IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING THE STEAM OF STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Benjamin Sudlow at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1877. A communication
from abroad by William Eli Sudlow, now at the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
BENJAMIN SUDLOW, of Greengate, [Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING THE STEAM OF STEAM ENGINES."
A communication from abroad by William Eli Sudlow, now at the City and State of
New York, United States of America.
The Invention communicated to me relates to employing an apparatus for
condensing the exhaust steam of steam engines by means of a fall of water, which
is made to come through a series of lipped flanges, forming sprays of water which
come in contact with the steam, thereby condensing it, and thus allowing of
dispensing with the air and water pump heretofore employed. For this purpose I
fit in any convenient position a cistern, in which I fix a pipe, leaving a space
between the bottom of the cistern and the end of the pipe; on this pipe is fitted
a series of other pipes to a height of about thirty or thirty-two feet to obtain the
head of the water equal to atmospheric pressure.
On the top of the pipes, which are the condensed water pipes, I fix a vessel or
condenser, having in the interior a series of bevel flanges equal in number to a
series of lipped openings, through which passes the cold water forming sprays of
water, which strike on the bevil flanges.
On the top of the condenser is fitted or formed a branch pipe, to which is fitted
the exhaust steam pipes, and over the branch pipe is formed a flange, on which is
fitted the flange of a cold water pipe, closing the top of the condenser; the cold
water pipe enters the condenser, and the bottom end of the pipe is made with a
rounded flange and with three ribs and bosses; on the bottom end of these bosses
are fitted other bosses formed on a short pipe having two rounded flanges; a series
of these short pipes are employed, forming sectional pipes and a series of lipped
openings; through the bosses are fitted copper bolts for expansion and contraction,
giving more or less force of sprays according to the heat in the condenser.
The bottom-sectional-pipe is fitted with a cover, over which are screwed the nuts-

page_text: securing the sectional pipes together; the lipped flanges of the pipes are a little less
in height than the height of the bosses, leaving small openings forming the lips
through which the cold water passes.
I also construct the sectional pipes with center bosses, having ribs to secure the
bosses to the pipes; through the bosses is passed a bolt securing the pipes together.
Steam coming through the exhaust steam pipes (which are fitted in any suitable
position) arrives through the branch steam pipe in the condenser, coming in contact
with the sprays of water coming through the lipped openings and striking on the
bevil flanges is condensed, and the condensed water falls through the condensed
water pipes in the bottom cistern, to which is fitted a discharge pipe or pipes,
carrying away the condensed water to any required purpose.
I may use for the cold water the town pressure water, or I may employ a small
pump to pump up the cold water. By these means I dispense with the air and
water pump usually fitted to condensers.