An Improved Steam and Water Separator.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1893
An Improved Steam and Water Separator.
I, JOHN EDSON SWEET, of 114 Merriman Avenue, Syracuse, New York, United
States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a separator in which the water
deposited from the steam in its passage through the apparatus will to a very great
extent be immediately conveyed away out of the path of travel of the steam
practically as soon as it is deposited, so that the steam is prevented from again
taking up such water.
The principal feature of my invention consists in forming the main portion of
the walls of the separator of a perforated, punctured, open reticulated or sieve-
like surface which is placed in close juxtaposition to but not actually touching an
outer solid wall, so that a narrow passage will be left between the two walls. The
steam in passing over .the open surface or sieve will deposit some of the water it
contains upon the inner side of such surface, and this will trickle down and pass
through the holes or openings to the rear side of such surface, into the narrow
passage or channel between it and the outer wall, whence it will be conducted
The capillary
away by any suitable means beyond the path of travel of the steam.
attraction between the opposed surfaces of the two walls will ensure the water
running along the narrow passage between such walls, instead of permitting it to
pass back again to the inner side of the punctured or sieve-like surface through
the openings therein.
The apparatus may be constructed in various forms, a suitable form consisting
in arranging the steam admission pipe at the top of the apparatus, and providing
a channel or gutter at the bottom of such pipe at the point where it enters the
apparatus. This will ensure the collection of any water deposited in the steam
pipe itself, and this may be conveyed to the space or passage between the walls of
the apparatus.
Opposite the steam pipe entrance an inverted cup may be arranged, the top of
same being preferably conical and formed of an outer perforated wall and an
under solid wall, with a narrow space or passage between them, such space leading
to a gutter at the bottom of the conical top, so that the water deposited on the
top will pass through the narrow passage and down into the gutter.
The bottom of the inverted cup (which might also be made double with an outer
perforated surface) also terminates in a gutter, in which collects the water deposited
by the steam on the outer surface of the cup during its downward travel, and
pipes or tubes connect these two gutters and then pass beyond the path of travel
of the steam, so as to conduct the collected water away.
The outer double walls of the apparatus (consisting of the inner perforated
surface or sieve and the outer solid wall, with a narrow passage between them)
surround the inverted cup, and the steam passes down between the two and then
under the lower edge of the cup and upwards, where it enters the pipe which is to
convey the steam out of the apparatus, such pipe being arranged to project up
into the interior of the inverted cup. A perforated plate or sieve (preferably of
inverted conical form) may be arranged soine distance below the bottom of the
cup, to permit water to pass through it and so beyond the steam passage.

page_text: The water which collects between the double walls of the apparatus is also
conveyed away by pipes or passages beyond the path of travel of the steam.
The whole apparatus may be suitably jacketted or lagged to prevent radiation.
The punctured, perforated or sieve-like surface I employ may vary in formation
as to the nature of its holes or openings, but I find the following construction to
be efficient I stamp or otherwise form a series of cuts in rows one above
another, the cuts being such as to form a set of downwardly extending tongues
separated from each other by intervening strips of material. The cuts in each
succeeding row are so situated that the tongues on one row are opposite the full
strips of the row above and the row below it:
The whole of the tongues are inclined or bent so that they will project down
in a slanting direction towards the inner surface of the solid wall in conjunction
with which the sieve is to be used.
By this construction any water deposited will flow down the inclined surface of
the tongues and pass to the rear of the sieve, and as each succeeding row of
openings has its tongues opposite the full parts of the preceding row, it will be
seen that none of the water will be able to flow down the side of the sieve on
which it is deposited. In the same way when the deposited water passes into the
passage between the sieve and the solid wall, the tongues of the former aided by
the capillary attraction of the opposed surfaces of the sieve and the solid wall
will effectually prevent the water passing back again through the openings in
the sieve.
Dated this 8th day of October 1894.
An Improved Steam and Water Separator.
I, JOHN EDSON SWEET, of 114 Merriman Avenue, Syracuse, New York,
United States of America, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide a separator in which the water deposited
from the steam in its passage through the apparatus will to a very great extent
be immediately conveyed away out of the path of travel of the steam practically
as soon as it is deposited, so that the steam is prevented from again taking up
such water.
The principal feature of my invention consists in forming the main portion of
the walls of the separator of a perforated, punctured, open reticulated or sieve-
like surface which is placed in close proximity to but not actually touching an
outer solid wall, so that a narrow passage will be left between the two walls. The
steam in passing over the open surface or sieve will deposit some of the water it
contains upon the inuer side of such surface, and this will trickle down and pass
through the boles or openings to the rear side of such surface, into the narrow
passage or channel between it and the outer wall, whence it will be conducted away
by any suitable means beyond the path of travel of the steam. The capillary
attraction between the opposed surfaces of the two walls will ensure the water
running along the narrow passage between such walls instead of permitting it to
pass back again to the inner side of the punctured or sieve-like surface through
the openings therein.
The apparatus may be constructed in various forms, a suitable form being
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus.

