US1666777A - Method of and apparatus for evaporating and distilling - Google Patents

Description

April 17, 1928. 1,666,777

J. S. FORBES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING AND DISTILLING Filed July 26. 1921' Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. FORBES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING AND DISTILLING.

Application filed July 26, 1921,

water, or for obtaining water in pure form' for other purposes.

I further desire to provide a novel method and apparatus characterized as above, which shall utilize highly attenuated steam without requiring relatively bulky or costly apparatus, and the invention more especially contemplates a use of the steam in such manner that the operating heat gradiant shall be relatively great, with a view to scouring stability and ease of operation with an avoidance of frequent and minute adjustments or regulation.

I further desire to provide apparatus for carrying out the process above indicated which shall be relatively small in size and weight as well as comparatively inexpensive.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section, to some extent diagrammatic, illustrating apparatus embodying my invention and in which my process may be carried out; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a modification of certain parts of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the above drawings 1 represents the exhaust steam pipeof a steam engine such as e a turbine, although obviously it may conduct steam from any other source of supply. This is connected to a condenser 2 having an inlet 8 for cooling water and an outlet 4 for said water after it has traversed the various sets of tubes 5. The water from the steam condensed is collected in the bottom of the casing of the condenser and may be drawn off through an opening 6.

In accordance with my invention I connect to the exhaust steam pipe 1 a pipe 7 leading to a jet compressor 8 supplied with high pressure steam through a pipe 9 and discharging into the casing of a heater 10. This heater preferably contains several series of tubes 11 through which water or other liquid to be heated is delivered from a supply pipe 12, which for certain purposes may be connected through a branch 13 to the out Serial N0. 487.604.

let pipe 4 for the cooling water of the condenser 2. The casing of this heater 10 is connected through a pipe 14 with the casing of the condenser 2 and the liquid from the pipe 12, after circulating through the tubes 11, passes out through the discharge pipe 15 into a flash chamber 16.

The flash chamber preferably has the form of a closed, vertically elongated tank ,in which is mounted a circular screen 17 or other device for finely dividing the heated water delivered from suitable openings in the bottom of the ring-shaped extension 18 of the pipe 15. The top or upper part of the flash chamber 16 is connected through a conduit 19 to a suitable vacuum producing device such as the condenser 2 and a liquid outlet 20 from the bottom of said chamber is connected to a suitable pump or other device for withdrawing the liquid collected therein. As alternative to the steam operated jet compressor 8, I may, as shown in Fig. 2, provide a rotary or other suitable compressor 21 for withdrawing steam from the exhaust pipe 1 and compressing it in the casing of the heaterlO.

Under operating conditions exhaust steam is delivered to the condenser 2 through the pipe 1 and cooling water or other liquid is circulated through the tubes 5 of said condenser into which it passes from the pipe 3 and from which it is discharged through the pipe 4-. If it be desired to concentrate some liquid such for example as a sugar so lution, the pipe 12 would be connected to a source of such liquid and the jet compressor 8 would be put in operation by delivering high pressure steam thereto from the pipe 9. This steam, by means of the device 8, would positively draw low pressure steam from the pipe 1, increase its heat by compression as well as supplying heat to it from the pipe 9 and deliver it into the casing of the heater 10, where it serves to heat the liquid delivered from the pipe 12. Since the flash chamber 16 is maintained at a relatively high vacuum by suitable means such as the condenser 2, the heated liquid delivered in finely divided form from the pipe 18 over the screen 17 is vaporized to a greater or less extent and the vapor so produced passes into the condenser 2 while the concentrated liquid is withdrawn through the pipe 20. v

If on the other hand it is desired to obtain a supply of distilled water in addition to that normally provided by the condenser ill) 2, I deliver water to the heater 10 from the outlet pipe 4 of the condenser through the pipes 13 and 12,..it being obvious that this water is at a higher temperature than when supplied to the condenser owing to the heat received when condensing the steam therein.

, This more or less heated water has its temperature further raised in the heater 10 by the combined effect of the steam delivered from the pipe 1 to the pipe T and that due to compression as well as the steam from the pipe 9 delivered by the jet compressor 8 or by the mechanical compressor 21. The heated water delivered through the pipes 15 and 18 as before is vaporized to a greater or less extent within the flash chamber 16 and the steam supplied by such vaporization is carried through the pipe 19 into the condenser 2, from which in the form of water it is drawn off through the opening 6 with the water condensed from the steam by the pipe 1. The uncondensed water or other liquid falllng into the bottom of the flash chamber 16, is as be'tore; withdrawn through the outlet 20.

livered from the pipe 1 so that its heatmay be usefully employed either for distilling water or for concentrating a liquid. For this purpose the steam jet or compressor renders the highly attenuated exhaust steam available foruse or puts it in a form in which its heat may be usefully employed without requiring bulky or heavy apparatus,-the actuating heat gradient of the steam in the heater 1() being relatively great and giving stability and ease of operation without requiring either minute or frequent adjustments out the quantities of steam and of the liquid flowing in the apparatus.

It is of course to be understood that for purposes of operation and regulation suitable valves are provided in the various pipes for causing or permitting operation of the system as above described.

I claim:

l. The' method which consists in continuously separating a current of exhaust steam into two portions of which one is condensed bycooling water; utilizing the second portion of such steam to increase the temperature of aportion of the water used to con-- dense the first portion of such steam vaporizing the water so heated; and condenslngthe vaporized water.

2. The method which consists in continuously'separating a current of exhaust steam into two portions of which one is condensed by cooling water; heating the second portion ofsuch steam and utlhzlng the heated steam to increase the temperature of a portion of water used to condense the first portion of such steam; finely dividing the heated water and exposing it. 111 such form to a pressure permitting it to vaporize; and condensing the vapor so formed.

i. The combination with an exhaust pipe and a condenser adapted to receive and condense steam from said pipe, of means for forcibly withdrawinga portion of thesteam in said pipe passing to the condenser; a liquid heater connected to receive said withdrawn steam; means for vaporizing the heated liquid from said heater; and means for condensing the vapor so produced.

5. The combination with an exhaust steam pipe; of a condenser adapted to receive and condense the'e'xhaust steam from said pipe; means for forcibly withdrawing and heating a portion of the steam passing through said exhaust pipe to the condenser; a liquid heater connected to receive said withdrawn steam; and a flash chamber connected to receive the heated liquid from said heater.

6. The combination with an exhaust steam pipe and acondenser adapted to receive and condense the steam "from said pipe; means for forcibly withdrawing and heating a portion of the steam passing through said pipe to the condenser; a liquid heater connected to receive the withdrawn and heated steam; means for vaporizing the heated liquid from said heater; and means for condensing the vapor so produced.

7. The combination with an exhaust steam pipe and a condenser adapted to receive and condense steam from said pipe; at liquid heater; means for forcibly withdrawing a portion of the steam passing through said exhaust pipe and for passing it to said liquid heater; means for vaporizlng liquid from said heater; and means for conducting said vapor to thesaid condenser.

8. The combination with an exhaust steam pipe, of a condenser adapted to receive and condense the exhaust steam from said pipe; means for forciblywithdrawing a portion of the steai'iti-passing through the pipe to the condenser; a liquid heater connected to re.-

ceive said withdrawn steam; a flash chamber connected to receive the heated liquid from $2116. heater; and a duct arranged to conduct vapor from said flash chamber to the condenser.

JOHN S. FORBES.

Images