Improved Apparatus for Heating and Evaporating Water and Condensing Steam.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Heating and Evaporating Water and
Condensing Steam.
We, JOHN WOTHERSPOON, Engineer, of Rossbank, Forest Hill, in the County
of Kent, and JAMES DAVIE, Engineer, of 5, Albert Drive, Crosshill, Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :- -
This invention relates to improved apparatus for heating and evaporating water
and coudensing steam, and is illustrated on the accompanying drawings, on
which,-
Fig. 1, represents in end elevation (having the end door removed) a horizontal
arrangement of the apparatus, applied as an evaporator for making up from salt
sea water the loss of fresh feed water by marine boilers at sea, showing the internal
arrangement.
Fig. 2, represents the same in longitudinal sectional elevation on the line a. b.
Fig. 3, represents, in sectional elevation, a vertical arrangement of the apparatus,
applied as above mentioned, the top cone of the steam worm being shown in section
and the bottom cone thereof in elevation.
Fig. 4, represents a partial view of the same in plan, partly in section.
Fig. 5, represents, in sectional elevation, a vertical arrangement of the apparatus
applied as a feed-water heater, heated by exhaust steam from a non-condensing
engine, and,
Fig. 6, represents a sectional plan of the same on the line c. d.
Like reference numerals indicate like parts wherever they are repeated on the
accompanying drawings.
Referring, firstly, to the horizontal arrangement represented in Figs. 1 and 2,
the apparatus is made with a cylindrical shell 7, and with closing end plates 8, 9,
all made preferably of wrought iron or mild steel, the back end of the shell being
flanged outwards and riveted to the end plate 8, and its other end having a ring 10,
of any suitable section riveted to it, forming a flange to which the end door 9, is
bolted, so that upon the bolts being removed the door can be easily removed to
allow the worm 11, and other enclosed parts of the apparatus to be examined, scaled
and cleaned without disconnecting the joints of the worm or any other part of the
apparatus than the connection of such door plate to a stay bar 12.
The steam-heating worm 11, is preferably made of a solid drawn brass tube
(though it may be made of any other suitable metal) conically coiled, as represented;
by which arrangement the greatest possible heating efficiency is obtained without
priming, as the globules of steam are enabled to rise freely from each coil to the
surface, another advantage being that the coil is easily got-at for cleaning, these
being points which are of primary importance in apparatus of the nature aforesaid.
The worm 11, is bolted by flanges 13, 14 to the end plate 8, which allows the
worm to expand freely. Steam is admitted to the worm and regulated by a
valve 15, and the drain from the worm is regulated by a cock or valve 16, and is or
may be led into the hot well of the main engines by a pipe 17. The vapour rising
from the salt water is collected by a slit-pipe 18, provided with a regulating
valve 19, and is led by a pipe 20, into the bottom of the main condenser or into the
hot well, or may be led into a separate condenser and filter to make potable water
for drinking and cooking purposes.
The inlet feed water is supplied to the apparatus by a pipe 21, under the
regulation of a valve 22, which is controlled by a ball or float lever 23, pivoted
at 24. When the vapour is led into the main condenser, the sea water is evaporated

page_text: under a partial vacuum and the supply will flow into the evaporator from main
circulating discharge by gravitation, being regulated by the ball or float lever and
valve 22, the valve being kept open when the water is at its normal level and being
closed by the buoyancy of the ball if the water rises.
Referring, next, to the vertical arrangement represented in Figs. 3 and 4,
substantially identical parts are used to those already described but are somewhat
differently arranged.
The
The worm 11, is made of a continuous double conical formation arranged as
represented, and the steam inlet thereto and the drain outlet therefrom are bolted
by flanges 13, 14, to a bottom end plate 8, supported on cast iron stools 25.
shell 7, is provided with a domed top 9, fitted with an eye 26, and is removably
secured to the plate 8, being rivetted to an angle ring 10, which is bolted to the
plate 8.
By such arrangement, facility is afforded, upon removing the bolts connecting
the shell to the plate 8, and lifting the shell by means of the eye 26, so as to leave
the worm and all enclosed parts fully exposed,-for examining, cleaning, and
scaling the coil and all enclosed parts without disturbing the steam or drain pipe
joints of the coil.
In the vertical arrangement represented in Figs. 5, and 6, provision is made for
evaporating the salt water, when the apparatus is used for such purpose, or for
heating the feed water of non-condensing engines, when the apparatus is used
for such purpose, by exhaust or waste steam, by means of a series of independent
conically coiled worms 11, each receiving steam from and draining into a common
exhaust pipe 27, receiving steam from the exhaust pipe of the connected engine.
The pipe 27, is cast, of the form represented, integral with the bottom plate 8,
to which the shell 7, is bolted as described with reference to the arrangement
illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The inlet and outlet ends of the worms 11, are bolted
by flanges 13, 14, to the upper part of the pipe 27, as represented and depend into
the through-way thereof. At the inlet ends, such depending extensions are flared
or made bell-mouthed as at 11ª, facing the direction of flow of the exhaust steam,
and the outlet ends are reversely placed as at 11b, so as to cause the flow of the
exhaust along the pipe 27, to tend to cause a partial vacuum in the worms 11,
whereby steam is induced to enter the flared ends of the worms and to circulate
therethrough.
By such arrangement, the amount of steam required to heat the feed water will
be induced to circulate through the worms, without causing any back pressure on
the piston of the engine due to friction, as would be caused by forcing the whole
amount of steam through the heating surface or is usual in this class of
apparatus.
When such apparatus is used as an evaporator, the shell 7, is fitted with water
supplying details 21, to 24, and with vapour exit details 18 to 20, as hereinbefore
described with reference to the arrangements represented in Figs. 1 to 4, and when
it is used as a feed-water heater, as represented, the water to be heated enters
at 28, and the heated water finds exit at 29.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus of the nature aforesaid, the application of steam worms of the
conical form or forms hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. In such apparatus, the application, in combination, of a fixed carrying plate
and of a conically coiled worm bolted thereto and provided at the inlet and outlet
ends with controlling details, substantially as described.
3. In such apparatus, the application, in combination, of a fixed carrying plate
formed integral with a curved exhaust steam pipe, and of one or a series of conically
coiled worms bolted to such pipe and opening thereinto with flared ends facing the

page_text: inlet thereof and with exit ends directed to the outlet thereof, substantially as
described.
4. In such apparatus, the combination of the feed water regulating details 21
to 24.
5. The arrangement of apparatus herein before described with reference to Figs. 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The arrangement of apparatus herein before described with reference to Figs. 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The arrangement of apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 5
and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of May 1893.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.