IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FRESH WATER FROM. SALT WATER
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonse Louis Normandy, of Custom House Station,
Victoria Docks, in the County of Essex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN DISTILLING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FRESH WATER FROM. SALT WATER,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphonse Louis Normandy
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1881.
ALPHONSE LOUIS NORMANDY, of Custom House Station, Victoria Docks, in the
County of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR STEAM
SHIPS."
On steam ships it is very desirable to be able to work distilling condensers with
the greasy or impure steam supplied by the main boilers so as to produce good cold
drinking water, and so as to avoid feeding into these boilers about twice as much
sea water to replace the water abstracted for producing drinking and washing water
and for blowing off the boilers to get rid of the salt.
As is well known, the main boilers on steam ships are fed with greasy condensed
water from the surface condensers of the engines, so as to avoid feeding in sea
water, which would cause scale to be deposited on the boiler tubes, thereby reducing
the power of the boilers, increasing the consumption of fuel, and also causing much
expense and trouble in boiler repairs and in removal of scale.
The steam from these main boilers being impure and greasy, causes the fresh
water produced by the condensation thereof to be also impure and greasy, and to
have a very disagreeable taste, rendering it unfit for drinking.
To avoid these evils as much as possible, condensers on steam ships are usually
worked with steam from a boiler fed only with sea water, but it is inconvenient
and expensive to thus keep a boiler at work when the main boilers are also at work,
and moreover scale is deposited in this extra boiler.
My improvements consist in constructing distilling condensers so that they may
be worked with the impure steam from the main boilers in such manner as to

page_text: produce partly good cold fresh water for drinking, and partly hot and more or less
impure or greasy fresh water, which is returned to the boilers, thereby replacing all
the water abstracted from the boiler in the shape of steam for working the
condensers, so as to obviate the necessity of feeding about twice as much sea water,
and all the evils resulting therefrom, as above explained.
My improvements also consist in constructing such condensers so that they may
be worked in either of three ways:-Firstly, with steam from a boiler fed with sea
water, so that all the fresh water produced is good cold drinking water; secondly,
with impure steam from the main boilers, so that all the fresh water produced is
cold and available for washing; thirdly, with impure steam from the main boilers,
so that the production is partly good cold drinking water and partly hot fresh
water for feeding back into the boilers so as to avoid feeding in sea water.
According to my present Invention I construct distilling condensers as follows:-
I construct a closed chamber partly filled with salt water to be distilled, and inside
this 1st closed chamber is a 2nd or inner closed chamber surrounded by the salt
water before mentioned. Impure steam from the main boilers is led into the upper
part of this second or inner chamber, and becoming partly condensed therein the
uncondensed steam and the condensed water flow into a third small chamber or
steam trap, and the condensed water escapes therefrom by a contracted opening of
suitable size, and is then fed back into the boiler by any convenient means,
preferably by allowing it to flow into the water in the hot well in connection with
the engines for propelling the ship, so that it may be fed into the boilers as usual,
or it may be fed in by leading it to a pump. The contracted opening above named
is of suitable size to allow all the water condensed in the second or inner chamber
to escape, and but little or none of the uncondensed steam to escape with it.
Sometimes however I dispense with this contracted opening, and place the lower
part of the second or inner chamber, or the 3rd chamber or steam trap, in direct
communication with the main boilers, so that the water condensed in the second or
inner chamber may simply flow by gravitation into the boiler, or flow into a pump
feeding the boiler. The upper part of the third chamber or steam trap is provided
with a pet cock or small opening for discharging any air which may enter in the
second or inner chamber, and which would otherwise interfere with the proper
condensation of the steam therein. I also construct a fourth closed chamber filled
with salt water, and inside the upper part of this fourth chamber is a fifth or inner
closed chamber, and inside the lower part of the fourth chamber is a sixth or inner
closed chamber, and both fifth and sixth chambers are surrounded outside by the
salt water before named. Cold salt water is admitted into the lower part of the
said fourth chamber, and escapes from the upper part in a heated state.
The heat liberated by the condensation of the steam inside the 2nd or inner
chamber causes the salt water outside of it to boil, and the secondary steam thus
generated is led into the 5th inner chamber, and condensed therein into hot fresh
water, which falls into the sixth chamber to be cooled, and passes therefrom through
a suitable filter, and from thence into the tanks.
