OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM, HEATING FEED WATER, AND SEPARATING AIR, GASES, AND OTHER MATTERS THEREFROM
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Lachlan McIntyre at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September 1881.
LACHLAN MCINTYRE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM, HEATING
FEED WATER, AND SEPARATING AIR, GASES, AND OTHER MATTERS THEREFROM."
This Invention, which relates to apparatus for condensing exhaust steam, for
heating the feed water supplied to the boiler, and for separating air, gases, and
other matters therefrom, consists as follows:-
According to the said Invention the feed water is caused to pass through a
nozzle, preferably diverging outwards at bottom and having in it a central
double spreading cone with webs forming passages between the exterior of the
cone and the interior of the nozzle. The said cone extends down below the
opening of the nozzle, and it and the said nozzle are surrounded by a second nozzle,
the lower end of which forms an annular passage between itself and the exterior
of the cone, the said passage being below the opening in the first mentioned nozzle.
The second nozzle is again surrounded by a casing, into which the steam to be
condensed and to be employed for heating the feed water passes, the said second nozzle
being open at top to this casing to receive exhaust steam therefrom. The feed
water to be heated by the heat of the steam is pumped or forced into and through
the passages between the first mentioned nozzle and the central cone therein at a
pressure sufficient to overcome that in the boiler, and producing a vacuum draws
steam to it through the second mentioned nozzle. The water and steam thus meet
(preferably whilst the water is spread out by the diverging end of the first named
nozzle) and pass thence through the passage between the second mentioned nozzle
and the central cone and here again meets the remainder of the steam in the
surrounding chamber which terminates in a globular piece surrounding the lower
protruding extremity of the said central cone and supporting a diverging pipe
opening at bottom over a cone shaped piece supported by a perforated plate, the
perforations preferably tapering downwards. All the parts described are enclosed
in the upper part of a vessel divided by the said perforated plate into two portions.
The feed water and condensed steam flow from out the diverging pipe and over
the cone to the upper portion of the vessel in an outwardly diverging stream over
the perforated plate, causing air and gases to be disengaged and pass into the

page_text: upper part of the vessel and allowing the feed water and solids to pass through the
perforations into the lower part of the vessel, which has some distance above its
bottom an outlet for the feed water to the boilers, the opening of which outlet
inside the vessel is protected by a hood to prevent impurities which fall through
the perforated plate from entering the boiler. The water gauge is placed on the
side of the vessel for shewing the height of the heated feed water above the
perforated plate. In the upper part of the vessel is a cock for allowing the air and
gases mixed up with the feed water to escape, and by means of this cock the
pressure in the chamber is maintained equal to that in the boiler. Mud-holes are
provided for removing sediment.
Steam from the steam jackets of the cylinders or from the receiver of compound
engines, or steam from the boiler direct, or other heated vapour, may be admitted
to the casing surrounding the nozzles if desired.
The herein before described arrangement of nozzles may be employed as a jet
condenser for creating a vacuum.