Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam and other Condensible Vapours.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam and other
Condensible Vapours.
1, EDUARD THEISEN, of Sinzig on the Rhine, Germany, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
In the Specification to my Patent No. 5142 of 1890 was described an apparatus
for condensing steam and other condensible vapours, wherein the exhaust steam was
made to pass into a series of horizontal tubes arranged round a central fan by
which air currents were propelled against the outer surfaces of the said tubes
while at the same time water was also propelled by centrifugal action on to the
tubes from pipes or receptacles revolving with the fan, thereby effecting the
condensation of the steam by the rapid evaporation of the thin films of water
flowing over the tubes.
According to my present invention, instead of arranging the said tubes, into
which the exhaust steam is made to pass, in a horizontal position, I arrange them
vertically for which purpose I construct the said apparatus as follows:
1 construct a cylindrical casing on the upper and lower ends of which are formed
peripheral annular chambers, and in the intervening space between these chambers
I arrange circular rows of vertical tubes the ends of which communicate respectively
with the upper and lower chambers. The upper chamber is connected by a pipe
with the exhaust of the steam engine or other apparatus from which the steam or
vapour to be condensed is derived, while the lower chamber is connected to an air
pump. In the centre of the casing is arranged a vertical shaft driven in any
suitable manner and carrying a fan or fans or a series of radial vanes which are
supplied with air through a series of openings in the lower part of the cylindrical
wall of the casing, a horizontal partition being provided just above such openings,
extending from the casing towards the centre, so as to cause the incoming air to
pass horizontally below such partition to the central opening where it enters the
centre of the fan, and from which it is propelled horizontally on to the outer surfaces
of the upper parts of the beforementioned vertical tubes, the parts of these below
the partition being subject to the cooling effect of the currents of the incoming air.
The central shaft also carries tubes, worms or other suitable devices such as those
described in my said prior Patent by which water supplied at the bottom of the
casing is raised and thrown by centrifugal force in thin streams over the surfaces of
the tubes, such water being partly evaporated by the air currents, thereby taking
up the heat from the tubes and consequently condensing the steam which is passing
down through them from the upper chamber, the resulting water of condensation
being then drawn off from. the lower chamber together with the uncondensed
gases by the air pump.
By preference I combine the means for raising and propelling the condensing
water with the air fan as follows.
I construct a trumpet mouthed shell having its lower smaller end curved inward
to form an annular cup, which is situated within a central recess in the bottom
of the casing that is kept supplied with water, so that the cup being filled with
water, this will on the rapid rotation of the shell, be caused, by some scoops
arranged at bottom, and by centrifugal action, to rise up along the inner surface
of the outward curving sides of the shell, and to be thrown in a tangential
direction from the upper more or less horizontally placed edge thereof on to the
tubes. The said trumpet mouthed upper end of the shell may also form the
upper shell of the fan blades which are fixed to or formed in one with its under

page_text: side, the lower edges of such blades being fixed to or formed in one with an
annular disc, the central opening of which is sufficiently large to leave an
annular opening between it and the trumpet mouthed shell, for the entrance of
the air to the fan.
Openings may be made in the sides of the trumpet mouthed shell at different
points of its height in order to allow some of the water rising up within it to
be thrown by centrifugal force through such openings on to intermediate points
in the height of the tubes, as well as on to the upper part thereof.
According to another modification of the above described apparatus, in order
to increase the extent of evaporative surface subject to the action of the water
and air currents, the vertical steam tubes have central tubes passing through
them and through the upper and lower chambers such inner tubes being open
at both ends for the admission of water through the upper ends and of air
currents through the lower ends.
With this arrangement, in addition to the fan placed centrally between the
condensing tubes for propelling the air against the outer surface thereof, I
arrange a suction fan, such as a "Blackman" air propeller at the upper end of
the casing above the open ends of the inner tubes, and so arranged as to draw
air currents through these tubes from the open lower ends.
The central space of the casing in which the blowing fan operates is in this
case separated from the upper space in which the suction fan is situated, by a
disc shaped partition carried by the revolving shaft.
Small pipes extend from the surface of the before described trumpet mouthed
shell, through the said partition and over the open ends of the inner tubes so
that some of the water rising on the surface of the shell passes into these pipes
and is thrown by centrifugal action into the open ends of the inner tubes. Any
water that is not evaporated in the inner tubes flows from the lower ends into
the bottom of the casing, where it is caught up by the trumpet mouthed shell
again as described.
Instead of arranging a suction fan at the top of the casing for drawing the.
air through the inner tubes, a blowing fan may be provided at bottom, for
blowing the air up through these tubes.
The condensing tubes may be covered with wire gauze on the surfaces which
come in contact with the cooling water and air in order to insure that these
surfaces shall be uniformly wetted all over, and also for increasing the condensing
power.
The air charged with the vapour resulting from the evaporation passes away
from the casing through a central tube at top.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing Steam and other
Condensible Vapours.
