IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of twosvewO
C
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left. by the said William Edward Newton
at tlic Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th October 1855.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents. 66. Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS" to be as follows:-
The improved condenser, which forms the subject of the present Invention, is
composed of a number of tubes bent round in the form of the letter U, so that
both ends may be attached to one and the same end tube sheet or plate, and
cause the cold water to pass through the tubes, and the steam to be applied
on the outside of and to pass through the interstices between the several tubes,
and between the tubes and the outer casing.
The tubes are arranged in series, each series composed of several tubes,
arranged on the same plane and in succession, one outside of another, and the
several series placed side by side, having narrow spaces between the several
tubes, so that the steam in passing may be divided into thin sheets or currents
in order to effect the more rapid condensation of the steam. Both ends of the
Price Sd.1

page_text: tubes are attached to the tube sheet by means of nuts tapped on the ends
thereof, when the said ends are made of less diameter than the body of the
tubes, whereby I am enabled to employ this efficient mode of attachment to
the tube sheet, and at the same time bring the outer surface of the several
tubes so near to each other in a surface condenser, in which the steam is
condensed on the outside of the tubes, as to effect the rapid condensation of
the steam.
Another improvement consists in preventing the violent vibration of the
tubes of the condenser in which the steam is condensed, by combining with
such a condenser a guard plate or plates placed by the side of the serios
of tubes, and so located and provided with long and narrow apertures for the
passage of steam, as that when the steam enters the condenser with a force due
to the vacuum, it shall first strike the said .guard plate, and pass through the
long and narrow apertures, by which it will be divided into thin sheets or
currents to pass between the series of tubes, and thereby prevent the tubes
from receiving the violent shocks to which they would otherwise be subject,
and which would rapidly deteriorate them. I also propose to prevent the
injurious vibration of the tubes, by combining with the several series of tubes
outside clamp bars and interposed bars, and thus, by simply securing together
the clamp bars on opposite sides, effectually bind together not only the tubes
of each series, but of the several series to each other. so that they will the
better resist the vibrations to which they are exposed by the alternate entrance
and condensation of the steam. The said clamps and bars under the com-
bination specified, answer the additional purpose of dividing diaphragms to
direct the steam in its passage across the tubes.
The next improvement consists in making the tubes of condensers square,
or nearly so, in their cross section, in contradistinction to circular, whereby I
am enabled to obtain a greater extent of condensing surface within a given
space than when such tubes are made of a cylindrical form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria. hy Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October. in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign.
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, given and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that T. the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns.
should at any time agrec 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS," being a communication from abroad. upon the
condition (amongst others) that T. the said William Edward Newton, 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 same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements in Condensers" is described by my
foreign correspondent as consisting, in the first place, in attaching both ends of
the tubes of which the condenser is composed to the tube sheet, by means of
nuts tapped on to the ends thereof, when the said ends are made of less
diameter than the body of the tubes, whereby I am enabled to employ this
efficient mode of attachment to the tube sheet, and at the same time bring the
outer surface of the several tubes so near to each other in a surface condenser,
in which the steam is condensed on the outside of the tubes, as to effect the
rapid condensation of the steam.
Another improvement relates to the means of preventing the violent vibra-
tion of the tubes of a surface condenser, in which the steam is condensed, and
consists in passing across the series of tubes, and in contact with the outer
surface thereof, a guard plate or plates, placed by the side of the series of tubes.
and so located and provided with long and narrow apertures for the passage of
steam, as that when the steam enters the condenser with a force due to the
vacuum, it shall first strike the said guard plate, and pass through the long and

page_text: narrow apertures, by which it will be divided into thin sheets or currents to
pass between the series of tubes, and thereby prevent the tubes from receiving
the violent shocks to which they would be otherwise subject, and which would
rapidly deteriorate them. The injurious vibration of the tubes of such a
surface condenser may be still further prevented by combining with the several
series of tubes outside clamp bars and interposed bars. when the said inter-
posed bars and the inner surface of the clamp bars are so cross grooved as to
embrace the several tubes, and thus by simply securing together the clamp bars
on opposite sides, effectually bind together not only the tubes of each series,
but of the series to each other, so that they will the better resist the vibrations
to which they are exposed by the alternate entrance and condensation of the
steam. The said clamps and bars under the combination specified, answers the
additional purpose of dividing diaphragms to direct the steam in its passage
across the tubes.
