Improvements in Feed Water Puriflers and Heaters for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed Water Puriflers and Heaters for Steam
Boilers.
I, James WillIAMSON, of Gourock, in the County of Renfrew, Scotland,
Superintendent Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in feed water heaters and purifiers and
part is applicable to combined heaters and purifiers while another part is applicable
to purifiers separately.
The object of my invention is to secure the more effective purification of feed
water while at the same time the water is effectively heated to nearly the boiling
point and a very simple and effective construction is obtained. In constructing
my improved feed water heater and purifier I arrange two cylindrical vessels
close to each other and in each vessel I place a coil preferably of copper
tubing, the said tube being of sufficient strength to withstand full boiler pressure
if desired.
I couple the two coils together by external tubing couplings, channeling or other
convenient means and 1 pass steam from the boiler through the coils and discharge
it into the condenser or other convenient outlet, or, if the feed is not sufficiently
heated, after the steam has passed through both sets of coils, it is intended to
have live steam from the boiler passed into the top of each cylinder through the
coils, and to exhaust at the bottom of each into condenser or hot well I couple
the two cylindrical vessels together or cast part of the vessels in such manner as
to form a passage way between the said vessels of sufficient dimensions to contain
my improved filtering arrangements. I preferably arrange this passage way in
rectangular form and supply facings to hold inserted cases containing the materials
to form a filter. These filter cases I preferably insert from the side and apply a
cover suitably bolted to a face to permit of ready access to the filter cases and
allow of their withdrawal.
1 arrange the filter cases with perforated metal plates and place my filtering
material preferably in the order of (1st) gauze wire and haircloth in layers,
(2nd) charcoal bricks, and (3rd) zinc balls."
The two cylindrical vessels are supplied with suitably bolted covers and the
vessels may each be made in two parts when desired and bolted together by
suitable flanges. With the smaller sizes of vessel however I prefer to cast both
in one with connecting rectangular passage below. The vessels are supplied with
suitable drain cocks and a safety valve to avoid undue pressure and suitable eye
bolts are provided for removing the parts.
The feed water is pumped into the first vessel where it comes into contact with
the first coil and is heated to a considerable temperature; it then passes through
the filter, through the wire gauze and hair cloth, then through the charcoal
and lastly through the zinc balls. It is thus thoroughly purified and is then
further heated by the second coil before passing out of the second vessel to the
steam boiler.
Suitable cocks and valves are provided to regulate the inlet of cold or com-
paratively cool feed water and the exit of the hot feed water from the heater and
purifier. A bye pass pipe and valve is sometimes placed between the inlet and
discharge pipes. In the first vessel I prefer to arrange my heating coil of two
diameters of tube; in one heater the first part of the first coil is of 14 inches
diameter tube, the second part of the first coil of 1 inch tube, and the second coil
is af 3 inch diameter tube.

page_text: To prevent the coils from vibrating I arrange spring pieces of suitable metal
which are attached to the interiors of the vessels and press against the coils.
It will be readily understood that the filtering part of my invention may be
applied as a water purifier without the heater.
The invention as described is more particularly intended for marine purposes
but the same arrangement may also be applied to land engines with like good
effects in lengthening the life of boilers by supplying pure water and avoiding the
evils of irregular expansion.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1892.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed Water Purifiers and Heaters for Steam
Boilers.
I, JAMES WILLIAMSON, of Gourock, in the County of Renfrew, Scotland,
Superintendent Marine 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in feed water heaters and purifiers and is
principally applicable to marine boilers where it is highly desirable to purify the
water and heat it before entering into the boiler so as to avoid the wear incident
to bad water and unequal expansion.
The object of my invention is to provide a combined filtering and heating
apparatus so arranged that the filtering material is firmly held in an easily removable
case and the water is heated after filtering by live steam from the boiler or
intermediate cylinder or receiver of the engines.
My invention consists in the apparatus hereinafter described combining the
specified features illustrated in the sheet of accompanying drawings :-
:-
Figure is a vertical section of my combined heater and filter.
Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section of a double filter suitable for combination with my heater.
Figure 4 is also a section of a double filter but here the filters are separable.
Figure 5 is a modification of my invention in which the filter case is arranged to
be more readily removable.
Figure 6 is a separate filter arranged as in Figure 5.
My filter consists of a case A (Figures 5 and 6) having top and bottom perforated
plates held firmly together by a bolt or ring bolt E and contained in a strong
vessel B furnished with a cover C firmly bolted by flanges. The filter case A. is
pressed into place and held home by bolts D in the cover C.
The vessel B has an inlet pipe F fitted with a safety valve P and an exit
branch G bolting to the inlet branch H of a heating vessel I. 1 preferably use
two separate heating vessels respectively I and J with suitable branch connections
as described, and a discharge branch M. These vessels are made in two halves
and are bolted together by flanges at their centres. They contain heating coils N
and through which live steam is passed.
The heaters have blow off' cocks.
It
The feed water for the boiler is pumped into the filter case by way of the pipe F
and it is forced through the filtering material contained in the filter case A.
then passes away through the filter case and enters the first heating vessel J in a
clear condition, passes down it, is heated by the coil N and passes by the
branches G H into the second heating vessel where the water ascends, is further
heated by the coils 00' and passes away by the brauch M to a pipe leading to the
boiler.

page_text: The coils of pipe NO O₁ are heated by live steam or any steam which is
sufficiently hot for the required purpose. It is desirable, however, that the
coils OO in the second vessel be heated with steam at the full boiler pressure in
order that the feed water may enter the boiler at a temperature very nearly the
same as the steam existing in it.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of my filter in which two filter
cases A A' are contained in a strong vessel B which is divided in the middle by a
strong partition and has two covers C C. The filter cases A A' are secured and
pressed home by bolts as in Figure 1. The vessel B (Figure 3) has two apertures,
an inlet G and an outlet F. These inlets and outlets are controlled by suitable
valves as shown.
In this filter case the two filters are in action together and one inlet and one
outlet serves for both filters.
In the filter shown in Figure 4 the strong partition in the middle of the case B
divides the two filters so that they may be separated and allow one filter to be
kept in action while the other is withdrawn for cleaning or overhauling. To allow
of this two inlet valves G G¹ are fitted and two outlet valves F, F¹.
The heater and filter shown in Figures 1 and 2 in section and plan are arranged
similarly to the modification hereinbefore described, but the filter case A is
arranged in a chamber between the vessels J which vessels contain the heating
coils. It is, however, so placed that on taking off the cover C (Figure 2) the
case A with the filtering material can be readily withdrawn so embodying the
advantages of my invention.
In these filters a bye pass is sometimes arranged between the inlet and outlet.
The heating coils are coupled together externally by tubing, couplings,
channelings, or other convenient means. Steam from the boiler is passed through
the coils and discharged into the condenser or other convenient outlet.
If the feed
is not sufficiently heated live steam from the boiler is passed in at the top of each
cylinder I J by the separate coils and the said steam is suitably discharged.
In arranging filtering material in the cases A 1 preferably place it in order of
first wire gauze, second charcoal bricks or other filtering material and third wire
gauze.
It will be readily understood that the
applied as a water purifier without the hea
aring part of my invention may be
as shown at Figure 6 which is lettered
similarly to the other figures in correspon ng parts.
Drain cocks L are supplied when req-red and the safety valves P effectually
prevent over pressure.
The invention as I have hereinbefore stated is more particularly intended for
marine purposes, but the same arrangements may also be applied to land boilers
with like good effects, in lengthening the life of boilers by supplying pure water
and avoiding the evils of irregular expansion.
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. A feed water filter and heater in combination in which the filtering material is
held in an easily removable case slipped into a vessel and pressed home by suitable
bolts which bolts are released when the cover of the vessel is removed so that the
filter case may be at once taken out for cleaning; the filter so arranged being
bolted to a heating vessel containing steam heated coils to which the feed water
passes after filtering substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A feed water heater and filter as claimed in the preceding claim but so
arranged that a double filter is used with connections which permit of one filter
being thrown out of action and removed for cleaning while the other filter continues
in operation substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In feed water purifiers and heaters, the general arrangement and combination

page_text: of parts, constituting the improvements hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
4. In feed water purifiers separately, without heaters, the general arrangement
and combination of parts with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.