page_text: and
Fig. 2 a full size front elevation of the sieve-like surface I prefer to employ,
Fig. 3 a transverse section of same.
In the drawing the steam admission pipe A is arranged at the top of the
apparatus and a channel or gutter B is provided at the bottom of such pipe at the
point where it enters the apparatus. This will ensure the collection of any water
deposited in the steam pipe itself, and this may be conveyed to the space or
passage C between the walls of the apparatus.
Opposite the steam pipe entrance an inverted cup D may be arranged, the top E.
of same being preferably conical and formed of an outer perforated wall F and
an under solid wall G with a narrow space or passage H between them, such
space leading to a gutter I at the bottom of the conical top, so that the water
deposited on the top will pass through into the narrow passage H and down into
the gutter I.
The bottom of the inverted cup D (which might also be made double with an
outer perforated surface as shown in Fig. 1) also terminates in a gutter I', in
which collects the water deposited by the steam on the outer surface of the cup
during its downward travel, and pipes or tubes J connect these two gutters and
then pass beyond the path of travel of the steam, so as to conduct the collected.
water away.
The outer double walls of the apparatus (consisting of the inner perforated
surface or sieve K and the outer solid wall L, with the narrow passage C
between them) surround the inverted cup D, and the steam passes down between
the two and then under the lower edge of the cup and upwards, where it enters
the pipe N which is to convey the steam out of the apparatus, such pipe being
arranged to project up into the interior of the inverted cup. A perforated plate
or sieve O (preferably of inverted conical form) may be arranged some distance
below the bottom of the cup D, to permit water to pass through it and so beyond
the steam passage.
The water which collects between the double walls of the apparatus is also
conveyed away by pipes or passages beyond the path of travel of the steam.
The whole apparatus may be suitably jacketted or lagged to prevent radiation.
The punctured, perforated or sieve-like surface I employ may vary in formation
as to the nature of its holes or openings, but I find the construction shown in
detail in Figs. 2 and 3 to be efficient, and which is as follows: I stamp or other-
wise form a series of cuts P in rows one above another, the cuts being such as to
form a set of downwardly extending tongues Q separated from each other by
intervening strips of material. The cuts in each succeeding row are so situated
that the tongues on one row are opposite the full strips of the row above and the
row below it.
The whole of the tongues are inclined or bent so that they will project down
in a slanting direction towards the inner surface of the solid wall in conjunction
with which the sieve is to be used.
By this construction any water deposited will flow down the inclined surface of
the tongues Q and pass to the rear of the sieve, and as each succeeding row of
openings has its tongues opposite the full parts of the preceding row, it will be
seen that none of the water will be able to flow down the side of the sieve ou
which it is deposited. In the same way when the deposited water passes into the
passage between the sieve and the solid wall, the tongues of the former aided by
the capillary attraction of the opposed surfaces of the sieve and the solid wall.
will effectually prevent the water passing back again through the openings in the
sieve.
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 :-

page_text: "
with which the steam comes into contact in its travel through such separator, of a
perforated, punctured, open reticulated or sieve-like surface placed in close
proximity to but not actually touching a solid wall, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
2. The improved steam and water separator constructed and operating substan-
tially as described and as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing.
3. The special form of punctured or sieve-like surface herein described and
illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, for forming the walls
of steam and water separators.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.