Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating and Condensing and for Heating Feed Water for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1394
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating and Condensing and for
Heating Feed Water for Steam Boilers.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM BROWN, of Dolphin Lane, Poplar, E., and WALTER
ROBERT SKINNER, of 27 Waterloo Road, Upton Park, in the County of Essex,
Coppersmiths and Brassfounders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
Our improvements relate mainly to apparatus for evaporating or condensing or
for heating feed water in which steam is caused to pass through solid drawn copper
coils contained within a surrounding casing.
We construct the apparatus in such a way that both ends of the coils are
secured to a readily removeable cover of the casing so that by unbolting the cover
the coil or coils can be removed without interfering with the other parts and can
be cleaned or renewed as required. In this way also all connections to the coils
are on the outside of the casing and can readily be got at.
Evaporating apparatus for producing fresh water feed for marine boilers we
form of a horizontal cylinder with end covers one of these has secured to it the
ends of a steam coil or coils-preferably we use two coils one of smaller diameter
than the other so that the smaller one may lie inside the larger one and we connect
together the inner ends of both coils with ground coned union or flanged connecting
pieces so that steam may first travel through one coil and return by the other
from whence it may be conveyed to the hot well of the main engine. The coils
we make to occupy the lower part of the horizontal cylinder transverse divisions
of the coils being of oblong form curved on the underside to be concentric with
the sides of the cylinder and flat on their upper side to be parallel with the upper
surface of the water contained in the cylinder.
A vertical cylinder is carried upwards from the upper side of the horizontal
cylinder and across the upper part of this vertical cylinder is placed a baffle plate
haped somewhat like a funnel having a downwardly inclined rim all around its
edge nearly fitting to the interior of the vertical cylinder and leaving only a small
aperture all round equal in area to the area of the steam outlet from the cylinder.
Above the funnel shaped baffle plate is placed a perforated inverted funnel with
pipe ascending from its apex to the steam outlet. The steam after rising up
between the baffle plate and cylinder passes down through the perforations of the
inverted funnel and then up through this ascending pipe to the outlet.
Any water condensed or carried along with the steam drops into the funnel and
by a pipe descending from it is led back to the lower horizontal cylinder.
A stop valve is placed on the steam outlet which can be opened or closed as
required.
A safety valve is also fitted to the top cover of the vertical cylinder.
In order to ensure that a constant level of water shall always be maintained in
the horizontal cylinder just sufficient to keep the steam coils covered we connect
the cylinder by pipes with a small casing at the side to which the sea water to be
evaporated is supplied through a valve at the top which has a long stem descending
from it. Normally the pressure of the water supply above this valve keeps the
valve closed. When the water in the casing gets below its proper level the lower
end of the stein is caused to be pressed to one side so as to tilt the valve on its

page_text: seat and allow water to pass. To tilt the valve we employ a ball float at the end
of a lever arm which turns on a pivot in proximity to the stem-a short arm
extending downwards at an angle from the same pivot comes against the stem
when the float drops but moves away from it when the float regains its normal
position. In this way we obtain a thoroughly reliable automatic control of the
water supply.
The steam passing off from the top of the evaporator goes to the surface
condenser of the main engines to be condensed or if the apparatus is to be used
for obtaining fresh water for drinking purposes it goes to a coil or coils of pipe
of a condenser in which as in the evaporator both ends of the coils are secured to
a top cover of the outer casing so that the cover and coils can all be removed
together as in the evaporator. The cover we make hollow and divide it trans-
versely into two compartments-the inlet ends of the coils open into one
compartment the outlet ends into the other-steam is admitted to the inlet
compartment from the evaporator. The water condensed in the coils passes to
the other compartment and from thence to a filter at the bottom of the casing.
The coils are connected to the cover with ground coned unions or flanges so
that they may easily be removed in case of defect a periodical inspection without
disturbing any joint except the cover. Cold sea water is passed through the outer
casing entering near the bottom and passing away near the top-it may either be
pumped through by a pump or if the condenser is below the water line the flow
may be maintained by natural circulation.
When the apparatus is to be used as a live steam, feed water heater we employ
a coil or coils of pipe through which the steam is passed. Both ends of the coils
we secure to the cover of the outer casing and the feed water is admitted by an
inlet to one end of the casing and passes to the boiler through an outlet at the
other end.
When the apparatus is to be used as an exhaust steam feed heater-the cold
feed water is passed through the coils instead of the steam and the exhaust steam
is passed through the case.
Dated this 19th day of June 1894.
G. W. BROWN.
W. R. SKINNER.
Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating and Condensing and for
Heating Feed Water for Steam Boilers.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM BROWN, of Dolphin Lane, Poplar, E., and WALTER
ROBERT SKINNER, of 27 Waterloo Road, Upton Park, in the County of Essex,
Coppersmiths and Brassfounders, 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 :-
Our improvements relate mainly to apparatus for evaporating or condensing or
for heating feed water in which steam is caused to pass through solid drawn
copper coils contained within a surrounding casing.
We construct the apparatus in such a way that both ends of the coils are secured
to a readily removeable cover of the casing so that by unbolting the cover the
coil or coils can be removed without interfering with the other parts and can be
cleaned or renewed as required. In this way also all connections to the coils are
on the outside of the casing and can readily be got at.
Evaporating apparatus for producing fresh water feed for marine boilers we
form as shown at Figures 1 and 2 of a horizontal cylinder a with end. covers bb1
one of these has secured to it the ends of a steam coil or coils-preferably we

