IMPROVE- MENTS IN HEATING THE FEEDWATER OF STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Weir and James Weir, both of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HEATING THE FEEDWATER OF STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Weir and James
Weir at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th January
1880.
GEORGE WEIR and JAMES WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATING THE FEED WATER OF
STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention comprises additions to the series of improvements relating to the
obtainment of motive power by means of steam, described in the Specifications of
various Patents obtained by the present applicants, namely, No. 1936 of 1871;
No. 5012 of 1876; and No. 1568 of 1878; and in the Provisional Specification
relative to an application for Letters Patent numbered 4351 of 1879.
By the present Invention instead of heating the feed water by passing it in
showers or small streams through steam, the heating is effected by injecting steam
into the water, or in other words beneath its surface; but this is done in a manner
to produce a circulating motion in the water, and so as to avoid objectionable
noise. The steam employed for heating the feed water may be taken from the
intermediate receiver or steam casing of compound engines, as described in some of
the earlier Specifications hereinbefore referred to; or it may be taken from other
parts of the engines, or in some cases directly from the boiler. The heating may
be effected in a vessel which is open to the atmosphere like an ordinary hot well,
in which case steam of very low pressure may be used with good effect; or more
or less pressure may be maintained in the vessel, and in some cases the vessel may
be in direct connection with or even inside of the boiler, provision being however
always made for the escape of air or gas separated from the water on its being
heated.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification a vessel is used
which is partly of a cylindrical form, and the feed water enters this vessel at the

page_text: centre of its bottom, and is discharged or overflows at a central opening at the top.
The steam is introduced by one or, as is preferred, by two or more nozzles placed
so as to direct the steam jets in tangential directions, and the steam entering in
that way gives a rapid whirling motion to the water. The water in consequence
of its whirling motion passes the steam nozzles rapidly and absorbs the steam
without the noise which in many cases accompanies the injection of steam into
water. The sides of the vessel are contracted at the upper part, and whilst the
centrifugal force due to the whirling motion causes the colder portions of the
water to go to the parts having the largest diameter, the more heated water
proceeds towards the centre and passes off at the top.
The form and arrangement of the apparatus may be modified in various ways
provided that the steam jets are applied so as to induce in the water a circulating
motion such that the water moves rapidly past the nozzles, and in the direction of
the jets. Thus, for example, a simple pipe or passage of any convenient form, and
made to return upon itself with a steam jet directed along any part of it, would
answer the purpose, suitable connections being made with it for leading the feed
water to and from it.
One object of heating the feed water is to cause the separation from it of air or
gases, whose presence in the steam boiler is believed to be injurious by causing or
favoring corrosion; and the present Invention comprises means for rendering the
separation of air or gases more effectual and complete, such means being
advantageously applicable not only to apparatus hereinbefore described, but also to
feed heating or air separating apparatus of the kinds described in some of the
earlier Specifications hereinbefore referred to. The whirling motion hereinbefore
described largely promotes the separation of air or gas; but in all cases where feed
water is heated the separation of air or gas is rendered most rapid and certain by
bringing the water repeatedly into contact with metallic surfaces or other solid
and, by preference, rough substances. Thus in the apparatus hereinbefore described
the water which has acquired the whirling motion and become heated may be led
over or against surfaces of various forms, and in other apparatus the heated water
may be passed through a series of gratings, or through a number of small tortuous
or indirect passages, or be made in any convenient manner to impinge repeatedly
on metallic or other suitable surfaces.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Weir and James Weir in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th July 1880.
GEORGE WEIR and JAMES WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATING THE FEED WATER OF
STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Our said Invention comprises additions to the series of improvements relating to
the obtainment of motive power by means of steam, described in the Specifications
of various Patents obtained by us, namely, No. 1936 of 1871; No. 5012 of 1876;
No. 1568 of 1878; and No. 4351 of 1879.
By our present Invention instead of heating the feed water by passing it in
showers or small streams through steam, the heating is effected by injecting steam
into the water, or in other words beneath its surface, but this is done in a manner
to produce a circulating motion in the water and so as to avoid objectionable noise.
