Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Condensing Steam, and Heating and Purifying Water for Boiler-feed and other Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1895-Accepted, 2nd 'Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Condensing Steam,
and Heating and Purifying Water for Boiler-feed and other
Purposes.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for separating lubricating or other grease
from the exhaust steam of condensing or non-condensing steam engines and for
utilizing the cleansed steam for heating and purifying water used for effecting the
condensation of the steam, which purified water can be used for boiler feed and
other purposes. The improved apparatus may be employed as a condenser to produce
a vacuum in place of the ordinary jet or surface condenser of steam engines, and an
attachment can be provided by the aid of which caustic soda, ammonia, or other
lime precipitating re-agent can be intimately mixed with the feed water to be
heated, in order to facilitate the deposit of lime.
According to my invention I construct the apparatus of a steam-tight rectangular
casing or shell which is divided by a vertical partition into two chambers of equal
size communicating with each other at the top.
One of these chambers termed the grease depositing chamber is fitted with baffle
plates which project alternately from the right and left hand sides of the chamber
all of such plates being parallel and those at one side having holes at their juncture
with the side of the chamber.
The lower part of the said chamber is in communication with the engine cylinder
or other source of steam to be purified and condensed and with a receptacle for the
separated grease.
The other chamber termed the water heating chamber is 'fitted with inclined
plates which project alternately from each side and at an angle to one another. 'At
the top of this chamber I provide a pipe adapted to deliver a broad stream of water
over the uppermost of the, said plates which stream falls from each plate on to the
next beneath it and so on to the bottom of the chamber which is provided with a
suitable outlet for the water.
By this construction the steam upon entering the first of the two chambers takes
an upward direction, and is diverted into a serpentine course by the baffle plates, the
steam being caused to come in contact with the top and bottom surfaces of each of
the plates, upon which as well as upon the sides of the chamber the grease from
the steam is deposited. The deposited grease is drained off the plates to one side
of the chamber where it passes through the holes in the plates to the bottom of the
chamber, and is drawn off into the grease receptacle in which the grease rises and
may be collected tor' further use.
On leaving the grease depositing chamber the cleansed steam passes through the
communicating opening or space at the top into the other or water-heating chamber,
where it passes downwards between the plates of the same. The steam having.to
pass through several cascades formed by the falling stream of water is rapidly and
completely condensed and the falling water is thoroughly heated and after being
drawn off into a settling tank for the purpose of depositing lime and other impurities,
it can be used for feed-water or for cleansing and other purposes.

page_text: When a lime-precipitating re-agent in solution is required to be mixed with the
water to be heated I introduce it through a pipe near the top of the water heating
chamber, such pipe leading from an elevated tank whereby I mix the said re-agent
with the water used for condensation immediately before it comes in contact with
the steam, thereby availing myself of the full purifying effect of both the steam and
the chemicals.
When the apparatus is required for use with high pressure or non-condensing
engines I provide the water heating chamber with an escape pipe for the relief of
any undue pressure.
For condensing engines, where the apparatus herein described is designed to take
the place of the ordinary jet or surface condenser, no escape pipe on the water
heating chamber is admissible on account of the vacuum required, but a relief valve
can be employed, and the heated water from the bottom of the water heating
chamber can be drawn away by an ordinary single or double-acting air pump, which
is fixed well below the level of the bottom of the water heating chamber, in order
that the hot water may gravitate into the inlet or foot valves of the pump and
cause it to draw readily. The hot water drawn through the air pump passes into a
hot well or settling tank where most of the lime is rapidly deposited, and from the
upper part of this hot well the boiler feed pump can take its supply.
Dated the 1st day of January 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Condensing Steam,
and Heating and Purifying Water for Boiler-feed and other
Purposes.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for separating lubricating or other grease
from the exhaust steam of steam engines, and for utilizing the cleansed steam, (or
equally pure live steam) for heating and purifying water to be employed for boiler-
feed and other purposes.
To carry out my invention in its entirety, four essential or leading parts are
required, viz.
1. The separating chamber, for eliminating oil or lubricating grease from the
exhaust steam employed.
2. The heating chamber, in which the cleansed exhaust steam is brought into
actual contact with the boiler-feed or other water which is to be heated and
purified.
3. The settling tank, in which the heated water is allowed to deposit lime and
other impurities and from whence the purified water is supplied to the boiler or
drawn off for other purposes.
4. The alkali tank, which is by preference elevated above the level of the heating
chamber, into which chamber it supplies a regulated quantity of soda, or other
precipitating reagent, for the purpose of causing the deposit of separated lime, or
other impurities, to take place more speedily.
In order to enable this invention to be more fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of one form of the complete apparatus,
consisting of a grease separator, a water heater, a settling tank and a cistern for
containing and supplying a precipitating re-agent in solution:

