Spaces in Place of Water as a Cooling or Refrigerating Medium for Marine, Land, and other Purposes.
Year: 1885

page_text: Sheet Spaces in Place of Water as a Cooling or Refrigerating
Medium for Marine, Land, and other Purposes.
"
THE
I, JOHN MURPHY of 23 Canton Street, Stainsby Road in the parish of Poplar
and. County of Middlesex, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MECHANISM FOR
APPLICATION OF " COLD-AIR" LED OR FORCED THROUGH CONDENSER TUBES OR
SHEET SPACES IN PLACE OF WATER AS A COOLING OR REFRIGERATING MEDIUM
FOR MARINE, LAND AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
By my Improved system of condensation for Steam Engines the principle I
propose to adopt is that of "Cold-air," either "dry" or "moist," for circulation,
instead of by the present or ordinary method of circulating or using water through
the Condenser.
In the first place I take and provide a seperate "cold-air" Engine at or about
the back of the Main Engines for the purpose of forcing or introducing "Cold-air"
at a temperature of about say 35° either through or around the tubes or sheet
spaces of the present condenser as the case may be, instead of using or employing
a Centrifugal pump driven by a seperate Engine, or a circulating pump driven by
the Main Engines, which are open to many disadvantages and objections especially
in the case of Marine Engines working in warm or Tropical Climates; where the
temperature of the circulating water fluctuates often up to 86° or 90°, thus creating
imperfect condensation and defective or unsteady vacuum invariably follows.
Further in the present style of pumps that are used for circulation whether worked
direct by the Main Engines or by a Centrifugal pump by a seperate Engine they
are liable to serious breakdowns and other disasters and there is considerable
friction produced by the circulating water passing through the Condenser, and in
its discharge, requiring careful attention and to be frequently repaired, they are
also very cumbersome and occupy a large amount of valuable space in the Engine
room.

page_text: By my method with a seperate Engine, or Engines if needed, of suitable size,
power, arrangement and design for the particular purpose that may be required,
which may be introduced at a convenient part of the back of the Main Engines
for circulating "Cold-air” in a suitable manner at a regular or steady temperature
of say about 35° to 40° or as may be required through the Condenser or Condensers,
not only would the present risk of leakage of the Condenser or Condensers, or
derangement be reduced and loss of power prevented, but a steady continuous
vacuum would be maintained by this means throughout the whole voyage by a
Steamer, no matter what the conditions of the weather or temperature might be ;.
I am therefore of opinion by my Improved method that I shall be able to do away
with the present system of circulating pump, and either materially reduce the size
or abolish altogether the air pump, as now in use as well as the Condenser in some
cases, and thus produce economy both in the Engine room and Stokehole, likewise
reduce risk and wear and tear especially in Marine Engines.
I may employ either a light beam, lever or lever connections or any other
suitable simple mechanical means for working the ordinary pumps to be arranged
às may be required.
65
If moist cold-air" is used as herein referred to, then the amount of moisture
held in suspension in the said "Cold-air," while circulating through the tubes or
spaces, could be employed in a "pure state" to supply the extra feed for the
boilers. The feed water so produced might be stored in a receiver and heated
with part of the hot or compressed air belonging to the "Cold-air" Engine, saving
the employment of a seperate Feed heater and at the same time utilize part of the
work of the seperate Engine. Apart from the method I have described I may
otherwise apply "cold-air" produced in the most approved, economical and well
known manner for any purpose connected with Condensing Engines, but it may
also be applied for other purposes on shore as well as afloat to circulate air on
board Troop, Cattle and Emigrant Ships or through buildings or hospitals and for
domestic and other purposes.
D
"
T

