Improvements in Surface Condensing and Refrigerating Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL DIUIFICATION
[Communicated from abroad by EDUARD THEISEN, of Radolfzell, Baden,
Engineer.]
Improvements in Surface Condensing and Refrigerating
Apparatus.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to surface condensing or refrigerating apparatus, in
which the fluid to be condensed is made to flow through tubes, the outer surfaces of
which are subjected to the combined action of water and air currents for absorbing
the heat from the fluid passing through the tubes. One of my present improve-
ments relates to that construction of such apparatus in which the said tubes are
arranged in a vertical position, the water being made to flow down the outer
surface thereof while currents of air are made to impinge laterally thereon.
In the Specification to my application for Letters Patent dated 22nd June 1891
No. 10,616 I described such an arrangement in which the outer surfaces of the
vertical tubes were covered with wire gauze in order to ensure that the water shall
be distributed uniformly over their entire surface.
According to my present invention, instead of employing wire gauze for the
above named purpose I effect the uniform distribution of the water over the surfaces
of such vertical condenser tubes by helically coiling round the same one or more
wires at such an angle that the water will readily flow down in a helical direction
over those portions of the surfaces of the tubes that are situated between the
successive convolutions of the wire and thus maintain the whole surface thereof
wet, notwithstanding the action of more or less strong currents of air coming from
the one or the other side of the tubes. By preference I arrange the successive
convolutions of the wire so close together that the water will be made by capillary
attraction to cover the whole of the tube surface between them, and in order to do
this while at the same time coiling the wire at such an angle as to cause the water
to flow freely down in a helical direction along the same, I employ two, three or
more such wires coiled parallel to each other round the tube, like the threads
of a multiple threaded screw, so that while such wires can be placed in any desired
close proximity to each other to insure the capillary attraction of the water between
them, they can nevertheless be coiled at a more or less steep degree of inclination
or pitch to insure the free downward flow of the water and thus cause the whole of
the surface of the tubes to be efficiently wetted, notwithstanding that the one side
of the tubes may be subject to a strong current of air impinging thereon.
Such helically coiled wires will also offer the advantage of increasing the cooling
surface of the tubes, and of affording an effective means for cleaning the outer
surfaces of the tubes of deposits, inasmuch as on loosening the ends of the wires
the coils may be pushed up and down on the tubes so as to exercise a scraping
action thereon. When two or more coils of wire are used as described, the ends
may be conveniently secured by fixing them to one and the same transverse piece,
which is provided with a hook or eye, that can be secured to a stud or hook at or
near the end of the tube. The one such attachment may also be provided with a
screw or other adjustment for tightening the coils round the tube.
In those construction of condensers in which the air passes through the interior
of the tubes while the fluid to be condensed or refrigerated passes in contact with
the outer surface thereof, I arrange the said helical wire coils within the tubes
for the water to flow down them, the wires being introduced with a certain amount

page_text: of spring action in them whereby they are pressed tightly against the surface of
the tube.
Another improvement relates to the arrangement of the tubes in evaporative
surface condensers of the kind above referred to, as also to the arrangement of the
fan or apparatus for propelling the air in contact with the tubes. According to
one modification these tubes are placed vertically as described in my prior appli-
cation No. 10616, but instead of their being arranged in a circle round the air and
water propelling device as there described; they are arranged in two or more rows
on opposite sides of a fan or air propeller situated between them and which is so
arranged as to draw currents of air between the tubes on the one side, and to
propel such air between the tubes on the other side.
The rows of tubes are connected at their upper ends to boxes or chambers into
which exhaust steam or other vapour to be condensed or refrigerated is admitted,
and at their lower ends to other boxes or chambers into which the condensed or
refrigerated fluid flows and from which it is drawn off by means of a pump.
The water supply for flowing over the outer surfaces of the tubes is in this case
provided by means of a pump outside the apparatus driven by any available power,
which conveys the water to jets from which it flows on to the upper ends of the
tubes. These are provided with the before described covering of helically coiled
wires to insure the uniform distribution of water over them.
According to another modification of the above described arrangement, the rows
of tubes are arranged in a horizontal or inclined position instead of vertical, the
inlet chamber for the fluid to be condensed or refrigerated being arranged in a
vertical position at the one end of the tubes while the chamber for the condensed
or refrigerated fluid is arranged vertically at the other end of the tubes.
According to another arrangement, adapted for particularly for the condensation
of a volatile refrigerating medium such as ammonia I construct the condenser tubes
as a series of helical coils of a comparatively slow pitch that are made to pass a
considerable number of times round the central apparatus for supplying the
refrigerating water and air, so that the ammonical vapour in passing through the
considerable length of coils subjected to the cooling influence of air and water,
will be effectually condensed on arriving at the lower end where the coils are con-
nected to a box or chamber for collecting the liquid ammonia, the upper ends being
connected to a box or chamber which receives the ammonia vapour to be
condensed.
