Improvements in Heating, Purifying, and Supplying Boiler and other Feed-water and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1899-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1900
Improvements in Heating, Purifying, and Supplying Boiler and other
Feed-water and in Apparatus therefor.
A communication from CHARLES FRANCIS BAINTER, Well Boring Contractor,
GEORGE WILLIAM POSSELL, Machinist, and CHARLES M. PERSONS, Farmer,
of Los Angeles, in the County of Los Angeles, and State of California,
United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 main objects of this invention are to supply, for steam and other purposes,
pure water which will not produce scale or corrosion, to heat the water with
which boilers are supplied economically by steam, to supply boilers with water
heated to the temperature of that contained in the boilers, and to automatically
prevent the feed water from entering the boilers at a lower temperature, thereby
avoiding danger and injury from sudden change of temperature, to utilize the
exhaust steam from engines for partially heating and purifying the feed water
of boilers, to save a large amount of the water which in common practice is lost
in exhaust steam, and generally to simplify and improve the construction and
operation of apparatus to which this invention relates.
The invention consists in separating and removing impurities contained in
water, first by exhalation and then by precipitation. It consists further in the
process of heating water by subjecting it within a closed receptacle to the action
of steam introduced into the receptacle both above and below the surface of the
water. It consists also in the process of purifying water by subjecting it to the
action of steam in a closed receptacle as aforesaid, until it is raised to a tempera-
ture at which the impurities contained therein will be coagulated or separated,
and maintaining it at such temperature in a quiescent state until such im-
purities settle. It consists also in the process of heating and purifying water
by subjecting the impure water in an open vessel to the action of steam intro-
duced below the surface thereof, whereby the water is heated to a boiling tempera-
ture and deleterious gases, such as carbonic acid gas, are expelled, and then
heating the water to and maintaining it at a higher temperature in a closed vessel
until the solid impurities are separated and precipitated. It consists also in
certain novel features in the construction and arrangement of parts of apparatus
for carrying into effect the foregoing operations, as hereinafter particularly
described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the
several figures.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus adapted to carry out the foregoing
process and embodying a part of the said invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of
the same; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.
In the drawings A designates a boiler, and B B closed receptacles arranged
above the water level of the boiler. C is an open tank for holding the water with

page_text: which the closed receptacles are to be supplied. Into this tank leads an exhaust
steam pipe which, in order to enlarge its area and thus avoid back pressure,
is provided with a number of large discharge pipes D¹ extending downwardly
into said tank from a horizontal arm or section of said exhaust pipe, and arranged
to discharge the steam at a considerable distance below the surface of the water
contained in said tank, whereby the exhaust steam is condensed and the water
is heated to a boiling temperature before it is introduced into said closed recep-
tacles. This causes the liberation of carbonic acid gas or other corroding gases
contained in the impure water, and the agitating action of the exhaust steam as
it enters and passes through the water expels the liberated gases therefrom. By
so providing the exhaust pipe with a number of downwardly extending discharge
pipes, of which three are shown in the drawings, the back pressure in said exhaust
pipe is reduced to a minimum owing to the enlarged space allowed for expansion
and to rapid condensation which will take place on account of the enlarged area
of water which is thus exposed to the steam. The discharge openings through
which the steam passes from the pipes D¹ into the tank below the surface of the
water therein will be arranged in opposition to each other so as to balance the
force or impact of the steam as it enters the water in the tank and prevent
hammering and shaking and straining of the apparatus. This opposing arrange-
ment of the discharge openings may be conveniently effected by providing the
lower ends of the pipes D with open-ended tees similar to the open-ended
tees of the closed receptacles B 13, and in view of which illustration they
do not need to be separately illustrated for the open tank C. The capacity of
the tank above the steam discharge openings into the same should be sufficient
to charge one of the closed receptacles so that said openings will at all times be
submerged.
A supply pipe E connects the lower part of the tank C with each of the
receptacles B B', preferably at the front end thereof. This pipe is provided with
suitable valves e el which control the supply of water to said receptacles. Feed
pipes FF provided with valves f f lead from the lower parts of said receptacles
into the boiler.
ff are check valves which allow water to flow through said pipes into the
boiler, but prevent its flowing back therefrom into said receptacles. Steam
pipes GG connect the steam space of the boiler with the closed receptacles B B¹.
