in Tramway Locomotives and other Engines.
Year: 1885

page_text: in Tramway Locomotives and other Engines.
I FREDERICK JOHN BURRELL of Saint Nicholas Works, Thetford in the County
of Norfolk, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In a tramway locomotive I pass the exhaust steam from the cylinders of the
engine into a condenser (preferably of the spiral tube form so as to save space) and
use the feed water for the purpose of condensing the exhaust steam. The feed
water passing from the pump through the condenser on its way to the boiler is
heated to about boiling temperature and the exhaust steam in passing through the
condenser is condensed. The feed water is supplied by a pump which takes its
water from one or the other of two tanks, one of which contains cold water and
the other hot water or condensed steam from the engine. I use an automatic feed
regulating valve controlled by the pressure in the exhaust pipe of the engine to
cause the pump to suck from either the hot or the cold tank or both automatically.
When there is no pressure of steam in the exhaust pipe the regulating valve is
held by a spiral spring in position to open the suction from the hot tank but as
the pressure in the exhaust pipe rises the pressure overcomes the action of the
spring and closes the passage from the hot tank and opens that from the cold.
When the engine is running down hill and the steam is shut off there will be no
exhaust steam to condense and consequently nothing to heat the cold water on its
way to the boiler there will also be no pressure in the exhaust pipe to lift the
regulating valve so as to open it to the cold water and the pump therefore forces
hot water from the hot tank through the condenser into the boiler.
When steam is again turned on the pressure in the exhaust pipe stops the feed
from the hot tank and opens that from the cold.
Consequently whether the engine is ascending or descending an incline there will
always be hot water leaving the condenser on its way to the boiler.
The object is to economise the quantity of cold water used and to measure it
automatically so as to give more or less cold water through the condenser when
required to condense more or less steam. The pump forces an almost uniform
quantity of water through the condenser whether drawing from the cold tank or
the hot one and in order to regulate the supply to the boiler I put a return cock
and pipe between the condenser and the check valve on the boiler to return the
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page_text: heated feed water passing from the condenser back into the hot tank when not
required in the boiler,
When a jet condenser is used the same valve is used to measure the water and
to give an extra supply of cold water to condense the steam at starting. When
the regulating valve is used with a compound engine the valve may be connected
to the intermediate receiver instead of the exhaust pipe of the large cylinder so as
to get a higher pressure to act upon the regulating valve. I preferably adopt the
compound cylinders in conjunction with this valve and condenser to secure greater
economy of fuel and water. Should it be desirable to use an extra pump for
supplying cold water to the condenser, it can be arranged to suck from another
regulating valve loaded with a stronger spring so as to give an extra supply of
cold water to condense a large quantity of exhaust steam at starting with a heavy
load or going up a steep incline which second regulating valve would otherwise cut
off the supply of water from the pump entirely.
.4
Hitherto the great objection to condensing with water in tram engines, has been
the large quantity of water which is required for the purpose and the consequent
extra weight of the engine. Owing to the impossibility of properly regulating the
condensing water but by my invention this objection is entirely overcome.
The invention is also applicable to traction and portable engines and by con-
densing the exhaust steam enables them to work noiselessly and economically.
Improvements relating to Condensing and Heating Feed Water
[in Tramway Locomotives and other Engines.
I FREDERICK JOHN BURRELL of Saint Nicholas Works Thetford in the County
of Norfolk 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 thereof:
This invention has for its object improvements relating to condensing and heating
feed water in tramway locomotives and other engines.
Hitherto the great, objection to condensing with water in tram engines, has been
the large quantity of water which is required for the purpose and the consequent
extra weight of the engine, owing to the impossibility of properly régulating the
condensing water; by my invention this objection is overcome.,
The invention is also applicable to traction and portable, engines; condensing
the exhaust steam enables them to work noiselessly and economically.
2
ند.

