US2120608A - Proportioning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1938.- D. w. HAERING Z@ 4 PROPORTIONING' APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1957 3 Sheets-'Sheet l June 14, 1938. D. w. HAERING 2,120,608

PROPORTIONING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1957 :s sheets-sheet June 14, 1938. D. w. HAERING *2,120608 PROPORTIONING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1957 s sheets-sheet 3 Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,120,608 Pitrolt'rloNlNG Arlnumtrus David W. Haering, Chicago, Ill.

.Application yFebruary 24, 1937, Serial No. 127,534

e claims. (Cl. zml-31) Thls inventiony relates to the art of proportonbodlment of proportioning apparatus particularing liquids into liquids in accordance with process ly designed for handling corrosive material. requirements. lWhile many forms of such ap- Figure 5 is an alternative embodiment of the paratus are known to the art, no reliable apparaapparatus arrangement asy shown in Figure 2.

tus is believed hitherto to havev been produced, Figure 6 is an elevation of an embodiment of 5 wherein the operation is automatic and very proportioning apparatus designed particularly for highly accurate. Processing requirements genthe .processing of liquid with a plurality of sepaerally require great accuracy in proportioning rately fed processing reagents.

and this has necessitated practically constant In all illustrated embodiments of the invensupervision by skilled operators. The re1ative1y tien the Various types cf prcpcrtioning. units are 10 complicated character -and somewhat elaborate shown' as service connected into a uid throughn construction o f proportioning apparatus generput conduit 1 through which, as will be underally employed, together with the necessity for stood by those versed in the art, the iiuid to be supervision, has proved expensive and detrimenprocessed, generally a liquid, is flowed under prestal to wide-spread commercial use of proportion- Sure. In all views the inlet or intake side of the 15 ing units. through-put fluid conduit is considered to be at The present invention has as an object the prothe left while the out-put side is at the right, vision of economical, automatically operable prothese being respectively the Upstream and downportioning apparatus of simpliiied construction Stream Sides 0f the conduit.

adapted for proportioning liquids into liquids in 'I'lle DIOIJcriiOIliIlg units herein ShOWll and deaccordance with processing requirements. scribed are capable of accurately DIOpOrtioning Another object is the provision of proportionpractically any soluble chemical compound that ing apparatus of s uch character that is adjustis t0 be fed as a solution' into a uid toA be precable for automatic operation, without supervi` essed. By way 0f example it isrcinted cut that sion, at any desired proportioning rate and which the disclosed units are particularly eiicacious in 25 is S0 designed as t0 eliminate any possibility of the feeding of such chemical solutions as acid, contaminating the processed liquid with undealum, ammonia, caustics, aluminates, gluccsides, sirable foreign material even though the apparaglucosates, alginntes, sllphates, phosphates, S111- tus be left in operation beyond the point at which phites, tannates, silicates, Soda ash. hypcchlcits supply of processing liquid is exhausted. rites, ferric chlorides, and many Others.

other objects win be apparent from the de- The accuracy of Pitct tubes for measuring-rate scription. of iioW has been 'known for many years, but ef- The present application is a continuation asy to forts t0 Utilize this Principle in plcpcrticning all common subject matter of 'the invention ,Umts have not preVlcllSly been Successful because shown and described in my prior United States the use 0f diaphragm, DiSllODS and Similar ar- 35 Patent No. 2,058,309, of october 20, 1936. rangements defeated their Own purpose by plac- The present disclosure constitutes an exposiing i200 great a leed 0I1 the small ammini? 0f Drestion of 'alternative embodiments of apparatus by Sure available and, in addilicrl, required frequent which the invention is practiced. It is to be unreplacement in Order ltc prevent leakage. The

. 40 dei-stood that the apparatus may be structurally present invention 4overcomes the defects of the 40 prior art in the above respects and is thus enabled altered in desired respects for adaptation to difto employ the Pitot tube principle. thus making ferent service conditions and that various changes and modifications may be made in the possi-ble extreme accuracy. The pressure diierstructural details to any extent not inconsistent ence between Pitot tubes is prop ortional to veloc' t ity head and the present invention makes use of 45 with the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings, this pressure difference directly and without loss Fi re 1 i ubtantiau n elevation f n for the automatic operation of the unit. 4 4 gu s s s y o o er N The proportioning unit shown in Figure 1 comform of proportioning apparatus constructed 1n mises a single receptacle such as a tank s smb accordance with the mfentim' Vably supported by any appropriate means,not 50 Figure 2 is an elevation of another form of an shownI and having a closed top g and a closed apparatus. bottom l0, it being further provided at one side l Figure 3 is an elevation 0f still vanctherhfcrrn with a conventional sight gauge' Il of the usual of proportionlng apparatus. glass tube type. In service the upper portion of Figure 4 is an elevation of an alternative emthe tank is in open communication with the input 55 I 26 which rises as a superposed stratum on top ofside of the conduit 1 by means of a riser pipe II' suitably connected into the conduit 1 at its lower end and having thereon an upstream directed Pitot tube inlet member I2. Externally of the conduit and adjacent thereto the pipe II carries an indicator I3 xed to the pipe to lie in a common vertical plane with the Pitot inlet I2 providing a ready means indicating the position of the latter. Above the indicator I6 the pipe Il' is further provided .with a needle valve Il of a known type of indicating valve by which the flow through theepipe II may be regulated to-any desired rate by appropriate setting of the valve. Between the bottom of the tank and the regulator valve I4 the pipe II' is further provided with a three-way valve I5 from which leads a drain pipe I6. The pipe II' is continued upwardly through the bottom of the tank and opens in its upper portion at a point spaced slightly below the top 6.

Extending downwardly through the top of the tank is a reagent supply pipe I1, controlled by a valve I6, and leading from a source of supply I9. 'I'he reagent supply pipe I1 opens into the bottom portion of the tank at a point spaced slightly above its bottom III. A reagent discharge pipe 26 controlled by a valve 2I opens into the tank bottom substantially flush therewith and extends vertically between the tank bottom and the through-put conduit 1, being suitablyconnected thereinto on the downsteam side and carrying at its lower end within the conduit a Pitot tube outlet member 22 directed downstream. The pipe 26 also carries an indicator I6 aligned with the Pitot outlet 22. The tank is further provided at its top with a pipe 26 controlled by a valve 26 and opening into the upper end of the tank for a purpose to be described.

Assuming all valves Ato be closed the tank is charged by opening the valve 2l and supplying through the pipe 26 to the interior of the tank a charge of a liquid 26 that is chemically inert both with respect to the main through-put liquid in the conduit 1 that is to be processed and a particular reagent solution to be employed. 'Ihe liquid 26 is designed to function as a liquid piston and it is of such composition that it has a higher specic gravity than the main through-put liquid in the conduit 1 and a lower specific gravity than the particular reagent solution employed. The piston iluid 26 is also given a distinctive color so that in the gauge glass Il it maybe sharply deflned visually. The addition of coloring material is not necessary where the character of the piston liquid is such that it is readily distinguishable from the main throughput fluid and reagent. The piston liquid 26 is allowed to collect on the bottom of the tank until the desired quantity has been fed thereinto whereafter the valve 26 is Y closed and the valve I6 `is opened to allow a from the conduit 1 due to the fact that thev piston liquid 26 is of a higher specic gravity. than the main throughput liquid, the throughput liquid will remain superposed upon the piston liquid as indicated in Figure lwherein dotted piston stratum 26 downwardly towards the reagent solution 25 out through the discharge pipe 20 and discharge Pitot tube 22 into the main throughput liquid :flowing through the conduitl at a rate of feed determined by the setting of the valve I4.

The piston liquid 26 being immiscible with either the main throughput iluid or the reagent solution and chemically inert with respect to bot-h, acts very eifectively as a barrier preventing any possibility of contact between reagent s olution and the main throughput liquid within the tank so that the reagent is fed into the flow stream in the conduit 1 in a pure unadulterated state. vThe operation is entirely automatic and no supervision is required other than observation at predetermined intervals to note the drop in the reagent level as indicated in the sight gauge II. When the sight gauge indicates thatthe liquid piston 26 is at the bottom of the gauge glass the observer will be made aware of the fact that the tank is ready for a renewal of the reagent solution charge.

