FF Steam Vacuum Pans Used for Boiling Sugar and for other Evaporating Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 13th Sept., 1887.
T
FF
Steam Vacuum Pans Used for Boiling Sugar and for other
Evaporating Purposes.
I, ROBERT CAMPBELL, of 19 London Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
This Invention comprises certain improvements in the construction and arrangement
of valves and valve chests and their branches for leading off the steam from the sugar
liquor in the pans of these triple effet or multiple evaporating vessels to their vacuum
chests and air pumps, and also in the pipe fittings and their valves or taps for con-
veying the high pressure steam to the close steam heating vessels of said pans, and
for the drawing-off of the air and condensed water therefrom; which improvements
will add much to the effective action of the steam and vacuum in and consequent
evaporation by these pans; and also effect the isolation and separate working of
any one, two or more of these evaporating pans better than heretofore.
The nature and novelty of these improvements consist all as follows:-First. In
leading the live steam by transverse pipes or other equivalent by two or more branches
or an outer casing with two or more inlets at a very considerable angle towards the
centre of the steam heating tubular chamber below the first and cach successive
vessel of the whole set, as say from 20 or 30 degrees up to 90 degrees on either side
to the right or left of the centre line through the whole set of vessels. These transverse
steam pipes are each fitted with a controlling valve from one main longitudinal pipe,
or it might be other valves from other steam pipes as that of the exhaust steam pipe
from the engine or live steam from the boiler. These transverse steam pipes between
each pair of the steam heating chambers below, have one or two tall vertical pipes
leading up to and within longitudinal save all valve chambers above and between
each pair of boilers, the covers of these chambers being fitted with screwed
down valves on screw spindles, passing out through stuffing boxes over the top
end of each pipe, so as to shut these pipes off and isolate the succeeding boiler

page_text: from being heated by the steam evaporated in the first or preceding boiler. Over
the second boiler and each succeeding boiler would be fitted a save all valve chest with
double ports and chambers over each other, with divisions and ports between theso,
and a double isolating faced valve in the lower division on one central spindle passed
out through a stuffing box in the cover; so as to shut the port over the boiler and
isolate it or shut the port in the central division and isolate the preceding boiler.
These isolating save all valve chambers are all counected in line by branches, so as
to lead by one branch and pipe from the valve chamber of the last boiler of the set
to a save all division chamber with diaphragm led direct to the upper part of the
usual vertical injection stand pipe leading to the condenser of the air pumping
engine.
A further improvement consists in the fitting of an arrangement of longitudinal
pipes with separate branches and controlling taps or valves leading from the lower
part of the steam heating chambers to draw off the condensed water from these
chambers to the different condensed water discharge traps connected to the suction
valve chamber of the air pump, or other auxiliary pumps. The said drawing off
water pipes are connected by branch pipes to a point higher up in the steam and
water vessels under the boilers so as to draw off the water at this higher level, or
allow it to be drawn from one vessel into the other. Small pipes fitted with separating
taps or valves are also led from these steam and water chambers, to the upper part of
the steam traps to regulate the pressure in these above the water, to be the same as
that in the condenser into which the water from the trap or vessel is drawn off.
Another improvement consists in an arrangement of pipes leading from the upper
part of the steam heating tubular chamber of each boiler connected directly to the
stand pipe leading to the condenser of the air pump, to draw off all gases and air
which come over with the steam from the vacuum boilers or pans when these are used
for hoating these triple effet vacuum boilers, these water drawing off pipes and traps
being all arranged below the level of the lowest water receiving part of the steam
heating chambers.
