Improved Method and Apparatus for Preventing the Accumulation of Deposits in Steam Generators.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method and Apparatus for Preventing the Accumulation
of Deposits in Steam Generators.
I, JEAN DEMOULIN, of 27 Rue Tisel, Liege, Belgium, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For the purpose of preventing the formation of mud or deposit in steam-boilers,
it has beretofore heen usual to filter the water before its introduction into the
boiler but this filtering is insufficient and does not serve to prevent the subsequent
formation of mud and deposit in the boiler, which in a short time requires to be
cleaned and freed from the said deposits.
Now, my invention has for object to obviate this drawback to which end I
remove continuously and automatically, any mud or deposit which may be formed
in a boiler after feeding it with hot water that has previously been filtered this
being effected by causing the boiler-water and the mud suspended therein to
circulate uninterruptedly, through a filter that also serves for the preliminary
filtering of the feed-water, the arrangement being such that this filter, situated in
the course of the feed-water and also in that of the circulating boiler-water, becomes
a general receptacle for the mud contained in the feed-water and in the boiler-
water until it has become obstructed as a result of its own action, whereupon the
cleaning of the filter and the discharge of the mud will be effected automatically by
means of the water under pressure contained in the boiler itself.
In carrying out the new method above indicated there may be employed an
apparatus comprising a vessel mounted on the steam generator and divided
internally in such a manner as to form six chambers communicating with one
another. These chambers will, for the sake of clearness, he hereinafter denoted by
the letters A, B, C, D, F, and S respectively.
The chamber A serves, as a steam-chamber, into which the steam enters through
suitable tubular unions; and it communicates with the chamber B, which is below
it, by means of pipes, which are arranged in the horizontal partition between the
chambers A and B and extend downwards into the lower portion of the latter.
The chamber B receives the boiler feed-water through a suitable pipe. This water
is beated in the chamber B to boiling point by the steam issuing from the said
pires leading from the chamber A and flows into the chamber C through an
aperture formed in the lower part of the vertical wall of the chamber B, whose
bottom is formed helically with the object of facilitating the carrying forward of
the salts and mud that may be formed by the boiling of the water in this
chamber.
The boiling water flows out of the chamber B at the level of the top of a filter
consisting of a vessel containing gravel and furnished both at its upper part and at
its lower part with a metallic cloth strengthened by a sheet of perforated metal.
In order to enter the boiler by the feed pipe, the water has to pass through the
filter and in doing so deposits therein the mud and other impurities it contains.
Any inud that may still be formed in the boiler is constantly drawn by means of a
water elevator ("Crepine") branched upon a pipe connecting the apparatus with a
collector situated at the bottom of the boiler and provided with a large number of
apertures, which produce an infinite number of currents in the water in the boiler

page_text: and thus prevent all formation of deposit therein. The mud and water sucked up
in this way are conducted by the siphon-pipe or water elevator and a tubular union
down to the bottom of the chamber S, which is connected with the chamber C
above the filter by an aperture in its side wall. The mud becomes deposited upon
the filter, and the water returns to the boiler through the feed-pipe after becoming
freed from its suspended impurities.
The mud resulting from the boiling of the feed-water and of the continually
circulating boiler-water, forms after a certain time a deposit which obstructs the
filter and prevents the water from returning to the boiler. In consequence of this
obstruction of the filter, the water level in the chamber C rises above the filter,
and also in the discharge-chamber D, which is connected therewith by an opening
in its side-wall and is provided with a float which controls a valve that normally
cleses a discharge-orifice in the bottom of the chamber D.
When the level in the chamber D reaches the float, the latter rises and lifts the
valve so opening the discharge-orifice. There is then produced a reduction of the
pressure in the apparatus, which has the result of causing the water in the boiler to
rise up in the feed pipe and traverse the filter. This water raises the gravel
contained in the filter against the metallic cloth at the top thereof, cleans the filter
completely, and also aids in removing the mud deposited on the said metallic
cloth, which mud passes away with the water by the discharge-orifice.