page_text: с
use two coils e c' one of smaller diameter than the other so that the smaller one c¹
may be inside the larger one c and we connect together the inner ends of both
coils with ground coned union or flanged connecting pieces d so that steam may
first travel through one coil and return by the other from whence it may be con-
veyed to the hot well of the main engine. The coils c c we make to occupy the
lower part of the horizontal cylinder a transverse divisions of the coils being of oblong
form as shown in Figure 2 curved on the under side to be concentric with the sides
of the cylinder a and flat on their upper side to be parallel with the upper surface
of the water contained in the cylinder. High pressure steam from the main
boilers is made to enter at a and passing through both coils ultimately becomes
condensed and passes off at y to the hot well of main engines at about 200°.
A vertical cylinder e is carried upwards from the upper side of the horizontal
cylinder a and across the upper part of this vertical cylinder is placed a baffle
plate shaped somewhat like a funnel having a downwardly inclined rim f' all
around its edge nearly fitting to the interior of the vertical cylinder and leaving
only a small aperture all round equal in area to the area of the steam outlet from
the cylinder. Above the funnel shaped baffle plate is placed a perforated inverted
funnel with pipe f³ ascending from its apex to the steam outlet. The steam
after rising up between the baffle plate and cylinder passes down through the
perforations of the inverted funnel and then up through this ascending pipe to the
outlet.
Any water condensed or carried along with the steam drops into the funnel
and by a pipe fi descending from it is led back to the lower horizontal cylinder.
A stop valve is placed on the steam outlet which can be opened or closed as
required.
A. safety valve g is also fitted to the top cover of the vertical cylinder.
In order to ensure that a constant level of water shall always be maintained in
the horizontal cylinder just sufficient to keep the steam coils covered we connect
the cylinder a by pipes with a small casing at the side to which the sea water to be
evaporated is supplied through a valve at the top. A longitudinal section on a
larger scale of the casing and valve are shown at Figure 3. The valve marked
is formed with a long stem b¹ descending from it. The sea water taken say from
the main discharge pipe enters the valve at z. Normally the pressure of the water
supply above this valve keeps the valve closed. When the water in the casing
gets below its proper level the lower end of the stem is caused to be pressed to
one side so as to tilt the valve on its seat and allow water to pass. To tilt the
valve we employ a ball float i at the end of a lever arm k which turns on a pivot k
in proximity to the stem-a short arm 2, extending downwards at an angle, from
the same pivot comes against the stem when the float drops-water then flows into
the casing until it has risen to a level sufficient to cover the coils in the casing a, the
float then regains its normal position and the arm moves away from the stem of
the valve thus allowing the pressure on the top of the valve to force it down on
to its true seating. In this way we obtain a thoroughly reliable automatic control
of the water supply.
The steam passing off from the top of the evaporator goes to the surface con-
deuser of the main engines to be condensed or if the apparatus is to be used for
obtaining fresh water for drinking purposes it goes to a coil or coils of pipe of a
condenser in which as in the evaporator both ends of the coils are secured to a
top cover of the outer casing so that the cover and coils can all be removed together
as in the evaporator. A vertical section, side elevation and horizontal section of a
condenser so formed are shown at Figures 4, 5 and 6. The cover we make hollow
and divide it transversely into two compartments by a transverse division
preferably made hollow as shown at Figure 4 to avoid transmission of heat from
one compartment to the other-the inlet ends of the coils open into one compart-
ment the outlet ends into the other-steam is admitted to the inlet compartment
at m from the evaporator. The water condensed in the coils passes to the other
compartment and from thence through a pipe a to a filter at the bottom of the

page_text: casing. The filter is provided with animal charcoal or other suitable material
through which the condensed water percolates and makes its exit at r.
The coils are connected to the cover with ground coned unions or flanges so that
they may easily be removed in case of defect or for periodical inspection without
disturbing any joint except the cover. Cold sea water is passed through the outer
casing entering near the bottom at o and passing away near the top at P it may
either be pumped through by a pump or if the condenser is below the water line
the flow may be maintained by natural circulation.
When the apparatus is to be used as a live steam feed water heater we employ
a coil or coils of pipe through which the steam is passed. Both ends of the coil
we secure to the cover of the outer casing and the feed water is admitted by an
inlet to one end of the casing and passes to the boiler through an outlet at the
other end.
A vertical and horizontal section of a feed water heater constructed in this way
are shown at Figures 7 and 8.
Eligh pressure steam from the main boilers is passed through the interior of the
coils the cold feed water from the pumps of the main engine passes through the
casing from s to t. The steam heats the feed water to about 200° and then passes
on to the hot well of main engines.
When the apparatus is to be used as an exhaust steam feed heater the cold feed
water is passed through the coils instead of the steam and the exhaust steam is
passed through the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. Evaporating apparatus having steam heating coils carried by one end cover
of the casing containing the water to be evaporated substantially as described.
2. Evaporating apparatus constructed substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated at Figures 1 and 2.
3. The tilting water supply valve substantially as described.
4. The surface condenser constructed substantially as herein before described and
illustrated at Figures 4, 5 and 6.
5. The feed water heater constructed substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated at Figures 7 and 8.
Dated this 18th day of March 1895.
G. W. BROWN.
W. R. SKINNER.