Fluid Column Impeller.
Year: 1896

page_text: Fluid Column Impeller.
I, EDWARD ARNOLD of 62 Third Avenue, Newcastle, in the County of
Northumberland Shipbuilder Expert and Ship Designer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to impelling or giving motion in continuous stream, positive
in direction, to a column of water or minor aqueous and other fluids not rendered
destructible, or explosive by contact with high pressure or superheated steam
contained or laying in a conduit, or pipe connecting one impound of fluid with
another impound of same or similar fluid of less or greater density-or isolated, for
whole length of conduit pipe, from the water or other fluid in which the conduit
with its adjuncts is immersed-by high pressure, or and more especially, high
pressure superheated steam evolved encircling heat-belt in absolute superficial
contact with the fluid column.
The invention also relates to method of conducting, or piping the pressure steam
so that the before mentioned heat-belt is evolved concentric with the fluid column
and its cycle of pressure steam urgency concentric with the cycle of fluid pressure
retard common to cylindrical conduit laying horizontally, or at a predetermined!
angle of ascent or descent.
The following serves to indicate the invention although it will be understood
that the details may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.
By impelling in continuous stream, a column of fluid, is to be understood-
impelling fluid which has access to and entirely fills, or is caused to fill, some length
portion or all length, of a conduit of any diameter and length-so that when
impelled to motion, the fluid in motion, constitutes and forms a solid, unbroken,
columnar body in continuous stream so long as natural ingress and egress, to and
from, and impelling force in conduit pipe exist.
By "fluid column isolated for whole length of conduit pipe from the water or
other fluid in which the conduit pipe with its adjuncts is immersed "is to be
understood-the fluid column filling a conduit of a necessary length, wholly
immersed at a necessary depth in water or other fluid matter where, for the purpose
of creating circulation, causing or inciting artificial currents for disturbing naturally
turbid waters, or causing opposing currents in natural stream waters, or for mixing
purposes, ship propulsion and the like it is advantageous to set in motion a
requisite unbroken weight column of fluid in a definite direction without inter-
mission or slip of impelling power caused by contrary disturbancies of fluid forming
the impelled column, arising or originating from contrary wave or stream
disturbancies existing in the Huid in which the conduit pipe with impeller is
immersed or suspended-by the conduit pipe itself isolating the impelled column
from all such contrary forces while in conduit.
By high pressure, or and more especially high pressure superheated steam
evolved encircling beat-belt in absolute superficial contact with the fluid column,"
is to be understood-the ring formation, definite in thickness and circumference,
the steam charge released from the generator or superheater is led to fulfil at its
first contact with and around the fluid column, extending to breadth form of
belt essentially a pressure steam evolved heat energy belt, encircling the fluid
column in superficial contact with the fluid, being between the fluid of the column

page_text: ard the conduit of the column at a minute diametral increase of conduit, in a
convenient length and aligu coupling portion thereof, to the entire avoidance of
sudden bends, elbows, valve chambers and the like, or other distortions in right,
curved or coiled alignment of fluid column conduit, affecting freedom of passage or
continuity of stream of column which is impelled to motion by heat power--such
power being the sensible difference in temperature of pressure steam, or pressure
steam vehicled heat-belt in contact with fluid column and the normal temperature
of the fluid at place of first contact; the resultant impelling force being the heat
repellant power of the low temperature fluid column.
The devised method of conducting, or piping the pressure steam to evolve the
heat-belt of the nature and fulfilling the conditions given and understood in and by
the foregoing of this specification is indicated by the following :-
By "same sectional area of pipe or passage is to be understood, the capacity
given by transverse sectional form of pipe or passage to pass freely, a like given
volume or equipollent charge of steam.
By "top and bottom centres" is to be understood-the uppermost and lowermost
trace of vertical longitudinal axial plane of fluid column at top and bottom
respectively.
By "centre" is to be understood-the transverse horizontal axial plane of fluid
column.
