Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating Liquids.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating Liquids.
I, EDUARD THEISEN of Sinzig on the Rhine Germany, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for evaporating
liquids consisting mainly of a centrifugal apparatus with rapidly revolving discs or
plates, which are mostly of a dished form, into the central part of which the liquid to
be evaporated, and the air, are introduced separately, in order to be brought into
intimate contact either while passing along the centrifugal plates or after issuing from
the same.
In consequence of the rapid motion of the air, or of both the air and the liquid, and
also in consequence of the effective distribution of both, a very rapid and energetic
evaporation is effected which insures a very powerful action of the apparatus while
occupying comparatively little space.
On the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shews a vertical section of an evaporating
apparatus constructed according to my Invention. The plates or discs A. which are
advantageously made of a dished or coned shape, are secured by means of arms B to
a hollow shaft C which receives rapid rotary motion by means of a pulley K; the
spaces between the several discs A communicate through channels L with a stationary
tube D surrounding the shaft C and which is in connection with the pipe E through
which the liquid to be evaporated is supplied. The tube D is surrounded by a
cylindrical chamber F¹ communicating with the air supply pipe F, and this chamber
carries the casing I of the centrifugal apparatus and also a stationary dished plate H
situated closely beneath the lowest rotating disc A.
The liquid passing in through the pipe E is raised by the rotation of the
screw blade G fixed on the shaft C, and flows through the channels L on the several
plates A.
At the same time air passes through the pipe F and chamber F also into the spaces
between the plates A, where it comes into intimate contact with the liquid and is
subject, together with the same, to the centrifugal action of the plates, the liquid
becoming thereby rapidly evaporated owing to its dispersion and intimate admixture
with the air. On issuing from the plates, the liquid is still subject to the evaporative
action of the air issuing both from between the plates A and from the space between
these and the fixed plate H, so that a very energetic evaporation and perfect utilisation
of the air is effected.
The liquid that is not evaporated flows through the pipe E', connected to the bottom
of the casing I, back to the pipe E in order to he again raised by the screw
blade G.
The air saturated with the vapour of the liquid is led off, and conveyed to where-
ever required. If for example the mixture of air and vapour issuing from the first
evaporating apparatus is found still to have so high a temperature as to render it
advisable to subject it to a second evaporative process in a second apparatus, this may
be effected.
If the air saturated with vapour is to be used, for heating purposes, the air supply
entering at F is previously heated, but if it is intended to abstract heat from the
liquid by the evaporative process, the air is supplied cold.
Figure 2 shows a vertical section of two different modifications of the above
described apparatus, the right hand half of this Figure shewing one arrangement and
the left hand half the other.
The only difference between these modifications and the arrangement at Figure 1
consists in that in these cases the passages or channels L for the liquid are so arranged

page_text: that the liquid is only distributed among some of the centrifugal plates A, while the
air is distributed among the others.
The liquid to be evaporated is, according to the left hand arrangement; raised by the
screw blade G and runs over the fixed guide channels L on to the inner edge of the
liquid dises A which are provided with guide vanes A2, and is propelled outwards by
these the air drawn in through the channel F in consequence of the partial vacuum
formed at the centre of the apparatus, passes on to the air discs A, which may be pro-
vided with vanes A¹ for increasing their action (as shown in the plan Fig. 3 of such
air discs) and is also propelled outwards.
On issuing from the centrifugal apparatus the air and liquid come into contact with
each other, and in consequence of their effectual mixture and rapid motion, an
effectual evaporation or cooling of the liquid thrown out is produced.
The evaporation and cooling is also aided by the catching plates M, carried by
supports in the casing I.
The ejected and cooled liquid flows over the outer part of the inclined bottom of
the casing I into the recessed central part thereof containing the liquid to be cooled,
and is again acted upon as above described.
In the modification shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2 the liquid propelled by
the centrifugal discs passes on to tubes N, heated by steam &c., which are arranged at
about the same level as the discs.
ز
The liquid flows down in a thin layer over these pipes and is rapidly evaporated
under the action of the air propelled by the centrifugal discs, the liquid being of
course considerably cooled by this.
:.
The liquid not evaporated flows along the inclined bottom of the casing to the
centre of the same where it is raised by a worm, pump or other appliance, to be again
subjected to the action of the apparatus, this being also effected in the left hand
arrangement.
The centrifugal discs of both modifications differ only slightly in their details from
those of the first arrangement. Cis, as before, the central shaft, D the surrounding
tube, K the driving pulley and F the air supply chamber.
Figure 5 shews a vertical section of a modification of the first described arrange-
ment in which the air supply is brought consecutively in contact with the liquid
passing over the centrifugal discs. This is effected as follows: the alternate centri-
fugal discs or plates A are formed at their outer circumference with bent edges R R¹
of which the first are turned downwards while the latter are turned upwards.
The edge R engages with the edge R¹ of the lower plate, as indicated. The discs A
not rovided with such edges are carried with their inner circumference in close
1
proximity to the tube D in which the liquid is raised by the worm G, while the inner
edge of the other plates A are some distance away from the tube D. If now the
centrifugal discs are set in motion, the liquid thrown out by the plates A A' will form
a water luting at the points where the edges R R fit into each other, so that the air
entering through tube F F is compelled to follow a zig-zag direction, as indicated by
the arrows, in passing consecutively between the centrifugal discs, so that one and the
same body of air is brought into intimate contact with the liquid on all the centrifugal
discs, and eventually escapes at the top into the casing. The liquid thrown out collects
in the casing I of the apparatus, and flows along the inclined bottom thereof to the
discharge pipe E and through pipe E to the worm G again.
Each of the centrifugal plates A A¹ is by preference supplied with liquid by a
spout L. The flow of the air can if necessary be accelerated by vanes A provided
on the under sides of the discs A'. The plates A A¹ are connected to the central
shaft C by arms B; K is the driving pulley as before.
Figures 4 and 4 shew an application of the above described evaporating
apparatus for repeated utilisation of the heat.
The liquid passes through the branch pipe a' into the first apparatus I, where it is
acted upon by a centrifugal apparatus constructed as described with reference to
Figure 1, hot air or gases being supplied from a heating apparatus or furnace.
The air saturated with vapour passes off through pipe a into the second apparatus II

page_text: which is of the same construction as apparatus I, the only difference being that in II
the air saturated with moisture coming from 1 is made to evaporate the liquid
entering through the branch pipe . If necessary an additional supply of dry heated
air from the heating apparatus inay be employed.
The air saturated with moisture passing from the apparatus II is led through pipe b
into the pipes 2 of the apparatus III, which are immersed in the liquid to be
evaporated in this apparatus.
The evaporation of the latter is assisted by centrifugal apparatus of the same con-
struction as I and II. The air supply to the centrifugal apparatus is effected either
direct or from one of the following apparatus.
The liquid condensed in the pipes flows off through the pipe f, while the moist
air from these pipes is drawn off through a pipe d by means of a fan c. The air
saturated with vapour in apparatus III passes through pipe to apparatus IV and
serves, in passing through pipes c2, for evaporating the liquid to be treated contained
in this apparatus, such evaporation being accelerated by a centrifugal apparatus
similar in construction to that described with reference to the left hand side of
Figure 2.
The liquid condensed in the pipes flows off through the pipe h, while the air out
of these pipes is drawn off either through the pipe i by an air pump, or through the
pipe k into the centrifugal apparatus of 111, the air being thus made to circulate con-
tinuously through the apparatus III and IV. The arrangement of apparatus shown
in Figures 4, 46, 4° is particularly suitable for effecting the concentration in an
inexpensive manner of large masses of liquid (for example sewage water) in which
case the liquid is first treated in apparatus III then in II and lastly in I, so as to leive
the latter in the form of thick sludge.
The moist air drawn off by the fan e, which may be impure, can be passed through
Gre
Dated this 29th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Evaporating Liquids.
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:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for evaporating
liquids consisting mainly of a centrifugal apparatus with rapidly revolving dises or
plates, which are mostly of a dished form, into the central part of which the liquid to
be evaporated, and the air, are introduced separately, in order to be brought into
intimate contact either while passing along the centrifugal plates or after issuing from
the same.
In consequence of the rapid motion of the air, or of both the air and the liquid,
and also in consequence of the effective distribution of both, a very rapid and energetic
evaporation is effected, which ensures a very powerful action of the apparatus while
occupying comparatively little space.
On the drawings accompanying my provisional specification Fig. 1 shews a vertical
section of an evaporating apparatus constructed according to my invention. The plates
or discs A, which are advantageously made of a dished or coned shape, are secured by
means of arms B to a hollow shaft C which receives rapid rotary motion by means of
ก pulley K; the spaces between the several discs A communicate through channels L
with a stationary tube D surrounding the shaft C and which is in connection with the
pipe E through which the liquid to be evaporated is supplied. The tube D is sur-
rounded by a cylindrical chamber F' communicating with the air supply pipe F, and
this chamber carries the casing I of the centrifugal apparatus and also a stationary
dished plate H situated closely beneath the lowest rotating disc A.
The liquid passing in through the pipe E is raised by the rotation of the screw

page_text: blade G fixed on the shaft C, and flows through the channels L on to the several
plates A.
At the same time air or hot combustion gases pass through the pipe F and chamber F
also into the spaces between the plates A, where it comes into intimate contact with
the liquid and is subject, together with the same, to the centrifugal action of the plates,
the liquid becoming thereby rapidly evaporated owing to its dispersion and intimate
admixture with the air. On issuing from the plates, the liquid is still subject to the
evaporative action of the air issuing both from hetween the plates A and from the
space between these and the fixed plate H, so that a very energetic evaporation and
perfect utilisation of the air is effected.
The liquid that is not evaporated flows through the pipe E' connected to the
bottom of the casing I, back to the pipe E in order to be again raised by the screw
blade G.
The air saturated with the vapour of the liquid is led off, and conveyed to where-
ever required. If for example the mixture of air and vapour issuing from the first
evaporating apparatus is found still to have so high a temperature as to render it
advisable to subject it to a second evaporative process in a second apparatus, this may
be effected.
If the air saturated with vapour is to be used for heating purposes, the air supply
entering at F.is previously heated, but if it is intended to abstract heat from the liquid
by the evaporative process, the air is supplied cold.
Fig. 2 shews a vertical section of two different modifications of the above described
apparatus, the right-hand half of this Figure shewing one arrangement and the left-
hand half the other.
The only difference between these modifications and the arrangement at Fig. 1
consists in that in these cases the passages or channels L for the liquid are so arranged
that the liquid is only distributed among some of the centrifugal plates A, while the
air is distributed among the others.
The liquid to be evaporated is, according to the left hand arrangement, raised by
the screw blade G from the well in the casing through passage E and runs over
the fixed guide channels L on to the inner edge of the liquid discs A which are
provided with guide vanes A2, and is propelled outwards by these; the air drawn in
through the channel Fin consequence of the partial vacuum formed at the centre of
the apparatus passes on to the air dises A, which may be provided with vanes A¹ for
increasing their action (as shewn in the sectional plan Fig. 3 of such air dises) and is
also propelled outwards.
On issuing from the centrifugal apparatus, the air and liquid come into contact with
each other, and in consequence of their effectual mixture and rapid motion an
effectual evaporation or couling of the liquid thrown out is produced.
The evaporation and cooling is also aided by the catching plates M, carried by
supports in the casing I.
The ejected and cooled liquid flows over the outer part of the inclined bottom of
the casing I into the recessed central part thereof containing the liquid to be cooled,
and is again acted upon as above described.
In the modification shewn at the right hand side of Fig. 2, the liquid propelled
by the centrifugal discs passes on to tubes N, heated by steam &c. which are
arranged at about the same level as the dises, and which also assist in the evaporation.
The liquid flows down in a thin layer over these pipes and is rapidly evaporated
under the action of the air propelled by the centrifugal discs, the liquid being of course
considerably cooled by this."
The liquid not evaporated flows along the inclined bettom of the casing to the
centre of the same where it is raise by a worm, pump or other appliance, to be
again subjected to the action of the apparatus, this being also effected in the left
hand arrangement.
The centrifugal discs of both molifications differ only slightly in their details from
those of the first arrangement; C is, as before, the central shaft, D the surrounding
tube K, the driving pulley and F the air supply shaft.

page_text: Fig. 5 shews a vertical section of a modification of the first described arrangement,
in which the air supply is brought consecutively in contact with the liquid passing
over the centrifugal dises. This is effected as follows: the alternate centrifugal discs
or plates A are formed at their outer circumference with bent edges R R¹ of which
the first are turned downwards while the latter are turned upwards.
The edge R engages with the edge R' of the lower plate, as indicated. The
dises A not provided with such edges are carried with their inner circumference
in close proximity to the tube D in which the liquid is raised by the worm G,
while the inner edge of the other plates A are some distance away from the
tube,,D. If now the centrifugal discs are set in motion the liquid thrown out by
the plates A A' will form a water-luting at the points where the edges R R' fit
into each other, so that the air entering through tube F F¹ is compelled to follow
a zig zag direction, as indicated by the arrows, in passing consecutively between
the centrifugal dises, so that one and the same body of air is brought into intimate
contact with the liquid on all the centrifugal dises, and eventually escapes at the
top into the casing. The liquid thrown out collects in the casing I of the apparatus,
and flows along the inclined bottom thereof to the discharge pipe E¹ and through
pipe E to the worm G again.
Each of the centrifugal plates A A¹ is by preference supplied with liquid by a
spout L.
The flow of the air can, if necessary, be accelerated by vanes A² provided on the
undersides of the discs A'. The plates A A¹ are connected to the central shaft C by
armis B; K is the driving pulley as before.
Figures 44 and 4 shew an application of the above described evaporating
apparatus for repeated utilisation of the heat.
The liquid passes through the branch pipe a' into the first apparatus 1, where it is
acted upon by a centrifugal apparatus constructed as described with reference to
Fig. 1, the parts being indicated by the same letters of reference, hot air or gases
being supplied from a heating apparatus or furnace.
The air saturated with vapour passes off through pipe a into the second apparatus II
which is of the same construction as apparatus I, the only difference being that in II
the air saturated with moisture coming from I is made to evaporate the liquid
entering through the branch pipe '. If necessary an additional supply of dry heated
air from the heating apparatus may be employed.
The air saturated with moisture passing from the apparatus II is led through
pipe into the pipes 62 of the apparatus III, which are immersed in the liquid
to be evaporated in this apparatus.
The evaporation of the latter is assisted by centrifugal apparatus of the same con-
struction as I and 11. The air supply to the centrifugal apparatus is effected either
direct or from one of the following apparatus.
The liquid condensed in the pipes 62 flows off through the pipe f, while the
moist air from these pipes is drawn off through a pipe d by means of a fan e.
The air saturated with vapour in apparatus III passes through pipe e to apparatus IV
and serves, in passing through pipes c², for evaporating the liquid to be treated
contained in this apparatus, such evaporation being accelerated by a centrifugal
apparatus similar in construction to that described with reference to the left hand
side of Figures 2.
The liquid condensed in the pipes c2 flows off through the pipe h, while the air out
of these pipes is drawn off either through the pipe by an air pump, or through the
pipe k into the centrifugal apparatus of III, the air being thus made to circulate
continuously through the apparatus III and IV. The arrangement of apparatus
shewn in Figs. 4, 4, 4c, is particularly suitable for effecting the concentration in an
inexpensive manner of large masses of liquid (for example sewage water), in which
case the liquid is first treated in apparatus III then in II and lastly in I, so as to
leave the latter in the form of thick sludge.
The moist air drawn off by the fan c, which may be impure, can be passed through
a fire.
In the apparatus IV the air is supplied direct from the atmosphere to

page_text: the centrifugal apparatus through the tube F passing down from the top through the
casing.
Fig. 6 on the accompanying drawings shews a modified construction of the arrange-
ment-shewn at Fig. 5, in which the water seal is formed by flanges R' projecting down
from the undersides of the plates A, the liquid being supplied to the plates A' through
tubes L projecting down varying distances from the enlarged top Di of the tube D.
The liquid ejected through the water seal is caught in an annular trough M of the
casing, from which it is led back by pipes N to the cylinder D.
Fig. 7 shews another modification which only differs from the preceding one in that
the air or gas supply is effected from the flue F at top, and is made to travel 'own-
wards, as indicated by the arrows, until it escapes from between the lowest plates A
and A¹ into the surrounding casing.
Fig. 8 shews an arrangement in which the several dise or fans A A A are separated
from each other in the casing by fixed partitions 0, 0, 0 extending from the casing
to a certain distance from the central shaft C, which carries the fans A by means of
arms. As shewn on the right hand side, each of the fans- A has at its lower
edge a small projecting trough A²2. The liquid to be evaporated being supplied by a
pipe P to an annular trough Qin the upper part of the casing, it overflows from this
on to the trough A2 of the top fan A; here it is acted upon by centrifugal force of
the fan which throws it outward on to the partition O, on which it then flows inward
again, and falls from the inner edge thereof on to the trough A2 of the next fan;
there it is again thrown outward, and so on, until it falls from the lowest plate O into
the bottom of the casing, from which it passes into the tube D, where it descends to
the pump R to be again raised through pipe P to the tank Q.
