Improvements in Steam Boilers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
Improvements in Steam Boilers.
I, EDWARD REILLY STETTINIUS, of No. 404 East Erie Street, Chicago,
Cook County, Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 improve the Stirling type of boiler by providing
for the passage of water from the front upper drum to the rear upper drum; and
the invention consists in the features and combinations hereinafter described and
clained.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of
an ordinary Stirling boiler provided with my improvement; and Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5
similar views illustrating modifications.
A is the lower mud drum; B B₁ elevated steam and water drums, and B2 an
elevated water drum which in some cases may also be a steam and water drum;
CC and C banks of tubes connecting the elevated drums with the lower muit
drum; and b, and steam and water pipes connecting the several elevated
drums.
As generally constructed, an ordinary Stirling boiler consists essentially of
elevated steam and water drums, a lower mud drum, and banks of tubes connecting
the steam and water drums with the lower mud drum, proper steam and water
communication being also provided between the several elevated steam and water
drums. As the front bank of tubes and the front upper drum are subjected to
the highest heat, the water is hottest in this part of the boiler and of course most
steam is generated therein. In order to induce proper circulation it has been
common to provide for the passage of water back from the front upper drum into
the middle upper drum, and for this purpose suitable pipes communicating with
the water space in each of these drums have generally been employed. In this
way, provision is made for a powerful circulation from the lower mud drum up the
front bank of tubes to the front upper drum, across through the water circulating
pipes to the middle upper drum, down through the middle bank of tubes to the
lower mud drum, and so on in circuit.
It has never been the practice, however, to provide for conducting the mingled
water and steam back from the front upper drum to the rear upper drum so as to
enable it to mingle with the feed water, and again pass down through the rear
bank of tubes into the lower mud dran. On the contrary, it has generally been
considered advisable to have no water communication between the rear upper
drum and the front and middle upper drums, except through the lower mud drum,
and as a result to provide for only a local or secondary circulation in the rear drum
and bank of tubes. In my improvement, however, 1 provide for the circulation
of water from the front upper drum to the rear upper drum, this circulation being
through pipes inside the furnace and outside the middle upper drum or connecting
therewith, so that the circulation is independent of the middle upper drum or
through the same, as desired.
In the form of boiler shown in Fig. 1, I provide for a continuous circulation
down through the rear bank of tubes to the lower mud drum, up through the front
bank of tubes to the front upper drum, across through water circulating pipes to
the rear upper drum, and so on in circuit. I do this by connecting suitable pipes, 62,
to the water spaces of the front and rear upper drums, respectively. These
water pipes may be made to take the place of the water pipes, b', now used to
connect the front and middle upper drums, in which case there will be no direct
communication between the water spaces of the front and middle upper drums; or
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page_text: they may be used in addition to the present water pipes, in which case the water
space of the front upper drum will have direct communication with the water
spaces of the middle and rear upper drums, respectively. In the former case, the
main circulation is up through the front bank of tubes to the front upper drum,
across to the rear upper drum, down through the rear bank of tubes to the lower
mud drum, and so on in circuit; while the local or secondary circulation is in the
middle upper drum and middle bank of tubes. In the latter case, there are two
general circulations, each partaking somewhat of the nature of a main circulation,
but no local or secondary circulation-these terms being used not technically but
in a general sense and to indicate the general course of water in the boiler when
under normal operation.
In Fige. 2, 3, 4 and 5, I have shown various modifications which will be readily
apparent. The most important of these are the use of ordinary circulating pipes
between the rear and middle upper drums, the same as between the front and middle
upper drums, so as to require the passage of water through all the upper drums
(see Fig. 3); and the use of multiple mud drums communicating with each other
(see Fig. 3) or entirely disconnected (see Figs. 4 and 5). Various other changes
or modifications may be made. For instance, more than three upper drums may be
used, in which case I intend the expression "rear upper drum to mean any
elevated drum back of the "middle upper drum"-this latter expression being
used to conveniently designate the drum next or adjacent to the front upper drum ;
and, although it will generally be found advisable to have the water circulating
pipes enter the rear upper drum above the level of the water therein, they may
enter either above or below such water level as desired.
"
As the novel or distinguishing feature of my invention consists in providing for
communication between the water spaces of the front and rear upper drums and
changing the circulation accordingly, it will of course be understood that I do not
intend to limit myself to minor features or details of construction. On the contrary,
I contemplate changing form and construction, omitting parts or using equivalents,
as circumstances may suggest or render expedient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a water tube boiler, the combination of a lower drain or drums, three
elevated drums, banks of tubes connecting the lower drum or drums with
the elevated drums, and a pipe or pipes inside the furnace connecting the front
and rear elevated drums, whereby water may circulate from front to rear,
substantially as deccribed.
2. In a water tube boiler, the combination of a lower drum or drums, them
elevated drums, banks of tubes connecting the lower drum or drums with the
elevated drums, a pipe or pipes inside the furnace connecting the front and
middle elevated drunk, and a pipe or pipes inside the furunce connecting the front
and rear elevated drums, whereby winter may circulate from front to rea
substantially described.
3. In a water tale boiler, the combination of a lower drum or drums, three
elevated drums, banks of tubes connecting the lower drum or drums with the
elevated drums, a pipe or pipes inside the furnace connecting the front and
middle elevated drums, and a pipe or pipes inside the furnace connecting the rear
and middle elevated drums, whereby water may circulate through all the elevated
drums, substantially as described.
Dated thin Och daw of the 100%
EDWARD REILLY STETTINIUS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agent- for the Applicant.