IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE EXHAUST STEAM OF STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS
AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE EXHAUST STEAM OF STEAM ENGINES
a communication from David Renshaw of Braintree, Massachusetts United
States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BO[U]LT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE UTILIZATION
OF THE EXHAUST STEAM OF STEAM ENGINES [a communication from David
"
Renshaw of Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America]
This invention has relation to the utilization of the exhaust of Engines and has
for its object to return the exhaust into the boiler or vessel from which it was
taken and which may be carried into effect by various means The invention
consists first in the process of taking a portion of the water from the steam
generator that supplies steam to the Engine or other source of supply and passing
said water through a cooling medium in a vessel outside of the boiler the water so
taken from the generator being under the boiler pressure from which it came and
then conveying this water to an injector where it meets the exhaust steam of the
engine the exhaust steam taking the place of the live steam heretofore used the water
being sufficiently cooled to cause a partial condensation of the exhaust forming a
partial vacuum and then the partially cooled water and the exhaust steam are
forced into the boiler on the principle of the injector And the invention further
consists in the process of forcing the entire volume of the exhaust of the engine
direct into the boiler from whence it came which process consists of first taking
from the boiler a portion of its water and then subjecting said water to the cooling
action of the atmosphere and then the water is forced by a pump in contact with the
exhaust direct from the engine upon the principle of and by means of the injector
Dion 071

page_text: and my invention further consists in introducing the exhaust to and passing it
through a superheater by which its temperature is greatly increased then
bringing it in contact in an injector with water which has been taken from the
working boiler and reduced to the pressure of the atmosphere, the temperature of
such water being still further reduced or not as may be required and then forcing
it into the boiler on the principle of the injector or by a pump and the invention
consists further in taking steam from the boiler and superheating the same and
then delivering it to an injector where it comes in contact with the exhaust of the
engine and also with water taken from the said boiler the united effect of the
mixture in an injector being the return of the whole to the boiler from which they
were taken This water may be forced by the boiler pressure to a tank located
above the line of the injector and fed to it by gravity under ordinary atmospheric
pressure or it may be forced through a cooling apparatus and delivered to the
injector at boiler pressure or it may be forced into the injector without such cooling
as may be desired and the invention finally consists in the process of taking water
from a boiler under pressure and cooling the same then forcing it into the exhaust
pipe of an engine at a pressure greater than that of the boiler from which it is
taken then in returning the mixture to the boiler whereby it is again utilized
various means may be employed by which the result is accomplished within wide
range without departing from the spirit of this invention.
A set of apparatus or machinery for carrying this process into practice may be
constructed as follows.
A vertical boiler or vessel is provided in which steam is maintained under
pressure and which may be an original generator or may be attached to a steam
supply pipe from any source there is an engine and a cooler containing a cooling
coil and there is also an injector A steam pipe leads to the engine which is
provided with the usual valves and the exhaust pipe leads into the injector A
check valve in the exhaust pipe prevents back pressure and the accumulation of
water in the cylinder of the engine when at rest. Another check valve between
the injector and the boiler prevents back pressure and a valve on the pipe leading
to the cooling coil shuts off the water from the boiler when necessary near the top
of the boiler is in some cases located a pipe provided a controlling valve for
supplying the boiler with steam from any distributing source as a system In
this case after the vessel is well filled and the engine in operation the steam supply
may be cut off and a small fire started under the vessel or boiler which will make
good the loss of heat caused by the cooling medium and in this way a great gain
of fuel is effected the same steam may be used over and over again indefinitely it
being constantly revivified of course any loss by leakage may be readily supplied
by any well known means. It is preferable in the use of these vessels reservoirs
or boilers to make them sufficiently strong to withstand the well known working
pressure of boilers and to always supply a furnace for any emergency.
In another form of apparatus there is a boiler or vessel and an Engine a super-
heater an injector located between the superheater and the boiler a cooling tank for
the reception of boiler water which is subjected to and reduced to atmospheric
pressure and cooling action before its being utilized as injection water. It is well
known that in operating injectors they are subject to intermittent action where
there is much jar or concussion such as on locomotives marine engines and the like
and when this intermittent action takes place it breaks the current and thus
destroys for the time being the regular action of the injector when the pump has
to be resorted to. For this reason a pump is also provided which may be used as
necessity may suggest. The boiler and superheater are each provided with a
furnace for maintaining in them the required temperature. There is a live steam
pipe to the engine and an exhaust pipe which leads to the superheater where the
temperature of the exhaust is increased and then conveyed through the pipe to the
injector and thence into the boiler as will presently be explained A. pipe supplies
a water tank with water from the boiler and a water pipe leads to the injector and
terminates therein the water being in a comparatively cool state is injected into

page_text: the boiler with the superheated exhaust of the engine. When the pump is to be
used under the conditions before described suitable stop cocks are operated steam
is let on to the pump through a pipe and exhausted into the main exhaust pipe the
pump being in operation a valve is opened and water flows from the tank another
valve is also opened so that the pumped water comes in contact with the super-
heated exhaust in the injector and forces the entire mixture into the boiler or from
the injector as the case may be.