We obtain by these improvements the evaporation of a much greater per centage
of juice, than by the present system of evaporating in double, triple or other Multiple
offets, with the same amount of heating surface. The steam is so introduced
by these improvements to the first, second, third or more vessels at two or
more places in each vessel at such angles as to obtain the greatest heating effect and
give the most effecient circulation of juice being treated. From first vessel the steam
or vapour arising from the juice or liquid being treated passes into a save all (having
an arrangement of valves for isolating the second vessel steam chamber if required)
and goes to steam chamber of second vessel by one or two pipes to be distributed to
two or more points at the said angles, either by using branch pipes or a
casing with
two or more inlets. The steam arising from the juice or liquid being evaporated in
all the vessels to be led of through the same arrangement of save alls, pipes and valves
as from first vessel to second vessel. By this system the steam passing from one
vessel to another has the freest possible channel way to all vessels, being connected
with pipes in a straight centre line between the ordinary isolating double valves and
top of vessels, thus reducing friction and condensation to a minimum. The bottom
covers of all vessels would have thin metallic covers (copper prefered) and be so
connected with the arrangement of pipes and cocks described that the water from
steam condensed can be either used in steam chamber or jacket of any vessel con-
jointly, and can be drawn off with vacuum from condenser or auxiliary pumps from
first and intermediate steam vessels through the last or any intermediate vessel
preferably through traps to the air pump condensers, all so that the heat from
condensed water is used to assist the evaporating of the liquid treated, thus economising
steam by using heat otherwise lost. The water from steam condensed from all or any
particular steam heating vessel is so led into one or more water receivers or steam
and water traps of the best construction, having automatical arrangements by which
it is impossible that there can be any loss of steam or vapour being drawn off with
the water (from condensed steam from any of the vessels) by the auxiliary pumps

page_text: for this purpose, or by the vacuum main condenser, if there are no pumps, or if the
pumps are out of order. By this arrangement the opening of automatic exit is
always below the admission level of the water but can never remain open until any
steam or vapour is extracted by the vacuum or auxiliary pipes. The receivers or
traps are so connected by pipes and cocks to the top of stean chamber of any vessel
also connected to the vacuum space in main condensed pipe or pump, so that the
water can either fall by its own gravitation into the receivers (which are placed lower
than steam chambers of evaporating vessels) and then drawn off by the auxiliary
pumps or by a pipe connected to main pump or condenser.
Dated this 30th day of Dacomber 1886

page_text: Steam Vacuum Pans Used for Boiling Sugar and for other
Evaporating Purposes.
A communication from abroad by JAMES FOSTER, of Samarang, and JOHN CAMPBELL,
of Soorabaja, Java, Engineers.
I, ROBERT CAMPBELL, of 19 London Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to he
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the Three accompanying Sheets of
Drawings, and to the reference letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention comprises certain improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of valves and valve chests and their branches for leading off the steam or vapour
from the sugar liquor in the pans of those "triple effet" or multiple evaporating
vessels to the steam heating chambers of the other pans, and also to their vacuum
chests and air pumps; and in the pipe fittings and their valves or taps for conveying
the high pressure or live steam to the close steam heating vessels of said pans, and for
the drawing off of the condensed vapour therefrom, and water to the pumps without
the escape
of vapour from the heating chambers; which improvements will add much
to the effective action of the steam and vacuum in and consequent boiling or evapor-
ation of the juices of beet-root, sugar cane, or other saccharine liquids by these pans;
and also effect the isolation and separate working of any one, two or more of these
evaporating pans better than heretofore, and with greater economy of steam heat.
"
And in order that this invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
Three explanatory Sheets of Drawings, in which the samo reference letters are used
to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown, the arrows indicating
the direction of the flow of the steam, vapour, and water in the various ducts and
pipes. Figure 1, on Sheet 1, is a sectional plan showing my improvements applied
to an arrangement of double or triplo effet" or multiple boiling or evaporating
sugar liquor vessels A¹, A2, A³, erected each in vertical centre line A, over their
tubular and lower steam heating chambers B1, B2, B3, together with their condensing
vacuum chest H, H', air pump engine 1, and condensed water steam pump L, and
the other requisite fittings, all illustrative of my invention. Figure 2, on Sheet 2, is
a sectional side elevation, and Figure 3, on Sheet 3, an end elevation both corre-
sponding to Figure 1; while Figure 4, on Sheet 3, is a sectional elevation of one of
the lower close steam heating or boiling chambers B₁ of the vacuum pan A', looking
in the opposite direction to Figure 3; and Figure 5 on Sheet 1, is a sectional

page_text: elevation of one of the new or improved water traps K, for drawing-off the con-
densed water of the steam and vapour from the lower part of the steam heating
chambers B1, B2, B3, of the vacuum sugar pans A', A², A³.
