IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM AND FORMING AND MAINTAINING A VACUUM
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wheeler Bulkley, of New York City, in the State
of New York, one of the United States of America, for the Invention of " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM
AND FORMING AND MAINTAINING A VACUUM."
Sealed the 21st March 1879, and dated the 8th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wheeler Bulkley at the
. Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1879.
HENRY WHEELER BULKLEY, of New York City, in the State of New York, one
of the United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS
CONDENSING STEAM AND FORMING AND MAINTAINING
VACUUM."
FOR
A
The Invention relates to that class of steam condensers which are elevated suffi-
ciently above their hot wells to produce a vacuum in the cylinder of the engine,
sugar vacuum pan, or other place in which it is desired to produce and maintain
the vacuuin.
It consists in a combination of two tapering nozzles with their smaller ends joined
by a contracted neck, smoothly finished, with an annular passage and suitable con-
nections for the flow of water into and through the nozzles to drag therewith the
steam which is received through a suitable connection in the interior. By its means
the steam is rapidly and efficiently condensed, and the air and condensed vapour
are expelled.
The tapering nozzles are preferably parabolic in shape. The exhaust pipe from
the engine or other source is connected to the upper end of the condenser by a
sufficiently large pipe to allow an easy flow of the weak steam. The injection pipe
opens into a hollow ring surrounding the upper end of the upper tapering nozzle.
It receives the cold water for condensation from a tank or through a pump, or
water may be lifted somewhat by the vacuum, but it should be aided either by
coming from an elevated source or by a pump or otherwise so as to flow down in
an annular sheet through the upper end of the upper nozzle. The contraction at
the neck below should be carefully proportioned, so that while allowing sufficient
way for the rapidly moving current of water, it will be drawn together so as to
completely fill the interior. The delivery pipe below should be larger. It should
be at least thirty three feet above the hot well, so as to utilize the gravity of the
Dion 623

page_text: descending water to the utmost in forming and maintaining the vacuum.
overflow should be provided from the hot well.
A proper
In using the condenser to exhaust the steam from a low pressure engine, the
injection water may be first started, and its action will draw out the air so as to
form a good vacuum on the exhaust side of the piston before any steam is admitted.
On starting the engine the steam is delivered through the exhaust pipe into the
interior of the hollow conical film of water at the top which is flowing downward
and being contracted together with velocity. The exhaust steam is thereby
thoroughly condensed, and any air which may chance to be mingled therewith is
drawn down and expelled. After passing the contracted neck the velocity of the
descending current is reduced in the gradually enlarging portion below, and tho
water warmed by the steam acts by gravity in descending by the pipe below in
aiding to maintain the vacuum above. By this action a good vacuum is con-
tinuously maintained in the cylinder of the engine during its operation without
the use of an air pump, thus making an important saving in power and expense,
besides avoiding the danger of flooding the condenser, which attends the use of
ordinary jet condensers.
If in any case the supply of condensing water fails either momentarily or for a
considerable period, the construction of the parts allows the steam to exhaust without
stopping through the condenser into the hot well against the pressure of the
atmosphere.
The Invention may be used in connection with steam engines, steam pumps, or
with the apparatus employed in sugar or salt manufactories, or any other apparatus
requiring a vacuum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Wheeler Bulkley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
July 1879.
HENRY WHEELER BULKLEY, of New York City, in the State of New York, one
of the United States of America "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM AND FORMING AND MAINTAINING A VACUUM."
The Invention relates to that class of steam or vapour condensers which are
elevated sufficiently above their hot wells to produce a vacuum in the cylinder of
the engine, sugar vacuum pan, or other chamber or place in which it is desired to
produce and maintain the vacuum, and will be readily understood from the following
description, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 shews partly in section and partly in elevation, one of my injector condensers
drawn to a scale of six inches to one foot, with (in dotted lines at A) a sectional
plan taken in the line B, C; Figure 2 is a general view on a reduced scale of the
apparatus applied to a steam engine; Figure 3 is a sectional view designed to illus-
trate the operation of my improved apparatus; Figure 4 is a horizontal section in
the line D, E, of Fig. 3.
My apparatus is constructed with two tapering nozzles 1, 2, having their axes in
the same right line and their smaller ends smoothly finished and accurately joined
at 3, so as to form a contracted neck 4. The parts are fastened together by bolts
passing through the flanges shewn. With the upper nozzle is combined an exhaust
nozzle 5 with an opening equal to the exhaust pipe 6 from the engine a, but con-
tracted at the end; 7 is an annular space or passage surrounding the exhaust
nozzle, and 8 is an annular channel or chamber into which condensing
water flows by the pipe 9, passing thence by the annular spaco 7 through
the annular orifice 10 towards the contracted neck 4, so 85 to envelope,
condense, and drag with it the steam, air, or gases, received through the exhaust
nozzle 5. By this arrangement steam is rapidly and efficiently condensed, and
vapours are expelled. As will be seen the tapering nozzles 1, 2, are of a parabolic
shape. The pipe 6 must be sufficiently large to allow an easy flow of steam at a
low pressure.