The heat liberated by the condensation of steam inside the 5th chamber, and by
the cooling of the hot water inside the 6th chamber, by heating the salt water
outside these chambers causes the air dissolved therein to be liberated, which air is
led into the upper part of the 1st chamber so as to mix with the secondary steam
therein, whereby on the condensation of the latter inside the 5th chamber, as above
explained, some of the said air will be redissolved by the resulting condensed water,
thus producing aerated fresh water, which is cooled and filtered, as before explained,
so as to furnish good cold drinking water. Any excess of air escapes from the
5th chamber by an opening provided for that purpose.
The salt water outside the second chamber, evaporated as above described, is
replaced by about twice as much hot salt water from the upper part of the 4th
chamber, so as to enable part of the concentrated salt water or brine formed inside
the 1st chamber to be discharged, and thus prevent an undue accumulation of
salt inside the 1st chamber.

page_text: I prefer to discharge the brine from the lower part of the 1st chamber by means
of a brine pipe turned up so as to compel the brine to rise to such a height before
it is allowed to run to waste as will keep the salt water inside the 1st chamber at
about the desired level, and I provide the upper part of this brine pipe with an
opening to admit air, so as to prevent the salt water being syphoned out of the
1st chamber in such cases where the brine pipe is led down again below the level
of the water inside the 1st chamber. I also provide a cock at the lower part of
this brine pipe, so as to be able to discharge from inside the first chamber part or all
of the brine and any impurities which may be mixed with it, without compelling
it or them to ascend the brine pipe, as before explained. I sometimes cause the
brine to escape by lifting a valve weighted so as to control the flow of the brine to
about the same extent as above described. I regulate the supply of hot salt water
from the fourth chamber to the first chamber by causing it to flow through an
opening of suitable size to pass about the desired quantity for replacing the water
evaporated, and for compelling a sufficient discharge of brine to prevent undue
concentration, the size of this opening being suitably proportioned to the head of
water causing the water to flow through it; and as the head of water may vary on
board ships from various causes, such as the position occupied on board by the
distilling condenser, or by the level attained by the hot salt water flowing from
upper part of 4th chamber, I prefer to cause the hot salt water for feeding
1st chamber to pass into a feed box so arranged that when the salt water rises to a
certain height therein, a float connected to a valve also rises, so as to regulate the
supply of salt water to the feed box, and thus maintain the salt water in the feed
box always at about a desired level above the salt water in first chamber. By this
means a head of water which varies but little is obtained, and by causing the
salt water in the feed box to pass through an opening of suitably restricted size
into 1st chamber, as before explained, a regulated supply of salt water is thus
secured.
Sometimes I admit steam from the main boiler into the lower part of the 2nd
inner chamber, and withdraw the fresh water condensed therein, either as before
described, or by the same pipe that admits the steam, so that it may flow back
into the boiler in a contrary direction to the steam, and in such cases I dispense
with the 3rd chamber or steam trap, and provide a pet cock or small opening
at the upper part of the 2nd chamber for the escape of air from inside this
2nd chamber.
I also provide means for diverting the course of the hot fresh water from inside
2nd chamber, so that instead of being fed back into the boiler it flows into the 5th
or 6th chambers, so as to mix with the water produced by the condensation of the
secondary steam, thus increasing the quantity of cold fresh water flowing from the
6th or cooling chamber, which water may be used for washing purposes if impure
steam from the main boilers has been used, in which case it is not passed through
the filter.
In some cases however the steam supply to the first chamber is provided from a
boiler fed with sea water, in which case, the steam and the resulting condensed
water being clean, the water may be passed through the filter so as to obtain good
cold drinking water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alphonse Louis Normandy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th November 1881.
ALPHONSE LOUIS NORMANDY, of Custom House Station, Victoria Docks, in the
County of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE FOR STEAM
SHIPS."
On steam ships it is very desirable to be able to work distilling condensers with
the greasy or impure steam supplied by the main boilers, so as to produce good
cold drinking water, and so as to avoid feeding into these boilers about twice as
much sea water to replace the water abstracted for producing drinking and washing
water, and for blowing off the boilers to get rid of the salt.
As is well known, the main boilers on steam ships are fed with greasy condensed
water from the surface condensers of the engines, so as to avoid feeding in sea
water, which would cause scale to be deposited on the boiler tubes, thereby reducing
the power of boilers, increasing the consumption of fuel, and also causing much
expense and trouble in boiler repairs and in removal of scale.
The steam from these main boilers being impure and greasy causes the fresh
water produced by the condensation thereof to be also impure and greasy, and to
have a very disagreeable taste, rendering it unfit for drinking.