page_text: &
Apparatus
of Cold Air Led or Forced through Condenser Tubes or
Sheet Spaces in Place of Water as a Cooling or Refrigerating
Medium for Marine, Land, and other Purposes.
I JOHN MURPHY of number 23 Canton Street Stainsby Road, Poplar, London, E,
in the County of Middlesex, Marine Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MECHANISM FOR THE APPLICA-
TION OF COLD AIR LED OR FORCED THROUGH CONDENSER TUBES OR SHEET SPACES
IN PLACE OF WATER AS A COOLING OR REFRIGERATING MEDIUM FOR MARINE, LAND
AND OTHER PURPOSES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and and ascertained in and by the following statement and
accompanying drawing:-
"
By my improved system of Condensation for Steam Engines, the principle
I propose to adopt is that of introducing "cold air" either dry or moist for
circulation instead of by the present or ordinary method of circulating or using
water through the Condenser.
In the first place I take and provide a separate cold air Engine at or about the
back of the Main Engines for the purpose of forcing or introducing cold air at a
temperature of about say 35° either through or around the tubes, or sheet spaces,
of the present Condensers, as the case may be, instead of using or employing a
centrifugal pump for water driven by a separate Engine, or, a circulating pump for
water driven by the main Engines, both of which plans or modes are open to many
disadvantages and objections especially in the case of Marine Engines working in
warm, or tropical climates where the temperature of the circulating water fluctuates
often up to 86° or 90°, thus creating imperfect condensation; and consequently
defective or unsteady vacuum invariably follows. Further, in the present style
of pumps as used for circulation, whether worked direct by the main Engine or
Engines, or by a centrifugal pump worked by a separate engine, such pumps are
liable to serious breakdowns or derangements and other disasters involving frequent
repairs, and, there is also considerable friction produced by the circulating water
passing through the condensers and passages; the discharge necessitating also
careful attention. The arrangements aforesaid are also very cumbersome and
occupy a large amount of valuable space in the engine room, but this is not to
be surprised at seeing that such an enormous supply of water at ordinary
temperatures has to be circulated.
With regard to the centrifugal pump worked by a separate Engine, I am of
opinion of course-that if a sufficient quantity of cold air of the required
temperature could always be supplied it would do very well as a cold air Engine
for Condensing and other purposes.
By my method, with separate machinery of suitable size, power, arrangement
and design for the particular purpose that may be required, introduced at the

page_text: back of the Main Engines for circulating cold air in a suitable manner at a regular
or steady temperature of say about 35° to 40° or as may be arranged and required,
through the Condenser or Condensers; not only would the present risk of leakage
of the Condenser or Condensers, or derangement, be reduced, and loss of power
prevented; but, a steady, continuous vacuum would be maintained by this means
throughout the whole voyage of a Steamer, no matter what the conditions as
regards the weather or temperature might be.
The use of "cold air" for circulation through Condensers on board ship for
producing a good vacuum would be invaluable in cases of going into, or out of
Port, or of vessels taking the ground and losing their Injection water, through the
passages and the pumps becoming choked and rendering the Engines useless.
I am therefore of opinion by my improved method that I shall be able to do
away with the present system of circulating pump and either materially reduce
the size or abolish altogether the Air pump as now in use as well as the Condenser
in some case or cases, and thus produce economy both in the Engine room and
stokehole, likewise reduce risk and wear and tear especially in Marine Engines.
I may employ either a light beam, lever or lever connections, or any other simple
mechanical means for working the ordinary pumps, arranged as may be required.
If moist cold air is used as herein referred to, then the amount of moisture held in
suspension in the said cold air while circulating through the tubes, or sheet spaces,
could be employed in a "fresh" state to supply the extra feed for the Boilers.
The feed water so produced might be stored in a receiver and heated, as supplied,
with ordinary feed with part of the hot or compressed air belonging to the cold
air Engine, thus saving the employment of a separate Feed heater, and at the same
time utilising part of the work of the separate Engine.
Cold air may be produced in the most economical and well known or other
manner for any purpose connected with Condensing Engines as herein described
by my Invention; but apart from this method for Marine purposes, it may be
applied for other purposes, on shore, as well as afloat, to circulate air on board
Troop, Cattle and Emigrant Ships; or, through Buildings or Hospitals and for
domestic or other purposes.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1, is a thwartship sectional view showing
the present arrangement or style of Condenser as most approved, with tubular
water circulation, entering at the inlet a, ou the lower part, and passing through
the tubes from left to right and right to left three different or more times as illus-
trated by the direction of the arrows thereon until the water leaves the Condenser
through the outlet b, and passes overboard by the help of the circulating pump.
In place of which, I propose to adopt cold air produced by a separate Engine or
Engines to circulate in the same way as in the case of the ordinary Condenser as
at present used; but, instead of its escaping or being expelled overboard, to be
made use of otherwise.
Figure 2. is a cross section of Figure 1, where c, c, represents the levers for
working the circulating, and air pumps d, at back of Condenser E; but, by the
system that I propose of circulating cold air through a Condenser, for condensing
the Exhaust Steam of a Marine or other Engine that passes down through the
Exhaust f. from the Lower Pressure Cylinder g to the Condenser E, I am endea-
vouring to do away with the ordinary levers as at c, c, and also the circulating
pump, and air pump, if possible; or, otherwise, to greatly reduce the size of Air
pump. Moreover, the present violent system of circulating water through the
Condensers of Marine Engines is both dangerous and expensive; and to be safe,
I propose by my method to circulate a sufficient quantity of cold air of proper
temperature instead of ordinary circulating water as herein described.
Figure 3, is also a thwart sectional view, but shows the altered position of the
Condenser and the system I may prefer to adopt with suitable modifications as
may be required for passing or circulating cold air through the Condensers by
means of a separate cold air Engine or Machine and dispensing with the ordinary
pumps and levers.
.

