Improvements in Feed Water Filters and Purifiers for Steam Generators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 6th Aug.,
1898
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE HENRY WARD, of 41, York Street,
Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.]
Improvements in Feed Water Filters and Purifiers for Steam
Generators.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 feed-water filters and particularly to that class designed
to remove from the water of condensation the oil with which it has become
impregnated.
Filters heretofore constructed for this purpose have mainly depended upon the
use of a filtering substance for taking the oil from the water but that plan is not
satisfactory.
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which, in
addition to cleansing the water by passing it through a suitable filtering sub-
stance, the oil and water are allowed to separate and the water to pass on and
leave the oil behind.
A further object of the invention is to remove the nascent oxygen, which is
always to be found to a greater or less extent in all water of condensation, and by
removing this oxygen from the water before the water enters the boiler, corrosion
and pitting of the boiler is prevented.
With these objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, com-
bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification :--
Fig. 1, represents a plan of the filter.
Fig. 2, represents a side elevation thereof.
Fig. 3, is a horizontal section taken in the plane represented by line 3, 3,
Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, is a vertical section taken in the plane represented by line 4, 4, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, represents on an enlarged scale a plan and transverse section of one of
the zinc plates, a second one being indicated in dotted lines, in the section.
As indicated above the intention in operating this filter is to pass the water
of condensation and the oil with which it is impregnated through a chamber in
which sufficient space is allowed for the oil to rise on the water, from which
chamber the water is allowed to pass from under the oil into another chamber
where such oil as may remain in the water is allowed to rise on the surface thereof
and so on through a succession of such chambers until not a trace of the oil is
left in the water.
The apparatus providing for this operation may be variously constructed, but
the form preferred is that illustrated wherein the body of the filter A, is cylindrical
and provided with a number of radial partitions of which the partition B, extends
from top to bottom of the cylinder. The partition C, to the left of the partition B.

page_text: .
does not extend to the top of the cylinder, while the partition D, extends from top
to bottom of the cylinder but is provided at its lower end with an aperture E. The
next partition F, is of the same height as partition C, while the partition G, is
the same as partition D, it being provided with a port H, while the partition I,
is the same as partitions C and F.
In this manner six prismatic chambers 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, are formed, into
the first of which is an inlet opening J, and from the last of which is the outlet
opening K.
Near the bottom of chambers 6 and 11, are perforated trays L, L',
located in a horizontal position in any suitable manner, as by resting upon ledges
as indicated in Fig. 4, and upon the tray L, in the inlet chamber rests a series
of perforated zinc plates M. These zinc plates are supported at a slight distance
from one another in any suitable manner as by means of projections or flanges
as indicated.
The compartment in which the zinc plates are located is made accessible
through a suitable opening in the side of the cylinder A, as indicated in Fig. 2, which
opening may be covered by the same bonnet as the cleaning opening in chamber 11.
The remaining chambers are provided also with suitable cleaning openings, as
indicated, the openings for chambers 7 and 8, being covered by the same bonnet N,
as likewise are the openings from chambers 9 and 10, covered by the bonnet O.
The body A, may be formed of any suitable material and in any suitable way
as by casting, as indicated in the drawings, or of sheet metal. The cover P, may
also be constructed in any suitable manner, here shown as consisting of a ribbed
casting secured to the flange of the body and by stay bolts to the partitions.
The filter has been shown also as provided with lugs Q, for the attachment
thereto of suitable legs or supports.
It is intended that the chambers of the filter shall be filled or partially filled
with a suitable fitering substance or medium preferably animal charcoal, which in
chamber 6, will rest upon the uppermost zinc plate or upon a suitable tray
similar to tray L, placed above the zinc plates if desired, while in chamber 11,
such filtering medium will rest upon the tray L'. In the remaining chambers
the filtering medium may be supported above the ports E and H, or not as pre-
ferred, the principal reason for supporting such medium above the bottom of the
chambers 6 and 11, being that thereby it is kept from clogging the inlet and out-
let ports.