These pipes are provided with suitable valves g g and each pipe is branched above
the water level of the receptacle with which it is connected and communicates
with said receptacle through two branches gg, one of which g¹¹, opens into said
receptacle above the water level therein, and the other of which, g, enters
said receptacle near the bottom thereof. The lower branch g is provided inside
of said receptacle with discharge limbs g arranged to conduct the steam
towards the ends of said receptacle as shown in Fig. 2, each limb terminating in
an open-ended tee or opposing discharge openings, for distributing the
heat and balancing the force or impact of the steam and preventing shaking
and jarring the apparatus. This arrangement is employed in all submerged
steam discharge openings in the apparatus to avoid hammering and shaking and
racking of the apparatus which would otherwise occur.
.J
To separate and remove scum and surface impurities from the water heated
in the closed receptacles B B¹, a number of service drain and vent pipes H H¹H"
are provided for each receptacle, each pipe having its mouth arranged at the
high-water level in said receptacle and extending horizontally outward a short
distance where the several pipes are connected by a transverse pipe h from which
leads a downwardly projecting pipe h¹ provided with a valve h" below said
receptacle. Blow-off pipes I I lead from the bottoms of the rear ends of the
closed receptacles B B', and a blow-off pipe c leads out of the bottom of the
open tank C. Through these blow-off pipes the sediment is removed from said
receptacles and tank from time to time. JJ designate water gauges for observing
the water level in the receptacles B B'.

page_text: For convenience in describing the improved process of heating and purifying
water and feeding the same to a boiler in accordance with this invention, and
in explaining the operation of apparatus for carrying out said process, it will be
assumed that a plant is arranged as shown in the drawings, such plant comprising
a boiler, two closed feed water receptacles each adapted to contain, say an hour's
supply of water for the boiler, and an exhaust steam heated open supply tank
containing above its steam inlets sufficient water for charging one of said
receptacles.
Referring to Fig. 1, the valve e is opened to admit water from the tank C
into the receptacle B. The valve h" controlling the surface drain and vent pipes
leading from such receptacle is opened to allow the water to run into said
receptacle freely; when the water in the receptacle reaches the high water, mark
which intersects the mouths of the drain and vent pipes H H H, the valves e
and h are closed, thus hermetically closing the receptacle B and leaving a
space therein above the water to allow for the expansion and condensation of
steam while the water is being heated. The valve g is then opened to admit
steam through the pipe G and its branches 9" g from the steam space of, the
boiler into said receptacle. The live steam Howing into said receptacle through
the branch pipe g" expands in the space above the water in said receptacle and,
coming in contact with the large area of water in the top of the receptacle, con-
denses so that the pressure in said receptacle above the water remains for a
time considerably below that in the boiler. There being comparatively little or
no expansion of the steam in the branch pipe g, and a comparatively small
heat-absorbing water surface exposed to the steam in said pipe, the pressure of
the steam on the water in said branch pipe gl is greater at the outset than that
on the surface of the water in said receptacle. This difference of pressure causes
the live steam in the pipe to force the water out of such pipe into the receptacle,
thereby allowing the steam to enter the water at the open ends of the tees g
and to heat such water. The water thus heated is displaced by the cooler
surrounding water, rises towards the top of the receptacle and there mingles with
the water which is being heated by the steam entering at the top of the receptacle.
The action of the steam thus produces a circulation in the receptacle and the
water at the top becomes rapidly heated to a high temperature; but the con-
densation of the steam above the water continues so that the pressure in said
receptacle as indicated by the gauge thereon, remains below the pressure in the
boiler as indicated by the gauge thereon. As the water becomes hotter its
circulation gradually diminishes until its temperature is raised to that of the
boiler. Then, and not until then, the gauge on said receptacle will indicate the
same pressure as the gauge on the boiler, the flow of steam through the branch
pipe will stop, and the water will instantly rise therein to the level of the
water in said receptacle.
In practice it is found that in order to avoid drawing too heavily on the boiler,
about fifteen minutes should be allowed for heating a receptacle which will
contain sufficient water to supply such boiler for one hour. After the water.in
the receptacle reaches the temperature of the water in the boiler it is allowed
to stand perfectly quiet under boiler pressure thus permitting the impurities
which have become coagulated and formed into precipitates by the action of
the heat, to settle to the bottom of the receptacle. Ordinarily, about thirty
minutes should be allowed after the water has become heated to the boiler
temperature before it is drawn from the receptacle into the boiler.
