Improvements in Apparatus for Utilising Exhaust Steam, Heating and Purifying Feed Water, and Making up the Loss thereof with Water Vaporised under Vacuum by Means of Exhaust Steam.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Utilising Exhaust Steam, Heating
and Purifying Feed Water, and Making up the Loss thereof
with Water Vaporised under Vacuum by Means of Exhaust
Steam.
1, JOSEPH WRIGHT, of 16 Great George Street Westminster, London, S.W.
Mechanical 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 relates to improvements in apparatus for condensing exhaust steam
and heating, purifying and making up feed water for steam boilers and has for its
object the provision of such means as will allow of the whole of the steam used by an
engine, or several different engines, being condensed or reconverted into water and
supplied as feed water to boilers at a high temperature, such high temperature being
obtained from the exhaust steam, the arrangement of the apparatus being such as will
allow of the several operations being carried on simultaneously in combination, or as
to allow of only part of the plant being used, or the feed make up apparatus may be
employed separately, in either case the make up of the feed being effected in
accordance with the requirements while similarly the feed heater in combination with
a suitable engine, pump, or pumps, may be used separately and independently of the
other component parts of the plants.
In carrying this my invention into effect, and assuming the whole plant to be
employed (the application of the parts to the several modifications being hereafter
describe) I cause the exhaust steam from the main engine, or engines, to be suitably
conveyed to the steam inlet of a main condenser (preferably of the type described in
my previous Specification of Letters Patent No. 14191 dated the 19th day of
November 1885) from whence after undergoing condensation, it is pumped by an air
pump into the hot well. From thence it is conveyed into a Patent steam water
purifyer and grease separator under and attached to my feed water heater (constructed
in accordance with my Patent No. 1322 dated the 24th day of January 1889) to be
therein purified and separated from its grease, after which it is pumped by a donkey, or

page_text: boiler feed, pump through a feed heater and so to the boilers. The condensing water
for the main condenser is supplied to it by a circulating pump in the ordinary manner,
while the exhaust steam from the engines of the air and circulating pumps, either
alone or together with that from any other auxiliary engines, and, if necessary, part
of the exhaust from the main engines, is utilised as the heating medium for the feed
heater which may conveniently be of the "Berryman
"feed heater type. The
remainder of the exhaust steam, after passing through the feed-heater is then caused
to pass into a compensating water evaporator by means of which any loss of feed
water by the boilers or engines is made up and whose action is as follows:-The
exhaust steam after passing through the feed heater, aided, if necessary, by live
steam from the boilers, or engines, is caused to pass through the ordinary tubular
circulating arrangement of a modified form of " Berryman" heater, or heaters,
constructed in the manner as fully described and shown hereafter.
The water to be evaporated may be a part of that used for condensing the steam in
the main condenser, which for this purpose Suitably connected to the compensating
water evaporator, or the water for evaporation may be drawn from any other convenient
source, the water supplied from the main condenser being, however, preferable for the
purpose owing to its already being at a considerable temperature. The supply of
water to the compensating evaporator or evaporators is controlled by a float and valve
or other suitable arrangement which closes the supply pipe when the height of water
for the purposes of evaporation is sufficient, a connection between the vacuum chamber
of the main condenser, or surface condenser, of the engines and the top of the
evaporator or evaporators, serving to relieve the water to be evaporated from atmos-
pheric pressure and so allowing of its evolving steam in the partial vacuum so created.
The steam arising from the water so evaporated is led either to the main condenser or
to a separate condenser, or it may he led into the valve chest of a low pressure
cylinder, from whence in either case it is returned as condensed water into the hot
well and so to the boiler. Should the exhaust steam from any cause be insufficient to
effectually actuate the feed licater and compensating evaporator or evaporators live
steam taken either from the boiler or from between the high and low pressure cylinders
of compound engines may be used either alone or to supplement the exhaust steam.
This is effected by attaching to the feed water heater and compensating evaporator, a
suitable reducing valve connected direct to the boiler and the valve chest of the low
pressure cylinder and provided with suitable stop valves to shut off the supply of
live steam froin one or other of the sources or from both of them, as required.
The reducing valve has its area so proportioned to the area of the exhaust steam
pipe as to open when the quantity, and consequent pressure of the exhaust steam falls
below a predetermined point, and thus admitting live steam from the boiler or engines
as desired. The maximum speed of the air and circulating pumps is controlled by
any suitable form of governor while the speed of the engines of the air and circulating
pumps is regulated by the following means. A thin rod or tube of copper or other
suitable metal rigidly fixed at one end, is surround by a second tube in which flows
the condensing water used in the main condenser, the other and free end of the thin
rod or tube being connected by any suitable system of levers and links to the lever of
a throttle valve controlling the admission of steam to the air pump engines. If now
the steam to be condensed falls below the normal quantity the condensing water will
become cooler and the corresponding contraction. of the copper, or other rod or tube,
will; by causing a portion of the steam to be cut off, slacken the speed of the air
pump while conversely an increase, beyond the normal, of the volume of steam to
be condensed will cause a corresponding expansion of the rod, or tube and so increase
the speed of the air pump.
It will be understood that the arrangement of compensating evaporator or
evaporators may be used independently of the other parts of the apparatus herein-
before described, provided a condenser of the surface condensation type is available
to create a vacuum on the surface of the water to be evaporated, the heating effect
being produced by part of the exhaust steam from the engines while if necessary live
steam from either the engines or boiler may be used and controlled by a reducing

