IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COOLING OR HEATING FLUIDS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frank Wirth at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 1st December 1881. A communication from
Adolph Dietsche, of Waldshut, in the Empire of Germany.
"
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth & Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany.
IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR COOLING OR HEATING FLUIDS." A communication from Adolph
Dietscho, of Waldshut, in the Empire of Germany.
The said Invention relates to the rapid and effective cooling or heating of fluids
by passing the said fluids in an extremely thin film between two surfaces composed
of tubes which convey the cooling or heating medium.
The apparatus consists essentially of a series of layers of tubes closely fitting
over one another without contact, each layer of tubes being formed from two
corrugated plates of copper or other suitable good conducting material.
The corrugated plates are laid on one another so that alternate corrugations touch
each other, which are there soldered together so as to form the intermediate spaces
between the plates into parallel tubes. Each end of the compound layer of tubes so
formed is closed by a long box or chamber of half the depth of the tubes, and
divided by divisions into compartiments uniting the ends of the tubes in pairs. As
these divisions and pairs are alternately arranged at either end, the whole layer of
tubes thus forms a continuous passage for a circulating fluid backwards and forwards
from end to end of the layer.
Successive layers of tubes are laid upon one another so that the projections of
one layer lie in and nearly fit, without touching, the depression of the layers above
and below.
A thin corrugated space or film is thus maintained between each layer, through
which the fluid to be heated or cooled is passed.
A connection is made between each successive layer of tubes by a mouth-piece
and fitting socket, so as to make the circulation continuous through any number of
combined horizontal layers. The flow of the fluid to be cooled or heated is caused
to pass from side to side through the intermediate narrow space between the layers
of tubes, and transversely to their length by means of compartments formed by the
walls of a tank, in which the layers of pipes may be conveniently placed, or by
Pain 11

page_text: means of special chambers attached to the sides of the layers of pipes and so
arranged as to unite a pair of films or spaces alternately on opposite sides.
In each of these connecting side compartments may be placed a filter-sieve or
cloth for the retention of the solid matter deposited by condensation.
The length of the whole film between the layers of tubes may be divided into
several compartments by transverse divisions.
The cooling or heating fluid may be caused to circulate in any suitable direction
through the circulating pipes, but preferably in an opposite direction to that of the
fluid to be cooled or heated.
The form of the tubes may vary also in their shape of corrugation to suit various
circumstances.
The apparatus is convenient for cooling with a combination of ordinary cold and
iced water by using different layers for each, and the different liquids may be run
off and supplied independently of each other by passing through blind recesses
specially provided.
The apparatus may be used with equal effect for either gascous or liquid fluids.
The tubes may be arranged at any suitable angle in the tank in which they may
be placed.