MENTS IN FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Weir and James Weir, both of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, for the Invention of
MENTS IN FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
66 IMPROVE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Weir and James Weir
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1878.
GEORGE WEIR and JAMES WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the feeding of steam boilers in such a manner as
to effect the separation of air from the feed water before or immediately on the
entrance of such feed water into the boilers with the view of avoiding or preventing
the injurious corrosive action which is believed to be more or less due to the
presence of air in the water as ordinarily fed into steam boilers, more particularly
when surface condensers are used.
The present improvements are by preference to be combined with feed-heating
apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
the present applicants, and dated 28 December 1876 (No. 5012), but they are also
advantageously applicable in any cases in which the water as ordinarily fed into the
boilers is more or less charged with air.
The Invention consists principally in separating the air from the feed water by
causing such water in a subdivided state to mingle with the steam of the boiler
before mixing with the water in the boiler, and by arranging the parts so that the
air disengaged from the water through the action of the steam may have immediate
egress from the boiler or boilers.
Where a superheater is used, or a steam dome, or chest, or vessel, more or less
separated from the main space or spaces of the boiler or set of boilers, the Invention
may be carried out in a simple manner by introducing the feed water at an inlet in

page_text: or near the top of such vessel, the inlet valve or nozzle being by preference loaded,
and such as to cause the water to be scattered in spray or in a subdivided con-
dition; or the water may be allowed to drop through one or more diaphragms or
shells of perforated metal or other suitable material, so as to be thoroughly
mingled with and acted on by the steam before descending to the main body of
water. When the Invention is carried out in this way, the air separated by the
action of the steam is at once carried out of the boiler in the current of steam
passing to the engines.
By another modification a compartment or vessel not forming a thoroughfare for
the steam proceeding from the boiler or boilers may be formed within in the steam
space of the boiler, or apart altogether from the boiler, and one such separate vessel
may be used in connection with two or more boilers. Into such vessel steam from
the boiler has free access, and the feed water is made to mingle with it, as herein-
before described, finally running from the bottom of it into the boiler or boilers
when the vessel can be in a sufficiently elevated position.
The vessel may
however be in any convenient position, the water from it being if necessary
pumped into the boiler or boilers, and it need not be subjected to the full boiler
pressure, the steam being admitted to it through a suitable valve. When the air
separating vessel is distinct from the boiler in this way, a special pipe, which need
not be large, is fitted to it for the egress of the air, such pipe being in some cases
led into the steam pipe, and in others into the condenser, or hot well, or atmosphere.
In all cases an air vessel or equivalent apparatus for equalising the flow is by
preference interposed between the air separator and the pump which supplies the
water thereto, whether the air separator be in the boiler or apart therefrom.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Weir and James Weir in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th October 1878.
GEORGE WEIR and JAMES WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR.' :
Our said Invention has for its object the feeding of steam boilers in such a
manner as to effect the separation of air from the feed water before or immediately
on the entrance of such feed water into the boilers with the view of avoiding or
preventing the injurious corrosive action which we believe to be more or less due to
the presence of air in the water as ordinarily fed into steam boilers. We find that
the air which is separated from the feed water when practically carrying out
our Invention is generally far from pure, and it is probable that the impurities
which in a gaseous form accompany the air either cause or increase the corrosive
action referred to when not separated from the water.
Our present improvements are by preferenee to be combined with feed-heating
apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
us, and dated 28 December 1876 (No. 5012), but they are also advantageously
applicable in any cases in which the water as ordinarily fed into the boilers is more
or less charged with air.
Our Invention consists principally in separating the air from the feed water by
causing such water in a subdivided state to mingle with steam before mixing with
water in the boiler, and in arranging the parts so that the air disengaged from the
water through the action of the steam may have immediate egress from the boiler
or boilers.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory
Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing some of the various forms
of apparatus that may be used for effecting the separation of air from the feed
water of steam boilers.
In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
"
In Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, the upper part of a
common form of marine steam boiler is shown in vertical section, and as fitted with
various modifications of our apparatus; it is however to be understood that only
one of such pieces of apparatus is to be used in each case.
As the various modifications comprise corresponding or like parts marked with
the same reference numerals, the modifications are distinguished by reference
letters.
