An Improved Evaporator and Surface Condenser for Producing Pure Distilled Water.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Evaporator and Surface Condenser for Producing
Pure Distilled Water.
We WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON, of No. 5 Cancell Road, Brixton, London S.W.
Mechanical Engineer, and EDWARD LEWIS GARRETT, of No. 1 Milk Street
Buildings, Cheapside in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved evaporator and surface condenser
in which water is evaporated by means of steam and afterwards condensed, thereby
producing water free from all mineral impurities.
We accomplish this by arranging two series of tubes within a vertical chamber
containing the water to be evaporated and afterwards condensed.
Live steam at pressure is admitted from the boiler to the upper or evaporating
series of tubes, which are below the water level in the vertical chamber, whereby
the temperature of the water surrounding these tubes is raised above 212°
Fahrenheit, and the steam thus generated collects in a vacant space at the top of
the vertical chamber.
From this space the steam is conducted, by suitable tubes inside the vertical
chamber, to the lower or condensing series of tubes where it is condensed by the
surrounding cool water and flows away as pure water to any desired receptacle
such as the hot well, pump or injector. The inlet for cool water, for feeding the
vertical chamber, situated below the lower or condensing series of tubes, and as
the stratum of water surrounding these tubes becomes partly heated, it ascends to
the upper stratum of water surrounding the upper or evaporating series of tubes,
where it becomes more highly heated, and it is finally converted into steam at the
surface of the column of water contained in the vertical chamber.
Fresh cool water enters the vertical chamber through the inlet before mentioned
so that the water level is always kept constant. Thus a perpetual circulation of
water in the vertical chamber takes place according to the quantity and pressure
of steam admitted to the upper or evaporating series of tubes. I provide the said
upper or evaporating series of tubes with an exit pipe and cock, near their lower part,
for permitting any steam which may condense therein to return by gravitation to
the boiler, or to the hot well or other receptacle.
The lower or condensing series of tubes are likewise provided with an exit,
controlled by a cock for conveying the pure water wherever it may be required,
by pump or injector, to boiler, or to hot well or other receptacle. There is also a
blow off cock or valve near the lower part of the vertical chamber to allow of any
The upper
sediment or other impurities being blown off under pressure of steam.
part of the vertical chamber may also be provided with a relief or safety valve for
enabling the steam which collects in the vacant space to escape, should its pressure
rise abnormally high. The vertical chamber is preferably furnished with a pressure
guage and a water guage. It will be seen that by the use of our invention the
circulation of the water surrounding the tubes is effectually insured by the natural
tendency of the heated strata of water to ascend to the surface where it is converted
into steam which is afterwards condensed in its passage through the lower or
condensing series of tubes and this evaporation, and condensation takes place in
one and the same apparatus. The cool water feed is regulated by the quantity of
water evaporated.
Dated this with day of Wob 1001
WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON.
EDWARD LEWIS GARRETT.

page_text: .
COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Evaporator and Surface Condenser for Producing
Pure Distilled Water.
We, WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON formerly of
Adelaide Place, London
Bridge in the City of London, but now of 5 Cancell Road, Brixton, in the County
of London, Mechanical Engineer, and EDWARD LEWIS GARRETT formerly of
1 Milk Street Buildings, Cheapside, in the City of London, but now of "Feather-
stone," Wallington, in the County of Surrey, Merchant, 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 :-
This invention has for its object the making and using of an improved
evaporator and surface condenser in which water is evaporated by means of steam,
and afterwards condensed, thereby producing water free from many impurities that
ordinary water often possesses, and fits it for use in many cases where it would,
otherwise be but indifferent or quite inadmissible.
In order that the invention may be easily understood we attach a drawing which
represents a vertical section of the apparatus we employ.
For the purpose of carrying out the invention we make a cylindrical or otherwise
suitably shaped casing A, A, and arrange within it two series of tubes B and C,
which are supported respectively by the plates D, E, F, and G, which rest upon
the brackets H, I, and J. By means of the plates K, L, M the vessel is partially
divided into three principal chambers O, P, Q and Q¹. The tubes are open both
at top and bottom and communicate with spaces or subsidiary chambers R, S, T,
and U.
Cold water is admitted by the pipe V until it rises to a suitable height above
the plate K, and thus surrounds each series of tubes B and C. Live steam is then
supplied through the pipe W which enters the chamber R. The steam passes
from thence down the series of tubes B, and in its course heats the water
surrounding them. Much of this steam however will be condensed and therefore
provision is made for carrying it away by the pipe X. The steam arising from
the water heated by the tubes B will rise to the top of the chamber _and_pass
down the pipes Y and Z which communicate with the space or chamber T. From
thence the steam will pass down the series of tubes C, and in consequence of the
coldness of the water surrounding them the steam will be condensed and flow away
as practically pure distilled water from the chamber U by the pipe b, to any
suitable receptacle such as the hot well, condenser or pump. It will be observed
that a pipe c is provided. This is used whenever it is found desirable to blow off
any sediment that may collect at the bottom of the chamber Q. It may also be
noted that the chamber Q is furnished with a pipe d which is connected with a
safety valve, so as to avoid danger should an undue pressure take place within the
vessel.
By connecting the pipe V with a cistern having a float valve or ball cock, the
quantity of cold water admitted to the lower, chamber Q₁ will be in exact
proportion to that passing away as pure distilled water by the pipe b.
Shortly the action of the apparatus may be described as follows. Cold water is
admitted to Q1 and ascends to chamber P. It is there converted into steam by the
series of heated tubes B and fills chamber O, from whence it descends through the
series of pipes C where it is cooled by virtue of the lower temperature of the water
surrounding them, is condensed, and Hows away by the pipe b, before mentioned.
The circulation of the water is ensured by the natural tendency of the heated water
to rise.
All the pipes are provided with suitable valves or cocks. The vessel is also
provided with a water and a pressure gauge, together with manholes and covers.
The apparatus may be made of any suitable metal, or material.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
The apparatus consisting of the combined evaporator and condenser arranged as
herein described and shown on the drawing.
Dated this 5th day of November 1891.
W. H. BENNETT,
Agents for the Applicant.