IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF CIRCULATING WATER IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 6 Breams
Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of the invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
CIRCULATING WATER IN STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
In the specifications filed by the present applicant in support of British Letters
Patent No 3962 dated February 26th 1884 and N° 12416 dated September 15th
1884 there is shown in connection with a main boiler, an injector or injecting
apparatus capable of operation by steam from said main boiler or from another
boiler or supplemental boiler, and operating to take water from the bottom or one
part of said main boiler, to heat such water by condensing therein the steam which
forms the injecting current and to finally discharge the water into another part or
the upper part of the said main boiler. In the specification of the last above
mentioned Patent N° 12416 it is said that the said injector or injecting apparatus
may be operated by steam from a donkey boiler or supplemental boiler in order to
circulate the water in the main boiler and raise it to a uniformly heated condition
before the fires are lighted in the furnaces of said main boiler.
The principal object of thus operating a steam injector is to effect the more
uniform heating of the water in a main boiler and thereby to avoid the unequal
expansion to which a boiler is subjected where the water in the upper part of the
boiler is heated to or above a steam making point while the water in the lower
part of the boiler and around the bottom of the furnace flues is cold or but little
warmed.
When steam alone serves as the injecting current, difficulty may be experienced
in continuing the circulation of the water from one part to another of the boiler
after the water becomes heated to a high degree; and the object of the present
invention is to provide for the circulation of water in the main boiler after it
becomes so highly heated that the injector if operated by steam alone would cease
to work.

page_text: In carrying out the present invention the feed water, supplied by the usual feed
pump or otherwise is employed as an injecting current, whereby a flow of water
will be induced from one part of the boiler, then mingled with the feed water
which forms the injecting current and finally discharged mingled with the feed
water into another part of the boiler. The feed water may be used alone as an
injecting current or a second injector operated by steam may be also employed and
in the latter case the mingled feed water and the water taken from the boiler will
be induced through the second injecting apparatus, heated by the condensation of
the steam which forms the second injecting current and then discharged into the
boiler.
By the use of the feed water as an injecting current the circulation of feed
water from one part to another of the boiler can be continued until the water in
the boiler becomes uniformly heated throughout to a high temperature and after
steam is raised in the boiler and the engines are running.
The invention includes an improved method of producing a circulation of water
in a steam boiler, consisting in the employment of the feed water as an injecting
current whereby the flow of water is induced from one part of the boiler and in
mingling the feed water with the water so taken from the boiler and discharging
them together into another portion of the boiler.
The invention also includes an improved method of producing circulation of
water in a steam boiler which consists in the employment of the feed water as an
injecting current, whereby is induced a flow of water from one part of the boiler,
in mingling the feed water with the water so taken from the boiler, and in the
employment of an injecting current of steam for inducing the flow of the mingled
feed water and water taken from the boiler and heating and discharging them
together into another part of the boiler.

page_text: Improvements in the Method of Circulating Water in Steam
Boilers.
I ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's
Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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:-
In Letters Patent granted to me and bearing date February 26th 1884 No 3962
and September 15th 1884 N° 12416 I have shown, in connection with a main
boiler, an injector or injecting apparatus capable of operation by steam from the
main boiler or from any other main boiler or supplemental boiler, and operating to
take water from the bottom of the main boiler to heat such water by condensing
therein the steam which forms the injecting current and to finally discharge the
water into the upper part of said boiler. In the last mentioned Letters Patent
No 12416 I have described that the said injector or injecting apparatus may he
operated by steam from a donkey boiler, in order to circulate the water in the
main boiler and raise it to a uniformly high temperature before the fires are lighted
in the furnaces of the said main boiler.
The principal object of thus operating the steam injector is to effect a more
uniform heating of the water in the main boiler, and thereby to avoid the unequal
expansion to which the boiler is subjected, where the water in the upper part of
the boiler is heated to or above a steam making point while the water in the lower
part of the boiler and around the furnace is cold or but little warmed.
When steam alone serves as the injecting current difficulty may be experienced in
continuing the circulation of the water from the bottom to the upper part of the
boiler after the water becomes heated to a considerably high degree, and the object
of this invention is to provide for the economical circulation of water in the main
boiler after it becomes so highly heated that the injector, if operated by steam
alone will cease to work and to provide for continuing such circulation, if desired,
during the whole time that the engines are running and not only during the time
steam is being got up.
In carrying out the present invention, the feed water, supplied by the usual feed
pump, or otherwise, is employed as an injecting current whereby water will be
withdrawn from the bottom of the boiler, mingled with the feed water and finally
discharged with the feed water into the upper part of the boiler. The water may
be used alone as an injecting current or a second injector, operated by steam, may
also be employed; and in the latter case the mingled feed water and the water
taken from the boiler may be induced through the second injecting apparatus,
heated by the condensation of the steam which forms the second injecting current
and then discharged into the boiler. By the use of feed water as the injecting
current to withdraw water from the bottom of the boiler and discharge it into the
upper part of the boiler, I am enabled to continue the circulation of the water in

