Improvements in Means for Condensing the Exhaust Steam of Tramway Engines.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Means for Condensing the Exhaust Steam of
Tramway Engines.
I, NORMAN SCOTT RUSSELL of The Falcon Engine Works 41 Coleman Street
in the City of London Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CONDENSING THE EXHAUST STEAM OF
TRAMWAY ENGINES" to be as follows :—
The object of my Invention is to perfect the condensation of the exhaust Steam
of Tramway Engines so that under all conditions and whether the Engines be
working or not the cooling effect of the air is utilized for the purposes of such
condensation. According to my Invention I employ a nest of tubes or their
equivalents situated on the roof of the Engine or other convenient part thereof
where the said tubes or passages will be exposed to the air and through these tubes
or passages I pass or circulate water to be cooled therein by the cooling effect of
the air and I employ the water so cooled for condensing the exhaust Steam by
passing it into another condenser situated at any convenient part of the Engine
This condenser may be of any suitable kind such as an ordinary jet condenser or a
surface condenser like those used in marine Engines. In this condenser the
water cooled in the first mentioned tubes or passages is utilized for the condensa-
tion of the exhaust steam from the Engine. I may use separate pumps to circulate
the water and to create a vacuum in the condenser or I may use one pump
for both these purposes. These pumps may be operated from any suitable part
of the Engine.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C.,
Agent for the said Norman Scott Russell.

page_text: Improvements in Means for Condensing the Exhaust Steam of
Tramway Engines.
I NORMAN SCOTT RUSSELL of the Falcon Engine Works 41 Coleman Street in
the City of London 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 my Invention is to perfect the condensation of the exhaust Steam
of tramway Engines so that at all times whilst the vehicle is running whether with
or without the consumption of Steam the cooling effect of the air is utilized for the
purpose of such condensation-According to my Invention I employ a nest of
tubes or their equivalents constituting a water cooler and situated on the roof of
the vehicle or at other convenient part thereof where the said cooler will be
exposed to the air and through the cooler I pass or circulate water to be cooled
therein by the cooling effect of the air and I employ the water so cooled for con-
densing the exhaust steam by passing the said water into a condenser situated at
any convenient part of the engine. This condenser may be of any suitable kind
such as an ordinary jet condenser or a surface condenser like those used in marine
engines. In this condenser the water cooled in the before mentioned cooler is
utilized for the condensation of the exhaust steam from the engine. I use a pump
or pumps for circulating the water through the said cooler and condenser. This
pump may be of any suitable kind and either direct acting or centrifugal. I may
use separate pumps to circulate the water and to create a vacuum in the condenser
or I may use one pump for both these purposes. These pumps may be operated
from any suitable part of the engine.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figures 1 and 2 are sections at right angles to each other of apparatus arranged
according to my Invention.
The exhaust steam leaving the cylinder or cylinders or the last of the cylinders (A)
in case the engine is compound (which I prefer) passes by the pipe B and its
branches into the surface condensers C and C which are preferably formed of
copper tubes fixed in brass boxes the outer surface of the tubes of the said con-
densers C and C₁ being entirely covered by cold water contained in the tank I.
In this tank I a double acting pump D is situated its plunger being worked by
means of an eccentric off the axle E this pump D acts on the one side H as an
air pump and draws the air vapour and water from the condensers C C¹ through
the pipes h h and forces them into the tank G and from this tank the water is
pumped into the boiler in the usual way. The opposite side of the pump at F acts
as a circulating pump to circulate, and in the circulation to cool, the water for the
tank I. This circulation is effected by the pump taking the water by the pipes i i
from the highest part of the tank I and forcing it up through the pipe L into the
cooler K on the roof of the vehicle the said water thence passing by the pipe L

page_text: into the tank M and therefrom by the pipe L' back into the tank I. The tanks,
pipes, and tubes, of the circulating system, are all filled with water nearly to the
top of the boxes N which are open at top and admit of the escape of air. By the
foregoing means a constant circulation of the condensing water is maintained and
the cooling effect of the atmosphere is utilized very effectually and the water is
received back into the tank I in a cold condition to rapidly effect the condensation
of the exhaust steam entering the tubes of the condensers C. C¹ and I gain the
advantage of cooling the condensing water continuously and of storing cold water
whilst the engine is going down hill, to use it for condensing the exhaust steam
when the engine is going up hill.
In the tank G there may be provided a pipe P leading therefrom into the
chimney This pipe P is connected with the pipe B there being a weighted valve
at R between the pipes B and P. acting as a safety valve to the condenser as if the
pressure of exhaust steam should exceed the limit for which the valve at R is
weighted the excess of steam will blow off through the said valve and pipe P into
the chimney.
Figures 3 and 4 are sections at right angles to each other of a modified arrange-
ment. In this arrangement the exhaust steam from the cylinder or cylinders or
from the last of compounded cylinders passes by the pipe B into the tank I
meeting the cooled condensing water entering the tank I by the pipe L. The
pump D worked from the axle E draws the water from the tank I by the inlets i i
into the valve chamber F and thence forces it by the pipe L into the tank M and
thence by the pipe L' into the cooler K through which it passes (being therein
subjected as in the former example to the cooling effect of the atmosphere playing
around the said tubes) and returns by the pipe L2 into the tank I. P is a pipe
which may if required be provided to admit of excess steam and air passing froin
the tank I into the smoke box, but if this be used there will of course be no
vacuum in the condenser I.
Water from the tank I is taken by the pipe 8 to feed
the boiler in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that wliat
I claim is
First. In Tramway engines the combination of a condenser and cooler the latter
continuously cooling water for use in the former a pump or purups being used for
maintaining circulation through both cooler and condenser substantially as herein-
before described.
Second. In Tramway engines the system of circulating tanks pipes and tubes
arranged and combined together and with a pump to cause circulation of con-
densing water or of condensing water and water of condensation therein substau-
tially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Third. For condensing exhaust steam of tramway engines an arrangement and
combination of parts substantially as herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. For condensing exhaust steam of tramway engines the arrangement and
combination of parts substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.