page_text: On the fore part of the Condenser E, may be fitted a Donkey Engine h, for the
purpose of working a Cold air Machine as indicated at k, to supply the cold air as
may be required; the said cold air can be led through the tubes as shewn by the
arrows or outside the tubes, or through spaces as the case may be as now shown
however, the air passes through the inlet a, and Chambers 7, through the tubes back
and forward until passing out at the outlet b, if necessary back again to the cold
air Engine k, but in connection with this method the Condenser might be so
arranged and divided off to suit every convenience, say as cooler for the hot air
produced by a separate Engine or Machine and Condenser for the Exhaust Steam
from the Main Engines, by the cold air produced by a separate Engine or Machine.
Figure 4, is a cross section of Figure 3, wherein is shown a small cock or connec-
tion m, for drawing off the fresh water expected to accumulate at the bottom of the
tube box or chamber n and so provide the extra feed as already mentioned. The
arrangement of tubes in this instance is much the same as that in reference to
Fig. 1-but in doing away with circulation water, and introducing cold air in its
place, a good deal of modification can be arrived at, and the advantiges I consider
would be as follow
Firstly cold air would produce the best effects, and reduce risk, and wear and
tear, and save Main Engine power.
Secondly the moisture accumulating in the tube box or chamber would help to
supply the extra feed to the boilers.
Thirdly where a receiver or hot well is fitted for receiving the general feed,
a hot air pipe led from the surplus hot air as produced already could be used for
heating the feed water for supplying the boilers.
Fourthly in doing away with the air pump, I purpose to apply one or more feed
pumps for extracting the feed water from Condenser and pumping it into the
receiver or hot well, and pumping the same into the boilers as required; in case
of any undue pressure of air taking place in the Condenser at any time whether
hot or cold, the same can be suitably provided for in any well known manner.
Prior to the induction of air which has been lowered in temperature or cooled
in and through the cold air Engine k, and before being permitted to enter in its
passage thereto and through the Condenser, it may be treated in the first instance
by any well known Chemical or Mechanical means or in manner as may be
preferred and found suitable for the particular purpose or purposes for which
such cold air may be intended to be used or applied in accordance with my
Invention as aforesaid,
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 and means for cooling or refrigerating by the employment of
cold air either in a dry or moist state or condition, instead of water, substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and set forth;