Improvements in Feed-water Purifiers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed-water Purifiers.
1 JOHANN FRIEDRICH AUGUST SCHNARRENDORF, of Hamburg, Germany, Engineer
on board S.S. " Daphne" of the Kingsin Line, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in feed water purifiers, and the object of the
same is to provide means for separating the oil and other substances from the water
expelled from the condenser, and particularly of the condensed steam from a surface
condenser of a steam engine, before feeding said water back into the boiler.
For this reason, the feed water sought to be separated from the oily matter carried
with it, is conducted into a vessel which communicates close to its bottom with a
second vessel from which the water is conducted to the feed pumps or like feeding
devices.
These vessels are preferably so arranged that the water may be discharged from the
condenser by its gravity near to the bottom of the first vessel through a pipe which
is bent upright, within the latter. At its upper open end, this conducting pipe is
trumpet-shaped, and its mouth is situated at a higher level than the upper edge of the
opening forming the communication between the said two vessels.
The trumpet mouth of the said conducting pipe serves for the reception of a
correspondingly formed cone provided with a number of helicoidal blades occupying the
annular space between the said cone and the wall of the mouth. By these means,
the water expelled from the condenser receives a whirling motion above the level of
the month of the said conducting pipe, which causes such impurities as are of greater
specific gravity to be thrown towards the walls of the first collecting vessel, and to
settle at the bottom of the same, while the specifically lighter parts are kept at the
middle of the vessel above the said trumpet mouth. The purified water, however,
will be admitted constantly into the second collecting vessel, from which, it is drawn
by the feed pumps.
The oil and grease which are retained in the first of the said collecting vessels
may he periodically drawn off by convenient means.
The apparatus described may be connected with the condenser and the feed pumps
through the medium of three-way cocks and suitable pipes, in such a manner that it
may be put out of operation at any moment, the water at the same time being
allowed to discharge directly into the suction pipes of the pumps.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1890.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed-water Purifiers.
I, JOHANN FRIEDRICH AUGUST SCHNARRENDORF, of Hamburg, Germany, Engineer
on S.S. "Daphne" of the Kingsin Line, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in feed-water purifiers, and the object of the
same is to provide means for separating the oil and other substances from the water
expelled from the condenser, and particularly of the condensed steam from a surface
condenser of a steam engine, before feeding said water back into the boiler.

page_text: I attain this object by the apparatus mustrated in
which—
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the improved apparatus shewn in connection with the
condenser of
steam engine.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the apparatus in connection with the pipes coming
from the condenser and leading back to the feed pumps of the boiler.
Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, vertical and horizontal sections of a modification of
the aforesaid apparatus.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.
The feed-water sought to be separated from the oily matter carried with it, is
conducted into a vessel a, which communicates close to its bottom through a passage k
with a second vessel b, from which the water is conducted to the feed pumps or like
feeding device.
These vessels a, b, are, preferably, arranged so that the water may be discharged
from the condenser by its gravity near to the bottom of the first vessel a through a
pipe cf which is bent upright within the latter. The upper end of this conducting
pipe is situated at a higher level than the upper edge of the opening k forming the
communication between the said two vessels a and b.
The mouth of this conducting pipe f may either be trumpet-shaped only or it may
be fitted with an internal cone (Fig. 2) of corresponding contour and provided
with a number of helicoidal blades occupying the annular space between said
cone and the wall of the mouth of the pipe f, or it may be covered by a cap from
which extend a number of helicoidally bent tubes 1, 3, 8, (Figs. 3 and 4) as will
be hereinafter described. By these means, the water expelled from the condenser
receives a whirling motion above the level of the mouth of the conducting pipe f, or
of the pipes ',,, which causes such impurities as are of greater specific gravity
to be thrown towards the walls of the collecting vessel a, and to settle at the bottom
of the same, while the specifically lighter oily parts are kept at the middle of the
vessel a above the trumpet mouth f, or the mouth of said tubes 1, 2, 3. The
purified water, however, will be admitted constantly through the opening k into
the collecting vessel b, from which it flows through a three-way cock g towards the
'feed pumps.
When employing the helicoidally bent tubes 71, 72, 73, 1 prefer to divide the upper
part of the vessel a by means of concentric partitions, c, and a bottom plate 2
into three compartments a', a³, a³, of which only the inner one, a³, is in communica-
tion at its bottom with the vessel a, and through the passage k with the second
vessel b. The outer compartment a¹ however communicates by the aid of the
helicoidally bent tubes 81, 2, 3, with the middle compartment a² and the latter with
the central compartiment a through similar tubes t¹, t², t. These tubes 1, 3, 83, and
t1, t, t³, are passed through the partitions and a respectively, and they are
arranged in such a manner that the liquid is drawn off near the bottom of the
outer compartments, and discharged near the surface of the liquid in the corre
sponding inner compartments. By these means, the water expelled through the
tubes,,, receives a whirling motion within the annular space of the compart-
ment a', so that the greatest part of the oil and grease is separated by this motion and
settled above the upper mouth of said tubes. The water still containing oily
and greasy matter is then drawn off at the bottom of this outer compartment a,
and discharged through the tubes 1, 83, 8, into the annular space between the
partitions x, x, where it receives again a whirling motion, so that the oil and grease,
still contained therein, will then settle above the mouths of said tubes 81, 83, 88.
From the bottom of this compartment, the water then passes finally through the
pipes t¹, s, t, into the central compartment a³, where it receives again a whirling
motion, so that the last traces of oil and grease are separated, and settle at the level
of the pure water which is collected in the vessel a and conducted through the
opening into the vessel 6 as set forth. By these means the water passing into
this latter vessel is absolutely pure and contains not a trace of oil or other
impurities.

page_text: The differences in the level of the liquid in the outer and inner compart-
ments a, a, a is due to the difference in the specific gravity of the liquid depending
upon the quantity of oil or grease carried with the water into the different com-
partments.
The oil and grease which are retained in the vessel a may be periodically drawn off
by convenient means.
The apparatus described may be connected with the condenser and the feed pumps
through the medium of three-way cocks d and g, and suitable pipes 1, m and p, q, as
illustrated, in such a manner that it may be put out of operation at any moment, the
water at the same time being allowed to discharge directly into the suction pipes y, z
of the pumps.
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 purifier, consisting of two collecting vessels communicating with
each other close to their bottoms, into one of which the water, carrying with it the
mechanically suspended impurities, is conducted through an upright bent pipe, the
mouth of the latter being provided with suitable means, or shaped in such a manner,
that a whirling motion is imparted to the liquid, and the impurities are caused to
separate according to their specific gravity, substantially as set forth.
2. As an improvement in feed water purifiers as specified, the combination of two
communicating vessels a, b, with an upright hent discharge pipe f, the mouth of
which is trumpet-shaped and provided with a correspondingly shaped cone and helicoidal
blades, i, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. As an improvement in feed water purifiers as described, the combination of two
communicating vessels a, b, with an upright bent pipe f, covered by a cap r, from
which are radiating helicoidally bent branch pipes r₁, 2, 3, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
a,
4. As an improvement in feed water purifiers as herein-before described, the
arrangement of several concentric compartments a', a², a³, in the vessel communi-
cating with each other and with the discharge pipe f by means of helicoidal bent
tubes, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination of feed water purifiers as hereinbefore described and claimed
with the condenser and the feed pumps of a steam engine, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.