Improvements in Water Purifying Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVIDEVRAL
Improvements in Water Purifying Apparatus.
I, LUDWIG HIRT, of Grevenbroich, Prussia, German Empire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to water purifying apparatus. According to this in-
vention such apparatus comprises substantially three main portions viz.-a heating
portion, a precipitating or settling portion, and a filtering portion.
The several portions of this water purifying apparatus are arranged together
in series, after the fashion of a filter-press, and they consist of an arrangement
of plates for the heating of the water, of a mixing or precipitating chamber in
which the water is mixed with precipitants or reagents if necessary, and an
arrangement of plates for the filtration of the impurities or precipitates from
the water. The filter-press arrangement of the apparatus provides a conveniently
handled and compact water-purifying apparatus, requiring but little attention
and permitting an easy cleansing of all parts which need it.
The arrangements of plates comprise chambers for the heating and filtration
of the water.
By heating the water in suitable chambers as herein described, those substances
which are easily separated by heat are separated therefrom in this stage of
the working and are carried along in suspension by the water into the pre-
cipitating or settling chamber where they are mainly deposited; any remaining
impurities being arrested in the filtration chambers.
Those impurities which cannot be separated solely by heating the water, are
separated by the addition of a suitable chemical reagent or reagents (such as
lime, soda, &c.) in the precipitating chamber; the precipitates remaining in
the precipitating chamber or being arrested in the filter chambers.
Some kinds of water contain so much suspended impurity, or they deposit
in the heating process so much solid matter, that in a short time the surfaces
or plates of the heater become so covered with impurities as to considerably
diminish the transmission of heat through the plates.
a roomy
In order to avoid the ensuing difficulties the heating plates of the water-
purifying apparatus may be replaced wholly or in part by a heating
which the fixed head
apparatus,
form
is enlarged to
receptacle, or in which a movable receptacle is arranged on the tie-rods that
unite the heads of the apparatus and this receptacle may be connected with a
steam jet device for the purpose of raising the water to the requisite temperature,
which as a rule is from about 75° to 90° C. (167° to 194° F.).
This receptacle and the steam jet device may entirely replace the system of
heating plates; or if preferred a system of heating plates for warming the
water may be combined with a receptacle and a steam jet device for increasing
the temperature of the previously warmed water.
This invention may be carried out in various ways.
In one arrangement of water-purifying apparatus constructed in accordance
with this invention the fixed head is extended or enlarged to form a receptacle
into which the water to be purified is admitted and whence the water after

page_text: having been heated passes into a chamber where it is treated with precipitants.
The water then passes through a filter, and leaves the apparatus in a purified
state.
A pipe connected to the receptacle is provided with a cut-off valve and a
steam jet device. The steam jet sucks the water up out of the receptacle and
forces it in a sufficiently heated condition into a channel which conveys it
directly into the precipitating chamber.
The heated
In a modification the fixed head has connected to it the plates of a water
heater which heats the water to be purified by means of steam.
water passes from this preliminary heater into the heating chamber which rests
on the tie-rods, and which is connected to a pipe provided with a valve, a steam
jet device and a channel leading to the precipitation chamber.
This arrangement allows of the use of steam from different sources, for
instance, the preliminary heater may be supplied with exhaust steam, and the
jet device with live steam from a boiler.
In another modification the pipe which is provided with a valve and the
steam jet device, is arranged to lead to a pump which forces the heated water
through a delivery pipe into the precipitating chamber through the channel
aforesaid.
In a further modification the pipe which is provided with a valve and a
steam jet device does not deliver the water directly into a special channel, but
back again into the receptacle which is separated from the precipitating chamber
by a partition that stops short of the bottom. This arrangement produces a
circulation of the water from the receptacle through the steam jet device and
back into the receptacle. The delivery of the water into the receptacle and the
circulation of the water through the steam jet device and the receptacle may be
such that as much water will be withdrawn from behind the partition wall and
delivered into the precipitating chamber as flows into the receptacle.
In the many variations which can be made of the arrangements herein-
described, the heating of the water to be purified can be regulated at will and
no deposition of substances will take place on parts which should transmit
heat, because the active flow of the water through the steam jet device, which
causes the heating, keeps the separated substances in suspension, i.e in motion
so that their deposition takes place only in the precipitating chamber or in
the filtering chambers.
The water which flows from the water purifier will have been freed by both
the herein described mechanical and chemical methods from its impurities and
it will be suitable for feeding steam boilers and for many other industrial and
household purpose.
1
I, LUDWIG HIRT, of Grevenbroich, Prussia, German Empire, 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: -
This invention relates to water purifying apparatus.
Accordino to this in

page_text: vention such apparatus comprises substantially three main portions viz.—a heating
portion, a precipitating or settling portion, and a filtering portion.
The several portions of this water purifying apparatus are arranged together
in series, after the fashion of a filter-press, and they consist of an arrangement
of plates for the heating of the water, of a mixing or precipitating chamber in
which the water is mixed with precipitants or reagents if necessary, and of an
arrangement of plates for the filtration of the impurities or precipitates from
the water. The filter-press arrangement of the apparatus provides a conveniently
handled and compact water-puritying apparatus, requiring but little attention
and permitting of an easy cleansing of all parts which need it.
The arrangements of plates comprise chambers for the heating and filtration
of the water.
By heating the water in suitable chambers as herein described, those substances
which are easily separated by heat are separated therefrom in this stage of
the working and are carried along in suspension by the water into the pre-
cipitating or settling chamber where they are mainly deposited; any remaining
impurities being arrested in the filtration chambers.
Those impurities which cannot be separated solely by heating the water are
separated by the addition of a suitable chemical reagent or reagents (such as
lime, soda, &c.) in the precipitating chamber; the precipitates remaining in
the precipitating chamber or being arrested in the filter chambers.
Some kinds of water contain so much suspended impurity, or they deposit
in the heating process so much solid matter, that in a short time the surfaces
or plates of the heater become so covered with impurities as to considerably
diminish the transmission of heat through the plates.
In order to avoid the ensuing difficulties the heating plates of the water-
purifying apparatus may in those cases be replaced wholly or in part
by a heating apparatus, in which the fixed head is enlarged to form a roomy
receptacle or in which a movable receptacle is arranged on the tie-rods that
unite the heads of the apparatus, and this receptacle may be connected with a
steam jet device for the purpose of raising the water to the requisite temperature,
which as a rule is from about 75° to 90° C. (167° to 194° F.).
This receptacle and the steam jet device may in some cases entirely replace the
system of heating plates; or if preferred a system of heating plates for warming the
water may be combined with a receptacle and a steam jet device for increasing
the temperature of the previously warmed water.
This invention may be carried out in various ways, four of which are illustrated
by way of example in the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are side elevations partly in section, and Figures 1", 2", 3ª
and 4 are corresponding end elevations of these four respective arrangements
of water purifying apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention.
Referring to Figures 1 and 1" the fixed head c is extended or enlarged to
form a receptacle z into which the water to be purified is admitted through
a pipe union e and whence the water after having been heated passes into a
chamber where it is treated with precipitants. The water then passes through
a filter 1, and leaves the apparatus in a purified state through the pipe union o.
A pipe connected to the receptacle is provided with a stop valve,
and with a steam jet devices operated by steam admitted through the pipe
union u.
The steam jet sucks the water up out of the receptacle z and forces
it in a sufficiently heated condition into a channel t which conveys it directly into
the precipitating chamber i. The filter n is composed of partitions and filter
chambers n arranged alternately.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 2, 2ª the fixed head c has connected
to it the plates of a water heater which heats the water (admitted through
the pipe union e) to be purified by means of steam entering through the pipe
union g. The heated water passes from this preliminary heater into the heating
chamber z which rests on the tie-rods of the apparatus and which is connected

page_text: to a pipe g, r, r, provided with a stop-valve, a steam jet devices and a
channel leading to the precipitation chamber.
This arrangement allows of the use of steam from different sources; for instance,
the preliminary heater may be supplied with exhaust steam, and the jet device
may be supplied with live steam from a boiler.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 3, 3" the pipe q, r, which is
provided with a stop-valve and with the steam jet devices is arranged to lead
to a pump (not shown) which forces the heated water through a delivery pipe
into the precipitating chamber through the channel t.
In a further modification illustrated in Figures 4, 4" the pipe which is provided
with a valve and a steam jet device does not deliver the water directly into
the special channel aforesaid, but back again into the receptacle which is
separated from the precipitating chamber by a partition that stops short
of the bottom. This arrangement produces a circulation of the water from the
receptacle through the steam jet devices and back into the receptacle. The
rate of admission of the water through the pipe union e into the receptacle z
and the circulation of the water through the steam jet device s and the receptacle z
may be made such that as much water is withdrawn from behind the partition
wall and delivered into the precipitating chamber i as flows in at e into the
receptacle =. o is the outlet for the purified water.
In the many variations which can be made of the arrangements herein
described, the heating of the water to be purified can be regulated at will and
no deposition of substances will take place on parts which should transmit
heat, because the active flow of the water through the steam jet device, which
causes the heating, keeps the separated substances in suspension, i.e. in motion
so that their deposition takes place only in the precipitating chamber or in
the filtering chambers.
The water which flows from the water purifier will have been freed by the
hereindescribed mechanical and chemical methods from its impurities and
it will be suitable for feeding steam boilers and for many other industrial and
household purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
1. Water-purifying apparatus consisting of a series of chambers arranged after
the fashion of a filter-press and comprising a heating portion, a filtering portion
and an intermediate precipitating chamber or settling portion in which by the
addition of suitable reagents precipitates are formed that are separated in the
filtering portion, the whole constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
herein before described.
2. Water-purifying apparatus of the kind specified in the preceding claim in
which instead of all or some of the heating chambers there is a receptacle
supplied with a steam-jet device for the purpose of heating the water and causing
a more active circulation of the same, constructed, arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described.
3. Water-purifying apparatus constructed, arranged and operating substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference respectively to Figures 1, 1;
Figures 2, 2; Figures 3, 3ª; and Figures 4, 4"; of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1899
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.