Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating Liquids.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating Liquids.
I, THOMAS SLAITER of 56 Maury Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention has for its object to improve the construction of apparatus in which
liquids are evaporated and concentrated by being caused to flow over open trays or
gutters heated by steam and contained in a chamber or vessel in which a vacuum is
maintained by means of an air pump.
The steam jackets by which the undersides of the gutters are heated 1 form of
horizontal tubes the upper part of which is cut away except at the two ends.
The bottom of the gutter which is within each of these tubes is made to pass
approximately across the centre of the tube-either straight or curving downwards
at each side to give increased heating surface and the gutters are held in place by
their sides being rivetted or otherwise secured to the interior of the sides of the tubes
which form the jackets.
The cylindrical ends of the steam jackets of the gutters are passed through holes in
the ends of the vacuum chamber.
At one end of the vacuum chamber is a steam chamber the tubular ends of the
steam jackets open into this steam chamber and the steam jackets so get supplied
with steam.
Or the tubular ends of the steam jackets might be carried through the steam
chamber and tight joints made around them where they pass through the sides of this
chamber by packing rings around them one held against the outer side of the
steam chamber by a nut screwed on to the extremity of the tubular end and the other
held by a collar on the tubular end against the partition or side which separates the
steam chamber from the vacuum chamber. The collars might be readily detachable
to facilitate the withdrawal of the tubes when necessary.
The opposite end of each steam jacket is closed and near this end a pipe passes
off to convey away all water condensed in it-or there might be a narrow chamber
at this end of the vacuum chamber and the tubular ends of the steam jackets be
carried through the sides of this chamber-tight joints being obtained around the
tubular ends by stuffing boxes.
I arrange the steam jacketted gutters in series one below the other and cause
the liquid to flow first over one of the uppermost gutters then back through a pipe
which is led through the steam jacket of that gutter and across the steam chamber
and through the outer plate of this chamber.
On the outside of the steam chamber the end of the pipe is coupled by an
elbow bend with a pipe below it through which the liquid is passed back across
the steam chamber and into the gutter next below the gutter first mentioned
and so on.
The elbow bends are held by a screw or other readily removeable fastening over
the ends of the pipes and against the exterior of the vacuum chamber so as to make
tight joints.
At the end furthest from the steam chamber a cap is placed on to the tubular end
of each steam jacketted gutter-this cap is made to close air tight against the exterior
of the end of the vacuum chamber and forms a tight joint around the tubular end
The liquid flowing from off the end of the gutter passes into the cap and from the
into the return tube which is led back through the steam jacket of the gutter.
tight joint is maintained by a flexible ring placed between the cap and the exterior of
the vacuum chamber.
cap

page_text: From the return tube of the lowest gutter the concentrated liquid passes off into a
vessel or chamber which may form part of a bed on which the vacuum and steam
chambers are mounted.
1
•
Or with apparatus arranged for what is known as triple effect working the
concentrated liquid flowing from the lower part of one apparatus may be drawn
up by vacuum into the upper trays of a second and similar apparatus and so on
to a third or to more-apparatus whilst the steam for heating the gutters of the
second apparatus would be the vapour obtained from the first apparatus and the
heating of the third apparatus be effected by the vapour obtained from the second
apparatus.
By constructing evaporating apparatus in the manner above described not only
may the gutters be so placed within the vacuum chamber that all of the gutters
can readily be got at and cleaned from the inside of the chamber but also any of
the gutters together with their steam jackets can readily be withdrawn either for
cleaning or repairs and another put in its place.
THOMAS SLAITER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating Liquids.
I, THOMAS SLAITER, of 56 Maury Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical 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:-
My invention has for its object to improve the construction of apparatus such as is
described in a former application for Patent made by me No. 10493 in the year 1888.
In this apparatus the liquids are evaporated and concentrated by being caused to
flow over open trays or gutters heated by steam or heated fluid and contained
in a chamber or vessel in which a vacuum is maintained by means of an air pump.
According to my present invention I make both of the two cylindrical ends of each
of the steam jackets of the trays or gutters to pass through holes in the ends of the
vacuum chamber. At one end I make them to open into the steam chamber which is
at one end of the vacuum chamber and close them at the opposite end by a
readily removable cap. The end of each of them which opens into the steam
chamber is hermetically closed above the level of the tray except that a pipe for
conveying liquid on to the tray passes through the closed end. At the opposite end
of the vacuum chamber the lower portion of the tube is hermetically closed, except
that a pipe passes through the closed end At this end a pipe is also led away from
the under side of each tube to carry off any water that may condense in the steam
space below the tray or gutter. I arrange the steam jacketted trays or gutters in
series one below the other and cause the liquid to flow first over the uppermost
gutters then back through pipes which are led through the steam jackets below
these gutters and across the steam chamber and through the outer plate of this
chamber.
On the outside of the steam chamber the pipe is coupled by an elbow bend
with a pipe below it through which the liquid is passed back across the steam
chamber and into the gutter next below the gutter first mentioned and so on.
The elbow bends are held by a screw or other readily removable fastening over
the ends of the pipes and against the exterior of the vacuum chamber so as to make
tight joints.
By constructing evaporating apparatus in the manner above described not only may
the gutters be so placed within the vacuum chamber that all of the gutters can readily
be got at and cleaned from the inside of the chamber but also any of the gutters
together with their steam jackets can readily be withdrawn either for cleaning or
repairs and another put in its place.
The drawings hereunto annexed shew apparatus constructed according to my invention.