To avoid these evils as much as possible condensers on steam ships are usually
worked with steam from a boiler fed only with sea water, but it is inconvenient
and expensive to thus keep a boiler at work when the main boilers are also at
work, and moreover scale is deposited in this extra boiler.
My improvements consist in constructing distilling condensers so that they may
be worked with the impure steam from the main boilers in such manner as to
produce partly good cold fresh water for drinking, and partly hot and more or less
impure or greasy fresh water, which is returned to the boilers, thereby replacing
all the water abstracted from the boiler in the shape of steam for working the
condensers, so as to obviate the necessity of feeding about twice as much sea
water, and all the evils resulting therefrom, as above explained.
My improvements also consist in constructing such condensers so that they may
be worked in either of three ways. Firstly, with steam from a boiler fed with sea
water, so that all the fresh water produced is good cold drinking water; secondly,
with impure steam from the main boilers, so that all the fresh water produced is
cold and available for washing; thirdly, with impure steam from the main boilers,
so that the production is partly good cold drinking water, and partly hot fresh
water for feeding back into the boiler, so as to avoid feeding in sea water.
According to my present Invention I construct distilling condensers as follows:-
I construct a closed chamber partly filled with salt water to be distilled, and inside
this 1st closed chamber is a 2nd or inner closed chamber surrounded by the salt
water before mentioned. Impure steam from the main boilers is led into the
upper part of this second or inner chamber, and becoming partly condensed therein
the uncondensed steam and the condensed water flow into a third small chamber
or steam trap, and the condensed water escapes therefrom by a contracted opening
of suitable size, and is then fed back into the boiler by any convenient meaus,
preferably by allowing it to flow into the water in the hot well in connection with
the engines for propelling the ship, so that it may be fed into the boilers as usual,
or it may be fed in by leading it to a pump. The contracted opening above named
is of suitable size to allow all the water condensed in the second or inner chamber
to escape, and but little or none of the uncondensed steam to escape with it.

page_text: Sometimes however I dispense with this contracted opening, and place the lower
part of the second or inner chamber or the 3rd chamber or steam trap in direct
communication with the main boilers, so that the water condensed in the second
or inner chamber may simply flow by gravitation into the boiler, or flow into a
pump feeding the boiler. The upper part of the third chamber or steam trap is
provided with a pet cock or small opening for discharging any air which may
enter in the second or inner chamber, and which would otherwise interfere with
the proper condensation of the steam therein. I also construct a fourth closed
chamber filled with salt water, and inside the upper part of this fourth chamber is
a fifth or inner closed chamber, and inside the lower part of the fourth chamber is
a sixth or inner closed chamber, and both fifth and sixth chambers are surrounded
outside by the salt water before named. Cold salt water is admitted into the
lower part of the said fourth chamber, and escapes from the upper part in a heated
state.
The heat liberated by the condensation of the steam inside the 2nd or inner
chamber causes the salt water outside of it to boil, and the secondary steam thus
generated is led into the 5th inner chamber and condensed therein into hot fresh
water, which falls into the sixth chamber to be cooled, and passes therefrom through
a suitable filter, and from thence into the tanks.
The heat liberated by the condensation of steam inside the 5th chamber and by
the cooling of the hot water inside the 6th chamber, by heating the salt water
outside these chambers, causes the air dissolved therein to be liberated, which air
is led into the upper part of the 1st chamber so as to mix with the secondary steam
therein, whereby on the condensation of the latter inside the 5th chamber, as above
explained, some of the said air will be redissolved by the resulting condensed
water, thus producing aerated fresh water, which is cooled and filtered as before
explained, so as to furnish good cold drinking water. Any excess of air escapes
from the 5th chamber by an opening provided for that purpose.
The salt water outside the second chamber evaporated as above described is
replaced by about twice as much hot salt water from the upper part of the 4th
chamber so as to enable part of the concentrated salt water or brine formed inside
1st chamber to be discharged, and thus prevent an undue accumulation of salt
inside the 1st chamber.
