IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE CONDENSATION OF STEAM IN MARINE ENGINES, & IN THE PARTICULAR APPLICATION OF PARTS THEREOF TO THE SHIP
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd July
1861. A communication from abroad by William Lighthall, Manu-
facturer, and Albert Nicholson Chrystie, Merchant, both of 29, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE CONDENSATION OF STEAM IN MARINE
ENGINES, & IN THE PARTICULAR APPLICATION OF PARTS THEREOF TO THE SHIP,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in refrigerators used in cooling the
injection water of marine engines; also in improved means of supplying sea
water to such refrigerators, by utilizing the motion of the vessel in which the
apparatus is applied; also in an improved arrangement by which the water of
condensation, or the water produced by the condensation of the steam in the
condenser, is reconducted automatically into the boiler. The object of said
improvements is to obtain a supply of fresh water for marine boilers by utilizing
the fresh injection water from the ordinary jet condenser, which passes from
the hot reservoir to the refrigerator, to be there cooled to the temperature of
ordinary sea water, by passing a current of sea water through the refrigerating
tubes, which cooled water is conducted thence to the condenser, and used as
before for the purposes of condensation. The cooling water is supplied to the
refrigerator by two arrangements of tubes in connection with openings in the
side of the vessel; one of these tubes placed at the bow or other part receives
the water, which is supplied to the refrigerator by the motion of the vessel, while

page_text: the other tube is placed at the stern for the discharge of the water from the
refrigerator. By this arrangement the mechanism hitherto employed in refrige-
rators & surface condensers for sea service for the supply & discharge of the con-
densing water may be dispensed with. The supply of water to be returned to
the boiler, consisting of the water of condensation, is regulated in a self-acting
manner by placing the tube which conducts the injection water to the refri-
gerator, and also the tube which conveys to the pump the water to be returned
to the boiler upon or in the hot well or reservoir, in such manner & in such
relation with each other as regards their point of junction in said reservoir,
that the first-mentioned tube receives a complete supply before any water from
the hot reservoir passes into the latter tube, the first amount being that which
has been employed for condensing the steam in the condenser, and conse-
quently the amount to be returned to the refrigerator to be used again, and the
latter amount being that produced by the condensation of the steam in the
condenser, & consequently the amount to be returned to the boiler, to furnish
the necessary quantity-for vaporization..
The improved refrigerating apparatus of this Invention consists of a metal
case of suitable form for application in a vessel, baving small tubes for receiving
the refrigerating water, the two ends of which tubes are furnished with suit-
able water-tight caps in connection with tubes of receivers enclosing the ends
of the refrigerator, & further furnished with manholes, for the purpose of
cleaning, repairing, or examining the small tubes round which the injection
water from the reservoir circulates, for the purpose of being cooled, to be again
used. A metal diaphragm & a series of metal partitions are placed in the
refrigerator at suitable distances apart, for the purpose of forcing the injection.
water to pass in at one side and return at the other, so as to increase the
amount of traverse and ensure a sufficient cooling.
Tubes for the inlet & outlet of the sea water are placed in the side of the
vessel, covered by suitable gratings, to prevent the admission of fish or other
floating substances. The advantages resulting from the use of fresh water in
marine boilers are too well known to require any mention here. The boilers,
refrigerator, & the hot well or reservoir being all suitably supplied with fresh
water, the feeding of the boilers will be maintained intact, with the exception
of the slight waste which is inevitable, and this may in some measure be
obviated by having a supplemental supply on board, or obtained by distilling
sea water, or otherwise.