Improvements in and relating to Evaporative Surface Condensers.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Evaporative Surface Condensers.
We, GEORGE HOOкHAм, of New Bartholomew Street, Birmingham, and EDWARD
JONES AND KYNOCH LTD., Manufacturers, both of Lion Works, Witton, near the
City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of steam condenser in which the steam
to be condensed is passed through a series of pipes upon whose outer surfaces
water impinges. The evaporation of the water from these outer surfaces causes
the rapid condensation of the exhausted steam with a very small water supply
as compared with other forms of condensers.
The invention consists generally of a particular section and construction of
pipe applicable to the series of tubes used in this type of condenser, the new
section and construction giving increased cooling surface for a given area of
pipe and affording special facilities for the regulated flow of water from one
tube to another. The invention further consists in covering the pipes with coarse
canvas or netting in order to increase the evaporating surface and assist in
producing a uniform water film with a minimum of water supply.
In carrying the first part of our invention into effect we provide a tube of
approximately heart shaped transverse section, and this tube we form from a
specially rolled thin sheet of metal, the said sheet having the flat surface on
one side corresponding with the inner surface of the tube, and having a ribbed
corrugated surface on the other side corresponding to the outer surface of the
tube. These ribs or corrugations are rolled transversely and the pipe is bent
round upon suitable rollers arranged with flat and ribbed surfaces to receive
the sheet. The sheet is bent by these rollers and any additional mechanism
or tools required into a heart shaped section of pipe and is rivetted or welded
together at the acute end of the heart, while the indented portion immediately
above is formed in the bending of the sheet.
The pipe is thus constructed with one longitudinal seam passing along its
entire length, and in constructing a condenser with series of tubes of this section
into which the exhaust steam is passed the rivetted or welded portion of the
section is placed at the bottom and thus forms a channel in which the condensed
water runs, while the indented portion of the heart shaped. section forms a
longitudinal edge tending to assist the formation of water drops from the steam
as it condenses and guiding it to fall underneath.
In a pipe of this section the condensing surface for a given area when com-
pared with the ordinary cylindrical pipe gives an increase of 30% and thus a
smaller and lighter condenser could be built giving the same results. Again the
transverse ribs or corrugations on the outer surface of the pipe catch the water
whether in fine spray or not and also increase the exposed surface. In con-
Odensers of this class of the ordinary construction the spray driven by currents
of air against cylindrical banks of tubes does not after impinging retain sufficient

page_text: hold of the pipes and the corrugations on the outer surface of the heart shaped
pipes are intended to remedy this defect.
The pipes may be constructed of any suitable metal though it is preferred
to manufacture them of sheet iron and rivet malleable iron connecting flanges
on their ends, the whole afterwards being galvanized. It is to be understood
however that cast pipes of this section may be employed without departing from
the subject of the present invention, and further that this particular section
and construction of the pipes is applicable to any form of evaporative surface
condensers in which the exhaust steam contained in the tubes is condensed by
the impinging of water on their outer surfaces and its consequent evaporation.
In carrying the second part of our invention into effect we cover the tubes
constructed as described above with coarse canvas or netting preferably drawn
tight over the heart shaped pipe and fastened by a longitudinal clip or plate.
We may apply our canvas covering to tubes for condensers when the section is
of other than heart-shape.
STI
Maan
April 1898.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
.
Improvements in and relating to Evaporative Surface Condensers.
We, GEORGE HOOKHAM, of New Bartholomew Street, Birmingham, and EDWARD
JONES AND KYNOCH LTD., Manufacturers, both of Lion Works, Witton, near the
City of Birmingham, 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: —
This invention relates to that class of steam condenser in which the steam
to be condensed is passed through a series of pipes upon whose outer surfaces
water impinges. The evaporation of the water from these outer surfaces causes
the rapid condensation of the exhausted steam with a very small water supply
as compared with other forms of condensers.
The invention consists generally of a particular section and construction of
pipe applicable to the series of tubes used in this type of condenser, the new
section and construction giving increased cooling surface for a given area of
pipe and affording special facilities for the regulated flow of water from one
pipe to another. The invention further consists in covering the pipes with coarse
canvas or netting in order to increase the evaporating surface and assist in
producing a uniform water film with a minimum of water supply.
The accompanying sheets of drawings illustrate the means employed to carry
the invention into effect as follows:-
Figure 1 is a section through a metal sheet from which the condenser pipes
can be formed.
Figure 2 is a transverse section through a condenser pipe formed from sheet
metal.
Figure 3 is a transverse section through a condenser pipe formed from cast
metal.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the improved pipes in place
as one bank or set of an ordinary evaporative condenser.

