Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 27th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
I, FREDERICK DAVID POTTER, of Linden, in the County of Union, State of
New Jersey, U.S.A., Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
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 relates to improvements in steam and water separators, whereby
dry steam is furnished to engines and other apparatus using steam.
The essence of my invention consists in interposing between the chamber where
the steam is generated and the apparatus where it is used a chamber or shell
having a plurality of layers of relatively fine wire mesh which form intricate
passages through which all the steam consumed is required to pass before reaching
the apparatus consuming it.
In arrangement and mode of operation, my invention is exactly the opposite of
the steam and water separators heretofore used. In them the steam and entrained
water are on the inside of the separator, and between that and the pipe that leads
to the apparatus where the steam is consumed, and it is supposed that the motion
of the steam will project the entrained water against points and through orifices in
the separator to the outside thereof, leaving only the steam in its original position
on the inside.
In my invention on the contrary the steam and entrained water are required to
pass through fine openings of meshes or other diaphragms, which are set in the live
steam space of the boiler, the openings being approximately the size of the
globules of the entrained water, in this manner developing relatively great
friction, by which, 1st, the steam and entrained water are super-heated to above
the temperature at which the steam was originally formed in the boiler, and,
2nd, the pressure between the meshes is somewhat reduced below that in the
boiler. Under these circumstances any globules of water that pass through the
meshes flash immediately into steam and only dry steam is delivered to the apparatus.
My separator is a practical application of a discovery I have made about
separators, viz. :-That when in such a place as the steam space of a boiler, and
when composed of sufficiently fine mesh, the steam and entrained water are super-
heated by the very great friction of the same on the wires of the mesh, to a
temperature above that at which the steam is formed, and the pressure in the
space of the separator between the meshes is less than that in the boiler. The
mesh being about as small as the globules of water, said globules must strike
against some of the meshes and be broken up, and coming into a lower pressure in
their super-heated condition fly immediately into steam, according to the known
law of steam generation.

page_text: Referring to the drawings :-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the invention applied at the ends of a chamber
which incloses the dry pipe.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same parts, on a much larger scale, the shell
of the boiler being broken; and
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the separator.
Fig. 4 is a section of the separator immediately under the dome of a boiler,
without a dry pipe; and
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 6 is a section of the separator applied at the end of a chamber which
surrounds the dry pipe, when the dry pipe is arranged at the head of a boiler.
Fig. 7 is a section showing the separator arranged around the periphery of the
chamber. The dry pipe has the same position as in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a section showing the separator arranged directly on the end of the
dry pipe.
Fig. 9 is a section showing the separator arranged on the periphery of the
chamber which incloses the dry pipe, said dry pipe being arranged as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 10 is. a section showing the separator arranged on the outside of the
boiler shell and within the dome.
Fig. 11 is a section showing the separator arranged on the inside of the boiler
shell, below the dome,
In Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive the shell of the boiler is shown broken.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A shows a boiler, B the steam nozzle,
.C C branches of a dry pipe, da nipple connecting the tee c with the
nozzle B. The separators E E, are arranged across the open ends of shells or
chambers F F
Said shells F F are formed of sheet metal, supported concentrically to the
branches CC by angle irons as shown. At their inner ends, said
shells F F are closed by suitable washers k'. Inclined perforations are
made in the lower part of the said shells F F to permit water of condensation to
drip into the pans K K'. Said pans K K' are provided at their lowest part with
drip pipes which lead below the water level of the boiler A.
Said separators E E are each composed of a plurality of layers e e¹ of fine
wire mesh, the mesh being held between rings G G which are held together by
bolta g and are secured to their respective shells or chambers For F by angle
irons g and bolts or rivets. The under side of said rings G have through and
through grooves 9 which form holes, when the rings are assembled, for the escape
of the entrained water from the interior of the rings (should any water get through
the first layers of mesh), to the pans K K',
Said branches CC of the dry pipe are closed at the ends, and have openings e³ ³
for the entrance of the dry steam.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the separators E E' constructed with rings G G' and
mesh e e¹ are secured at the ends of a shell F2 which is fixed to the shell of the
boiler, below the nozzle or dome B, said shell F having an opening f leading to
the dome; K is a pan with drip pipe
In Fig. 6 the separator E, constructed of rings and mesh as before described, is
placed at only one end of the shell F which is arranged around the dry pipe C,
said dry pipe now connecting with a flange pipe B on the end of the boiler. Said
dry pipe is closed at the inner end, and bas holes as before described. In this
construction the aforesaid pan K may be omitted as well as the grooves g through
the lower part of the rings G, and the lower part of the shell F³ may be formed
with a slope. The drip pipe k can then lead directly from said shell F³ to below
the water level of the boiler A, or a pan K.may be used as shown.
Referring to Fig. 7, the dry pipe C2, is, constructed and arranged like that
shown in Fig. 6, but the separator is now made with mesh arranged in con-
centrical cylindrical layers around said dry pipe. At one end, said layers of
mesh are secured to cylindrical ribs I of a plate L, that is fixed on the dry pipe C

page_text: near the shell of the boiler A, and at the other end to similar ribs m² on a
plate M, which plate is supported in any suitable manner, as by angle irons o..
To facilitate securing said plate L to the pipe C the said plate will be con--
veniently made in two semi-annular parts bolted together after being placed on the
pipe C
Referring to Fig. 8, the dry pipe C³ is open at the inner end, and has no holes.
in its length. The rings C of the separator are now bolted to a plate P that is
fixed on the end of the said dry pipe. The layers of mesh e are arranged between
the rings G, as shown in Fig. 2, but the grooves in the lower part of said rings.
may be omitted.
Referring to Fig. 9, the dry pipe C C', is arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
but the separator is now made of cylinders of mesh, arranged concentrically around
the branches of said dry pipe C C', and fastened to ribs of plates R R', in a
manner similar to that shown in Fig. 7.
It will be perceived that in the arrangement of each Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 the
shells F F and pans K K' are omitted.
Referring to Fig. 10, the rings G¹ of the mesh are built on the shell of the
boiler within the dome, and referring to Fig. 11, the said rings G are arranged on
the inside of the shell of the boiler. The operation is evident.
It will be observed, that in each case the steam with the entrained water is.
obliged to pass through fine meshes before it comes to the steam delivery pipe, and
that the super-heating effect herein before described takes place, so that only dry
steam reaches the delivery pipe and goes to the apparatus.
In place of making the shells F F in one piece, I can make them in parts.
bolted together, to facilitate introducing them into the man-hole of a boiler.
In place of fine wire mesh as described, I can use a plurality of partitions of
thin sheets perforated with small holes, but I prefer the mesh.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a steam generator and a steam delivery pipe thereof,
of a chamber placed in the steam space of the boiler and having walls com--
posed of a plurality of layers of wire mesh, and said layers interposed between the
steam space of the generator and said steam delivery pipe, substantially as
described.
2. The combination with a steam generator of a separator inserted in the
steam space of the generator and provided with a plurality of rings and partitions
of fine mesh held between the rings, and said separator being placed between
the steam outlet pipe and the steam space of the generator, substantially as
described.
3. The combination with a steam generator, of a separator inserted in the steam.
space of the generator and between the same and the steam outlet pipe, a plurality
of rings in said chamber provided with drip channels, and a finely perforated.
partition between said rings, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of May 1896.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant.