Improvements in Separating Oleaginous or Fatty Matters from Boiler Feed Water or other water.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1894--Accepted, 31st Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Separating Oleaginous or Fatty Matters from
Boiler Feed Water or other water.
We, JAMES WEIR, and GEORGE WEIR, of Holm Foundry, Cathcart, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object the separation of oleaginous or fatty matters
from water supplied to steam boilers, or from other water, in a better, more con-
venient, and more economical manner than heretofore, our improvements not only
rendering the water more completely free from the oleaginous or fatty impurities
but also collecting the matters separated in a manner to allow of their being
utilised.
An important distinguishing feature of our mode of operation consists in having
the impure water in contact with a suitable absorbent material instead of passing it
through a permeable material as in filtering. With oleaginous or fatty impurities
any filtering material becomes rapidly choked and requires frequent cleansing or
renewal involving considerable labor and expense.
In carrying out our invention according to some modifications we arrange any
suitable absorbent material such as materials composed of animal fibres, hair,
sponge, vegetable fibres, wire or thin or granulated metal or mixtures thereof, in a
vessel in a manner such that the impure water may pass over or be otherwise in
contact therewith. The absorbent material may from time to time have the
oleaginous or fatty matters removed from it by squeezing between rollers or
otherwise or by washing with a solvent or other liquid; or steam or other fluid
pressure may be applied periodically to force the oleaginous or fatty matters
through the absorbent material into a receiver or into a space or passage
provided with a discharge outlet, opened only when the matters are being
expelled; or again provision may be made, as hereinafter explained, for continuously
expelling the oleaginous or fatty impurities taken up by the absorbent material.
The absorbent material may be arranged in a variety of ways; the impure
water flowing in a tortuous and elongated course in contact with the absorbent
material. Thus for example vertical, or horizontal, or other layers or webs of the
absorbent material attached to frames or distended between suitable supports, may
be arranged so that the current of water may pass between them alternately in
opposite directions, or metal partitions or deflectors may be arranged to make the
water flow tortuously over an extended surface of the absorbent material.
In apparatus conveniently arranged for treating water under pressure on its
way from feed pumps to a steam boiler, there is a cylindrical casing having
within it a central perforated metal tube on which is wound between end disks
several convolutions of flannel. A helical flange formed or fixed on the inside
of the cylinder is in the space between the cylinder and the outside of the roll
ot flannel, and the impure water entering at one end of the cylinder is made to
Bow in a helical or spiral path in contact with the flannel. The central perforated
tube communicates at one end with an external discharge nozzle fitted with a
regulating valve, and this valve is adjusted to suit the quantity of oleaginous or
fatty matter separated from the water. The internal pressure operating against
the lesser pressure in the perforated tube due to the small opening of the discharge
valve forces the oleaginous or fatty matters through the flannel into the perforated
CD

page_text: tube and thence out through the discharge valve-from which the matters can be
conveniently collected for utilisation.
According to another simple arrangement bundles or quantities of the absorbent
material held in perforated containers are placed inside of a steam boiler,
preferably in positions in which the circulating currents in the boiler tend to carry
the oleaginous or fatty scum, such bundles or quantities being removed through
manholes when considered to be saturated and being replaced by fresh or cleansed
absorbent materials.
Dated this Thirtieth day of May 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Separating Oleaginous or Fatty Matters from
Boiler Feed Water or other Water.
We, JAMES WEIR, and GEORGE WEIR, of Holm Foundry, Cathcart, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers, 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, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object, the separation of oleaginous or fatty
matters from water supplied to steam boilers, or from other water, in a better,
more convenient, and more economical manner than heretofore, our improvements
not only rendering the water more completely free from the oleaginous or fatty
impurities but also collecting the matters separated in a manner to allow of their
being utilised.
An important distinguishing feature of our mode of operation consists in having
the impure water in contact with a suitable absorbent material, instead of passing
it through a permeable material as in filtering. With oleaginous or fatty impurities
any filtering material becomes rapidly choked and requires frequent cleansing or
renewal, involving considerable labor and expense.
In carrying out our invention according to some modifications, we arrange any
suitable absorbent material, such as materials composed of animal fibres, hair,
sponge, vegetable fibres, wire, or thin or granulated metal or mixtures thereof, in a
vessel in a manner such that the impure water may pass over or be otherwise in
contact therewith. The absorbent material may from time to time have the
oleaginous or fatty matters removed from it by squeezing between rollers or
otherwise or by washing with a solvent or other liquid; or steam or other fluid
pressure may be applied periodically to force the oleaginous or fatty matters
through the absorbent material into a receiver or into a space or passage provided
with a discharge outlet, opened only when the matters are being expelled; or again
provision may be made, as hereinafter explained, for continuously expelling the
oleaginous 01 fatty impurities taken up by the absorbent material.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood, we hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to, and showing apparatus for effecting our improvements.