In a further modification there is a working boiler an engine a superheater
which receives its supply from the boiler through a pipe. There is also an injector
which receives its driving or working steam from the superheater through a pipe
and also the exhaust of the engine through the exhaust pipe. The water delivered
from the boiler to the injector for the purpose of effecting partial condensation may
first pass from said boiler through pipes to a tank and then to the injector under
atinospheric pressure or it may pass from the boiler through pipes through a
cooling coil located in the tank and thence through pipes into the injector partially
cooled but under the pressure of the working boiler or it may pass directly from
the boiler through pipes into the injector at the pressure and temperature due to
the working boiler.
All the connecting pipes are controlled by suitable valves and suitable furnaces
are provided for the boiler and superheater. The superheater tanks and boiler and
their connections may be of any ordinary construction.
Other and varied means may be employed for carrying these processes of
returning the exhaust of the engine into effect among which may be used that of
having the boiler and engine of usual construction and a cooling vessel receiving
sufficient water from the boiler as to supply the force pump or injector by which
all the exhaust steam is returned to the boiler. The cooling vessel is provided
with air tubes which pass through the body of water to produce the required
temperature. The injector in this case is located upon the exhaust pipe intermediate
between the boiler and the engine The pipe from the pump may also be con-
nected to the injector through which the injection water is introduced. The
atmospheric cooling of the water from the boiler is deemed sufficient for all
purposes for injecting the exhaust by means of the pump and injector into the
boiler from which it was taken By this method no surplus of water accumulates
in the boiler It will be understood that the proper pipe connections and controlling
valves will be supplied as in the instances previously described Steam from the
steam distributing pipes may be utilized where there is a reservoir which may be
heated by any ordinary means.
Another means of carrying this invention into effect is as follows As before
stated the boiler and engine are provided and may be of the ordinary construction
also a superheater and pump and a cooling tank having in it a coil supplied with
water at boiler pressure and which is conveyed to the exhaust pipe either by means
of the pump or injector in a solid stream or through a rose head mixed with the
exhaust and the whole returned to the boiler from whence they were taken, upon
the principle heretofore fully described first however superheating or not the
exhaust before it is brought in contact with the partially cooled water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Julius Boult in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd October 1883.
"
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR UTILISING THE
EXHAUST STEAM OF STEAM ENGINES a communication to me from David Renshaw,
of Braintree Massachusetts, United States of America
This Invention has relation to the utilization of the exhaust of engines and has
for its object to return the steam of the exhaust into the boiler or vessel which
may be carried into effect by various means. The invention consists first in the
process of taking a portion of the water from the steam generator that supplies
the steam to the engine or other service of supply and passing said water through
a cooling medium in a vessel outside of the boiler, the water so taken from the
generator being under the boiler pressure from which it came and then conveying
the water to an injector where it meets the exhaust steam of the engine, the
exhaust steam taking the place of the live steam heretofore used, the water being
sufficiently cooled to a partial condensation of the exhaust forming a partial
vacuum and then the partially cooled water and the exhaust steam are forced into
the boiler on the principle of the injector And the invention further consists in
the process of forcing the entire volume of the exhaust of the engine direct into
the boiler from whence it came which process consists of first taking from the
boiler a portion of its water and then subjecting said water to the cooling action
of the atmosphere and then the water is forced by a pump in contact with the
exhaust direct from the engine upon the principle of and by means of the inspector
and my invention further consists in introducing the exhaust to and passing it
through a superheater by which its temperature is greatly increased then bringing
it in contact in an injector with water which has been taken from the working
boiler and reduced to the pressure of the atmosphere, the temperature of which
water being still further reduced or not as may be required and then forcing it
into the boiler on the principle of the injector or by a pump and the invention
consists further in taking steam from the boiler and superheating the same and
then delivering it to an injector where it comes in contact with the exhaust of the
engine and also with water taken from said boiler, the united effect of the mixture
in an injector being the return of the whole to the boiler from which they were
taken. This water may be forced by the boiler pressure to a tank located above
the line of the injector and fed to it by gravity under ordinary atmospheric
pressure or it may be forced through a cooling apparatus and delivered to the
inspector at boiler pressure or it may be forced into the injector without such
cooling as may be desired and the invention finally consists in the process of
taking water from a boiler under pressure and cooling the same then forcing it
into the exhaust pipe of an engine at a pressure greater than that of the boiler
from which it is taken then in returning the mixture to the boiler whereby it is
utilized. Other means may be employed by which the result is accomplished
within wide range without departing from the spirit of my invention, all of which
will be hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings,
In figure 1., A. is a vertical boiler or vessel in which steam is maintained under
pressure and which may be an original generator or may be attached to a steam
supply pipe from any source. B. is the engine and C. the cooler D. is the cooling
coil and F. the injector a is the steam pipe leading to the engine which is provided

page_text: with the usual valves 6 the exhaust pipe leading into the injector F. c is a
check valve in the exhaust pipe for preventing back pressure and the accumulation
of water in the Cylinder of the engine when at rest. I also provide a check valve
between the injector and the boiler for preventing back pressure and a valve d on
the pipe leading to the cooling coil for shutting off the water from the boiler when
necessary. Near the top of the boiler I locate pipe G provided with a controlling
valve for supplying the boiler with steam from any distributing source as a system.
In this case after the vessel is well filled and the engine in operation the steam supply
may be cut off and a small fire started under the vessel or boiler which will make
good the loss of heat caused by the cooling medium and in this way a great gain
of fuel is effected, the same steam may be used over and over again indefinitely it
being constantly revivified, of course any loss by leakage may be readily supplied
by any well known means. I prefer in the use of these vessels reservoirs or boilers
to make them sufficiently strong to withstand the well known working pressure of
boilers and to always supply a furnace for any emergency.
In figure 2. A. is the boiler or vessel and B. the engine C. is the superheater.
D. the injector located between the superheater and the boiler E. is the cooling tank
for the reception of the boiler water which is subjected to and reduced to atmospheric
pressure and cooling action before its being utilized as injection water. It is well
known that in operating injectors they are subject to intermittent action where
there is much jar or concussion such as on locomotives, marine engines and the like
and when this intermittent action takes place, it breaks the current, and thus
destroys for the time being the regular action of the injector, when the pump has
to be resorted to. For this reason I also provide a pump F. which may be used as
necessity may suggest. The boiler and superheater are each provided with a
furnace for maintaining in them the required temperature, a is the live steam pipe
to the engine and b. its exhaust which leads to the superheater where its temperature
is increased and then conveyed through pipe c. to the injector D. into the boiler as
will presently be explained. d is the pipe that supplios the water-tank with water
from the boiler, and f. the water pipe to the injector which terminates therein and
which water being in a comparatively cool state is injected into the boiler with
the superheated exhaust of the Engine when the pump is to be used under the
conditions before described the cock 1 and cocks 2 and 3 opened steam is let ou to
the pump through pipe g and exhausted through h into the main exhaust pipe,
the pump now being in operation valve 2 on pipe i is opened and water Hows
from tank E. valve 3 on pipe j. is also opened so that the pumped water comes in
contact with the superheated exhaust in the injector and forces the entire mixture
into the boiler or from the injector as the case may be.
In figure 3. A. is the working boiler. B. the engine, C. the superheater which
receives its supply from the boiler A. through pipe a D. is an injector which
receives its driving or working steam from the superheater C. through pipe c. and
also the exhaust of the Engine through the exhaust pipe b. The water delivered
from the boiler A. to the injector D. through pipe y for the purpose of effecting
partial condensation may first pass from said boiler through pipes d d', to tank E.
and from tank E. through pipe e to injector D. under atmospheric pressure or it
may pass from the boiler A. through pipes d. through cooling coil H. located in
tank J. and thence through pipe h and y. into the injector D. partially cooled but
under the pressure of the working boiler A. or it may pass directly from the
boiler A. through pipes d h. and y. into the injector at the pressure and temperature
due to the working boiler A.
All the connecting pipes are controlled by suitable valves and suitable furnaces
as provided for the boiler and superheater. The superheater, tanks and boiler and
their connections may be of any ordinary construction.
I may add that other and varied means may be employed for carrying my
processes of returning the exhaust of the engine into effect among which I use
that of having the boiler and engine of usual construction and a cooling vessel
receiving sufficient water from the boiler as to supply the force pump or injector

page_text: by which all the Exhaust steam is returned to the boiler. The cooling vessel is
provided with air tubes which pass through the body of water to produce the
required temperature. The injector in this case is located upon the exhaust pipe
intermediate between the boiler and the engine. The pipe from the pump may
also be connected to the injector through which the injection water is introduced.
