IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF GETTING UP STEAM IN STEAM BOILERS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR and
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 6 Bream's
Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
GETTING UP STEAM IN STEAM BOILERS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Modern marine boilers more especially those of large size are subjected to
enormous strains in getting up steam by reason of the unequal expansion due to
the wide variations in the temperature of the water in different parts of the boiler.
In some marine boilers if steam is got up quickly it will be found that the
temperature in the upper part of the boiler may be over 320° degrees Fahrenheit
while at the bottom of the boiler it may be as low as 50° degrees. The differences
in expansion commence as soon as the temperature in those parts of the boiler
which are most exposed to or affected by the heat of the furnace begins to rise,
which is very soon after the fires are lighted and continues many hours after the
fires are lighted.
The object of my invention is to inaugurate a new system of getting up steam
in a steam boiler whereby the water may be raised to high temperature which is
uniform or nearly uniform throughout the boilers before fires are lighted in the
furnace. By this system of heating the water both the extent or degree and
duration of the strain produced by unequal expansion will be reduced to a
minimum.
The invention includes a method of getting up steam in a main boiler consisting
in first heating the water in the main boiler by steam from another or supplemental
boiler before the fires are lighter in the furnaces of the main boiler, and in starting,
the fires in the furnaces of the main boiler after the water therein has become so
uniformly beated by steam from the other or supplemental boiler as to grently
lessen the liability of strain due to unequal expansion by the heat of the fires in
the furnaces of the main boiler,

page_text: The invention also includes a method of getting up steam in a main boiler
consisting in first simultaneously circulating and heating the water in the main
boiler thereof before the fires are lighted in the furnaces thereof by a current of
steam from another or supplemental boiler, and in starting the fires in the furnace
of the main boiler after the water therein has become so uniformly heated by steam
from the other or supplemental boiler as to greatly lessen the liability of strain due
to unequal expansion by the heat of the fires in said furnaces.
The invention also includes a method of getting up steam in a main boiler
consisting in first simultaneously, circulating and heating the water in the main
boiler before the fires are lighted in the furnaces thereof, by a current of steain from
another supplemental boiler whereby water is drawn from one part of the main
boiler heated and discharged into another part of the main boiler and in starting
the fires in the furnaces of the main boiler after the water has become so uniformly
heated by steam from the other or supplemental boilers us to greatly lessen the
liability of strain due to unequal expansion by the heat of the fires in the said
furnaces.
By the method above described the water in a main marine boiler may be
uniformly heated to a temperature of 210 degrees Fahrenheit more or less, by
means of steam taken from the donkey or supplemental boiler and before the fires
are lighted in the main boiler, and when there are a number of main boilers the
water in one of them may be thus heated with steam from the donkey boiler, before
fires are lighted and the steam generated in that main boiler after the fires are
lighted may be employed to heat the water in the other main boiler.
By this method of heating the water in the main boiler or boilers not only will
the injurious effects of unequal expansion be greatly lessened but a considerable
saving of fuel will be made over the ordinary method of heating the water in a
boiler by fires in the furnaces thereof preparatory to making steam.
In carrying out my new method I may employ any of the means heretofore used
for circulating and heating the water in a steam boiler after the fires are lighted
in the furnaces thereof but I now deem it desirable to employ an injecting device
arranged external to the main boiler as shown in the accompanying drawing, the
suction pipe of the injector or injecting device lending from the lower or one part
of the boiler and the discharge pipe of the injector or injecting device lending to the
upper or another part of the boiler.
In the accompany drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a
portion of a boiler and apparatus for carrying out my invention, also showing in
dotted lines an arbitrary illustration of a donkey boiler and Figure 2 is a sectional
elevation of the rear end portion of a boiler with my apparatus applied thereto.
Similar letters of referenco designato corresponding parts in both figures.
A designates a main boiler or one of a number of main boilers constructed with
internal furnaces. These furnaces are only shown in dotted outline as the back end
of the boiler is illustrated, but the boiler may be constructed in any ordinary
or approved manner.
I have represented the injecting device or injector B at the back of the boiler,
but it may be arranged at the front or any other desired part thereof, and each
boiler should be provided with an injecting device or injector for producing a
circulation of the water therein.
The injecting device or injecter may be of any well known or suitable type and
is provided with supply and discharge pipes C.D, whereby it is connected with
different parts of the boiler. As here shown the supply pipe C leads from a point
very near the bottom of the boiler to the water inlet of the injector B, and tho
discharge pipe D leads from the injector to the upper part of the boiler and may
enter the boiler at a point near the water line.
Steam is supplied to the injector B through a pipe E in which is a valve E¹, and
communication of the supply and delivery pipes with the boiler is controlled by
valves Č¹ D'. The injector inay also be provided with the usual overflow 8.

page_text: The supply pipe C has a branch C² extending below its point of connection
with the boiler and provided with a valve C³. From the discharge pipe leads a
branch pipe D' provided with a valve D³. The branches CD with their valves
serve a purpose hereinafter described.
As here represented the steam supply pipe E is connected with the steam space
of the boiler A and from it extends a branch steam pipe E* which I have shown
partly in dotted lines and which leads from an arbitrary representation of a
donkey boiler F also shown in dotted lines. In the branch steam pipe E* is a
valve a and in the main steam pipe E between the branch pipe E* and the boiler A
is a valve E³.
When the time has arrived for heating the water in the boiler A and before the
fires are lighted therein the valves C₁ D¹ are opened to place the injector in
communication with the water in the boiler, and the valves E', a, are then opened
to admit steam from the donkey or supplemental boiler to the injector. By the
current of steam thus passed through the injector the water is taken from
the bottom of the boiler, A, heated and delivered into the top thereof; and the
impelling current of steam becoming mingled with and condensed by the water,
imparts heat thereto, thereby heating and circulating the water simultaneously.
It will be understood that this heating of the water in the boiler A is performed
before the fires in the furnaces thereof are lighted and the heating is continued
until the water has a nearly uniform temperature throughout, and is almost or
quite bot enough to generate vapour.
When the water in the boiler A has thus been uniformly heated by the mingling
of steam with it and the fires in the furnaces are lighted the circulation of water
by the injector may be continued with steam from the donkey boiler F until steam
is generated in the main boiler, and may be thereafter continued with steam from
the boiler A. the valve a being closed and the valve E' opened.
When this method is carried out the water in the boiler is thus heated uniformly
or nearly so throughout, before the fires thereof are lighted and the evil effects of
unequal expansion are to a great extent obviated and not only is this most desirable
result attained but less coal will be used than is required when the preliminary
heating of the water is performed by fires in the furnaces.
When there are two or more main boilers the water in one of them may be thus
heated by steam from the donkey boiler before the fires are lighted in the furnaces,
and after steam is generated in that main boiler by fires in the furnaces the water
in the other boiler or boilers may be thus heated by steam from the first main
boiler.
It is obvious that to secure a uniform heating of the water in the boiler A. the
water may with advantage be drawn through the supply pipe C from different
points along the length of the boiler and may be widely distributed from the
delivery or discharge pipe D. To provide for this the said supply and discharge
pipes CD may have perforated prolongations C* D* extending within the boiler as
shown in Figure 2. These prolongations may be extended nearly the entire length
of the boiler if desired, and should be closed at the ends to compel the water to
pass through the perforations.
It may be desired to use the injecting device B for discharging the water from
the boiler A when steam is off. In such case it is only necessary to close the
valve D¹ in the discharge pipe D and open the valve D³ in the branch pipe D2.
The water taken from the bottom of the boiler may then be discharged overboard
by steam from the donkey boiler.
It may also be desirable to employ the injector to discharge the bilge water and
if so the valve D³ is still left open and the valve Cin the branch suction or supply
pipe C is also opened the valve C₁ being closed. When each of the main boilers
of a vessel is provided with an injector thus arranged they may all be operated
as injectors by steam from their respective boilers to clear the vessel of water in
case of accident.

page_text: Although I have shown the supply pipe as arranged to take water from the
bottom of the boiler and the discharge pipe as arranged to deliver water into the
upper part of the boiler they might be otherwise arranged to take water from
any part of the boiler and deliver it to another part thereof as may be most
desirable.
The holes in the pipes that extend throughout the top and bottom of the boiler
should be laid out differentially that is to say a small number in the first twelve
inches of their length and increasing in numbers as to their length for the purpose
of drawing and discharging the water uniformly throughout the length of the
boiler.
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
I claim is
1st. The method of getting up steam in a main boiler consisting in first heating
the water in the main boiler by steam from another or supplemental boiler before
the fires are lighted in the furnaces of the main boiler, and in starting the fires
in the furnaces of the main boiler after the water therein has become so uniformly
heated by steam from the other or supplemental boiler as to greatly lessen the
liability of strain due to unequal expansion by the beat of the fires in said furnaces,
substantially as herein set forth.
2 The method of getting up steam in a main boiler consisting in first
simultaneously circulating and henting the water in the main boiler before the
fires are lighted in the furnaces thereof by a current of steam from another or
supplemental boiler, and in starting the fires in the fornaces of the main boilor
after the water therein has become so uniformly heated by steam from the other
or supplemental boiler as to greatly lessen the liability of strain due to unequal
expansion by the heat of the fires in said furnaces, substantially as herein set forth.
3 The method of getting up steam in a main boiler consisting in first
simultaneously circulating and heating the water in the main boiler, before the
fires are lighted in the furnaces thereof, by a current of steam from another or
supplemental boiler whereby the water is drawn froin ono part of the main boiler
heated and discharged into another part thereof, and in starting the fires in the
furnaces of the main boiler after the water therein has become so uniformly heated
by steam from the other or supplemental boiler as to greatly lessen the liability of
strain due to unequal expansion by the hent of the fires in said furnaces substantially
as herein set forth.
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