The before mentioned coupling portion which is also a fixed pedastal, hanger, or
otherwise coupling rest to conduit envelopes, for a necessary length, the end of one,
or may be both length portions of fluid conduit pipe and both it and enveloped
end, or ends in reversable action impellers, are so fashioned as to conjointly, give
form to and complete certain determinant, volume proportioning and diffusing
passages for pressure steam charges integrating and fulfilling the ring formation,
being the ring-base of heat-belt thus vehicled by pressure steam.
The area of ring-base contained between two circles, the radius of inscribing
circle being half the known diameter of fluid column plus the minimum thickness
of metal consistent with strength, the conduit pipe where forming floors of some
longitudinal passages can be formed; and the radius of circumscribing circle being
radius of inscribing circle plus thickness of ring determined upon-determines
the sectional area of main steam charge pipe from generator or superheater to
regulator valve chest or chamber, placed contiguous to and vertically over top
centre of fluid conduit.
Two equipollent charges, each being equal to one half the area of ring-base-are
taken from the main steam or whole area pipe, or its regulator valve chest if any-
one to the right and the other to the left hand of the coupling cylinder, where they
may be again divided into any number of equipollent charges, each one being
equal to area of ring-base divided by the total number of charges entering the
cylinder.
All pressure steam charges, whatever the number, enter the cylinder radially at
equal divisions of the circle determined according to their number, that is to say,
the radials, right hand and left hand, at thirty degrees (30°) below before described
centre-are made the centres of pressure steam force, the sine of angle of such radial
corresponding with known centre of fluid pressure retard common to circular
transverse section of such conduit laying horizontally.
Should the conduit at that part of it containing the impeller, lay at a permanent
gradient, whether the fluid is to be impelled up or down that gradient, the lines of
centres of pressure steam force are on radials at an angle, the sine of which is half
the cosine of the angle of such predetermined gradient.
In small conduits, where only one steam charge each side is sufficient as practically
efficient, the charges enter the cylinder on the radials of centres of pressure steam
force.
In larger conduits where a greater number of charges are necessary and even in
number each side of cylinder half that number enter the cylinder at radials. below
centre of pressure steam force and the other half above those centres. When an

page_text: odd number each side, one is centred on centre of pressure steam force, half the
remaining number below centres of pressure steam force and the remaining half
above those centres.
In all cases the charges are placed, or centred, at equal intervals or parts of the
arc (120° in dead level conduits) below and embraced by centres of pressure steam
force, such intervals, centre to centre of charges, being equal to number of degrees
contained in that arc divided by the number of charges determined for each side of
whole circle. In this way at angle of 90° defining the extreme possible angle of
ascent or descent as a gradient, and for the purpose of definitely defining the nature
of the expressions centres of pressure steam and centre of fluid pressure retard used
in this specification,-the fluid column being vertical, the cycle of fluid pressure retard
is concentric with fluid column; therefore centres of pressure steam are in one and
on the same diametral line, designated in this specification, "centre" and the
intervals between the charges (centre to centre) are made equal to degrees in half
circle divided by half the number of charges, or degrees in whole circle divided by
total number of charges.
39
All steam charges, centred as described, enter a whole cycle passage formed
between enveloping cylinder and enveloped conduit pipe. This whole cycle steam
passage may, segmentally, in determinant volume proportioning bays, is of a breadth,
in the longitudinal axial line of conduit, equal to diameter of bore of steam charges
and contained between the same two transverse planes containing those charges.
One of these planes marks the base of a tapering bore of enveloping cylinder which
tapering bore, terminating at ring-hase, coincides with the circumscribing circle of
ring-base. At this same transverse plane the whole cycle passage is sunk, or taken
out of the metal of enveloping cylinder to form one side and crown of passage, while
the other transverse plane marks the place of shoulder on, or reinforcement of metal
to enveloped conduit pipe-such shoulder forming the side of cycle passage nearest
to cylinder mouth flange, which flange, with corresponding flange on conduit pipe,
forms steam tight joint connection of cylinder to conduit pipe and, so formed, stop
to steam from cycle passage.