The Atmospheric Cooling of the water from the boiler is deemed sufficient for all
purposes for injecting the exhaust by means of the pump and injector into the
boiler from which it was taken. By this method no surplus of water accumulates
in the boiler. It will be understood that the proper pipe connections and controlling
valves will be supplied as in the instances illustrated in the drawings. Steam from
the steam distributing pipes may be utilized where there is a reservoir which may
be heated by any ordinary means.
Another means of carrying my invention into effect is as follows. As before
stated I provide the boiler and engine which may be of the ordinary construction
and a superheater and pump and a cooling tank having in it a coil supplied with
.water at boiler pressure and which is conveyed to the exhaust pipe either by means
of the pump or injector in a solid stream or through a rose bead mixed with the
exhaust, and the whole returned to the boiler from whence they were taken upon
the principle heretofore fully described, first however superheating or not the
exhaust before it is brought in contact with the partially cooled water.
Having thus described my invention what I claim is,
First. The process herein described of utilizing the exhaust of engines consisting
of first cooling the temperature of a portion of the boiler water and then bringing
it in contact with the exhaust steam of the Engine direct in an injector and upon
the principle thereof forcing it into the boiler.
Second. The process herein described of utilizing the exhaust of engines by
reducing the temperature of a portion of the water of the supply boiler while under
the boiler pressure and then conveying it to an injector where it is brought in
contact with the exhaust steam of the engine by which the mixture is forced into
the boiler from which it came upon the injector principle as setforth.
Third. The combination in an apparatus for utilizing the exhaust of engines,
consisting of the boiler or vessel under pressure, the cooling tank and the coil, with
the injector located on the exhaust pipe and adapted to receive the cooled water
under pressure and the exhaust steam direct from the engine by which the combined
mixture is returned into the boiler upon the principle of the injector.
Fourth. The process of utilizing the exhaust of Engines consisting of first
drawing off a portion of the water from the supply boiler then cooling it by the
action of the atmosphere, then pumping it in contact with the exhaust of the
engine into an injector and then forcing it into the boiler from which it came.
Fifth. The combination in means for utilizing the exhaust of engines consisting
of the atmospheric cooler, the pump and the injector, the latter in direct connection
with the exhaust and with the boiler as set forth.
Sixth. The process herein described consisting in first taking water from the
working boiler, then cooling it but subjecting it to the atmosphere or otherwise
then superheating the exhaust of the Engine and then bringing the water from
the boiler and the steam from the engine together in the injector and forcing the
entire mixture into the boiler from whence it came on the principle of the injector
or the pump under the conditions named.
Seventh. The combination in means of utilizing the exhaust of engines consisting
of the cooling vessel, the injector or pump, the superheater and the exhaust pipes
with intervening mechanism as described.
Eighth. The process herein described of utilizing the exhaust of engines by first
taking live steam from the boiler, then superheating it, then bringing it in contact
in an injector with the exhaust steam from the engine and with water taken from
the said boiler and cooled and then returning it into the boiler from which it came
on the principle of the injector.
Ninth. The process herein described of utilizing the exhaust of engines by first

page_text: taking live steam from the boiler then superheating it then bringing it in contact
in an injector with the exhaust steam from the engine and with water taken from
the said boiler without cooling and then returning it into the boiler from which
it came on the principle of the injector.
Tenth-In an apparatus for utilizing the exhaust of engines the combination of
the boiler, the superheater the injector and the cooling medium with the live steam
and water pipes from the boiler and with the exhaust pipe uniting in the injector
for the return of the mixture into the boiler from which they were taken as
described
Eleventh. In an apparatus for utilizing exhaust of engines the combination of
the boiler the live steam superheater, the injector, the exhaust pipo the live steam
pipe and the water pipe connecting directly with the boiler, the whole uniting in
the said injector whereby the exhaust steam is returned into the boiler from which
it came by the superheated steam and the water from the boiler without cooling the
boiler water as described.
Twefth. [sic] The herein described process of taking water from a boiler then in
cooling the same then forcing it into the exhaust pipe of an engine at a greater
pressure than that of the boiler where it is brought into contact with the exhaust
of the engine superheated or not forming an induced current and pressure whereby
said exhaust and water are returned to the boiler from which they came.
Thirteenth. The combination of the boiler, superheater, tank and coil the pump
and intermediate connections and exhaust pipe, substantially as described and for
the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this third day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.