Improvements in and Connectc i with Steam Condensing and Fresh Water Supplying Apparatus for Steam-ships or Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in and Connectc i with Steam Condensing and Fresh
Water Supplying Apparatus for Steam-ships or Vessels.
I, JOHN GILMOUR, of 17 Oswald Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My said Invention has reference to and comprises the new or improved construction
or arrangement and combination of the parts of a special water still apparatus for use
in connection with the main steam engine, and donkey, winch and other auxiliary
engines on board steam ships or boats, and capable of being made or erected in a
vertical manner and worked either by steam from the boilers, or by the exhaust steam
from said engines, all for the purpose of supplying fresh water for feeding the steam
boilers, and making up the loss of the fresh water by leakage in the engines and also
for supplying fresh water for other and general uses on board of steamboats during
long voyages; which improved evaporating and condensing fresh-water still, or
apparatus and its fittings, will save much loss of heat besides giving other advantages
in connection with marine steam engines than heretofore obtained.
The nature and novelty of the invention consist all as follows:-Under one vertical
construction or arrangement and combination of the parts, (which has the advantage
of taking up the least superficial space in or near the engine compartment), the
apparatus consists of a main close vertical cylindrical vessel, which would be made of
sheet iron or steel of any convenient size to suit the amount of distillation or
evaporation and fresh water required to be produced from the salt water (which is fed
into or circulated through this vessel for the purpose) as from 18 inches to 3 feet in
diameter, and from 4 to 6 feet high, and preferably made in two parts, that is, having
a top part a fourth part of its height or so for removing and getting easily at the
internal fittings, and formed with an angle-iron flange joint on parts faced, so as to

page_text: form a joint with insertion or other equivalent, and screw bolts; and having slightly
domed close ends at bottom and top preferably formed of one plate with cupped flanges
inserted and riveted to the cylindrical end parts of the body of the vessel, but these
parts might be made with riveted angle-iron or other flanges when preferred. When
the ends are flat or only slightly domed they would be strengthened by small disc
plates on one or both sides; and have a strong stay fitted up the vertical centre of the
whole shell and passed through holes in the said disc ends and secured by screw nuts
tightened up on the inner and outer sides of the end plates. A screw valve or a two
or three-way brass cock or valve would be jointed by flanges near the lower and upper
sides of the central shell of the vessel to corresponding flanged copper bends on the
inside, with trumpet ends opening down and up respectively to near the bottom and
top ends. The former is for drawing or blowing off the brine or salt water from time
to time when that gets too dense, and to prevent incrustation, and the top branch and
valve are for drawing off the steain evaporated from the salt water within the boiler
near the top, to the condenser of the main engine, and discharge into any other vessel
or overboard, preferably through the branch of a loaded pressure valve chest. The
lower valve chest would be connected to a donkey pump or one end of a donkey pump
fitted on the side of the boiler for causing a regulated drawing off of the brine, while
another stop valve would be fitted to a higher part of the boiler for supplying the salt
water from the sea to it, leading to the other end of the said donkey pump, making
this pump a regulating circulating pump for supplying the salt water to and from the
boiler to maintain it at a uniform density, proportionally to the evaporation or
distillation going on within it, or this valve and end of the pump might draw the feed
salt water from the hot discharge end of the circulating water of the main condenser ;
and a drawing off tap would be fitted to near the centre side of the boiler for testing
the density of the salt water in it at any time desired. When desired the upper valve
or three-way cock might by one branch draw off all the steam evaporated from the top
of the vessel direct to the interior vacuum chamber of the surface condenser, instead
of through the loaded valve chest described, and which would thus be evaporated from
the salt water under a vacuum at a low temperature. The height of the salt water in
the vessel may be regulated by a glass tube gauge fitted outside so as not to rise to
within 12 to 16 inches of the top when so distilling off fresh water; or a separate
automatic float regulating valve chest would in some cases be fitted in connection with
the upper part of the steam and water space of the boiler for that purpose, substantially
the same as that for drawing off the fresh condensed distilled water from the con-
densing coil arrangement, all as hereinafter described. The second branch of this
upper cock would lead the steam evaporated to the ordinary fresh-water still
arrangement for condensation, filtration, and general passenger use. A third brauch
of this upper cock or valve might lead over the side of the boat to the sea for circulation
of salt water through the vessel when the third branch of the lower cock from the
discharge of the donkey pump was in use for circulating the salt water through the
vessel for using it as a surface condenser for any of the auxiliary engines which were
in use, as in harbours or ports, and the main engines are not working. These boilers
