Improvements in and relating to Evaporating Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Evaporating Apparatus.
I, JAMES FOSTER, of 11 St. Andrew's Drive, Pollokshields in the City and County
of Glasgow, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to apparatus for
evaporating liquids in general, but specially suitable for glycerine and the like.
As applied in connection with an evaporator of the vertical class having an upper
vapour chamber working under vacuum, and a lower steam heating chamber, the
improvements consist in fitting a series of main plates to project at spaced heights
apart alternatively from opposite sides of the vapour chamber and extend preferably
past the centre. These plates are fitted on their under surface with a series of small
baffle plates or ribs extending transversely in parallel sets across the main plates and
preferably of variable depths, set on edge to project out at right angles to the main
plates; and they may be formed with curled up or gutter outer ends and they may
deflect both ways from the centre, so as to trap and return to bottom of vessel any
glycerine passing up with the vapour. These small baffle plates would each be formed
with a series of slits or slots at spaced distances apart preferably near their inner side
the slots of the one plate being set opposite the solid part of the adjacent plate, and by
this means the vapour will be deflected and pass through the slotted plates, while any
glycerine falling on the top of the main plates (should the baffle plates be formed
straight) will run down and pass through slots or openings at lower edge, back to
bottom of chamber. By a modified construction the main plates may be perforated
and angled baffle plates be fitted on their upper surface.
The main plates would be mounted to swivel on hinges at their lower end, these
hinges preferably consisting of a spindle having its ends passing out through stuffing
boxes in sides of vessel, and these spindles can be operated by a hand lever outside
vessel, so as to oscillate and set the main plates at any desired angle or inclination
when evaporation is proceeding, and be oscillated upright to come parallel with the
sides of the vessel when the tubes have to be cleaned or repaired.
A counter balance weight would be connected to end of lever, and a quadrant with
pin holes or equivalent appliance be used so as to secure the spindle in any desired
position to give the elevation of plate desired. In the case of cylindrical evaporators
the spindle would be mounted at the centre of vessel and the main plates project
towards each side of vessel from central spindle.
When the liquors in these evaporating vessels contain salts or other deposits which
are precipitated during concentration, a discharge hopper vessel, preferably of double
conoidal shape, would be connected to the discharge end of the evaporator, and sluice
or like valves would be fitted at the lower and upper ends of this vessel. An air cock
leading to atmosphere would be fitted to a branch on this hopper vessel, while a
similar air cock would be fitted at opposite side of vessel and lead into the upper end
of a trapping chamber, preferably with central baffle plate or partition fitted across
chamber from top to near the lower end. A pipe connection would be taken from the
upper end of trapping chamber at opposite side of partition to inlet end, and lead to a
branch at the top of vapour chamber of evaporator.
The operation of this would be as follows:-When the apparatus is working, the

page_text: top valve on hopper chamber is open and the lower valve closed. When the hopper is
full of salts, the top valve is closed, and the vacuum in hopper broken by admitting
air through cock leading to atmosphere. The bottom valve is then opened for the
discharge of the salts deposited in hopper chamber. After this operation, the bottom
valve is closed, and the cock on opposite side of hopper chamber is opened to the
trapping chamber and so put in communication with the top of vapour chamber, and
any salts that may be drawn out when the vacuum is being formed will be drawn into
and deposited in trapping chamber. When the vacuum in hopper chamber bas
become equal to that indicated in top vapour chamber, the cock communicating
through trapping chamber is closed, and the sluice valve at top of hopper chamber
opened to again receive another charge of salt. By this method of working no air
can possibly pass from hopper chamber to the upper vapour chamber through the
liquor under evaporation.
Dated the 31st day of July 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Evaporating Apparatus.
I, JAMES FOSTER, of 11 St. Andrew's Drive, Pollokshields, in the City and County
of Glasgow, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to apparatus for
evaporating liquids in general, but specially suitable for glycerine and the like.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of explanatory
drawings in which
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of an evaporator as fitted in accordance
with my improvements, and Figure 2 is a plan view partly in section.
