US1772239A - Heating system - Google Patents

Description

A. L. BROWNE HEATING SYSTEM Aug. 5, 1930.

Filed Feb. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ms Afr fbausvs Aug: 5, 1930. A. L. BROWNE 1,772,239

HEATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 28, 1923 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a g liNVENTOR (im /V @JJ; 19W

HIS ATTORNEE Patented Aug. 5, 1930 ALFRED L. BROWNE, EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY HEATING SYSTEM Application filed February 28, 1923. Serial No. 621,743.

This invention relates tov heating systems. More specifically it relates to two-pipe, gravity-return, heating systems in which air and liquid are permitted to discharge from the radiator or radiators into the return but the elastic heating fluid is impeded or substantially prevented from discharging from the radiator or radiators.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an efiicient and reliable system of the above mentioned class.

Another object is to provide a system of the above mentioned class in which likelihood of damage to the boiler is minimized. A further object is to provide means for insuring the automatic return of liquid of condensation to the boiler. Further objects and advantages will appear as the invention is hereinafter disclosed.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate what I now consider a preferred form of the invention: Fig. 1 is an elevation of the system. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of one of the thermostatic valves. j

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of one of the traps employed.

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation, partly in section of another of the traps.

Fig. 5 is a detail rear elevation of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 4:.

While the invention may be embodied in other systems and in other forms, I now prefer to employ the system illustrated in the drawings and constructed substantially as follows. Referring to Fig. l, the boiler 10 is provided with a conduit or pipe 11 for'conveying condensible elastic heating fluid or steam to a plurality of radiators, one of which is shown and designated 12. A pipe or conduit 17 connected to theboiler 10 below the liquid line of the latter, serves to return water or other liquid of condensation to the boiler and serves in another capacity, as will presthe supply conduit 11 by means of a pipe 13 in which is located a suitable manually adjustable modulating or other type of valve 14: for regulating the supply of heating fluid to that radiator. Each radiator is also conently appear. Each radiator is connected to nected to the return conduit 17 by a pipe 16, a valve 15 being interposed in each of the pipes 16 and located adjacent its corresponding radiator. While other forms of valves 15 may be employed, I prefer to employ valves of the type shown in greater detail in Fig. 2 to which reference is now made.

The valve 15 comprises a connection 18 to its radiator and a connection 19 to the corresponding pipe 16 leading to the return conduit 17. This valve is provided with a sealed expansible capsule 20 secured to the valve casing and having a valve member 21 secured thereto. The capsule is charged with a suit able volatile liquid and is designed to operate substantially as follows. When air or water flows through the valve the parts occupy the position shown in Fig. 2. However, when steam passes through the valve the capsule is heated and expands causing the valve member 21 to be engaged with the valve seat 22, thereby closing the valve. The valve 15 thus serves as an automatic means for substantially preventing the passage of steam or similar elastic, condensible, heating fluid from its radiator to the return 17, but permits substantially free flow of noncondensible elastic fluid, such as air, or liquid or both, from the radiator to the return.

'The return conduit 17 is shown provided with a branch pipe 32 which leads to a trap 34 shown in greater detail in 3 and constructed substantially as follows. The trap 34 is provided with two chambers 30 and 31. These chambers are provided with ports or conduits 32 and 33, the former of which, as stated above, is connected to the return conduit 17 and the latter is open to atmosphere. A partition dividesthe lower part of chamber 31 into water containers or receptacles 38 and 39. The chamber 30 communicates with chamber 31 through one or both of two liquid seals. One of these seals is formed by a conduit or passage 36 which at one'end communicates through pipe 32 with the upper portion of chamber 30. The other end of 36 terminates slightly below the normal surface of the liquid in container 38. other liquid seal is formed by a conduit or passage 37 connected at one end withthe The the containers 38 and'39 is the same and flush with the top of the partition 40, as shown by the dot and dash line in Fig. 3.