would also be fitted on top with compound or other steam pressure and vacuum gauges,
and a safety pressure (preferably locked) valve or valves; and for large sizes would
have a man-hole door in the upper removing part of the vessel, and a sludge or
manhole door near the lower side or end. The salt water in this vertical arrangement
of boiler is heated, preferably by a steam branch fitted near the upper part of the
body of the vessel below the joint of the removing part, and within the water space of
the boiler, with two regulating steam valves (or a two-way steam cock) one for
admitting the steam from the main or other boilers of the steamboat, and the other for
admitting the exhaust steam from the cylinders and engines of the steam winches or
other auxiliary steam engines on board of ship, whichever may be used for the time
being for heating the salt water in this vessel. This outer steam branch in the water
space is fitted through on the inside of the vessel to a branch of a central annular steam
box with radial coupling branches all below the surface level of the salt water, and
with a web and central eye in it, for allowing the mainstay to pass down through and

page_text: to which it may be stayed or secured by nuts. This central steam box has the upper
ends of a series of coiled pipes ranged vertically and radially round the inside of the
vessel, so as to fill up the greater amount of space within the vessel between the shell
and the central stay. The lower ends of all these coils are radially coupled to a
corresponding close central annular box and lateral branch to that just described for
the top, only smaller as it has only to carry off the steam condensed in and water
flowing from these coils. This lower central box and lower ends of the coils would be
supported by a screw nut on the central stay, and the lateral branch of this vessel
would have its flange bolted to a short flanged branch passed out through the lower
side of the vessel, to which would preferably be jointed a new or improved con-
struction of float valve chamber preferably with a long oblong hollow copper
cylindrical float with domed ends, working with a guide rod in the centre up through
a stuffing box cover, and having a rod attached to its lower end working an annular
piston valve with side ports through it in a corresponding cylindrical valve seat open
at top into the hollow valve, but close at bottom with corresponding ports through
the circumference of the valve seat leading into the valve seat chamber and branch
bolted on to the underside of the float chest to draw off the condensed water from
time to time as it accumulated and the float rose within the vessel by a copper pipe
led to the hot well of the main engine for being fed back into the boiler to make up
for all loss of fresh water by blowing off or leaky joints or otherwise of the niain
engine and boilers. This float vessel would be fitted on the outside with a glass gange
to show the rising and falling of the water level and the proper working of the float
valve and a similar drawing-off float valve chest to that just described might be
fitted to the upper part of the outer shell of the boiler for regulating the level of the
salt water in it and drawing it off to the discharge water pipes leading from the
surface condenser to the sea, that is in the arrangement of this boiler suitable for
the steam being led direct to the condenser of the main engine and boiler under
vacuo.
When this apparatus is used to supply fresh water for that lost in the main boilers
and engines, without the use of a feed pump or other distilling apparatus, the steam is
taken from the main boiler and passed through the regulating valve for the purpose
leading to the close coils to heat or boil the salt water within the vessel by radiation
through the coils, the condensed water of the coils being led off as before stated
through the branch of the lower float drawing off valve chamber to the hot well.
This arrangement enables the salt water to be boiled or evaporated under the
pressure of a valve loaded to near the pressure of the atmosphere as before stated, or
it may be boiled in vacuo within the cylindrical vessel by leading the steam pipe to
the condenser of the main engine, instead of through the loaded valve, and be
evaporated at a comparatively low temperature, and consequently with less expenditure
of steam heat than would be required for supplying the same quantity of water by any
ordinary distilling apparatus used for supplying the waste fresh water lost in marine
engines, and led into the condenser and fed into the hot well of the main engine in an
automatic manner, without the use of a feed pump.
This vacuum boiler feeder would evaporate any desired quantity of water either by
the live steam from the main boiler or from the donkey boilers, or by the exhaust
steam from the donkey or other auxiliary engines, when these are at work, and lead
the condensed steam from the coils to the hot well or to the donkey pumps for feeding
the boilers or for other purposes, and the steam evaporated from the salt water might,
when not required for making up the loss in the main engine, be led off to the
condenser of the ordinary fresh water still apparatus and filters for the use of
passengers and for other purposes on board of steam ships.
Instead of using live steam from either the main boilers or the donkey boilers for
heating these coils, the exhaust steam from the donkey engines and auxiliary or
refrigerating engines when these are at work, may be used for heating the coils, and
the salt water, for evaporating and distilling off fresh water therefrom within the
vessel either under the vacuo of the main engine condenser or not, all otherwise
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.

page_text: The steam coil and undulating tubes in these evaporating boilers and surface
condensers would all preferably be made of copper and their branches and valves of
brass; and they would all be preferably lagged with wood or other non-heat-conducting
material or jacketed with sheet-iron and close air spaces.
Water Supplying Apparatus for Steam-ships or Vessels.
I, JOHN GILMOUR, of 17 Oswald Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to he as follows:-
My said Invention has reference to and comprises the new or improved construction,
or arrangement and combination of the parts, of a special boiling or water still
apparatus for use in connection with the main steam engines, and donkey, winch, and
other auxiliary engines on board steam ships or boats, and capable of being made or
erected in a vertical manner and worked either by steam direct from the boilers, or
by the exhaust steam from said engines, all for the purpose of supplying fresh water
for feeding the steam boilers, and making up the loss of the fresh water by leakage in
the engines, and also for supplying fresh water for passenger and general use on board
of steamboats during long voyages; which improved evaporating and condensing
fresh-water still or apparatus and its fittings, will save much loss of heat besides
giving other advantages in connection with marine steam engines than heretofore
obtained.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
two explanatory sheets of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 on Sheet 1 shows
a front external elevation of one arrangement of my new or improved apparatus and
its fittings complete, for use on board steam ships as an evaporator for.supplying steam
from sea water to make fresh water, and as a surface condenser for auxiliary engines
when in harbour or at anchor, or when main engines are not working. And Figures 2
and 3 are a sectional elevation and plan respectively corresponding to Figure 1 showing
one arrangement of the steam pipe coils J, six being shown ranged vertically and
circumferentially within the evaporating or condensing boiler A. Figure 4 on

page_text: speet 2 is a front elevation similar to Figure 1, of a slightly modified arrangement
without the donkey pump and concentric steam coils; and Figures 5 and 6 are a
sectional elevation and plan respectively corresponding to Figure 4 of the evaporating
or condensing vessel A, A, in which the steami pipes are shown ranged in the form of
concentric coils J within each other, instead of separate radially ranged coils J as in
Figures 1 to 3. Figures 7 and 8 show a sectional elevation and plan respectively of
one of the discharge valves and branches from the apparatus.
Referring to these Drawings:-The nature and novelty of the invention consist all.
as follows Under the vertical construction or arrangement and combination of the
parts shown in the Drawings, (which has the advantage of taking up the least super-
ficial space in or near the engine compartment) the apparatus consists of a main close
vertical cylindrical vessel A, A1, A2, made of sheet metal, preferably of steel or iron
of any convenient size to suit the amount of distillation, or evaporation and fresh
water required to be produced from the salt water (which is fed into or circulated
through this vessel for the purpose) as from 18 inches to 3 feet in diameter, and
from 4 to six feet high, and constructed or formed in two parts, that is, having a top
part A a fourth of its height or so, for removing and getting easily at the internal
fittings, and both preferably formed with an angle-iron flange joint on parts faced
at a, a, so as to form a joint with insertion or other equivalent and screwed bolts;
and having slightly domed close ends A2 at bottom and top, preferably formed of one
plate with cupped flanges inserted and riveted to the cylindrical end parts A, A¹ of
the body of the vessel, but these parts might be made with riveted angle-iron or other
flanges when preferred. When the ends are flat or only slightly domed they would
be strengthened by small disc plates a² on one or both sides; and have a strong stay
preferably made in two parts B, B1, and jointed at B2, fitted up the vertical centre of
the whole shell and passed through holes in the ends and plates A², «², secured by
screw nuts B tightened up on the inner and outer sides of these end plates A³, a³.
