Improvements in and relating to Condensers for Condensing the Exhaust Steam from Engines, and for other purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Condensers for Condensing the
Exhaust Steam from Engines, and for other purposes.
We, JAMES HENRY FITTS, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and
WILLIAM EMMET ANDERSON, Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering,
at the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, both citizens of the United
States of America, and residing respectively on College Street and Main Street, in
the Town of Blacksburgh, County of Montgomery, and State of Virginia, one of
the United States of America, 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 :-
Our invention relates to condensers for condensing the exhaust steam from
engines, and particularly for those which are to be used in situations where the
water supply is limited.
The object of our invention is to construct a condenser in which the cooling
effect of water surrounding the condenser tubes is heightened by means of the rapid
evaporation of the cooling water effected by the employment of a draught of air
over the surface of the water; and our invention consists principally of the
convenient form of apparatus by means of which the above principle may be
carried out.
An apparatus of the preferred form is disclosed in this Specification and in the
accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof, and in which
Figure 1 is a plan of the condenser and its adjuncts.
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line a-x of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front elevation, and Figure 4 is a detail view of one of the cooling
trays or pans in which the condenser tubes are immersed.
Figure 5 is a detail of a modification.
The condenser consists of a metallic box A, preferably rectangular in shape,
having chambers B at the opposite ends formed by means of vertical partitions C.
One of the chambers B is preferably subdivided into two chambers by a horizontal
partition D. The two partitions C constitute the tube sheets into which are let the
condenser tubes E by means of the usual steam-tight packing joints. The tubes E
traverse the space between the tube sheets C, and the space F constitutes the
cooling chamber. G is the exhaust pipe leading the exhaust steam from an
engine, and H is the connecting cap between the exhaust pipe and one of the
chambers B. Between each horizontal nest of tubes there are arranged horizontal
trays or pans I in the space F. These trays extend completely across the space F
and subdivide it in practically closed chambers or compartments. Each tray
rests upon two side ledges J and a rear ledge J. Each tray is provided with an
upwardly turned flange I¹; so that the trays resemble an ordinary drawer with
only a bottom and front piece, the remaining three sides being absent. These trays
may be made of metal, but we prefer to make them of a porous substance, such as
sheet asbestos or burnt porous earth, for a reason which will appear hereafter.
These trays may be further braced or supported by means of longitudinal braces
lying between the tubes, if desired, or found necessary to support them
The trays
may be packed at their joints with the ledges; but, as absolute water tightness
is not necessary, packing may be dispensed with. Each front piece I' of the trays
is made of a height somewhat less than that of the opening which it partially covers
in the front of the condenser so as to leave an opening or air space a above it.
Each tray is provided with a suitable overflow outlet K, to regulate the height of
the water in the trays.
The rear wall L of the condenser is provided with openings a' opposite the

page_text: openings a and in the same planes therewith. M constitutes a cap or conduit
extending from the rear wall of the condenser to the suction or delivery side of an
air pump N, which is preferably a rotary pump, operated by a belt pulley V.
P is a water supply pipe or tank, and Q are valved pipes leading therefrom to each
of the trays to supply them with water. R is a hot well into which the condensed
steam falls and from which it is removed by the ordinary air and feed pump, to be
returned to the boiler.
The operation of our condenser is as follows:-
The steam coming into the exhaust pipe G, enters one chamber B and is
distributed through the tubes E. Water from the supply P comes by pipes Q and
fills the trays so as to cover the tubes; its height being regulated by means of the
overflow pipes K. The steam passes through the upper rows of tubes, which are
above the partition D and is partially condensed and then enters the other
chamber B and passes back through the tubes which are below the partition D,
and the condensed steam falls into the hot well to be removed by the usual vacuum
and feed pumps and passed to the boiler. The tubes E may be vertically inclined,
if desired, to favor the flow of the condensed steam. While the steam is passing
through the tubes and is being condensed by the surrounding water in the trays,
this cooling water is itself cooled by the partial evaporation thereof produced by a
blast of air passing in through the openings a, across the surface of the water in the
trays, and out at the openings a' into the pump; or in a reverse direction, if a
blower be used. When the trays are made of porous material, the water oozes
through the bottoms thereof and the lower sides are therefore also wetted surfaces
exposed to the air draft, and the temperature thereof is also decreased, thus adding
to the efficiency and extent of the cooling surfaces for the cooling water and the
steam tubes immersed therein. The supply of water to each of the trays can
be regulated by properly adjusting the valves in the supply pipes Q. If desired,
the front pieces 1' of the trays I may be dispensed with, and in place thereof may
be fitted a gridiron cap or plate S; as shown in Figure 5, in which the bars T
serve to take the place of the front pieces I¹, and the spaces U between the bars,
constitute openings corresponding to the openings a. This cap piece is bolted to
the front of the condenser and may be removed when it is desired to remove the
trays for cleaning them or replacing them by new ones.
While our invention is intended primarily to be used as a condenser for steam
engines, it may also be used as a condenser in all kinds of distillation and sugar
refining.
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 :
1. In a condenser, a chamber containing tubes for the passage of a vapor to be
condensed, with trays or receptacles for containing a cooling fluid in which said
tubes are submerged, and means for producing an air current over the surface of the
liquid, substantially as described.
2. In a condenser, the combination of a chamber containing a series of tubes for
the passage of the vapor to be condensed, horizontal partitions between the several
layers of tubes, constituting receptacles for a cooling liquid in which the tubes are
immersed; openings at one side of the condenser for admitting air to the surface of
the water covering said tubes; openings in the opposite side of the condenser,
opposite the first-named openings; and means for causing a current of air to pass
from one set of openings through the other over the surfaces of the water to induce
rapid evaporation and cooling thereof, substantially as described.
3. In a condenser, the combination of a condensing receptacle immersed in a
cooling liquid, with means for producing an evaporating air current over the surface
of the cooling medium to lower its temperature, substantially as described.
4. In a condenser, the combination of a chamber containing tubes for the passage
of the vapor to be condensed, with removable trays in said chamber for containing

page_text: a cooling liquid in which the tubes are immersed; and means for producing an
evaporating air current over said liquid, substantially as described.
5. A condenser consisting of a receptacle for the condensation of a vapor, in
combination with a receptacle containing a cooling liquid, in which the condensing
receptacle is immersed; said cooling receptacle being made of a porous material so
that the cooling liquid will percolate through, and means for producing an air
current over the surface of the cooling liquid and over the moist lower surface of its
receptacle, substantially as described.
6. In a condenser, the combination of a chamber, condensing tubes extending
across the same, removable trays of a porous material containing a cooling liquid,
in which said tubes are immersed, with means for producing an air current over the
surface of the cooling liquid and over the bottom of the said trays, substantially as
described.
Dated this 97th day of 1002
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.