Improvements in Evaporating and Distilling Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1891-Accepted, 27th June, 1891
WILL DELE DI MOITICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HOMER TAYLOR YARYAN, of Toledo, Ohio,
United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Evaporating and Distilling Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM JULIUS MIRRLEES, The Mirrlees Watson and Yaryan
Company, Limited, Glasgow, Scotland 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:-
My invention relates to evaporating and distilling apparatus of that kind or class
described in the Specifications accompanying former Letters Patent, granted to.
me dated the 3rd November A.D. 1886 No. 14162, and the 5th January A.D. 1888
No. 213.
Heretofore I have provided for the constantly increasing volume of the contents
of the coil as the evaporation proceeds by gradually increasing the diameter of the
tubes, from the inlet pipe to the outlet pipe of the coil. It has however been
found in practice that, owing to the heating efficiency of a tube with reference to
its cubic capacity diminishing as the diameter of the said tube is increased, the
increased capability for the flow and discharge of the contents of the coil thus
attained is attended with a diminished heating surface relatively to the increased
contents of the said coil.
By my present invention I obviate the above objection and provide for any
desired increase in the capacity of the coil at different distances from its receiving
end, by dividing the tubes constituting the coil (which are preferably all of the
same diameter) into any desired number of series or rows the number of tubes in
which is either progressively or intermittently increased from the first to the last
series or row, as hereinafter explained. I am thus enabled to increase the heating
surface of the coil as well as its capability to permit a free flow and discharge of
its contents.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section, and
Figures 2 and 3 are end views, the doors or covers, and some other parts being...
removed, illustrating one form or modification of my improved evaporating or
distilling apparatus.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section showing another form or modification thereof
hereinafter described.
Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line a, a Figure 4.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the outer shell'or casing, B, B are the tubes forming the coil which latter
are secured in the usual manner so as to form fluid tight joints, in tube plates or end
plates B' provided at each extremity of the said outer shell or casing. C is the
separating chamber, D is the inlet pipe for admitting the liquor to be evaporated
to the coil or tubes B.
The outer shell or casing A. is provided with a suitable inlet aperture A¹ for the
admission of steam or other heating medium, and with an cutlet aperture A² for
the withdrawal of any water produced by condensation, and forms a heating chamber
or cylinder, the separating chamber being connected to the discharging end
thereof. CC are dash plates or baffle plates arranged in the separating
chamber C, which latter is also provided with an outlet aperture C for the vapour,
and with an outlet aperture C³ for the liquid deposited therein.
The tubes 12

page_text: series or row gradually increasing from the first or initial series or row which com-
municates with the inlet or supply pipe D to the last series or row which communi-
cates with the separating chamber C. The connections between the said series or
rows of tubes at both ends are preferably made by return bend-heads E provided
with horizontal plates or partitions E which, form cells or compartments E²
substantially similar in construction to those described in the said former Letters
Patent No. 213 of 1888.
The return bend-heads E are secured to the tube plates or end plates B' and are
preferably triangular in shape, the apexes thereof being uppermost. The said
return bend-heads moreover are closed by suitable plates or doors which can be
removed for convenience of inspection or repairs to the tubes B or tube plates B'.
The liquid to be evaporated enters the apparatus through the inlet pipe D from
which it is delivered into the first or one of the cells or compartments E2 at one
extremity of the cylinder A, and passes into the initial or first series or row of
tubes from which it is discharged into another cell or compartment E' at the
opposite extremity of the said cylinder, and passes to the next or succeeding series
or row and so on, the number of the tubes in each series or row gradually increasing
as above mentioned. From the last series or row of tubes the liquid and vapor arc
delivered to the separating chamber C.
In the apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 3 the liquid to be evaporated passes
through an evaporating coil consisting of nine series or rows of tubes whence the
liquid and vapor are discharged into the separating chamber. Each of the said
series or rows of the evaporating coil increase by one tube in each from one to eight,
and the tubes are of uniform diameter, in the ninth or last series or row however
the number of tubes, (for convenience in arranging them in the heating cylinder or
chamber) is diminished to six, which tubes are of increased diameter, and are
substantially equivalent in capacity to nine tubes of the diameter of the tubes in the
other series or rows. The said ninth or last series or row communicates with the
separating chamber C.
It will be seen that in my improved evaporating coil each successive cell or
compartment in the return bend-heads, is connected by an increasing number of
tubes, thus for example if the tubes B are 12 feet in length I obtain the equivalent
of a coil of about 108 feet in length, and which increases gradually in capacity or
capability to accommodate a volume of liquid, or of liquid and vapor from unity in
the initial or first tube or series or row to nine times or thereabouts in the
last or delivery series or row, the extent of heating surface also increasing in the
same ratio.
If it is desired to diminish the heating surface and preserve the capacity or
capability to accommodate the flow and discharge of the contents in any particular
series or row, the number of tubes constituting the said series or row is left
the same as that in the preceding series or row, or it is diminished and the
diameter of the tubes therein increased. Thus any desired relation may be
established between the heating surface of each series or row of tubes and its
capacity.
Instead of the first or initial series or row consisting of a single tube, two or more
tubes may be used, connected with a series or row composed of an increased number
of tubes. I prefer however to employ an arrangement as shown wherein the first
or initial series or row consists of a single tube.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 the inlet pipe D is connected
to the first tube B which is connected by means of a union or head B2 with a set,
series or row comprising two or more tubes B, which are connected by a union or
head B³ with a set, series or row comprising three or more tubes B, which in turn
are connected by means of a union or head B with a set, series or row comprising
four or more tubes B, the latter being arranged to discharge into the separating
chamber C.
It is obvious that I can employ any convenient number of sets, series or rows of
tubes each set, series or rows comprising a gradually increasing number of tubes and

page_text: connected or coupled together by means of unions or heads such as shown in
Figure 4, or in any other convenient manner.
My improved apparatus is adapted for use as a vacuum apparatus and may
be advantageously combined with like apparatus to form double and multiple
effects.
It is obvious moreover that I can somewhat modify the construction of my
improved apparatus without departing from the nature of my said invention. For
example instead of connecting the series or rows of tubes together by means of
bend-heads such as described in my former Letters Patent No. 21388 the said series
or rows of tubes may be connected together by the usual or ordinary return bends
or in any convenient manner.
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
First. An evaporating or distilling apparatus wherein the tubes are arranged in
a heating cylinder or chamber in rows or series the number of tubes in which
is progressively or intermittently increased, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Second. The combination of a heating cylinder or chamber, a separating
chamber, tubes arranged in the said heating chamber in progressively increasing,
or in intermittently increasing series or rows, and connected by means of return
bend-heads or in any other convenient manner, substantially as set forth.
Third. The improved evaporating or distilling apparatus constructed substantially
as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, or to Figures 4 and 5 of the
accompanying drawings, and for the purpose specified.
This word day of May 1991.
WM. J. MIRRLEES.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.