 and 16 of the drawings.
Dated this 11th day of July 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.