Improved Apparatus for Expelling Air from Boilers, Steam Apparatus and Tubes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improved Apparatus for Expelling Air from Boilers, Steam Apparatus
and Tubes.
F
We, JOSEPII BARBE of Orchis (Nord) in the Republic of France, Engineer and
NESTOR LEJEUNE of 53 Rue d'Allemagne Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be. as follows:-
Experience has shown us that air in steam apparatus or tubes is extremely
dangerous to the conservation, of the joints and in steam boilers with regard to
explosions. When in consequence of the sinking of the temperature, produced by
the stoppage of the steam apparatus in general, the pressure in such apparatus
descends below atmospheric pressure, the air enters at once through all defective
joints by opening the material constituting these joints and by effecting small
entrances which rapidly increase. It is therefore very important to prevent the
penetration of air through the joints of steam apparatus.
In boilers the air can equally penetrate during stoppages and is introduced by
the motion of the feed water. It forms bubbles which adhere to the walls and
unite together in certain points thus forming air spaces.
The metal wall on contact with this air and steam oxydates and becomes
weaker. On the other, side evaporisation in an enclosed space is made without
ebullition so that when one modifies the equilibrium of the fluid system by opening
an issue to the steam thus formed a violent ebullition is produced which is very
sensibly localized in the parts where there is air. Thus every time one opens the
steam cock of a boiler, a tumultuous ebullition with violent shocks is produced
everywhere where there are spaces filled with air, that is to say at the points where
the metal wall is already weakened. It thus happens often that a limited tearing
is produced at these points and explosions may result with disastrous effect..
It is therefore of the highest importance to avoid the formation of air spaces.
In order to effect this we dispose the alimentation in such a manner that the air
carried by the water cannot place itself at dangerous places but is placed at the top
of the boiler from whence it is taken off with steam during motion and in order
that it cannot place itself during stoppages in dangerous places, we place valves
upon the boiler which allow it to lodge in the steam chambers and be expelled
from there at the moment of the starting of the motion.
These special valves are constructed in such a manner that they allow of cleaning
and if necessary polishing without stopping the motion of the apparatus to which
they are attached and so that the workmen cannot interrupt their operation. They
are formed of three bodies. The lower being united by screws or bolts and the
two upper by screw threaded parts. Between these is a cross bar which
can be fixed on the upper body and which serves as a guide to the valve rod the
ower guide part of the body as well as the seat of the valve. A second valve has
ts seat in the upper body and is drawn downwards by a weight formed by a
umber of collars that can be regulated at pleasure. The weight being thus
uspended on the valve, instead of placed outside upon the valve rod there is no fear
hat this rod will wedge in the socket which serves as a guide for it.""

page_text: The
upper
The lower valve being kept open by the cross bar the upper valve alone can
operate as long as it is in a proper state; but when one wants to clean or to polish
it, it is sufficient to screw the upper body off in order to lift the cross bar and to
allow the lower valve closing as soon as the steam tries to escape. When putting
it back in its place, one opens again the lower valve.
valve will close
under the pressure of the steam; but on a stoppage as this pressure exceeds very
little the atmospheric pressure, this valve will fall and the air can enter through
openings into the boiler apparatus or tubes provided with such valve. Thus the
pressure in these can never sink under atmospheric pressure and the air will never
try to pass through the joints but will enter only into the steam chamber.
When these boilers or apparatus are again put into operation, the valve
remaining open as long as the excess of inner pressure does not exceed the effort
necessary for overpowering the weight of the valve augmented by its load a part
of the air will be slowly expelled and what remains or may be introduced to the
interior will escape with the steam during working.
In order that the air introduced with the feed water into the boilers may be thus
expelled and not place itself at dangerous points, we introduce the water through
a vertical tube fixed upon the top of the boiler, taking care to place the retaining
valve lower than the opening of the feed entrance in such a manner that the steam
can never reach this valve.
The water thus enters in the boiler under-the-form-of-a full column and the air
is separated from it at the moment when this-column-touches-the-water surface
in the boiler. The air can thus only place itself in the steam chamber and it is
conducted outside by the steam.
It may be mentioned that this disposition differs essentially from those which
have been invented for the purpose of introducing into the top of a boiler or of an
apparatus, water in a state-of division and allowing of raising its temperature by
contact with steam. By making the water enter in a full column, we occasion no
priming by the steam and obtain a more complete separation of the water and of
the air which it contains.
The improved valve differs essentially in construction and purpose from those
which have been applied to different apparatus in order to prevent the formation
of a vacuum in these apparatus and to avoid at the same time an excess of pressure.
Dated this 16th day of November 1896.
HERBERT HADDAN & CO.,
Agents to Applicants.