A screw valve, or a two or three-way brass cock or valve chest jointed by flanges
near the lower and upper sides of the central shell of the vessel, as shown at C, D,
respectively to corresponding flanged copper bends C, D', on the inside, with trumpet
ends opening down and up respectively to near the bottom and top ends A². The
former is for drawing or blowing off the brine or salt water overboard from time to
time when that gets too dense, and to prevent incrustation; and the top branch Dand
cock D² are for drawing off the steam, evaporated from the salt water. within the
boiler A, A, near the top, to the condenser of the main engine, when used as a boiler or
evaporator, (and the salt water when used as a condenser) preferably through the
branch of a loaded pressure valve chest, and a separate cock D³, through the branchd,
to the condenser, or discharged to the still or into any other vessel where required
through the branch d'. The lower valve chest C is connected by the pipe to a
donkey pump or the inlet valve at the upper end of a donkey pump E, E, fitted on
the side of the boiler or evaporator A, A, for effecting a regulated drawing off of
the brine, forced overboard through the branch C3; while another stop valve E2 would
be fitted to a higher part of the boiler A, A', for supplying the salt water through the
inlet branch and valve El, from the sea or the discharge of the circulating hot water
of main condenser to it, leading to the other or lower end of the said donkey
pump E, E', making this pump a regulating circulating pump for supplying the salt
water to and from the boiler A, A¹ to maintain it at a uniform density proportionally
to the evaporation or distillation going on within it; fitted all as particularly shown
in Figure 1, the steam cylinder E of this pump being supplied with live steam from
the main steam pipe F, by the small pipe and valve e, e, while the exhaust pipe e²,
from this cylinder, is led up to the top part of the boiler A A¹. In some cases this
circulating pump E, E, might draw the feed salt water from the hot discharge end of
the circulating water of the main condenser. A drawing off tap e³ is fitted to near the
centre side of the boiler for testing the density of the salt water in it any time desired.
When desired the upper valve chest D, and two-way cock D³, might by the branch d
draw off all the steam evaporated from the top of the vessel A, A, direct to the
interior vacuum chamber of the surface condenser, and which would thus be evaporated

page_text: Another
from the salt water under a vacuum at a low temperature. The height of the salt
water in the vessel A, A', may he regulated by a glass tube guage e fitted outside so
as not to rise to within 12 to 16 inches of the top when so distilling off fresh water.
As shown in Figures 4 and 6 a check valve and chest G is fitted at the upper part of
the vessel A to admit to it the feed water from circulating water discharge of main
engines fed to it by a circulating pump, and an equilibrium acting valve is fitted at G
at the end of this valve chest G in the inside of the vessel A A¹. This equilibrium
valve Gis operated as shown in Figure 6, by a ball float lever G³, which rises and
shuts off the supply of water through the valves G, G', when the level of the water
in the vessel A, A', gets too high, and falls again and opens the valves G, G¹ when
the water in the vessel A, A¹, falls, so as to automatically regulate the feed to the
vessel. The branch of the upper valve and cock D2, D3, would in some cases be
made to lead the steam evaporated from the boiler A, A¹, to the ordinary fresh water
still arrangement for condensation, filtration, and general passenger use.
branch and valve I would lead over the side of the ship to the sea for circulation of
the cold water through the vessel when a third branch and valve chest H, H², of the
lower cock from the discharge of a circulating pump was in use for circulating the
cold water through the vessel A, A', for using it as a surface condenser for any of
the auxiliary engines which were in use, as in harbours or ports, and the main engines
are not working, and as-shown particularly in Figures 4, 5, and 6. And the branch
and valve D D, of the valve chest D2, would be used for this discharge overboard
when the apparatus is used as a surface condenser. These boilers A, A¹, are also
fitted on top with compound or other steam pressure and vacuum gauges g, gl, and a
safety pressure (preferably locked) valve or valves g² at top, and for large sizes would
have a manhole door g³ in the upper removing part A of the vessel, and a sludge or
manhole door gt near the lower side or end of the body A of the vessel A A¹. The
salt water in this vertical arrangement of boiler A, A¹, is heated by steam, preferably
admitted through a steam branch and valve F, F and valve chest I, I', fitted near the
upper part of the body A of the vessel A, A', below the joint a, a¹, of the removing
part A and within the water space A of the boiler, with two regulating steam
valves F, 1, (or a two-way steam cock) the one F¹ for admitting the live steam
from the main or other boilers of the steamboat for heating the salt water in this
vessel A, A, and the other 11 for admitting the exhaust steam from the cylinders
and engines of the steam winches or other auxiliary steam engines on board of ship,
when the vessel A A' is to be used as a surface condenser for these, as in harbour
or when main engines are stopped, the exhaust steam being condensed into water,
which is returned to engine boilers. The outer steam branch I at the water space is
fitted through on the inside of the vessel to a branch of a central annular steam
box with radial coupling branches all below the surface level of the salt water,
and with a web and central eye in it, for allowing the mainstay B to pass down through
and to which it may be stayed or secured by nuts B. This central steam box i¹
has the upper ends of a series of coiled pipes J six being shown in Figures 1 to 3,
ranged vertically and radially round the inside of the vessel A A' so as to fill up the
greater amount of space within the vessel A A' between the shell A and the central
stay B. The lower ends of all these coils J are radially coupled by their several
branches to a corresponding close central annular box with lateral outlet
branch to that i just described for the top, only sunaller as it has only to carry off
the steam condensed in and water flowing from these coils J. This lower central
box and lower ends of the coils J are supported by a screw nut B on the central
stay B, and the lateral branch of this vessel has its flange bolted to a short flanged
branch, passed out through the lower side of the vessel A, to which would preferably
be jointed a hollow vessel or chamber K. The discharge branch K' of this hollow
chamber K would preferably be fitted with a two or three way cock or valve K², as
shown in Figures 4 and 5 Sheet 2, for serving the condensed water either to the hot
well of the main engine for being fed back into the boiler, or be led to a tank for
general service of fresh water or hot fresh water. This discharge branch K¹ of the
follow vessel K might be fitted on the outside with a glass gauge k to show the rising

page_text: and falling of the water level. In the arrangement shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the
condensing coils or worms J are shown as arranged concentrically within each other
within the evaporator A, A', and the central annular connecting chests,, are
dispensed with, and the whole of the coils J are jointed at " to the branch i at the
top, leading from the inlet valve chest I, and at to the branch leading to the
hollow discharge chamber K.
