IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonse René le Mire de Normandy, of
Judd Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphonse René le
Mire de Normandy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 6th October 1852.
I, ALPHONSE RENÉ LE MIRE DE NORMANDY, of Judd Street, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an improved construction of evapo-
rating and condensing apparatus, which consists of a cylinder or other
convenient form of vessel, having within it two partitions near to the
top and bottom respectively, through which several tubes or passages
are fixed so that water may flow from below upwards and fill the tubes.
Steam is admitted to the space between the two partitions, and the
condensed water is drawn off' below. The heat of the steam causes the

page_text: SPECIFICATION-in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alphonse René le Mire de Normandy in the
Great Seal Patent Office, on the 6th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ALPHONSE RENÉ LE MIRE DE NORMANDY, of Judd Street, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alphonse René le Mire de Normandy,
Her especial license that I, the said Alphonse René le Mire de Nor-
mandy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Alphonse René le Mire de Normandy, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
FRESH WATER FROM SALT WATER," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Alphonse René le Mire de Normandy, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the sanie to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alphonse René le Mire de
Normandy, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is
to say):
This Invention has for its object an improved construction of evapo-
rating and condensing apparatus, which consists of a cylinder or other
convenient form of vessel, having within it two partitions near to the
top and bottom respectively, through which several tubes or passages
are fixed, so that water may flow from below upwards and fill the tubes.;
steam is admitted to the space between the two partitions, and the
condensed water is drawn off below. The heat of the steam causes
the water in the tubes or passages to be evaporated, and the vapour is
partly condensed in a dome above, and the condensed water is pre-
vented returning, but passes off with the vapour into a second cylinder
or compartment having one or more water spaces where the vapour is
condensed. The condensing salt water flows first into the second
apparatus, and from it into the bottom of the first-mentioned appa-
ratus, where the water is kept to the proper level by an external stand
pipe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, vertical section of the apparatus according to the line D,
E, (see Fig. 3.) A, B, C, D, cylinder made of galvanised iron, covered
over, first, with flannel and then with wood, in order, as much as
possible, to prevent loss of heat by radiation. E, E', plates of galvanised
cast iron perforated with holes, through which tubes of galvanised iron
are protruding. F, tubes of galvanised iron open at both ends, and
soldered or otherwise fixed to the holes of the cast iron plates E, and
E' these tubes should be perfectly tight, and the soldering, or other
method by which they may be screwed or maintained in the holes of
the plates E, and E¹, should form a perfectly tight joint. G, upper
portion of the cylinder of galvanised iron A, B, C, D, bolted or
screwed to the flange of the cast iron plate E. This upper portion of
the cylinder is, in fact, a steam chamber for the steam which is evolved
from the sea water contained in the tubes F, which are surrounded by

page_text: steam from a generator or boiler. I, guage tube for the purpose of
ascertaining whether a sufficient quantity of sea water is in the apparatus.
I, cover of galvanised iron, provided with an exit tube K. K, exit
tube through which the steam produced by the evaporation of the sea
water contained within the tubes F', is carried within the tubes T, of the
external cylinder L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S. L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S,
exterior cylinders made of galvanised iron, and connected together at
top and bottom by means of a concave ring of galvanised cast iron,
perforated with holes, which are traversed by the extremities of tubes
T, in such a manner, therefore, that those tubes T, are placed circularly
between the outermost cylinder L, M, N, O, and that next after, going
from the circumference to the centre, and marked P, Q, R, S. T,
tubes open at both ends and placed circularly into the holes of the rings
U, and U; these tubes should be perfectly tight, and the solder cr
other contrivance by which they are united to the holes in the rings U,
and U', should form a perfectly tight joint. U, and U', concave rings
of cast iron perforated by holes, through which the iron tubes T,
protrude. V, VI, flat ring bolted to the flange of the concave rings U,
U. X, discharge tube bent like a syphon for the purpose of main-
taining the sea water at a uniform level in the tubes F. This discharge
tube, however, is provided with a hole or small air tube at the top, in
order to prevent its acting like a syphon. Y, tube provided with a
cock through which the sea water to be evaporated is admitted within
the tubes F., tube provided with a cock for the discharge of the
steam which, having been admitted round the tubes F, has been
condensed by the sea water contained in them. a, small cistern for
collecting the water resulting from the condensation of the steam which
has been evolved from the water contained in the tubes F, heated by
the steam admitted within the space between each of those tubes, and
consequently between the two perforated plates E, and E'. The water
which falls into this small cistern a, and thence, by means of a small
tube, into appropriate receptacles, has been condensed by the sea water
which surrounds the tubes T, placed into the holes of the concave rings
of the exterior cylinders. b, cast iron legs or supports; c, small tube
to relieve pressure in the tubes T.