Another improvement consists in making the tubes of the condenser square
in their cross section, thereby increasing the amount of condensing surface
within a given sized condenser, whilst at the same time the amount of space
through which the steam is to pass is reduced, that it may the more readily
come in contact with the cooling surface. It is also proposed to combine
with a surface condenser, and interposed between it and the exhaust ports
of the engine, a heater, through which the exhaust steam from the engine
cylinder passes on its way to the surface condenser, and through which heater
the water of condensation is caused to pass from the air pump to the feed
pump which supplies the boiler, so that the water of condensation on its
way to the feed pump shall absorb caloric from the exhaust steam, and be
thereby heated to a higher temperature than when it was drawn from the
condenser, and at the same time reducing the amount of caloric in the
steam which passes to the condenser, thereby increasing the efficiency of
the condenser.
In this improved condenser the tubes are bent around in the form of the
letter U. so that both ends may be attached to one and the same tube sheet or
plate, and the cold water is caused to pass through the tubes, and the steam
to be applied on the outside of and to pass through the interstices between the
several tubes, and between the tubes and the outer casing. The tubes are
arranged in series, each series composed of several tubes arranged in the same
plane, and in succession, one outside of another, and the several series placed
side by side, leaving narrow spaces between the several tubes, so that the
steam in passing may be divided into thin sheets or currents, the better to
effect the rapid. condensation.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawings. Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of
the condenser; Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, the water boxes being removed:
Fig. 3. a sectional view taken in the line x, x, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4. is a per-
spective view of the guard plate, separate from the other parts; Fig. 5 is a
cross section of the improved condenser. constructed with square tubes: Fig. 6
(Sheel II.) is a side view of the heater, air pump, and hot well or cistern, the
air pump being shewn in section: and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the
heater.
In the accompanying Drawings, D represents several series or tiers of tubes
bent in the middle in the form of the letter U. each series being composed of
an equal number of tubes, and each successive tube in each series, from the
inside outward. being in succession longer and of a larger bend. The ends of
these tubes are made of reduced diameter, and are tapped or screwed, and have
a shoulder formed thereon, so that when inserted in holes in the tube sheet or
plate C. and secured by nuts e. they will not only be firmly held in place, but
produce perfectly close joints, admitting of easy repairs, notwithstanding the
outer surface of the several tubes may be nearly in contact. Between the several
series of tubes, bars ƒ (so cross grooved as to embrace the tubes) are inter-
posed between the several series, and on the outside of the series there are
clamp bars E. E, cross grooved on the inside, in the same manner as the bars f.
These clamp bars E are drawn together by screw bolts h, h, by which com-
bined means all the series of tubes are bound and held together firmly in all
directions, so as not only to prevent them from being separately strained at
their points of attachment, but also to resist the vibration to which they are
exposed by the alternate entrance and condensation of the steam.
In the space, between the two branches of the tubes, is placed a guard
plate y, seen detached in perspective at Fig. 4. It is bent into a form corre-
sponding to that of the series of tubes, and with the end secured to the tube,
Sheet C. This guard plate is placed within a short distance of the inner set of
tubes, and bent at z to embrace the ends of the clamp bars E. by which it is
firmly held in place. It is perforated with long narrow slots a. corresponding
with the spaces between the several series of tubes. The space between the
two parts of this guard plate communicates with the exhaust pipe A, through
which the steam passes from the engine, and as the steam enters this space
with force, it strikes against the guard plate, and passes in thin streams or
sheets through the narrow apertures, which directs it to the spaces between the
series of tubes. where, in passing through, it expands. surrounds the several
tubes. and is rapidly condensed. the water produced thereby passing down to
and through the aperture B, which leads to the air pump.

