Improvements in Steam Generators.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Generators.
We FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB of Chester Place Crewe in the County of Chester
Mechanical Engineer and ARTHUR MOORE THOMPSON of Holly Bank Crewe in
the County of Chester Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction of a type of steam
generator based on the principle of a film or spray of water being brought into
contact with a surface sufficiently heated to at once convert it into steam. Our
improvements consist principally of an improved construction of tube through
which an annular film of water is passed to be converted into steam by the heat
of the tube arrangements being made for the annular space for the water within
the tube to be readily cleared of deposit or incrustation. An improved arrange-
ment of parts by means of which a fine spray of water is formed in a heated
receptacle and an improved arrangement of a pressure reservoir or reservoirs with
pipes and valves in connection with a generator constructed with our improved
tube or spray or combination of both.
We construct our improved tube in the following manner. We take a straight
tube of a diameter and length to suit the size and power of the generator to be
constructed. In the interior of this tube we place a rod of the same length or
nearly so as the tube, or in case the tube be of large diameter to save weight we
substitute a tube with sealed ends for the rod. This rod or tube is made of a
diameter so much less than the inner diameter of the tube in which it is placed
that an annular space is left between the inner circumference of the outer tube
and the outer circumference of the inner tube or rod. We take a number of these
tubes and couple their ends together by means of suitable couplings building
them up in a form the most convenient for heating purposes and so coupling them
that water may be passed through from one end to the other of the system of
tubes built up or as it may be termed in series, or they may be so coupled that
two or more independent routes for the water may be arranged meeting at a
common outlet or as it may be termed in series multiple. By taking off a cap
in connection with the coupling we are able to withdraw the inner rod or tube
and clean away any deposit or incrustation from the annular space and to further
facilitate this removal of incrustation one end of the rod or tube may be formed
as a scraper.
In another form of generator which may be combined with the above or used
separately we employ a fine spray or sprays of water in the interior of a suitably
formed heat chamber or chambers such spray being preferably formed by nozzles
so arranged that a jet of water issuing from one nozzle meets an opposing jet from
another nozzle thus causing the water to be broken up into a fine spray which is
immediately flashed into steam by the heat of the chamber in which it is enclosed.
In combination with our improved generator constructed with tubes or a spray
or sprays as described or both we employ an improved combination consisting
of the usual water supply tank or tanks a pressure reservoir or reservoirs a pump

page_text: or injector or both with pipe connections and valves connecting them suitably
together.
The action of the system or several apparatus combined as described is as
follows:-
The injector or force pump forces water from the supply tank or tanks partially
or wholly to the pressure reservoir or reservoirs or partially or wholly back again
to the supply tank or tanks. From the pressure reservoir or reservoirs it passes
to the generator where it is flashed into steam. The steam thus formed has two
paths provided for it one to the engine and one back again to the pressure
reservoir or reservoirs and these paths are so controlled by a valve that the steam
may pass wholly to the engine wholly to the pressure reservoir or reservoirs or
partially to both as may be desired. By this arrangement we maintain the heat
and pressure in the pressure reservoir or reservoirs.
In obtaining the heat and pressure in the pressure reservoir or reservoirs in the
first place we either charge them from a stationary boiler with hot water under
pressure or we charge with cold water which we cause to circulate through the
generator which is heated for the purpose by means of the force pump which we
work by hand until such time as the necessary heat and pressure is obtained.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1896.
F. W. WEBB.
A: MOORE THOMPSON.
We FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB of Chester Place, Crewe, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer, and ARTHUR MOORE THOMPSON of Holly Bank, Crewe, in
the County of Chester, Mechanical 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction of a type of steam
generator based on the principle of a film or spray of water being brought into
contact with a surface sufficiently heated to at once convert it into steam. Our
improvement consists principally of an improved construction of tube through
which an annular film of water is passed to be converted into steam by the heat
of the tube, arrangements being made for the annular space for water within
the tube to be readily cleared of deposit or incrustation. An improved arrange-
ment of parts by means of which a fine spray of water is formed in a heated
receptacle and an improved arrangement of a pressure reservoir or reservoirs with
pipes and valves in connection with a generator constructed with our improved
tube or spray or combination of both. Figure 1 Sheet 1 is a sectional view of a
portion of our improved tube generator. a is a tube preferably steel of a 'diameter
and length to suit the size and power of the generator to be constructed. In the
interior of this tube we place a rod or tube b of a diameter so much less than
the inner diameter of the tube a that an annular space e is left between the inner
circumference of the outer tube a and the outer circumference of the inner rod
or tube b. When we substitute a tube for the rod the ends cf the tube should
be closed to prevent water or steam entering the interior of the tube. At each
end of the rod or tube b a short length d is of a diameter the same as the inner
diameter of the tube so as to ensure the rod lying in a central position within
the tube, and we form 'on each end a projection e to facilitate the removal of the
rod or tube from the tube. The enlarged end 'd may be so formed as to act as a

