Improved Water-heater for Low Pressure or Condensing Steam Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Water-heater for Low Pressure or Condensing
Steam Engines.
I KARL LUNDKVIST of Elsinore in the Kingdom of Denmark Chief 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:-
The object of the present invention is to provide a water-heater for use with
low pressure or condensing steam engines. I will describe my invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 illustrates the water heater in vertical section, Figure 2 in transverse
section, and Figure 3 in plan.
Figures 4 and 5 shew in elevation and plan the general arrangement and
connections of the water-heater in a vessel provided with a triple-expansion steam
engine.
The heater is a vertical one and consists chiefly of three parts vic. :-
1. The base A into which the feed-water flows through the passage D. This
base is also provided with a passage E for letting off the condensed steam from the
central part of the heater, and conducting it to the feed pumps.
2. The central part B, provided at the top and at the bottom with tubo plates b
and b, in which are fixed a large number of thin tubes 6 secured in the tube plates
in such a manner that the said tubes cannot slide out of the holes in the tube
plates. This is preferably done by means of stuffing boxes screwed into the tube-
plates and pressing packing material firmly round the tubes. Near the top-plate
is the inlet opening F for the steam from the low pressure cylinder receiver and
in the bottom tube-plate is a hole coincident with the above mentioned channel E
in the base.
3. The top piece C, provided with two overflow openings H and T and two
loose lids L and M. Opposite the overflow passage H through which the feed
water passes to the feed pumps, is a partition N for preventing oil, grease and also
air being mixed with and carried along with the feed water. The overflow
passage Yis for the purpose of carrying off the feed water to a tank in case that
the feed pumps should at any time become inoperative. Referring to Figures 4
and 5 the beater B is fixed on a prolongation of the engine base, near the hot
water well a of the air pump. The bottom of the hot water well is provided with
a three-way cock b, which may be turned into such positions, that the feed water
is either passed into the heater or, if desired, carried, direct to the, feed pumps co
through the piping d d.
When the feed water is passed into the heater it will rise slowly through the
tubes 6 and become heated' by the steam which has entered from the low pressure
receiver by the pipe f. The feed water, after having been heated flows into the
top piece C, where grease or oil that inay have been carried along with it from
the cylinders is separated, the said grease or oil gathering on the surface of the
feed water in the top-piece C and being either skimmed off through the openings
covered by the lids L and M or it can be removed through the passage I by
stopping the feed pumps for a little while. When the feed water reaches the
lower overflow passage H in the top piece it flows through the pipe / to the
Buction pipe of the feed pumps from whence it is pumped into the boiler.
Should at any time the pumps become inoperative the water will rise in the top

page_text: piece C, of the heater until it reaches the upper overflow passage I and it will thus
flow through this passage and the pipe n to the tank P. In order that this tank may
be emptied, it is provided with a pipe to the condenser and with an air tube m
for indicating when it is full. The steam condensed in the heator, is carried away
through the opening E in the base, which opening is connected with the barrels
of the two feed pumps by means of the pipe o o. The suction flanges of the feed
pumps are provided with three way cocks, whereby either or both of the pumps
may be made to draw, either the feed water through the pipe d d or the condensed
water through tho pipe o o.
The air pumped through the air pump, rises immediately to the top of the feed
water well in the heater and passes through the opening I.
The construction hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings may
also be used as an auxiliary condenser for steam winches or similar appliances.
In this case the exhaust steam is carried to the apparatus, where it is condensed by
means of cold water being pumped through the apparatus by the ballast pump,
whilst the condeused steam is flowing over into the collecting tank, from whence it
is drawn and passed into the boiler by means of the donkey pump.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A water beater for low pressure or condensing steam engines characterised
by the combination of a base A, into which the feed water from the hot water well
of the air pump is passed by means of the air pump from the main engine the
central part B, provided with tubes 6 through which the water passes so that it is
heated by the exhaust steam admitted to the part B and a top piece C, in which
the feed water is separated from grease or oil, by means of a partition N placed
before the opening H, through which the feed water flows into the suction pipe of
the feed pump.
2. In a water heater such as is claimed by the preceding claiming clause the
arrangement in connection with the part C, so that a downward motion is given
to the feed water therein so as to free the feed water from the air contained
therein.
3. In a water heater such as is claimed by the preceding first claim an outlet
opening E in the base, through which opening the condensed steam, from the
central part of the water heater, is led to the suction pipe of the feed pump.
4. In a water houter, such as is claimed by the preceding first Claim 1, the
arrangement of a partition N and two loose lids Land M in the top piece C,
through which the grease or oil may be scummed off without stopping the
engine.
5. In a water heater such as is claimed by the preceding first claim the arrange-
ment of the pipe connections in such a manner, that the heater may also be used as
an auxiliary condenser substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 27th day of April 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.