The conduit 33 is shown provided with a valve seat 41 with which a valve member 42 is adapted to cooperate to open and close communication between the ports or conduits 32 and 33. The valve member 42 is carried by a rod 43, vertically slidable in suitable guides,

and to which the lever of a float 45 is pivotally connected. F or a purpose which will presently appear, a conduit 46 is provided, which communicates at one end with the container 38 at the normal water level and at its other end with the return conduit 17 below the boiler water line. Bearing in mind that the normal level of the water ,in the trap 34 is flush with the top of the partition 40, the system thus far described is designed to oper ate substantially as follows.

team or vapor generated in the boiler 10 passes through the supply conduit 11 to the radiators 12. The air in the latter passes through the valves 15, return conduit 17, conduits 32 and 36, through the comparatively slight head of water (between the lowerend of conduit 36 and the surface of the water), through the upper part of the chamber 31 and out to atmosphere at 33, the valve42 being open at this time. l/Vhen a vacuum or negative pressure starts to form in the system, and consequently in the conduit 32, the following action takes place. Liquid rises from the container 38 in the conduit 36 and .39 will fall sufliciently to permit the weight of the float 45 and connected parts to close the valve 42 on its seat 41. Preferablythe design is such that the float will be suspended positive and firm closure of the valve.

entirely above the liquid, thus insuring a If the elastic fluid pressure at 32 again exceeds that at 33 the parts are automatically restored to the position first assumed.

In systems of the type above described there is generally little or no steam pressure in the return conduit 17. Water of condensation collectsin this conduit 17 and would flood the trap 34 and escape through would lead to a lowering of the water line in the boiler below the crown sheet thereof and cause damage to the boiler. I accordingly provide means for automatically causing accumulated water of condensation in the conduit 17 to enter the boiler 10 and preferably also means for absolutely preventing any escape of water at the conduit or port 33. A preferred embodiment of such means is illustrated in the drawings and constructed substantially as follows.

The return conduit 17 is provided with two check valves 48 and 60, each of which permits flow of liquid from the return conduit 17 into the boiler 10 but prevents flow from the boiler into the return conduit 17. Between the check valves 60 and 48 a conduit or riser 61 is connected at its lower end to the return pipe 17 and at its upper end to a suitable return trap 62 above the water line of the boiler 10. While other forms of traps 62 may be employed, I now prefer to employ a trap such as the one illustrated in Fig. 1 and in greater detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

The trap 62 is provided with an inlet port 63 for the admission of steam or other elastic motive fluid to the trap and an outlet port 64 for the discharge of elastic fluid from the trap. The port 63 is connected by means of a pipe 65 to the supply conduit 11 and the port 64 is shown connected to the conduit 36 (of the trap 34) by a pipe 66. A valve 67 is provided at the port 63 and a valve 68 at the port 64. Means, responsive to the liquid levelin the trap 62, are provided for automatically opening the valve 67 and closing the valve 68 when the liquid rises to a 'prede termined height, and for automatically closing the valve 67 and opening the valve 68 when the liquid drops to a predetermined level in the trap 62. Thus the valves 67 and 68 are carried by valve rods pivotally connected to a lever 69 on opposite sides ofthe fulcrum 7 0 of the'latter. The lever 69 has also pivotally connected thereto a rod 71 which extends through the shorter arm of a bell crank lever 72 and is provided with spaced nuts or collars 73, 74 secured'to said rod 71 and engageable and operable by the said shorter arm of the lever'7 2. The longer arm of the bell crank 72 carries a weight 75 which biases the lever 72 to one side or the other of its fulcrum 76. A, lever 78 is also fulcrumed or pivoted at 76 and is provided at its free end with a weight 7 9. The lever 78 is provided with a lug. or stud 80 adapted to engage the longer arm of the lever 72 to operate the latter. Athree-arm lever 81 is also pivoted at 76 and has secured to its arm 82, a rod 83 which carries a float 84. The arms 85 and 86 of the lever 81 are each adapted to engage a corresponding one of the laterally projecting lugs 87, 88 of the crossmember 89 forming a part of the leverv 78.