Figure 3 represents detached views of two of the baffle plates, and
Figure 4a view showing the baffle plates attached to the main plate mounted on
moveable shaft.
Figure 5 represents an elevation partly in section and Figure 6 a plan view of
the apparatus showing a modified arrangement of mounting the baffle plate fittings
in a circular vessel.
Referring to these drawings:-
As applied in connection with an evaporator of the vertical class having an upper
vapour chamber A working under vacuum, and a lower steam heating chamber B
the improvements consist in fitting a series of main plates a to project at spaced
heights apart alternatively from opposite sides of the vapour chamber A and extend
preferably past the centre. These plates a are fitted on their under surface with
a series of small baffle plates or ribs b extending transversely in parallel sets across
the main plates a and preferably of variable depths, set on edge to project out at
right angles to the main plates a and they may be formed with curled up or
gutter outer ends 6' and they may deflect both ways from the centre, so as to trap
and return to bottom of vessel any glycerine passing up with the vapour. These
small baffle plates & would each be forined with a series of slits or slots 2 at spaced
distances apart preferably near their inner side the slots of the one plate being set
opposite the solid parts of the adjacent plate, as shown detached in Figure 3, and
by this means the vapour will be free to pass through the slotted plates b, while any
glycerine falling on the top of the main plate a (should the baffle plates be formed

page_text: straight) will run down and pass through slots or openings at lower edge, back to
bottom of chamber.
The main plates a would be mounted to swivel on hinges at their lower end,
these hinges preferably consisting of a spindle c having its ends passing out through
stuffing boxes e in sides of vessel, and these spindles can be operated by a hand
lever outside vessel, so as to oscillate and set the main plates a at any desired angle-
or inclination when evaporation is proceeding, and be oscillate upright to come
parallel with the sides of the vessel A when the tubes have to be cleaned or
repaired.
In the case of cylindrical evaporators as shown in Figures 5 and 6 the spindle c
would be mounted at the centre of vessel A and the main plates a project towards.
each side of vessel from central spindie.
When the liquors in these evaporating vessels contain salts or other deposits which
are precipitated during concentration, a discharge hopper vessel C preferably of
double conoidal shape as shown in Figure 1 would be connected to the discharge
end of the evaporator, and sluice or like valves CC would be fitted at the lower
and upper ends of this vessel. An air cock (3 leading to atmosphere would be-
fitted to a branch on this hopper vessel, while a similar air cock C would be fitted
at opposite side of vessel and lead into the upper end of a trapping chamber D.
preferably with central baffle plate or partition Di fitted across chamber from top to
near the lower end. A pipe connection would be taken from a branch D' at the
upper end of trapping chamber D at opposite side of partition to inlet end, and lead
to a branch at the top of vapour chamber A of evaporator.
The operation of this would be as follows:-
When the apparatus, is working, the top valve C2 on hopper chamber C is open and
the lower valve C closed. When the hopper C is full of salts, the top valve C
is closed, and the vacuum in hopper broken by admitting air through cock C³
leading to atmosphere. The bottom valve C¹ is then opened for the discharge of
the salts deposited in hopper chamber. After this operation the bottom valve C¹ is
closed, and the cock C is opened to the trapping chamber and so through the
branch D put in communication with the top of vapour chamber A and any salts.
that may be drawn out when the vacuum is being formed will be drawn into and
deposited in trapping chamber D. When the vacuum in hopper chamber Chas
become equal to that indicated in top vapour chamber A the cock C communicating.
through trapping chamber D is closed, and the sluice valve C2 at top of hopper
chamber Copened to again receive another charge of salt. By this method of
working no air can possibly pass from hopper chamber C to the upper vapour
chamber A through the liquor under evaporation.
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 :-
First. In evaporating apparatus, the arrangement and use of hinged or moveable
plates carrying a series of baffle plates, substantially as and for the purposes herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In evaporating apparatus, the arrangement of hopper chamber and valves.
at lower end of vessel, with trapping chamber and pipe connection to vapour chamber,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying.
drawings.
Dated the 28th day of Annil 1807
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents..