Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Heating Feed-water and Surface Condensing Steam.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left 24th Jan. 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Heating Feed-water
and Surface Condensing Steam.
I FRANCIS SYKES of Greenfoot House, Barnsley, in the County of Yorkshire,
Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for purifying and heating
feed-water on its way to the boilers to a high temperature, such high temperature
being obtained from the exhaust steam from the engine or several different
engines, or machines, or live steam may be used from the boilers to heat the said
feed-water.
The water is never brought into direct contact with the steam, but is heated
by the heat being transmitted from the steam to the water through metallic
surfaces.
Some types of feed-heaters consists of a number of tubes placed longitudinally
in a cylindrical shell, the water being inside the tubes and the steam outside or
vice versa.
Some parts of my invention are equally applicable to both these descriptions of
feed-water heaters, as also to surface condensers; but in the apparatus I am about
to describe for heating the said feed-water, I prefer to have the steam inside the
tubes these being surrounded by the feed-water in the shell.
In the heaters such as above referred to, the tubes are often fixed securely in
tube plates which are rigid with the shell, and when the tubes are made of different
metals, such as copper, or brass, and the shell of wrought or cast iron, the ratio
of expansion of such metals within the same ranges of temperature, would be greater
than the shell, thus often causing leakage and undue strains.
To overcome this difficulty, the tubes are sometimes bent thus ; an:l both ends
fixed in the same tube plate, in this case it is a difficult matter to clean the tubes.
A part of my invention consists in improved means to remove these difficulties, s0
that the tubes may expand and contract independently of the shell, and by removing
a cover or covers they may be easily and effectually cleaned.
Another part of my invention relates to the improved method of causing the
exhaust steam from the engine, or engines, or live steam from the boilers, firstly,
to pass through a series of metallic tubes in the centre of the feed-water and then
through a second series of outer or surrounding tubes, surrounded by the feed-water
and in the same shell and thence into a suitable chamber, and away through a
collecting pipe.
With reference to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1, of which is a sectional
view of the apparatus; Fig. 2, is a plan of the steam inlet pipe i. and also of the
collecting pipe c. with its branches and bolt holes for fixing on plate 1, Fig. 3, is
the apparatus as shown for surface condensing steam, in which case I prefer to have
the steam in the shell and the circulating or condensing water in the tubes Fig. 4, is
a plan of the tubes.
s the shell of the apparatus which may be of cast or wrought metal so as to
withstand a high pressure, is provided with inlet and outlet blocks 6 and b for the
admission and exit of the feed-water. is the steam inlet pipe bolted on the
plate ; piate has holes bored corresponding with the holes in the branches on
the collecting pipe to which it is firmly bolted.

page_text: a is an annular piece of cast or wrought metal, firmly fixed on tube plate p¹
and contains a facing for receiving the centre part of plate l. to which it is bolted.
n, n, are outlet nozzles for the removal of condensed steam water, t, t t, t, t, are the
central or inner tubes with their ends securely fixed in tube plates p and pl. t, t, are
the outer or surrounding tubes also securely fixed in the said tube plates. Tube
plate p is rivetted or cast on the bottom part of the shells, but tube plate p, is
loose from the shell and free to move with the expansion and contraction of the
tubes. On tube plate p is bolted a dished cover, or heating plate h, which the
steam strikes on passing out of the central tubes and entering the outer or
surrounding tubes.
When it becomes necessary to examine or clean the interior of the tubes,
covers hand, are removed and a scraper or brush may then be pushed down
each tube.
The outlet block with its pipe m, which prevents the scum passing out with the
hot feed-water is rivetted or bolted on the said cover h¹.
The mud or sediment falls to the lower part of the heater and thence to be
blown off through the outlet d, hand holes may also be arranged near the bottom
of the apparatus as shown at in Fig. 3.
The description of Fig. 3, as applicable to a surface condenser is similar to the
foregoing with the exception of having the circulating or condensing water in
the tubes and the steam to be condensed entering the shell at e and the exit at-e².
Dated this 14th day of May 1894.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Heating Feed-water
and Surface Condensing Steam.
1 FRANCIS SYKES, of Greenfoot House, Barnsley, in the County of Yorkshire,
Draughtsman, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for purifying and heating
feed-water on its way to the boilers to a high temperature, such high temperature,
being obtained from the exhaust steam from the engine or several different
engines or machines, or live steam may be used from the boilers to heat the said
feed-water.
The water is never brought into direct contact with the stean, but is heated by
the heat being transmitted from the steam to the water through metallic
surfaces.
Some types of feed-heaters consists of a number of tubes placed longitudinally
in a cylindrical shell the water being inside the tubes, and the steam outside or
vice versa. Some parts of my invention are equally applicable to both these
descriptions of feed-water heaters, as also to surface condensers; but in the
apparatus I am about to describe for heating the said feed-water, I prefer to
have the steam inside the tubes these being surrounded by the feed-water in
the shell.
.
In the heaters such as above referred to, the tubes are often fixed securely in
tube plates which are rigid with the shell and when the tubes are made of
different metals, such as copper, or brass, and the shell of wrought, or cast iron,
the ratio of expansion of such metals within the same ranges of temperature would
be greater than the shell, thus often causing leakage and undue strains.
To overcome this difficulty, the tubes are sometimes bent thus n; and, both

