IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Solvay, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Solvay at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th May 1877.
tr
ERNEST SOLVAY, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer. " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS."
My Invention relates more particularly to that class of steam boilers in which
the water and steam are contained in horizontal or inclined tubes disposed in series
or groups one above the other, the ends of the said tubes being connected alternately
to those immediately above them and those immediately below them by means of
connecting pieces or channels, so that the said tubes form together an uninterupted
serpentine or zig-zag tubular communication extending from the bottom above the
furnace to the top of the boiler; and the object of my Invention is to obviate the
well-known disadvantages and defects of such boilers, such as the speedy incrustation
of the tubes, the difficulty of maintaining the proper level of water in the tubes;
the limited proportions of such boilers, the length of the tubes being limited by the
difficulty of cleansing long tubes, and the height of the water being limited by the
tendency of such boilers to priming when the height is too great. And my Inven-
tion consists of the improvements herein-after described by which the formation of
incrustation is prevented, and in many cases existing incrustations are removed, and
instead of priming being disadvantageous it is promoted, the projection of water
with the steam being requisite for the proper working of my improved boilers and
constituting the basis of my Invention. And whatever be the size of the boiler
and the variation in the level of the water dry steam is produced.
According to my Invention a rapid and violent circulation of the water in the
boiler is effected by maintaining a very high level of water in the boilers, and a
portion of the water is projected or drawn with the steam into a pipe at the top of
the boiler, which pipe conveys the water and steam into a decanter in which the
steam separates from the water and passes off through a suitable steam pipe, whilst

page_text: the water falls by its gravity into the body of the decanter, where it mixes with the
feed water therein, and then passes through a suitable pipe again into the bottom
of the boiler.
The decanter may be of any suitable construction, but I prefer that it should be
a metal cylinder, the lower part of which cylinder terminates in a conical funnel-
shaped prolongation, at the bottom of which is a cock or tap or valve for the outlet
of the mud and impurities which may collect in the said decanter. The cover of
the said decanter is formed internally with a conical funnel extending into the said
cylindrical portion of the decanter and projecting downwards by a pipe or tube.
To the said cover are affixed the pipe conveying the steam and water from the body
of the boiler and the steam pipe for the outlet of the steam from the decanter, the
said steam pipe being provided with a suitable tap or valve chest. Round the
inside of the body of the decanter is an annular partition forming an annular
channel or gutter over which the water for the supply of the boiler flows, and passes
into the boiler through a suitable feed pipe provided with a valve chest allowing
the flow of water to the boiler but preventing its return therefrom.
The decanter is also provided with a suitable feed pipe for the supply of fresh
water as required, and a water level indicates the level of water, and suitable
apertures in the upper part of the funnel of the cover form a communication between
the inside of the said funnel and the body of the decanter in order to equalize the
pressure in the parts of the decanter.
The different series of tubes, which together form the boiler, are connected together
at their lower end by a cross pipe into which the feed pipe from the decanter opens.
And the upper ends of the said series of tubes of the boiler are connected to a cross
tube into which the steam and water pipe from the decanter opens. And the passage
from the furnace to the chimney is provided with a suitable butterfly or other valve
to regulate the draught as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest Solvay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the. 31st October
1877.
ERNEST SOLVAY, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer.
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS."
"IM-
My Invention relates more particularly to that class of steam boilers in which
the water and steam are contained in horizontal or inclined tubes disposed in series
or groups one above the other, the ends of the said tubes being connected alternately
to those immediately above them and those immediately below them by means of
connecting pieces or channels, so that the said tubes form together an uninterrupted
surpentine or zig-zag tubular communication extending from the bottom above the
furnace to the top of the boiler; and the object of my Invention is to obviate the
well-known disadvantages and defects of such boilers, such as the speedy incrustation
of the tubes, the difficulty of maintaining the proper level of water in the tubes;
the limited proportions of such boilers, the length of the tubes being limited by the
difficulty of cleansing long tubes, and the height of the water being limited by the
tendency of such boilers to priming when the height is too great. And my Inven-
tion consists of the improvements herein-after described by which the formation of
incrustation is prevented, and in many cases existing incrustations are removed, and
instead of priming being disadvantageous it is promoted, the projection of water
with the steam being requisite for the proper working of my improved boilers and
constituting the bases of my Invention. And whatever be the size of the boiler
and the variation in the level of the water dry steam is produced.
According to my Invention a rapid and violent circulation of the water in the
boiler is effected by maintaining a very high level of water in the boilers, and a

page_text: portion of the water is projected or drawn with the steam into a pipe at the top of
the boiler, which pipe conveys the water and steam into a decanter in which the
steam separates from the water and passes off through a suitable steam pipe, whilst
the water falls by its gravity into the body of the decanter, where it mixes with the
feed water therein, and then passes through a suitable pipe again into the bottom
of the boiler.
The decanter may be of any suitable construction, but I prefer that it should be
a metal cylinder, the lower part of which cylinder terminates in a conical funnel-
shaped prolongation, at the bottom of which is a cock or tap or valve for the outlet
of the mud and impurities which may collect in the said decanter. The cover of
the said decanter is formed internally with a conical funnel extending into the said
cylindrical portion of the decanter, and projecting downwards by a pipe or tube.
To the said cover is affixed the pipe conveying the steam and water from the body
of the boiler and the steam pipe for the outlet of the steam from the decanter, the
said steam pipe being provided with a suitable tap or slide valve chest. Round the
inside of the body of the decanter is an annular partition forming an annular
channel or gutter over which the water for the supply of the boiler flows and passes
into the boiler through a suitable feed pipe provided with a valve chest allowing.
the flow of water to the boiler but preventing its return therefrom.
The decanter is also provided with a suitable feed pipe for the supply of fresh
water as required, and a water level indicates the lever of water, and suitable
apertures in the upper part of the funnel of the cover form a communication between
the inside of the said funnel and the body of the decanter in order to equalize the
pressure in the parts of the decanter.
The different series of tubes, which together form the boiler, are connected together
at their lower end by a cross pipe into which the feed pipe from the decanter opens.
And the upper ends of the said series of tubes of the boiler are connected to a cross
tube into which the steam and water pipe from the decanter opens. And the passage
from the furnace to the chimney is provided with a suitable butterfly or other valve
to regulate the draught as required.
Bat in order that my Invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in which the same is to
be performed.
The said Drawing represents in longitudinal vertical section a tubular steam
boiler to which my Invention is applied. The said boiler consists of horizontal
tubes S, S, disposed in series or groups one above the other, the ends of the said
tubes being connected to those immediately above them and to those immediately
below them by means of the connecting pieces or caps S', S¹, so that each set of
tubes forms an uninterrupted serpentine or zig-zag tubular channel extending from
the bottom above the furnace to the top of the boiler, as in ordinary boilers of that
class. The different series of tubes S, S, are connected together at their lower ends
by a cross pipe or tube E into which all the lower pipes open, and the said series of
tubes S, S, are connected together at their upper ends by means of a cross pipe or
tube V into which all the upper tubes open. To the upper cross pipe or tube V is
connected one end of a pipe T, the other end of which pipe T is affixed to the cover C
of the decanting apparatus M. The said decanting apparatus M consists of a metal
cylinder terminating at its lower end in a conical funnel-shaped prolongation M', at
the bottom of which is a cock or tap r for the outlet of the mud and impurities
which may collect in the decanter. The cover C of the decanter is formed internally
with a conical funnel C' extending into the cylindrical portion of the said decanter
and projecting downwards by a pipe or tube t. To the said cover C is affixed a
steam pipe for the outlet of the steam from the decanter, the said steam pipe being
provided with a valve chest F. Round the inside of the body of the decanter is an
annular partition & forming an annular channel or gutter d'. The water for the
supply of the boiler flows over the said partition and passes into the boiler through
the feed pipe T¹, which is provided with a valve chest S2, allowing the water to flow
into the boiler but preventing its return therefrom. W is a feed pipe for the supply

page_text: of fresh water as required, and I is a water level indicating the level of water in
the decanter; 0, 0, are apertures in the funnel C¹ forming a communication between
the inside of the said funnel and the body M of the decanter, so as to equalize the
pressure in the parts of the said decanter; X is a man-hole through which the
decanter may be entered for the purpose of inspecting or cleaning it; P and P¹ are
doors giving access to the boiler for the purpose of inspecting and cleansing the
tubes S, S; R is a damper by which the draught in the chimney may be regulated;
G are the fire bars of the furnace.
The action of the boiler is as follows:--A high level of water is maintained in
the tubes S, and when the boiler is heated, steam is produced and rises to the upper
tubes and cross pipo V, accompanied by a quantity of water. The said water and
steam are projected through the tube T into the decanter M. The water separates
from the steam, which passes off by the valve chest F and steam pipe, whilst the
water descends through the central pipe t, the mud and impurities collect at the
bottom of the decanter, and may be removed through the cock or man-hole X.
The level of the water rising in the decanter the water flows over the partition d
and re-enters the boiler by the feed pipe T¹, which conveys it into the bottom cross
pipe or tube E.
It will be seen that by the arrangement herein-before described a continuous and
violent circulation of steam and water is produced through the boiler, the water is
separated from the steam in the decanter, and the separation and removal of
impurities from the water is effected, the effect being to prevent the formation of
incrustation in the tubes, and to promote the evaporation of the water under more
favourable conditions.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be well understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my said
Invention. But I claim as my said Invention the combination with and adaptation
to tubular steam boilers of the class herein-before described, in which the water and
steam is contained in horizontal or inclined continuous serpentine tubes, disposed in
series one tube above the other, of a decanting apparatus or vessel communicating
with the upper and lower ends of the different series of tubes of the boiler, and
arranged so as to promote a rapid and violent circulation of water and steam in the
boiler, and to effect the separation of the steam from the water and the water from
its impurities in the decanter, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing, and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Solvay, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
novom AAT HY LYT