Improvements in Evaporative and other Condensers, Evaporators, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Evaporative and other Condensers, Evaporators,
and the like.
I HARRY JOHN FRASER, of Millwall Boiler Works, Millwall, in the County
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to condensers having vertical or approximately vertical
tubes, and in which a liquid is made to flow in a thin layer over the surfaces of
the tubes, and has for its object to evenly distribute the liquid on the surfaces of
the tubes.
This invention consists in a series of rings supported at suitable distances apart,
loosely around or within each tube. Each ring collects the water distributed from
the ring above and re-distributes it on or in the tube between the edges of the
ring and the surface of the tube more or less evenly. By means of these supports
the rings can be traversed backwards and forwards on or in the tubes to remove
any scale or dirt.
In one arrangement, each condenser tube is surrounded by a series of equi-
distant rings supported by two or more vertical rods. The rings are quite loose
on the tubes and provided with slight projections that bear on the tubes and keep
them in proper position. They are dish or otherwise shaped so that they collect
and distribute the water towards the tube and may be perforated.
In a modification the rings are broken and may be bent to form a more or less
inclined surface round the tube.
och das of February 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Evaporative and other Condensers, Evaporators,
and the like.
I, HARRY JOHN FRASER, of Millwall Boiler Works, Millwall, in the County
of London, 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 condensers evaporators and refrigerators having vertical
or approximately vertical tubes and in which a liquid is made to flow in a thin
layer over the surfaces of the tubes, and has for its object to evenly distribute the
liquid on the surfaces of the tubes, and if required the keeping of the surfaces
clean.
This invention consists in a series of rings supported at suitable distances apart

page_text: loosely around or within each tube. Each ring collects the water distributed from
the ring above and redistributes it on or in the tube between the edges of the ring
and the surface of the tube more or less evenly. By means of these supports the
rings can be traversed backwards and forwards on or in the tubes to remove any
scale or dirt.
In one arrangement each condenser tube is surrounded by a series of equi-
distant rings supported by two or more vertical rods. The rings are quite loose
on the tubes and provided with slight projections that bear on the tubes and keep
them in proper position. They are dish or otherwise shaped so that they collect
and distribute the water toward the tube and may be perforated.
In a modification the rings are broken and may be bent to form a more or less
inclined surface round the tube.
In the accompanying four sheets of illustrative drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a condenser constructed according' to
this invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section shewing a single condenser tube.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the gland jointing plate arranged for three tubes.
Figs. 5 to 16 are detail views of a condenser tube showing various modified
arrangements of the distributor rings.
The condenser comprises a corrugated iron casing a provided with upper and
lower water tanks be within which are the upper and lower tube boxes ef the
upper tank band boxes e being supported by rods g from the girder h. The
tubes i extend between the boxes ef and pass loosely through holes in the bottom
of the upper tanks b. The upper ends of the tubes i are secured in the bottom of
the top tube box e and the lower ends of the tubes i pass freely through holes in
the triangular gland plates and are made tight by the packing m.
The steam to
be condensed is admitted to the upper tube box e through the stop cocks n and
pipes o and passes through the tubes i where it is condensed to the lower boxes f
from which the air and condensed steam is drawn by the air puinp through the
pipe p and stop cock q. The upper boxes e are also connected to the air pump by
the piper stop cocks and condenser tube t to which water is admitted by the
pipe v. The condensing water is drawn from the lower tank c by the circulating
pump through the pipe w and forced to the upper tank b through the pipes .
The valve y in the exhaust steam pipe opens automatically when the pressure in
the exhaust pipe exceeds a certain amount owing to derangement or shutting off
of the condenser. Air can be circulated around the outside of the tubes i to
increase the efficiency by means of a fan k.
According to this invention the condenser pipes i are fitted with interceptor
distributors at suitable distances apart.
As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the distributors 1 consist of cone or basin shaped
disbes having a short cylindrical part surrounding the tubes and having ears 2
secured to rods 3 that serve to keep them at the proper distance apart and to
traverse them on the tubes to clean them. The distributors fit loosely on the
tubes and collect the water trickling down the tubes and cause it to flow evenly
down the tube to the next distributor. The rods 3 rest on the glaud plates and
serve also to traverse the rings to scrape the tubes when the condenser is being
cleaned.
Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified shape of distributor 1 and also a modified
arrangement of the rods 3. The lower edge of the distributor is bent upwards so
as to form a small well. The rods 3 pass through holes in the distributor and are
kept at the proper distance apart by the sleeves 4 fitting on the rods.
Figs. 9 and 10 show another modified shape of distributor
part being dispensed with.
the cylindrical
Fig. 11 showe the distributors fixed to the screwed rods 3 by nuts 5.
Fig. 12 shows two arrangements of rods 3 for holding the distributors 1 the rods
being passed through holes in the distributors and then bent to retain the
distributors in the proper positions.

page_text: Fig. 13 shows the lower edge of the distributor formed with tongues that can be
forced against the tube to keep the distributor accurately in position.
Fig. 14 shows the distributor kept accurately in position by small keys or
wedges 6.
Figs. 15 and 16 show the cylindrical part of the distributor corrugated, the
inner portion of the corrugations 7 fitting on the tube. The corrugations give
sufficient elasticity to allow for any slight variation or inequality in the tubes.
The rings can be made in two pieces or halves so as to allow of their removal
from the tube if required. Also the rings or interceptors may be fitted within the
tube in which case they are mounted on a single central rod and may be cones or
inverted cones.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a tube of a condenser, refrigerator or evaporator, of
an interceptor or distributor ring adapted to collect the water passing down the
tube and distribute it in an annular stream on the surface of the tube below it.
2. The combination with a tube of a condenser, refrigerator or evaporator of
interceptor or distributor and scraping rings each adapted to collect the water
flowing down the surface of the tube and distributing it evenly on the surface of
the tube below it and of rods to which the rings are fixed at the required distances
apart.
3. The improved means for distributing the condensing water over the surfaces.
of a condenser, refrigerator or evaporator tube, substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
D 5th day of November 1896
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.