US1306273A - Steam-condenser - Google Patents

Description

rrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES NAYLOR, 0F ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

STEAM-CONDENSER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES NAYLOR, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Arlington, in the county'of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Steam-Condenser, of which. the following is a specification. j

My improvements principally relate to that class of condensers known as barometric, in which a certain amount of steam and a given quantity of water are brought together in a closed chamber at an elevation, suflicient to prevent water from being forced back into the condenser by the pressure of the atmosphere.

The object is to make a condenser of higher efficiency under the varying conditions of every day work, and also to make it simple in construction, and in operation automatic to a certain degree and to render it safe from overflow.

To attain a better vacuum is the aim of all condenser makers for obvious reasons, and to reach this result I would say briefly that my improvements consist of means whereby the bringing together of the steam and the water is more intimate and better accomplished, the condensing chamber better cooled and kept so, the removal of air and non-condensable gases in the proportion to the water used in the quickest possible manner, and with the least expenditure for power. I

It also consists of means to give a freer relief to the atmosphere for the-steam before there is any vacuum, which means automatically closes when thewater is turned on, and when closed is absolutely air tight; and in the construction of parts so that the whole apparatus as installed shall not be of in A relief valve is essential for operation in every condenser installation, but in this instance certain improvements are disclosed only applicable to condensers.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification Figure 1 is an elevation in part sectional, Fig. 2 a full sized detail, Fig. 3 a horizontal cross-sectionon line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. i a vertical section of the water and air flow at the point of highest velocity which point is indicated by the line 3-3.

Corresponding letters of reference are used in all the figures.

A is the shell of the condensing chamber,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J ne 10 1919 Application med September 22, 1915. Serial No. 52,057.

E is the exhaust steam pipe from an engine or the vapor pipe from an evaporator to the condensing chamber, 0 is the water supply from any available source and always provided with means for regulation, and D is the discharge pipe from the condenser down to the well-known hot-well where it has its open end immersed in water with its surface exposed to the atmosphere and with an overflow at a certain elevation to carry off the water and to keep the open end of the pipe water-sealed.

This constitutes the principle of the socalled barometric type of condenser.

In my improvements the condensing chamber is provided with an upper and a lower water belt, E and F respectively, all in the same integral part or casting, the former being connected to the water supply and the latter to the discharge pipe, both also communicating with the condensing chamber.

Both these water belts have a common means for cleaning, consisting of hand holes through the outer shell, both on opposite exteriors and as shown at rovided with air tight covers The upper water belt has its uppermost inner surface a conical and extending so tof the condensing chamber.

This feature is very important in that it 4 permits every rarefied air bubble to be carried by and without the water flow direct and without any possibility of lodgment to the condensing chamber, and at its very uppermost part where the. insulating and packing ring H of rubber or other suitable material terminates the condensing chamber, and to a certain extent prevents the heat of the steam pipe passing thereto.

At this point all around the inner circumference is where the steam and the water meet; this feature is also important for it is seen that all the capacity of the condensing chamber is used, and that a flowing film in an unbroken sheet of water passes over every iota of surface.

The overflow edge is rounded, as is plainly shown in Fig. .2; this is to hold the water to the surface of the metal, and to influence it in spreading over the same, especially when less water would be sufficient to condense and to so economize in its use.

So long as there is a running film of water covering the entire inner surface of the condue proportion "will be condensed no" heat above that of the passing water can be communicated to the metal of the chamber. This is an ideal condition and is perfectly met by the new construction shown.

When the full capacity of the pipe C is required the annular opening becomes the nozzle of the water belt, which directs the water into the condensing chamber on the line a of the conical roof, upward and inward; the increased quantity in the chamber overflows into the lower water-belt F through the opening f. I

The water in passing down and out of the condensing chamber carries with it the heat and water from thesteam in a perfect union, but not-so with the air-and all the other noncondensables.

As heretofore stated the condenser chamher and water belts are integral, being cast without the annular openings and the rounded upper edge, the same being machined at the same o ration aswhen the flangedends are face so that all the finished surfacesare true to each other.

