Improvements in and Machinery or Apparatus for Heating and Evaporating Water for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Machinery or Apparatus for Heating and
Evaporating Water for Steam Boilers.
I, JOHN GIRDWOOD, of 13 George Street, Leith in the County of Midlothian,
North Britain Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention refers to improvements in means for heating water from the
circulating pump of condensing engines, by exposing same to the action of the heat
of exhaust steam.
For this purpose I convey the water from the circulating pump through a coil
of copper pipe down through the exhaust pipe so that the heat from the exhaust
steam is absorbed and the temperature of the water thereby raised before being
taken to an evaporating machine such as is shewn in the drawings accompanying
the specification of patent application No. 8314 of 1889. By this arrangement the
water would be heated up or nearly to the temperature required to form it into
vapour before entering the evaporating apparatus. Various arrangements of
appliances could be arranged for this purpose, for example, in cases where the top
of exhaust pipe is high enough for water from the circulating discharge to run to
it, I provide a circular covered exhaust pipe and from this cover the coiled copper
tubing is suspended, one coil descending, the other ascending, so that the inlet and
outlet are at or about the cover, by this means the expansion and contraction of the
coils would not affect the apparatus. Should the exhaust not be sufficiently high
for the above arrangement a cover or door may be provided in one side of the
exhaust having a spiral or zigzag pipe attached to it, but there are many other ways
in which the water may be exposed to the heat from the exhaust steam. without
departing from my invention, an essential feature of which is in any arrangement
that only the entrance and exit ends of the pipe are fixtures. In theory if the
water is heated to the same temperature as the exhaust steam it should form into
vapour when introduced to a vacuum chamber.
The water (the flow of same being regulated by float and valve) could be conveyed
into a vessel connected with the condenser and there allowed to fall in spray when
the vapour which is produced would be drawn into the condenser; more heat
might be employed if found necessary, by means of steam nozzle somewhat as
described in aforesaid application No. 8314 of 1889. The impurities are deposited
at the bottom of the vessel where they could be periodically blown off after shutting
off communication with the water supply and the condenser and opening gauge
cocks to let in the air. In some cases it might be convenient for heating purposes
to employ the tubes fitted into a box on the top of condenser and fixed in the same
manner as in the condenser.
Pure water can be obtained by having a small separate air pump and condenser
the latter to receive the vapour from the water heated as before described by the
condensed steam.
Dated this 19th day of August 1889
JOHN GIRDWOOD.
By Brewer & Son,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Machinery or Apparatus for Heating and
Evaporating Water for Steam Boilers.
I, JOHN GIRDWOOD of 13 George Street, Leith, in the County of Midlothian,
North Britain, 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 :-
My invention refers to improvements in means for heating water from the
circulating pump of condensing engines by exposing same to the action of the heat
of exhaust steam, and the said invention will be clearly understood by the following
description having reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
According to my invention I convey the water to be heated from the discharge of
circulating pump through a coil of pipe preferably of copper and extending down
through the exhaust pipe.
Figure 1 shews in sectional elevation such an arrangement of pipe. A is the
exhaust pipe of the engine leading to the condenser B. C is a movable cover into which
is fixed by its two ends the depending copper pipe D being circuitously bent and
through which pipe the water to be heated passes and thus the heat from the exhaust
steam being absorbed the temperature of the water is thereby raised before being
taken to an evaporating machine such as is shewn in the drawings accompanying
the specification of patent application No. 8314 of 1889. By the herein described
means the water will be heated up to nearly the temperature that would be required
to form it into vapour when exposed to the action of vacuum in the evaporator
which is one of the main objects of my present invention. By arranging the copper
tube D as shown at Figure 1, the expansion and contraction of same does not
detrimentally affect it as it is only the two ends that are fixed. Various modifi-
cations of appliances constructed according to my invention could be arranged for
the above purpose and such appliances must of necessity be varied to meet the
requirements and arrangement of the engines to which the said apparatus is to be
applied, for example, in cases where the top of exhaust pipe is not sufficiently high
for the above arrangement a cover or door may be provided in one side of the
exhaust having a spiral or zigzag pipe attached to it. Such an apparatus is shewn
(detached from its position in the exbaust) at Figures 2 and in side and end
elevation respectively. C is the cover or door and D is the spiral, zigzag or
circuitously bent pipe.
In some cases it might be convenient for heating purposes to employ the tubes
fitted into a box in the top of the condenser and the said tubes may be fixed in the
same manner as those in the condenser. An example of such an arrangement is
shewn at Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 being a vertical longitudinal section, and
Figure 5 a vertical transverse section. The tubes D are here arranged in two sets
in the box C the water to be heated enters say at C₁ passes through the upper set of
pipes D and back to the lower exit by the other set of pipes as shewn by the arrows,
but it is obvious that there are many other ways in which the water may be
exposed to the heat from the exhaust steam without departing from my invention,
an essential feature of which is, in any arrangement that only the entrance and
exit ends of the pipe are fixtures. In theory if the water is heated to the same
temperature as the exhaust steam it should form into vapour when introduced to a
vacuum chamber.
The water having become heated for example by its passage through the tubes D
may be conveyed to a vessel connected with the condenser and there allowed to fall
in spray.
I have shewn such a vessel arranged according to this invention at
Figures 6 and 7, Figure 6 being a vertical section and Figure 7 partially sectional
plan of the apparatus. The vessel E is provided at its upper part above the normal
level of the water therein with an outer jacket space F. G is the pipe communicating
between the condenser and the vessel E and the admission of the water into the

page_text: vessel E is regulated by a float and valve. H is a vessel containing the float I and
in some cases the float may be provided with ribs to form guides and ensure its
steady action; this vessel H communicates at the bottom with the said vessel E
and the float I therein is provided with a spindle I' which passes upwards into and
through a valve chamber K and there carries the equilibrium valves J, and I may
form a hole through the spindle I¹ so as to keep the inside of the float in direct
communication with the atmosphere. When opened the valves J admit the water to
be vaporised into an annular or ring tube L from which the water passes in the form
of spray into the chamber F.
The outer jacket space F is supplied with steam by the pipe M and when more
heat is required to form the spray into vapour I may employ a steam nozzle P
somewhat as described in the specification of the aforesaid patent application No. 8314
of 1889.
Q is a tube connecting the upper part of the float chamber H with the chamber E
in order to equalize the effects of the action of the vacuum in the two chambers E
and H and when in actual use I preferably cover the vessels with non-conducting
material to prevent as much as possible the radiation of heat.
The impurities are deposited at the bottom of the vessel E where they would be
periodically blown off as for example in patent application aforesaid after shutting off
communication with the water supply and the condenser and opening gauge cocks to
let in the air, or a pipe may be led to the bilge pump to draw off the brine. Where
desired both the admission and regulation of the steam and water may be carried out
by hand and the float dispensed with.
Pure water can be obtained by having a small separate air pump and condenser, the
latter to receive the vapour from the water heated as before described by the condensed
steam.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is:
1. The machinery or apparatus for heating water preparatory to conducting same
to an evaporator, by exposing the water to the action of exhaust steam, the said
water being supplied from the discharge of circulating pump of condensing engines,
all substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1
to 5 inclusive, of the accompanying drawings.
2. The machinery or apparatus for evaporating heated water to be supplied for
steam generation or other purposes substantially as described and illustrated with
special reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The apparatus for heating water for steam boilers in combination with evaporating
apparatus substantially as herein before described and illustrated with reference to
Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
1000
Dated this 22nd day of October 1999.
JOHN GIRDWOOD.
By Brewer & Son,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.