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, of the drawings is a vertical section, and Figure, 2, is a
horizontal section, of one modification of our improved apparatus.
Figure, 3, is a vertical section, and Figure, 4, is a sectional elevation as at right
angles to Figure, 3, of parts hereinafter referred to, and drawn to a larger scale.
Figure, 5, is a horizontal section of a second modification.
Figure, 6, cn Sheet, 2, is a longitudinal section, and Figure, 7, a transverse
section of a third modification.
Figures, 8, and, 9, are respectively end and side elevations showing a fourth
modification as applied inside of a boiler.

page_text: In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The absorbent material may be arranged in a variety of ways; the impure water
flowing in a tortuous and elongated course in contact with the absorbent material.
Thus for example in the apparatus shown in Figures, 1, 2, 3, and, 4, which is
arranged for the boiler feed water to pass through it to feed pumps, layers or
thicknesses of the absorbent material, A, are held between suitable supports, B,
(or they might be attached to frames) inside a vessel, C, provided with inlet and
outlet passages, C 1, and, C 2. These supports, B, consist of bars placed between
the layers or webs of the absorbent material, A, and held by bolts, B 1, passing
through them and the absorbent material. Each layer or thickness of the
absorbent material, A, is further held together, as shown enlarged in Figures, 3,
The
and, 4, by wide-meshed nettings of extra strong wire, D, on each side of it.
current of impure water enters the vessel, C, by the inlet passage, C 1, and flows
alternately in opposite directions between the layers or thicknesses of the
absorbent material, A, adjacent layers or webs having parts cut off alternately at
opposite sides to permit of the water passing from space to space. The water
passes off by the passage, C 2. Or if desired metal partitions or deflectors (not
shown) might be arranged to make the water flow tortuously over an extended
surface of the absorbent material (A).
In the modification shown in Figure, 5, which is suitable for being placed in a
tank through which boiler feed water flows, two lengths of absorbent material, A,
are stretched round vertical rods, E, which have their ends fixed to horizontal
plates, G, the rods being spaced so as to cause the absorbent material, when
stretched, to form a tortuous channel, A 1, through which the impure water flows.
The absorbent material, A, is at its ends securely fixed to brackets or castings, K,
bolted to the plates, G.
In Figures, 6, and, 7, apparatus is shown conveniently arranged for treating
water under pressure as for example, when on its way from feed pumps to a steam
boiler. A cylinder casing, L, is provided having fixed within it a central
perforated metal tube, M, on which is wound between an end disk, N, and the
casing cover, P, several convolutions of flannel, A. A helical flange, R, formed on
the inside of the cylinder, L, forms the space, L 1, between the cylinder and the
outside of the roll of flannel, A, into a helical channel causing the water to flow
through an elongated course in contact with the flannel. The central perforated
tube, M, communicates at one or both ends with external discharge nozzles, S,
fitted with regulating valves, T, adjustable to suit the quantity of oleaginous or
fatty matter separated from the water. The pressure of the water operating against
the lesser pressure in the perforated tube, M, due to the small opening of the
discharge valves, T, slowly forces the oleaginous or fatty matters through the
flannel, A, into the perforated tube, and thence out through the discharge valves,
from which the matters can be conveniently collected for utilisation.
cylindrical casing, L, is fitted with two removable end covers, P, P 1, by means of
which easy access is had to the interior of the casing for cleaning or renewing the
flannel, A.
The
According to another simple arrangement shown in Figures, 8, and, 9, bundles or
quantities of the absorbent material, A, held in perforated containers, V, are placed
inside of a steam boiler, W, preferably in positions in which the circulating currents
in the boiler tend to carry the oleaginous or fatty scum. In the arrangement
shown the containers, V, are supported on stays, W 1, at or about the surface of
the water, and they are provided with removable doors, V 1, for the purposes of
cleansing and renewing the absorbent material, A, the doors being fixed to the
containers by bolts, V 2, passing through straps, V 3, on the doors, and through the
containers, and fixed by cutters, V 4, underneath. The bundles or quantities of
absorbent material, A, or the vessels containing them are removed through manholes
(not shown) in the boiler when considered to be saturated, and are replaced by
fresh or cleansed absorbent materials.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In separating oleaginous or fatty matters from boiler feed water or other
water, causing the impure water to pass in contact with a suitable absorbent
material, by means of apparatus substantially such as is herein before described.
2. The construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting the
apparatus for separating oleaginous or fatty matters from boiler feed water or other
water, substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in Figures, 6, and, 7, of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of February 1894.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.