In recharging the valve I6 is manipulated to open the upper portion of the pipe Il' to the drain line I6 and to'close the pipe against inlet of liquid from the ilow conduit 1. The valve I6 is opened to allow a fresh supply of reagent to flow into the bottom of the tank beneath the liquid piston 26. As the level of the reagent solution rises in the tank the piston 26 forces ahead of it the liquid previously delivered from the iiow conduit 1 which is drained back through the pipe II' into the drain line I6 until the level of the reagent solution reaches the desired point as indicated in the sight gauge II. At this point the valve I 6 is closed and the three-way valve I5 is returned to its normal position to close the drain line and open the riser pipe II whereupon the operation is at once resumed and continued until a further recharging is necessary.

In the embodiment of apparatus shown in Figure 2, the receptacle means comprises two compartments, here shown as tanks 26 and 26, the tank 26 being of greater capacity than tank 26. For practical purposes it has been found desirable to make the tank 26 substantially twenty-five per cent larger than the tank'26, for the purpose to be described. The two tanks are appropriately supported by suitable means, not shown, so that they are associated as a unit. Thetank 26 is provided with a closed top 66 and a closed bottom 6I both being outwardly dished to facilitate air venting and blowing down for' cleaning the interior in the event that sedimentation makes this desirable. A drain pipe 62 controlled by a valve 66Aleads from the tank bottom 6I. The tank 26 is equipped with`a sight gauge glass 66 and is further provided with an airvent 66 of a known type locatedt the high point of the top 66. In'thisembodiment -of proportionmg una the riser l1' carrying the Punt inlet lz in the upstream side of` the main throughput conduit 1 connects through a globe valve 33 with an inlet riser 31 that communicates at its upper end through the connection 38 with the interior of the tank 28 slightly above its bottom 3| and beneath the bottom connecting nipple 33 of the gauge glass 34. In order to facilitate various operations of cleaning, dismantling and the like the intake pipe 31 is further provided with a second globe valve 43 disposed adjacent the connection 38 and between the two globe valves 36 and 43 the intake is further equipped with a check Valve 4I. i

In this unit the tank 28 prior to operation of the apparatus is entirely illled with an inert mineral oil supplied thereto through a filler conduit 42 having a control valve 43 at the top of the tank. A It should be mentioned here that in'lling the tank 28 the oil is permitted to rise until it overflows through the air vent 35 which is then closed together with the valve 43.

The tank 29 has also a closed top 44 provided at its high point with an air vent 45, and a closed bottom 46 provided with a drain plug 41. The ends of the tanks are. outwardly dished as in the case of the tank 28 for similar purposes. The tank 23 is also provided with a sight gauge 48 having its top and bottom connecting nipples 43 and 53 disposed respectively in horizontal planes common to-'the top and bottom connecting nip'- ples of the sight gauge 34 located on the tank 28. It" should' further be noted. that the two tanks are so arranged that their respective bottoms 3| and 46 occupy a common horizontal plane as do likewise their tops 33 and l44.

The tank 29 is adapted to contain the reagent solution to be fed into the main through-put liquid passing through the ilow conduit 1. At a suitable location above the tank 23 there is disposed a source of supply such as a reservoir 5i containing the appropriate reagent iluid and from which the reagent is fed through the supply pipe 52 equipped with`a control valve 53 downwardly through the Atop of the tank into its bottorn portion, the lower open end of the reagent supply pipe 52 terminating adjacent the tank bottom at substantially the horizontal plane of the sight gauge connecting nipple 53. 'I'he reagent solution from the tank 23 is discharged into the through-put conduit 1 on the downstream side by means of a discharge pipe 54 connected at its lower end with the downstream connected Pitot outlet tube 22 and opening at its top through the connection 55 into the interior of the tank slightly above its bottom and just below the horizontal plane of the connection nipple 53 at the bottom of the sight gauge 4,8'. The reagent discharge pipe 54 is provided with upper and lower globe valves 56 and 51 and with a check valve 58 located between the two.l The check valves 4I and 584 act to prevent any possibility of a flow reversal' through the system of the unit.

