Improvements in and relating to the Mode of and Apparatus for Preparing the Feed-water for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Mode of and Apparatus for
Preparing the Feed-water for Steam Boilers.
I, FRANK GRIDLEY FOWLER, a Citizen of the United States, residing at
82 Prospect Street, in the City of Bridgeport, County of Fairfield, and State of.
Connecticut, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, 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 primary object of my invention is to prevent the explosion, corrosion, scaling,
or priming of steam boilers, either or all.
My invention is founded upon discoveries the nature of which I will first
explain.
Water ordinarily holds in solution a large quantity of gases, different kinds existing
in it at the same time.
The following are the discoveries to which I refer:
(1) If a small boiler be partly filled with water, and a steam pressure generated, it,
may then be removed from the fire, and, by a given manipulation, the steam pressure
can be suddenly doubled, without application of more heat. But if the gases be
removed from such boiler and the experiment be repeated, no rise of pressure will be:
occasioned.
The above experiment clearly illustrates how explosions have been produced, and-
how they may be obviated. The water in a steam boiler is charged with gases, and
if the same condition is produced in said boiler as was produced in the experimental
boiler, its pressure will be suddenly doubled and an explosion may result. But if
the gases be removed from the boiler, no such rise of pressure or explosion can
occur.
(2) If a small boiler be filled with water, and a piece of polished iron be inserted">
in the water, the iron will be rapidly corroded. But if the gases be removed from the
water the corrosion will be obviated, and the piece of polished iron may be suspended
in the water for months and preserve its metallic lustre.
This experiment illustrates how corrosion is produced and how it may be obviated..
If the gases be removed from the water in the steam boiler, no corrosion can.
occur.
(3) If a small boiler be filled with water, and a quantity of cement added to the:
water, such cement will set and become hard like stone. But if the gases be removed
from the water in the boiler, such cement will not set, but will remain soft and can be.
readily removed from the boiler.
In like manner, there are many substances which, when introduced into a steam
boiler, will set, forming a tenacious incrustation. But if the gases are removed from
the water in the boiler, such substances will not set, but will remain soft and can
readily be washed out of the boiler.
(4) If a small boiler be filled with water, as above described, and steam allowed to..
escape, there is a tendency to lift the water or prime. But if the gases be removed.
from the water in the boiler, such priming or lifting of water is obviated.
My invention is founded on the discoveries above outlined, and it .consists:
substantially in removing the gases from the water before it is used to produce
steam.
I will now describe forms of apparatus by which my invention can be applied to
use, but it should be understood that 1 do not limit myself to the form or arrangement
of apparatus described, since I believe my invention to be much broader than

page_text: forms.
apparatus and to be capable of embodiment in a great variety or
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, shows a diagram of a general arrangement of apparatus by which my
invention may be practised.
Figure 2, illustrates another arrangement of apparatus by which my invention may
be practised, and
Figure 3, is a detail vertical section through that part of my apparatus which will
hereinafter be termed the "storage tank."
Similar letters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.
In the drawings above described, I have shown two distinct ways of removing
the
gases from the water, namely, by boiling the water in a suitable tub, as is shown
in Figure 1, and by exhausting said gases by means of an air pump, such as is shown
in Figure 2.
Both of these ways are eminently practicable, but for simplicity and economy,
prefer the boiling process shown in Figure 1, and which I will now describe.
I
a, is a pipe for the feed water, communicating with the well or hydrant, which
may be conducted through the heater b, which will partially heat it, say from
140 degrees to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. It is thence conducted through the pipe c
into the tub d, which is provided with a source of heat in excess of what would be
required to bring its contents to a boiling point, and sufficient to maintain a constant
boiling of the water as it passes through the tub, whereby the contained gases are
effectually expelled from it.
This source of heat may be supplied as by means of the worm e, which is supplied
by the pipes, e, and e², with live steam from the boiler, or by the application of a
furnace direct to the base of the tub.
The tub is not provided with a cover, and therefore its contents communicate freely
with the open air; or, if provided with a cover, there must be an aperture so as to
provide a free communication between the surface of the water and the external
atmosphere, thereby permitting the gases which are expelled by the boiling operation
to separate from the water and escape into the atmosphere. After the expulsion
of the contained gases from the water, as above described, the water is passed to
the boiler without coming in contact with the atmosphere, whereby the absorption
of more gases is effectually prevented. That is accomplished by passing the water
through the closed pipe f, which communicates with the tub below the surface of
the water, into the storage tank k, whence it is drawn by the pump i, through
the pipe l, and delivered to the boiler h. When the water enters the tub d, it
will contain gases, with which it is always impregnated when exposed to the atmo-
sphere. When boiled in the tub d, however, the gases will be expelled and driven
into the atmosphere, and the water will be passed into the boiler without exposure
to the atmosphere or liability to re-absorb other gases in the place of those which
have been expelled, and in this condition it will be converted into steam within the
boiler, securing comparative freedom from danger of explosion or corrosion.
In getting up steam for the first time after a boiler has been blown off and filled
anew, experience has shown that there is great danger of severe explosions, and this
is because the water in the boiler under such circumstances contains a maximum of
gases, none having previously been expelled by boiling.
This danger can be obviated by lifting the safety valve when the steam begins to
form, and allowing the boiler to blow for some time till the gases are expelled, and
then by the application of my invention, which expels the gases from the feed water,
the boiler is preserved from all danger of explosion due to the presence of gases in
the water.
I will now proceed to describe the construction shown at Figure 2, whereby my
invention may be practised by removing the gases through the agency of an air
pump.
a, is the pipe for the feed water, and b, the vessel into which the water is introduced
by the pine a