I, EDUARD THEISEN, of Sinzig on the Rhine, Germany, 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:-
In the Specification to my Patent No. 5112 of 1890 was described an apparatus
for condensing steam and other condeusible vapours, wherein the exhaust steain
was made to pass into a series of horizontal tubes arranged round a central fan by
which air currents were propelled against the outer surfaces of the said tubes while
at the same time water was also propelled by centrifugal action on to the tubes

page_text: from pipes or receptacles revolving with the fan, thereby effecting the condensation
of the steam by the rapid evaporation of the thin films of water flowing over the
tubes.
According to my present invention, instead of arranging the said tubes, into
which the exhaust steam is made to pass, in a horizontal position, I arrange them
vertically for which purpose I construct the said apparatus as I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section and Fig. 2 a sectional plan of one arrangement.
A casing A has annular chambers B and C formed at its upper and lower ends
which chambers are connected together by annular rows of tubes D D, so that
exhaust steam or vapour entering the upper chamber B through a branch pipe E
will pass down through the tubes D to the lower chamber C which is connected
by a pipe F with the air pump or exhaust.
Centrally in the casing is a vertical shaft G driven at its upper end by a
pulley H and belt from any suitable motor, and on which is fixed a trumpet
mouthed shell I, having its lower end curved inward to form an annular cup
situated within a central recess of the bottom of the casing, while the upper end
has wings or vanes I¹ fixed or formed on its underside, so as to constitute a fan
into the central annular opening 12 of which air is drawn and from the circum-
ference of which it is propelled on to the outer surfaces of the tubes.
For the admission of the air supply openings J are formed in the lower part of
the casing, and from the side of the latter just above such openings a partition K
extends to the opening of the fan. Thus the air entering through the openings J
passes in contact with the part of the tubes D situated below the partition, on its
way to the fan, thus taking up heat from the tubes, and is then thrown in contact
with the upper parts of the tubes. At the same time water introduced through a
pipe into the bottom of the casing, is caught up by the cup shaped bottom of the
shell I, which may also contain scoops to assist in raising the water, and this is then
raised up by centrifugal action on the surface of the shell, from the upper edge of
which it is thrown on to the pipes down which it flows and from which it is partially
evaporated by the air currents, thus producing the requisite cold for condensing the
steam within the tubes.
The resulting water of condensation flows into the chamber C from which it is
drawn by the air pump while the air charged with aqueous vapour passes off from the
casing through the tube L.
Holes can be made in the shell I at different heights, through which a portion of
the water rising along the shell would be thrown on to intermediate points of the
tubes.
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a part sectional plan of a modification,
in which the steam tubes D are made of larger diameter and have inner tubes M
passing through them. These inner tubes pass right through the upper and lower
chambers B and C above which they are open to the casing which in this case is
extended beyond the chambers B and C.
In the upper extension is placed an exhaust fan N such as a Blackman air
propeller also fixed on the shaft G and between this fan and the lower one I' is a
disc shaped partition O carried by and revolving with the fan. By this means the
fan N is made to draw the outer air up through the tubes M while at the same time
water is made to flow into the upper ends of these tubes from a pipe P passing
through the partition O the lower end of which pipe takes up water from the
surface of the shell I, and which in revolving with the shell throws the water by
centrifugal action into the tubes M.
The outer surface of the outer tubes D, as also if required the inner surface of
the inner tubes M may be covered with wire gauze as indicated at Q, which has
the effect both of insuring the uniform wetting of the whole surface of the tube and
also of offering increased evaporative surface and consequently greater condensing
power.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an evaporative surface condenser the combination of a casing with upper
and lower annular chambers connected respectively with the supply of exhaust
steam or other vapour and with an exhaust or air pump, circular rows of vertical
tubes connecting the said upper and lower chambers, a central revolving fan for
producing air blast directed against the said tubes, and means arranged centrally in
the casing for supplying water by centrifugal action to the surfaces of the said
tubes together with the air blast, substantially as described.
2. In an evaporative surface condenser, the combination of a casing with upper
and lower annular chambers connected respectively with the supply of exhaust steam
or other vapour and with an exhaust or air pump, circular rows of vertical tubes
connecting the said upper and lower chambers, a vertical revolving shaft situated
centrally within the said rows of pipes and a trumpet mouthed shell carried by such
shaft, the outer surface of which carries blades or vanes by which air is propelled
by centrifugal action against the said vertical tubes while the inner surface serves
to raise water by centrifugal action and to throw the same from its upper edge on
to the said tubes, substantially as described.
3. In an evaporative surface condenser, the combination of a casing A chamber B
connected with the supply of exhaust steam or other vapour to be condensed,
chamber C connected with an exhaust or air pump, vertical tubes D connecting the
chambers B and C through which tubes pass other tubes M. a central shaft G
carrying a fan and a shell I for supplying air blast and water by centrifugal action
on to the tubes D, openings J in the casing for the supply of air, a partition K for
directing the air supply to the centre of the fan, pipes P for supplying water to the
interior of the pipes M and an exhaust fan N for producing upward currents of air
through the pipes M, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of
the drawings.
4. In evaporative surface condensers such as referred to in the preceding claims,
covering the outer surfaces of the vertical condenser tubes with wire gauze for
the purpose of insuring the uniform wetting of such surfaces, substantially as
described.
Dated this 27th day of February 1892
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.