IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING & SOFTENING WATER USED FOR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, LAUNDRY & OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY, JOHN, ALFRED, BOWERS of 22 Essex Road, Acton. W. in the County
of Middlesex. Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING & SOFTENING WATER USED FOR
FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, LAUNDRY & OTHER PURPOSES to be as follows:-
My invention is chiefly intended for separating the mineral salts, & other
impurities existing in feedwater for Steam Boilers, & preventing their entrance
into the Boilers. I construct my improved apparatus when used for feeding Boilers,
as follows: The feed water is conveyed from the feed pump, or other source under
pressure, into a large pipe fixed in the steam space of a Boiler; this pipe presents a
considerable surface to the steam in the Boiler, & the water in passing through it,
is heated to a high temperature approximating the temperature of the steam. The
feed water being thus heated renders the mineral salts, & other impurities that
form scale, or deposit in Boilers insoluble, this process may be assisted by previously
mixing with the water, soda, or other suitable ingredients. From the pipe within
the Boiler, the feed water passses into the Separator, which is fixed outside the
Boiler and which is constructed as follows:-
Two vertical chambers, standing upon, & connected to a lower vessel, which is
shaped to facilitate the deposition of the impurities; tapering downwards to a
smaller outlet, to which is attached a blow off cock, or valve, this cock, or valve,
being opened as often as required, for the purpose of removing the impurities,
& blowing through the filter.
The feed water is led into the top of the smaller vertical chamber, (which is of
larger area than the feed pipe, in order to reduce the velocity of the water,)
through which it passes into the lower vessel, depositing the heavier particles
therein, and then passes into the larger vertical chamber, entering the lower end,
& going upwards through an enclosed space for holding suitable filtering materials,
into a pipe which delivers it into the Boiler.
Slight alterations may be advisable in apparatus when used for softening water
for Laundry or other purposes.
Dated this 1st day of January 1884

page_text: I HENRY JOHN ALFRED BOWERS of 26 Essex Road, Acton. W. in the County
of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING & SOFTENING WATER USED FOR
FEEDING STEAM BOILERS, LAUNDRY, & OTHER PURPOSES, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention is chiefly intended for separating the mineral salts, & other
impurities, existing in feed water for steam Boilers and preventing their entrance
therein. I construct my improved apparatus, when used for feeding Boilers, as
follows, & as shewn in the accompanying illustrations in which
Fig 1, is an end elevation of an ordinary Cornish Boiler with the Separator
attached; Fig 2, is a longitudinal section of the same Boiler with Separator
attached; Fig 3 is a section of Separator drawn to a larger scale; & Fig 4 a
sectional plan of Separator. The feed water is conveyed from the feed pump, or
other source under pressure, by the pipe (L Fig 2.) which delivers it into a large
pipe (A.) fixed in the steam space of the Boiler this pipe presents a considerable
surface to the steam in the Boiler, & the water in passing through it is heated
to a high temperature approximating the temperature of the steam. The pipe (A)
is made in short lengths bolted together, & can be taken apart for cleaning
purposes. The feed water being thus heated renders the mineral salts, & other
impurities which form scale, insoluble. This process may be assisted by previously
mixing with the water soda, lime, or other suitable ingredients.
From the pipe (A) the feed water passes to the Separator (B.) which is fixed
outside the Boiler, & is constructed as follows A vertical casting consisting of
two vertical chambers (F, & G, Fig 3) of which (G) is made considerably larger in
area than (F.) this casting is fixed upon a base (H.) connecting these two vertical
chambers at the lower part, & is shaped so as to facilitate the deposition of the
precipitated impurities, brought in by the water, & tapering downwards to a
smaller outlet to which is attached a blow off cock (E) for the purpose of removing
the impurities. The feed water from the internal heating pipe (A. Fig 2) is led
into the upper end of the vertical chamber (F Fig 3). The feed water passes
downwards through the chamber (F.) in the direction shewn by the arrows, then
turning upwards through the chamber (G.) in which is fixed the filter (I.) after
passing through the filter (I.) the water is delivered through the pipe (D.) into the
boiler. The filter (I.) is constructed of two portions, bolted together the lower
portion containing a suitable animal charcoal block (J.) resting upon an india rubber
ring, upon which it is firmly pressed by the upper part, thus making a water tight
joint. The whole filter (I.) rests upon a rubber ring upon which it is pressed by
the screw-bolt (M.) which is screwed through the cover of the large chamber (G.)
& is secured by a back nut, thus making, also, a water tight joint. The lower
portion of the filter has a number of perforations in its lower end, over which a
bag, or covering of cloth is fitted, so as to assist in the purification of the water.
It will be seen that the feed water passes with a reduced velocity through the
whole apparatus more especially through the vertical chamber (G.) containing the
filter (I.) it thus has ample time to allow of the settling of heavier impurities,
& the filter which is easily taken apart, & cleaned, intercepts the lighter impurities.
The apparatus may be modified to suit varying circumstances, as for instance, when
made of large size, the vertical chambers may be separate, & made of wrought
iron. The shape of filter (I.) may be modified so as to allow of larger area, for

page_text: passage of water through filtering medium; and also when used for Laundry
purposes the water may pass through apparatus by gravity or pressure of water
main, into a tank, or other receptacle, instead of into a Boiler, & the filtering
medium may also be modified to suit varying circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
=
The method of heating water for the purpose of rendering impurities contained
in it, insoluble, by passing it in an enclosed pipe fixed in the Steam space of a
Boiler as described & illustrated in Figs 1. & 2.
2. The arrangement of a Separator having two vertical chambers fixed upon a
lower depositing vessel, & fitted with filtering apparatus as described & illustrated
in Figs. 3. & 4.
3. The combination, of the method of heating the water, by means of an internal
pipe fixed in the steam space of a Boiler, with an external Separator as described,
& illustrated in Figs. 1. & 2.
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