When this apparatus is used to supply fresh water for that lost in the main boilers
and engines, without the use of a feed pump or other distilling apparatus, the steam
is taken from the main boiler of the engine and passed from the pipe F through the
regulating valve F1 for the purpose, leading to the close heating and condensing
coils J to heat or boil the salt water within the vessel A, A', by radiation through the
coils, the condensed water from the steam within the coils J being led off as before
stated through the branch valve K² of the lower drawing off hollow chamber K to the
hot well.
This arrangement enables the salt water to be hoiled or evaporated under the pressure
of the safety valve loaded to near the pressure of the atmosphere as before stated,
or it may be boiled in vacuo within the cylindrical vessel A, A¹, by leading the steam
by the cock and pipe D³, d, to the condenser of the main engine, and be evaporated
at a comparatively low temperature, and consequently with less expenditure of steam
heat than would be required for supplying the same quantity of water by any ordinary
distilling apparatus used for supplying the waste fresh water lost in marine engines,.
and into the condenser and fed into the hot well of the main engine in an automatic
manner, without the use of a feed pump.
This vacuum boiler feeder A, A, would evaporate any desired quantity of water
either by the live steam from the main boiler or from the donkey boilers, through the
pipe F and valve F; or by the exhaust steam from the donkey or other auxiliary
engines, when these are at work, led through the branch and controlling valve I, I,
as hereinbefore described and lead the condensed steam from the coils through the
two-way cock K² to the hot well or to the donkey pumps for feeding the boilers, or
for other service purposes through the ship, and the steam evaporated from the salt
water might, when not required for making up the loss in the main engines, be led off
by the branch d to the condenser of the ordinary fresh water still apparatus and
filters for the use of passengers and for other purposes on board of steam ships.
Instead of using live steam from either the main boilers or the donkey boiler, for
heating these coils, J, the exhaust steam from the donkey engines and auxiliary or
refrigerating engines when these are at work, may be used for heating the coils, and
the salt water, for evaporating and distilling off fresh water therefrom within the
vessel either under the vacuo of the main engine condenser or not, all otherwise
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
The steam coils or undulating tubes J in these evaporating boilers and surface
condensers would all preferably be made of copper and their branches and valves
of brass; and the vessel A A', and outer pipes would all be preferably lagged with
wood or other nou-heat-conducting inaterial or jacketed with sheet-iron and close air
spaces.
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 :-
First. The construction, or general arrangement and combination of the parts of
apparatus for use on board steam ships or vessels as an evaporator for supplying steam
from sea water to make fresh water, by the heat of either live or exhaust steam, and
as a surface condenser for auxiliary engines, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 respectively of the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The construction and use of coils of tubes within a close evaporating
vessel, in combination with a circulating steam pump for being employed on board
steam ships as an evaporator for producing fresh water from salt water by the heat of

page_text: either live or exhaust steam, and as a condenser for auxiliary engines, all substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings."
Third. In a steam evaporating or condensing apparatus for steam ships or vessels,
the combination and use of a donkey or steam pump for supplying and regulating the
circulation of the salt water to and from said apparatus substantially as herein described,
in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The construction and use of a vessel A A' formed with a removable top
part A', for use on board steam ships as an evaporator for supplying steam from salt
water to make fresh water, by the heat of either live or exhaust steam, and as a surface
condenser for auxiliary engines, substantially as and for the advantages herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
ד
2
1000