When the level in the discharge-chamber D falls again, the float resumes its
normal position, the valve again closes the discharge-orifice, and the feeding of the
boiler recommences automatically, as also does the supplementary filtering of the
water contained in the boiler.
According to this invention, therefore, not only is a boiler fed with previously
filtered hot water, but this operation is supplemented by the creation of a continuous
circulation of the boiler-water, which is also freed from all impurities and from all
calcareous salts that might still become formed in the boiler itself. Finally, the
mud and deposits are removed automatically by means of a current of water under
pressure taken from the boiler, so that the apparatus employed for carrying out
my method and the boiler itself are always kept in a state of perfect cleanliness.
As the apparatus is comparatively light and compact, it can be mounted without
difficulty upon boilers of various types.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1806
Improved Method and Apparatus for Preventing the Accumulation
of Deposits in Steam Generators.
1, JEAN DEMOULIN, of 27 Rue Tisel, Liege, Belgium, 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 :-
For the purpose of preventing the formation of mud or deposit in steam-boilers,
it has heretofore been usual to filter the water before its introduction into the boiler;
hut this filtering is insufficient and does not serve to prevent the subsequent
formation of mud and deposit in the boiler, which in a short time requires to be
cleaned and freed therefrom

page_text: Now, my invention has for object to obviate this drawback, to which end I
remove continuously and automatically any mud or deposit which may be formed
in a boiler after feeding it with hot water that has previously been filtered, this
being effected by causing the boiler-water and the mud suspended therein to
circulate uninterruptedly through a filter that also serves for the preliminary
filtering of the feed-water, the arrangement being such that this lilter, situated in
the course of the feed-water and also in that of the circulating boiler-water,
becomes a general receptacle for the mud contained in the feed-water and in the
boiler-water until it has become obstructed as a result of its own action, where-
upon the cleaning of the filter and the discharge of the mud will be effected
automatically by means of the water under pressure contained in the boiler
itself.
Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the accompanying drawings represent an apparatus
employed by me for carrying out the improved method, and will enable the same
to be more readily understood.
Figs. 1 and 2 show the apparatus in elevation and plan respectively;
3 a section through the apparatus on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig.
Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a vertical section and an elevation of another
apparatus the construction of which is slightly different from that of the apparatus
represented by Figs. 1 to 4.
The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive comprises a vessel R, which is
mounted on the steam-generator L and divided internally as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,
in such a manner as to form six chambers A, B, C, D, F, and S, communicating
with one another.
The chamber A serves as a steam-chamber, which the steam enters through
suitable tubular unions N and O (Figs. 1, 2, and 3); and it communicates with the
chamber B, which is below it, by means of pipes Q (Figs. I aud 3) which are arranged
in the horizontal partition between the chambers A and B and extend downwards
into the lower portion of the latter. The chamber B receives the boiler-feed water
through a suitable pipe M. This water is heated in the chamber B to boiling-
point by the steam issuing from the pipes Q (Fig. 3) leading from the chamber A
and flows into the chamber C through an aperture c (Fig. 4) formed in the lower
part of the vertical wall of the chamber B, whose bottom is formed helically with
the object of facilitating the carrying forward of the salts and mud that may be
formed by the boiling of the water in this chamber.
The boiling water flows out of the chamber 13 at the level of the top of a filter F
comprising a vessel containing gravel and furnished both at its upper part and at
its lower part with a metallic cloth or gauze m strengthened by a sheet of perforated
metal.
In order to enter the boiler L by the feed-pipe H (Fig. 3), the water has to pass
through the filter F and in doing so deposits therein the mud and other impurities
it contains. Any mud that may still be formed in the boiler is constantly drawn
up by means of a syphon-pipe I (Fig. 1) jointed to a pipe J connecting the apparatus
with a collector K situated at the bottom of the boiler and provided with a large
number of apertures o, which produce au infinite number of currents in the water-
in the boiler and thus prevent any formation of deposit therein.
