Improvements in Feed Water Heaters and Purifiers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed Water Heaters and Purifiers.
I, CHARLES EMERSON FERREIRA, of 714, Monadnock Block, Chicago, County of
Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
My invention has relation to a feed water heater and purifier, and its object is
to provide such a device embodying many advantages besides being simple in its
construction and arrangement and reliable in its operation. One of the main
objects is to provide for the maintenance of different water levels as required in
summer and winter or at other times. These heaters are frequently used in large
cities in low basements and when the steam heating system, for instance, is in
operation in winter it is necessary that the water line shall be below the lowest
radiator to prevent its flooding. Consequently, for winter service I provide a low
water line. My invention embodies other advantages and valuable features which
will be apparent from the description hereinafter given.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my feed water heater and
purifier; Fig. 2, a plan thereof; and Fig. 3, a sectional plan on line 3 of Fig. 1.
My device comprises any suitable shell or casing 1 of the desired shape and
dimensions, and divided by partitions 2 and 3 into three separate chambers, inter-
communicating, as hereinafter explained. The lowest chamber 4 is the expansion
and oil separating chamber, and is located below what I will term for a whole
and for convenience the filtering chamber 5. The third chamber 6 is the heating
and settling chamber and is located above the other two.
A suitable pipe or passage 7 extends from the expansion chamber upwards
into the heating chamber and communicates only with the latter. This pipe
extends a suitable distance above the normal high water line, predetermined in
a manner to be described.
The filter chamber is subdivided by vertical transverse partitions 8 and 9 into
three chambers, the chamber 10 being a receiver chamber for the water before
filtration, chamber 11 the filter chamber proper and chamber 12 the purified
water chamber from which the water is drawn through pipe 13 by pump suction
or otherwise. The partitions 8 and 9 have suitable perforations or passages 14
and 15 respectively, and chamber 11 is supplied with any suitable filtering
material.
The pipe 16 is the cold water inlet entering the casing above the highest normal
water level and provided with a valve device 17 operated in the well known
nanner by a float in a case 18 so as to maintain a normal water line in the heating
chamber.
Supported within the heating chamber below the water inlet I arrange a suit-
able deflecting vessel or plate 19 preferably circular or umbrella shaped so as to
provide a circular shower around the pipe 7. The heating chamber preferably
has a suitable manhole 20.
The heating chamber communicates with the expansion chamber through

page_text: pipe 7 and by a passage 21 with chamber 10 into which also enters the condensa-
tion return 22 for the condense water of a steam heating system.
A discharge pipe 23 which is in connection with the sewer or other discharge
point is arranged extraneous of the heater and communicates with the heating
chamber by overflow branch 24 above the normal water line and by blow-off
branch 25 substantially at the bottom of the chamber. The chamber 10 also
communicates with the pipe 23 by a blow-off pipe 26. These blow-offs are
governed by suitable valves 27 and 28 respectively. The expansion and oil
separating chamber likewise communicates with the discharge pipe 23 by fa
branch or oil outlet 29.
The operation of my device as thus far described and with a single water line
is as follows Cold water is admitted by opening the valve 30 and the flow will
continue until the predetermined water line is reached and maintained in the
heater chamber. Exhaust steam enters the chamber 4 through the inlet 31 where-
upon it is deflected downwards and allowed to expand in the chamber. Oil and
water are thereby separated. The steam then passes upwards and strikes the
deflector plate 19 being thrown against the cold water shower which runs con-
tinuously so long as the feed water is being used. The most if not all the exhaust
steam is condensed and falls in the chamber. What may not have been con-
densed passes out through the outlet 33.
The pipe or passage 21 projects above the bottom of the chamber so as not to
draw off sediment that settles therein. The water is thus drawn off into chamber
10 also fed by the pure condense water from the return 22. If the heating
system is in operation and if the lowest radiator is above the normal water line,
the water then passes through the perforations into the filter chamber 11 where
it is properly filtered. It thence enters the chamber 12 in a purified condition.
The water line maintained as above described, which I have designated by the
line a a, is the one that may be used in summer or if the lowest radiator is above
that line, but as frequently happens, such radiator is below so that the water
line must be lower when the heating system is in service. This lowering of the
water line is accomplished as follows: A second float valve device 34 having a
connection entering the intermediate chamber 5 and operating a valve in a cold
water inlet 35 maintains the water line in the intermediate chamber and below
the partition 3. Of course there is water in the heating chamber of a depth
equal to the height of the pipe 21, as shown in Fig. 1, and water overflows there-
through when the level below in the intermediate chamber is lowered. It will
be understood the other water inlet is closed when the inlet 35 is opened.
By these means I am able to obtain and maintain different water lines as
desired for the special purpose specified or for any other purpose.
In my device the exhaust steam enters below both the other chambers, and
the heat thereof is utilized to its fullest extent. The intermediate chamber is
located adjacent to the expansion chamber and the water therein is highly heated
just prior to its withdrawal for use. Likewise in passing through the large
pipe 7 considerable heat is communicated to the intermediate chamber and to
the body of water in the settling chamber. Such novel arrangement of chambers
is thus of advantage in the practical operation of feed water heaters and purifiers.
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. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber, a water
inlet therefor, a steam chamber having a steam inlet, and a steam pipe or passage
therefrom into the water chamber, and a third chamber intermediate of the
ther two chambers and surrounding such stean, pipe, means of communication
between the water chamber and the intermediate chamber, an outlet from said
latter chamber, and means for maintaining a predetermined water line in the 5
water chamber.

