Improvements in and relating to the Generation of Steam.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1896-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1897
Improvements in and relating to the Generation of Steam.
1, LLEWELLYN WYNN WILLIAMS, Bachelor of Science of Glasgow University,
of the Railway Appliances Works, Cathcart, in the County of Renfrewshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to improve the production of steam from water,
either fresh water or sea-water, for motive power, distillation, or other purposes.
According to my invention the water enclosed in a boiler or tank of suitable
form and provided with proper boiler fittings.
The water is heated and evaporated by the heat produced by the combustion of
a suitable reducing agent or combination or mixture of reducing agents with a
suitable oxidiser or combination or mixture of oxidisers, for example the
combustion of hydrogen with oxygen, of hydrogen with air, of water-gas with
oxygen, or of water-gas with air. The combustion takes place preferably inside
the boiler.
The flame and the hot products of combustion are preferably in contact with
the water, the surface of contact being increased by suitable apparatus to keep the
flame and products of combustion from rising from the surface of the water.
The flame and products of combustion may be led through pipes or other
conductors the whole or part of whose outer surface is in contact with the water,
or the pipes or conductors may be kept moist inside as well as being in contact
with the water outside, so as to give a more uniform temperature and moisture to
their sides or walls.
The gases on entering the boiler are ignited by having their temperature raised
by the application of heat either mechanically or electrically or by other suitable
methods.
The hydrogen or other suitable reducing agent and the oxygen or air or other
suitable oxidiser are stored in separate tanks or bunkers and are conducted through
pipes or other suitable means into the boiler where they are allowed to combine in
proper proportions, the heat of chemical combination being used to heat and
evaporate the water into steam, and the products of combustion being free from
solid particles or other detrimental matter are passed into the steam space of the
boiler, whether the combustible gases be conveyed above or below the water level
in the boiler.
The pipes through which hydrogen would pass anl the bunker or tank containing
hydrogen or a gas with a high proportion of free hydrogen may be coated
preferably inside with glass or other suitable substance so as to prevent or check
the diffusion through their walls or sides. The reducing agent and the oxidiser
are led into the boiler at a higher pressure than the steam pressure and as the
withdrawal of the gases from the tanks will reduce the pressure in the tanks, this
pressure may be kept uniform by either arranging the tanks so that the pressure
external to the tanks is increased or so that the internal volume of the tank is
decreased according to the mass of gas withdrawn from the tauk, or by the use of
pumps or other suitable means when required.
It required the gases in the main tanks can be pumped into smaller tanks at a
higher pressure or they may be pumped from the main tanks direct into the boiler
where they chemically combine."

page_text: In using this method of steam production there is no loss of heat by the hot
products of combustion and superfluous air passing up flues, and the heat radiated
from the flame is transmitted to the steam aud water around, the only loss of heat
being due to radiation and conduction from the boiler sides and ends. For marine
purposes a large quantity of fuel can be stored in a small space when desired, by
storing the gases in tanks at high pressure.
Dated this First day of January 1896.
Improvements in and relating to the Generation of Steam.
I, LLEWELLYN WYNN WILLIAMS, Bachelor of Science of Glasgow University,
of the Railway Appliances Works, Cathcart, in the County of Renfrewshire,
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 has for its object to improve the production of steam from water,
either fresh water or sea water, for motive power, distillation or other purposes.