The mud and water sucked up in this way are conducted by the siphon-pipe I
and a tubular union P down to the bottom of the chamber S, which is connected
with the chamber C above the filter by an aperture c' in its side wall. The mud
becomes deposited upon the filter, and the water returns to the boiler through the
feed-pipe Hafter becoming freed from its suspended impurities.
The mud resulting from the boiling of the feed-water and of the continually
circulating boiler-water, forms after a certain time a deposit which obstructs the
filter and prevents the water from returning to the boiler. In consequence of
this obstruction of the filter, the water-level rises in the chamber C above the
filter and also in the discharge-chamber D, which is connected therewith by an

page_text: opening (Fig. 4) in its side-wall and is provided with a float E which controls
a valve that normally closes a discharge-orifice in the bottom of the
chamber D.
When the level of the water in the chamber D reaches the float E, the latter
rises and lifts the valve G, so opening the discharge-urifice r. There is then
produced a reduction of the pressure in the apparatus, which has the result of
causing the water in the boiler to rise up in the feed-pipe H and traverse the filter.
This water raises the gravel contained in the filter against the metallic cloth mat
the top thereof, cleans the filter completely, and also aids in removing the mud
deposited on the said metallic cloth, which mud passes away with the water by the
discharge-orifice r.
When the level in the discharge-chamber D falls again, the float resumes its
normal position, tho valve G again closes the discharge-orificer, and the feeding
of the boiler recommences automatically, as also does the supplementary filtering
of the water contained in the biler.
In the example shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the position of the filter F in the
apparatus is modified in the following manner. The filter F is in this case
arranged above the vessel C instead of below, as in the apparatus shown in
Figs. 1 to 4.
In this arrangement the feed-water flowing out of the chamber B, and the water
taken in by suction, unite at the bottom of the cone of the chamber C, which is
closed at its base.
This water rises in the filter, passes through the same, and proceeds to the
boiler through the pipe H. The deposits are discharged through the combined
action of the valve and the float E, the necessary fall of pressure being produced
in the same way as before, and the boiler water serving to effect the cleansing of
the filter.
According to this improved method, therefore, not only is a boiler fed with
previously filtered hot water, but this operation is supplemented by the creation of
a continuous circulation of the boiler-water, which is niso freed from all impurities
and from all calcareous salts that might still become formed in the boiler itself.
Finally, the mud and deposits are removed automatically by means of a current of
water under pressure taken from the boiler, so that the apparatus employal for
enrrying out my method and the boiler itself are always kept in a state of perfect
cleanliness.
As the apparatus hereinbefore described is comparatively light and compact, it
can be mounted without difficulty upon boilers of various types.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A method for preventing the accumulation of deposits in a reservoir containing
water under pressure, consisting in producing a continuous circulation of the water
of the reservoir and the dirt in suspension therein and placing in the course, thus
formed, of the said water (to which may be united the feed-water) a tilter, through
which the water of the reservoir is compelled to pass and which retains the dirt
drawn from the reservoir and carried along by the said circulation until the filter
is obstructed, whereupon the dirt deposited on the filter is caused to be
discharged.
2. The method referred to in the preceding claim malified in that for the
purpose of cleansing the filter the obstruction of the filter and the rise of the water
level resulting therefrom is utilized for opening, by menus of a float, the discharge-
valve of an automatic discharge chamber and at the same time creating in a feed-
chamber a reduction of pressure which, by drawing into the said feed chamber and
through the filter, water from the reservoir, compels this water to cleanse the
filter until the cessation of its obstruction allows the circulation of the water to be
reversed,

page_text: 3. For carrying out the method hereinbefore described, an apparatus comprising
a boiling-chamber (A B), a filter, and an automatic discharge-chamber (D), a
collector (K) (or collectors) provided with a large number of openings (o) and
arranged in the reservoir at places where dirt may be deposited, a siphon (I) for
drawing water from the reservoir, and a chamber (S) in communication with the
filter.
4. Apparatus substantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.