page_text: Figure 5 illustrates the application of the improved canvas or network coating
to the pipes.
Figure 6 is a transverse section through three pipes showing one method of
cooling water distribution.
In carrying the invention into effect, tubes or pipes A having the improved
approximately heart shaped section are provided as clearly shown in Figures 2,
3, and 6. These tubes or pipes are preferably constructed as in Figure 2 of a
specially rolled thin sheet of metal, a section through which in the direction of
the pipes length is shown at Figure 1. This sheet has ribs or corrugations
formed on the side a which corresponds with the outer surface of the pipe while
the other side forming the inner surface of the pipe is rolled flat. These ribs
or corrugations are rolled transversely and the pipe is bent round upon suitable
rollers arranged with flat and ribbed surfaces to receive the sheet. The sheet
is bent by these rollers and any additional tools or mechanism required into a
heart shaped section of pipe as in Figure 2 and is rivetted together at the acute
end c, a caulking strip being sometimes interposed. The pipe may be rivetted
without a caulking strip or it may be fastened by other means such as welding
or brazing. In constructing the pipe an indented part e is formed immediately
above the acute end c.
The pipe thus constructed has one longitudinal seam passing along its entire
length and in constructing a condenser with banks of pipes of this section into
which the exhaust steam is passed the rivetted or welded portion c is placed at the
bottom and forms a channel f in which the condensed water runs, while the
indented portion e on the pipes interior forms a longitudinal edge tending to
assist the formation of water drops from the steam as it condenses and guiding it
to fall into the channel. The ribs g run transversely round the exterior of the
pipes and usually a small interrupted channel or depression h is formed between
each pair of ribs and opposite the inner edge e. It is to be understood that the
pipes or tubes may be constructed of any suitable metal though it is preferred
to manufacture them of sheet iron and rivet malleable iron connecting flanges
on their ends, the whole afterwards being galvanized. It is further to be under-
stood that cast pipes of this section and of any metal may be employed without
departing from the subject of the present invention and Figures and C illus-
trate such sections in cast iron, similar letters indicating similar parts to the
section described with reference to Figure 2.
A diagrammatic end elevation of one set or bank of tubes of an evaporative
condenser built up from the improved section is shown at Figure 4 and in part
detail at Figure 6. The steam exhausts into the large pipe or receiver B and
from there zig-zags through the pipes A A and their connecting elbows C finally
into the receiver D communicating with the air pump and hot well. Each pipe A
is arranged with its external ribs g midway between the ribs of the adjacent
pipe as shown in Figure 4 and with the one pipe vertically over the other as
shown in Figure 6. The condensing water is sprayed from an overhead pipe E
from perforations preferably between each set of ribs g and it fills up the small
depressions and overflows in a film the outer surface of the top pipe A;
dropping downwards from pipe to pipe and finally into any suitable tank or
receiver. By this means of water distribution and owing principally to the
particular section of pipe the exhaust steam is rapidly and efficiently condensed.
The relative arrangement of one pipe to another or the point of spraying.
dropping the water upon the pipes may be varied in many ways from the con-
denser last described. The transverse ribs or corrugations on the outer surface
of the pipe catch the water whether in fine spray or not and also increase the
exposed surface. In condensers of this class of the ordinary construction the
spray driven by currents of air against cylindrical banks of tubes does not after
impinging retain sufficient hold of the pipe and the corrugations or ribs on the
outer surface of the heart shaped pipes assist in removing this defect.
or
Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates an addition to the means hereinbefore

page_text: described of retaining the water film upon the pipes and also increasing the
evaporating surface. Coarse canvas or netting G is drawn over each length of
heart shaped pipe such as A and fastened in position by any suitable clip or
plate such as the longitudinal clip H. This canvas work or netting may be
applied to tubes of other section employed in condensers of this class.
Pipes having the particular section "hereinbefore described may be used with
or without external ribs, and may be rolled, drawn, cast or otherwise produced
and applied to any form of evaporative surface condenser in which the exhaust
steam contained in the pipes is condensed by the impinging of water on their
outer surfaces and its consequent evaporation and all without departing from
the subject of the present invention.
A further advantage of the heart shaped section is that the condensing surface
for a given area when compared with the ordinary cylindrical pipe gives an
average increase of 30%, and thus a smaller and lighter condenser could be
built giving the same results.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In evaporative surface condensers a condensing pipe or pipes of approxi-
mately heart shaped section substantially as described.
2. In evaporative surface condensers a condensing pipe or pipes of approxi-
mately heart shaped section with a smooth interior condensing surface and a
ribbed or corrugated exterior cooling surface substantially as described.
3. In evaporative surface condensers covering the condensing pipe or pipes
with coarse canvas or network substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described.
4. The evaporative surface condenser constructed and operating substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figures 4 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
1
1990.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.