Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam for Heating or Cooling Fluids and for Evaporating Water.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam for Heating or
Cooling Fluids and for Evaporating Water.
We JOHN NEWTON of 79 Mark Lane in the city of London in the county of
Middlesex, Merchant, and DANIEL ARTHUR QUIGGIN of 28 Chapel Street Liverpool in
the county of Tancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for condensing steam, for heating or cooling
fluids, and for evaporating water, but for convenience of description we will describe
it as applied for the condensation of steam in order to produce a supply of fresh water,
for which purpose it is especially applicable.
According to our present invention we construct fresh-water condensers as
follows:-
A closed vessel preferably cylindrical, and whose axis we will assume to be vertical,
is provided with suitable inlet and outlet branches as hereinafter described and is
divided by two horizontal diaphragms into three chambers which may be termed the
upper, middle, and lower chambers respectively.
Within the middle chamber are placed one or more helical coils each formed of a thin
tube of copper or other suitable material, the axes of the said coils being vertical. The
upper end of the tube forming each helical coil is secured by brazing or otherwise to
a union or connecting-piece of brass or other suitable material, by means of which the
said upper end is attached to the upper diaphragm.
This union or connecting-piece is provided with a collar to bear against the lower
side of the upper diaphragm and is so constructed that when it is inserted into a hole
in the diaphragm and a steam-tight connection made therewith by means of a nut and
suitable packing, if required, the interior of the tube forming the helical coil is in
communication with the upper chamber of the condenser.
The lower end of the tube forming each helical coil is attached to the lower
diaphragm in a manner exactly similar to that described in speaking of the upper
diaphragm.
The tube forming each helical coil is flattened so as to have an elliptical or approxi-
mately elliptical cross-section and the longer axis of the said elliptical cross-section is
inclined to the axis of the helix at an angle of about forty-five degrees therewith, the
inclination being upwards and inwards towards the axis of the helix.
The pitch of the helical coil is sufficient to leave a space between its successive con-
volutions, and from the manner and direction in which the tube of the helical coil is
flattened, this space offers a free passage for the upward current of cooling or
circulating water to pass from the outside of the coils to the inside, the circulating
water thus having free access to every part of the cooling surface. As hereinbefore
stated the cross-section of the tube is elliptical or nearly so. The cross-section may
have parallel sides with semicircular ends or the upper end of the section may be wider
than the lower end.
If preferred the helical coils may be inverted in which case an upward current of
cooling or circulating water has a free passage from the inside to the outside of the
coils.
The middle chainber of the condenser is provided at or near its bottom with an inlet
branch and at or near its top with an outlet branch for the cooling or circulating
water, the circulation of which may be natural or may be maintained by any suitable
meáns.

page_text: The upper chamber of the condenser which forms a steam chamber is provided with
a suitable inlet branch, connecting it with the supply of steam which is to be
condensed.
The said steam passes into the helical coils, is condensed therein by the action of the
cooling or circulating water with which the said coils are surrounded and finally
trickles as fresh water into the lower chamber of the condenser.
This lower chamber may be provided with means of aërating the fresh water and
may be arranged as a filter chainber or it may simply serve as a fresh water receiver,
being provided with a suitable outlet branch for the withdrawal of the fresh water.
Instead of coiling the flattened tubes forming the cooling surfaces into helical coils
as hereinbefore described they may for convenience of stacking be bent into zig-zags
with their axes vertical. The tubes are so bent that the longer axis of the cross-section
of each tube is inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees with the axis of the zig-
zag. The successive lengths of each zig-zag are nearly parallel to each other and all
lie nearly in the same plane so that a considerable number of such zig-zags may be
packed. into a comparatively sinall space.
As in the case of the helical coils, the inclined spaces between the successive lengths
of each zig-zag offer a free passage to the upward current of circulating water which
thus has free access to every part of the cooling surfaces.
While we have described our invention as applied for the condensation of steam it
is to be understood that it may be applied in other cases where it is desired to heat or
cool fluids or to evaporate water.
The apparatus may for instance be arranged as a feed-heater in which case the feed
water enters the lower chamber, rises through the tubes of the helical coils or zig-zags
as the case may be into the upper-chamber and is discharged therefrom whilst the hot
air, hot gases, steam or other-heating-medium-enters at the top-of-the-middle-chamber
and is discharged from the bottom thereof or the courses of the feed water and the
heating medium-may be in tho reverse direction.
When arranged as an evaporator the steam, hot air, hot gases or other heating medium
enters the upper chamber, descends through the tubes of the helical coils or zig-zags
as the case may be into the lower chamber from which it is discharged, or in some
cases the direction of the flow may be reversed.
In the case of steam being used as the heating medium such steain may be partially
or entirely condensed before reaching the lower chamber.