page_text: the boiler until it becomes uniformly heated throughout to a high temperature and
even after steam is raised and the engines are running continuously.
The invention includes an improvement in the method of producing the circulation
of water in steam boilers having internal furnaces consisting in withdrawing water
from the bottom of the boiler, by means of an injecting current of feed water, in
mingling together the feed water and the water so taken from the bottom of the
boiler and then discharging the mingled feed water and the water taken from the
bottom of the boiler into the upper part of the boiler.
+
The invention also includes an improvement in the method of producing the
circulation of water in a-steam boiler having internal furnaces, consisting in the
employment of the feed water as an injecting current, whereby a flow of water is
induced from the bottom of the boiler outwards to the exterior of the boiler, in
mingling the feed water with the water so taken from the boiler, and in the
employment of an injecting current of steam whereby the mingled feed water and
the water taken from the bottom of the boiler are heated and discharged together
into the upper part of the boiler.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents an end view of a marine boiler
having my invention applied thereto, the injectors being so combined with their
pipes that the current of water induced by the injecting current of feed water may
.be delivered into the upper part of the boiler independent of the steam injector, or
through the steam injector when the latter is working; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section
of the end portion of the boiler and an elevation of the apparatus whereby my method
is carried out; Fig. 3 is an end view of a boiler having my invention applied thereto,
the feed water injector and the steam injector being so combined with their pipes
that either may be employed independent of the other, and so that the steam
injector may draw its supply from any one of several sources hereinafter described,
and not through the feed water injector and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the end
portion of a boiler and an elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the 'figures.
As here represented, the apparatus is applied to the rear end of the boiler, but it
may be at the front thereof or in any other convenient position. The invention in
no way relates to the construction of the boiler only such parts of which are shown
as are necessary to illustrate the attachment of the apparatus whereby the method
is carried out.
A. designates the furnace flues of the boiler, shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3,
and a designates the return tubes through which the heated products of com-
bustion pass.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, B designates the steam injecting apparatus,
which may be of any approved construction and which is supplied with an injecting
current of steam by a pipe b in which is a stop valve b'. The pipe b as here shown
is broken off but may be attached to the steam space of the boiler at any
convenient point and it has communicating with it a pipe 6 by which steam may
be supplied, from a supplemental or donkey boiler for operating the injecting
apparatus B before steam is got up in the main boiler to which the apparatus is
applied.
C designates a pipe through which the injecting apparatus B is supplied with
water and D designates a pipe through which the water is delivered by the
injecting apparatus B, which communicates with the pipe D¹ in the upper portion
of the boiler and is provided with a stop valve d whereby the discharge from it of
water into the boiler may be controlled.
As here shown, the pipe D¹ is prolonged horizontally beyond the valve and for
a considerable distance within the boiler, and such prolongation of the pipe D';
within the boiler is perforated with numerous holes or openings for the distri-
bution of water discharged into the boiler from the pipe D¹: As here shown the
pipe D¹ is prolonged downward beyond the point of its connection with the pipe D,
and is connected with the supply pipe C, below the steam injecting apparatus B:
The pipe D¹ being there provided with a check valve d' which will permit the flow