Improved Apparatus for Expelling Air from Boilers, Steam Apparatus
and Tubes.
We, JOSEPH BARBE, Engineer, of Orchics (Nord) France and NESTOR LEJEUNE,
Merchant, of Rue Henri Maus, (formerly of 53 Rue d'Allemagne) Brussels,
Belgium, 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:-
Experience and reason has shown us that air plays an exceedingly dangerous
part in steam apparatus, that is to say, on the preservation of the joints and in
boilers, causing explosions.
When by a lowering of the temperature, which is produced after the stoppage
of steam apparatus in general the pressure in such apparatus falls to a lower point
than the pressure of the atmosphere, air is introduced through all the defective

page_text: joints opening out the material of these joints and making little cracks which
enlarge rapidly. It is therefore very important to prevent the air from
penetrating through the joints of steam apparatus.
Into boilers air can penetrate in the same way during stoppages, and is also
carried in with the feed water during action. It forms bubbles which attach
themselves to the boiler plate and unite at various points forming veritable masses
of air. The boiler plate under action of this air and steam oxydises and becomes
weak. On the other hand it is known that vaporisation in a closed space is
effected without boiling and that when the balance of the fluid system is modified
by the opening of an issue for the steam, a violent ebullition takes place which
localises itself very perceptibly at the points where it finds air. Thus each time
that one opens the steam valve of a boiler there is produced at every point where
there are masses of air bubbles that is to say, at the point where the plate is already
weakened, a tumultuous ebullition accompanied by violent shocks. It often follows
that a small crack is produced at these parts resulting in disastrous explosions.
It is therefore of the greatest importance to avoid the formation of air masses.
To accomplish this we arrange the feeding supply so that the air introduced by
the water is powerless to lodge itself in dangerous places, and enters to the top of
the boiler whence it is carried away by the steam during action, and in order that
it cannot remain in the same dangerous places during, and after stoppages of the
boiler, we place on such boilers valves which permit it to enter the steam chambers
only and of its being expelled therefrom at the commencement of getting up
steam.
The annexed drawings illustrate our invention.
rig. 1 shows a vertical section of the valve for effecting the expulsion of air
from steam apparatus.
Fig. 2 illustrates the method used by us for feeding boilers.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 show separately different variations of our expelling.
valve.
The special valves that we make use of are constructed so as to allow of them
heing cleansed and repaired without stopping the action of the apparatus and so
that the workmen cannot interrupt their functions. They are formed of three
parts or casings A, B and C of which A and B are joined by screws or bolts and B
and C by screw threads. Inside these is a cross-piece F which may be fixed to
the casing C and which serves as a secondary guide to the rod H of the valve D),
the first guide being formed of part of the casing A which also forms the sent
to the valve D. A second valve E has its seat in the casing C and carries a weight G
formed of washers the number of which is regulated at will. The weight G being
thus attached to the valve instead of being placed above on the rod I of this valve,
one has not to fear that the rod will become jammed in the socket which serves
for its guidance.
The valve D being held open by the cross-piece F it is only the valve E that is
used as long as it remains in good condition, but when one wishes to clean or polish
it, it is sufficient to unscrew the casing C in such a manner as to raise the cross-
piece F and allow the valve D to close which is effected by the steam trying to
escape. By putting it back in place one opens afresh the valve D and the valve E
will close under the pressure of the steam. However, during a stoppage of working
of the apparatus this pressure will exceed but a very little time the atmospheric
pressure, the valve E will then fall and the air will be able to enter by the
openings K into the boilers or steam pipes provided with this valve.
Thus the pressure in these would never be able to descend lower than the pressure
of the atmosphere and air will never be found to penetrate the joints in order to
enter the steam chamber. When these boilers or apparatus are set going again,
the valve remains open as long as the excess of interior pressure does not pass the
paint necessary to overcome the weight of the valve augmented by the load G,
some of the air will be therefore slowly expelled and that which remains or which
was introduced into the interior will be carried away by the steam, when the
latter is taken from the boiler.

page_text: In order that the air introduced by the water supply into boilers can be expelled
so that it does not lodge on dangerous points, we introduce the water by a vertical
pipe R fixed in the top of the boiler and having care to place the valve operating
the supply lower down than the point of entering in such a manner that the steam
never reaches as far as this valve.
The water entering thus into the boiler in the form of a free column, the air
introduced by it separates itself at the moment when the column strikes the
surface of the water in the boiler; thus the air can only arrive in the steam
chamber and is caught up immediately by the steam.
It is to be remarked that this arrangement differs essentially from all those that
have been conceived with the aim of causing the entry of water through the top
of a boiler or of apparatus for introducing water in a divided state for effecting
the elevation of its temperature on contact with the steam, as in causing the entry
of the water in the form of a free column we have the advantage of not causing
priming and obtaining a more complete separation of the water and the air it
contains.