The liquid to be evaporated enters at the bottom of the middle chamber and the
vapour arising therefrom is taken away from the top of the chamber.
Where salt water is being evaporated means must be provided for withdrawing the
concentrated brine at intervals so as to prevent undue accumulation of salts.
Dated this 27th day of July 1888.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
26, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam for Heating or
Cooling Fluids (and for Evaporating Water.
We JOHN NEWTON of 79 Mark Lane in the city of London in the county of
Middlesex, Merchant, and DANIEL ARTHUR QUIGGIN of 28 Chapel Street Liverpool
in the county of Lancaster, 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:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for condensing steam, for heating or cooling
fluids and for evaporating water, but for convenience of description we will describe
it as applied for the condensation of steam.in order to produce a supply of fresh water,
for which purpose it is specially applicable.

page_text: According to our present invention we construct fresh water condensers as
follows:-
A closed vessel preferably cylindrical, and whose axis we will assume to be vertical,
is provided with suitable inlet and outlet branches as hereinafter described and is
divided by two horizontal diaphragms into three chambers, which may be termed the
upper middle and lower chambers respectively.
Within the middle chamber are placed one or more helical coils each formed of a
thin tube of copper or other suitable material, the axis of the said coils being vertical.
The upper end of the tube forming each helical coil is secured by brazing to a union
or connecting-piece of brass or other suitable material, by means of which the said
upper end is attached to the upper diaphragm.
This union or connecting-piece is provided with a collar to bear against the lower
side of the upper diaphragin, and is so constructed that when it is inserted into a hole
in the diaphragm and a steam-tight connection made therewith by means of a nut and
suitable packing, if required. the interior of the tube forming the helical coil is in
communication with the upper chamber of the condenser.
The lower end of the tube forming each helical coil is attached to the lower
diaphragm in a manner exactly similar to that described in speaking of the upper
diaphragm.
The tube forming each helical coil is flattened so as to have an elliptical or
approximately elliptical cross-section and the longer axis of the said elliptical cross-
section is inclined to the axis of the helix at an angle of about forty-five degrees there-
with, the exact angle not being material, the inclination being upwards and inwards
towards the axis of the helix.
The pitch of the helical coil is sufficient to leave a space between its successive con-
volutions, and from the manner and direction in which the tube of the helical coil is
flattened this space offers a free passage for the upward current of cooling or circu-
lating water to pass from the outside of the coils to the inside, the circulating water
thus having free access to every part of the cooling surface.
As herein-before stated, the cross-section of the tube is elliptical or nearly so.
The cross-section may have parallel sides with semicircular ends, or the upper end
of the section may be wider than tho lower end. If preferred, the helical coils may
be inverted, in which case an upward current of cooling or circulating water has a
free passage from the inside to the outside of the coils.
The middle chamber of the condenser is provided, at or near its bottom, with an inlet
branch and at or near its top with an outlet branch for the cooling or circulating
water, the circulation of which may be natural or may be maintained by any suitable
means.
The upper chamber of the condenser which forms a steam chamber is provided
with a suitable inlet brunch connecting it with the supply of steam which is to be
condensed.
The said steam passes into the helical coils, is condensed therein by the action of the
cooling or circulating water with which the said coils are surrounded and finally
trickles into the lower chamber of the condenser as fresh water.
This lower chamber may be provided with means of aërating the fresh water and
may be arranged as a filter chamber, or it may simply serve as a fresh water
receiver, being provided with a suitable outlet branch for the withdrawal of the fresh
water.
We have described this form of our invention as applied for the condensation of
steam, but it may be applied in other cases where it is desired to heat or cool fluids,
or to evaporate water; it may for instance be arranged as a feed-heater, in which case
the feed water enters the lower chamber, rises through the tubes of the helical coils
into the upper chamber and is discharged therefrom, whilst the hot air, hot gases,
steam or other heating medium enters at the top of the middle chamber and
charged from the bottom thereof; or when salt water is to be heated and there is a
tendency to deposit scale in the tubes of the helical coils the heating medium passes
by preference through the helical coils, while the water to be heated surrounds the
dis-

page_text: No text detected.

page_text: It is the met to the upper chamber.
12 is the outlet from the lower chamber.
13 is the aërating pipe.
14 is the filtering material.
The steam to be condensed enters the chamber 4 by the inlet 11, passes through
the coils 7, being condensed therein by the action of the cooling or circulating water
which enters the middle chamber by the inlet 9 and leaves by the outlet 10; the
water of condensation trickles into the chamber 6, where it is aërated, and finally
passes through the filter 14 to the outlet 12.
Fig. VII shows in section the union or connecting piece by which the helical coils
are attached to the diaphragms.
The onds of the coils are brazed into the part 17 of the union.
