An Improved Process for the Utilisation of Waste Steam in the Production of Motive Power.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for the Utilisation of Waste Steam in the
Production of Motive Power.
I, SIGISMUND PRAGER, of Raab, Hungary, Royal Chief-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 the repeated use of the waste steam escaping
from steam-engines, for the purpose of actuating engines, by raising the low-
pressure of the escaping steam to high pressure again by an injector supplied
with live steam at very high pressure, say, about 100 to 200 atmospheres, obtained
from a suitable generator of known construction.
The cycle of operations is as follows, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings:
The steam at high pressure taken from the generator, b, is blown through a
pipe, e, into the injector, d, connected by its suction pipe, h, with a receiver, i,
in which the waste steam from the engine is collected.
°
Not only is a sucking action exercised by the high pressure steam of the injector.
but the steam passing out of the receiver, i, is also raised to a higher temperature
and pressure and returned through the tube, g, into the boiler, a, entering at the
steam dome of the latter.
In the accompanying drawings a special instance of the utilization of the steam
in this manner represented. It is in this case assumed that the greater part
of the steam coming from the receiver is returned to the boiler. Only a small
part of the steam passing out of the high pressure cylinder is introduced into
the low pressure cylinder which for this reason could perhaps be constructed of
even a smaller size than the high pressure cylinder.
In order to avoid all of the steam being sucked out of the receiver by the high
pressure steam passing through the injector, cocks, m, l, are provided by which the
amount can be regulated. The steam cannot be sucked direct out of the low
pressure cylinder with the same advantage, as the vacuum which would thus be
formed would render the work of the cylinder more difficult and consequently
uneconomical.
The advantages of this process are:--
(1) A considerable increase of the useful effect of steam engines, inasmuch as
the amount of heat, contained in the waste steam is more completely utilized by
the repeated use of the waste steam, whereas, with the methods heretofore in use,
even with the best condensing engines, the greater part of the heat is lost in the
condenser.
(2) Small dimensions of the generator, inasmuch as the live steam required for
the injector is but small in quantity in comparison with the waste steam. Con-
sequently, the large, extensive and correspondingly costly steam boilers
customarily used are dispensed with.
(3) Simplicity and cheapness of working, as the keeping in order of, and the
attending to, extensive boiler-plant is obviated.

page_text: (4) Condensers are dispensed with.
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 herein before described improved process for the utilisation of waste
steam, the same being characterized by compressing to the inital pressure, by
means of an injector, the waste steam from an engine, the injector being actuated
by steam of very high pressure, so that the steam may again be used for the
purpose of actuating the engine.
2. The combination of a steam superheater, b, with an injector, d, by which the
waste steam is returned into the steain generator at a higher pressure, substantially
as described.
3. The arrangement of the receiver, i, in combination with the injector, d, and
tube, h, whereby the formation of a vacuum in the cylinder is avoided, sub-
stantially as described.
4. The connection of the injector, d, by the tube, g, with the dome of the steam
generator by which the waste steam mixed with superheated steam is returned to
the steam generator at an increased pressure, substantially as described.
5. In the arrangement described for carrying out said process, the use of
valves, m, 1, for regulating the quantity of steam sucked by the injector, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of October 1898.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
821, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.