The floor, or inscribing circle of whole cycle passage, coincides with base of the
before mentioned conical bore of cylinder and, close fitting thereto, eone frustrum,
or taper in thickness of metal of conduit pipe.
The cycle passage is of such depth at radial charges as to make up a sectional
area equal to half area of a single charge. Each charge feeds a segmental lune
shaped bay, the circumscribing arcs of which intersect where bays conjoin, a
circumscribing are of bay fed by next adjoining charge-at which points (in all
cases at half intervals between charges) the cycle passage is of such a depth as to
make up a sectional area equal to half the sectional area of one of a number of
longitudinal passages sunk in metal of conduit pipe-and the circumscribing ares
of lune shaped bays are so described from centres and of such radii as to give the
passage a sectional area at a point of bisection of an arc, equal to mean of the
sectional areas at the extremities of that arc. The so formed bays of whole cycle
passage complete the determinant volume proportioning passages.
The longitudinal passages designated diffusing, or integrating passages, sunk in
metal of enveloped conduit pipe, are centred on longitudinal axial planes marking
equal divisions of whole circle and in number, three times the number of steam
charges; one being centred on top centre and another on button centre where the
bays of the right hand cycle passage conjoin with those of the left hand.
The sectional area of each longitudinal passage is equal to area of ring-base
divided by the number of passages, therefore at ring-base, or extremity of cone
frustrum, where the sunk depth of passages is equal to thickness of coinciding
ring, the passages, conjointly, fulfill the whole area of ring-base.
The sunk depth of a passage at any other part, depending on the amount of
taper in cone frustrum, determines the circular measure of breadth of passage and
form of standing metal, or fillet palms between passages-such passages being of
the same sectional area throughout their entire length, constitute the before

page_text: mentioned passages, designated diffusing passages for pressure steam charges
integrating to fulfill that ring formation-the ring-base of heat-belt.
The metal of conduit pipe in way of longitudinal or integrating passages being of
that thickness before described as minimum thickness consistent with strength, is,
from the apices of the standing metal, or fillet palms between passages, reduced to
a techuically termed, hollow feather tipped finish or final, which final-backed by
increase of metal to enveloping cylinder, forming a fuller to that final, gives diametral
diminish but retained volume of belt form to absolute superficial contact with fluid
column.
The increase in metal of cylinder forming the fuller, also determines that before
mentioned increase designated minute diametral increase of conduit, and constitutes
the circumscribing surface of heat-belt, the inscribing surface being the fluid
column. This minute increase in diameter of conduit diminishes gradually to
normal diameter of column at a distance from ring-base of about half the diameter
of column, and may be the vanishing point of a reversed action impeller or place
of flange, (or other attachment) to continuation of conduit to single action
impeller.
When greater speed, or its equivalent, pressure or suction power in terms of
sectional area of column at discharge (egress) or suction (ingress) respectively in
proportion to circumferential surface of column acted upon by heat-belt is required,
the continuations of enduit fore and after the impeller, may be reduced by
ordinary reducing align chambers to such cross sectional area as will give that
proportion.
The impeller may be applied of greater diameter than the conduit proper,
for the purpose of increasing the circumferential surface to be acted upon by the
heat-belt.
Each steam charge pipe at its attachment to cylinder, may have a valve, cock, or
other description of stop water, to be opened after steam is home to same and closed
before steam from main source is shut off.
The enveloping cylinder may be in sections of length to facilitate construction
and duplication of parts and the like.
1004
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Fluid Column Impeller.
1 EDWARD ARNOLD late of 62 Third Avenue, now of 46 King John Street,
Newcastle, in the County of Northumberland, Shipbuilder Expert and Ship
Designer, 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 :-
This invention relates to impelling or giving motion in continuous stream to a
column of water or other fluid or semi-fluid by the action of high pressure steam.