18 is a collar bearing against the diaphragm; the nozzle passing through a hole
in the diaphragm is provided with a thread, and a steam tight joint is made by the
nut 19, and packing if necessary.
Fig. VI shows partly in elevation and partly in section a helical coil the section of
the tube forming the coil being elliptical or approximately so.
The longer axis 15 of the cross-section is inclined, as shown, to the axis of the
helix and the pitch of the coil is such as to allow a space 16 between the successivo
convolutions of the coil, sufficient to afford a free passage for the cooling or circulating
water to pass from the outside of the coil to the inside as the circulating water flows
upward. 8 are the unions or connecting pieces, and 2 and 3 the diaphragms. Fig. V
shows partly in section and partly in elevation a helical coil the tube of which has
a cross-section differing from that shown in Fig. VI in as much as the upper end
of the cross-section is wider than the lower end.
8, as before, are the unions and 2 and 3 the diaphragmns.
Fig. IV shows a helical coil, one side of the cross-section of the tube forming the
coil being flattened, and so forming a segment of a circle.
Fig. shows a helical coil in which the angle between the longer axis of the cross-
section of the tube and the axis of the coil increases from one end of the coil to the
other.
Fig. III shows a helical coil the diameter of which is greater at one end of the coil
than it is at the other.
Figs. VIII and LX show in elevation and plan the details of a part of the apparatus
which we employ in the manufacture of the helical coils herein-before described.
20 is the rotating mandrel on which the helical groove is formed; the bottom of
the groove as shown is inclined to the axis of the mandrel at the same angle as
that which it is desired that the longer axis of the cross-section of the tube shall
make with the axis of the coil.
21 is the saddle which is caused to travel parallel to the axis of the mandrel
by the screw 22 rotating in the nut 23, the screw 22 being geared to the mandrel 20.
24 are the adjustable clamps fixed to the travelling saddle 21.
25 is the internal die which is flattened and curved at 26; it is secured by the
nut 27 bearing against the bracket 28 which is fixed to the travelling saddle 21; by
regulating this nut the curved end of the internal die may be brought into its
proper position.
29 is the block fixed to the travelling saddle 21 and bearing against the tube as it
lies in the helical groove so as to prevent it over-riding the ridge of the groove.
In the drawing the mandrel is shown parallel and the helical groove has the
same disposition throughout; when however it is intended to make a coil similar
to that shown in Fig. II the disposition of the groove varies from one end of the
mandrel to the other.
When a coil similar to that shown in Fig. III is to be made the diameter of the
mandrel is greater at one end than it is at the other.
In these cases provision is made for adjusting the clamps 24, and the block 29, to
suit the diameter of the mandrel and the varying angle of the helical groove.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In apparatus for condensing steam, for heating or cooling fluids and for
evaporating water, heat transmitting surfaces consisting of one or more helical coils
formed of a thin tube of copper or other suitable material the tube having an elliptical
or approximately elliptical cross-section, and having the longer axis of this cross-
section inclined at an angle with the axis of the coil; the pitch of the coil being such
as to leave a space between its successive convolutions, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Second. In apparatus for condensing steam, for heating or cooling fluids and for
evaporating water, heat transmitting surfaces consisting of one or more helical coils
formed of a thin tube of copper or other suitable material, the tube having an elliptical
or approximately elliptical cross-section, and the angle between the longer axis of the
cross-section and the axis of the coil increasing from one end of the coil to the other;
and the pitch of the coil being such as to leave a space between its successive
convolutions, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Third, In apparatus for condensing steam for heating or cooling fluids and for
evaporating water heat transmitting surfaces consisting of one or more helical coils
formed of a thin tube of copper or other suitable material; the tube having an
elliptical or approximately elliptical cross-section the longer axis of the said cross-
section being inclined at an angle with the axis of the coil; the successive convolu-
tions of the coil increasing in diameter from one end of the coil to the other, and the
pitch of the coil being such as to leave a space between the successive convolutions
substantially-as-and-for-the-purposes.described..
Fourth. In apparatus for condensing steam for heating or cooling fluids and for
evaporating water, heat transmitting surfaces consisting of one or more helical coils
of any of the forms substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 11, III, IV, V
and VI.
Fifth. In apparatus for condensing steam, for heating or cooling fluids and for
evaporating water, the combination of an upper chamber and a lower chamber
separated from a middle chamber by two diaphragms, with one or more helical coils
of any of the forms described and illustrated in Figs. II, III, IV, V and VI. so
attached to the diaphragms as to put the upper and lower chambers in communication ;
the two fluids between which the transfer of heat is to take place flowing in opposite
directions, the one through the helical coils and the other through the middle chamber
which is provided with an inlet and outlet for this purpose, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 97th 2
* 100n
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,.
26, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.