The steam employed for heating the feed water may be taken from the intermediate
receiver or steam casing of compound engines, as described in some of our earlier
Specifications herein before referred to, or it may be taken from other parts of the
engines, or, in some cases, directly from the boiler. The heating may be effected
in a vessel which is open to the atmosphere like an ordinary hot well, in which
case steam of very low pressure may be used with good effect, or more or less
pressure may be maintained in the vessel, and in some cases the vessel may be
in direct connection with or even inside of the boiler, provision being however
always made for the escape of air or gas separated from the water on its being
heated.
One object of heating the feed water is to cause the separation from it of air or
gases whose presence in the steam boiler is believed to be injurious by causing or
favoring corrosion; and our present Invention comprises means for rendering
the separation of air or gases more effectual and complete, such means being
advantageously applicable not only to apparatus hereinbefore referred to, but also
to feed-heating or air-separating apparatus of the kinds described in some of the
earlier Specifications herein before referred to. The circulating or whirling motion
which it is the object of part of our present Invention to produce, largely promotes
the separation of air or gas, but in all cases where feed water is heated the
separation of air or gas is rendered most rapid and certain by bringing the
water repeatedly into contact metallic surfaces or other solid and, by preference,
rough substances. Thus in apparatus in which the water has acquired a whirling
motion and become heated, it may be led over or against surfaces of various forms,
and in other apparatus the heated water may be passed through a series of gratings
or through a number of tortuous or indirect passages, or be made in any convenient
manner to impinge repeatedly on metallic or other suitable surfaces.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, we hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing examples of our improved apparatus.
In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of one
modification of our improved feed-water heating apparatus; Figure 2 is a horizontal
section, and Figure 3 is a sectional plan. This apparatus comprises a vessel 11, 12,
the lower part 12 of which is of a vertical cylindrical form, the feed water entering
at the centre of the bottom by a pipe 13 and passing off from the lower part 12 of
the vessel by an annular opening 14. The steam enters by a pipe 15 extending
down centrally from the top of the apparatus, and fitted at its bottom with two
diametrically opposite curved nozzles 16 shaped to direct the steam jets in
:

page_text: tangential directions. The steam entering in this way as the water is rising
through the vessel gives a rapid whirling motion to the water whilst heating it.
The water in consequence of its whirling motion passes the steam nozzles rapidly,
and absorbs the steam without the noise which in many cases accompanies the
injection of steam into water. The opening 14 by which the water passes from the
lower part 12 of the vessel is comparatively contracted, and whilst the centrifugal
force due to the whirling motion causes colder portions of the water to go to the
parts having the largest diameter, the more heated water proceeds towards the
centre and passes by the opening 14 into the upper part 11 of the vessel. The
heated feed water passes from the apparatus forward to the boilers by a pipe
connected to an outlet 17 some distance below the top of the upper part 11. The
apparatus may be open to the atmosphere by an outlet 18 in the top of the upper
part 11, or it may be worked under pressure, the outlet 18 being in that case closed
and a small pipe 19 with a stopcock being fitted to the top for the escape of air or
gas which becomes disengaged from the water by the action of the steam and heat.
To facilitate the disengagement of air or gas a number of projecting pieces 20 are
formed on or attached to the inside of the vessel 12, and are impinged upon by the
water in its whirling motion. When it is necessary to vary or regulate the
proportion of steam admitted to the apparatus we prefer to do this not merely by
means of a valve on the supply pipe, but by altering the nozzle openings 16 so
that when the steam jets are diminished in quantity they will still issue with
considerable force. A convenient arrangement for adjusting the nozzle openings is
shown in Figure 3, and comprises for each nozzle a simple spindle 21 entered
through a stuffing box and fitted to slide across the nozzle opening, being adjusted
by screwing it in or out by means of a cross handle 22.