The apparatus, which I call a fluid column impeller, acts to a certain extent as
an ejector for raising a column or jet of fluid, called a jetometer, or for ejecting a
fluid column to do useful work, but instead of the impact force of the steam being
applied as in such implements in the axial line of the column through a central
nozzle, I use an annular nozzle from which the steam impinges upon the whole
circumference of the column and I obtain additional impelling or ejecting force
by the repellent action of the cold surface of the column to contact with the very
high temperature of the issuing steam giving what may be termed a "grip"
between the steam and the column.
"

page_text: Having reference to the drawings (four sheets containing in all 10 figs.) accom-
panying and forming part of this specification, I proceed to describe the construction
and mode of operation of my fluid column impeller.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying four sheets of drawings my invention is illustrated in
various forms of its application to practical operation, but in all the forms it is
shewn as a horizontal apparatus, though it may be arranged to work at any angle
from the horizontal plane upward or downward or it may be vertical and fixed in
any position or suspended so as to be adjusted to any desired angle.
Figs. 1 and 2 (Sheet 1) shew respectively Fig. 1 a section of the outer enveloping
cylinder on the line TC-BC (of Fig. 2) and an external view of the inner
enveloped cylinder; and Fig. 2 a transverse section of those portions of the
apparatus by which the impelling action is effected, steam entering from the
generator at two points in the lower half of the circle.
Figs. 3 and 4 (Sheet 2) shew the same views of the essential parts, but with the
steam entering at four points of the circle.
Figs. 5 and 6 (Sheet 3) shew the same essential parts with steam entering at six
points of the circle.
Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 (Sheet 4) shew by Figs. 7 and 8 respectively a side
elevation and transverse section through the vertical centre line of Fig. 7 of a double
apparatus designed to stand upon a flat base on a pedestal or foundation and to impel
the column of water either in the direction of the arrow on left hand of Fig. 7, or in
the direction of the arrow on right hand, the apparatus only acting in one direction
at one time. Fig. 9 shews an enlarged view of a portion in section of this form
of the apparatus, and Fig. 10 an alternative method of construction adapted for
large sizes in which the apparatus is made in sections or separate parts put together
by bolts.
The reference numerals commence with 12 and continue consecutively to 34
and the same numbers indicate the same or equivalent parts on all the figs.
Referring to Sheet 1. Steam enters from the generator at the two points 16
filling the annular space which I term "the cycle or annular passage
" 17 between
the cycle ring 26 and the enveloping cylinder or outer casing. The cycle ring 26
is a true circle, but the enveloping cylinder is cast or bored out to form an ellipse
(see Fig. 2) so that the "cycle passage " is of unequal areas. The cycle ring or
enveloped cylinder 26 forms the front end of a "spigot" shewn (see Fig. 1) cast
in this instance upon the flange 24 of the entering conduit which is bolted to the
flange 23 upon the enveloping cylinder, and the "spigot" fits closely a "faucit "
extending from the flange 23 inward to a shoulder at 22, and in front of this
shoulder the steam enters an annular space forming the "cycle passage" 17, having
at 20 a shoulder, and, displacing the water in the several passages under the
tapering bore 19, forming the nozzle, issues at its very high temperature at 31,
where it comes into direct circumferential contact with the column of water, which
is at a greatly lower temperature, and remains in contact there with as the column
is impelled forward. The extent of the tapering space for steam forming the
annular nozzle (see dotted line 32, Fig. 1) may terminate for instance at 33.
During this period the solid column of fluid is impelled forward by the impact of
the steam combined with the repellent power of its low temperature to the high
temperature of the surrounding steam, giving to the fluid column what may be
termed a "grip" of the steam, and as each portion of the column is so impelled
forward another portion following is impelled by the same action, and so the
operation continues.
The exterior of the "spigot" 26 on the flange 24 at the front part forming
the cycle ring or annular nozzle 28 has sunk recessed portions as at 12 and raised
tapered surfaces 29 (Fig. 1) (18' marking the place of shoulder 22 on
the enveloping cylinder). These recesses form passages for the steam from

page_text: *"cycle passage
"to collectively form the whole sectional area of the ring or base
of annular steam jet at terminal of tapered bore 19. The "cycle passage" 17
formis its smallest area (see Fig. 2) on the line TC and BC respectively, and its
largest area opposite the steam branches 16, at 30° below the horizontal centre
line C C, the different radii r, the centres of which are eccentric to the main
centre forming segmental "lune" shaped bays 27 in number, corresponding to the
number of steam branches 16, in this case two.
