US1684959A - Condenser - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1928.

E. A. JOHNSEN CONDENSER Filed Jan. '7, 1927 INVEN IOR Ea'rzarA 70%): f6??? Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

' uurrsn s'rarss EINAB. A. JOHNSEN, OF MOUNTAIN LAKES, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'lO ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEYV JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONDENSER.

Application filed January 7, 1927v Serial No. 159,517.

My present invention relates to a condenser and more particularly to asurface condenser of the multiple pass type. The particular feature to which the invention relates is the provision of devices self contained in a multi-pass surface condenser for reversing the direction of the flow of the circulating medium through the condenser tubes without reversing the direction of the flow of the circulating medium as the same is delivered by the means for moving the same. The etliciency of a surface condenser depends largely upon the coeflicient of heat exchange between the steam'to be condensed and the circulating cooling medium. This in turn is dependent largely upon maintaining a'uniform quantity of flow of the circulating medium through the condenser tubes and also upon the condition, that is available for circulating purposes, part-icu-' larly at certain seasons of the ear, contains almost all kinds of refuse, dcl'iris and other foreign substances which clogthe condenser tubes, and the circulating water may also contain various chemical substances which have a tendency to form a scale, or to other wise clog the space in the tubes and to thus affect the conditions of the tubes to the detriment of the heat transfer coeficient. Condensertubes have been. cleaned in various manners, forexample by the use of a sand blast, by forcing plugs through the tubes, and by using metal brushes for scraping. the tubes, as well as in various other and similar manners. I am aware that heretofore it has been recognized that condenser tubes may be cleaned by reversing the flow of thecirculat-ing medium 1n order that any refuse I which may have collected on the tube sheets or lodged within the tubes may be removed and also that the formation of scale may be obviated to some extent. 'In reversing the direction of the flow of the circulating medium, however, it is necessary that the piping system be more or less involved and madeto include a. multiplicity of valves so that the necessary piping 1s not only more or less complicated, but occupies so much space and is so relatively costly asto make the practice substantially prohibitive.

The reversal of the direction of the flow of the circulating medium for the purposes of cleansing the condenser and the tubes thereof is undoubtedly more effective in the use of a single pass condenserithan it is the use of a multiple pass condenser. Nevertheless,.the reversal of the direction of the flow of the circulating medium may be used advantageously for. cleansing purposes in a multi-pass condenser, 'and the present invention relates more particularly to the construction of a multi-pass condenser within which, so that the condenser is a self contained unijaineans are provided for reversing the direction of the flow of the circulating medium Without changing the direction ofthe flow of the circulating medium as delivered by the pump or pumps employed to move-the same. 7

In carrying out my present invention the condenser made in accordance therewith is preferably constructed to form a two pass condenser inwhich and preferably in one of the water boxes meansare provided for directing the flow of the circulating medium to either of the banks of tubes, and means are also providedfor the discharge of the circulating medium front this water box whereby the positions of the means for directing the flow of the circulating medium may be so adjusted as to reverse the direction of the flow of the circulating medium through the banks of tubes in the condenser without changing the direction of the flow of the circulating medium from the pump or pumpssupplying the same. In this type of condenser it is also preferable to employ a suitable batlie plate so constructed that in normal operation the larger portion of the incoming exhaust steam is directed toward the cooler end of the condenser tubes. The condenser constructed in accordance with my present invention will 7 be hereinafter more particularly described in conjunction denser shell in thecustomary manner The condenser shell is provided in any suitable Int] with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan of a condenser made in accordance with the invention, and i Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Referring to the drawing the shell of a surface condenser is indicated at 10. In the customarymanner the end portions of the condenser-shell are flanged as indicated at 1.1 and 12 and provided with tube plates 13 and I l, together with water boxes 15 and 16. The water boxes and tube plates are connccted to the flanges at the ends of the con- 'iosition with a steam inlet which as illusirated is 'at the top of the condenser and designated at li'. lVithin the condenser shell and extending betweenxand connected 1st their ends in the tube plates there are series '01 banks of tubes18 and 19. Furthermore, and also as is customary, the

water box 15 isprovided with a bonnet or cover 20 and the water box 16 with a bonnet or cover 21.

