Improvements in and relating to Means for Utilizing the Waste Heat from Steam-boiler Furnaces for Heating Air for Use in the Furnaces and in Jackets or Casings around the Engine- cylinders.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr.. 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Means for Utilizing the Waste
Heat from Steam-boiler Furnaces for Heating Air for Use in
the Furnaces and in Jackets or Casings around the Engine-
cylinders.
I, CHARLES BERRY PHILLIPS, of Bonsecure, Harrow, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as.
follows
My invention relates to steam-boilers or generators and to engines used in
connection therewith, and is designed to provide improved means for utilizing the
heat of the waste gases or products of combustion which escape from the furnaces:
through the chimney or funnel.
For this purpose 1 proceed as follows, viz. :-I arrange in the funnel or uptake
of the generator a chamber of suitable dimensions through which extend a number
of tubes, and I provide for drawing or forcing atmospheric air through this
chamber so that it will be heated by contact with the extended area of heating
surface afforded by the said tubes, through which the waste gases or products of
combustion pass on their way from the furnaces. I also provide for forcing the
air thus heated into the space above or beneath or above and beneath the grate-
bars of the furnaces for the purpose of promoting the combustion therein. In
some instances I pass the air heated as above mentioned, through a jacket or casing
surrounding the engine-cylinders before introducing it into the furnaces.
By my invention therefore a two-fold purpose can be served, i.e. the introduction
of an air draught or blast at a high temperature into the boiler-furnaces, so that
there will be less loss of heat and a more uniform and greater heat in the furnaces
and combustion-chambers, whereby a saving of fuel will be effected, and also the
passing of such hot air or blast through the cylinder-jackets or casings prior to
utilizing it in the furnaces; by this means the cylinders are kept at a high
temperature, thus saving loss of power by condensation of the steain and loss of
expansive force. A greater amount of power than heretofore will therefore be
ubiained from the steam.
The said jackets or casings are preferably made to include the cylinder-covers
and valve-casings.
My said invention is applicable to engines and boilers either for land or marine
purposes. In applying my improvements to marine engines and boilers of the
ordinary type (though the same can be applied to other types, such as tubular or
water-tube boilers), I construct the boiler in the usual manner, but in the uptake I
arrange a case or chamber provided with a number of tubes through which the
waste gases are conducted; through the spaces between the tubes I circulate a current
or draught of air, taken in at one point through a valve or opening in the chamber
and expelled at another opening; the heated air is conducted, by means of a pipe
or pipes, into the cylinder-jackets of the engine and circulated around the cylinders.
The hot air is then conducted through suitable pipes into the boiler-furnaces, the
ordinary atmospheric air being excluded from such furnaces by means of tightly
fitting doors, which can be readily opened for admitting fuel and cleaning the fires,
but which are preferably so arranged that, on opening these doors the blast shall

page_text: be automatically shut off, should the attendant or stoker have omitted previously to
shut it off. The circulation of the air is effected by means of pumps, fans or
blowers attached to the engine and worked thereby, or worked by a separate
engine if considered desirable, which fans or blowers are sometimes arranged to
force instead of draw the air through the said chamber.
The air can in some cases, if so desired, be passed through the chamber and
forced by the blowing cylinder or fan directly into the furnaces, without first
making the circuit of the cylinder-jackets.
One or more of the said heating chambers can be used in the uptake if desired
and it may be advisable that each furnace and its connection be kept separate until
the waste gases and smoke have entered a considerable distance into the funnel,
thus obviating any possibility of. there being a back draught from one furnace into
another when the door of the other furnace is opened.
In the case of land engines using the ordinary type of Cornish or Lancashire
boilers, I place the heating chamber in any convenient position in the flues. In
the case of tubular or water-tube boilers, either for land or marine purposes,
I place the said chamber in the most convenient position so as to absorb the
greatest amount of heat from the waste gases. As a better means of keeping up
the internal temperature of the low-pressure cylinder, as, for example, in the
marine type of triple-expansion engine, (for in this cylinder the greatest loss in
power of the steam is observed, owing to the condensation) it may be found
advisable to use one end of such cylinder as a blowing cylinder to draw in and
blow out the air, thereby obtaining the greatest heat in the walls or sides of the
cylinder. For this purpose I find it advantageous to attach to the upper side of
the low-pressure piston a hollow trunk which works upon a fixed or stationary
piston, thus forming a pump.