According to my invention the water is enclosed in a boiler of suitable form and
provided with proper boiler fittings. The water is heated and evaporated by the
beat produced by the combustion of hydrogen or a gas containing a large pro-
portion of free hydrogen, with air or oxygen or any suitable mixture of air and
oxygen. The combustion takes place inside the boiler. The flame and the
hot products of combustion are preferably in contact with water, the surface
of contact being increased by suitable apparatus so as to increase the evaporation
of water and so as to lower the temperature of the parts of the apparatus with
which the flame and hot products of combustion come in contact. The flame
and products of combustion are led through tuhes or other conductors the
whole or part of whose outer surfaces are in contact with the boiler water, and
whose inner surfaces are kept wet by means of water injected by valves or other
suitable means. The gases on entering the tubes or conductors in the boiler are
ignited by having their temperature raised by the application of heat either
mechanically or electrically or by other suitable means. The hydrogen or gas
containing a large proportion of free hydrogen, and the air or oxygen or suitable
mixture of air and oxygen, are stored in separate tanks or holders and are
conducted through pipes or other suitable means into the boiler where they are
caused to combine in proper proportions, the heat of chemical combination being
used to heat and evaporate the water into steam, and the products of combustion
being free from solid particles or other detrimental matter are passed into the
steam space of the boiler, whether the combustible gases be conveyed above or
below the water level in the boiler. The pipes which convey, and the holders or
tanks which contain the hydrogen or gas containing a large proportion of free
hydrogen are coated preferably inside with glass or other suitable substance so as
to prevent or check the diffusion through their walls or sides. The hydrogen, or
gas containing a large proportion of free hydrogen, and the air or oxygen or
mixture of air and oxygen are led into the boiler at a higher pressure than the
steam pressure, and as the withdrawal of the gases from the tanks or holders
reduces the pressure in them, this pressure is kept uniform by supplying more
gas to the tanks or arranging the tanks so that the internal volume is decreased
according to the mass of gas withdrawn. Preferably in ships the gases are stored
in large bunkers or holders and are pumped or otherwise led into small tanks where

page_text: they are maintained at a suitably constant high pressure and from there they are
led into the boiler, the supply being regulated by valves.
In using this method of steam production there is no loss of heat by the hot
products of combustion and the necessary superfluous air passing away up flues.
The beat radiated from the flame and hot products of combustion is transmitted to
the steam and water around, the only loss of heat being due to radiation and
conduction from the boiler sides and ends. For marine and other purposes a large
quantity of fuel can be stored in a small space when desired by storing the gases
in holders or bunkers at high pressure.
In order that my said invention and the mode of carrying same into practice
may be properly understood I have hereunto appended a sheet of explanatory
drawings in which the same reference letters are used to indicate corresponding
parts in all the figures shown.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, Figure 2 is a front end view with
half of front plate removed, Figure 3 is a detached sectional elevation and front
view and Figure 4 shows similar views of a modified arrangement from that shown
in Figure 3, of a steam boiler illustrating the application of my improvements
applied thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A and A' are valves to regulate the supply of gases which pass through
pipes A2 and A³ and which combine in combustion chamber B. The flame and
products of combustion pass through tubes B1 and enter the steam space at the
opening B2 C is a valve to regulate the supply of water through tubes C'
into tubes B' through which it flows down towards the combustion chamber B.
The superfluous water is withdrawn by cock C². A is an ignition plug.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 the tubes A2 A³ are connected by
couplings a to branches a screwed into a plug a² which is bolted to a plate a
at front of combustion chamber B, and the plug a² is formed with channels a
to lead the gases from the branches a¹ into combustion chamber B. In the
arrangement shown in Figure 4 the combustion chamber B is formed of a more
directly tapering shape than that shown in Figure 3, and the plug a secured to
plate a at front of chamber B by bolts hinged at a, aud the plate B³ instead of
forming part of combustion chamber B as in Figures 1 and 3, is shown as a separate
plate some distance below it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In generating steam within a boiler or like structure the method of using
hydrogen and air, hydrogen and oxygen, or a gas containing a high per centage of
free hydrogen, substantially as and for the purposes herein described, in reference
to, and by way of application, shown in accompanying drawings.
2. In generating steam as described in Claim 1, the arrangement and use of tubes
through which the gaseous products of combustion flow in combination with a
current of boiler water flowing through said tubes to keep the inner surfaces cool
substantially as herein set forth.
3. In connection with the generation of steam as described in Claim 1 the use of
reservoirs for storing the hydrogen gas, having their inner or outer surfaces lined
or glazed with glass or like silicates for the purpose of preventing the diffusion of
he gas, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 30th day of September 1896
LLEWELLYN WYNN WILLIAMS.