page_text: ends fixed in the same tube plate, in this case it is a difficult matter to clean
the tubes, and as the hot steam enters' one leg of the tubes and out at the other
the expansion and contraction will not be so uniform and parallel as the steam
inlet side will naturally be hotter than the steam outlet side, thus causing the
expansion to be more on one side than the other, which will have a tendency
to cause leakage.
A part of my invention consists in improved means to remove these difficulties
so that the expansion and contraction may be uniform and parallel and the tubes
may expand and contract independently of the shell and by removing a cover or
covers they may be easily and effectually cleaned.
Another part of my invention relates to the improved method of causing the
exhaust steam from the engine, or engines, or live steam from the boilers, firstly, to
pass through a series of metallic tubes in the centre of the feed-water, and then
through a second series of outer or surrounding tubes surrounded by the feed-water
and in the same shell, and thence into a suitable chamber and away through a
collecting pipe or chamber.
With reference to the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification Fig. 1 of
which is a sectional view of the apparatus; Fig. 2. is a plan of the steam inlet
pipe and also of the collecting pipe or chamber c, with its branches and bolt holes
for fixing on plate 1, Fig. 3, is the apparatus as shown for surface condensing
steam, in which case I prefer to have the steam in the shell, and the circulating or
condensing water in the tubes, Fig. 4 is a plan of the tubes.
8, the shell of the apparatus which may be of cast or wronght metal so as to
withstand a high pressure, is provided with inlet and outlet blocks and b for the
admission and exit of the feed-water. is the steam inlet pipe bolted on the
plate; plate l, has holes bored corresponding with the holes in the branches on
the collecting pipe or chamber, to which it is firmly bolted. a is an annular piece
of cast or wrought metal, firmly fixed on tube plate p and contains a facing for
receiving the centre part of plate l, to which it is bolted. n, n are outlet nozzles
for the removal of condensed steam water, t, t, t, t, t, are the central or inner tubes
with their ends securely fixed in tube plates p and p'. ' t are the outer or
surrounding tubes also securely fixed in the said tube plates. Tube plate p¹ is
rivetted or cast on the bottom part of the shells, but tube plate p, is loose from
the shell and free to move with the expansion and contraction of the tubes. On
tube plate p is bolted a dished cover or heating plate h, which the steam strikes on
passing out of the central tubes and entering the outer or surrounding tubes.
When it becomes necessary to examine or clean the interior of the tubes,
covers and h, are removed and a scraper or brush may then be pushed down
each tube.
The outlet block 6 with its pipe m, which prevents the scum passing out with the
hot feed-water is rivetted or bolted on the said cover h¹.
The mud or sediment falls to the lower part of the heater and thence to be blown
off through the outlet d; hand-holes may also be arranged near the bottom of the
apparatus as shown at a, in Fig. 3.
The description of Fig. 3, as applicable to a surface condenser is similar to..
the foregoing with the exception of having the circulating or condensing water
in the tubes, and the steam to be condensed entering the shell at e, and the
exit at e¹.
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 :-
:-
(1st.) In a feed-water heater and purifier the herein described method of heating
the feed-water by first causing the exhaust or live steam to pass through tubes in
the centre of the said water and then through outer or surrounding tubes also
surrounded by the feed-water and in the same shell; substantially as and for the
purposes herein specified.

page_text: (2nd.) In a feed-water heater, or surface condenser, the method of having one
end of each central or inner tubes and one end of each outer or surrounding tubes
securely fixed in the same tube plate which is rigid with the shells, their other
ends being securely fixed in another tube plate which is loose from the shell; thus
allowing the tubes to freely expand and contract independently of the said shell;
substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.
(3rd.) In a feed-water heater or surface condenser as herein described the com-
bination of the shells, with inlet and outlet blocks h, and 6 the central and
surrounding tubes t, t, tt, t, t¹, t, tube plates and pl, covers h, and, the
annular piece a, and inlet pipe i, substantially as and for the purposes herein
specified.
(4th.) In
a feed-water heater or surface condenser as herein described
the t, t, t, t, t¹, the annular piece a, the inlet pipe i, the collecting pipe, or
chamber, e and the plate 1, forming a chamber to which the collecting pipe is fixed;
substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1895
FRANCIS SYKES.