page_text: Figure 2 represents a sectional plan of the grease separator and water-heater
shown in elevation at Figure 1 :
Figure 3 represents a modified form of grease separator and feed water heater,
Figure 4 being a sectional plan of the same.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the drawings.
In Figure 1 the grease separating chamber is represented at A, A and is divided
by the partition E from the heating chamber B, B, except through a steam
passage shown at the top of the partition. The settling tank, in which the
precipitation and collection of lime and some other impurities take place, is
represented at C. C and a small tank for the supply of soda solution or other
chemicals at D..
Exhaust steam enters the chamber A, A by the inlet pipe F and passing between
two sets of inclined baffle plates G, G and H, H leaves the grease it contains when
leaving the cylinder and valve chest upon the surfaces of the plates and upon the
walls of the chamber. The grease and water drain from the plates G onto the
plates H. from whence the oily mixture passes down a space between these plates
and the partition E to the well J at the bottom of the chamber covered by a
perforated false bottom, whereby when once deposited the greasy water is removed
from and kept out of the course of freshly incoming steam, and may be drawn off by
the pipe Z.
.
The steam being freed from grease, passes in a flat stream over the top of the
partition E, into the heating chamber B, B upon entrance to which it meets and
mingles with the straight wall of water spray (which is the feed water to be heated
and purified) issuing from holes in the pipe K, and any steam which may escape
contact with and condensation by contact with this first spray, subsequently meets
other condensing surfaces upon the inclined baffle-plates L and M, and in
passing through the streams of water falling fron: the upper plates to the
lower ones.
Near the inlet of feed water a jet enters the heating chamber through which is
conducted a small stream of solution of the precipitating re-agent, such as soda,
from the tank D, the flow of which is regulated by the cock N.
i
The heated feed-water gravitates to the bottom of the heating chamber B, B
and passes out by the pipe O to the bottom of the settling tank C, C, where the
lime and other impurities set at liberty by the steam-heat and chemicals are
deposited and blown out at the sludge-valves P, P or removed through the
manholes Q.
.
The partitions V and W cause the heated water to take a serpentine course and
give it a greater length of time to deposit its solid matter before it reaches the
outlet or boiler feed-pipe R. An overflow pipe is provided at S, through which
surplus water flows after passing over the skimming lip T.
Figures 3 and 4 represent cylindrical modifications of the grease separator and
feed water heater constructed according to my invention, to suit which cylindrical
form of chambers the baffle-plates, lettered G and H, are of the form of hollow
truncated cones.
The steam entering at the inlet F deposits grease upon the circular baffle
plates G and H, between which the steam passes in a zig-zag direction, the grease
draining to the bottom of the cylinder at J from whence it is withdrawn by the
waste pipe Z.
The steam when divested of grease, or in some cases live steam, passes into the
0 heating cylinder by the pipe K passing downward and being deflected outward by
coming in contact with the apex of the top conical baffler, owing to which deflection
the steam is caused to come in contact with a circular fall of water or spray issuing
from the ring-jet K which water is the feed-water required to be heated and
purified. The steam is fully condensed either by the jet named, or by coming in
5 contact with the stream of water flowing over and from one to the other of the
baffle plates.

page_text: The heated water passes out of the heating chamber B by the pipe O to the
settling tank, as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
When it is desired to heat feed-water by means of live steam which does not
contain greasy matter, but the water contains lime or earthy matter, the apparatus
above described omitting the grease separator, may be employed, or for heating
sufficiently pure water by means of live or pure steam, the heater alone may be
used without either the soda solution or settling tank.
In the cylindrical grease separator and feed water heater represented at
Figures 3 and the conical or circular baffle plates are formed with a central boss
or hub which fits upon a spindle whereby the bafflers are held in position but may
be easily removed for cleaning.
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 apparatus for separating grease from steam as represented at A, A
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 and operating in the manner described.
2. The apparatus for heating feed water, or water which requires heating for
other purposes, which apparatus may be operated by means of live or exhaust steam
in the manner described and which is represented in the accompanying drawings.
3. The construction and combination of the apparatus for separating grease
from steam with the feed water heater as described and represented.
4. In a feed-water heater the combination of the inlet pipe with a ring jet and
conical baffle-plates as described and represented.
5. The combination in apparatus for heating and purifying water of the heating
oylinder Band its contained conical baffleplates represented at Figure 3, with a
settling tank C for the purpose described.
6. The construction, arrangement and combination of the grease separator,
water heater, settling tank and cistern, for precipitating solution in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
7. The combination of a soda solution tank and jet, with a feed water heater,
for the purpose of mixing the soda solution with the jet of water or the injected
water to be heated and purified from lime, all constructed and operating in the
manner described and as represented.
Dated the 1st day of October 1895.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.