In this arrangement the water and air supply may be arranged in the same way
as described in my said prior application No 10616 namely by a vertical rapidly
revolving conical or trumpet mouthed shell by which water is raised by centrifugal
action to the upper edge from which it is thrown by centrifugal force on to the
upper part of the coils of tubes, while the air is propelled on to the tubes by fan
blades fixed on the outer surface of the said conical shell, such air being first
drawn into the centre of the fan blades through the interstices of the lower part of
the coils of tubes.
Dated this 7th day of April 1892.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Surface Condensing and Refrigerating
Apparatus.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, 5
in the County of London, 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:-
My improvements relate to surface condensing or refrigerating apparatus, in

page_text: which the fluid to be condensed is made to flow through tubes, the outer surfaces of
which are subjected to the combined action of water and air currents for absorbing
the heat from the fluid passing through the tubes. One of my present improve-
ments relates to that construction of such apparatus in which the said tubes are
arranged in a vertical position, the water being made to flow down the outer surface
thereof while currents of air are made to impinge laterally thereon.
In the Specification to my correspondents application for Letters Patent
dated 22nd June 1891 No. 10,616 was described such an arrangement, in which the
outer surfaces of the vertical tubes were covered with wire gauze in order to insure
that the water shall be distributed uniformly over their entire surface.
According to the present invention, instead of employing wire gauze for the
above named purpose I effect the uniform distribution of the water over the surfaces
of such vertical condenser tubes by helically coiling round the same one or more
wires at such an angle that the water will readily low down in a helical direction
over those portions of the surfaces of the tubes that are situated between the
successive convolutions of the wire and thus maintain the whole surface thereof
wet, notwithstanding the action of more or less strong currents of air coming from
the one or the other side of the tubes. By preference I arrange the successive
convolutions of the wire so close together that the water will be made, by capillary
attraction, to cover the whole of the tube surface between them, and in order to do
this while at the same time coiling the wire at such an angle as to cause the water
to flow freely down in a helical direction along the same, I employ two, three or
more such wires coiled parallel to each other 1ound the tube, like the threads of a
multiple threaded screw, so that while such wires can be placed in any desired close
proximity to each other to insure the capillary attraction of the water between
them they can nevertheless be coiled at a more or less steep degree of inclination
or pitch to insure the free downward flow of the water and thus cause the whole of
the surface of the tubes to be efficiently wetted, notwithstanding that the one
side of the tubes may be subject to a strong current of air impinging thereon.
Such helically coiled wires will also offer the advantage of increasing the cooling
surface of the tubes, and of affording an effective means for cleaning the outer
surfaces of the tubes of deposits, inasmuch as on loosening the ends of the wires
the coils may be pushed up and down on the tubes so as to exercise a scraping
action thereon. When two or more coils of wire are used as described, the ends
may be conveniently secured by fixing them to one and the same transverse piece,
which is provided with a hook or eye, that can be secured to a stud or hook at or
near the end of the tube. The one such attachment may also be provided with a
screw or other adjustment for tightening the coils round the tube.
In those constructions of condensers in which the air passes through the interior
of the tubes while the fluid to be condensed or refrigerated passes in contact with
the outer surface thereof, I arrange the said helical wire coils within the tubes,
for the water to flow down them, the wires being introduced with a certain amount
of spring action in them whereby they are pressed tightly against the surface of
the tube.
According to another improvement, adapted more particularly for the conden-
sation of a volatile refrigerating medium, such as ammonia, I construct the
condenser tubes as a series of helical coils of a comparatively slow pitch that are
made to pass a considerable number of times round the central apparatus for
supplying the refrigerating water and air, so that the ammoniacal vapour in passing
through the considerable length of coils subjected to the cooling influence of air
and water, will be effectually condensed on arriving at the lower end where the
coils are connected to a box or chamber for collecting the liquid ammonia, the upper
ends being connected to a box or chamber which receives the ammonia vapour to be
condensed.
On the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 shews a part elevation of a tube of a
surface condensing, refrigerating, or evaporating apparatus, on the outer surface of
which three wires are coiled according to the above described invention: Fig. 2

page_text: shews a plan of the upper end, Fig. 3 shews a vertical section, Fig. 4 a cross
section and Fig. 3 shews a tube having the said wire coils applied to its inner
surface, for condensers &c., in which the fluid to be refrigerated or condensed is
made to flow in contact with the outer surface of the tubes.
