US1656985A

US1656985A - Power-generating system having air heater

Info

Publication number: US1656985A
Application number: US624080A
Authority: US
Inventors: William S Monroe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-03-10
Filing date: 1923-03-10
Publication date: 1928-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1945-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1928. 1,656,985

w. s. MONROE POWER GENERATING SYSTM HAVING AIR HEATER Filed March io, 1923 02 il 0 N cn m 111 n lim (I3 n rox] u @"g i?) ATTORNEYS. v

ltatented dan. Zei, 1925.

UhllTlilD STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

'WILLIAM S. MONROE, OF (LI-IIL'JACw'rO,` ILLINOIS;

application site Maren 10,1923. serial No. 624,080.

My present invention relates to systems for generating power in which steam from steam` generators is supplied to a multi-'stage prime mover andin which some ofthe exhaust from one or more stages of such` prime mover is withdrawn fromjthe prime mover and the heaty thereof returned to the system.

My present invention will be best understood from the following description and the annexed drawing; in which I have shown diagrammatically one embodiment.

In this illustrative embodiment, 10 is a steam boiler having a forced-blast stolzer 11 and a superheater 12 from which steam is supplied through a pipe 13 to the highpressure stage of a multi-stage steam turbine iet connected to a generator 15. The boiler is provided with an economizer 16 over which the gases flow downward from the boiler 10, and from thence to thestack 17.

The condenser 18 receives the exhaust from the turbine le and the condensate passes through the pipe 19 into a feed-water and air-heating system to be described more fully hereinafter7 the pump 20 forcing this condensate into the system, and a feed pump 21 withdrawing the feed. water from the system and forcing it through thepipe 22 into the economizer 16 from which it passes into the boiler 10 in the usual manner.

The system referred to comprises the `

heaters

23, 24 and 25, the heater 28 being supplied through the pipe 26 with steam from between a pair of relatively low-pressure stages of the turbine, the heater 2e being supplied through the pipe 2'? with steam from between a pair of stages at a relatively higher pressure, and the heater beingl supplied through the pipe 28 with steam from the steam packing gland of the turbine. These heaters 23, y2d and 25 are connected by

pipes

29, 8O and 31 with the condensate pump 20 and with each other, so that these heaters are in series in the direction of flow of the water therethrough, the pipe 82 connecting the last heater .with the feed pump 21.

A duct 83 connected to a forced-draft fan 8d supplies air to the fuel on the grate 11. rIhis air passes over heating surfaces in an air heater 85, these heating surfaces being supplied rvith hot water from the heater 25 through a pipe 36, the water after passing through the air heater, returning through a pipe 37 to a pump 38 which is connected to the pipe 29.

By l way of illustration, but without intending to be limited to the specilic arrangementor figures, the operation of my system may be described as` follows:

The steam passing through the pipe 26 mayhave a temperature of, say, 150O F. The condensate, therefore,` will first be heated to approximately that temperature and will then flow to the second heater 24, where it will be heatedv by steam at a temperature of, say, 200o F. From the heater 24, it will flow to the heater 25, where it is heated by steam which may have a temperature of, say, 212. From the heater 25, sufficient water will be drawn by the pump 2l to feed the boiler. The pump 38 acting with the pump 20, will cause the remaining water in the system to circulate throughv the air heater to heat the air passing to the grate 11. It will thus be seen that the steam drawn from the intermediate stages of the turbine will be utilized not only to heat the feed waterl to the desired temperature, but will also heat the combustion air and that the quantity of steam which may thus be drawn off from the turbine is not limited to the amount required to heat the feed water to the desired temperature. Indeed, it will be noted that `the system including the heaters23, 2d, 2 5, air' heater 35 and the circulating pump 88, constitu-te what is, in edect, a closed system so far as the air heater is concerned, in which the circulating water serves to transfer the heat from the steam withdrawn' from the turbine to the combustion air, though I nd it advan tageous to use this system also to heat the feed water in the manner which I have described.

Nhile I have shown three heaters supplied with steam from the turbine, it will be understood that any number may be used though I lind it advantageous to use a plurality in the manner illust-rated, in order that the temperature of the water may be increased progressively as it flows through the several heaters. Preferably, the air heater will be of'such size that though it receives water, say, at a temperature of 212 F. from the heater 25, the water passing therefrom will be reduced to a temperature of, say, from to 80 I?. or approximately that of the condensate from the condenser 18.

It will be understood that the arrangement which I have used for purposes of illustration may be widely varied and that I do not wish to be .limited to the speeilic form which I have shown.

l claim:

l. In a power-generatinel system, a steam boiler' having a furnace, a multi-stage prime mover supplied with steam trom said boiler, an air heatel' arranged to transfer heat 'troni water lo air, means to pass combustion air through said air heater to the furnace, a water-circulating s stein connected to said air heater and hai/ing a heatsexchanger therein, connections to supply steam trom an intermculiate stage oi the prime mover to said l1eate:;changer and a pump in said wateneirculating system, whereby the "water may be circula-ted through the air heater and the heat exchanger at any desired rate.

2. ln a poWeiener-aLing;` system, a steam boiler ha ring;` a furnace, a multi-stage prime mover supplied with steam trom said boiler, an air heater arranged to transfer heat `from water to air, means to pass combustion air through said air heater to the furnace, a water-eireulating system connected tiosaid air heater' and havingr a heat-exchanger therein, connections to supply steam from an intermediate stage ot the prime mover to said heat-etchanger, and connections between said wtiter-circulating s; stem and said boiler to supply feed Water troni the system to the boiler.

3. In a power-generaling s yictenl, a steam boiler havingl a furnace, a multistage, prime mover supplied with steam i'rom said boiler, an air heater arranged to transfer' heat from Water to air, ineens to pass combustion air through said air heater to the furnace, a u'uter-eirculatini; system connected to Said air heater and hating a plurality7 ot heaters therein, a eonneeti on between each heater in the Water Circulating system and the exhaust outlettrom an interlinediate stage ot the prime mover arranged to supply steam at progressively higher temperatures to the Water which lf'lows to the air heater and a` pump :in said water-circulating system, whereby the water may be cirelilated through the air heater and the heaters at any desired rate.

il. In :r power-generating sistem, a steam boiler ha ringe furnace, a limiti-etage prime mover supplied with steam from said boiler, an air heate arranged to transiter heat from water to air, means to pass combustion air through said air heater to the turuace, a 'u'ater-circulating system connected. to said air heater and haring :i plurality oi. heaters therein, a connection between each heater in the water circulatingl system and a pair et intermediate stages oil. the prime mover arranged to supply steam at progressively higher temperatures to the water as it lows toward the air heater, and a connection bew tween the last heute' and the boiler to supl'eed water to the boiler. Y, ln a power-generating system, a steam boiler lravingg a furnace, a .multhstage prime mover supplied with steam :troni said boiler and hari a condenser for the exhaust steam therefrom, an air heater arranged to trans `ler heat from water to air, means to pass coinlmstion air through said air heater to the furnace, a water-circulating system connected to said air heater and haring;r u heater therein, connections to euiiply steam from an intermediate stage ol the prime mover to said Water heater, a connection and a pump between the exhaust steam condenser and said watereirculating system, and u connection and a pump between the Watencircu latine' system and the boiler, said wateren'- culating system having a pump therein, whereby the water in the system may be circulated through the heater and the air heater at any desired rate, independently of the suppl;T ol condensate or the ai'nount of teed Water required by the boiler.

WM. S. MONRU E.