Year: 1899

page_text: We, JOHN MCNEIL and CHARLES MCNEIL, both of the Colonial Iron Works,
Helen Street, Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say:-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction and action
of apparatus for evaporating or concentrating solutions containing saccharine or
other substances.
In carrying out our invention, according to one modification, there is arranged
in the lower part of a closed vessel, a hollow shaft placed horizontally and
extending through stuffing boxes, this shaft being constructed to receive steam
at one end and to discharge water due to condensation at the other end. The hollow
shaft is divided internally with a middle space for the steam and with two small
lateral passages for the water. On the shatt are fixed a number of hollow lens-
like disks, which the shaft, driven by external gearing, causes to rotate partly
immersed in the solution that is being evaporated. The hollow disks consist of
pairs of thin metal shells, circumferentially riveted together upon rings or between
pairs of rings, and centrally fixed to bosses or rings fixed on the hollow shaft.
Openings in the bosses and in the shaft admit steam into the hollow disks, and
other openings lead water due to condensation into the shaft passages provided
therefor, there being radial partitions or scoops within the disks to carry the water
upwards so that it may run down into the shaft passages.
The hollow disks may be strengthened by internal skeleton frames or gratings
formed with projections to which the disk shells are riveted; or separate distance
pieces may be riveted between the disk shells at various parts.
For fixing the hollow disks on the shaft according to one modification their
bosses are made with rectangular shoulders or checks to fit together, and the
shaft is externally screwed at one end to receive internally screwed rings or nuts,
by means of which the bosses of the disks are forced together into steam-tight
contact.
According to another modification the shaft is screwed along the part receiving
the disks, and the disk bosses are internally screwed to screw up along the shaft
into close contact with each other. Or according to a third modification the disk
bosses are made with external or internal screwed parts to admit of their being
screwed to each other.
An improvement comprised in our invention consists in causing the solution
in the evaporator to circulate by means of an external pump driven from a
rotating shaft, or a direct steam pump, drawing the solution from one part of the
vessel and delivering it in the form of jets or spray in the upper part of the
vessel so as to fall on the upper parts of the hollow disks. Or the solution drawn
from one part of the vessel may be delivered at another part so as to cause a current
through the solution; and in this case there may be fixed partitions between
the disks in alternately higher and lower positions to cause the solution to flow
TD.
07

page_text: upwards and downwards alternately on its way from the pump delivery to the
pump suction.
The improvements hereinbefore described may be applied to a single evaporat-
ing vessel working with or without a vacuum; or they may be applied to a
combination of two or more vessels worked on the "triple-effect" or plural system
in which case the vessels will be arranged with their shafts parallel and having
on them worm wheels or bevil wheels to be driven by worms or bevil pinions on
a single suitably driven shaft, or sprocket wheels to be driven by pitch chains.
The disks may be made plain or with corrugated or ribbed surfaces or with
indentations or protuberances, and either of cast or sheet metal. Brushes may be
fixed so that the disks will move in contact therewith and thereby become freed
from adhering crystals or substances.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of April 1899
Improvements in Evaporating or Concentrating Apparatus.
We, JOHN MCNEIL and CHARLES MCNEIL, both of the Colonial Iron Works,
Helen Street, Govan, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, 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, that is to say:-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction and action
of apparatus for evaporating or concentrating solutions containing saccharine or
other substances.
In carrying out our invention, according to one modification, there is arranged
in the lower part of a closed vessel a hollow shaft placed horizontally and
extending through stuffing boxes, this shaft being constructed to receive steam
at one end and to discharge water due to condensation at the other end. The hollow
shaft is divided internally with a middle space for the steam and with two small
lateral passages for the water. On the shaft are fixed a number of hollow lens-
like disks, to which steam finds access from the shaft and which the shaft, driven
by external gearing, causes to rotate partly immersed in the solution that is being
evaporated. The hollow disks may be constructed and fixed on the shaft accord-
ing to any of the modifications hereinafter described. The circulation of the
solution in the evaporator is assisted by means of an external pump driven from
a rotating shaft or a direct steam pump.
"
The improvements herein before described may be applied to a single evaporat-
ing vessel working with or without a vacuum; or they may be applied to a
combination of two or more vessels worked on the triple-effect' or plural
system, in which case the vessels will be arranged with their shafts parallel and
having on them wormwheels or bevil wheels to be driven by worms or bevil
pinions on a single suitably driven shaft; or sprocket wheels to be driven by
pitch chains.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, we hereunto append two sheets of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to and showing by way of example the
application of our improvements to triple-effect" apparatus, also modifications
of our improved hollow lens-like disks and the method of securing same on the
hollow shaft.
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation and

page_text: "
Figure, 2, a longitudinal vertical section showing the application of our improve-
ments to "triple-effect' apparatus comprising three evaporating vessels.
Figures, 3, and 4, are vertical sections as at right angles to each other showing
one modification of our improved hollow lens-like disks and the method of
securing same on the hollow shaft. Figures, 5, 6, and 7, 8, are respectively
similar views of a second and third modification. In these drawings the same
reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever
they are repeated.
In carrying out our invention as shown in Figures, 1, and 2, there are in com-
bination three evaporating vessels, A1, A2, A3, of a rectangular form having
curved upper and lower parts, these vessels being supported on a framing, A4,
carried by pillars A 5.
There is arranged in the lower part of each vessel A1, A2, A3, a hollow
shaft, B, placed horizontally and extending through stuffing boxes, B1, B2, this
shaft being constructed to receive steam at one end and to discharge water of
condensation at the other end as hereinafter described. Each hollow shaft, B, is
divided internally with a middle space, B3, for the steam and with two small
lateral passages, B4, B5, for the water. On each shaft, B, there are fixed a
number of hollow lens-like disks, C, which the shaft, B, driven as hereinafter
described, causes to rotate partly immersed in the solution that is being evaporated
and which is introduced to the vessels, A1, A2, A3, as hereinafter described.
The hollow disks, C, consist, as shown in Figures 2. 3, and 4, of pairs of thin
metal shells circumferentially rivetted together between pairs of rings, C1, (or
it might be upon rings) and centrally fixed to bosses or rings, C2, fixed as
hereinafter described, on the hollow shaft, B. The hollow disks, C, are
strengthened by internal skeleton frames or gratings, C3, formed with projec-
tions to which the disk shells are rivetted; or separate distance pieces may be
rivetted between the disk shells at various parts. Or the disks, C, may be con-
structed as shown in Figures, 5, to S, each disk being cast in a piece with its
boss, C2, and suitably strengthened with internal ribs, C4, to prevent any
tendency to buckling.
For fixing the hollow disks, C, on their shafts, B, according to the modification
shown in Figures, 2, and 3, their bosses, C2, are made with rectangular shoulders
or checks, C5, to fit together and with a key way to fit a key or feather, D,
(Figure 4) in the shaft, B. The shaft, B, is externally screwed at one end to
receive internally screwed rings or nuts, D1, by means of which the disks, C,
are pressed as a whole against a shoulder, 12, formed on the shaft whilst the
bosses, C2, are forced into steam-tight contact thus preventing the slightest
liability to leakage.
The disks, C, may be further secured, as shown in Figures, 5, and 6, by a
number of bolts, D3, passed through holes formed for them in the shoulder, D2,
and bosses, C2, the bolts being made with heads on one end and screwed on the
other end to receive nuts, the screwing up of which will assist in securing the
disks, C.
According to the modification shown in Figures, 7, and 8, the disk bosses, C2,
are made with external and internal screwed parts to admit of their being screwed
to each other. Or according to another modification (not shown) the shaft may be
screwed along the part receiving the disks and the disk bosses may be internally
screwed to screw up along the shaft into close contact with each other.
The disks, C, may be made all of one size as shown in Figure, 2, or they may
be made of graduated sizes as shown in Figures, 3, 5, and 7, if desired, or where
necessary to suit the horizontal section of the evaporating vessel in which they
may be employed; and they may be made plain as shown, or with corrugated or
ribbed surfaces, or with indentations or protuberances.
The saccharine or other liquid which is to be evaporated is supplied first to
the vessel, A 1, through a valve, E, in the side of that vessel, a pipe, E 1, con-
necting the bottom of that vessel with a valve E2, in the side of the vessel, A2,

page_text: triple-
and another similar pipe, E3, connecting the bottom of the vessel, A2, with a
third valve, E4, in the side of the vessel, A 3, so that all the vessels can be filled
to the desired height with the liquid in the usual method employed in
effect" apparatus. The three hollow shafts, B, have on them externally worm-
wheels, F, driven by worms, F 1, on a shaft, F2, driven by a belt and pulley, 13,
or other suitable gearing from any suitable motor (not shown). The hollow
shafts, B, pass through casings, G1, G2, G3, formed in the front of the
vessels, A1, A2, A3, these casings being made with ports, H1, H2, H3, which
communicate with the middle steam space, 133, in the respective hollow shaft, B.
When the vessels have been charged and the apparatus started as described,
steam is admitted through the port, f 1, into the steam space, B3, in the hollow
shaft, B, in the vessel, A1, passing from that space through ports, J, into the
hollow rotating disks, C, and owing to the large amount of surface presented
by these disks the requisite amount of heat for the process of evaporation is
speedily imparted to the liquid. The water of condensation passes out of each
disk, C, by ports, J 1, into the lateral passages, B4, B5, in the shaft, B, there
being radial partitions, J 2, within the disks to carry the water upwards so that
it may run down into the passages. The water of condensation is discharged from
the passages, B4, B5, by a drain pipe, J3, fixed to the stuffing box, B2. In a
similar way steam due to the heating of the liquid in the vessel, A 1, passes
off from the top of that vessel by a pipe, K1, connected with the port, H2, so
that that steam can act in a similar way in the hollow disks, C, in the vessels, A 2,
and steam due to the heating of the juice in the vessel, A2, is similarly admitted
by a pipe, K2, and the port, H3, into the interior of the hollow disks, C, in the
vessel, A 3. The steam or vapor from the vessel, A3, passes by a pipe, K 3,
into a condenser (not shown).
In order to increase the efficiency of the apparatus and to reduce the losses due
to entrainment the liquor is continually withdrawn from the lower part of the
apparatus and reintroduced at the top. To effect this circulation the liquid is
continuously withdrawn from the lower part of each vessel, A1, A2, A3, by
pipes, L1, L2, L3, which are connected to the inlet or suction part of centri-
fugal pumps, M1, M2, M3, driven by belts and pulleys, N 1, N 2, from the
rotating shaft, F2. Or these pumps might be direct-acting steam pumps. The
pumps force the liquid up through pipes, P1, P2, P3, into branch pipes Q1,
Q2, Q3, which cross the evaporating vessels, A1, A2, A3. These branch
pipes have a number of small tubes, R1, R2, R3, projecting downwards so
that the liquid is poured over the rotating hollow disks, C, in each vessel; or
any other suitable distributing device may be employed.
When a charge of the liquid has become sufficiently concentrated in the third
vessel, A3, it may be drawn off from that vessel by a pump or aspirator (not
shown) in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In evaporating or concentrating apparatus, a series of hollow lens-shaped
disks, each disk consisting of a pair of metal shells circumferentially rivetted
together upon rings or between pairs of rings and with or without strengthening
internal skeleton frames or gratings or distance pieces, the disks being centrally
fixed to bosses or rings secured on a hollow shaft, with means for admitting steam
to the disks and withdrawing water of condensation therefrom substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting our improved
triple-effect" or plural system of evaporating or concentrating apparatus and
comprising a rotating heater the parts being constructed and operating sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. In either a single or plural system of evaporating or concentrating apparatus

page_text: in which a rotating heater constructed according to any of the modifications
herein before described is used, the employment of a pump or pumps for causing
the liquid to circulate by withdrawing it from one part of the evaporating vessel
or vessels and reintroducing it at another part in a manner to be appropriately
distributed over the parts of the rotating heater substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of January 1900.
i