page_text: scraper when the rod or tube is withdrawn for the removal of incrustation or
cleaning purposes. We provide a number of these improved tubes as described
and we couple their ends together by means of a coupling for other mechanical
equivalent, this coupling joining the ends of two tubes and being secured to the
tubes by screwed cover nuts g. The tubes so coupled together are built up in
the form most convenient for heating purposes and the coupling together may he
such that water can pass through from one end to the other end of the system
of tubes built up or as it may be termed in series or they may be so coupled that
two or more independent routes for the water may be arranged meeting at a
common outlet or as it may be termed in series multiple.
In another form of generator which may be combined with the above or used
separately we employ a fine spray or sprays of water in the interior of a suitably
formed heat chamber or chambers, such spray being preferably formed by nozzles
so arranged that a jet of water issuing from one nozzle meets an opposing jet
from another nozzle, thus causing the water to be broken up into a fine spray
which is immediately flashed into steam by the heat of the chamber in which it
is enclosed.
Fig. 2 Sheet 1 shows the arrangement, & is a tube of any convenient length and
diameter, into one end is screwed or otherwise secured the nozzles casting j, the
water entering the nozzles at k divides itself into two streams at the point 7 and
is broken up into spray as the two opposing jets meet at the point m, the
tube h being heated by any suitable means; so soonl as the spray
is formed at m it is flashed into steam. The other end of the tube is
closed by a screwed or otherwise secured plug ", this plug having a passage
through it for carrying off the steam formed within the tube. Any suitable
number of these tubes may be coupled together by the couplings o, these couplings
being secured to the plug castings j and n by means of screwed cover nuts p or
other mechanical equivalent.
In combination with our improved generator constructed with tubes or a spray
or sprays or both we employ an improved combination consisting of the usual
water supply tank or tanks, a pressure reservoir or reservoirs, a pump or injector
or both, with pipe connections and valves connecting them suitably together.
Fig. 3 Sheet 1, y is a pump which draws water through the valve g and pipe g³
from the water supply tank r and forces it through the valve through the
pipe to the three-way valve and from this point the water flows according
to the position of the valve y either wholly to the water supply tank, r, wholly
to the pressure reservoirs, or partially to both; s is a valve to prevent water
from flowing back from the pressure reservoirs to the pump. is a pipe leading
from the pressure reservoirs to the generator , is a valve to prevent steam
formed in the generator from passing back to the pressure reservoir through the
pipes, the water passed into the generator is flashed into steam which passes
out through the pipe to the three-way valve , and from this point the steam
passes according to the position of the valve wholly to the pipe which is in
connection with any desired form of steam engine or motor, wholly to the pressure
reservoirs through the pipe or partially to both; a valve to prevents a return
flow from the pressure reservoir to the pipe .
Having now fully 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:-
1st. The construction of water tubes for steam generators by placing in the
interior of one tube a rod or tube of. such a diameter that a small space is left
between the inner circumference of the outer tube and the outer circumference
of the inner tube or rod, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawing.
2nd. The arrangement and construction of a spray generator, substantially as
described and, illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawing.

page_text: 3rd. The arrangement and construction of tubular steam generators, substan-
tially as described and illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawing, combined with a
spray generator as described and illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawing.
4th. The arrangement and construction of tubular steam generators, substan-
tially as described and illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawing, arranged in
combination for working as described and illustrated by Fig. 3 of the drawing,
either with or without the spray generator as described and illustrated by Fig. 2
of the drawing.
5th. The arrangement and construction of steam generators, substantially as
described and illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawing, arranged in combination for
working as described and illustrated by Fig. 3 of the drawing without the arrange-
ment of tubes as described and illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawing.
Deted this 7th day of August 1897
F. W. WEBB,
A. MOORE THOMPSON.