Improvements in Apparatus for Humidifying, Warming, or Cooling Air.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1889
Specification Accepter, 8th June, 1889
Improvements in Apparatus for Humidifying, Warming, or
Cooling Air.
We, JAMES BENTLEY HOWORTH and FREDERICK CHARLES HOWORTH, both of
Bentley House, Great Lever, Bolton in the county of Lancaster, Ventilating
engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statenient :-
Our invention relates to apparatus for humidifying, warming or cooling air on its
entry from the outside into mills, buildings or rooms through said apparatus, and
consists in an improved arrangement or construction of said apparatus.
On the drawings appended hereunto Fig. 1. shows a cross section of the improved
apparatus; fig. 2 a longitudinal section along line A. B. of fig. 1; fig. 3 a longi-
tudinal section along line C. D. of fig. 1; fig. 4 a plan; fig. 5 a modification of the
humidifying arrangements.
The apparatus consists of a box or casing a placed at the side of a wall of a room
or building to be supplied with humidified air, divided by a partition plate b into two
compartments. This partition plate reaches from the top of the box a to within a
certain distance from the bottom. The compartment c formed thereby next to the
wall is closed at the top and has one or more inlet openings d near the top of the
box a, the other compartment e being open at the top. In the apparati of a similar
kind hitherto used steampipes of coils for heating the air have been placed in the
inlet compartment c and the humidifying apparatus in the outlet compartment e,
which caused the air heated in c to have a tendency to rise and flow out of the room
through d, rather than into it, unless it were drawn in by exhaust ventilators placed
in the ceiling or opposite walls of the room. Our improvements consist in placing
the heating coils or pipes into the outlet compartment e and the humidifying
apparatus in the inlet compartiment c, and in the arrangement of the humidifying
apparatus.
Into the compartment c we place a pipe fclosed at the ends and furnished with an
inlet valve or cock f', through which water is admitted to the pipe f. We pass
through the centre of the pipe fa pipeg of smaller diameter, which passes tight through the
closed ends of pipe f and is furnished with an inlet cock or valve g', and after passing
through the pipe fis bent downwards and returned along the bottom of the
compartment c as shewn by fig. 2. The pipe f is perforated with very fine holes, so

page_text: that the water supplied from mains or an overhead tank issues in a fine spray, while
steam is caused to flow through the pipe g and heats the water. By regulating the
flow of water and steam by means of the valves f¹ g₁ and outlet valve, the
temperature of the water can be regulated and thereby the temperature of the air
and the quantity of moisture absorbed by the air. The water that is not absorbed
accumulates in the bottom of the box a and is there heated and partly evaporated by
the steam pipe g passing through it, and the air passing under the partition plate & further
absorbs moisture from this water. Into the compartment e we place a steam pipe h
or equivalent coil of pipes to heat the air further and promote the current of air
through the apparatus.
Where cooled air is required in summer or in hot climates, we pass cold water
or a refrigerating liquid through pipes g and h. In this case the apparatus is used
preferably in combination with exhaust ventilators in the ceiling or opposite side of
the room.
In some cases instead of the pipes and we use only one perforated pipe i
provided with two inlets k, l, fitted with taps through one of which water is
admitted to pipe i, while steam is admitted through the other, so that heated water
issues from the small holes in pipe, similarly as with the arrangement hereinbefore
described. By regulating the admission of water and steam any desired degree of
heat of water can be obtained. A separate pipe m may be used for heating the
water accumulating in the bottom of the trough.
An overflow pipe n is arranged near to the bottom of the box a and regulates the
height of the water in the box Instead of the valves of the steam pipes, steam traps
can be applied.
The perforated pipe with inner pipe g, hereinbefore described may also be used
inside rooms for cooling, warming or moistening the air contained therein. In this
case we fix the said pipes in any convenient part of the room, with a trough below the
same for catching the water not absorbed by the air and fit the trough with a drain
pipe. The spray from the pipe for cooling or warming the air produces a
circulation of the air in the room, which in this way becomes humidified or
saturated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,
Firstly. The general arrangement or construction of apparatus for humidifying,
warming or cooling air, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Secondly. In inlet air humidifying and warming apparatus the arrangement of an
inlet compartment e with spray producing apparatus and an outlet compartment e
with heating pipes or coils, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
Thirdly. In apparatus for humidifying, warming or cooling air the arrangement of
an outer perforated water pipe with an inner pipe g for producing a spray of heated or
cooled water substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
Fourthly. In apparatus for humidifying and warming air the arrangement of a
perforated pipe with two inlet pipes k, one for admission of water and the other
for the admission of steam, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 16th day of Anril 1880