US1355935A

US1355935A - benjamin

Info

Publication number: US1355935A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1920-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 1937-10-19

Description

G. H. BENJAMIN.

EVAPORATOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-23.1918.

1,355,935, Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

3 SHEE1S---SHLET I.

- 75' i TIG.2. 66 6'9 6'8 6 73 E 7/ E H o g; 6'6 6'9 7 5:

G. H. BENJAMIN.

EVAPORATOB AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH EVAPORATOR. APPUCATION HLED rs.2a.191a.

1,355 ,935, Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

3 SHEE1SSHEET 2.

FIG. 5. 57 FIG.

D O O B GEORGE- HILLABD BENJAIMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EVAPORATOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH EVAPOBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

. Application filed February 23, 1918. Serial No. 218,618.

To all whom 2t may can 021%:

Method of Operating SuchEvaporators, of which the foil wing is a specification.

In U. S ettersPatent-Nd.1,225,118

granted to F. T. Evans on May 8, 1917, there is describedaifiethod of obtaining pure water from salt water, which consists in evaporating salt water by heat to obtain a watery vapor containing a smallpercentage of salt, then super-heating the vapor so derived under conditions where no water is present as ahody. and finally condensing the superheated vapor. In such patent there is described an apparatus for carrying the abovedescribed method into effect. This apparatus, in practice, was found to be successfiil, but is open to the objection that high temperature steam is required to superheat the vapor, which high temperature steam is not always available on all vessels where evaporating apparatus may be employed.

My invention relates to apparatus and method of operating said apparatus, by reason of which the above described method may be carried into elfect, but which differs from. that described in the'patent of Evans in that the superheating of the vapor is accomplished by means of the temperature effects of an electric current transmitted through suitable apparatus. B reason of my improved apparatus, I am a le to effect the original evaporation of. the salt water to form the vapor, by means either of steam of low temperature, or the tem erature ef fects of an electric current, an the superheating of the v or by the temperature effects of an electric current, with the heating mediums susceptible of liidependent control.

Further, through the use'of thetemperature effects of an electric current tor superheating the vapor, I am able to tibta temperature effects thanlethe base;

' 'superheatedsteam, and agent-"16m neitdily controllable, and hencemtliih more economical in application. The accompanyi illustrate my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section" through a form of my a parat whereihe evaporating and super eating c amheraiareeach arranged to be heated by the temperature effects of electric current.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the superheating chamber, looking to the right of the upper portion of Fig. 1, with the bottom broken away to show the superheating elements.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line IVIV of the evaporating chamber shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 1, showing an elevation of a modified form of my evaporating apparatus, with the superheating chamber in this figure shown to be heated by the temperature ef- 'fects of electric current, and the evaporating chamber by steam; also showing the heating elements through which the electric current is utilized in the superheating chamber, swung out of the superheating chamber for cleaning.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the electrical heating elements, shown in the superheating chambers of Figs. 1, 5 and 10.

PATENT OFFICE.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the -means employed to support the door and heating elements of the evaporating chamber when in and when. removed from the evaporating chamber.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of another form of my evaporator, showing the heating elements in the evaporatin chamber formed of steam coils as shown in ig. 5, and a separate electrical heating element situated below the steam coils, and further showing the superheating chamber mounted over the evaporating chamber.

Fi 11 is a horizontal section on the line XI-- I of Fi .flll and Fig. 12 is a iqqiiontal section'ion the line XIIXII of 10.

In the various ws, similar numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings, 15 indicates the evaporatingchamber, which is of the usual construction, and provided with a removable door 16 mounted upon the wheeled support" 17. Situated within the chamber 15, are the heating elements 1819 20. In Fig. 1 the electrical heating element 18 occupies the whole of the waterspace 21. In Fig. 5, the steam heating element 20 occupies the whole of the water space 21, and in Fig. 10 the electrical heating element 19 occupies the lower portion of the water space 21, and the steam heating element 20 the upper portion of the water space 21.

I wish to have it understood that I do not limit myself in any wise to the an ount of space which the heating elements shall occupy within the evaporating chamber lfi, or the proportions of the space which shall be occupied respectively by the electric and steam heating elements, nor do I wish to limit myself in any wise to the particular construction of the heating elements, as they may be considerably modified from those shown.

In Fig. 1 the heating element 18 consists of four symmetrically disposed shaped metal tubes 22, mounted upon and supported by a casing 23 connected at one end to the door 16. Situated within each of the tubes 22, is a orcelain plate 24, having helical grooves 5 formed in its surface in which is wound a spiral coil 26. The plate 24 is detachably connected to the casin 23 by nuts 27. The coils 26 are connecte in multiple to conductors 28-29 respectively connected to minus and plus spring contact plates 30-31 on the front of the door 16. Arranged to cooperate with contact plates 3031, is a switch 32, pivotally mounted on the front of the evaporator, as shown at 33. By means of this switch, the coils 26 can be thrown into circuit with a source of electricity exterior to the evaporator. The electrical heating element shown in Figs. 10 a 12, consists of a metallic annulus 34, connected through tube 35 to the front of the evaporator shell. Located within the annulus is a clay annulus 36 having a spiral groove 37 on which is helically wound a spiral coil 38. This coil is connected to the contact plates 3031 in the same manner as is shown in Fig. 4. The metallic annulus 34 is supported above the bottom of the evaporator by posts 39, the object of which is to allow space for. circulation of water around the annulus, and keep the bottom of the annulus out of contact with the salt which forms on th. bottom of the'evaporator.

