Improvements in Evaporating and Distilling Apparatus for use on Board Ship.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1898-Accepted, 7th June, 1899
[Communicated from abroad by the Firm of NICOLO ODERO FU ALESSANDRO, of
Sestri Ponente, near Genoa, in the Kingdom of Italy.]
Improvements in Evaporating and Distilling Apparatus for use on
Board Ship.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 an apparatus for evaporating sea water and producing
therefrom distilled water intended either to replace losses which occur in the
working of the engines, or to serve for drinking purposes
The apparatus in question comprises two essential parts, the evaporator and the
condenser, and two accessory parts, the separator and the feed-water heater
The evaporator brings the sea water into contact with walls which are heated in
such a manner as to transform a portion of such water into steam
The condenser collects the steam so produced, causes it to come in contact with
the cooled walls and transforms it into water. The separator serves to establish
communication between the evaporator and the condenser of the main propelling
engine, in order to expel the air contained in the evaporator, thus facilitating
the evaporation.
The heater utilises the steam which has served in the evaporator and which
escapes from the coils of this latter to heat the water which it is intended to intro-
duce into the apparatus for vaporising
When it is desired to produce water for the engines, the steam produced in the
evaporator is caused to pass into the condenser of the principal propelling engine
of the vessel, the separator and the condenser which form part of the apparatus
then remain inactive. If, however, it is desired to produce drinking water, the
steam produced in the evaporator is condensed in the condenser of the apparatus and
the product of the condensation is then passed through a filter
The condenser of the apparatus may in some cases be dispensed with, and a
special chamber provided within the condenser of the principal engine of the vessel,
used for this purpose.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved evaporating and distilling apparatus.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the evaporating and condensing apparatus
Figure 4 is an horizontal section of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan of the condenser.
Figure 6 is a transverse section on the liner, r of Figure 3
Figure 7 is a view showing the application of a condensing and filtering chamber
to the ordinary condenser, as well as the separator and the feed water heater in
their respective positions with reference to the ordinary condenser.
Figure 8 is a transverse section of the same.

page_text: Figure 9 shows the feed water heater in longitudinal section and end view
together with a detail of the cock fitted thereto.
Figure 10 is an elevation of the pressure reducing valve.
Figure 11 is a section of the same."
Figure 12 shows details of the automatic feed regulator.
Figure 13 shows detail views of a steam connection.
Figure 14 shows the connection for the circulating coils of the evaporator and
ats means of attachment to the said evaporator.
Figure 15 is a transverse section on the line y y of Figure 12
Figure 16 is a plan, partly in section, of a part of Figure 14
The evaporator comprises a chamber 1 containing the water to be evaporated, a
feed pump 2 which foices salt water into the chamber 1, heating coils 3, 4 and 5
through which passes the steam which serves to heat the water contained in the
evaporator, an automatic regulator 6 of the supply which regulates the level of
the water within the evaporator; diaphragms or baffles 7, 8, 9 and 10 which pre-
vent the water from being carried over with the steam if ebullition takes place;
a gauge tube 11, an automatic pressure reducer 12 which regulates the pressure
within the heating coils, valves 13 and 14 which permit of the escape of the steam
produced by the evaporator either into the condenser of the main engine of the
vessel, or into the special condenser of the apparatus; a pressure gauge 16 indicat-
ing the steam pressure produced within the evaporator, a safety valve 16 intended
to limit the pressure within the evaporator chamber and cocks 75 and 76 for
unning-off the water saturated with salt.
The body of the evaporator consists generally of a sheet-copper cylinder the
extremities of which are closed by two circular doois, one of which (17) serves
for the examination of the interior of the cylinder and is attached to the cylindrical
body by means of eve bolts. The edge of the door rests upon a packing 18 inserted
in the flange of the cylinder The other door (19) 18 united, by means of nuts
provided with levers, to the part 20 connecting the coils through which the heating
steam passes
The water gauge 11 is likewise fixed to the said door 19 At the
upper portion of the body of the evaporator, at about one half its length, is pro-
vided a dome 22 in which are arranged the diaphragms or baffles 7, 8, 9, 10,
intended to prevent the passage of water.