I find it advantageous to make the furnace-doors hollow and to circulate water
through the same for the purpose of keeping them cool. And I prefer to hinge
the doors at the top and to arrange them so that, when closed, they will rest
against inclined pieces projecting from the furnace-front in such a manner as to
preclude the entrance of air except such as is introduced as a heated blast.
Dated the 29th day of Jule 1895
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Means for Utilizing the Waste
Heat from Steam-boiler Furnaces for Heating Air for Use in
the Furnaces and in Jackets or Casings around the Engine-
cylinders.
I, CHARLES BERRY PHILLIPS, of Bunsecure, Harrow, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 steam-boilers or generators and to engines used in
connection therewith, and is designed to provide improved means for utilizing the
heat of the waste gases or products of combustion from the furnaces before the
same escape through the chimney or funnel.
For this purpose I proceed as follows, that is to say :-I draw or force atmospheric
air through a chamber of suitable dimensions arranged in the funnel or uptake of
the generator, and having a number of tubes extending through it, through which

page_text: the waste gases or products of combustion pass on their way from the furnaces, so
that such air will be heated by contact with the extended area of heating surface
afforded by the said tubes. The air thus heated I cause to circulate through a
jacket or casing surrounding the engine-cylinders and 1 then conduct it into the
furnaces to support the combustion therein.
By my invention therefore a two-fold purpose is served, viz. :-the passage of a
current or draught of air at a high temperature through the cylinder-jackets or
casings of the engine so as to keep the cylinders at a high temperature and save
loss of power by condensation of the steam and loss of expansive force, and also the
introduction of a blast or draught of heated air into the boiler-furnaces so that
there will be less loss of heat and a more uniform and greater heat in the furnaces
and combustion chambers, whereby a saving of fuel will be effected. A greater
amount of power than heretofore will therefore be obtained from the steam.
My said invention moreover comprises other improvements hereinafter set
forth.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice:
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating the application
of my invention to a marine engine and boiler.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the said boiler.
Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal and transverse sectional views respectively,
illustrating another arrangement or modification of my apparatus,
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating a further modification of my
invention, and
Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation illustrating a still further modification
thereof.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is the heating chamber arranged in the uptake of the boiler; through this
chamber extend tubes 6 fixed in tube-plates e, through which tubes the gaseous
products of combustion pass on their way from the smoke-box d to the funnel e.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, air is forced by means of the fan
or blower into the chamber a, in which it passes between the tubes 6 and beneath
a baffle-plate g, and is highly heated, and whence the heated air is conducted by a
pipe into a casing or jacket j surrounding the engine-cylinders and their valve-
chests. After circulating around the cylinders, the heated air from the jacket j
passes through the pipe k into the furnaces. The said pipe k is provided with
branches k, k, for supplying heated air to the space above the fire-bars, and to the
ash-pits of the boilers respectively. I provide air-valves or dampers 1, 1, in the
pipes k, k, whereby I am enabled to regulate the combustion in the furnace or
furnaces and thus obtain the most economical results.
The pipes are provided with swivel-joints so that they can be turned aside to
permit the opening of the fire-doors. In some instances I make the said swivel-
joints in the form of valves so that the swinging back of either of the said pipes
to permit the opening of the corresponding door, will effect the shutting off of the
air-supply to the corresponding furnace.
One or more of the said heating chambers can be used in the uptake as desired,
and it may be advisable to keep each furnace and its connection separate until the
waste gases and smoke have entered a considerable distance into the funnel, thus
obviating any possibility of there being a back draught from one furnace into
another when the door of the other furnace is opened.
I find it advantageous to make the furnace-doors m hollow as indicated in
Figures 1 and 2, and to circulate water through the same for the purpose of keeping
them cool; for this purpose I connect with the said doors m a water supply-pipe n.
and I provide each door with a waste pipe p. The doors m are hinged at the top
and are so arranged that, when closed, they will rest against inclined pieces q pro-
jecting from the furnace front, in such a manner as to preclude the entrance of air
except such as is introduced as a heated blast in the manner above described.

page_text: In Figures 3 and 4 I have shown an arrangement in which induced draught is
employed. In this case the products of combustion are drawn from the sinoke-
box d and through the tubes b in the chamber a by means of an exhaust-fan f,
whereby they are discharged into the funnel e. The air to be heated enters the
chamber a through an opening », and passes therefrom through the pipe / into the
cylinder-jackets and is circulated around the cylinders including the cylinder-covers
and valve-casings. The hot air is then conducted through the pipes k, k', k³ into
the boiler-furnaces, the ordinary atmospheric air being excluded, at will, from such
furnaces by means of tightly-fitting doors; the said doors are so arranged that they
can be readily opened for admitting fuel and cleaning the fires, and are preferably
provided with means whereby, on opening the doors, the blast will be automatically
shut off, should the attendant or stoker have omitted previously to shut it off.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 5 I use the pipe has a casing or jacket
surrounding the steam-pipe s; I thus provide for utilizing the heated air from the
chamber a for superheating or drying the steam before it enters the cylinders, as
well as for heating the cylinders.
The fans either for forced or induced draught may be driven either by the main
engine or by an auxiliary engine.
It is evident that I can, if desired, arrange the tubes in the heating chamber
horizontally or at any suitable angle of inclination instead of vertically as shown.
In the case of land-engines using the ordinary type of Cornish or Lancashire
boilers, I place the heating chamber in any convenient position in the flues. In
the case of tubulous or water-tube boilers, either for land or marine purposes,
I place the said chamber in the most convenient position so as to absorb the
greatest amount of heat from the waste gases.
As a better means of keeping up the internal temperature of the low-pressure
cylinder, for example, in the marine type of triple expansion engine (for in this
cylinder the greatest loss in power of the steam occurs, owing to the condensation),
I sometimes use one end of such cylinder as a blowing cylinder to draw in and
blow out the air, thereby obtaining the greatest heat in the walls or sides of the
cylinder. For this purpose I find it advantageous to attach to the upper side of
the low-pressure piston a hollow trunk which works upon a fixed or stationary
piston, thus forming a pump.
The
In the arrangement shown in Figure 6, the low-pressure piston t is provided on
its upper side with a hollow trunk u working in a stuffing-box v' in the cylinder
cover e. A fixed or stationary piston e is fitted in the trunk u and is supported by
a bridge-piece w¹ and rod w² attached to the top of the cylinders or to the frame of
the engine. The pipe is divided into two parts h, h', the adjacent ends of which
are connected to apertures w³, w formed for this purpose in the stationary piston w
and provided with valves y, y¹ opening in opposite directions as shown.
trunk u and piston w, therefore, form a pump which, during the downward stroke of
the piston t and trunk u, draws the heated air into the space beneath the stationary
piston w through the pipe h and valve y and on the upward stroke of the said
piston t and trunk u, forces such heated air through the valve y¹ and pipe h¹ into
the cylinder-jacket j, whence it is conducted to the boiler-furnaces as above
described. In this case, the steam admitted to the annular space in the cylinder
above the piston t can be utilized in the usual manner for driving the engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The improved method of utilizing the waste heat from steam-boiler
furnaces, consisting in circulating air heated thereby through jackets or casings
surrounding the engine-cylinders (with or without passing it through a jacket or
casing surrounding the steam-pipe), and then conducting such air into the furnaces,
substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before described.
Second. The combination, with an engine and boiler, of an air-heating chamber

page_text: in the uptake of the boiler, a pipe connecting the outlet of the said chamber with
a jacket or casing surrounding the engine-cylinders, and a branched pipe provided
with valves or dampers, for conducting the air from the said jacket or casing into
the boiler-furnace or furnaces, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The use of swivelled pipes for conducting the heated air to and through
holes in the furnace-doors, which pipes can be swung aside to permit of the opening
of the doors (with or without means for simultaneously shutting off the air-supply),
substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fourth. The combination, with the piston of the low-pressure cylinder, of a
hollow trunk attached thereto and working upon a fixed or stationary piston or the
like for the purpose of circulating the heated air, substantially as, and for the
purposes, above specified.
Dated the 27th dow of Ail 1906
CHAS. B. PHILLIPS.
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.