Located between ithe condensing chamber and the discharge is the vena contracta 1 or the contracted vein, as shown, its vuse being 'to give increased speed or velocity to the passing water; a vortex is created, the

action of which is to suck in the rarefied airat the center only, and it is quite=apparent thatwith a given head or pressure anda given size'of; the water vein the velocityinustgnormally:alwaysbe the same, and

- its air ex trac'ti'on efficiency also and, therefore, lnn1ted. This 1S hllQ GOIldltlOli GXlfiU ring n apparatus now 'inuse and w th incre'aseo'f steam used, more water would be required to condense the steam, the contract'ed part off-the pipe would not pass the quantity'and it would fill up into't'he cham- 7 her, impairing its action immediately, and

reaching a dangerous condition; Y

*B the improvement as shown, all this trouble and constant fear is avoided, and any excess of water gives a result which is at once of good service, and automaticin its operation prqpoitionately to the amount of water used above normal; The manner in whichthis excesswater is used isby overflowing it *into the lower water belt F, the water assing through the annular opening 7, whichis of sufficientcapacity and contour to allow 'the excess on accumulation to pass through and to be a barrier when the flow is normal.

Secured into the bottom oi'the said lower belt are four auxiliary discharge pipes, each of whichfisprovided with a contracted vein of smaller sizeand similar "to the vein I to draw down the air, with and by the overflow of water from the said belt.

within the water bolt, the lowest being at' the bottom inner surface and the highest shown atJ. r I

It is apparent that the main overflow at f into the water belt would seek the lowest level by gravity and agaln overflow into the lowest pipe until its capacity was.

reached; further overflow would raise the level of the water in the belt and the next higher pipe would overflow and soon to the highest. Forsafety, the total capacity of the final overflows and the central disthe atmosphere will maintain thedischarge at a given height due to the vacuum and above 111115 s the head or pressure which gives the water its VGlQCIby lD the vena contracta; the water naturally takes aspira l flow which createsa vortex, at f'the center,

of which the rarefied air and gases are drawn down as indicated by the dotted-lines m F g. 4. e

Hence if theimain vein ofwaterlcan mtain a smaller vein of air-at its center to re move a given an'iounto'f air from the condensing chamber and a'll the ,parts under vacuum, it becomes apparent that :as the others come into action by the successive overflows, each one gives additional suck ing power to remove the airjfdue .to excess of steam and "of water.

The required conditions forsa'ii'e andfposr tive opera'tioh'is a limitedwatcr supply, the

contracted veinsor. correct. Capacitynnd a correctly'fixed level of the overflow from the condensing chamber; The vertical scope of the "vortexfirom its lowest to highest elevations doesmo't exceed a distance throughi which air iscontinually terruption. l

While the 'condltions'fin the use of steam indoors may be constant the :year around,

drawn without in:

so that more willbe required in summer and less i11'winter;'tl1 e summer-time is provided. iorby the auxiliaries and the winter or parts consist 'of'avalve seat L, its surrounding wall M for-water-sealing, a threaded hole m "for water pipe connection and the fulcrum lugs N, these being integral with the exhaust steam pipe; 't'he centerof ther lugsand the valve seat'ere onthesame horizontal plane, with the top of the wall a distance above it, so as to hold water for immersing the valve and to throw the valve cover well away from its seat when open.

The movable part 0 may be termed an oscillating valve; it consists of the weighted valve cover at one end with arched connecting arms to the center hub, and an extending lever provided with a stop to limit its movement, and to the end of which is a chain connection for its maipulation at P.

The valve cover is held true to its seat by the center pin n upon which it has a free and limited movement; the limit being the valve seat in the one direction, and the stop against the pipe in the other. Rubber packing is used on the valve cover to which it is well secured.

While these improvements are in a general way applicable to barometric condensers they may also be applied to other type of condensers and, therefore, I do not confine myself entirely to the former.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a steam condenser a condensing chamber provided with a steam inlet pipe and a water inlet pipe, a water belt integral with said chamber having a conical roof extending inward to the line of the said steam pipe and in contact therewith, an annular opening to said chamber, the lower edge of which is rounded and extends to the path of the entering steam; in combination with a contracted vein discharge from the said chamber.

2. In a steam condenser a condensing chamber provided with steam and water indifferent elevations within the said water belt and the said auxiliary veins connected to a common discharge.

4. In a steam condenser a condenslng chamber provided with steam and water inlets, upper and lower water belts, and a central contracted vein discharge; in combination with means for overflow from said chamber to the lower water belt and means therein to give successive and increased overflow on accumulation of .water within the said condensing chamber 5. In a steam condenser a vertical condensing chamber provided with an exhaust steam inlet into the top and an annular water inlet contiguous thereto; in combination with means for overflow and discharge from the said chamber and successive discharges from the said overflow at different elevations.

. JAMES NAYLOR. Witnesses:

MONTAGUE CLARK, J. WILLIAM NAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

Images