page_text: valve in the manner hereinafter described. Similarly the feed heater or heaters
may be used separately or they may be used in conjunction with one or more
compensating, evaporators, independently of the other parts of the apparatus as is
evident.
Having thus set forth the nature of my invention and described how it is to be
carried into effect, I will now proceed to more particularly describe the same with
reference to the annexed sheet of drawings. Figure 1 is a general side elevation of
the entire plant.
The exhaust steam from the main engine or engines entering at the steam inlet I
of the main condenser M is drawn after condensation from the outlet O by the air
pump A P and forced into the hot well H W from whence it is conveyed into the
chamber under and attached to the feed water heater F H to be therein purified.
From the grease separator it is taken by the boiler feed pump E P and forced by
means of the pipe P through the feed heater F H and so by the outlet B to the
boilers. The exhaust steam from the engines of the air, circulating and boiler feed
pumps, passes through the pipe A and is aided if necessary by part of the exhaust from
the main engine or engines entering at or by live steam from the boilers or
from between the high and low pressure cylinders of the main engines or the exhaust
from any auxiliary engines is utilised by passing it through the tubes of the feed
heater and compensating water evaporator, the reducing valve R being so arranged
as to open, should the quantity of exhaust steam fall short of the requisite amount
and adinit steam from the boiler or engines as required, the inlet for this purpose
being at r. Should however the quantity of exhaust or live steam combined become
excessive then it will lift the valve of the vacuum valve V V and blowing into the
atmosphere will attract the notice of the attendant. The water for evaporation may
convenientley be taken from the top or the hottest part of the main condenser as
shown at a or it may be taken from any other convenient source as at its supply to
the evaporator being controlled by the ball valve b v or other suitable arrangement.
The top of the evaporator is placed in communication with the vacuum chamber of
the main condenser by the pipe p p. the three way cock T allowing of its being
alternatively placed in communication either with the low pressure Cylinder steam
chest or with the condenser of the engine should the latter be of the surfaco
condensation type while the strainer plates s. p. s. p. prevent any water passing
into the pipe should the ebulition become excessive. The atmospheric pressure on
the surfaces of the water in the evaporator and the supply tank st is maintained in
equilibrium by the opening d between the two. To control the maximum speed of
the engine of the air and circulating pumps any suitable arrangement of governor G
is used while to regulate the minimum speed of the air and circulating pumps,
the following means are used:-A thin copper rod or tube c. r. is, in this case,
fixed at its lower end in a tube t in which flows the condensing water.
This rod or tube is connected at its free end to one arm of a bell crank lever
whose other arm actuates the rod r connected to the lever of a controlling
throttle valve and thus causes the air and circulating pumps to run faster or slower
according to whether the volume of steam to be condensed rises or falls below the
normal.
Though I have shown the boiler feed pump as being driven by the engines of the
circulating pump it is obvious that a donkey or other form of feed pump may be
used for the purpose. If used as shown a check valve c. v. is provided to allow of
the amount of feed water being regulated irrespective of the speed of the circulating
pump.
Further it will be understood that though I have shown the feed heater F H and
compensating water evaporator E. V. in the accompanying drawing as being mounted
upon the same chamber and grease separator, they may each be constructed separately
and with independent chamber and grease separators in which case the grease
scummer gs would be applied to each tank instead of there being only one common
to both tanks as shown. This method of construction would be used in cases where
the heater only or the evaporator only was required.

page_text: Should the water in the chamber fall greatly below the normal level then fresh
water may be supplied to make up the loss, this supply being controlled by a ball
valve or other suitable device b. v. connected with the inlet, while to prevent grease
being drawn by the boiler feed pump a diagonal diaphragm plate ƒ reaching from
nearly the top to nearly the bottom of the chamber is fitted in the tank as shown.
Should now the level of water in the chamber fall below the level of the check
valve c. v. air passing down the side of the diaphragm plate next the check valve will
enter the feed pump F P by the valve and so prevent the pump drawing the grease.
The admission of fresh water will again float the grease up and it will be discharged
through the grease scummer.
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 I
claim is :- -
(1st). Constructing apparatus for the condensation of steam, and the heating,
purification, and make up of feed water by evaporation under vacuum in the manner
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
(2n). The combination of a feed water heater and compensating water evaporator
to be actuated by the exhaust steam of the engines, together with the arrangement of
reducing and vacuum valves to allow of boiler or engine pressure steam being
automatically used to supplement the exhaust steam if required, in the manner,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
(3rd). The construction of the compensating water evaporator in the manner
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawing,
(4th). The combination in conjunction with a feed water heater of a pumping or
auxiliary engine, on whose shaft is mounted a boiler feed pump substantially as
and for the purpose, herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 16th day of March 1889.
F. SEATON SNOWDON,
Agent for the Applicant.