The operation of the trap 62 is substantially as follows.

As the water of condensation collects in the return conduit 17 it flows through the check valve 48 and rises in the pipe 61. At this time the check valve 60 is held closed by the boiler pressure. As the water continues to rise in the pipe 61 it enters the trap 62 and causes the float 84 to rise. The rising of the float 84 causes the lever 81 to turn in a contra-clockwise direction (Fig. 4) and the engagement of the arm 85 with the lug 87 causes the lever 78 to move with the lever 81. After a certain movement ofthe lever 81 the stud 80 engages the longer arm of the lever 72 and the latter then moves with the lever 78. The levers 81, 78 and 72 now move together as the float continues to rise. When the weights 75, 79 pass vertically over the-pivot 76 they move rapidly contra-clockwise (Fig. 4) under the impelling action of gravity with the following result. The shorter arm of the lever 72 forcibly engages the nut or collar 7 3 with a hammer blow and throws the rod 71 upwardly. The valve 67 is thus rapidly and positively opened and the valve 68 forcibly and positively closed. When the weight 79 passes over dead-center the lug 88 engages the arm 86 of the lever 81. Opening of the valve 67 admits steam from the supply conduit 11 through the pipe 65 into the trap 62 above the surface of the liquid therein. As the valve 68 is now closed, the boiler pressure of the steam above the liquid in the trap neutralizes the boiler pressure on the check valve 60, the check valve 60 opens and the check valve 48 closes. The water now flows from the trap 62 and the pipe 61, through the check valve 60 and into the boiler 10, under impelling action of a head of water equal to the vertical distance between the surface of the water in the boiler 10 and the surface of the water in the trap 62. As the water falls in the trap 62 the float 84 descends and, as the arm 86 is now in engagement with the lug 88, the lever 78 moves clockwise (Fig. 4) with the lever 81. In the course of such movement the lug 90 engages the longer arm of the lever 72 and the latter is thereby also moved in a clockwise direction as the float descends. When the weight 75 passes over dead-center, the

short arm of the lever 72 forcibly strikes the nut or collar 74 of the rod 71 to open the valve 68 and close the valve 67. This cuts the trap ofl from the conduit 11 and permits the steam and air in the trap 62 to escape through the pipe 66. 1

As previously stated, in order to avoid damage to the boiler by dangerous lowering of its water level it is desirable at all times to maintain the volume of water of condensation in the conduit 17 as small as possible. It is also desirable at all times to maintain the volume of water of condensation in the conduit 17 as small as possible from the standpoint of thermal efficiency of thesystem. If the Vertical distance between the trap 62 and the water line of the boiler 10 is increased, the trap will descharge more quickly since the hydrostatic head is increased, but such increase in distance of the trap above the boiler 'water line permits a greater volume of water of condensation to collect in the conduit 17 before the trap 62 operates to return water into the boiler. On the other hand, if the trap 62 is placed but slightly above the water line of the boiler as shown, the water of condensation need not rise so high before the trap operates; but in this case, the trap discharges slowly due to the comparatively small hydrostatic head and a considerable and objectionable amount of water might collect (in the interval that the trap is discharging) in the conduit 17 on the radiator side of the check valve 48 unless some'means are provided to prevent such objectionable accummulation. Furthermore, if the check valve 48 should refuse to close, as for example in case of grit or solid material becoming lodged on the valve seat, water would be discharged from the trap 62 through the valve 48 instead of through the valve 60, and the boiler water line would drop so low as to lead to damage to the boiler. Therefore, to obtain the advantage of locating the trap 62 a comparatively slight distance above the water line of the boiler, as shown, without the usual disadvantages, to insure the return of water of condensation to the boiler under allnormal and even abnormal conditions, and. to maintain the. accumulation of water of condensation in the return conduit 17 at a minimum, I provide auxiliary or independent water-return means preferably of the form that I shall now proceed to describe.