page_text: i
The gases are drawn off through the pipe c, by the air pump d'. The water runs
off through the pipe f into a supply tank k. Thence it is forced by the feed pump
into the boiler h, arriving there substantially free from any gases. This boiler may be
one in which the water is used alone simply for the production of steam, as in a non-
condensing engine, or it may be one in which the water is mingled with other
substances which are to be rendered or bleached, &c.; but in the case where the boiler
is to be used for boiling the water together with other substances, the air pump may
preferably be connected directly with the boiler and operated as soon as the boiler is
charged, or while the charge is being admitted. In any case it is desirable, for the
more efficient separation of the gases from the water, that the liquid should be admitted
into the vessel, where the separation is accomplished, in the form of a spray. This
may be effected by attaching a distributor to the end of the water supply pipe, as
shown at n in the drawing.
In getting up steam for the first time after the boiler has been filled, it
may be
more convenient to connect the suction of the air pump directly with the boiler, in
order to remove the gases from the water therein contained, and thereafter, when the
steam is allowed to go down, all apertures leading into the boiler may be effectually
closed, so that the water cannot be recharged by the admission of air into the
boiler. To accomplish this I prefer to employ the pipe c', (shown in the drawing,)
which is provided with suitable cocks. Likewise the pipe c will be provided with
suitable cocks, so that the suction of the air pump may be taken from either the
builer or the vessel b, as required. It is furthermore desirable that provision should
be made for operating the air pump by hand, or other means independent of the
steam in the boiler, so that the air and gases may be exhausted from the boiler
before steam is generated therein.
The storage tank shown at Figure 3, is interposed between the supply and the
feed pump, and although this tank is not necessary to the successful practice of my
invention, still, it is very useful, especially in the instance of locomotives, and in fact
it will be found to be well nigh indispensable in the laboratory practice of my
invention.
The tank is provided with a floating cover, so that the air will be mostly
excluded from the water, and yet the latter will not be prevented from discharging
into the feed pump by the formation of a vacuum between said cover and the water
within the tank.
I have ascertained that when water has been degasified, the gases will return into
it when exposed to the air, and that the amount of time required to impregnate
the water with the gases depends upon the area of surface exposure of the water to
the air, and I take advantage of these facts by constructing the storage tank with a
floating cover.
In the drawing, k is the tank, and m the floating cover therein, said tank being
supplied by the pipe f, and discharging into the feed pump through the pipe 7.
The cover m covers as far as practicable the surface of the water, and fits loosely
within the walls of the tank, so that it may rise and fall freely with the surface of
the water.
It will be seen that this float will protect the surface of the water almost entirely
from contact with the air, and thus fortify it against the re-absorption of gases. At
the same time, however, it is no obstacle to the free feeding of the water, because
no vacuum is formed behind the water, as would be the case if a tight stationary
cover were used.
One of the most important applications of this invention will be to the tenders
of locomotives.
A pump can be arranged at a station for pumping the gas out of the water
contained in a stationary tank, from which latter it may be conducted into the
tender as required. A Hoating cover within the tender will practically exclude the
air from the water until it is used in the boiler of the locomotive, into which it will
flow as freely as heretofore.

page_text: 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 :
1. The process for the protection of steam boilers, which consists in removing
the gases from the water before it is used to produce steam, substantially as
described.
2. The process for the protection of steam boilers, which consists in boiling the
water while its surface is in free communication with the open air to expel the
gases, and preventing their re-absorption by passing the water to the boiler excluded
from any contact with the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.
3. In combination, a steam boiler, a chamber wherein the water degasified, a
feed pump, and a storage tank interposed between said chamber and feed pump,
said tank being provided with a floating cover, substantially as set forth.
D
تيمم
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.