In the drawing it has been assumed that the feed pump 2 is actuated by the
motor of the centrifugal circulation pump of the principal condenser, the discharge
pipe of said centrifugal pump being shown at d both in Figures 1 and 7, but
motion may be transmitted to the feed pump from any of the auxiliary motors
with which the vessel is provided When the evaporating apparatus is placed
sufficiently low down, the difference of the level with respect to that of the sea
may be utilised for effecting the supply
The feed pump sucks salt water (Figure 1, 2) from the condenser of the apparatus
and forces the same into the heater through the pipe 70 and the valve 77
From the heater the feed water passes into the evaporator through the
The quantity of feed water is controlled by the automatic feed regulator 6,
pipe 71
inserted into the pipe 24
The heating tubes 3, 4 and 5 consist, in the special construction represented
in the diawing, of three coils which are connected to a special cast metal connecting
part 20 (see detail view Figure 14) connected to the door 19 of the evaporator.
The pipe through which the steam enters forms part of or is attached to the
part 20 (Figures 3 and 4) projecting into the chamber 1, by means of the screw 5
union 20. A similar cast metal part (see detail view Figure 13) serves for the
escape of the steam which passes to the heater through the orifice 29 and the
pipe 30
It will of course be understood that the coils may be of any desired
form
The automatic feed regulator is actuated by a float 31 (see the detail view 5.
Figure 12) which is connected with the body of the evaporator. The valve 32 (the
area of the passage of which determines the quantity of water which enters tha

page_text: heater) is arranged outside the body of the evaporator, thereby obviating any
danger of obstruction by incrustations. A level arm connected with the float acts
upon a horizontal axis 33 which issues from the body of the evaporator and con-
trols the position of the valve by means of a connecting rod 34
The diaphragms or baffles 7, 8, 9 and 10, which are arranged at the highest
portion of the evaporator in order to prevent water from being called off, consist
merely of plates on rings of copper fixed to the body of the evaporator in any
suitable manneı
The gauge tube 11 enables the working of the automatic regulator to be ascei-
tained at any moment
The automatic reduction valve 12 is arranged upon the pipe 35 which conducts
the steam to the coils, and serves to regulate the quantity of steam introduced, by
placing it in communication with the pressure existing within the evaporatoi
The orifice 36 (Figure 11) is in direct communication with the body of the evaporator
in such a manner that the pressure, which acts below the piston 37, is the same
as that existing in the evaporator. The live steam at boiler piessme enters through
the aperture 38 and passes through the openings 39, the area of which may be
greater or less, into the pipe 40 which leads duectly to the coils When the steam
produced within the evaporator is at a very low pressure, the piston 37, acted upon
by the helical spring 41, 18 moved to the lower end of the cylinder and the steam
passes directly to the heating coils When the pressure in the evaporator increases
beyond a certain limit, the pressure beneath the piston 37 overcomes the resistance
of the spring and causes the piston to rise, restricting the apertures for the passage
of the live steam It will be readily understood that it is only necessary to suit-
ably regulate the sping 41 in order that the quantity of steam, which is introduced
may exactly correspond to the requirements.
The external casing of the condenser 42 consists of a chamber of oval section,
constructed in two parts which are united by means of flanges Within this inst
envelope or casing is a second casing 43 which is a little smaller than the casing 42
The steam to be condensed 18 introduced into the inner casing 43
The refrigerating chamber consists of the space existing between the internal
surface of the external envelope 42 and the external surface of the inner casing 43
which the steam enters. The circulation water enters this chamber through the
orifice 47 and leaves it by the orifice 48
The steam chamber consists of the above mentioned chamber or chest 43 of
rectangular section, the longitudinal walls of which are undulated in order to
increase the refrigerating surface and render it more efficacious. The steam enters
the refugerating chamber by the orifice 49 through the pipe 50 which connect>
the condenser with the evaporator, the condensed water iuns off through the
cock 51 The steam chamber may likewise consist of an assemblage of tubes
The cuculation water of the condenser of the apparatus is supplied by the
circulation pump of the principal condenser itself; the supply takes place through
the cock 52 and the water 18 forced into the special condenser of the apparatus
by means of the pipe 53.
The water which has served in the apparatus is discharged into the sea by way
of the pipe 54 through the retaining valve 74, which the pressure existing within
the casing of the centrifugal circulation pump causes to open
The condensed steam is discharged through the cock ol, it is utilised either
directly or after having been caused to pass through a filter.
