US1059899A - Steam-condensing and vacuum-producing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IIAPR.ZQ. 1910,

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

D. B. MORISUN. STEAM UONDBNSING AND VACUUM PRODUCING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION PILED AFR.29, 1910.

1,059,899, Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

main condenser, varying amounts of exhaust supply of water to the air ejector is mainis so constructed that: the supply or". water, or

ejector discharges its water with the air DONALD nuns nomaou, ormmnnroon, new.

STEAX-CONDENEING AND VLOUUI-PB ODUOING APPAILTUI.

lpeotflcatton of Lettarl Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

Application filed April 29, 181Q. Serial No. 558,829.

To auwhom z'tmay concern. I

Be it known that I, DONALD BARNB Monison, a subject of the Kin of Great Britain and Ireland, residin' at artlepool, in the county of Durham, ngland, have invented Improvements in and Relating to Steam-*- Condensing and Vamum-Producing- Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to steam condensing and vacuum producing apparatus of the kind in which air and vapor are withdrawn from a main condenser b or with the aid of water supplied un er pressure through a water jet ejector (hereinafter called an air c'ector} arranged to deliver the water with tile Withdrawn air into a circulating tank or system into which water of condensation from the condenser ,iS lalso-idelivered and from which the air cani escape, means being provided whereby an adequate tamedunder varyingconditions of load in the main condenser. Apparatus of this kind is described in the specification of my former Patent No. 967,810.

Now the present invention has for object to provide improved constructions of steam condensing ,and vacuum producing apparatus of the kind referred to whereby the action of such apparatus can be adapted to suit varying quantities of air present in the steam supplied to such condenser and the required degree of vacuum in the condenser, so that such apparatus can be used in a more advantageous manner, under varying condition'sof working, then is possible with the constructions of apparatus described in my said former specification, whereby the Lcope and usefulness of' such apparatus is 1- creased. Forthis purpose, in' steam condensinflyhnd vacuum producing apparatus of the hind referred to constructed accordiug to the present invention, the air ejector water and steam, to its VhYlOIUS arts is capable of being separately control ed, and there is provided in connection with the water circulating tank into which theai'r withdrawn from the condenser, and into, which water (a condensation ishrr cctly-br r is I a circuhi Water from tho tank B and delivering it dimdirectiy discharged from the "coudgugggi,

and from which water is directly and continuously delivered back into the air ejector, means whereby the water that is directly deliveredback into the air ejector, or another portion ofwater that is caused to pass from the tank through another by pass circuit to the air ejector, can, when required, be cooled 'and C an air ejector connected to the air and Vapor outlet from the condenser by a branch a, the air ejector comprising, in this example, steam and water nozzles, such as hereinafter described, arranged in series, so as to discha 'ge air and water through a discharge pipe c direct into the circulating tank B, so that upon the water and air being discharged irito the tank, the air will ascend and be liberated at the top. -s is a steam nozzle through which a jet of steam can be introducedlinto the air inlet end of the air ejector so as to mingle with the air therein and carry the same forward-and into the water jets so that it will be effectually removed thereby,-as described in my said former s ecification. The circulating tank is provi edwith an outlet branch 8 through which heated water can flow for use as feed water. Under normal working conditions of the steamiengine' connected to the con denser A, the" water level in the tank Bwill beat some distance abovethe lowest part of the butlet branch 8 but it will of course fall as the supply of exhaust steam to the condenser diminishes with variations in the work done by the engine butcannot fall below, the lowest giart of the said outlet branch.

ing pump for withdrawing andfeturned in its cooled state to the air througti g lpipe 33 with branches Z into the tank B. The circulating tank B is provided with cooling means, such as a coiled pipe 0, the supply of cooling water through. the said pipe being regulated by a float 7* which controls a valve 0 in such a way that when t1 normal 01 an BXCQSSlVG amount Of steam is condensed in the condenser A, and the resulting water of condensation is delivercd to the tank Bby the pump t the water controlling valve 0 of the cooling device 0 will be closed, so thatthe Water supplied to the circulating tank B will not be cooled but will on the contrary be increased in temperature by reason'of the water circulating through the air. eject-or C being heated by the steam-jet, and by the vapor from the condenser, the excess of heated water passing through the outlet branch 8 to a feed. tank and thence to the feed pump ata considerably higher temperature than that of the water of condensation inthe condenser, a reatthermal-advantage being thereby obtamed; 'When, however. the quantity of feed water from the condenser A is less than the normal amount, the'fioat 1', by falling, causes cooling water to flow through the pipe 0 and prevents the temperature of the water in the tank B rising beyond the temperature desired for the etiicient working of the air ejector' C, the difierence between the highest and lowest levels of the water in the tank B being sutficient to admit of the required movement of the float r-for operating the valve 0 A vertical tube p,

open at both ends, may be arranged between the C011 0 and discharge pipe 2, and a division platep between the (ioil and the wall 9 of the tank B for causing the water discharged into the tank by the p pe 6 to flow to the bottom of the tank} and thence rise 'over and in contact with fthp coil 0 and over the top of the partition p which is below the bottom of the outlet branch a, to the suction pipe 15 of thepumpit.

' In Fig. 2, which is a modification of the arrangement shown in Fig, l', the pump 6 used for withdrawing water of condensation from the condenser A is of the reciprocating air pump'type, and can. be made capable, at

wi'll, of withdrawing air and vapor and water, or water only, from the said con- "denser. The pump 25 discharges into'the circulating tank B into which the air withdrawn from-the condenser 'is simultaneously discharged by the air ejector C. In order to prevent the air pum t drawing free air from the condenser W on the ejector C is in I ale 8, the water spraying and condensin w that is normally closed, may be water sealed by a pipe w but in order to enable the pump t to-withdraw'and discharge air, vapor and water together from the condenser in the event of stoppage of the air ejector C, as'by accident, or. for any other reason, the wateriseal in pipe w can be avoided by opening the valve @12 thus enabling the pump t to withdraw air, vapor and waterthrou'gh the pi e w direct in the usual manner. This combination ofappara'tus 'is specially suitable and valuable for use on warships, as it provides for'alternar ti've air withdrawing methods, and when the ship is cruising or workin atlow powers, the air and water pump 6 a one Will be saith cient to produce the desired vacuum without the use or" the air ejector G. The surplus water can be discharged from the water delivery pipe or conduit Z through a pipe m arranged between the pump 6 and air e ector and controlled by a valvecn, to a; feed tank at a higher level than the waterin the tank -B. The valve n me as shown be connected to the float r connected to the valve 0 that controls the flow of water through the cooler 0,

' 1 The air ejector C illustrated in Figs. 1 and adapted to be connected to the condenser by the branch at through which the mixture of air and vapor is withdrawn, and provided with a steam nozzle 8 arranged to discharge a jet of steam into the interior f of such pipe or casing 7 through the tube 9, awater spraying and steam condensmg dev ce h having orifices for the d schargeof water spray, and a water jet nozzle'jf delivering I into a combining cone it Another water jet nozzle j of the annular type is arranged coaxially with or in combination with the water spraying and steam condensing device h and water jet nozzle 7' the steam noz- (T de-f vice it together with the water jet nozz le 7' and annular water j et '5 being provided with! separate controlling means. or valvesk, Z,

respectively, so that each can be time to time. Thecross sectional mesa-e 9,

, arately regulated or shutofi in order to ap!) the air ejector to efi'ectiveiy'deal-with vary-'1 in... mg quantities of 8.1.1 in the condenser from;

water passagethrfough thewater 3 95 may be varied by atube y' that can be aid-j justed in an endwise direction by enematric n that engages a recessed boss} on the tube j and is operated by'a hand wheel 39. A nonrreturn valve ii-may also be provided,

such valve, in the form: of a float, acting, should water rise in the casing f, to automaticallyclose the tube g and soprevent water reentering the condenser through the branch (1.

It has been found by experiment, that in the case where a steam nozzle is provided in connection with the air ejector O, that when the condensing system is exceptionally air tight, or when the water jets are alone sailicient to dominate the condenser, at the desired vacuum, and the-steam to the steam jet is shut off, that the'flow of air and-vapor through the tube 1' into which the steam jet discharges, may become! throttled by reason of the comparatively small diameter of such tube. In order to obviate such detrimental effect, the a. )paratus may, as shown in Fig. 3, be'provided with a by-pass pipe a of adequate cross sectional area, such by-pass pipe being fitted with a valve 41 which is closed when theamount of air justifies the use of the steam jet 8, and opened when the steam jet is out of use.

In Fig. 4, the water spraying device h consists of an annular water chamber arranged above the central nozzle 7" and provided with an annular row of oritices or nozzles a is a water ejecting nozzle fed from the pump 8 and which withdraws water from the condenser through the pipe a and discharges it through a pipe 1) into the s raying chamber In whence it escapes tirough the spraying orifices a1 as already described.

"The steam jet may, with great thermal advantageybe combined with a mechanically operated water spraying and e'ecting device, shown inFig. 5 as a turbine w eel C of the known kind, the combined apparatus according to my invention, enabhn water to" be used in the ejecting device 1 o a higher tem.- perature, relatively'to' the tem erature -cor-' responding to the vacuum in the condenser, than can be used for the production of a given vacuum, with a given air leakage, withthe --mechanically operated apparatus when it is not combined with a steam jet. The float 1' in this example governsa valve 0 controlling the su )ply of water from the tank B to a cooling t evice c situated in the base of the condenser A, the arrangement being such that when the rate of condensation in-the condenser A is below the normal, or when no steam is condensed, the float r by falling, opens the'valve 0 and water passes, under atmospheric pressure, from the circulating tank B through a pipe 72 into the water cooler c. The water after flowin through the cooler, passes into ipe I! an is-discliarged by pump 25 into tie tank 13, thereby regulating the temperature of the water to thatrequired for the efficient workin of the air ejector C.

ig. 6 shows another arrangement suitable for use in cases wherewthe amount of air, the desired vacuum, or the thermal con- 'ditions, justify or require the provision and the use of a steam jet and where the water pump t is driven by a steam engine 3 In this example, to the water delivery pipe Z is connected a branch pipe m through which water of condensation is passed to a double acting valve 0 controlled by a float 1' in the tank B in such a manner that normally a quantity of water, equivalent to the quantity continually being condensed in the condenser A, is delivered through the valve 0 and pipe 121- to a feed tank or elsewhere. Or, when the condensed steam water is insufficient in amount to maintain the desired temperature, the water passing through the ejector C can be artificially cooled. For this purpose, when the water level in the tank B falls, the double acting valve 0 is arranged, through the o )eration of the float 1-, to cause water in tie pipe m to flow through the pipe 7) to the cooler e situated in the base of the condenser A, the outlet from the cooler c bein into the ejector G through the branch (L. fiy this arrangement it will be seen that when no steam is entering the condenser and when consequently there is no resulting water of condensation, a portion of the water from the tank B to the ejector C, is cooled and mamtained in continuous circulation through the ejector C. 'The steam nozzle of the ejector C may advantageously be supplied through the pipe 8" with exhaust steam from the steam engine 3 used to drive the pump t. The said steam nozzle may however be supplied with steam from any other source.

In some cases the valve controlling the supply of water to the water cooler or to t-hecondenser, may be operated by hand, or any other suitable device may be employed for regulating the temperature of the water in the circulating tank when desired.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-

1. In a steam condensing plant, the combination with a condenser, a water operated ejector adapted to withdraw air and vapor from said condenser, a tank into which said ejector discharges, and means for continuously withdrawing water from said tank and delivering it into said ejector, of means whereby water supplied from said tank to said ejector can be regulated in temperature, only as and when required, and means for determining when such temperature regulating means shall come into action.

2. In a steam condensing plant wherein airand vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water operated ejector which discharges into a tank from which the water supply to the said ejector is withdrawn by a pump, and water of condensation is conducted from the condenser to said tank independent of the ejector, means whereby water supplied from saidtank to said ejector can be regulated in temperature only as and when required and means for determining when such temperature regulating means shall come into action.

3. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a steam and water operated ejector which discharges into a tank to which said ejector is connected by a return conduit provided with means for circulating water through said ejector, tank and connecting conduit. and wherein water of condensation from the condenser is delivered into the water circulating circuit, a water cooling device and controlling means whereby said coolint devicecan be put out of action or whereby it, can be brought into action for cooling the water circulating through said ejector and tank when the water of condensation delivered from the condenser is insuilicient in amount to maintain the desired thermal control of the apparatus.

4. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water 0 erated ejector which dischar es into a tant to which it is connected )y a return conduit provided with means for circulating water through said ejector, tank and return conduit, and wherein water of condensation from the condenser is delivered into the water circulating circuit, water cooling means whereby the water circulatin througlrsaid ejector and tank can be coo ed and means dependent upon the amount of water supplied from the condenser to the tank for automatically, controlling the action of said water cooling means.

5. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water operated ejector which dischar cs into a. tank to which it is connected iy a return conduit provided with means for circulating water throu h said ejector, tank and return conduit, an wherein water of condensation from the condenser is delivered into said tank and water circulating circuit, a water cooling device arranged in said tank and connected to a cold water supply pipe; a valve controlling the flow of cooling water through said water cooling device and a float connected to said valve and subject to the height of water in said tank.

0. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a steam and water operated ejector having a steam nozzle, and wherein said ejector discharges into a tank to which it is connected by a return conduit, a rotary device arranged to deliver water from said tank into said ejector through said conduit, means for delivering water from said condenser to the combined ejector, tank and conduit and means under the control of a valve and normally out of action whereby the temperature of the circulating water can be reduced only as and when necessary.

7. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water ODCIILi-Bd ejector which dischar es into a tanr to which it is connected )Y a return conduit, a rotary pum arranged to deliver water from said tan: to said ejector through said conduit, a pump connected to the water outlet of said condenser and to said tank, a water cooling device arranged in said tank and connected to a cold water sup ly pipe, a valve controlling the sup lyo cooling water through said cooler ancl a float in said tank connected to said valve.

8. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water operated ejector which discharges into a tank from which the water supply to the said ejector is withdrawn, an air pump, capable of withdrawing air,v. or and water, having its delivery connecte to said tank, a pipe connecting the condenser to the suction inlet of said air pump, said pipe being of a size adapted to al 0w of air, vapor and water flowing therethrough to said air pump, a water sealed pipe connected at its ends to the first mentioned pipe and a valve in said pipe between the parts thereof to which said water sealed pipe is connected, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water operated ejector which discharges into a tank to which said ejector is connected by a return conduit and a pump for circulatin water through said tank, conduit and e ector, and wherein the water of condensation from the condenser is delivered into the water circulating system, a water outlet pipe connected to the conduit between the circulating pump and the ejector, a valve controlling the flow of water through said pipe and a float subject to the water in said tank and connected to said valve.

10. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water operated ejector which discharges into a tank from which the water is circulated throu b said ejector, and wherein the water 0 condensation from the condenser is delivered into the water circulating circuit, a water operated ejector having multiple water inlet branches, a return conduit connecting said tank to the multiple inlet branches of said ejector, a rotary ump in circuit with said conduit, means or separately controlling the supply of water through each water inlet branch, and means normally out of action whereby the Water circulating through said ejector and tank can be cooled as and when required.

11. In a steam condensing plant wherein air and vapor are withdrawn from a condenser by a water operated ejector which discharges into a tank to Which said ejector is connected by a return conduit so as to form a continuous system through which Water is caused to circulate, means for delivering air, Vapor and Water from said condenser into said circulating smears and means for delivering excess of watisgfrom the return conduit at a part thereof between the Water circulating means" and ejector.

12. In a steam condensingplaiutoahefiin' air and vapor are Withdrawn from a condenser by a Water operated e ect-or which discharges into a tank from which Water is circulated by a pump through a return conduit connected to said tank and ejector, a water cooler arranged in said tank means for controlling the fiow of cooling Water through said Water cooler, an excess water discharge pipe connected to said conduit be tween the Water circulating pump and ejector and means for simultaneously controlling the fioW of water through said water discharge pipe and of Water through the cooling device. a m

Signed at London England this 20 day of April 1910.

DONALD BARNS MORISON.

l Jitnesses:

R. WnsTAcorr, H. D. JAMEsoN.

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