page_text: Figure 1 is an end view with some parts in section of two of the vessels arranged
in series.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of one of the vessels.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of some of the tubes, gutters
and pipes.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section, and Figure 5 a vertical cross section of the same.
A is the vacuum or evaporating chamber. B a steam or vapour chamber at one
end thereof, C the exhaust pipe connecting the vacuum or evaporating chamber of
one vessel with the steam or vapour chamber of the next vessel or to an air pump.
D are the removable evaporating tubes containing the gutters and the return pipes-
at their extremities they pass through the two ends of the vacuum chamber. E are the
gutters running the entire length of the tubes. F are the return pipes passing
through the entire length of the tubes and through the steam chamber B. G are
short pipes forming continuations of the trays and passing through the steam chamber.
Hare hollow bent elbows each connecting the end of one of the return pipes F with
the end of one of the pipes G. I are closing caps at the other ends of the tubes D.
At the steam chamber end the upper portion of the ends of the tubes Dabove the
trays E are scaled except that the pipes G pass out from these closed ends. Below
the trays these ends of the tubes D are open so that steam may pass into them from
the steam chamber. A tight joint is made around each tube D where it passes
through this end of the vacuum chamber by a packing ring a which surrounds it and
by a metallic ring b which is drawn against the packing ring by bolts c as shewn in
figures 1 and 2.
At the opposite end of the vacuum chamber the ends of the tubes Dare closed by
the hollow caps which embrace the ends of the tubes and are pressed by screws d
against elastic packing rings a interposed between themselves and the exterior of
the end of the vacuum chamber. At this end the lower portion of the tubes D
is also hermetically closed except where the ends of the return pipes F pass
through.
To convey away from the tubes D any water that may collect in them holes J
are formed through their under sides as shewn in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Where
these holes are formed in the tubes the tubes are embraced by rings K the inner
circumference of each of which has a groove cut around it as shewn at Figures 3, 4
and 5.
A tight joint is made on each side of the rings K between the rings and the
tubes by packing pieces a one interposed between one side of the ring K and the
inner side of the end of the vacuum chamber and the other between the opposite side
of the ring K and a ring L which is drawn by bolts and nuts M towards the end of
the vacuum chamber.
Each ring K is formed at the bottom with a socket N projecting from it from
which a pipe O is led away through the end of the vacuum chamber into a casing P
on the exterior of the chamber. At the bottom of the casing is an outlet Q by which
any water entering the casing can pass away freely. The fluid to be evaporated is
drawn through a pipe R into a box or tank S-from this the fluid passes through
pipes T to the pipes G which lead to the trays of the uppermost tubes D.
short pipes G are
closed at the tray end and are perforated on the under side. This
serves to destroy the foam and permits the passage of the fluid only. After
passing along these trays it returns by the return pipes F and from them descends to
the next layer of trays and so on.
These
The general action of the apparatus is the same as described in the Specification of
iny former application for Patent herein before mentioned. The first vessel receives
its steam from the exhaust of the air pump engine or otherwise. The second vessel
derives its heat from the vapor arising from the fluids in course of concentration in
the first vessel, the third from the second and so on.
The fluid to be concentrated is pumped or drawn into the feed box or tank S in the
first vessel, passes along the pipe T, through the bent elbow H and pipe G into the
uppermost trays of this vessel and passing along from one tray to another is discharged

page_text: into a receiving chamber V at the bottom of the vacuum chamber. The following
vessel draws its supply by superior vacuum from this receiving chamber and so on
through the rest of the vessels and the finally concentrated fluid is drawn off from the
last vessel by means of a pump.
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 the vacuum chamber the readily removable tubes passing
through both ends thereof each tube having a tray or gutter within and across it and
open at the top where it is within the vacuum chamber and means for supplying the
tubes below the trays or gutters with steam or heated fluid and for passing liquid to
be evaporated over the surface of the trays or gutters.
2. The combination of the vacuum chamber the steam chamber at one end thereof
the readily removable tubes passing through both ends of the vacuum chamber each
tube having a tray or gutter within and across it and open at the top where it is
within the vacuum chamber-the return pipes passing back through the steam spaces
below the gutters and through the steam chamber and means for leading the liquid
under concentration over the upper trays or gutters then through the return pipes
below them and on to the trays or gutters below them and so on.
3. The construction of evaporating apparatus substantially as herein before
described.
THOMAS SLAITER.