The form and arrangement of our apparatus may be modified in various ways,
provided that the steam jets are applied so as to induce in the water a circulating
motion, such that the water moves rapidly past the nozzles and in the direction of
the jets. Thus, for example, a simple pipe or passage, such as is shown in section
in Figure 4, or of any other convenient form, and made to return upon itself with
a steam jet directed along any suitable part of it, will answer the purpose, suitable
connections being made with it for leading the feed water to and from it. The
arrows in Figure 4 show the direction in which the feed water passes through the
apparatus. At the part where the return bend 23 starts from the direct thorough-
fare between the inlet 13 and outlet 17, a nozzle 24 with a screw regulating spindle
is placed for directing. the steam jet, so as to cause the circulation of the water
through the return bend 23. Figure 5 is a section of a different form of apparatus
for the same purpose; and in this modification the steam-jet nozzle 24 is placed
centrally, and the feed water passes by the inlet 13 into an annular space sur-
rounding the nozzle. The jet propels the water from the inlet together with that
thrown into circulation through a conoidal shell 25, and on issuing from the forward
end of that shell an annular concave shield 26 deflects the water backwards all
round. Some of the water passes to the outlet 17, round the edge of the shield 26,
but the larger portion returns between the shell 25 and the casing, to be again
propelled through the shell. An outlet 19, to which a pipe may be attached, is
provided in the top of the casing for the escape of air or gas.
Figure 6 is a side elevation, Figure 7 is a vertical section as at right angles to
Figure 6, and Figure 8 is a plan of a modification of air-separating, feed-heating
apparatus, like what is described in our earlier Specification, No. 4351, of 1879
hereinbefore referred to, but with the addition of a system of tortuous passages and
repeated surfaces for the water to pass over after being heated, for the purpose of
more completely disengaging air or gas from it. This apparatus is made up of a
number of separate sections, an arrangement admitting of its being easily intro-
duced into and fitted up inside of a steam boiler; and the several sections are
bound together by vertical tie bars 27 passing through lugs on some of the sections
and secured by keys, whilst crossheads 28 are fitted to the upper ends of the tie
bars 27, by which to suspend or attach the apparatus insido the boiler. The feed

page_text: water enters a lateral inlet 13 in one of the sections, and passing up an annular
passage 29 is deflected by a cover 30 upon an inclined annular flange 31. This
flange 31 directs the water outwards, and it is next directed inwards by a reversely
inclined annular flange 32. The water is directed outwards and inwards alternately
by a succession of similar flanges 31, 32, and whilst descending in this way it is
acted on by the steam which enters at the open top, and also through narrow spaces
between the sections. At this part of the apparatus the downward current causes
any separated air or gas to pass down also, but as the water becomes more heated,
the air or gas separating more freely collects under a conical flange 33, and passes
up a central pipe 34 to the air-outlet pipe 19 at the top. The sections below the
conical air collecting flange 33 are different from the higher one, but have still
flanges 35, 36, like those 31, 32, for directing the water alternately outwards and
inwards. There is however no further admission of steam between the sections,
and there are under the inner inclined flanges 35 openings leading into a central
passage 37, by which openings and passage the air or gas becoming disengaged from
the descending water finds its way to the upper pipe 34, and outlet pipe 19. The
bottom section 38 dips below the water in the boiler, or below water in a dish
secured to it so that the air or gas cannot pass that way.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel
and original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,
1. The heating of the feed water of steam boilers by means of steam injected
into the water in a manner to produce therein a circulating or whirling motion,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The constructing or arranging of the parts of apparatus for heating boiler feed
water, and separating air or gas therefrom, substantially in the manner herein-
before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
3. The constructing of apparatus for heating boiler feed water, substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
4. The constructing of apparatus for heating boiler feed water, and separating
air or gas therefrom, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figure 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
5. The causing of the freshly heated feed water to impinge upon or pass in
contact with a succession of differently disposed surfaces, in order to facilitate the
disengagement of air or gas therefrom, substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. The arranging or combining together of the parts of feed-heating and air-
separating apparatus, in the improved manner and for the purposes substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8, of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Weir, on behalf of myself and the
said James Weir, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third
day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
GEORGE WEIR. (L.S.)