Improvements in Feed Water Heaters
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
Improvements in Feed Water Heaters.
We, BABCOCK & WILCOX, LIMITED, of 147 Queen Victoria Street, in the-
City of London, Steam Boiler Manufacturers, and WILLIAM REAVELL, Engineer
with said company, at above address, 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 has for its object to provide a feed water heater of improved
construction which may be readily taken apart when required and in which.
provision is made for removing at intervals the oil or grease which is dissociated.
from the water when heated and for freely draining off the water formed by
condensation of the steam employed for heating the water.
As represented in the accompanying drawings in vertical section at Figure 1, in
elevation at Figure 2 and in horizontal section at Figure 3, the improved feed
water heater is composed of an upright cylindrical or other shaped shell or
casing A having near its base a water inlet connection B on one side and an
outlet C upon the other side, the casing being divided internally by a dividing-
web D or webs extending upwards to within a short distance of the normal water
level. The shell is formed with flanges A', A' at top and bottom and a cover A³-
is fixed on the top flange. Passing through the cover A³ is a tube E provided
with a cock and terminating in a saucer like scum pan F situated at about the
normal water level and adapted to receive any oil or extraneous matter brought to- .
the surface of the heated water. The arrangement for scumming may be carried
out in any other suitable manner.
A tube plate G having in it a number of tubes g open at bottom and closed at.
the top is fitted into the lower end of the shell or casing so that the tubes extend
upwards in the heater to near the normal water level and this tube plate G is held
in position by a second tube plate or casing H having a flange H' bolted to the
main casing A and carrying a series of smaller open ended tubes f expanded into-
it and extending upwards into the larger tubes 9 to nearly the closed ends of the
latter. A cover J provided with a steam inlet K is secured on the lower tube-
plate H, and on the main shell A a hand hole 1 having a suitable cover M is.
provided to give access for cleaning and inspection, and a guage glass N is fitted
to show the water level which should be maintained at about the line of the.
scum pan.
In the operation of the heater steam is admitted into the space between the
lower cover J and the lower tube plate H and passes up through the inner tubes f,.
which are not heating tubes. It then descends through the annular spaces.
between the small tubes f and the large tubes g, and heats the water in the
casing A surrounding the tubes; the steam passing downwards into the space P
between the tube plates G, H, from which space the condensed water is drained.
through a drain hole Q. A drain pipe not shown is also provided on the bottom
cover J for removing any condensation water which may accumulate there. The
space Q above the water level serves as an air space. Oil and greasy matter-
accumulating on the surface of the water passes over into the scum pan F and
is blown off at intervals through the scum pipe E by opening the cock in the
latter.
The two tube plates G, H, being held in place by the flange H' on the lower-
tube plate H the whole of the heating surface can be removed for cleaning or

page_text: inspection by undoing a single joint; while at the same time the upper tube
plate G can be removed should this at any time be required.
The feed water heater is intended to be placed between the feed pump delivery
and the boilers, and the shell will be subject to the boiler pressure. A relief valve
can be fitted to the inlet flange in such cases where there is no relief valve on the
feed pump delivery.
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. A feed water heater the several parts of which are constructed and combined
substantially as described.
2. In a feed water heater of the type set forth the arrangement of a scum pan
and outlet pipe for blowing off extraneous matter substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicants.