IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION OF EXHAUST STEAM, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wright, of Tipton, in the County_of Stafford,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION
OF EXHAUST STEAM, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 28th November 1879, and dated the 29th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wright at the Office
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th May 1879.
JOSEPH WRIGHT, of Tipton, in the County of Stafford.
THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION OF EXHAUST STEAM, AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My Invention relates more particularly to the utilization in the beating of feed
water of the exhaust steam escaping from the high pressure cylinder of a compound
steam engine in its passage to the low pressure cylinder, and the treatment and
rebeating of such exhaust steam so as to vaporize the water of condensation and
restore or impart the requisite temperature and pressure to the steam for duty in
the low pressure cylinder.
In carrying out my Invention I employ two heaters or sets of heaters constructed,
by preference, upon the principle of what is known as the Berryman feed water
heater. Into the interior of the tubes of one of these heaters or sets of heaters I
conduct the exhaust steam escaping from the high pressure cylinder, and I intro-
duce the water which is to be used for feeding the boilers at the exterior of the
tubes of such heater or set of heaters so that the water will be heated by the passage
of the exhaust steam. I thence conduct such steam or the mixture of steam and
water of condensation into the interior or at the exterior of the tubes of the other
heater or set of heaters, and introduce at the exterior or in the interior of the tubes
live steam from a boiler or other source in order to vaporize the water of condensa-
tion and reheat the steam so as to restore or impart to it the requisite temperature
and pressure for use in the low pressure cylinder to which it is next conducted.
The water of condensation from the reheating steam of the second heater or set of
heaters may be conducted through a suitable valve and conduit to mix with the
steam or mixture of steam and water of condensation passing into the interior or at
the exterior, as the case may be, of the tubes of the said second heater or set of
heaters, the whole being thus vaporized and reheated together by means of the live

page_text: steam and the steam generated or regenerated conducted to the low pressure cylinder
as before mentioned. If preferred, the water of condensation may be conveyed
away by a steam trap or returned to the boiler. When the live steam is found to be of
an unduly elevated temperature and pressure it may be regulated by a reducing valve.
The steam passing to the low pressure cylinder may also be lubricated by the 5
admixture of oil or other lubricant therewith as it leaves the reheater.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th November
1879.
JOSEPH WRIGHT, of Tipton, in the County of Stafford. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION OF EXHAUST STEAM, AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My said Invention relates to the utilization in the heating of feed water of the
exhaust steam escaping from the high pressure cylinder of a compound steam
engine on its passage to the lower pressure cylinder and the treatment and reheating
of such exhaust steam so as to vaporize the water of condensation and restore or
impart the requisite temperature and pressure to the steam for duty in the low
pressure cylinder.
In carrying out my said Invention I employ two heaters or sets of heaters con-
structed by preference upon the principle of what is known as the Berryman feed a
water heater. Into the interior of the tubes of one of these heaters or sets of heaters I
conduct the exhaust steam escaping from the high pressure cylinder, and I introduce
the water which is to be used for feeding the boilers or other purposes at the exterior
of the tubes of such heater or set of heaters so that the water will be heated by the
passage of the exhaust steam. I thence conduct such steam or water of condensation :
or mixture of steam and water of condensation into the interior or at the exterior of the
tubes of the other heater or set of heaters, which I term the interheater or interheaters,
and introduce at the exterior or in the interior of the tubes live steam from a boiler or
other source in order to vaporize the water of condensation and reheat the steam so
as to restore or impart to it the requisite temperature and pressure for use in the low
pressure cylinder to which it is next conducted. The water of condensation from
the live or reheating steam of the interheater or interheaters may be conducted
through a suitable valve and conduit to mix with the steam or water of condensa-
tion or mixture of steam and water of condensation passing into the interior or at
the exterior, as the case may be, of the tubes of the said interheater or interheaters, i
the whole being thus vaporised and reheated together by means of the live steam,
and the steam thus generated or regenerated being conducted to the low pressure
cylinder as before mentioned.
In some cases the feed water heater or feed water heaters may be dispensed with,
and the interheater or interheaters only be employed, the latter being however so

page_text: constructed and arranged that the water of condensation from the live or reheating
steam is caused to mix with the exhaust steam, or the water of condensation from
the exhaust steam or the mixture of the two so as to be revaporized or reheated in
the manner herein before described.
When a feed water heater or feed water heaters is or are used in combination
with an interheater or interheaters, as hereinbefore described, the water of conden-
sation from the live or reheating steam may, if preferred, be conveyed away by a
steam trap or returned to the boiler.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal section of a feed water heater
and interheater arranged and combined together in accordance with my said
Invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
A, A', represent two heaters of the construction known as Berryman's, the same
consisting of series of shaped tubes B, B¹, carried by base plates C, C¹, which
respectively cover chambers D, D', cach divided by a contral partition a or a'. In
carrying out my present Invention the heater A is used as a feed water heater, and
the heater A' as an interheater in the following manner: _Water is introduced
into the heater A at b so as to nearly fill the space surrounding the tubes B, and is
heated by the passage through the said tubes of the exhaust steam admitted at 6¹
from the high pressure cylinder of a compound steain engine, and is finally drawn
off as and when required through the outlet cat the top. The exhaust steam or
water of condensation from the exhaust steam or mixture of the two as it leaves
the tubes B of the heater A. is conducted by a passage d into the tubes B' of the
interheater A', and live steam from the steam pipe or direct from the boiler or other
source is introduced at c so as to fill the space surrounding the tubes B¹. The
exhaust steam or the water of condensation therefrom, or the mixture of the two, is
thus reheated or revaporized during its passage through the tubes B' under the
action of the heat of the live steam at the exterior of the said tubes, and leaves the
outlet fat a suitable temperature and pressure for use in the low pressure cylinder
of the compound steam engine into which it is next conducted. The water of con-
densation from the live or reheating steam is conducted from the lower part of the
heater A¹ by means of a pipe f¹ to mix with the exhaust steam or water of con-
densation or mixture of the two leaving the tubes B and entering the passage d, a
cock g being provided on the pipe f₁, so that the discharge of the water through
the same as before mentioned may be regulated as the indications of the water
level gauge h may suggest to be necessary. Any water of condensation which may
be carried along with the exhaust steam as it leaves the high pressure cylinder
may also be conducted direct into the passage & through a perforation or opening i
in or beneath the partition a in lieu of its being allowed to pass with the exhaust
steam through the tubes B. The whole of the water of condensation with any
uncondensed steam is thus together revaporized or reheated by its passage through
the tubes B' of the interheater A¹ by the heat of the live or reheating steam at the
exterior of the said tubes, as before explained. When the live steam is found to
be of an unduly elevated temperature and pressure it may be regulated by a
reducing valve, as indicated at . The steam passing to the low pressure cylinder
may also be lubricated by the admixture of oil or other lubricant therewith as it
leaves the interheater, as will be well understood.
d
In some cases the feed water heater may be dispensed with, and the interheater
only be employed, the latter being however provided with means for conducting
the water of condensation from the live steam into the passage d to be revaporized,
as before explained.
When a feed water heater is used in combination with an interheater, as in the
example illustrated in the Drawings, the water of condensation from the live or

page_text: reheating steam may, if preferred, be conveyed away by a steam trap or returned
to the boiler.
If desired the exhaust steam or the water of condensation from the exhaust
steam, or the mixture of the two, leaving the tubes B of the heater A, may be con-
ducted at the exterior of the tubes B¹, of the interheater A¹, in lieu of the interior
of the said tubes, the live or reheating steam being in this case caused to pass
through the interior of the said tubes in lieu of at their exterior, but the arrange-
ment illustrated in the Drawings and previously hereinbefore described is
preferred.
It is obvious moreover that a single feed water heater may be used in combina-
tion with two or more interheaters, and that two or more feed water heaters may
be employed in combination with a single interheater or with two or more inter-
heaters if found desirable.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore clain as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The employment between the high pressure cylinder and the low pressure
cylinder of a compound steam engine of a feed water heater or set of feed water
heaters in combination with a heater or interheater, or set of reheaters or inter-
heaters, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Second. Conducting the water of condensation from the live or reheating steam
of the interheater or interheaters of a compound steam engine to mix with the
exhaust steam or water of condensation from the exhaust steam or mixture of the
two proceeding from the high pressure cylinder of the said engine, and entering the
said interheater or interheaters in order that the whole of such water or steam may
together be revaporized or reheated by its passage through the interheater or inter-
heaters, substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wright, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.