Improvements in and relating to Condensers for Steam Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1899.
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1903-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Condensers for Steam Engines.
I, JACOB KLEIN, of 8 and 9, South Parade, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
"
This invention relates to condensers of the "jet" type and the system which
forms the subject of these improvements, is particularly intended for adoption
in conjunction with rolling mill and winding engines, and with other engines
producing an irregular or intermittent amount of exhaust steam to be condensed.
A condenser constructed to embody the principal part of these improvements
may have a cylindrical or equivalent shape with its greater dimension in a hori-
zontal plane at about 32 feet or more above the level of the hot well. The
exhaust steam trunk, the water supply pipe and the air-pump pipe may all enter
the upper part of the condenser. An effective arrangement is to have the air-
pump pipe, and the water pipe enter at one end of the condenser, and the exhaust
steam inlet and the water outlet at the opposite end.
The water supply and the air exhaustion are intended to be continuous and
may be effected by pumps or their equivalent, driven, in the case of intermittently
running engines by a separate source of power such as independent steam
engines or electric motors and the like, or, in the case of continuous running
engines, by the main engine.
The continuous supply of water to the condenser, independently of the work-
ing of the engines supplying their exhaust steam to be condensed, is an important
feature of this, invention, inasmuch as it ensures provision for the condensation
of a sudden inrush of steam, which condensation could not be obtained in such a
case by the ordinary means, that is to say by relying for condensation on the
water introduced by the creation of vacuum.
The water outlet may be arranged above the bottom of the condenser, for
example at about its mid height and at the same end as that at which the exhaust
steam is admitted. By this arrangement it is conveniently ensured that there
is always in the condenser a sufficient quantity of water to deal with any sudden
increase in the volume of exhaust steam to be condensed.
If the condenser is to be provided with a cascade arrangement, there may be
arranged within it a series of vertical transverse partitions, the first of which,
nearest to the water inlet, may be the highest. The following partitions have
successively, step by step, less heights, and alternate partitions are open at the
bottom. The condensing water thus flows alternately downward under one
partition and upward over the next, so that the whole mass of water is brought
into contact with the steam and not a mere surface of it only.
An inclined perforated plate may be arranged across the condenser in such a
manner and having perforations of such a total area that sufficient water cannot
pass through them to maintain the water at as high a level on that side of the
inclined plate away from the water inlet as it is maintained on that side nearer
to the water inlet. The steam is thus exposed to a number of streams of water
which pass through the perforated plate. If desired the plate may be formed

page_text: within a trunk or flue by means of which steam may pass from its lower to its
upper side. Two or more such plates may be used in each condenser.
The multiple arrangement consists of a series of condensers in the same hori-
zontal plane, and is especially intended to be used when exhaust steam from
intermittently running engines has to be dealt with. The circulation is arranged
throughout the series in such a manner that the water flows or is injected from
one condenser to the next and so on through the series in one direction and the
steam, until condensed, in the opposite direction. Thus, the hot steam meets
comparatively warm water in the first condenser. Thence, what remains of it
passes to the next condenser where it meets cooler water, and so on through the
series until condensation is complete.
The multiple arrangement or the cascade arrangement may be used in con-
junction with an ordinary jet condenser.
The elevated water outlet is not imperative in all cases and a bottom outlet
may be employed particularly with the cascade and multiple arrangements. In
the last case however it may be employed in the final condenser of the series.
The outlet pipe from the condenser may terminate in a vertical chamber or a
well where its lower end is surrounded by the outflowing condensing water.
This
surrounding of water must be of a sufficient height and the water pipe outlet
must be at a sufficient depth below the condenser to enable the water to flow out
against atmospheric pressure and to prevent admission of air. From the top
of the chamber or well the water may flow or be lifted to a suitable cooling
appliance. In substitution for the chamber or well surrounding the lower part
of the water outlet pipe, the lower part of that pipe may be bent to form a
sufficiently long inverted syphon which will normally be kept filled by the flow
of water from the condenser.
No relief valves are required with the described construction and arrangement
nor can water get through the exhaust trunk to the engines.
The condenser or multiple condensers may be used in conjunction with any
suitable type of water cooling apparatus.
Dated this 7th day of July A 1.
1800
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant..
.
Improvements in and relating to Condensers for Steam Engines.
I, JACOB KLEIN, of 8 and 9, South Parade, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 relates to condensers of the "jet" type and the system whicli
forms the subject of these improvements, is particularly intended for adoption
in conjunction with rolling mill and winding engines, and with other engines
producing an irregular or intermittent amount of exhaust steam to be condensed.
A condenser constructed to embody the principal part of these improvements
may have a cylindrical or equivalent shape with its greater dimension in a hori
zontal plane and it may or may not be arranged at about 32 feet or more above
the level of the hot well. The exhaust steam trunk, the water supply pipe and
the air-pump pipe may all enter the upper part of the condenser. As shewn
by the accompanying drawing which represents a vertical longitudinal section,
and to which further reference will hereinafter he made, the air-pump pipe A and

