Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam in connection with Steam Engines, and Apparatus for Obtaining Fresh or Pure Water from Saline or other Waters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam in connection
with Steam Engines, and Apparatus for Obtaining Fresh or Pure
Water from Saline or other Waters.
We, JAMES WEIR and GEORGE WEIR, of Holm Foundry, Cathcart, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object the constructing of condensing apparatus in
an improved manner and so as to facilitate the separation and prevent the
reabsorption of gaseous impurities which pass with the steam into the apparatus.
With our improved apparatus when applied with steam engines the condensed
water is not liable to injure the boilers, and when used with apparatus for distilling
saline or other waters, the condensed water obtained is purer than that obtained by
ordinary apparatus.
Our invention is applicable with various kinds of condensers but in all cases the
steam is directed by one or more inlet pipes or by one or more hanging partitions
within the interior space in which it is to be condensed so as to issue into such
space closely down upon the surface of the condensed water whilst an outlet for
gases is arranged at a higher part of the space. With the indicated arrangement
the surface of the condensed water is kept at a boiling temperature or near it, and
consequently resists the reabsorption of the gases which have become mixed with
the steam in the process of evaporation or otherwise, and the gases collect at the
upper part of the space, from which they are withdrawn by a pump or otherwise
at a rate regulated according to the rate at which they are found to accumulate in
each case.
In a condenser, which may be described, by way of example, and which is
arranged for condensing and at once cooling water for drinking purposes, the cold
water passes upwards through vertical tubes which traverse the space into which
the steam is admitted, the condensed water being led off from the bottom but being
maintained with its level inside sufficiently high for it to become cooled by means
of the lower parts of the cold-water tubes. The steam enters by a pipe projecting
into the interior condensing space and having its mouth very near the surface of
the condensed water, whilst an outlet for gases is provided from the top of the
condenser. The condensed water may be aerated in any suitable known way after
it leaves the condenser.
In the case of a condenser for a steam engine the surface of the condensed water
is kept very near the bottom as it is not desirable to cool the water which has to
return to the steam boilers.
The condenser may be made with water tubes in horizontal or inclined positions;
or the condensation may be effected in tubes or vessels or passages surrounded by
cold water, in which case the steam must be led by separate small tubes into each
condensing passage or space.
Dated this Twentieth day of April 1891
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam in connection
with Steam Engines, and Apparatus for Obtaining Fresh or Pure
Water from Saline or other Waters.
We, JAMES WEIR and GEORGE WEIR of Holm Foundry, Cathcart, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, 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, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object the constructing of condensing apparatus in
an improved manner and so as to facilitate the separation and prevent the
reabsorption of gaseous impurities which pass with the steam into the apparatus.
With our improved apparatus when applied with steam engines the condensed
water is not liable to injure the boilers; and when used with apparatus for distilling
saline or other waters, the condensed water obtained is purer than that obtained by
ordinary apparatus.
Our invention is applicable with various kinds of condensers, but in all cases the
steam is directed by one or more inlet pipes or by one or more hanging partitions
within the interior space in which it is to be condensed so as to pass closely down
upon the surface of the condensed water, whilst an outlet for gases is arranged at a
higher part of the space, or beyond the partition or partitions the gases being,
where necessary, withdrawn by a pump or otherwise at a rate regulated according
to the rate at which they are found to accumulate in each case.
The condenser may be made with water tubes in vertical, horizontal or inclined
positions or the condensation may be effected in tubes or vessels or passages
surrounded by cold water, in which case the steam must be led by separate small
tubes into each condensing passage or space.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append two sheets of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to and showing four examples of our improved
apparatus.
Figures, 1, and 2, are a vertical section and an inverted sectional plan
respectively of apparatus for condensing and cooling water, as made with our
improvements.
Figures, 3, and 4, are similar views of a second example of apparatus for the
same purpose.
and
Figure, 5, on Sheet 2, is a longitudinal section of a condenser for a steam engine
Figure, 6, is a transverse section of a second example of apparatus for same
purpose as made with my improvements.
In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
In the condensers, A, shown in Figures, 1, to 4, which are arranged for con-
densing and at once cooling water for drinking purposes, the cold water passes
upwards through vertical tubes, B. which have their top and bottom ends projecting
through plates, C, D, which close the space in the condenser, A, into which the
steam is admitted, the condensed water being led off from an outlet, E, near the
bottom but being maintained by a tap on the outlet pipe or otherwise with its level
inside sufficiently high for it to become cooled by means of the lower parts of the
cold-water tubes, B. The cold water leaves the condenser, A, by the outlet, F.
In the example shown in Figures 1, and 2, the steam enters by a pipe, G, at the
side and projecting into the interior condensing space, whilst in the example shown
in Figures, 3, and 4, the steam pipe, G, is inserted downwards from the top of the
condenser, A, the mouth of this pipe, G, being in both examples very near the
surface of the condensed water. The gases from the condensed water collect at

page_text: the upper part of the condensing space and pass off through a suitable tap on an
outlet, H, near the top of the condenser. A. The condensed water may be aerated
in any suitable known way after it leaves the condenser.
In the example shown in Figure, 5, the cold water enters the condenser, A, by
the inlet, J. at the lower right-hand side, passes through the horizontal tubes, B,
and is drawn off through the outlet, F. at the upper left-hand side of the condenser.
The steam from the engines enters by the inlet, G, in the top of the condenser, and
passing down amongst the tubes, B, becomes condensed. The condensed water
collects in a well. K, formed in the bottom of the condenser, A, and is drawn off
by means of a pump through an outlet pipe, E. The normal level of the water
surface is a little below the lowest tubes, B; and when it becomes too low a
counterweighted float, L, in the well, K, acts by a rod, M, on the throttle valve of
the steam pump and stops the withdrawal of water from the condenser. A space, N,
is partitioned off at the left-hand end of the condenser, A, by a plate, P, in which
space the gases from the condensed water collect and from which they are with-
drawn by means of a pump or otherwise through the outlet, H, at a rate regulated
according to the rate at which they are found to accumulate in each case.
The
condenser may be made without the well, K, and float, L.
In the example shown in Figure, 6, the condenser, A. which is of a circular
form, the steam inlet, G, is on the top and the outlet, E, for the condensed water
at the bottom. The plate. P, enclosing the space, N, for collecting the gases from
the condensed water extends in an inclined direction from the gas outlet, H, to the
bottom of the cold water tubes, B. With the arrangements described in this and
the example shown in Figure, 5, the surface of the condensed water is kept at a
boiling temperature this being of advantage not only because the water has to be
returned to the boilers but because it is thereby enabled to resist the reabsorption
of the gases which have become mixed with the steam in the process of evaporation
or otherwise.
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 apparatus for condensing steam, arranging the inlet or passage for the
entrance of the steam with any gas mixed with it into the condensing space or into
a compartment separated by a partition from the remainder of the condensing
space, at the bottom or lower part of such space or compartment, and providing an
outlet for gas at the upper part of such space or compartment substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described.
2-The construction of condensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures, 1, and 2, of the accompanying drawings.
3 The construction of condensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 3, and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
4-The construction of condensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.
5-The construction of condensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figure, 6, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Fifteenth day of January 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.