I prefer to discharge the brine from the lower part of the 1st chamber by means
of a brine pipe turned up so as to compel the brine to rise to such a height before
it is allowed to run to waste as will keep the salt water inside the 1st chamber at
about the desired level, and I provide the upper part of this brine pipe with an
opening to admit air so as to prevent the salt water being syphoned out of the 1st
chamber in such cases where the brine pipe is led down again below the level of
the water inside the 1st chamber; I also provide a cock at the lower part of this
brine pipe so as to be able to discharge from inside the first chamber part or all of
the brine, and any impurities which may be mixed with it, without compelling it
or them to ascend the brine pipe, as before explained. I sometimes cause the brine
to escape by lifting a valve weighted so as to control the flow of the brine to about
the same extent as above described. I regulate the supply of hot salt water from
fourth chamber to first chamber by causing it to flow through an opening of
suitable size to pass about the desired quantity for replacing the water evaporated
and for compelling a sufficient discharge of brine to prevent undue concentration,
the size of this opening being suitably proportioned to the head of water, causing
the water to flow through it; and as the head of water may vary on board ships
from various causes, such as the position occupied on board by the distilling con-
denser, or by the level attained by the hot salt water flowing from upper part of
4th chamber, I prefer to cause the hot salt water for feeding 1st chamber to pass
into a feed box so arranged that when the salt water rises to a certain height
therein a float connected to a valve also rises so as to regulate the supply of salt
water to the feed box, and thus maintain the salt water in the feed box always at
about a desired level above the salt water in first chamber. By this means &

page_text: head of water which varies but little is obtained, and by causing the salt water
in the feed box to pass through an opening of suitably restricted size into 1st
chamber, as before explained, a regulated supply of salt water is thus secured.
Sometimes I admit steam from the main boiler into the lower part of the 2nd
inner chamber, and withdraw the fresh water condensed therein either as before
described or by the same pipe that admits the steam, so that it may flow back into
the boiler in a contrary direction to the steam, and in such cases I dispense with
the 3rd chamber or steam trap, and provide a pet cock or small opening at the
upper part of the 2nd chamber for the escape of air from inside this 2nd
chamber.
I also provide means, such as a two way cock with suitable branch pipes, for
diverting the course of the hot fresh water from inside 2nd chamber, so that instead
of being fed back into the boiler it flows into the 5th or 6th chambers so as to
mix with the water produced by the condensation of the secondary steam, thus
increasing the quantity of cold fresh water flowing from the 6th or cooling
chamber, which water may be used for washing purposes if impure steam from
the main boilers has been used, in which case it is not passed through the filter.
In some cases however the steam supply to the first chamber is provided from
a boiler fed with sea water, in which case the steam and the resulting condensed
water being clean the water may be passed through the filter so as to obtain good
cold drinking water.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,-
First. Constructing distilling condensers, so that the boiler steam in being con-
densed inside a chamber evaporates secondary steam from salt water outside of
this chamber, and so that the hot fresh water resulting from the condensation of
the boiler steam may be fed back into the boiler, while the fresh water produced
by the condensation of the secondary steam is led away separately, cooled, and
rendered available for drinking and other purposes, substantially as herein
described.
Second. Constructing distilling condensers so that the boiler steam in being
condensed inside a chamber evaporates secondary steam from salt water outside of
this chamber, and so that the fresh water resulting from the condensation of the
boiler steam may be fed back into the boiler, and so that the fresh water produced
by the condensation of the secondary steam is cooled and rendered available for
drinking, such distilling condensers being also constructed so that the water pro-
duced by the condensation of the boiler steam may be either fed back into the
boiler, or else be caused to mix with the water produced by the condensation of the
Becondary steam, so as to be cooled therewith and rendered available for washing
or for drinking purposes, substantially as herein described.
Third. Constructing distilling condensers so that the boiler steam in being con-
densed into fresh water inside a chamber also evaporates secondary steam from
salt water outside this chamber, and so that undue concentration of this salt water
is prevented by allowing a portion of the concentrated salt water or brine to
escape by a brine pipe in such a way that the brine in passing through this pipe
must rise to a height which would nearly balance the pressure due to the height of
the salt water thus being evaporated, plus any steam pressure there might be on
the surface of this salt water, or else so that the brine must lift a valve weighted
so as to offer about the same resistance to the escape of the brine as would be
caused by the brine ascending the aforesaid brine pipe, substantially as herein
described.
Fourth. Constructing distilling condensers, as described in the preceding claims,
the supply of the salt water surrounding the chamber in which the boiler steam is
condensed being regulated by causing this supply to pass through a contracted
opening of suitable size to replace the water evaporated, and to cause the salt
water surrounding the chamber in which the boiler steam is condensed to rise to
such a level as will cause enough concentrated salt water or brine to flow out

page_text: through the brine pipe or valve to prevent undue concentration of the salt water,
substantially as herein described.
Fifth. Constructing distilling condensers as described in the preceding claims, so
that the head of water above the contracted opening described in the fourth claim
is regulated by means of a feed box provided with a float for regulating the flow
of salt water into this feed box, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphonse Louis Normandy, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.