In modification A. the pipe from the feed pump is connected to a box 1 fixed to
the vertical plate 2 of the boiler, and communicating with the interior of a per-
forated horizontal tube 3 fixed inside the boiler. This tube 3 is within a shell or
casing 4 of a cylindrical or other convenient form, and the inner end 5 of which is
closed. Steam has access to the interior of the casing 4 by an opening 6 on its
under side close to the boiler plate 2, but a diaphragm 7 is placed in the casing to
lead the steam towards the other end 5. The feed water issues from the perforated
tube 3 in a subdivided form, and falling on the diaphragm 7 passes through per-
forations in this diaphragm, and thence by the opening 6 down into the boiler.
The comparative coldness of the feed water causes some steam to be condensed, and
there is consequently a constant draught of steam into the casing 4, which causes
the air separated from the water to accumulate in the upper part of the casing near
the outer end. A pipe 8 is fitted to this part of the casing; and being led out.
through the boiler shell is fitted with a small stop-cock 9, which is in practice to

page_text: be adjusted to let out the air as nearly as may be in proportion as it is separated,
It is important that the feed water should enter continuously or with a uniform or
nearly uniform flow, and with this view when ordinary feed pumps are used the
feed pipe should be fitted with an air vessel. A piston or scraper 10, the rod 11 of
which passes through a stuffing box in the box 1, is by preference provided for
cleaning the interior of the perforated tube 3.
In modification B the casing 4 inside the boiler is made with an opening 6 at its
inner end. The feed inlet box 1 is fitted with an internal valve 12, which can be
adjusted by a spindle and hand wheel 13, so that the water enters in a conical film,
which breaking into spray becomes thoroughly acted on by steam entering at the
opening 6. The outlet air pipe 8 is fitted to the part of the casing 4 at which the
separated air accumulates.
In the modification C the feed inlet box 1 is fixed to the top 14 of the boiler, and
is fitted with an internal valve 12 opening downwards, and the spindle of which
passing out through a stuffing box has a spring 15 applied to it to cause the feed
water to enter with considerable force, and thus the more readily break into spray,
The casing 4 inside the boiler has an opening 6 at its bottom, and inside of the
casing there is a dish 16, into which there dips the lower part of an open-topped
shell 17, having within its upper part a conical shell 18. An inverted cup 19 is
formed on the inlet valve 12, and the outlet for air is through the valve spindle,
which is tubular, and has a stop-cock 9 at its upper end. The water entering by the
valve 12 in a radiating film strikes the conical shell 18, and falls in a shower down
the shell 17 into the dish 16. The water overflows from this dish 16, and the steam
entering upwards by the opening 6 round the dish sweeps from the descending film
of water any adhering air or gas, and passes on to the top of the shell 17, and then
down inside of it, the action of the arrangement being to cause the separated air
to accumulate in the inverted cup 19, from which it passes off by the tubular
spindle.
In modification D the casing 4 has the opening 6 for the entrance of steam at the
top, and its bottom dips below the boiler water level, whilst the inverted cup 19 for
collecting the separated air is separate from the valve 12, and has an air outlet
pipe 8 connected to it.
In modification E the feed inlet box 1 is fixed so as to throw in the water above
the water level in the boiler, and it is fitted with an inlet valve 20, which is loaded
by a spring 15, so that the water may enter with considerable force, and be in con-
sequence broken into spray so as to be the better acted on by the steam. In this
simplified modification the separated air passes with the steam to the engines, and
it may be used in some cases; but when the air is accompanied by deleterious gases
or vapors, the modifications in which provision is made for discharging the air
externally are preferable.
Figure 2, on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings, is a vertical section of a
steam boiler having a steam chest or superheater 21, and it is shown as fitted with
further modifications of our apparatus.
In modification F the feed inlet box 1 is fitted to the superheater or steam
chest 21, and is fitted with a conical mandril 22 for regulating the jet of water
entering the boiler, and restricting the opening so that the jet may enter forcibly.