Referring to Fig. 1 and again to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the valve rod 43 is provided with a second valve member 51which cooperates with the valve seat 50. As water of condensation rises in the conduit 17 it rises also in the pipe 46. Should a sufficient volume of such water collect to flood the trap 34, as shown in Fig. 3, the float 45 rises sufficiently to close the valve 51 on its seat 50. After closure ofthe last named valve pressure is gradually built up in the return conduit 17. This ultimately results in causing an equalization between the pressure in the supplyconduit 11 (or the boiler) and in the return conduit 17 The head of the water column in the conduit 17 then causes the check valve 48 to open and the water of condensation enters the boiler 10.

While in a properly designed small capacity system the trap 84 may be used alone and the trap 62 dispensed with, in large capacity systems or in systems having a large diameter return conduit, it is extremely important, if not'imperative, to employ in addition the trap 6:2, or its equivalent. Preferably the trap 62 is located, as shown, but slightly above the water line of the boiler 10, for reasons pointed out above, and the trap 3 is so located that its normal water line is at or slightly above the high water line of the trap 62.

In the system illustrated in Fig. 1 and described above, the return trap 62 is located above the water line of the boiler 10 but below the normal water line'of the trap 34. Furthermore, the trap 23 i is preferably so located with respect to the substantially horizontal portion 17 (known in the trade as the horizontal dry return) of the return conduit 17, that the valve 51 will automatically close on its seat 50, to cause pressure to build up in the return conduit 1? above the liquid of condensation before the said horizontal portion 17 is flooded with accumulated liquid of condensation. In other words,as the water or other liquid of condensation accumulates and rises in the vertical pipes 61 and 17, the valve 67 opens and valve 68 closes (as previously described in connection with Fig. i) to return .water from the trap 62- to the boiler 10. Further rise of water of condensation in the return conduit system-but before the rising water reaches the substantially horizontal portion 17 -causes the valve 51 to close (as shown in Fig. 3) to cause the pressure to build up in the return conduit 17 and liquidof condensation returns to the boiler 10 under its hydrostatic head. By virtue of my system, flooding of the substantially horizontal portion 17 -of the return conduit '17 is eflectively prevented. lit will be understood that the portion 17 of the return conduit 17 may not be absolutely or exactly horizontal, but may be sloped slightly for proper drainage. In any event, it is substantially, though perhaps not absolutely, horizontal.

It will now be appreciated by those skilled in the art that I have provided a heating system comprising a novel combination of traps, which heating system is of high thermal efliciency, and in which the volume of water of condensation which accumulates in the return conduit is kept small atall times. i

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 have herein described the principle of operation of my invention, to

gether with the apparatus which I now con sider to represent the best embodiments thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus disclosed is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted andsome of the features of eachmodification may be embodied in the others without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

What I claim is 1. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, a conduit for conveying steam from said boiler, a conduit for returning water to said boiler and having a substantially horizontal portion above the normal water line of the boiler, heat radiating means connected across said conduits, means for subjecting water in said return conduit 1 to the pressure in said first-named conduit to return said water to said boiler, and independent means comprising a trap for causing pressure to build up in said return conduit to force water therefrom into said boiler before said substantially horizontal portion is flooded. V

2. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, a radiator, a conduit for supplying steam from said boiler to said radiator.- a conduit for returning water from said radiator to saidboiler and having a substantially'horizontal portion above the nor mal water line of the boiler, means for permitting the escape of air and water from said radiator into said return conduit but substantially preventing the discharge of steam from said radiator, means for subjecting water in said return conduit to the pressure in said supply conduit to return said water to said boiler, and means comprising a trap for causing pressure to build up in said return conduit to force water therefrom into said boiler before said substantially horizontal portion is flooded.

3. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, a radiator, a conduit for supplying steam from said boiler to said radiator, a conduit having a substantially horizontal portion above the normal water line of the boiler and in which the pressure is normally lower than the pressure in said supply conduit forreturning water from said radiator to said boiler, a return trap for causing water of condensation from said return conduit to enter said boiler, and means comprising a trap called into action by a predetermined accumulation of water of condensation insaid return conduit below its substantiallyhorizontal portion for causing a pressure to build up in said return condui above said Water of condensation;

4;. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, a radiator, a conduit for supplying steam from said boiler to said radiator, a conduit in which the pressure is normally below that in said supply conduit for returning'water from said radiator to said boiler and-having a substantially horizontal portion above the normal water line of the boiler, a trap respons'iveto the level of water of condensation in said return con duit for causing such water to enter the boiler, an outlet for permitting the escape of air from said return conduit, and a trap responsive to the level of water of condensation in said return conduit for closing said outlet before the said level reaches said substantially horizontal portion of said return conduit.

5. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, a radiator, a supply conduit connecting said boiler and radiator, a, conduit having a substantially horizontal portion above the normal water line of the boiler and in which the pressure is normally below that in said supply conduit for returning water from said radiator to said boiler, a return trap for causing water of condensation from said return conduit to enter said boiler, and trap means called into action by a rise of water of condensation in said return conduit above the high level of said return trap but below said substantially horizontal portion for causing pressure to build up in said return conduit above the surface of the water of condensation therein. I

6. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, a radiator, a conduit for supplying steam from said boiler to said radiator, a conduit in which the pressure is normally below that in said supply conduit for returning water from said radiator to said boiler, means forming a chamber connected to said return conduit, means forming a second chamber in communication with said first chamber through a liquid seal, an outlet independent of said liquid seal from said second chamber, liquid-level controlled means for opening and closing communication between said return conduit and outlet, a return trap for causing water of condensation from said return conduit to enter said boiler, and including means in said trap controlled by the level of water in said return conduit for establishing a connection between said boiler and return trap above the water in the latter.

7. A heating system comprising in combination with radiators and a boiler connected to supply steam thereto, a return conduit for conveying air and water of condensation from the radiators, said conduit having aportion of comparatively great horizontal cross-sectional area above the normal water line of the boiler and which discharges into a portion of comparatively small horizontal cross sectional area, an outlet for the escape of air from said conduit, trap means called into action upon a rise invlevel of water in said second-named portion of said return conduit for closing said outlet before the rising water enters said first-named portion of said, return conduit, and a return trap connected to said return conduit and operable to discharge water therefrom upon a rise in water level in said return conduit to a plane below that of the water level at which said outlet is closed.

8. A heating system comprising in combination with radiators and a boiler connected to supply steam thereto, a return conduit for conveying air and water of condensation from the radiators, said conduit having a substantially horizontal portion above the normal water line of the boiler and a substantially vertical portion into which the first-named portion discharges, an outlet for the escape of air from said conduit, a return trap connected to said conduit and operative to discharge water therefrom upon a predetermined rise in the level of accumulated water in said conduit, and trap means called into action upon a greater rise in the level of water in said conduit for closing said outlet before the accumulated water of condensation floods the substantially horizontal portion of said return conduit.

9. A heating system comprising in combination, a boiler, radiators, connections for supplying steam from the boiler to the radiators, a return conduit for conveying air and water of condensation from said radiators and provided with a substantially horizontal portion above the normal water line of the boiler, an air-venting outlet, a return trap connected to said return conduit and operative to discharge water therefrom into the boiler upon a predetermined rise in the level of accumulated water in said return conduit, means for venting air and steam from said return trap through said outlet, means for venting air from said return conduit through said outlet,'and trap means called into action upon a rise in the level of accumulated water in said conduit greater than said predetermined rise for closing said outlet before. the accumulated water of condensation floods the substantially horizontal portion of said return conduit.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto affix my signature.

ALFRED L. BROWNE.

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