page_text: the water pipe W, may enter at one end of the condenser C, and the exhaust
steam inlet E, and the water outlet O, at the opposite end.
The water supply through the jet J, and the air exhaustion are intended to be
continuous and may be effected by pumps or their equivalents, driven, in the
case of intermittently running engines by a separate source of power, such as
independent engines or electric motors and the like, or, in the case of continuous
running engines, by the main engine.
The continuous supply of water to the condenser, independently of the work-
ing of the engines supplying their exhaust steam to be condensed, ensures pro-
vision for the condensation of a sudden inrush of steam, which condensation
could not be obtained in such a case by ordinary means, that is to say by relying
for condensation on water introduced by the creation of a vacuum.
The water outlet O, may project above the bottom of the condenser, for
example to about its mid height, thus ensuring that there may always be in
the condenser, a sufficient quantity of water to deal with any sudden increase
in the volume of exhaust steam to be condensed. This potential dam however
is not required when, as shewn by the drawing, the condenser contains transverse
partitions which effect the same object.
A cascade arrangement may be constructed and arranged within the con-
denser. This may simply consist of a series of transverse partitions or weirs,
the first of which, nearest to the water inlet, is the highest. The following
partitions or weirs have successively, step by step, less heights, and in their
simple form, alternate partitions or weirs have openings at the bottom. The
condensing water thus flows alternately downward under one partition and up-
ward over the next, so that the whole mass of water is brought into contact with
the steam and not a mere surface of it only.
The thorough contact of each particle of water with the steam may be further
ensured by the construction illustrated by the drawing. The partitions PP,
are none of them in this case, open at the bottom, but each of them is provided
at its upper end with an inclined perforated plate B, in such a manner, and
having perforations of such a total area that sufficient water cannot pass through
them to maintain the water at as high a level on that side of the inclined plate
away from the water inlet W, as is maintained on the side nearer to the water
inlet. By this means a large number of streams of water through the perfora-
tions are produced all of which are exposed to the steam. Near the junction of
the inclined perforated plate with the partition or weir, a trunk T may be con-
structed by means of which steam may pass from below to above the plate.
In the multiple arrangement, practically consisting of a series of condensers,
the water passes from the first of the series to the last, and the exhaust steam,
first enters the last of the series and travels towards the first, the two. streams
thus flowing in opposite directions. Thus, the hot steam meets comparatively
warm water in the first condenser. Thence, what remains of it, passes to the
next condenser where it meets cooler water, and' so on through the series until
condensation is completed. It is convenient generally to have the series of con-
densers arranged within a common vessel as shewn by the drawing, but this is
not essential, since it is obvious that they may be arranged in separate vessels
horizontally or vertically arranged.
'
When the condensing system is arranged thus, the water from the preceding
condenser is injected into the succeeding one, or is introduced therein in the
form of spray or fine streams.
When the condenser, such as is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, is
arranged at or above the height of a barometrical column of water, the pipe from
the outlet O, may terminate in a vertical chamber or well, where its lower end is
surrounded by the outflowing condensing water. This surrounding of water
must be of sufficient height and the water pipe outlet must be at a sufficient depth
below the condenser to enable the water to flow out against atmospheric pressure
and to prevent admission of air. From the top of the chamber or well the water

page_text: may flow or be lifted to a suitable cooling appliance. In substitution for the
chamber or well surrounding the lower part of the water outlet pipe, the lower
part of that pipe may be bent upwards to form a sufficiently long inverted syphon
which will normally be kept filled by the flow of water from the condenser.
The construction illustrated by the drawing may be limited to a single jet
condenser or chamber, by omitting the transverse partitions or weirs and the
perforated plates, especially when it is used at or above the height of a baro-
metrical column of water in the manner herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare, that what
I claim is:
1. A multiple jet condenser consisting of a series of members cach comprising
a comparatively large water storage, so constructed and arranged that the water
is injected or flows from a preceding to a succeding member of the series in a
divided or extended condition, and so also that the exhaust steam is admitted at
that end of the series towards which the water flows, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
2. A multiple jet condenser consisting of a horizontal series of individual jet
condensers of comparatively large water storage capacity, having the water inlet
and air-pump pipe at or near one end, and the exhaust inlet and water outlet
at or near the opposite end, and the whole system being arranged at or above the
height of a barometrical column of water, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
3. A horizontal jet condenser having a comparatively large water storage
capacity, having the water inlet and the air-pump pipe at or near one end and the
exhaust inlet and the water outlet at or near the opposite end, and being arranged
at or above the height of a barometrical column of water, substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described.
4. A multiple jet condenser, constructed arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawing.