Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling and Concentrating Solutions.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1890-Accepted, 6th ¯ept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling and Concentrating
Solutions.
I JOSEPH PRICE of 11 Belmont Drive Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object is to provide apparatus to be used in the distillation and concentration
of solutions, so constructed as to obtain the desired effects with great economy of
fuel and with little or no deposit of solid matter on the evaporating surfaces this
being effected by securing rapid flow of the liquid and maintaining the same in
contact with the heating surfaces.
Under the first part 1 construct distilling and concentrating apparatus with metal
heating tubes containing tubes of non conducting material and having between the
two tubes deflecting plates preferably arranged spirally with an uniform or increasing
pitch so as to cause the liquid to continually flow in contact with the heating
surfaces.
Second. I construct distilling and concentrating apparatus having the improvements
under the first part with a series of two or more vessels having passages between
them these vessels have a plate receiving the ends of the outer tubes and arranged
if required with chambers forming passages between sets of adjacent tubes. The
chambers have a tube plate receiving the ends of the internal tubes and having
connections arranged between certain adjacent tubes so that if required the liquor
inay be caused to travel through each tube consecutively. The vessels in a vertical
apparatus stand on a closed box divided into as many separate compartments as there
are vessels.
Suitable connections are fitted for the admission of the heating medium-for the
liquid to be treated-for its transference to and from the several vessels and chambers
and for the removal of the water condensed, the waste heat I may utilize for the
purpose of heating the feed liquid in a suitable heater which I may fix in the before
imentioned base of the apparatus described.
Dated this Eighteenth day of October 1889.
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling and Concentrating
Solutions.
I, JOSEPH PRICE of 11 Belmont Drive Liverpool 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:-
The object is to provide apparatus to be used in the distillation and concentration
of solutions, so constructed as to obtain the desired effects with great economy of fuel
and with little or no deposit of solid matter on the evaporating surfaces, this being
effected by securing rapid flow of the liquid and maintaining the same in contact
with the heating surfaces.
Under the first part I construct distilling and concentrating apparatus with metal
heating tubes containing tubes of non conducting material and having between the
wo tubes deflecting plates preferably arranged spirally with an uniform or increasing
Painell

page_text: pitch or equivalent means so as to cause the liquid to continually flow in contact with
the heating surfaces.
Second. I construct distilling and concentrating apparatus having the improvements
under the first part with a series of two or more vessels having passages between
them. These vessels have a plate receiving the ends of the outer tubes and arranged
if required with chambers forming passages between sets of adjacent tubes. The
chambers have a tabe plate receiving the ends of the internal tubes and having
connections arranged between certain adjacent tubes so that if required the liquor
may be caused to travel through each tube consecutively. The vessels in a vertical
apparatus, stand on a closed box divided into as many separate compartments as there
are vessels. Suitable connections are fitted for the admission of the heating medium-
for the liquid to be treated-for its transference to and from the several vessels and
chambers and for the removal of the water condensed. The waste heat I may
utilize for the purpose of heating the feed liquid in a suitable beater which I may
fix in the before mentioned base of the apparatus described. An important feature
of my invention is that the liquid under treatment is caused to flow rapidly and in
small bulk in intimate contact with the surfaces through which the heat is being
transmitted whereby a high transmission duty is attained and further maintained
by the formation of scale on the metallic surfaces being prevented or materially
lessened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1, 2, 3 show the arrangement of the metal tubes with their internal cores or
tubes, and also one method of attaching them in apparatus for evaporating liquids.
Fig. 4 shows another method of attaching the tubes. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show an
apparatus for evaporating constructed according to my invention. In Figs. 1 and 3.
A A are plain cylindrical tubes closed at the bottom and fixed at the top by being
expanded into a tube plate c. These tubes contain an internal tube B. B. shown
partly in elevation and partly in section and are so constructed as only to leave a
comparatively narrow passage between the internal and external tubes. Deflecting
plates orifins form in Fig. 1. a spiral passage of continually increasing dimensions
and in Fig. 2 there is a spiral groove or corrugation on an outer tube which forms
passages through which the liquid has to travel. In Fig. 3. a similar passage is
attained by the use of superposed segments B. The internal tubes or cores under
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in combination with external tubes are hereinafter called elements
and are fitted in a suitable vessel (say containing steam).
The liquid to be treated is by arrangements to be hereafter described caused to
flow through the centre tube and return through the space between the two tubes
or vice versa and is brought in contact with the metallic surfaces in so doing taking
up a portion of the heat transmitted through them-and at the same time by
traversing the spiral passage is maintained in lengthened contact with those
surfaces.
On sheet Fig. 5 is a view part in elevation and part in vertical section
and 6 and 7 are views part in plan and part transverse section at the lines X X,
Y Y, Z Z, of apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention for the
evaporation of sea-water and the supply of fresh water to boilers.
Like letters indicate equivalent parts. D. D¹ D" is a series of vessels formed in
one casting closed at the top by a plate c, and at the bottom by a diaphragm plate F
which forms the top of a closed box E on which the vessels stand. The said box
is divided by transverse partitions into as many chambers G G' G" as there are
vessels D. D D". The top plate c has chambers K. K¹ K" in which are the
valves JJJ for controlling the flow of the liquid. The outer tubes of each of
the elements A to A7 are fixed in any known manner in the top plate c the inner
tube being connected to a piece a fitted into the plate c in a similar manner to the
taper plug of a cock as will be readily seen on reference to Figs. 1 and 3. The top
piece a is divided by a central web b and piece e closing one half the tube when
inserted therein, a passage d formed from this closed side to the centre is then in