page_text: 2. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber, having
a water inlet, a steam chamber having a steam inlet and a steam pipe or passage
entering the water chamber, a chamber intermediate of the other two chambers
and surrounding such steam pipe, a water outlet from such intermediate chamber,
means for maintaining a predetermined water line in the water chamber and
means for maintaining a lower water line in the intermediate chamber when
desired.
3. In a feed water heater, the combination of the water holding chamber, a
steam chamber having a steam inlet, means of communication between the steam
chamber and the water chamber, a water outlet chamber intermediate of the
other two chambers and having communication with the water chamber, two
separate water inlets into the water chamber and float valve devices governing
such water inlets and operating independently to maintain normal water levels
in the water chamber or the intermediate chamber.
4. In a feed water heater, the combination of a casing, a water holding chamber
therein, a filter chamber therebelow, a steam chamber located below the other
two chambers and passing through and communicating with the water chamber,
water inlets for the water chamber and filter chamber, float valve devices govern-
ing the water inlets and operating at different times as desired to maintain normal
water levels in the water chamber and intermediate chamber respectively, means
of communication between the water chamber and intermediate chamber and a
water outlet from the latter chamber.
5. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber having
a water inlet, a steam chamber having a steam inlet, a steam pipe or passage
leading therefrom into the water chamber, and a water outlet chamber com-
municating with the water chamber and arranged intermediate of the other two
chambers, said intermediate chamber surrounding said steam-pipe or passage.
6. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber having
a water inlet, a water outlet chamber communicating with, and located below,
the water chamber, and a steam chamber located below the other two chambers
and having a steam inlet and also a steam pipe or passage entering the water
chamber.
7. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber having
a water inlet, a second chamber below the water chamber and communicating
at its top with the water chamber, a water outlet from such second chamber, a
steam chamber located below the other two chambers and communicating with
the water chamber, and a steam inlet for the steam chamber.
8. In a feed water heater, the combination of a casing, a water holding chamber
therein having a water inlet, a second chamber located below the water chamber
and having a water outlet, means of communication between such chambers and
a steam chamber located below the other two chambers and having a steam inlet
and also a passage extending upwardly through the second chamber and into the
water chamber.
9. In a feed water heater, the combination of a casing, a water holding chamber
therein having a water inlet, a filter chamber located below the water chamber
and communicating therewith, a water outlet and a condense water inlet for
the filter chamber, and a steam chamber located below the other chamber and
having a steam pipe extending upwardly through the filter chamber and partially
through the water chamber and communicating with the latter.
10. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber having
a water inlet, a filter chamber located below the water chamber and communicat-
ing therewith, a water outlet and a condense water inlet for the filter chamber
and a steam chamber located below the filter chamber and having
or passage communicating with the water chamber, such filter chamber surround-
a steam pipe
ing such steam pipe or passage.
11. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber having
water inlet, a steam chamber having a steam passage in communication with

page_text: the water chamber, a steam inlet for the steam chamber, a third chamber in
communication with the water chamber and having a water outlet, such third
chamber being intermediate of the other two chambers and surrounding said
steam passage, and perforated partitions dividing such third chamber into three
inter-communicating chambers, the first being in direct connection with the
water chamber, the second being the filter chamber proper and the third being
the purified water chamber communicating with the water outlet.
12. The combination of a water holding chamber having an inlet, a plate for
spreading or showering the water, a filter chamber below the water chamber and
communicating with the latter, perforated partitions dividing the filter chamber
into a receiving chamber, a filter chamber proper and a purified water chamber
respectively, a water outlet in communication with the purified water chamber
and a steam chamber below the water chamber and filter chamber, a steam inlet
for the steam chamber, and a pipe extending centrally from the steam chamber
through the filter chamber and upwards partially through the water chamber
with which it communicates.
13. The combination of a water chamber, having a water holding inlet, an expan-
sion and oil separating chamber located below the water chamber and having an
exhaust steam connection, a filter chamber arranged between the water chamber
and the expansion chamber and having a water outlet, means of communication
between the filter chamber and water chamber, perforated partitions dividing
the filter chamber into a receiving chamber, a filter chamber proper and a purified
water chamber respectively, a water outlet communicating with the purified water
chamber, a steam pipe or passage extending from the expansion chamber into
the water chamber and surrounded by the filter chamber, and an oil outlet com-
municating with the expansion and oil separating chamber.
14. In a feed water heater, the combination of a water holding chamber having
a water inlet, a steam chamber having a steam inlet, a steam pipe or passage
leading therefrom into the water chamber, and a third chamber arranged inter-
mediate of the other two chambers and communicating with the water holding
chamber and means for retaining a bed of water upon the bottom of the upper-
most chamber.
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