page_text: of water from the pipe C, through the pipe D₁, but will prevent the flow of water
from the pipe D₁, into the pipe C.
The pipe has at its lower end a horizontally extending branch C¹ which is
prolonged within the boiler as shown in Fig. 2. and is provided at its point of
attachment with the boiler, with a stop valve c whereby the flow of water thereto
may be controlled. The pipe extension C₁ within the boiler is provided with
numerous holes like the pipe D₁ above described, so that the pipe C' will draw
its supply from different points in the boiler.
E designates a pipe through which the feed water passes to the boiler from the
usual feed pump. In the pipe E is an ordinary check valve e and beyond this check
valve the pipe is provided with a nozzle E' which is concentric with the lower end
of the pipe C, through which the feed water is discharged as an injecting current
into the pipe C.
It will be readily understood that the feed water discharged through the
nozzle E¹ will induce a current through the pipe C', from the bottom of the boiler
and the feed water and the water taken from the bottom of the boiler, mingled
together, pass upwards through the pipe C and through the branch D¹ and check
valve d¹ into the upper part of the boiler.
If both the steam injector B and the feed water injector E¹ be operated
simultaneously, the feed water and the water taken from the bottom of the boiler
may pass through the steam injecting apparatus B and by it be discharged through
the pipe D D into the upper part of the boiler.
When it desired to circulate water in the boiler before steam is raised therein,
the steam injecting apparatus B will be operated alone through the steam supplied
by the pipe 6 from the supplemental or donkey boiler, and by the action of this
steam injecting apparatus water will be withdrawn from the bottom of the boiler
heated and discharged into the upper part of the boiler. After the water in the
boiler has become heated to such a degree that the steam injector if operated alone
would not work; the feed water injector may also be employed, and the current of
feed water will modify the temperature of the induced current to such a degree
that the steam injector may be continued in operation longer than it otherwise
could. After the steam injector is stopped and during the whole period of operation
of the boilers and engines the feed water is discharged through the injecting
nozzle E¹ and will continue to produce a circulation of water from the bottom to
the upper part of the boiler during the entire period that the engines are running.
The boiler shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is like that above described, A designating
the furnace flues and a the return tubes; B designates the steam injecting
apparatus which is supplied through a pipe b containing a stop valve b¹ and which
also may be supplied with steam through a branch pipe 6 leading from a donkey
.boiler.
C designates the suction pipe of the steam injecting apparatus B in which is
arranged a check valve c¹ and from which a pipe C¹ extends horizontally into the
bottom of the boiler, as shown in Fig. 4. Communication between the pipes C C¹
is controlled by the stop valve c.
The pipe C also has connected with it, as here shown, pipes C2, C3, C4, in which
are stop valves c², c³, c. The first of these connecting pipes 03 may be from the
sea cock and provides for drawing water from the sea by means of the injecting
apparatus B. The second of said pipes C³ may lead to the bilge and the third
pipe C may have connection with the water ballast compartments of the vessel, or
may have connected with it an attachment for a hose. The steam injecting
apparatus B may be utilized for taking water either from the bottom of the boiler
or from either of the other three sources described, by closing or opening either of
the valves c², c³, c^,
D designates the pipe leading from the steam injecting apparatus and in which
is a valve d. D' designates the upright pipe which leads into the upper part of
the boiler, and communicates through a stop valve d' with a horizontally extending

page_text: prolongation D¹ in which are numerous holes or perforations * and which extends
within the boiler as shown in Figure 4.
E designates the feed pipe which leads from the ordinary feed pump, and which
terminates in the nozzle E¹, at the junction of the pipes D, D¹, and which is
arranged concentric and in line with the pipe D. During the time the engines
are working after steam is got up in the boiler, the feed water from the pipe E may
be discharged continuously through the nozzle E¹ and made to serve as an injecting
current for inducing a flow of water from the bottom of the boiler through the
pipes C, C, D, D¹, upwards into the upper part of the boiler.
Before the fires are lighted and when steam is to be got up in the boiler; the
steam injecting apparatus B may be employed to circulate water from the bottom
of the boiler through the pipes C, C, D, DI, into the upper part of the boiler. If
it is desired to fill the boiler the steam injector B may be employed and made to
draw its supply through the pipe C, and if the boiler is to be emptied of water
.the steam injector B may be employed and made to take water from the bottom of
the boiler through the pipe C¹, C and discharge it overboard through the pipe D.
In case of the vessel springing a leak the steam injector may be employed to pump
out the hold and made to take its supply from the bilge pipe C and in case a
supply of water is required for extinguishing fire, or for washing decks or other
purposes, the steam injecting apparatus B may be employed and made to take its
supply through the pipe C2 from the sea cock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1. The improvement in the method of producing a circulation of water in a
steam boiler having internal furnaces, consisting in withdrawing water from the
bottom of the boiler by an injecting current of feed water and mingling together
the feed water and the water so taken from the bottom of the boiler, and dis-
charging the mingled feed water and the water taken from the bottom of the boiler
into the upper part of the boiler substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
2. The improvement in the method of producing the circulation of water in a
steam boiler having internal furnaces, consisting in the employment of the feed
water as an injecting current, whereby a flow of water is induced from the bottom
of the boiler outward to the exterior of the boiler, in mingling the feed water with
the water so taken from the boiler and in the employment of an injecting current
of steam, whereby the mingled feed water and the water from the boiler are heated
and discharged together into the upper part of the boiler; substantially as and for
the purpose herein described.
Dated the 5th day of October 1985