While the water is being heated in the receptacle a constant but slow circu-
lation takes place through the surface vent and drain pipes H H H and the
transverse pipe h, by reason of the exposure of said pipes to the air and the
slight difference in temperature which is thus produced between the water in
the receptacle and the water in said pipes, whereby the scum and surface im-
purities are drawn from said receptacle into said pipes and are caused to settle
and remain therein. The temperature ordinarily required to coagulate or separate

page_text: solid impurities from the water as above explained, is about 320° Fahrenheit or
over, but under certain conditions may be less; that is to say, steam pressure
of about eighty pounds or over is ordinarily employed; but with some kinds of
water a lower pressure and temperature are sufficient.
After the impurities have settled and the water has been thoroughly purified,
the valve f is opened, thus allowing the water to flow from the receptacle into the
boiler. The pressure in the boiler and the pressure in the receptacle being equal,
the greater elevation of the receptacle causes the water to flow therefrom into the
boiler without the use of pumps or injectors. When communication between
the steam space of the boiler and the top and bottom of the receptacle through
pipes gg, is open, the pressure within the receptacle cannot rise to that in
the boiler until the water in the receptacle is heated to the temperature of that
in the boiler. In the practical operation of the apparatus the boiler pressure
against the check valve in feed pipe F is sufficient to prevent the water from
flowing from the receptacle into the boiler until the temperature of the water in
the receptacle is nearly or quite equal to that of the water in the boiler. It
follows, therefore that the apparatus as hereinbefore described automatically
prevents the feeding of cold water into the boiler, but automatically causes the
water whenever it is sufficiently heated and the valves are opened for that purpose,
to flow into the boiler. The valve f serves to prevent the water from passing
into the boiler from the closed receptacle until the precipitation of impurities
has ceased, but, for the reason above explained, said valve is not required to
prevent the feeding of the water before it is sufficiently heated.
The receptacle B having, in the meantime, been filled with water from the
tank C, steam is admitted thereto from the boiler to heat and purify the water
therein in the manner explained in connection with receptacle B. After the
water has been fed from the receptacle B through the feed pipe F, the valves f
and are closed, thus cutting off said receptacle from communication with the
boiler. The valve e is then opened and the steam in the receptacle 13 escapes
through the pipe E and is discharged therefrom into the water in the tank C
where it is condensed and serves to heat the water therein. The flow of steam
from the receptacle continues until the pressure of the water in tank C is greater
than the steam pressure in said receptacle, whereupon the water flows from said
tank into said receptacle. The valve h of the surface blow-off pipe is then opened
for a vent to allow the water to flow freely into said receptacle and to carry off
the impurities previously deposited in the blow-off pipes. When the water reaches
the high-water mark in said receptacle the valves e and are closed. Live
steam is turned into said receptacle as before described and the tank C is again
filled. When one receptacle is emptied the purified water is drawn from the
other receptacle into the boiler, the two receptacles being alternately emptied,
filled and heated so that a constant supply of pure water is insured.
The pipes FF open from the closed purifying receptacles at points above the
bottoms thereof so as to avoid drawing the sediment and impurities therefrom
into the boiler. The front end of each receptacle is preferably elevated slightly
above the rear end, and the inlet pipe E is preferably arranged to discharge the
water from tank C into the front end of said receptacle. The blow-off pipe I
leading from the bottom of the rear and lower end of each receptacle carries
off the sediment deposited therein when the valve (not shown) in said pipe is
opened, without material loss of water, steam or heat, the cleaning of the
receptacle taking place after the purified water has been drawn therefrom.
For the purpose of continuously supplying purified water to a boiler, a plurality
of closed heating and purifying receptacles is provided and the parts of the
apparatus are so connected that a minimum number of valves serves for its
proper control and operation. While, for the purpose above indicated, it is
preferable to provide two or more closed heating and purifying receptacles, a
single receptacle may be employed to advantage in carrying out the improved
method of heating or purifying water for other purposes independently of the

page_text: method and means described of feeding it into a steam boiler, and the method
and apparatus as herein described for feeding water to a steam boiler may also
be employed to advantage under certain conditions, independently of the complete
process of purification."
It has been found in practice that the application of this invention to boilers
badly coated with scale will in a few months dissolve and loosen the scale so that
it can be easily removed. Applied to new boilers the invention prevents
corrosion and the formation of scale, so that after long continued use the inside
of the boilers will appear as clean and smooth as when they were made.
The supply pipes leading from the open heating tank into the close: receptacles
should be large enough to allow the receptacles to fill quickly, say within five
minutes, so as to give ample time for the heating of the water and the precipita-
tion of the impurities therein. The feed pipes should also be large enough to
allow the water to flow freely from said receptacles into the boiler. The water
in the open tank C when heated by the exhaust steam from an engine, will be
brought to a boiling temperature in about thirty minutes. Up to that time all
of the exhaust steam will be condensed in the tank, but after the water reaches
the boiling point there will be loss by evaporation. While the engine is running
the exhaust steam pressure agitates the water in the open tank and rapidly
expels carbonic acid gas and other deleterious gases from the water contained
therein.
The tank C should be kept nearly full of water, as shown in the drawings;
throughout the heating process, so that when either of the closed receptacles is
ready to be refilled the water in the tank will have been at a boiling temperature
for a considerable time, say thirty minutes, sufficient to allow the deleterious
gases which it contains to be completely expelled therefrom.
The closed receptacles B B being alternately filled and emptied, and heated
and cooled and the sediment being removed therefrom at frequent intervals
through the bottom blow-off pipes I, impurities are not allowed to attach to and
form scale upon the walls of said receptacles, and it follows that no provision for
access to the interior of said receptacles for the purpose of cleaning them is
necessary.
The apparatus as hereinbefore described affords a reverse storage system under
certain conditions for absorbing and saving the heat contained in the live steam
which is blown off and would otherwise be wasted when the demand on the
boiler is light, and utilizing that heat when the demand upon the boiler is heavy
and its full capacity is needed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination of a boiler, a closed receptacle arranged above the water-
level of the boiler and provided with a bottom blow-off, a valved feed-pipe leading
from near the bottom of the receptacle into the boiler, a valved pipe for supplying
water to the receptacle, a valved vent opening from the upper part of the receptacle,
a valve-controlled steam pipe connected with the steam space of the boiler and
opening into the lower part of the receptacle, and a valve-controlled steam pipe
connected with the steam space of the boiler and opening into the receptacle
above the water-level thereof, said steam pipes being arranged to admit live
steam from the boiler into said closed receptacle both above and below the water
level therein to act on the water at the same time, and the parts operating to
admit water from the receptacle to the boiler when both bodies of water are at
the same temperature, or substantially so, without the use of pumps or injectors,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination of a steam boiler, a plurality of closed receptacles arranged
above the water-level of the boiler and each provided with a bottom blow-off, a
source of water supply, valved pipes leading from said source of supply into the

page_text: receptacles, valved vents opening from the upper part of the receptacles, valved pipes
leading into the boiler from the lower parts of said receptacles, valve-controlled pipes
connected with the steam space of the boiler, and opening into the lower parts
of said receptacles, and valve-controlled pipes connected with the steam space
of the boiler and opening into said receptacles above the water-level thereof;
said pipes leading from the steam space of the boiler into the closed receptacles
being arranged to admit the live steam both above and below the water level
in the receptacles to act on the water at the same time, and the parts operating
to admit water from the closed receptacles into the boiler when the water in
the receptacles and that in the boiler are at the same temperature, or substantially
so, without the use of pumps or injectors, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
.