The valve of the applicants differs essentially as regards construction from those
which have been applied to different apparatus for preventing the formation of a
vacuum in such apparatus, and for preventing also an excess of pressure. They
differ also from those which have been applied to means for letting out the air
when steam is introduced into the apparatus, that is to say, those that are used
for replacing the air taps which are generally placed on these apparatus.
We have not thought of applying our valve to filters; we have only in view the
preservation of apparatus, and joints and above all the preservation of boilers
against dangers resulting from the presence of air in certain of their parts. That
is. after having recognized the importance of these dangers, we have sought to
escape them by the concentration of air at these points by its expulsion by suitable
means before and during the operation of the apparatus.
Our invention accomplishes such purpose by having the means of preventing
the introduction of air to places where it is perhaps injurious and often dangerous.
The part B placed between the two valves of the apparatus may be provided with
a tubular arm T closeable by plain cock. This branch would be often very useful
for shutting off the steam without stopping the working of the boiler. It would
suffice in effect to unscrew the top valve for the expulsion and the under valve will
close itself; one has only then to turn off the plain cock to shut off the steam.
Figs. 3 to 8. of the annexed drawings show three variations of our valve, the first
being especially applicable to slow generating boilers; the second, to quick
generating boilers and the third to steam pipes. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 3
the valve E is light and is loaded with a small weight L, the rod of this valve is
guided in a socket M and the weight is calculated and placed in such a manner
that the centre of gravity of the combined weight of this weight, of the valve and.
of the rod is as nearly as possible in the middle of the length of the rod so that
whatever be the position of the valve in accordance with a vertical line passing
through the centre of gravity, the pressure due to the weight is always in the
interior of the socket and consequently jamming is not produced.
The valve slides into a cup U with holes J and having its base fixed to the
casing C also provided with holes I.
Above this valve and under the socket I the casing C is also pierced with
holes K which can be totally or partially closed by a collar pierced with similar
holes K and held in position by a set screw, the point of which fits into a groove O
(Figs. 3 and 5). The casing C is screwable as in the model already described, on
a lower casing B in which is a yalve-D having a rod I passing into the socket F
which forms the bottom of the cun U. The bottom of the socket prevents the
rod H from rising sufficiently to allow the closing of the valve D, but this closing
is produced automatically when one unscrews the casing C in order to take out
the valve for the purpose of cleaning or repairing.
By these arrangements the air may be rapidly ejected on pressure arising in

page_text: the boiler since the air passes at the same time through the holes I and J and
the valve E closes promptly.
For quick generating boilers a much heavier valve is used (Fig. 6) which cannot
close so rapidly under the influence of the active force of the steam as that of
Fig. 3. The collar forming a regulator may be here done away with in order that
the air may escape rapidly.
The arrangement of Fig. 7 is particularly convenient for steam pipes in which
it is necessary to reduce the action of the active force of the steam on the valve
and to also lessen the passage of the air in order to retard the shutting of the
valve Consequently the three holes in the cup are dispensed with and there
are only the three in the base. The size of the outlet is thus sufficiently reduced
so that one is able to dispense with the collar regulator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In order to avoid in steam apparatus the entrance of air through defective
joints and also the gathering at certain places of air bubbles which oxydise and
weaken the plate and cause at these places a violent ebullition at each opening of
the steam valve (a) the combination with the top of the boiler of a valve opening
inwards under the action of a weight when the interior pressure exceeds but a
very little the exterior pressure, in such a manner that the air cannot enter by any
other means into the steam chamber whence it is partly carried away by the valve
at the commencement of getting up steam and partly carried away by the steam
during its generation; (b) the introduction of the feeding water into the top of
the steam chamber by the open end of the supply pipe being fixed vertically at
this place in such a manner that the water is injected in the form of a free column
from which the air separates itself at the moment when such column strikes the
surface of the water so that the air passes into the steam chamber only.
2. In steam apparatus and steam pipes in order to avoid the action of the air
penetrating through the defective joints immediately the interior pressure is
reduced, by the cooling lower than the exterior pressure, the combination with
ali such apparatus and steam pipes of valves similar to that above described in
Claim 1.
3. In order to allow of the repair of the above valves without stopping the action
of the said apparatus, boilers and tubes, the union of two valves the one above
the other so that the lower one closes automatically on unscrewing the top one
substantially as herein described.
4. The combination with the body uniting the above two valves of a tubular
arm for the connection of a supplementary steam valve owing to its combination
with the functions of the aforesaid two valves.
100x
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to the Applicants.