The pipe 9 is supplied with the cold water for condensation by a
natural or artificial head; it may be supplied either from a tank or through a pump,
or water may be lifted somewhat by the vacuum, but it should be aided eithor by
coming from an elevated source, or by a pump, or otherwise, so as to flow down in
an annular sheet (see Fig. 3) through the annular orifice 10 formed in the upper
end of the upper nozzle. The annular water space around the end of the exhaust
nozzle 5 must be proportioned to the amount of water required for condensation so
that the latter may enter in a uniform film around the exhaust steam. The con-
traction at the neck 4 below should be carefully proportioned so that while allowing
sufficient way for the rapidly moving current of water the water will be drawn
together so as to completely fill the interior. The delivery pipe 11 below should
be larger. Its top should be at least thirty three feet above the hot well 12 so as
to utilize the gravity of the descending water to the utmost in forming and
maintaining the vacuum. A proper overflow should be provided from the hot
well, as indicated at 13. In using the condenser to exhaust the steam from a low
pressure engine the injection water may be first started and its action will draw
out the air so as to form a good vacuum on the exhaust side of the piston before
any steam is admitted. On starting the engine the steam is delivered through the
exhaust nozzle 5 into the interior of the hollow conical film of water at the top
which is flowing downward with considerable velocity through the upper nozzle 1
(see Fig. 3), and becoming gradually contracted as regards its diameter, but
increased in thickness, until ultimately it is converted into nearly a compact fluid
column. The exhaust steam is thereby thoroughly condensed, and any air, vapor,
or gases which may chance to be mingled therewith are drawn down and expelled.

page_text: After passing the contracted neck 4 the velocity of the descending current is
reduced in the gradually enlarging portion 2 below; the current is thereby pre-
vented from returning, and the water acting by gravity in descending by the pipe
below maintains the vacuum above. By this action a good vacuum (=say about
24 inches of mercury) may be continuously maintained in the cylinder of the
engine or other chamber during its operation without the use of an air pump, thus
effecting an important saving in power and expense, besides avoiding the danger of
flooding the condenser (and thereby damaging the engine) which attends the use of
ordinary jet condensers. If in any case the supply of condensing water fails either
momentarily or for a considerable period the construction of the parts allows the
steam to exhaust without stopping through the condenser into the hot well against
the pressure of the atmosphere. The discharge water from the hot well may be
used to feed the boiler or led away for any other purpose. The Invention may be
used in connection with steam engines, steam pumps, or with the apparatus
employed in sugar or salt manufactories, or any other apparatus requiring a vacuum.
It will be seen that the momentum of the entering steam and entering water aids
in carrying the contents of the condenser towards the point of exit, and also that
the gravity of the water in the condenser tends in the same direction, and that
these forces contribute greatly with the gravity of the water in the deep descending
pipe 11 to thoroughly empty and exhaust the contents from the condenser. Also
that the tapering forms of the top 1 and bottom 2 of the condenser, which I call
paraboloidal nozzles, and the smooth contracted neck 4 between them, by main-
taining the latter constantly filled with the descending water, prevents a return of
any air or thin vapor to vitiate the vacuum:
Having described the nature of my said Invention and explained the manner of
carrying it into practical effect I would have it understood that I do not claim
generally condensing steam or vapor by means of a stream of water mingling
therewith in a pipe or passage, nor do I claim the use of a condenser pipe giving a
height of water column exceeding thirty two feet; but I do claim effecting con-
densation of steam or vapor as and by the means hereinabove explained, par-
ticularly the improved apparatus wherein the steam or vapor is directed into the
middle of an annular film of flowing water, and is brought in contact therewith in
the tapering nozzle or conoidal passage 1, having the contracted neck 4 and nozzle 2
below it placed above the pipe 11, which gives sufficient height of column to over-
come the pressure of the atmosphero, all substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wheeler Bulkley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-nine.
HENRY WHEELER BULKLEY. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the above named Henry
Wheeler Bulkley in the
presence of
THOMAS DREW STETSON,
Patent Solicitor,
23, Murray Street,
New York City, U.S.A.
WILLIAM COLBORNE BROOKES,
23, Murray Street,
New York City, U.S.A.