page_text: The feed
In a tramway locomotive I pass the exhaust steam from the cylinders of the
engine into a condenser (preferably of the spiral tube form so as to save space) and
use the feed water for the purpose of condensing the exhaust steam.
water passing from the pump through the condenser on its way to the boiler is
heated to about boiling temperature and the exhaust steam in passing through the
condenser is condensed. The feed water is supplied by a pump which takes its
water from, one or the other of two tanks, one of which contains cold water and
the other hot water or condensed steam from the engine. I use an automatic feed
regulating valve controlled by the pressure in the exhaust pipe of the engine to
cause the pump to suck from either the hot or the cold tank or both automatically.
The annexed drawings show the valve apparatus which I employ. Figure 1 is a
sectional elevation, the section is taken through the passages leading to the exhaust
pipe, the condenser and the two tanks. Figure 2 is also a sectional elevation, the
section is taken through the suction passage leading to the feed pump.
is a connection with the exhaust pipe a connection with the condenser. c is
a valve between the two which lifts when the pressure in the exhaust pipe exceeds,
by a certain amount, that in the condenser. d is the connection with the tank
which receives the hot water resulting from the condensation of steam in the
condenser. e is the suction pipe of the pump by which it draws water to pass
through the spiral or other tubes in the condenser and so into the boiler by a
non-return valve as is usual.
f is the connection with the cold water tank. is a sliding valve pressed down
by a coiled spring and so held in the position shown until the valve c lifts.
Whilst the parts remain as shown in the drawing the pump sucks from the hot
water cistern but when the valve c rises the passage d is closed and the passage f
is opened. When there is no pressure of steam in the exhaust pipe the regulating
alve is held by the spiral spring in position to open the suction from the hot tank
but as the pressure in the exhaust pipe rises the pressure overcomes the action of
the spring and closes the passage from the hot tank and opens that from the cold.
When the engine is running down hill and the steam is shut off there will be no
exhaust steam to condense and consequently nothing to heat the cold water on its
way to the boiler, there will also be no pressure in the exhaust pipe to lift the
regulating valve so as to open it to the cold water, and the pump therefore forces
hot water from the hot tank through the condeuser into the boiler.
When steam is again turned on the pressure in the exhaust pipe stops the feed
from the hot tank and opens that from the cold.
Consequently whether the engine is ascending or descending an incline there will
always be hot water leaving the condenser on its way to the boiler.
Thus my object is attained which is to economise the cold water and to regulate
the supply to the condenser automatically so as to give more or less cold water
through the condenser when required to condense more or less steam.
The pump which remains continuously in action forces an almost uniform
quantity of water through the condenser whether drawing from the cold tank or
the hot one and in order to regulate the supply to the boiler I put a return cock
and pipe between the condenser and the cheek valve on the boiler to return the
heated feed water passing from the condenser back into the hot tank when not
required in the boiler.
When a jet condenser is used the same valve is used to measure or regulate the
supply of cold water to the condenser.
A separate pump or apparatus is then used to feed the boiler. When the
regulating valve is used with a compound engine the valve may be connected to
the intermediate receiver instead of the exhaust pipe of the large cylinder so as to
get a higher pressure to act upon the regulating valve; I preferably adopt the
compound cylinders in conjunction with this valve and condenser to secure greater
economy of fuel and water.
Sometimes I find it desirable to employ an extra pump in addition to the
arrangements above described; this pump is then arranged to suck cold water only;

page_text: it draws it from a valve like that already described but without the connection
with the hot water tank. This auxiliary valve is provided with a stronger spring h
so that it only lifts when the first valve with its pump and other parts is unable
to control the rise in pressure in the passage a beneath the valve c. When the
auxiliary valve rises it allows an extra supply of cold water to be thrown into
the condenser to condense the large quantity of steam expended in starting with a
heavy load or in ascending a steep incline.
Where the supply of cold water for the condenser is drawn from an elevated
cistern I can employ similar control apparatus as represented by Figure 3.
Here i, is the inlet from the cistern and k is the passage leading to the condenser.
m is a non return valve which it is prudent to apply so long as the pressure of
the exhaust steam is insufficient to raise the valve c, that is to say when the
engine is stopped no water is supplied to the condenser.
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
1 claim is :-
1. Controlling the admission of cold water to the condenser by means of a valve
operated by the pressure of the steam to be condensed substantially as described.
2. The combination of apparatus consisting of a condenser, a pump feeding the
boiler through the condenser, two tanks one containing cold water and the other
hot water from the condenser and an automatic controlling valve determining
from which tank the water supply to the condenser and boiler shall be drawn
according as there is more or less steam to be condensed substantially as described,
3. The combination of apparatus consisting of a condenser a pump supplying
the condenser, two tanks one containing cold water and the other hot water from
the condenser and an automatic controlling valve determining from which tank the
supply to the condenser shall be drawn substantially as described.
4. My improvements relating to condensing and heating feed water in tramway
locomotive and other engines substantially as described.
1000