In Figs. 5 and 10 the steam heating element consists of the horizontally disposed manifolds 4041, respectively connected to the door 16. l manifolds are the helical coils 42. In Figs.

5 and 10 the steam. heating element 20, eon-.. sidered as a whole, is attached to the door, 16 and ada ted to be drawn out of the evaporator or cleaning, and the same is heater 52 is located imme essential.

Interposed between these Luipau true of the electrical heating element 18 in Fig. 1. In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the electrical heating element is not attached to the door, pht permanently attached to the bottom 0 lire evaporator.

In Fig. 10, a casing 4 open at the bottom, is arranged over the annulus 34, and situated above this casing is a pipe 44 which is carried through the manifolds 4041. In Fi 5 the helical coils 42 are arranged in line a on the manifolds 40-41, the manifolds bei g straight. In Fig. 11, the manifolds are shown as formed as annuli. disposed horizontally with the helical coils arranged around the annuli. In Fi s. 5 and 11, the manifolds 40-41 are s own as adapted to coact with steam connections 45-46 mounted on the door 16, which steam connections are ada ted tocoact with other steam connections 4 secured to the external surface of the shell of the evaporator, and they in turn adapted to connect with steam pipe 48 leading to the source of steam supply, the object of which arrangement is to provide that the main steam connection to the evaporator shallremain unbroken when the door 16 and the heatin elements at-' tached thereto, "are removed rom the evaporator shell for cleaning.

It will be understood that when the door shown in Fig. 10 is removed from the evaporator, pipe 44 is carried out with the door, moving over the top of the casing 43.

Located in the top of the evaporator shell '15, are the usualbaflles49-50. Connected 10a to the top of the evaporator shell is a pipe 51, which leads into the bottom of the superheater shell'52. .53-54 represent pipes connecting the evaporator shell, by means of which salt water or fresh water for cleaning, may be introduced into the evaporator shell 15. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and .5, the superheater 52 is located at a distance from the evaporator 15. In the construction shown in Fi 10, the super- 11o iately above the evaporator 15. I do not limit myself in any wise to the position of the superheater 52 as regards the evaporator 15. In each of the fi res, the superheater is shown as located a ove the evaporator. This is not It ma beon a level with the evaporator or be ow it. The only requirement being that no water will pass from the evaporator 15 into the superheater 52. The reason for this is that it is impossible to superheat vapor in the presence of water. Consequently, the arrangement of parts must be such that there is no water in the superheater at any time. In practice, it is 'found that there will be no water but should water condense, arrangements should be made'to tap olf the water so as not to leave any-,water1 .wh1ch may be absorbed by.

the vapor it is superheated.

naub oaa The superheater 52 is provided with a door 55. The top of the door is connected through a link 56 to a pivoted arm 57 on the top of the superheater. By reason of this construction, the door and the heating elements which it supports, may be swung awa from the superheater shell, as shown in ig. 5 for clean in or otherwise.

Extendin inward horizontally from the top of t e door 55, is an annulus 58. 'A horizontal plate-like body 59- extends in- ,.'ward across the shell 52 in line with the jbottom of the door. Depending from the annulus are a series of efements 60. Each heatin lectrical heating 2 element consists of a cylindrical body of clay 61, on the surface of which is formed a spiral groove 62, in which is wound a wire helix 63. Surrounding the groove and helix is a metal tube 64, closed at the bottom, which de ends from the annulus 58. The surface 0? this tube is shaped to corres ond with the general contour of the cy indrical body 61. Supported in plate 59 is an upwardly extending tube 65. A space is left between the top of this tube and the bottom of the exteri'or of the annulus 58. A third tube 66 depends from the annulus 58, the bottom of this tube being flared outward, 'as shown at 67, Fig, 1. T c three tubes 6465--66, are

arranged concentrically and have the same surface configuration. Situated over the Jcylindrical body,61, and secured by a screw thread in the annulus 58, are removable caps 68, which may be removed for examination of the connections to the helix 63. The helix 63 is connected in multiple to the conductors 6970, which are in turn connected to switches 71 adapted to coiiperate with contact plates 7273 mounted on the exterior of the superheater, and connected to a suitable source of electricity. The plate 59 has formed in it, perforations 74, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be observed, that byreason of the spacing of the tubes 64-65'66, channels exist between them, through which circulation of the vapor may take place, the circulation being upward between the tubes 6465 and downward between the tubes/ 66. The advantage of this arrangement is that the vapor passes within the influence of the heat from the heating elements, twice as a film. This is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6.