The three wires 1, 2, 3 which may be of a circular, rectangular or other cross
section, have their upper and lower ends united together in any suitable manner, as
shewn, and are joined to hooks 4, 4 by means of which, after the wires have been
coiled tightly round the tube 5, they are hooked on to studs 6, 6 secured on the
tube plates 7.
For insuring a tight fit of the wue coils against the tubes, one or both ends may
be formed as a screwed rod 8, as at Fig. 6, instead of as a hook, so that on passing
such rod through an eye or fork 9 the wire coils can be tightened up by a nut 10.
When the wire coils are applied to the interior of the tubes as at Fig. 5, they may
be first coiled up on a rod to a diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the
tube, so as to be readily introduced therein, and be then allowed to expand against
the tube by their elasticity.
Although the said wire coils are applicable with particular advantage to vertical
tubes, yet they are also applicable with more or less advantage to inclined or
horizontal tubes, as the capillary attraction exercised by the wires upon the water
will in such cases also insure a more uniform distribution of the water over the
surface of the tubes, and prevent it from flowing off rapidly. Should the surface
of the tube become coated in course of time with deposit resulting from the evapo-
lation of the water, the ends of the wire coils are detached from their fastenings,
and the coils are then pushed up and down on the tube so as to exercise a scraping
action thereon sufficient to remove the deposit.
Fig. 7 of the drawings shews a vertical section of an arrangement of refrigerating
and condensing apparatus constructed according to my second before described
improvement. a a a are vertically arranged coils of pipes into which the vapours
of the volatile liquid such as ammonia &c. to be refrigerated and condensed are
caused to enter at the top from a box a¹ supplied by a pipe 1, the condensed
liquid passing from the lower end of the coils into a box a² from which they are
discharged through a pipe k to wherever required. Centrally in the cylindrical
space enclosed by the said coils is a vertical shaft suitably journalled and driven
at a quick speed by gearing b. Upon this shaft is fixed the conical shell C, the
lower edge of which is turned inwards so as to form an annular trough, contained
within a fixed annular trough c' situated within a pan or shallow tank d that extends
under the lower ends of the pipe coils a, and is filled with water so that the
trough c¹ and the trough shaped end of c, being open to the tank, are also partly
filled with the water. Thus on driving the shaft at a sufficient speed, the
water will be caused by centrifugal action to rise up along the sides of the shell c
and to be thrown from the top edge thereof on to the upper ends of the pipe
coils a.
For effecting a uniform distribution of the water, over the tops of the pipe coils,
circular shields e eles of varying height are provided against which the water
thrown from the shell impinges, and is thereby broken up into spray, that trickles
slowly down the pipe coils, and eventually falls into the pan d again. On the
upper end of the shaft is fixed a fan f which, in revolving, draws up atmospheric
air from the air flue g in the direction of the arrows, causing it to pass round the
underside of the pan and up through the coils in intimate contact therewith thereby
effecting the evaporation of the water and the refrigeration and condensation of
the vapours in the pipe coils a.
For confining the air currents as much as possible to close contact with the coils
and the water, the coils are enclosed between two concentric cylinders Z Z.
d is supplied with water through a pipe d¹ to make good the quantity
evaporated and carried off by the air.
The pan
Fig. 8 shews a vertical section of a modified arrangement, the main difference
being that the water is thrown on to the pipe coils a a by means of serpentine

page_text: pipes p' fixed on the closed top of a shell p revolving in a fixed trough 9 in the
pan d, while the supply of air to the wet pipe coils is effected by means of fan
blades ww, which in rotating with the shaft draw air in centrally both from above
and below, and propel it at the periphery against the pipe coils a a, curved guide
blades wo wo being provided between the fan blades for effectually directing the flow
of air against the pipe coils so as to evaporate the water therefrom; the air charged
with vapour is allowed to escape through the side flues y y.
The air is drawn in at bottom through side openings in the casing, and in
passing in contact with the lowermost coils a, assists in evaporating the water
therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with the tubes of surface condensing and refrigerating
apparatus, of wire coiled helically round the outer or inner surface of such tubes,
to which the liquid which is to effect the condensing or refrigerating operation is
applied, substantially as and for the purposes described with reference to Figures 1
to 6 of the drawings.
2. In refrigerating and condensing apparatus wherein the fluid to be condensed
or refrigerated is made to flow through tubes the outer surfaces of which are
subjected to the combined action of water and air currents, the use of vertical coils
of pipes through which the fluid to be condensed is made to flow, in combination
with a central shaft carrying a conical shell or serpentine pipes through which the
water is thrown on to the pipe coils, and a fan for either drawing air through the
space in which such coils are situated, or for propelling the air against such coils,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings.
Dated this 5th day of January 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.