Improvements in Heating, Purifying, and Increasing the Volume of Feed-water in connection with Steam Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 189C-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heating, Purifying, and Increasing the Volume of
Feed-water in connection with Steam Engines.
I ALEXANDER MAOLAINE of No. 1 Queens Elms, Belfast, in the County Antrim,
Shipowner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I heat boiler feedwater of steamships after it passes through the feed pumps and
before it enters the boiler by passing it through a feedwater heater which I construct
with an outer shell composed by preference of a malleable steel cylinder placed
vertically with movable ends, all made sufficiently strong to withstand the full boiler
steam pressure; and I fit inside of this heater a steam pipe coil (by preference of
copper) and pass steam through this coil so that the steam in the coil heats the feed-
water in the heater to a high temperature under the influence of the boiler steam
pressure. I take the steam supply for this coil from the intermediate cylinder valve
casing, the winch steam pipe, or other convenient source; and after the steam has
passed through the coil in the heater, I lead it into the coils of an evaporator
constructed substantially as described in my Patent No. 14265 dated 4th October
1888 so that the same steam first heats the feedwater in the heater and then vaporises
the water in the evaporator to increase the volume of feedwater and make good the
steam waste of the engines.
I lead the steam issuing from the evaporator coils by preference into the low
pressure cylinder valve casing, or into the surface condenser of the steam engine, and 1
provide a steam escape pipe from the heater coil for use when the engines are not
working to enable the incoming or circulating boiler water to be passed through the
heater, and be heated therein by steam from the donkey or other available boiler, and
I purify the feed water by extracting air and oil from it by means of cocks, pipes, &c.,
placed near the top of the heater. I declare the improvements aforesaid are intended
principally for use in steamships, but I do not' limit myself to the details as described,
and may make the steam go first through the evaporator and then through the heater,
and may combine the heater with any evaporator of a suitable description, and may fit
the heater unconnected with an evaporator and lead the steam from its coil into the
low pressure cylinder valve casing; or surface condenser, or other place of discharge,
and may fit more than one steam coil in heater, and generally vary the details as
found requisite.
This To An 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heating, Purifying, and Increasing the Volume of
Feed-water in connection with Steam Engines.
I ALEXANDER MACLAINE of No. 1 Queens Elms Belfast in the County of Antrim
Shipowner, 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 :-
I heat boiler feed water of steamships, after it passes through the feed pumps and
before it enters the boiler, by passing it through a feedwater heater which I construct
with an outer shell or casing composed by preference of a malleable steel cyclinder
placed vertically with moveable ends all made sufficiently strong to withstand more
than the full boiler steam pressure and fit inside of this heater a steam pipe coil
made by preference of copper and pass steam through this coil so that the steam in

page_text: the coil heats the feedwater in the heater, when under the influence of the boiler
steam pressure.
I take the steam supply from this coil from the main boiler, donkey boiler,
intermediate cylinder valve casing, or other convenient source, and after the steam
has passed through the coil in the heater, I lead it into the steam coils of an evaporator,
constructed substantially as described in my Patent No. 14265, dated 4th October
1888, so that the same steam first heats the feedwater in the heater and then vapourises
the water in the evaporator to increase the volume of feedwater and make good the
steam waste of the engines. I lead the steam issuing from the evaporator, coils by
preference into the hotwell, low pressure cylinder valve casing, or surface condenser
of the steam engine, and I provide a steam escape pipe from the heater for use when
the engines are not working, to enable the incoming or circulating boiler water to be
passed through the heater, and be heated therein by steam from the donkey or other
available boiler and I purify the feedwater by extracting air and oil from it by means
of cocks pipes &c. placed near the top of the heater.
And in order that my said invention may be more fully understood, I shall now
.proceed to refer to the drawings upon the sheet hereunto annexed, the same letters of
reference indicating the same or corresponding parts throughout.
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation of a feedwater heater and, Fig. 2. an outside view of
same.
a. is an outer shell or casing of malleable steel, and b. b. are moveable ends of cast
iron bolted to the shell all made by preference to withstand twice the main boiler
pressure, and inserted in the line of piping between the feed pumps and the boiler or
boilers.
The steam supply enters the heater by the valve, c. passes down the steam coil d.
and out at valve e. to evaporator, hotwell or other place of discharge, the foedwater
from the main engines feed pumps enters the heater at f. and passes upwards being
simultaneously heated by the steam in the steam coil d. and leaves for the boiler at h.
k is an escape cock with pipe to which condenser, cistern or other suitable place of
discharge is connected to enable heater to be used when engines are not working,
and is a draw off cock for air and oil placed near the top of the heater.
The feedwater from the donkey feed pump enters the heater at m. and passes
upwards being simultaneously heated by the steam in the steam coil d. and leaves for
the boiler at . and o. is a drain pipe to hotwell or surface condenser from valve e.
with a gauge glass marked p.
I declare the improvements aforesaid are intended principally for use in steam
⚫ships, but I do not limit myself to the details as described and may make the steam
supply go first through the evaporator and then through the heater, and may combine
the heater with any evaporator of a suitable description and may fit the heater
unconnected with an evaporator and conduct the steam coming from it into the low
pressure cylinder valve casing, hotwell, or other place of discharge and may fit more
than one steam cuil in heater, and generally vary the details as found requisite.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,
1st. A feed water heater constructed and placed substantially as described and
shown upon the drawings hereunto annexed, and
2nd. A combination of said feedwater heater with an evaporator substantially as
described.
Dated this 9th day of December 1890
ALEXANDER MACLAINE.