page_text: connection with the central tube k so that when the whole is inserted in its seat the
liquid has to flow first through the central tube returning through the passage between
the plug and the outer tube in the course indicated by the arrows-
Figs. 1 and 3.
Other passages L are further formed in the plate c making connections between the
respective plug seatings-in series. A cover plate T holds all the above parts in
position. By removing the said plate, each plug with its central tube can be simply
lifted out when required for cleaning or otherwise. In Fig. 4. another method of
fitting the tubes is shown-in this case the internal tubes are attached to a separate
diaphragm plate F retained between the flanges of the tube plate c¹ and a removable
cover the tube plate and cover having chambers with passages between each
alternate one so formed that the liquid entering at e passes through the outer tube A
returning through the centre tube B into the space f. then through the opening g
into the space f₁ from which it enters the centre tube B' returning through the
outer tube A into the chamber e² and passes through the opening into the
chamber and so on through the series. The heating medium (say exhaust steam
from a high pressure engine) is admitted to the first vessel D by the opening I
surrounding the elements A A A. Any condensed water falls to the bottom of the
vessel. The salt-water to be evaporated enters the apparatus through the controlling
valve J it then passes to the top of the first element-which it traverses in the
manner already described, it is then conducted through the passage L to the next
element which it traverses in a similar manner-and so on through each element
until it reaches the last A-by which time part of the liquid is converted into vapour-
which with the un-evaporated liquid is discharged into the first separating chamber G
where the vapour and brine are separated, the former passing by the pipe or passage M
to the second vessel D₁ of the series-the brine then ascends by the tube N to the top
of the second vessel, the elements of which it traverses in a manner similar to that
described in the case of the first effect vessel D the resulting vapour and brine being
again separated in the second chamber G¹-to similarly traverse the third effect of
the series-giving in the last chamber G" a third volume of vapour--which passes
away by the opening o to a condenser or air pump-the now concentrated brine being
removed by a suitable pump through the opening P.
The water condensed in the first vessel D is conducted by a pipe similar to that
shown at Q through a valve R (which is by means of its weight or a spring rendered
self adjusting) to the second vessel D¹ where it gives up a portion of its heat.
The said water then mingles with the further supply of condensed water formed
in second vessel from the vapor separated in first chamber G, after which it passes
by the pipe Q through the valve R' to the third vessel. The resulting condensed
water is drawn from the said vessel by a pipe at S in connection with the condenser
or a suitable pump.
I may also use the particular construction of spiral ways herein before set forth in
apparatus where the tubes are not closed at one end-in which case the central
orifice would not be required, or such construction may be used where steam
instead of liquid is admitted inside as in the case of ordinary condensers where the
spiral passage would retain the water after condensation a sufficient time for it to
be cooled.
I may use in my apparatus spirally coiled or otherwise suitably shaped tubes
instead of the elements above set forth.
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 :-
First. Constructing, distilling and concentrating apparatus with metal tubes and
tubes of non conducting material combined substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
Second. Constructing distilling and concentrating apparatus in series with the
mprovements under the first part substantially as set forth.

page_text: Third. Distilling and concentrating apparatus constructed so that the liquid being
evaporated occupies the whole of the space enclosed by the heating surfaces.
Fourth. Constructing condensing apparatus with combined tubes substantially as
set forth under the first.
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson,
Agent.