The course of the water through the filter is then as follows:-Being entered
at port J, it ascends through the zinc compartment where the nascent oxygen is
eliminated from the water by exercising its affinity for combination upon the
zinc plates, thence the water rises to the top of chamber 6, from which it flows
over partition C, into chamber 7, down through port E, into chamber 8, where it
rises and flows into chamber 9, down through the charcoal of that chamber and
through port H, into chamber 10, from which the water flows over partition I,
into chamber 11, through which it descends and passes out through port K.
Owing to the above described arrangement of the partition the oil will be
successively collected in the spaces between those partitions which extend to the
top that is to say between B and D, D'and G and between G and B.
To remove the oil accumulating in the various chambers suitable waste pipes
or blow-off pipes R, are connected to said chambers as indicated in Fig. 2, the
ports to which said pipes are connected being shown at S, in Fig. 1.
For the purpose of cleaning the filtering medium or charcoal suitable blow-offs
or waste pipes T, may be provided in the bottom of the filter as represented in
Fig. 2, the location of the ports for which is indicated at U, in Fig. 3. This
cleansing is best effected by the admission of live steam to the top of the filter
through the oil blow-offs, as by means of the pipe V.
While cleaning the filtering medium as just described it is best to cut the filter
out of the line. It is also advantageous to have the filter provided with such
cut-out means in order that it may be emptied of filtering medium or the zinc
compartment refilled without having to shut down the boiler plant. For this

page_text: purpose the inlet and outlet pipes, indicated in dotted lines at X, Y, Fig. 2, are
each provided with a suitable valve as Z, Z', and connected together by the valve
controlled by-pass W. Obviously the by-pass will be closed while the filter is in
operation, and by opening it and closing the valves Z, Z', the filter may be cut
out of line.
This filter is preferably located in the feed-water line next to the boiler in
order that it may thoroughly counteract the effect of the feed-water heater, as
well as that of the condenser by removing the free oxygen.
Not only is the water freed from oil and oxygen as it passes through the filter,
but the oil also is cleansed and after being blown off it may be recovered and used
again.
Many changes in the form and construction of the various parts of the filter
aside from those above described may be made without departing from the spirit
of this invention.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is: -
1. A feed-water filter consisting of a cylindrical body divided vertically by
radial partitions one of which is complete and extends from top to bottom of the
body, while the others form a series of chambers communicating with one another
in succession alternately at top and bottom, an inlet and an outlet at opposite
sides of said complete partition, a tray in each the inlet and the outlet chambers
located above the inlet and outlet openings, and a filtering medium sustained by
said trays.
2. A. feed-water filter having a body portion divided into a series of chambers,
substantially as described, a filtering medium in said chambers above which are
left spaces for the separation of oil from the water, and a series of blow-offs lead-
ing from said spaces to a common waste pipe for the purpose set forth.
3. In a feed-water filter, a series of successively communicating chambers con-
taining a filtering medium, and a series of zinc plates placed at the entrance of
the first of said series of chambers, for the purpose set forth.
4. In a feed-water filter placed in the feed-water line next to the boiler, a com-
partment at the inlet to said filter, and zinc placed in said compartment for the
purpose set forth.
5. The feed-water filter substantially as described, consisting of the body portion
divided into the series of communicating chambers for the reception of a filtering
medium, suitable cleaning ports opening into said chambers, the blow-off pipes
for oil collected in said chambers, a live steam pipe connected to the blow-off
pipes, waste pipes at the bottom of the chambers, and means for cutting the filter
out of the feed-water line while being cleaned.
6. In a feed-water filter, a series of chambers arranged in a group so that the
first and last chambers of the series are side-by-side, valved inlet and outlet pipes
placed side-by-side and communicating with said chambers, and a valved by-pass
connecting said pipes, as and for the purpose set forth.
7. A feed-water filter substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 26th day of October 1807
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.