page_text: Figure 2.
Elevation according to the line A, B, C, (see Fig. 3).
(A, A,) feed cock for admitting into the apparatus the sea water to be
operated upon; (B, B,) tube bent like a syphon for the discharge of
the excess of the sea water employed; (C, C,) stean cock and tube
connected with a steam boiler or generator, and by means of which
steam the water contained in the tubes F, is heated.
Figure 3. Plan according to the line K, F, (see Fig. 2). The
letters are the same as in the preceding Figures. The apparatus works
as follows: The sea water which should come from a point at a higher
level than the apparatus is admitted within the latter by means of the
cock (A, A,) (Fig. 2), and rises up to (B, B,) (Fig. 2). A portion of
that water is admitted into the tubes F, of the internal cylinder D,
through the cock Y, (Fig. 1,) which is turned on either full or half full,
or to any other extent, as occasion may require, and the excess is dis-
charged through the pseudo syphon tube (B, B,) (Fig. 2). The excess
of sea water which is admitted in the tubes F, Fig. 1, is discharged
through the pseudo syphon tube S, Fig. 1; but as it is connected at the
bottom of the inner cylinder, the excess of sea water which is continually
running off is. more salted than when it first entered it. In fact, the
cock Y, should be so adjusted that the quantity of sea water admitted
into the tubes not only makes up for the quantity evaporated, but
moreover allows a continuous flow through the syphon S, equal to the
quantity of fresh aerated water which issues from the little cisterna,
Fig. 1, whereby a deposit of salt in the apparatus is obviated. Steam
at a slight pressure, say 6 or 7 lbs. above atmospheric pressure, being
procured from a generator or boiler, is admitted within the inner
cylinder, and consequently round the tubes F. The sea water contained
in those tubes after a short time rises to the boiling point, and the steam
which is thus produced, passing through the tube K, rushes within the
tubes T, of the condenser or external cylinder, in which tubes T, it is
condensed in the state of fresh aerated water, collects into the small
cistern a, Fig. 1, and thence through a small tube of that little cistern
into convenient vessels. That condensed fresh water is aerated as
follows:-I have ascertained by experiments that ordinary salt water
begins to part with the air it contains at a temperature of about 130°

page_text: Fahrenheit. The steam which is evolved from the sea water in the
tubes F, is therefore mixed with the air contained in that water; 'and
as a fresh portion of sea water is constantly admitted into those tubes
by means of the cock Y, a fresh quantity of air is constantly evolved
from that water along with the steam. On the other hand, the steam
which is admitted through the tube K, into the tubes T, of the con-
denser, rises to the upper strata of the sea water, by which they are
surrounded to a temperature of about 200° Fahrenheit more or less, so
that the air contained in the sea water used for condensing not being
able to escape through the syphon (B, B,) Fig. 2, penetrates by means
of the cock Y, into the chamber G, where it becomes mixed with the
steam evolved from the sea water in the tubes F, which is condensed by
the tubes T, in the state of fresh aerated water.
The pressure steam which has been used for evaporating the sea
water in the tubes F, is itself condensed in doing so, and is collected in
the state of non-acrated fresh water as it issues from the partially closed
cock Z, Fig. 1.
It is evident that the above-described apparatus may be modified in
various ways. I do not, therefore, confine myself thereto.
But what I claim is, the combining the evaporator and condenser
into one compact apparatus, providing for the deposition of salt resulting'
from the undue concentration of the sea water and for aeration of the
fresh water produced as herein described: .
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphonse René le Mire de Nor-
mandy, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
A. NORMANDY. (L.S.)