APPARATUS FOR MAKING FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED CHAPMAN of the firm of Fawcett, Preston and Company of 17 York
Street, Liverpool, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
APPARATUS FOR MAKING FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER to be as
"
AN
follows:-
"
The apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention is based and
works upon the principle of the apparatus described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to Jules Weibel and Paul Piccard on the 7th April 1883 N° 1761
that is to say evaporation by triple or multiple effect is combined with evaporation
by compression.
My apparatus comprises the following main parts :—
A set of 3 (or more) closed vessels or pans arranged vertically one above another
for evaporating the sea water, each pan containing within itself a surface con-
densing drum of large surface; or the pans may be placed side by side and may
be made either horizontal or vertical as may be inost convenient.
A fourth vessel above the pans serving as a "condenser" and also containing a
surface condensing drum.
A steam engine for actuating the cold water pump, the boiler feed, the air pump
and the steam compressor which are all attached to the engine bed.
A cold water pump for supplying the apparatus with sea water.
A boiler feed pump.
An air pump for abstracting at intervals from the pans any air carried over by
the sea water, and for maintaining a vacuum within the condenser drum.
A steam compressor, for withdrawing vapor from the first or lowest pan, or from
either of the upper pans and discharging it in a compressed state into the interior
of the drum of the first or lowest pan.
A boiler or steam generator for supplying the apparatus.
A beater containing within itself a number of tubes through the centre of which
passes the concentrated sea water blown off from the boiler; on the outside of the
tubes of this same heater circulates the water from the feed pump on its way to
the boiler.
A cooler containing in its interior a number of tubes, through some of which
pass the fresh water condensations resulting from the working of the pans and
through the others of which pass the blow-off from the boiler after its having

page_text: passed through the heater; the fresh water and blow-off from the boiler having
to themselves distinct and separate compartments in the cooler; around the
outside of the tubes in the cooler passes the sea water on its way from the sea
water pump to the pans.
The course of the sea water, its evaporation and condensation are as follows:
Water is drawn from the sea by the cold water pump the discharge having open
to it 2 courses, one of which leads directly into the bottom of the condenser where
it circulates outside of the contained drum condensing whatever vapor may be
within and passing back to the sea by an overflow pipe: The other branch stream
of sea-water is conducted by a pipe into the cooler wherein it passes around the
outside of the tubes in such a manner as to flow in an opposite direction to the
heated fresh water condensations from the drums and the blow-off from the boiler,
the said condensations and blow-off being made to pass through the inside of tubes,
each in its own compartment, and being at no time allowed to mingle; in this
manner the heat contained in the condensations and blow-off is given up to the
incoming sea water, which on leaving the cooler is considerably above the
temperature of the sea from which it was drawn. Leaving the cooler the sea
water is led into the first or lowest pan filling it to such a height as to completely
cover the drum in that pan. The water is here raised to the boiling point and
made to give off vapor by steam being conducted to the inside of the drum; the
steam which effects this purpose being the exhaust steam from the engine combined
with the vapor arising from the sea water in this pan and obtained in a manner as
follows: The steam generator supplies steam to the engine, and advantage is
taken of the economy resulting from high pressure and early cut-off in the
cylinder, the expanded volume of steam at the termination of each stroke being
allowed to pass into the pipe which communicates with the interior of first pan
drum: The steam compressor at the same time abstracts by another pipe a part of
the vapor that arises from the boiling sea water in the first pan and discharges it
in a compressed state through the pipe which communicates with the inside of
the first pan drum, where it mingles with the exhaust steam from the engine.
This combined steam as it condenses gives out its heat to the surrounding sea
water, at the same time falling down as fresh water, a pipe being made to carry it
away. Only a part of the vapor arising from the sea water in the first pan is
taken off by the compressor as before stated, the remainder being allowed to pass
through a vertical pipe which rises into the inside of the druni contained in the
second pan, this vapor gives out, its heat in the second drum on condensing,
becoming fresh water with the exchange of heat, the fresh water being prevented
from falling back into the first pan it is carried away by a pipe. The sea water in
the first pan having thus given off a part of its volume in the form of vapor is
made to pass on or circulate by a pipe to the second pan by means of an excess of
pressure maintained in the first pan over that in the second, the pressure in the second
pan being in fact somewhat below atmosphere (say about 5 or 6 lbs) the lowering
of the pressure in the second pan also conducing to the lowering of the boiling
point of the sea water in that pan. The heat given out in the second drum by
vapor from the first pan vaporises a part of the sea water contained in the second
pan the uprising vapor being allowed to pass through a vertical pipe which rises
into the interior of the drum contained in the third pan, where in condensing it
gives out its heat to the sea water contained in the third pan becoming fresh water
with the exchange of heat, suitable means being taken to collect and prevent the
fresh water so obtained from falling into the second pan, the water is carried away
by a pipe. The sea water in the second pan having given up part of its volume
there in the form of vapor, is made to circulate or rise by a pipe into the third
the means adopted being similar to the pan below, that is by keeping an
excess of pressure in the second pan over that in the third.
pan,
The heat given out by the vapor from the second pan in the third drum vaporises
a part of the sea-water contained in the third pan the rising vapor being allowed
to pass through a vertical tube into the inside of the drum contained within the

page_text: condenser, here it is condensed by cold water from the sea water pump circulating
around the outside of the condenser drum as before mentioned; the fresh water
resulting from this condensation is collected and prevented from falling back to the
third pan and is carried off by a pipe. The sea water in the third pan having given
up a part of its volume there in the form of vapor is then drawn off through a pipe
by the feed pump being discharged by the feed pump through the heater the latter
vessel being so constructed as to allow this feed water to pass from end to end
of the vessel on the outside of the tubes; in passing through this vessel or heater
the temperature of the feed water is raised considerably, passing thence directly
to the boiler where another portion of its volume is driven off as steam at a high
pressure, this steam being used in the engine cylinder and apparatus. To prevent
the water in the boiler becoming saturated with salt, recourse is had to continuous
blowing-off from the bottom, the heat which passes out with this blow-off water
is given out partly in the heater to the boiler feed water, the blow off being made
to pass as has already been explained through the inside of the tubes of the heater
and at no point being allowed to mingle with the feed to the boiler.
After having
passed through the heater the blow-off water is conducted to the compartment of
the cooler reserved for it, where, it gives out a part of the remaining heat it
contains to the sea water feed to the first part as the latter passes through the
cooler. The blow-off on leaving the cooler is sufficiently reduced in temperature
to be discharged directly into the sea.
The fresh water resulting from the condensation of vapor in the first, second
and third drums and condenser drum is conveyed by the separate carrying-away
pipes above described to the interior of the tubes of the cooler; here the different
drains are cooled, giving up the heat they contain to the sea water feed to the first
pan as it passes along the outside of the tubes. The drains having passed through
the cooler are led each in its own pipe to tanks from which the water over-flows
to a common storing tank. In consequence of there being a pressure in the first
drum above atmosphere, a box of reliable construction is placed in the line of the
drain pipe from this drum which will allow the condensed water to pass from the
drum, at the same time retaining or trapping the steam.
The pressures in the second and third drums and condenser drum being below
atmosphere, the end of each of the drain pipes from those drums is made to dip
into or below the surface of the water contained in one of the tanks so as to seal
those ends against the admission of the atmosphere, the water then backing up
the drain pipes to a height corresponding to the pressure below atmosphere in
each pan.
The air which is given off by the sea water in passing through the pans passes
at intervals by small pipes to a pipe leading to the condenser and is abstracted
from the condenser by the air pump this same air being remixed with the distilled
water by allowing the water to pass from the common storing tank in a thin stream
in a channel to the suction side of the air pump meeting there the air from the
pans. The whole of the distilled water collected at the various drains is thus
made to pass through the air pump and become aërated, whence it is discharged
and allowed to flow over a large area of filtering surface contained within a small
cubic space.
On leaving the filter the pure water is now conducted to measuring,
receiving or storing tanks.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: "
I ALFRED CHAPMAN, of the firm of Fawcett, Preston and Company, of 17 York
Street, Liverpool, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN
and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
APPARATUS FOR MAKING FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER
The apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention is based and
works upon the principle of the apparatus described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to Jules Weibel and Paul Piccard on the 7th April 1883, N° 1761,
that is to say, evaporation by triple or multiple effect is combined with evaporation
by compression.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is an elevation, Figure 2 a vertical section and
Figure 3 a general ground plan of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention. Figure 4 is a plan on a larger scale than Figure 3 of the steam engine,
compressor, pans and cooler.
My apparatus comprises the following main parts
A set of three (or more) closed vessels or pans A¹ A' A³ arranged vertically one
above another as shown for evaporating the sea water, each pan containing within
itself a surface condensing drum B1 B2 B³ of large surface; or the pans may be
placed side by side and may be made either horizontal or vertical as may be most
convenient.
A fourth vessel C above the pans serving as a "condenser" and also containing a
surface condensing drum D.
A steam engine E for actuating the cold water pump, the boiler feed, the air
pump and the steam compressor which are all attached to the engine bed.
A cold water pump F for supplying the apparatus with sea water.
A boiler feed pump G.
An air pump H for abstracting at intervals from the pans A¹ A² A³ any air
carried over by the sea water, and for maintaining a vacuum within the condenser
drum D.
A steam compressor I for withdrawing vapor from the first or lowest pan A¹ or
from either of the upper pans A2 A3 and discharging it in a compressed state into
the interior of the drum B' of the first or lowest pan A¹.
A boiler or steam generator K for supplying the apparatus.
A heater L containing within itself a number of tubes through which passes the
concentrated sea water blown off from the boiler K; on the outside of the tubes
of this same heater L circulates the water from the feed pump G on its way to the
boiler.
A cooler N containing in its interior a number of tubes O and P through some
of which O pass the fresh water condensations resulting from the working of the
pans A1 A2 A³, and through the others P of which passes the blow off from the
boiler K after its having passed through the heater L; the fresh water and blow
off from the boiler having to themselves distinct and separate compartments in the
cooler; around the outside of the tubes in the cooler passes the sea water on its
way from the sea water pump F to the pans A¹ A² A³.
The course of the sea water, its evaporation and condensation are as follows:-
Water is drawn from the sea by the cold water pump F the discharge having open
to it 2 courses, one of which a leads directly into the bottom of the condenser C
where it circulates outside of the contained drum D condensing whatever vapor
may be within and passing back to the sea by an overflow pipe b; the other branch

page_text: stream of sea water is conducted by the pipe c into the cooler N wherein it passes
around the outside of the tubes in such a manner as to flow in an opposite direction
to the heated fresh water condensations from the drums and the blow off from the
boiler, the said condensations and blow off being made to pass through the inside
of tubes, each in its own compartment, and being at no time allowed to mingle; in
this manner the heat contained in the condensations and blow off is given up to
the incoming sea water, which on leaving the cooler is considerably above the
temperature of the sea from which it was drawn. Leaving the cooler the sea
water is led by the pipe d into the first or lowest pan A' filling it to such a height
The water is here raised to the
as to completely cover the drum B' in that pan.
boiling point and made to give off vapor by steam being conducted by the pipe e
to the inside of the drum; the steam which effects this purpose being the exhaust
steam from the engine combined with the vapor arising from the sea water in this
pan and obtained in a manner as follows:-The steam generator K supplies steam to
the engine E, and advantage is taken of the economy resulting from high pressure
and early cut off in the cylinder, the expanded voluine of steam at the termination
of each stroke being allowed to pass into the pipo e communicating with the
interior of first pan druin. The steam compressor I at the same time abstracts
by the pipe fa part of the vapor that arises from the boiling sea water in the first
pan A and discharges it in a compressed state through the pipe f' to e and thence
to the inside of the first pan drum B₁, where it mingles with the exhaust steam
from the engine.
The sea
This combined steam as it condenses gives out its heat to the surrounding Bea
water, at the same time falling down as fresh water, the pipe g being made to carry
it away. Only a part of the vapor arising from the sea water in the first pan A¹
is taken off by the compressor I as before stated, the remainder being allowed to
pass through a vertical pipe h which rises into the inside of the drum B³ contained
in the second pan, this vapor gives out its heat in the second drum on condensing,
becoming fresh water with the exchange of heat, the fresh water being prevented
from falling back into the first pan it is carried away by the pipe i.