In a suitable position the Water box 'lti, which in this construction is 'the inlet and outlet waterbox, is provided with inlet connections 22 and 23 for a circulating medium. In the inlet conneetion 22 there is a valve 24. i This may be a valve of any desired type, and as illustrated, is what may be termed a flap valve mounted on a shaft which is journaled in bearings provided therefor in the walls of the Water box. At its peripheral portion the valve 24 is adapted to bearagainst a seatfifi formed in a rib .27 also in the walls of the water born The shaft 25 extends through the cover 21 and exterio'rly thereof is fitted with a gear or hand wheel 28 by means of which the shaft may be turned todetermine the position of the valve 24. I

In a similar n'ianner the inlet connection 2,3 is provided with'a'valve 29; This valve is preferably similar'tothe valve 24 and is mounted on a shaft 30 which is iournaled tin bearings provided therefor in the walls vertical-position when the condenser is set for use, althoughas will be understood this partition wall may assume any position depending upon the positions of the inlet and outlet connectionsto and from the water box. In a centrally disposed position substantially midway between the inlet connections the water box is provided with an outlet connection 35. In this outlet connection or adjacent thereto'thewater box is fitted with a valve made in angular form, the parts of which are indicated at 36 and 37. This valve is mounted on a shaft- 38 which is journaled in bearings provided therefor in the walls'of tlie water )0K and the shaft extends through the cover fllia'nd enteriorly thereof is fitted withla gear or hand wheel 39 by means of which the shaft may be turned to determine the position of the darts 36' and 3'? of this valve; :The perip ieral portion of the part 36 of this discharge valve is adapted to bear againsta seat' 'ew formed in a rib 41 the walls of the: discharge connection; Similarly the eripheral portion of the part 37 ofthe discharge valve" is adapted to bear against aseat 4210mm in a rib 43 in the Willis of the discharge connectionfo'f the Water box V In the use of the condenser as hereinbe fore described; the water or other circulat ing' medium employed they be taken from any suitable source of supply and ca-used to flow through a supplyline 44 means of a pump 45 driven by a motor 6' or otherwise, the discharge end ef the pump being connected to the supply; line by a pipe 47 in which there is a valve 48. It-Will tennderstood that any necessary numberof' these circulating pumps to meet the requirements of any given installationma' be employed.

The sup ly line 44 is provide within bra-rich 49 which is connected to the inlet noitzle "23 and the supply line is extended as i d icated at 50 so as to have one end thereof connectedto the inletconnection 22; Connected to the discharge connection 35-tliere a pipe51 leading to at discharge line 59. In normal operatlonthe Valves in the inlet connections and the discharge "connection are set as illustrated in Fig. fl of the'drawing.

The circulating medium caused to flow by the pump 45 will therefore pass to the inlet connection 22 inasmuch as the valve 24 is open and thence to the left hand compartment in the water box as illustrated'in this figure through the tubes 18 in the'tube bank A tothe water box lfi which isjconstructed to have a" unitary chamber, theme in the oppetite direction through the tubes 19 in the tube bank B to the outletconnectionflo and to the discharge line 52. To efiect a reversal of the flow of the circulating inedi- V urn" the valve 24 isclosed, the valve 29 is opened, and the discharge valve is placed with the parts thereof in the position in which the partfiibettrs against the seat 42 wherebyas will be understood the circulatin}: medium caused to flowbv the pump 45 will pass to the inlet connection 23,, thence to the right'hand compartmentof the water box 16 as viewed in "Fig, 2, through the tiibes19 in the tube bank B to the water box 15, themes through the 18in, the one esaee through the banks of tubes.

111 this type of condenser it is preferable to cmploya suitable bafile at or adjacentthe exhaust steam inlet in order to divert or direct a relatively large proportion of the incomin exhaust steam to the cooler end of the condenser tubes. Such a form of'baille plate is indicated at 53 and may be made of sheet metal so curved as to have a substantially vertical portion 5d at one end thereof and an inclined portion 55 at the other end thereof. This baffle plate as will be understood may be mounted in any suitable manner and made in any suitable configuration to effect its intended purposes.

It will be understood that the baflie plate 53 functions as stated to direct the greater portion of the incoming exhaust steam to the cooler ends of the condenser tubes when the apparatus is operating under normal conditions in which the direction of the flow of the cooling medium through the tubes is indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, and that while the bathe plate does not function as stated when the direction of the flow of the cooling medium is reversed, the period during which the flow of the cooling medium is reversed for the purpose of cleaning the tubes is so relatively short that the fact that the baffle plate does not then operate as intended will not materially affect the operation of the apparatus.