At the same time the air or gases pass from flue F first through the bottom fan A
in contact with the liquid also passing through, and also over the liquid flowing down
over the bottom plate O, then through the liquid flowing down from the second
plate O, and then through the second fan A, and so on, until it escapes up the flue S.
Thus it will be seen that the air comes into very extended and repeated contact with
the liquid, whereby a most effectual evaporation is effected.
In the modification shewn on the left-hand side of the figure, the liquid is
either caught at the bottom by a trough-shaped vessel T fixed to the shaft C,
and carrying tubes U extending up to the trough Q, so that the liquid flowing
down is propelled by the centrifugal action of the trough T up into the trough Q
again. Or instead of this, the arms of each of the fans A carries a trough V
which catches the liquid falling from the plate O above, and propels it by centrifugal
action up pipes W carried by V, up into the upper fan A again, so that one and the
same body of liquid is caused to flow over and over again through one and the
same fan A and partition O, until it has been evaporated to the requisite degree of
concentration.
Fig. 9 shews another modification of the above described arrangement in which
there are two partitions OO¹ between each two fans, the one O being inclined
outwards and formed at its outer edge with a flange dipping into an annular
trough X fixed to the casing, so that the liquid flowing down the partition into the
trough, forms a water-seal with the flange, preventing the passage of air, the liquid
being discharged from the trough through pipes X on to the second partition O',
which is inclined toward the centre, so that the liquid descends upon it and falls on to
the fan below.
The partitions O¹ stop short at a certain distance from the troughs W, so as to leave
space for the passage of the upward current of air, which is thus made to pass
from the fans first outward over the liquid on the plates O, and then inward again
over the liquid on the plates O', to the next fan above.
The liquid is in this case supplied to the fans by a turbine-shaped receptacle Z
shewn in sectional plan at Fig. 10 and carried by the fan shaft C, which receptacle
may either supply the liquid simultaneously to the top and bottom fans, as shewn on
the right hand side, or only to the top one, as shewn on the left hand side.
The liquid is fed from the bottom of the casing through tubes D¹ back into the

page_text: cylinder D in which it is raised to the vessel Z by an Archimedian screw as before,
and when sufficiently concentrated it is discharged through pipes P.
In either of the above described arrangements with plates or partitions 0 0³,
these may be made hollow and heated internally by steam, hot air &c. so as to assist
in the evaporation of the liquid flowing down them.
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. An evaporating apparatus wherein the liquid to be evaporated and air or gas
are caused to pass through centrifugal apparatus consisting of rapidly revolving
discs, plates, or fans so as to be brought intimately into contact with each other
either while passing over the discs or after issuing therefrom, substantially as
described.
2. In evaporating apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claim, the com-
bination of the horizontal dises or plates with means for raising the liquid to be
evaporated from a lower level and for distributing the same on to the discs or plates
substantially as described.
3. In evaporating apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, providing the
revolving discs, plates or fans with vanes or ribs for increasing the propelling action
thereof, substantially as described.
4. In evaporating apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, the com-
bination with the revolving discs or plates A A with intermediate discs or
plates A¹, the plates A A being constructed with extensions R R' forming a liquid
seal, permitting the discharge of liquid, but preventing the escape of the air or gas,
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings.
5. In evaporating apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, the combina-
tion, with the revolving discs or plates, of stationary surfaces which may be
arranged either beyond the revolving discs plates or fans, as at M, N Fig. 2, or
between the same as at M Figs. 8, 9, and which may be made hollow and heated
internally, substantially as described.
6. The combination of two or more centrifugal evaporating apparatus, such as is
referred to in the first claim, in such a manner that the hot air or gas charged with
moisture passing off from the one apparatus is made to pass directly or indirectly
in contact with the liquid to be evaporated in another apparatus in order to utilise
the residual heat of the gases for the evaporation of such liquid, substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 4ª, 4, 4° of the drawings.
7. In apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claim, causing the hot
air or gases charged with moisture passing off from the one apparatus, to pass
through surface condensing apparatus immersed in the liquid to be evaporated in
another such apparatus, the condensed liquid being drawn off from such condenser
by a pump or otherwise, while the air or gas deprived of its moisture is either
discharged, or is led by a pipe back to the first named apparatus in order there to
again take up moisture from the liquid to be evaporated, substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 4, 4b, and 4 of the drawings.
Dated this 11th day of June 1890
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.