Referring now to Sheets 2 and 3 the apparatus is constructed in precisely
the same manner with the modifications incidental to the introduction of the
steam at four points of the circle as in Figs. 3 and 4, and at six points in Figs. 5
and 6.
Referring to Sheet 4, Figs. 7 and 8 shew the main steam pipe 13 branching right
and left to two shut off valves 13A and 13B and thence by pipes 14 and 15 to each
end of the apparatus joining cocks 34 of which there are four at each end,
controlling the steam branches 16, so that either end of the apparatus may be put
into operation to impel the column of fluid in either direction. Fig. 9 is an
enlarged longitudinal section through the apparatus in line with the two steam
passages 16, the other portions being in effect the same as on Sheets 1, 2, and 3.
Fig. 10 shews the apparatus made in three parts, the "spigot" being one, the
"faucit " a separate ring, bolted between the "faucit" piece and an extension
cylinder to join the conduit pipe. The fluid column may be supplied to the
apparatus by a head of column or by induced suction (up to a certain extent) of
the apparatus when in operation the suction pipe (or pipes) with the spigot 26
forming the enveloped cylinder and in all cases the suction pipe will be as free
from bends as possible.
In carrying my invention into practical application careful consideration will
have to be given to the circumstances in which the apparatus is to work and the
amount of work to be done, the dimensions and weight of the column to be
impelled, the velocity of the impulsion, and the available supply and pressure of
steam, also specially to whether the column lies horizontal, vertical, or inclined;
and all these conditions have been carefully considered and worked out by
appropriate formulæ with which it is unnecessary to deal in this specification,
except to indicate a few leading points, viz. :-
The area of the main steam pipe from the generator will be determined by the
working pressure of steam and the size and requirements of the apparatus.
The number, area, and disposition of the branch pipes around the circumference
will be proportioned to the area of the main steam pipe, so that equipollent charges
may be delivered at the various points in the circumference of the annular or
cycle passage
"17. Thus there may be as in Figs. 1 and 2 two branches disposed
as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 four branches, in Figs. 5 and 6 six branches, and in
Figs. 7 and 8 four passages at each end of the apparatus. At the points in the
circle where these branches open into the annular "cycle passage" the said
passage will form a corresponding number of lune-shaped bays 27 to afford free
access to the steam.
The sunk panels 12, formed in the spigot 26, will also be proportioned to the
other parts of the apparatus, depending upon the diameter of the column which is
intended to be impelled.
When the apparatus is laid horizontal allowance will have to be made for the
dead weight of the column itself by providing an adequate additional support by
the steam entering the lower half of the annular "cycle passage" to overcome the
contraction of the annular passage by the superincumbent weight of the column,
and this provision will have to be calculated in proportionate rates at all the
intermediate angles of inclination upward or downward, diminishing as the angle
increases till the column is vertical, when it will be nil.
The impeller may be applied of greater diameter than the conduit proper, for
the purpose of increasing the circumferential surface to be acted upon by
steam jet.

page_text: Each steam charge pipe at its attachment to cylinder will have a valve, as 34,.
(Figs. 7 and 8) to be opened when, the branch pipes being full of steam, immediate-
action at starting is ensured.
The enveloping cylinder may be in sections of length (as Fig. 10), to facilitate
construction and duplication of parts and the like.
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 :-
An apparatus for impelling a coluinn of fluid to motion by the impact of an.
annular steam jet in circumferential contact with the column, combined with the
repellent action of the cold surface of the column to the circumferential contact of
the steam at a very much higher temperature; substantially as described and in.
one form shewn by the drawings herewith.
E. ARNOLD.