It will now be understood that the condenser as hereinbefore described is a multipass condenser of the two pass type andthat by the use of the valve devices in the inlet and outlet connections of the water box at one end of the condenser the reversal of the direction of the flow of the circulating medium may be effected without a. complicated system of pipes and valves. Furthermore, that by relatively frequent reversals of the direction of the flow of the circulating medium for more or less short intervals of time the condenser tubes may be maintained in such a condition as to make the condenser operate in an efiicient and satisfactory manner.,

I claim as my invention: 7 1. In a two pass surface condenser, ashell. banks of tubes therein, a water box at one end of the shell, means shiftable within the water box for directing the low of a circulating medium to a predetermined bank of tubes, and means also shiftable in the water box for controlling the discharge of the circulating medium therefrom whereby the circulating medium may be directed to pass in one direction through one bank of tubes and in another dlrection hrough another bank of tubes and by shifting the position of the said means the circulating medium maybe directed to flow in the opposite'direction through the last aforesaid bank of tubes and 1D the opposite direction through the first aforesaid banlc of tubes.

. In a two pass surface condenser, a shell adapted to deflect the larger portion of the incoming exhaust steam through the cooler end of the condenser tubes.

in a two pass surface condenser, a shell having an opening therein for the admission of exhaust steam to be condensed,

banks of tubestherein, a water box at one end of the shell, means in the Water box for directing the flow of a circulating medium thereto, means in the water boxfor directing the flow of a circulating medium from the condenser, and a baffle plate within the shell and adjacent the said opening therein for the exhauststeam and adapted to de fleet thelarger portion of the'incoming ex-' haust steam through the cooler end of the condenser tubes. i

a. In a two pass surface condenser, a shell having an opening therein for the admission of exhaust steam to be condensed, banks of tubes in the shell, a water box'at one end of the condenser, a transverse partition wall dividing the Water box into two oppositely disposed compartments, inlet connections each leading to one of the compartments in the Water box, valves in the inlet connections for controlling the passage of av circulating medium to either compartment in the water box, a discharge connection common to both compartments in the water and in the opposite direction through the other bank of tubes, a common discharge connection for the said banks of tubes. and means for controlling the passage of the T cooling mcdinm from either bank of tubes to the said discharge connection.

6; In a two pass surface condenser, a shell, tubes therein, a water box having a partition Wall dividing the same into two compartments communicating with two banks of tubes, :1 separate inlet connection to both the said compartments for a cooling medium, a common outlet connection from the said compartments, and means for controlling the direction of the flow of a coolmg medium. to either compartment from its inlet connection and from the other compartment by way of the common outlet conspending compartment in the water box, and

means in the outlet connection for making communication between one compartment and the outlet connection and for closing communication between the other compartment and the outlet connection.

SyIn a two pass surface condenser, a

shell, tubes therein, a water box having a partition Wall dividing the same into two a compartments, an inlet" connection for a cooling mediinn to one of the said compartments, a valve in the said inlet conne'ction for controlling the flow 7 of the cooling medium to the said compartment, an inlet connection for acoolin medium to the other compartment, a Va e in the second inlet connection for controlling the" passae of the eoolingmedium .to the sewn compartments, and means in the discharge I compartment, a common dischar' e for the cooling medium from either of said connection for opening communication between one compartment and the discharge connection and closing-communication between the other compartment and the discharge connection.

9. In a two pass surface condenser, ashell,

tubes therein, a water box having a partim'ents, a valve in the said inlet connection for controlling the flow of the cooling medium to the said compartment, an inlet connection for a coolin medium to the other compartment, a rave in the second inlet (onnection for controlling the passage of the cooling medium to thesecond com pertinent, a 'dischargeconnection common to both said compartments, and a valve in said dischar e connection adapted to open communication between either of the said compartments and the discharge connection and simultaneously toclose com- "munication between the other compartment and the discharge connection.

Signed by me this 22nd day of December, 1926.

I EINAR A. JOHNSEIT 'tion Wall dividin' the same into two compartments, an iniet connection for a cooling medium to one of the said compact-

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