water in the first pan A¹ having thus given off a part of its volume in the form of
vapor is made to pass on or circulate by the pipe k to the second pan A² by means
of an excess of pressure maintained in the first pan over that in the second the
pressure in the second pan being in fact somewhat below atmosphere (say about 5
or 6 lbs) the lowering of the pressure in the second pan also conducing to the
lowering of the boiling point of the sea water in that pan. The heat given out in
the second drum B' by vapor from the first pan A¹ vaporises a part of the sea
water contained in the second pan A' the uprising vapor being allowed to pass
through a vertical pipe which rises into the interior of the drum B³ contained in
the third pan, where in condensing it gives out its heat to the sea water contained
in the third pan becoming fresh water with the exchange of heat, suitable means
being taken to collect and prevent the fresh water so obtained from falling into the
second pan;
the water is carried away by the pipe m. The sea water in the
second pan A having given up part of its volume there in the form of vapor is
made to circulate or rise by the pipe n into the third pan, the means adopted being
similar to the pan below, that is by keeping an excess of pressure in the second
pan over that in the third.
The heat given out by the vapor from the second pan in the third drum B³
vaporises a part of the sea water contained in the third pan A³ the rising vapor
being allowed to pass through a vertical pipo o into the inside of the drum D
contained within the condenser C, here it is condensed by cold water from the sea
water pump F circulating around the outside of the condenser drum as before
mentioned; the fresh water resulting from this condensation is collected and
prevented from falling back to the third pan and is carried off by the pipe p. The
sea water in the third pan A³ having given up a part of its volume there in the
form of vapor is then drawn off through the pipe by the feed pump G, being
discharged by the feed pump through the heater L, the latter vessel being so

page_text: constructed as to allow this feed water to pass from end to end of the vessel on the
outside of the tubes; in passing through this vessel or heater L the temperature of
the feed water is raised considerably, passing thence directly to the boiler K where
another portion of its volume is driven off as steam at a high pressure, this steam
being used in the engine cylinder and apparatus. To prevent the water in the
boiler K becoming saturated with salt, recourse is had to continuous blowing off
from the bottom, the heat which passes out with this blow-off water is given out
partly in the heater L to the boiler feed water, the blow off being made to pass as
has already been explained through the inside of the tubes of the heater and at no
point being allowed to mingle with the feed to the boiler. After having passed
through the heater the blow off water is conducted to the compartment of the
cooler N reserved for it, where it gives out a part of the remaining heat it contains
to the sea water feed to the first pan A' as the latter passes through the cooler.
The blow off on leaving the cooler is sufficiently reduced in temperature to be
discharged directly into the sea.
The fresh water resulting from the condensation of vapor in the first, second and
third drums B1 B2 B3 and condenser drum D is conveyed by the separate pipes
g, i, m, p to the interior of the tubes of the cooler N; here the different drains are
cooled, giving up the heat they contain to the sea water feed to the first pan A' as
it passes along the outside of the tubes, The drains having passed through the
cooler are led each in its own pipe g', i, m¹, p¹ to tanks T₁ T T T from which
the water overflows to a common storing tank Q. In consequence of there being a
pressure in the first drum B¹ above atmosphere, a box Z of reliable construction is
placed in the line of drain pipe from this drum which will allow the condensed
water to pass from the drum, at the same time retaining or trapping the steam.
The pressures in the second and third drums B2 B3 and condenser drum D being
below atmosphere, the end of each of the drain pipes from those drums is made to
dip into or below the surface of the water contained in one of the tanks T¹, T³, T³, T^
so as to seal those ends against the admission of the atmosphere, the water then
backing up the drain pipes to a height corresponding to the pressure below
atmosphere in each pan.
The air which is given off by the sea water in passing through the pans passes
at intervals by small pipes q, q to a pipe 7 leading to the condenser C and is
abstracted from the condenser through the pipe 8 by the air pump H this same air
being remixed with the distilled water by allowing the water to pass from the
tank Q in a thin stream in the channel t to the suction side of the air pump meeting
there the air from the pans. The whole of the distilled water collected at the
various drains is thus made to pass through the air pump and become aërated whence
it is discharged by the pipe u and allowed to flow over a large area of filtering
surface contained within a small cubic space. On leaving the filter the pure water
is now conducted to measuring, receiving or storing tanks.
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 general construction or arrangement of apparatus acting as herein before
described with reference to the annexed drawings for making fresh water from salt
water.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent