IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREVENTING INCRUSTATION IN BOLLERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, of the Firm of J. Brandt
and G. W. von Nawrocki, Patent Agents, of 124, Leipziger-Strasse, Berlin, in
the Empire of Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF PREVENTING INCRUSTATION IN BOLLERS." A communication from Alexander
Stock, of Guben, in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 18th March 1879, and dated the 20th September 1878..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von
Nawrocki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th September
1878.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. von
Nawrocki, Patent Agents, of 124, Leipziger-Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE MODE OF PREVENTING INCRUSTATION IN
BOILERS." A communication from Alexander Stock, of Guben, in the Empire of
Germany.
The improvements consist in treating water chemically while in use in the boiler,
and by neutralizing said water prevent it from making any deposit or incrusting the
boiler. When the water is charged with silicates, muriatic acid and sulphuric acid
salts, hydrate of soda is used until the water ceases to deposit. River and spring
water is best treated with boracic acid, which is used in sufficient quantity to prevent
deposit. The quantities used vary with the different waters, but an experiment
made with the water in a convenient vessel on a small scale will speedily give the
proportions fit for use in each case.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th March 1879.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. von
Nawrocki, Patent Agents, of 124, Leipzigerstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREVENTING INCRUSTATION IN
BOILERS." A communication from Alexander Stock, of Guben, in the Empire of
Germany.
The improvements consist in treating water chemically whilst it is in use in the
boiler, so as to prevent it from making any deposit or incrusting the boiler. The
substances used for this purpose vary according to the nature of the water by which
the boiler is fed. Owing to carbonic acid and pressure, the spring or river water
mostly used for feeding boilers always contains greater or smaller quantities of
alkaline compounds in solution, such as carbonate of lime, sulphate of lime (gypsum),
magnesia, salts of barium and alumina, and also oxyde of iron. The incrustation
in the boiler is therefore formed by carbonate of lime, gypsum, some magnesia and
oxyde of iron, and may be prevented by mixing with the water a suitable quantity
of boracic acid or borax with some chloride of sodium (common salt), a substance
which is perfectly harmless to the iron and forms out of the alkaline salts, borates,
which easily dissolve in water so as not to incrust the boiler. Sea water, in conse-
quence of its containing chlorides, dissolves even more of the alkaline salts than is
done by the presence of carbonic acid in spring water, and by heating and super-
saturating the water with chlorides, muriatic acid is formed, because chlorine easily
combines with the hydrogen of water in a superheated state, while the solid
substances in the water are forming an incrustation in the boiler. If now the
muriatic acid and some sulphuric acid contained in the water are neutralised by
borax, boracic acid is separated from the latter and forms with the lime, magnesia,
and alumina alkaline compounds, which easily dissolve in water. The feed water,
as shown by experiments, is then always neutral.
If well water or other acid water is used for feeding boilers, containing partly
muriates, partly sulphates, but especially sulphurous acid in a free state, they are
neutralised by borax and soda or hydrate of soda, in order to make it fit for use in
boilers. If the water also contains silicates, a suitable quantity of hydrate of soda
or potash must be added to the boracic acid or borax.
All the chemical processes described may take place in the boiler while it is in
operation, by introducing into it the said substances.
Claim. The application of boracic acid, borax, or other compounds of boron, alone
or in combination with sulphates, carbonates, or chlorides of alkalis, or with caustic
alkalis, in order to keep the substances, which tend to form incrustations, chemically
dissolved in the boiler even when the latter is in operation, and in order to render
well water and other acid water fit for use in boilers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, A.D. 1879.