page_text: In front of the tube, Sheet C, there are two water boxes J, J. one above
and the other below the pipe A. The lower box communicates with the lower
ends of all the tubes, and is provided with an aperture G to receive cold water.
which enters and passes through all the tubes. and is discharged from their
upper ends into the upper box, from which it escapes through an aperture
H. or, if desired. this arrangement may be inverted. In this way it will
be seen that the cold water circulates through the tubes to cool them. and
that the exhaust steam passes into the space between the two parts of the
guard plate, which receives and resists the first shock of the stream due
to the force with which it seeks to fill the vacuum, and that thence it spreads
in thin sheets, and passes amongst and around the tubes, by which it. is rapidly
condensed. the water produced thereby passing to and being drawn out of the
case in the usual or any suitable manner.
It is preferable to have the tubes of gradually larger size from the inside to
the outside of each series, so that the spaces between the several series will be
largest near the guard plate, where the steam first enters, and gradually reduced
towards the outside, but this is not indispensable. If it should be desired to
place the second range of tubes opposite the spaces between the first range,
and to continue in that order to the oniside, it can he readily done, and a
greater number of tubes may then be placed in a given space, all the parts of
the apparatus being still preserved; for although the second range of tubes will
be struck directly by the steam in passing through the apertures in the guard
plate, still the violence of the shock will be greatly reduced by the presence of
the guard plate y. Instead of making the tubes round in their cross section,
they may be made square, as represented in the sectional view, Fig. 5, the
condenser being in other respects arranged in the manner fully described
above.
The advantages presented by the use of a surface condenser in comparison
to a spray condenser for marine purposes have long been recognized, but, as
heretofore constructed, surface condensers have presented disadvantages of such
a serious nature as to prevent any considerable use of them. So important
are the advantages, however, that many attempts have been made to overcome
the defects, which are, mainly, first, slower condensation than by the spray
condenser; second, the difficulty of keeping the joints of the tubes water and
steam tight; and, lastly, the rapid deterioration of the tubes.
The first is due to the fact that the steam is not sufficiently subdivided when
it meets the cold surface of the metal tubes, and as steam is a very imperfect con-
ductor of caloric, nearly the whole of the steam must be brought in contact with
the metallic surface before the condensation can be completed. The second is

page_text: due to the alternate expansion and contraction of the tubes securely and rigidly
held at each end; and the last, it is believed, is due to the vibration of the
tubes affecting the metallic texture; but how this acts is not well known or
understood.
The first of these defects is effectually remedied by what is partly old and
partly new, (viz.) by applying the steam to the outside surface of the tubes
instead of the inside, and therefore presenting a greater proportional amount of
cooling surface. which means has long been suggested, and by bringing the
series of tubes closer together than heretofore, which may be done by combining
therewith an efficient mode of attaching the tubes, and which presents all the
strength required.
The second defect was remedied long before the present Invention. by
a device which the Inventor of the present improvements has adopted, and
consists in bending the tubes into the form of the U. so as to attach both ends
of the tubes to the same plate. thus enabling them to expand and contract
without straining the joints: but this alone did not and cannot produce an
efficient condenser.
The third defect is remedied by the present Invention. by combining with a
condenser. in which the steam is condensed outside the tubes. a mode of
clamping together all the tubes by clamp bars outside. and interposed grooved
bars, by which all the tubes are bound together, so as to present a lateral
resistance equal to the aggregate strength of all the joints, for no one iube
can be moved in any direction without moving the whole of them: whilst at
the same time this system of clamping checks the vibration of each and
every tube, and also answers the additional purpose of diaphragms to direct
the steam across the surface of the tubes. The last-named defect is still
further remedied by combining with a system of inbes thus arranged the
guard plate, which receives the first shock of the entering steam, and divides
it into thin sheets or currents, and causing the same to pass between the
tubes.
In Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings, A' represents a metallic
vessel, called the heater, which is connected at a' with the exhaust of the engine,
and on the other side at with the condenser. The apertures a' and arc
on opposite sides and near the top. and to prevent the steam from passing
directly through there is a vertical partition c', extending from the top to within
a short distance from the bottom, so that the exhaust steam on entering the
vessel A must pass down around the under edge of this partition to get to
the aperture leading to the condenser.
The air pump B of any of the well-known constructions used in connection

page_text: with condensers communicates with the condenser in the usual manner by the
channel way d with a foot valve e'. In connection with the air pump there
is a cistern C. which may be termed the hot well. into which the water of
condensation drawn from the condenser is discharged. This cistern commu-
nicates by a pipe with the vessel or heater A' at the aperture a', where the
exhaust sieam enters from the engine, so that the water which passes from the
hot well or cistern to the heater meets the exhaust steam and mingles with it,
extracting caloric therefrom, by which the temperature of the steam is decreased
and the temperature of the water increased, so that after this operation the
steam is in a better condition to be condensed, and the water in a better con-
dition to be fed to the boiler. The pipe f, where it receives the water from
the cistern C, is provided with a cock or valve g', operated by a lever h' with
a float i, so that when the water in the said cistern is below a certain level,
the cock or valve will be closed to prevent the passage of water, and when
above this level the cock is opened to permit the water to pass to the heater.
The bottom of the heater communicates with the feed pump .by a pipe 7',
so that the water after being heated by the exhaust steam passes to the feed
pump, from whence it is forced into the boiler.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Condensers,"
and the manner of carrying the same into effect. as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, 1 would observe, in conclusion, that I am aware that
a perforated guard plate has been used in combination with the ends of the
tubes of a surface condenser to distribute the steam entering the tubes, and
that a perforated plate has also been placed at the side of a congeries of tubes
to distribute and subdivide the water passing to the outside of the tubes, to
effect the condensation of the steam inside of them, but in neither case was
the plate used for the purpose, and under a combination and arrangement. like
that above described. I therefore wish it to be understood that I make no
claim broadly to the use of a perforated plate in combination with the tubes
of a surface condenser, except as herein shewn and described.
aware that one series of tubes bent in the form of the letter U have been
clamped together by two clamp bars for heaters or evaporators of liquids, and
therefore do not wish to be understood as making claim broadly to the use
of clamp plates for clamping tubes: but I am not aware that several series of
tubes have been bound together by outside clamps and interposed grooved bars
to bind all the tubes together in all directions under an arrangement and com-
bination, such as herein specified.
I am also
What claim. therefore. as new in the present Invention, and desire to
secure by Letters Patent, is, constructing surface condensers in manner above

page_text: shewn and described. in which the steam to be condensed is made to pass out-
side of the tubes. I claim particularly making the iwo ends of the tubes
which pass through holes in the tube sheet of a smaller diameter than the
body of the tubes. and securing them in place by means of nuts tapped on to
the ends thus reduced, so that the tubes may be put closer together than here-
tofore for the purpose set forth.
I also claim, in combination with a congeries or set of tubes arranged as
herein described, to constitute a surface condenser, which effects the conden-
sation of the steam outside of the said tube of a guard plate or plates, with
apertures, as herein described, and interposed between the exhaust port or
inlet for the steam, and the side or sides of the set of tubes for the purpose of
protecting the tubes from the violent concussions of the steam when entering,
as set forth.
1 also claim, as a means of resisting shocks and preventing the vibration of
the tubes of the condenser, the employment in combination of the outside
clamp bars and interposed bars grooved to embrace the tubes, so that when
bound together they shall be firmly held to resist all lateral motion or
vibration, whilst at the same time the clamp and interposed bars will
Further act as diaphragms to direct the steam across the set of tubes, as
described.
And also claim the employment of a heater interposed between the
cylinder of the engine and the surface condenser, and so arranged that the
exhaust steam shall pass through the said heater on its way to the condenser,
and during such passage heat the feed water in its passage from the air pump
to the feed pump.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)