The operation of m improved device will be readily understoo Salt water'is introduced into the evaporating chamber through pipe 53, until the Water reaches the top, of the heating elements, whatever the character of the elements employed,

leaving a space between the top of the bat mitted to the water, the result being the formation of a vapor which passes off throu h pipe 51 to superheater 52. In super eater 52 the vapor passes upward through the perforations 74 in the plate 59, and as a film through the channels between the tubes, 64-65-66, passing first in an upward direction and then in a downward direction, and thence out of the super-heater throu h the pipe 75.

In .ig. 5 eva oration is caused by the temperature of t e steam passing through the heating coil in Fig. 10 by the temperature of the steam. passing through the heating coils supplemented b the temperature due to the electrical heatlng element 19 in the bottom of the evaporator.

In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the disposition of the arts is for the purpose of obtaining a ciriiilation of the water to be evaporated. T e heat developed by the heating element 19 causes the water to move upward in the direction' of the arrow through the pi e 44 and out of the pipe in a downward direction. This construction ossesses an advantage over that shown in *igs. 1 and 5, and for the reason that the temperature may be increased through the electrical heating element 19, circulation effected and evaporation made more rapid than-is the case where no arrangement is provided for eifectin circulation of the water. The vapor, a ter passing *through pipe 51 as above described, passes as a film over the electrical'heating eleme t in the superheater 52, and is therein e ectually superheated, that is, heated to such an eX- tent as to cause it to deposit practically all of the salt carried by the vfipor. It will be understood from the description,- as far as given, that the heating elements of the evaporator and superheater may beindepndently controlled, and thus the temperature exhibited in these two vessels determined at will. Thus, the temperature exhibited in the evaporator vessel may be such as-to cause a slow or rapid evaporation of the water, and the temperature exhibited in the superheater vessel may be such as to superheat the vapor to any desired temperature. In certain conditions of ,use of evaporators, it has been found unnecessary to superheat the vapor delivered from the evaporator, for instance, when the vessel is at rest or moving on an even keel, but highly desirable to superheat the vapor when the vessel is pitching in a Seaway, which tends to produce priming from the evaporator. A further efiect is obtained by the use of the apparatus described, which is that if the vapor is superheated to a high degree, the temperature unitsbound with the vapor, are in a condition to be radiated with great rapidity.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. In an evaporator, the combination of an evaporating chamber, a steam heating apparatus located therein through which steam may be circulated and the temperature contro led, a superheating chamber, an electric heating apparatus located therein through Vwhich electric energy may be applied and the temperature controlled, together with means whereby the vapor set free in the evaporating chamber will be carried into the superheating chamber.

2. In an evaporator, the combination of an eva orating chamber, two sources of heat ber, 'sa'id heating apparatus separately controllable, a superheating chamber, an electric apparatus located in said superheating chamber and separately controllable from the heating apparatus of the'evaporating chamber, together with means whereby the va or set free in the evaporating chamber E; 1 be. carried into the superheatingchamr. a 4. In an evaporating apparatus, the combination of an evaporating chamber, means for applyingtem erature to the interior of amber-to e ect evaporatiogi of ii uid the c in said chamber, a superheatin cham er, means whereby the .va or set ree in the evaporating ohamherfyvi be carried into the superheating chambeiglfneans located in the superheating chamber. whereby the vapor in: troduced-iiito the chamber will be caused to pass asa film over the heating unit in such superheating chamber, a heating device in said supprlieating chamber, together with means r'pseparately controlli the temperatures exhibited through the eating apparatus in the evaporating and superheating chamber-18. o a

an evaporating chamber;i

5. In an evaporator, the combination of a removable door, a heating unit mounte upon the door, a superheating chamber, a removable door, a heating unit mounted upon the door, a pipe connection between the top of the evaporating chamber and the bottom of the superheating chamber, together with means for separately controlling the temperature effects of the heating units of the evaporating and superheating chambers.

6. In an evaporator, the combination of an evaporating chamber adapted to contain a liquid, a heating unit adapted to be immersed in the liquid and through its temperature efiect's set free a vapor, a superheating chamber, means located a in such chamber whereby the va or introduced into said chamber will pass t rou h such chamber as a film, means in sai chamber for superheating such film during its passage, means interposed between the evaporating and superheating chambers for carrying the vapor set free in the evaporating chamber into the superheating c amber,. together with means for separately controlling the application of heat through the instrumentalities described in the evaporating and in the superheating chambers.

7. In an evaporator, the combination of an evaporating chamber, means in said chamber for applyin heat to vaporize the fluid contained in sai chamber, a pipe leading from the top of said evaporating chamber through'which the vapor set free in such chamber will be carried from the evaporatorg together with means located external to sai evaporatin% chamber for superheating the vapor as a lm as it passes from said evaporator, and said evaporator and superheating means provided with independent heat controllin apparatus.

8. T e method of converting salt water into'fresh water, which consists in subjecting salt water to the action of heat in a closed vessel to set free a vapor, conveying the vapor to aclosed vesseli transmitting the vapor through such close vessel as a film and subjectin the film to the action of a controllable high temperature to superheat the film.

In testimon whereof I aflix m si' GEORG HILLARD' BEll JA -ature.