In modification G the feed inlet box 1 is, like that in F, constructed to direct the
entering water in the form of a jet, and is fitted with a mandril 22 for regulating
and restricting the flow. The jet is directed into a casing 4 inside the boiler, and
striking against a plate 23 is thrown into spray, which mingles with steam entering
the casing 4 at the same open end 6, whilst the separated air accumulates at the
other end of the casing, and passes off by the pipe 8.
Modification H differs from an ordinary feed inlet valve placed below the water
level of the boiler in having a pipe 24 fitted inside the boiler to lead the entering
water up into the steam space before it mixes with the main body of water in the
boiler. This internal pipe 24 can be applied to existing boilers, and will in many.

page_text: cases yield some of the advantages obtainable by our Invention. A loaded valve 12
is applied to the end of the pipe 24 to make the water issue forcibly, or with an
excess of pressure, so as to be projected amongst the steam.
Figure 3 is a section showing the construction of air vessel which we prefer to
use in combination with our feed apparatus for the purpose of rendering the inward
flow of the water continuous or uniform, or nearly so. The water from the feed
pump or pumps enters by a pipe 25 at the side, and passes onwards from the bottom
by a pipe 26. Gauge cocks 27, 28, are fitted to the vessel for ascertaining when the
water level is much above or below what it ought to be. A stop-cock 29 is pro-
vided for letting off superabundant air, and a pipe 30 is provided for admitting air
from a small pump when the proper quantity of air is not kept up by air entering
along with the water from the feed pumps.
When a feed injector is used an air vessel, such as is shown in Figure 3, is not
required.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of a modification I of our air separating apparatus,
arranged external to and separate from the boiler. The feed inlet box 1 is in this
modification fitted to the top of a casing 31, to which steam has access by a lateral
inlet 32. This steam may be that of the main boilers to which the feed apparatus
is applied, or that of an auxiliary, or donkey, or other boiler, and of a different
pressure. Diaphragms 33 are placed between the steam inlet 32 and the top of the
casing, and are perforated for the passage of the water downwards, whilst larger
openings for the passage of the steam upwards are formed in them at opposite sides,
so as to cause the steam to cross the showers of water. The water passes onwards
to the boilers from the bottom of the casing by a pipe 34, and the air which accu-
mulates at the top escapes by a pipe 8 and stop-cock 9.
One vessel, such as is shown in Figure 4, may be fitted in connection with two
or more boilers, and such vessel may be placed in any convenient position, a pump
or pumps being used to transfer the water from it to the boiler or boilers when
necessary on account of its relative position, or on account of the pressure in it
being different from that in the boiler or boilers.
Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 is a vertical section of apparatus which we
propose to use in some cases to regulate the extent of opening of a valve 35, through
which the feed water passes to the boiler or boilers, so that the water may enter
with the force necessary to break it into spray. This apparatus comprises a
cylinder 36 provided with a trunk piston 37, the larger side of which is acted on
by steam from the boiler entering at 38, whilst the smaller side is acted on by the
feed water entering from the pumps by the pipe 39, and proceeding through the
valve 35. The trunk 40 passes out through a stuffing box, and is connected by a
stud and link to the lever 41 of the valve 35, so as to close the valve as the piston
rises. With this arrangement whenever the flow of feed water is diminished the
steam will raise the piston 37, and reduce the passage through the valve 35, and
vice versa, so that the feed water will enter the boiler with a nearly uniform force,
notwithstanding variations in its rate of flow.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The feeding of water to steam boilers with the aid of apparatus or arrange-
ments by which the water is made to mingle with steam before mixing with water
in the boiler for the purpose of separating air, substantially as herein-before
described.
2. The arranging or combining of parts of apparatus, substantially in any of the
modes herein described and delineated, wherein the feed water in a subdivided con-
dition mingles with steam, and the movement of the steam towards the feed water
is made to collect the separated air into a part whence it is discharged by a pipe
provided for the purpose.

page_text: 3. The system of feeding water into steam boilers wherein the water is made to
enter the boiler continuously or uniformly, and with an excess of pressure obtained
by loading the inlet valve, or by suitably adjusting it to restrict the extent of
opening, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
4. The providing in steam boilers, or in connection therewith, of apparatus for
removing air separated from the feed water by heating the same, substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Weir, on behalf of the said George
Weir and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES WEIR. (L.S.)