The condenser which has just been described may be dispensed with in certain
cases, by causing a special chamber provided within one of the covers of the prin-
cipal condenser to act as a condenser Figures 7 and 8 relate to a condensation
apparatus applied to the walls of the pincipal condenser It consists of a sheet
metal part 55, suitably shaped and strengthened by means of stay rods
chamber formed by this sheet metal part is divided into three portions. (1) A
space or chamber 56 into which the steam to be condensed enters through the
pipe 57, (2) A layer of animal black 58 acting as a filter, and (3) A space or
The

page_text: chamber 59 in which the water which passes through the filter is collected. The
cock 60 serves for the discharge of the water. The water which serves for effecting
the refrigeration is in this case the same as that which circulates in the principal
condensei.
It now only remains to describe the accessory appliances, that is to
separator and the heater of the feed water.
say,
the
The separator 61 establishes communication, by means of the pipes 62 and 63,
between the evaporator and the condenser of the principal engine, in such a manner
as to allow the air contained in the evaporator to escape, thus facilitating the
evaporation This separator comprises two puncipal parts, that is to say,
1. A cylindrical vessel 64, inserted in the pipe which places the condenser in
communication with the evaporator In this vessel the small quantity of steam
coming from the pipe 62 condenses
2 A refrigeratoi 65 serving to maintain the walls of the vessel G4 in a cold
state, in order to condense the steam which reaches it A current of cold water coming
from the centrifugal pump, is maintained within the refrigerator by means of the
pipe 66; this water is discharged into the sea through the pipe 67. At the bottom
of the refrigerator is provided a cock 68 by means of which the water which 18
there formed is discharged
The heater 25 is inserted in the force pipe of the feed pump which terminates
at the evaporator It consists of a cylindrical vessel, in which is arranged a coil 25*
through which passes the steam escaping from the heating tubes of the evaporator.
The heat stored up in this steam, which escapes into the condenser and into the
hot well of the principal engine of the vessel, 18 consequently utilized for heating
the water which enters the evaporator and for thus increasing the output of the
apparatus
Four different pipes terminate at the heute, the pipe 70 conducting
the water coming from the feed pump, the pipe 71 conducting the heated
water into the evaporator; the pipe 30 which conducts into the coil of the heater
the steam coming from the coils of the evaporator, and the pipe 72 through which
the steam which has circulated through the coils of the heater escapes The cock 73
enables the water ansing from the steam which has served in the apparatus to be
withdrawn this water may be collected in a separate vessel and it then furnishes
an index of the output of the apparatus
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as commumicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim 18:-
1. An apparatus the object of which is to evaporate sea water in order to produce
distilled water intended either to replace the losses ausing from the working of
the engines, or for use as drinking water: this apparatus being characterised by
the combination of, a) An evaporator having a tubular surface (b) A condenser
for the water evaporated in the evaporator, this special condenser being also capable
of replacement by a suitable vessel provided in the condenser of the principal
engine (c) A separator which, establishing communication with the condenser
of the principal engine, removes the pressure of the air from the water treated in
the evaporator, utilizing the effect of the vacuum not only in order to obtain
additional water for use in the engines, as has hitherto been the case, but also for
the production of drinking water. (d) A heater for the feed water of the evaporator
which utilises the heat contained in the exhaust steam coming from the heating
coil of the evaporator, the whole being arranged in such a manner as to utilise,
for the operation of the apparatus, appliances which are usually provided on ships
(such as donkey feed pumps, air pumps, and the like) and being also arranged in
such a manner as to enable the condenser and the evaporator to be put out of action
when additional water for the engines is being produced, the steam produced in
the evaporator escaping in this case directly into the condenser of the propelling
engines, whilst when drinking water is to be obtained, the steam produced in

page_text: the evaporator 18 received in the special condenser of the apparatus and subsequently
filtered.
2 In an apparatus such as described in Claim 1, the constructional details
described and represented in the drawing and more especially those which serve
to facilitate the mounting and dismounting of the different parts, particularly the
replacement of the tubular assemblage of the evaporator, such replacement
necessitating only the opening of a hinged door and the un-screwing of two nuts
provided with levers, no spanners being required, the operation may thus be effected
in a few minutes.
3. In an apparatus such as that described in Claim 1, an automatic feed-valve
arranged outside the evaporator and thus removed from the danger of incrustation;
and which, being in addition, arranged for acting upon cold water, not under
pressure, since it is inserted in the suction pipe of the evaporator feed pump, 13
absolutely certain in its action, this being an essential condition of obtaining from
the apparatus a large output.
4 In an apparatus such as that described in Claim 1, an automatic valve for
regulating the pressure of the steam produced in the evaporator, thus rendering
it unnecessary for the attendants to constantly superintend the apparatus.
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C,
Agents for the Applicants.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C,
Agents for the Applicants.