An Improved Rotary Condenser for Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: An Improved Rotary Condenser for Engines.
I, ARTHUR JOHN WOOD GRAHAM, of Hawthorn House, Hartburn, Near Stockton-
on-Tees, in the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the apparatus used for condensing the steam used in
steam engines, and consists in an improved form of revoluble condenser in which
centrifugal force is utilized either for bringing the water into contact with the steam
to be condensed in a manner which secures the most intimate admixture of the two,
or serves to propel water along or through tubes in that form which is commonly
called a "surface condenser."
Where the water comes into actual contact with the steam the apparatus consists
of an annular hollow metallic chamber preferably forming part of, or serving as a fly
wheel. This is mounted upon, or rotates with a hollow central spindle which is
divided longitudinally into two passages. Through one of these the exhaust steam
enters and issues radially through perforations into the annular condenser. The
water entering through the other passage enters a chamber, and thence through
perforations issues parallel or approximately parallel to the axis of rotation, in jets
which cross the radial jets of steam, the water and steam being thus brought into
most intimate contact with each other. Or the water may issue radially, and the
steam in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.
The joints between the passages and the steam and water pipes may be made in
any convenient and suitable manner.
The steam being condensed, it and the water are driven by centrifugal force to the
interior of the periphery of the annular chamber, and issuing through an eduction
valve sucks or draws out the air thereby forming a vacuum in the condenser.
The
issuing valve may be arranged so as to lift only when a determined pressure is
reached. Any convenient number of these valves may be employed.
Close by the side of the revoluble condenser a fixed annular trough is arranged
with a slit all round that side which is next the condenser. Into this slit the issuing
tubes of the valves from the condenser enter, and discharge the water, which is
ultimately collected in a tank or other convenient receptacle.
Where the principle of the surface condenser is adopted the general arrangements
of the exterior are the same, except that the outside trough has two annular spaces;
but the steam issuing radially as before does not come into contact with the water,
but only with the exterior surfaces of a number of tubes through which the water
passes.
The steam being condensed, it is driven by centrifugal force to the interior of the
periphery of the condensing chamber, and issues through the valve (already described),
into one of the annular spaces in the trough.
The circulating water issues into an end chamber formed by one of the tube
plates, and this chamber is divided transversely by a partition which separates the
openings of one half of the tubes from the other half: The other tube plate also
Thus the water entering
forms a chamber at the other end but this is not divided.

page_text: is caused by centrifugal force to pass through one half of the tubes and return through
the other half to the second semicircular chamber formed by the partition. From
this it may issue through valves similar to those already described, which serve to
exhaust the air from the chamber.
I, ARTHUR JOHN WOOD GRAHAM, formerly of Hawthorne House, Hartburn, but
now of 9 Russell Street, Both of Stockton on Tees, in the County of Durham,
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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus used for condensing the steam used in steam
engines, and consists in an improved form of revoluble condenser in which centri-
fugal force is utilized either for bringing the water into direct contact with the
steam to be condensed, in a manner which secures the most intimate admixture of
the two, or serves to propel water along or through tubes in that form which is
commonly called a "Surface condenser."
To enable my invention to be fully understood I append drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my jet condenser.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of my surface condenser.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of same.
Fig. 1 and 2. shew my jet condenser where the water comes into actual contact
with the steam. The apparatus consists of an annular hollow metallic chamber A,
preferably forming part of, or serving as, a fly wheel. This is mounted upon or
rotates with a hollow central spindle B which is divided longitudinally into two
passages, C for the exhaust steamn, and D for the injection water. The joints
between the passages and the steam and water pipes may be made in any convenient
and suitable manner. E is the pipe through which the condensed steam and
injection water draw the air from the centre of the condensing chamber and passes
into the valve or valves G which may be of any suitable form, and is then discharged
in to the fixed annular trough F. This trough F is provided with a slit all round
that side which is next the condenser A. Into this slit the issuing tubes of the
valves G enter, and discharge the water, which is ultimately collected in a tank
or other convenient receptacle.
The action of my jet condenser, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 is as follows:-
The exhaust steam entering at the pipe H passes along the chamber C to the
point B, where it comes into direct contact with the injection water (which enters
at ) both falling to the periphery, they pass out through the pipe E, extracting
the air from the centre of the condensing chamber A, and discharge at the valve G
into the fixed trough F and finally into a tank or other convenient receptacle.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 which illustrate my invention as applied to a surface
condenser. The exhaust steam enters the pipe A, then passes along the hollow
spindle B. The inside of this spindle or tube B is divided longitudinally into two
passages, b for the above mentioned exhaust steam, and C for the passage of the
circulating water. A portion of the spindle or tube B forms the axle on which
the rotary condenser is fixed, the part of the spindle B which is between the tube

page_text: plates of condenser D is perforated, and through these perforations the exhaust steam
issues radially into the annular condenser D, and is freely distributed amongst the
tubes c. The water entering through the aperture C enters a chamber E formed by
the tube plate F, and the outer casing, and this chamber is divided transversely by
a partition (on the centre line) which separates the openings of one half of the
the tubes from the other half. The other tube plate Galso forms a chamber at the
other side, but this not divided, The rotary condenser D contains a number of
tubes c placed horizontally between the plates F. G. H and H¹, are two valves which
may be of any suitable design.
:-
The action of my surface condenser as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 is as follows:-
The exhaust steam entering at the pipe A passes along the passage b and through
the perforations in that portion of B which forms the axle of the rotary condenser D,
and the steam issuing radially does not come into contact with the water but only
with the exterior of a number of tubes c through which the circulating water passes.
The steam being condensed the products are driven by centrifugal force to the
interior of the periphery of the condensing chamber D, and issues through the valve
or valves H, which may be of any suitable design, into the annular space K of the
fixed trough L, and finally into a tank or other convenient receptable. The
circulating water enters at the pipe d and passes along the chamber C
into the chamber E, this chamber being divided, the water passes through
the tubes placed in the one half of the rotary condenser D into the chamber
formed by the other tube plate & and the outer casing, then through the pipes c¹
placed in the other half of the rotary condenser D, the circulating water passes out
extracting the air from the centre of the condensing chainber, and discharges at the
valve H¹ into the annular space m of the fixed trough L from thence the water is
discharged through the pipe O into a tank or other convenient receptacle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An improved rotary condenser for engines, constructed and operating sub-
stantially as shewn and described with reference to Figs. 1. and 2.
.
2. An improved rotary condenser for engines constructed and operating sub-
stantially as shewn and described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
3. An improved rotary condenser for engines in which the water and exhaust
steam are brought into contact when each is moving transversely to the other, the
movement of each being produced by centrifugal force, substantially as shewn and
described.
4. An improved rotary condenser for engines in which centrifugal force is used
to propel the water through or between the tubes, substantially as shewn and
described.
5. An improved rotary condenser for engines in which centrifugal force is employed
to propel the steam or water, or both, along passages arranged for that purpose,
substantially as shewn and described.
ww
WILLIAM J: MUNDEN
55 Chancery Lane, London W.C. Agent for Applicant.
WILLIAM J: MUNDEN
55 Chancery Lane, London W.C. Agent for Applicant.