the
3. The combination of a boiler, a closed receptacle arranged above the water-
level of the boiler and provided with a bottom blow-off, a valved feed-pipe leading
from near the bottom of the receptacle into the boiler, a valved pipe for
supplying water to the receptacle, a valved vent opening from
upper part of the receptacle, a steam-pipe connected with the steam space
of the boiler and extending above the water-level of said receptacle and there
branched, and one of the branches opening into the receptacle above the water
level thereof and the other branch opening into the receptacle at a distance below
the water-level, and a valve in said steam pipe between the junction of its branches
and the boiler, said branched steam-pipe admitting live steam into the closed
receptacle both above and below the water level therein to act on the water at
the same time, and the parts operating to admit water from the receptacle to the
boiler when the water in the receptacle and that in the boiler are at the same
temperature, or substantially so, without the use of pumps or injectors, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination of a boiler, a closed receptacle provided with a bottom
blow-off, a steam-pipe connected with the steam space of the boiler and extending
above the water-level of said receptacle and there branched, one of the branches
opening into the receptacle above the water-level thereof and the other branch
opening into the receptacle at a distance below the water-level, said branches operat
ing to admit live steam into the closed receptacle both above and below the water-
level to act on the water at the same time, and a valve in said steam pipe
between the junction of its branches and the boiler, whereby the water is heated
by the live steam from both above and below the water-level and the period for
heating and purifying is reduced, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The combination of a boiler, an open heating tank, an exhaust steam
pipe having an enlargement extending downwardly and opening into said tank
below the water-level therein, a closed receptacle below said tank and above the
water level of the boiler provided with a bottom blow-off, a supply-pipe leading
from said tank into said receptacle, a valved feed-pipe leading from near the
bottom of said receptacle into the boiler, a valved vent opening from the upper
part of said receptacle, a valve-controlled steam pipe connected with the steam
space of the boiler and opening into the lower part of said receptacle, and a valve-
controlled steam pipe connected with the steam space of the boiler and opening
into said receptacle above the water-level thereof, said steam pipes admitting
live steam both above and below the water level in the closed receptacle to act
on the water at the same time, and the parts operating to admit water from the
closed receptacle into the boiler when the water in the receptacle and that in the
boiler. are at the same temperature, or substantially so, without the use of pumps
or injectors, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
16. A water heater and purifier comprising a steam boiler, a closed water-
containing receptacle, a steam pipe leading from the steam space of the boiler
and branched above the water line of said receptacle, one of the branches opening
into said receptacle above the water line and the other branch extending down-
ward and opening into said receptacle below the water line, said branches serving
to admit live steam both above and below the water level to act on the water

page_text: at the same time, and a valve in said pipe between its branches and the boiler,
whereby the water is heated by the live steam from both above and below the
water-level and the period for heating and purifying is reduced, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
7. A water heater and purifier comprising a steam boiler, a closed water-
containing receptacle, two live steam pipes entering said receptacle, one above
and the other below the water line thereof, said pipes communicating directly
with the steam space of the boiler, whereby live steam is introduced into said
receptacle above and below the surface of the water contained therein, and utilized
for heating the water from above and below the water-level at the same time,
whereby the period for heating and purifying the water is reduced, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
8. A feed water purifier, comprising a feed water receptacle, a plurality of
scum and surface drain pipes having open mouths arranged within the receptacle
at high-water mark, said pipes leading from thence horizontally outward and
connected with each other by a transverse pipe, and a pipe leading downward
from said transverse pipe and provided with a valve at à distance below the
mouths within the receptacle, whereby the pipes form settling chambers for
receiving and holding scum and surface impurities, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
9. The process of purifying water which consists in first heating the water in
an open tank to boiling temperature, thereby expelling deleterious gases from the
water, then heating the water in a closed receptacle under pressure to a higher
temperature, thereby separating and precipitating the impurities contained in
the water, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
10. The process set forth of purifying water, which consists in applying to
a body of impure water in a closed receptacle live steam both above and below
the surface of the water and subjecting such water to the action of the steam
introduced below the surface until the water becomes heated to a sufficient
temperature to coagulate or separate the impurities, allowing the water to stand
in a quiescent state until the impurities are precipitated, and then drawing
the water off from above said impurities, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
11. The process set forth of purifying water, which consists in introducing
steam below the surface of a body of impure water in a closed receptacle, and
thereby bringing the water to a high temperature and coagulating or separating
the impurities, and then maintaining the water at such temperature in a quiescent
state until the impurities have settled,' substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
12. The process of heating water and feeding the same into a steam boiler,
which consists in subjecting the water in a closed vessel above the water level
of the boiler to the action of steam introduced into said vessel both above and
below the surface of the water, until its temperature and the pressure thereon
are equal to those in the boiler, and then allowing the water to flow at that
temperature into the boiler, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
13. The process of purifying and feeding water into a steam boiler,
which consists in subjecting the feed water in a closed vessel above the
water level of the boiler to the action of steam introduced into said vessel both
above and below the surface of the water therein, until the temperature of the
water is raised to that of the water in the boiler, allowing the water thus heated
to stand at that temperature in a quiescent state until the impurities have been
precipitated, and finally allowing the purified water to pass at boiler temperature
into the boiler, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.