Referring to these Drawings, the nature and novelty of these improvements and
mode and means of putting the same into practice, consist all as follows:-First, in
leading the live steam from any ordinary steam boiler, by transverse pipes b, (or
other equivalent) by two or more branches 61, 62, (or it might be by an outer casing
with two or more inlets) at an angle within 160 degrees, towards the centre A of the
close steam heating tubular chambers B1, B2, B³, below the first and each successive
sugar boiling vessel A¹, A³, A³, of the whole set, as say at from 20 or 30 degrees up
to 90 degrees of an angle on either side, to the right or left of the centre line 1--1
on Sheet 1, through the whole set of vessels. These transverse steam pipes bare each
fitted with a controlling valve c, from one main longitudinal pipe C, from the steam
boiler, and may isolate any one of these pipes b, b, b; or it might be other valves
from other steam pipes, as that c¹, of the exhaust steam pipe from the engine of the
sugar work, or live steam from a different boiler or supply. These transverse steam
pipes b, between each pair of the lower steam heating chambers B', B, and B2, B³,
have one or preferably two tall vertical pipes 63, leading up to and within transverse
and longitudinal save-all trap valve chambers D above and between each pair of
boilers A1, A2, and A3, A3. The close covers of these chambers D are fitted with
screwed-down valves D₁, on screw spindles passing out through stuffing boxes over
the top end of each pipe 63, so as to shut these pipes off and isolate the succeeding
boiler A, from being heated by the steam or vapour evaporated in the first or
preceding boiler A¹. Over the second boiler A³, and each succeeding boiler, would
be fitted an isolating valve chest E, with double ports f, f, and chambers E E' over
each other, and a double isolating faced valve F, in the lower division E' on one
central spindle F1, passed out through a stuffing box in the cover of the chamber E
above, so as to shut the port fl, and isolate the boiler A³, or shut the port f, in the
central division and isolate the preceding boiler A¹. These isolating double valvo
chambers D and E, E', are all connected in line by branches D, E, as seen in
Figures 1 and 2, so as to lead by one branch and pipe G from the valve chamber E¹
of the last boiler A³, of the set direct to the save-all and vacuum chamber H, H³,
fitted over and round the upper part of the usual vertical injection stand pipe and
condenser H', leading to the air pump engine I; or otherwise an intermediate save
all chamber G, with baffle plate g may be fitted in the pipe G.
These save all chambers D D, and G or H, have each pipes d connected from their
lowest part leading to the top of their adjacent boiler A¹, A³, A³, to conduct all liquor
trapped in them back into their respective boilers. The stand valve pipes 63, are
connected by branches 6, above those 61, 63, at their lower ends, leading into the upper
part of the close tubular steam heating vessels B2, B3, to lead in the steam or vapour
boiled off from the one boiler A' or A2, at an angle towards the centre A, of the steam
heating vessels B2, B3, in the same manner as that described in reference to the
branch 1, 2, of the steam pipes >> below them.
A further improvement consists in the fitting of an arrangement of a set of longi-
tudinal pipes J, J, with separate branches and controlling three way taps or cocks J2,
leading from the lower parts of the steam heating chambers B', B³, B³, to draw off
the condensed water from these chambers by the branch J' to the pipe I of the
condenser H', and the branches J, and cocks J* to the different condensed water
discharge traps K connected by pipes and three-way cocks K', K', to the suction
pipe or valve chamber I of the air pump I, or to the auxiliary pumps L. Small
pipes j, j, are also led from an upper part of the steam heating chambers B2, B³, to
the upper part of the water traps K, and to the pipes I' of the condenser, and are
fitted with controlling taps or cocks, to regulate the pressure in the traps, above-
the water to be the same as that in the steam heating chambers B2, B3, and in the
condenser H¹, so as to allow the water to be drawn off from these vessels B³, B³, or K,
by the pipes K or J', to the air pump I or to the auxiliary pumps L.
Pipes and cocks i, i, are led from the top part of the steam heating tubular

page_text: chambers B2, B3, of each boiler and are connected directly to the pipe I leading
between the condenser H and the air pump 1 to draw off all gases and air which
accumulate in these chambers B2, B³, and enable these chambers to be worked by
steam or vapour below the pressure of the atmosphere. The water drawing off pipes J³,
and trap K, are all arranged below the level of the lowest water receiving parts of
the steam heating chambers B1, B2, B3, so as to draw off the condensed water from
these. The water from the steam condensed from all, or any particular steam heating
vessel, is so led into one or more water receivers or steam and water traps K, preferably
of the improved construction, shown in Figure 5, having an automatic arrangement
of ball float k, having attached to its under part a sleeve socket working over a
short stand valve seat k², over the outlet pipe K', with lateral side ports ³, in both,
below the water level W, by which means it is impossible that there can be any loss
of steam or vapour being drawn off with the water (from condensed steam from any
of the vessels B1, B2 B³) by the auxiliary pumps L, or by the air pump I, of the
vacuum main condenser H¹, if there are no auxiliary pumps, or if these are out of
order. By this arrangement the openings 3, of the automatic exit valve k³ of the
trap K are always below the admission level of the water by the pipe J³, so that the
float falls with the level of the water and shuts these outlet openings, always
retaining some water in the bottom of the trap and prevents steam or vapour being
extracted by the vacuum or auxiliary pipes K', but will draw off all the water as it
collects, by the rising of the float k, and maintain the vacuum in the trap K.
receivers or traps K are so connected at the top by pipes and cocks j,j, to the upper
part of the steam heating chambers of the vessels B³, B³, and to the vacuum space
in main condenser pipe I', or pump I, so that the water can either fall by its own
gravitation.into the receivers K (which are placed lower than steam chambers B, B¹, of
the evaporating vessels) and then be either drawn off by the auxiliary pump L or by
the main condenser pump I, through the pipes K', as regulated by the cocks K³.
Each drawing off trap K, would preferably be fitted with a glass or other water gauge
outside.
The
The juice is supplied to each vacuum pan or vessel A¹, A2, A3, much in a usual
manner by a pipe and cock a outside, down through a new central circulating pipe a¹
oither from the source of supply to the first vessel A', or through the pipe a², to any
of the other vessels A2, A2, as seen particularly in Figures and 4. The liquor is
drawn off from the lower part B, of each vessel A1, A2, A³, below the heating
vessels B1, B2, B3, through the discharge cock and pipe a³, leading to the horizontal
pipe a², which is fitted with cocks a', for that purpose or for supplying it from any
one vessel into the other.
I obtain by these improvements the evaporation of a much greater per centage of
juice, than by the present system of evaporation in double, triple, or other multiple
effets, with the same amount of heating surface. The live and evaporated steam is
so introduced by these improvements to the first, second, third, or more vessels B¹, B², B³,
by the pipes and branches 1, 2, and those 64, 6, at two or more places in each
vessel; at such angles as to obtain the greatest heating effect on the tubes within the
vessels B¹, B2, B³, and give the most efficient circulation of juice being treated.
From the first vessel A', the steam or vapour arising from the juice or liquid being
treated passes into the first save-all valve chamber D (having an arrangement of
valves D, D, for isolating the steam heating chamber B2 of the second vessel A³ if
required) and may go to the tabular steam heating chamber B2 of second boiler A³,
by one or two pipes 3, 3, when the valves D', are opened and the isolating valvo F,
closes the port to be distributed to two or more branches b₁, 6, 64, 64, at the said
angles, either by using the branches 61, 62, 64, 64, or it might be by a casing with two
or more corresponding inlets.
The steam arising from the juice or liquid being evaporated in all the vessels is
led off through the same arrangement of save-alls, pipes and valves as from first
vessel to second vessel. By this system the steam or vapour passing from one vessel
(A to A³) to another has the freest possible channel way to all the heating vessels B¹
to B, and to the condenser H³, being connected with branches D³, E³, and valve

page_text: chests D and E E, as seen particularly in Figures 1 and 2, in a straight centro line
between the ordinary isolating valves D¹, E, and top of vessels, thus reducing friction
and condensation to a minimum.
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 :-
First. The general arrangement and combination of the parts of "triple effet" or
multiple evaporating steam vacuum pans and their valves, pipes, and fittings for
boiling sugar liquor or for other evaporating purposos, all substantially as and for the
purposes and advantages herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
44
""
Second. In "triple effett or multiple evaporating steam vacuum pans, the con-
struction of isolating save all valve boxes D, with double valves D₁ over two vertical
pipes & for leading or isolating the evaporated steam from one vessel A' or A³, to the
heating tubular chamber B2, B3, of another, by two or more branches b¹, 63, 64, 6ª.
placed at an angle to the centre A of the vessel, all substantially as and for the
advantages herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In triple effet or multiple evaporating steam vacuum pans, the leading
on of the live steam to the heating vessels B1, B2, B3, by transverse pipes b b and two
or more branches 61, 62, 64, 64, or the evaporated steam by the pipes and branches
61, 62, 64, 6, to the heating vessels B2, B3, at any considerable angle round and to the
centre A of the vessels, controlled by isolating valves c, D₁ respectively, substantially
as and for the advantages herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
«
Fourth. In triple effet" or multiple evaporating steam vacuum pans, the improved
construction of trap-K, and valves h, k, k, for drawing off the condensed steam or
water from the ordinary pipes and valves J to J, of the heating vessels B1, B2, B³,
all substantially as and for the advantages herein described, in reference to and shown
in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In "triple effet" or multiple evaporating steam vacuum pans, and their
supply and circulating pipes and cocks for leading the juice from the supply pipe or
from any one vessel into the other, the construction and application of the new kneo
central pipe a¹ for leading the juice down to the lower part of the vessels A¹, A2, A³,
at B, all substantially as and for the advantages herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.