The two tanks 28 and 23 are connectedV at their tops 33'and 44 by means of an oil 'flow pipe 53 equipped with 'a self-indicating needle control valve 60 identical to the needle control valve I4 Q described in connection with the embodiment shownin Figure 1 and having the same lfunction of determining the rate of feed of the reagent from the unit. The two tanks are further connected at their upper ends by a transfer pipe 8| extension 53' having its lower end portion horizontally directed into and through the inlet aperture of the bottom connecting nipple 53 of the 'reagent supply valve 53. In this embodiment of the proportioning unit the oil selected as the piston liquid must be chemically inert, immiscible with water and aqueous solutions of all kinds, particularly immiscible with the through-put liquid and the reagent solution, and must be of a color distinctive with respect to the treated and treating liquid. A suitable liquid for such purposes is a chemically inert saturated hydrocarbon, such as a mineral oil, having a specific gravity less than l and coloredpreferably a deep red.

In operation the valves between the now conduit 1 and the bottom pertions of the respective tanks n28 and 23 are opened whereupon a portion of the through-put liquid in the conduit 1 is taken up by the Pitot tube I2 and rises under pressure through the pipe 31 into the bottom portion of the tank 28 in which it collects upon the bottom and being of a higher specic gravity than the oil within the tank it gradually forces the oil up@ wardly out of the tank through the oil pipe 53 at a rate of flow controlled by the setting of the needle valve 63, ino the tank 23 through the extension 53' to the bottom of the sight gauge glass 48 whencel it rises as drops ilowing upwardly through the gauge glass and through the upper connecting nipple 43 into the top portion of the tank 23. As the oil is of a lower specific gravity than the reagent solution contained in the`tank 23, it will of course collect at the top of the tank and under the inlet pressure will gradually force the reagent down in the tank 23 and out through Ythe discharge pipe 54 into the downstream side of the through-put conduit 1. 'I'he ratel at which the drops of the distinctively colored piston liquid, which is the oil, rise through the tube 48 affords a visual indication of the rate of proportioning feed of the reagent solution.

As the level of the incoming through-put uid .entering the tank rises therein it indicates, of course, on the sight gauge 34 and when the disq tinctively colored oil is no longer visible at the topjv of the sight gauge 34 an attendant is made Aaware of the fact that the time is approaching for recharging the unit with reagent solution.

To eect a recharge the necessary valves are closed at the bottom portions of the unit and the transfer valve 32 in the line 3| is opened together with the drain valve 33 and the reagent supply valve 53. Under the hydrostatic head of the reagent solution entering through the pipe 52 the reagent as it enters the bottom of the tank 23 forces the contained oil back through the transfer pipe 6I into the` top-of the tank 28, the portion of the throughput liquid contained in the tank 28 draining from the bottom through the drain pipe 32. When the sight gauge 34 on the tank-23 shows that it is lled with theV distinctively'colored oil, the attendant knows that the vrequisite recharge of the re.

agent solution has been supplied to the tank 23. The transfer valve 62 is then closed together with the drain valve'33 and the reagent supply valve 53 4and the valves controlling the pipes 31 and 54 are opened so that the u nit resumes an automatic operation in the manner previously described. In this recharging operation it will be noted that it is not necessary to disturb the setting .of the control valve 60 in any respect.

As vpreviously stated herein, `the reagent tank 29 is preferably made at least twenty-five per cent larger than the tank 28.v Due to this difference in size it is impossible for the through-put liquid passing through the flow conduit 1 to be- \come contaminated by the oil even though the unit be left in operation and unattended for a long period of time, far beyond the point at which the reagent solution charge of the tank 29 is ex.

hausted.4 This safety control feature arises from the fact that as the oil comprising the piston liquid is of lighter specific gravity than the main through-put liquid from theoflow conduit 1, if all of the oil contained in th tank 28 should be discharged into the tank 29 it will fill the tank and as the operation is continued following exhaustion of `the reagent solution charge in the tank 29, the main through-put liquid entering through the oil pipe 59 and the extension 59' following the oil will back flow through the lower connecting nipple 50 ofthe sight gauge 48 into the bottom portion of the tank 29 remaining beneath the bodyof oil in the upper portion of the tank so that .in the continued operation of the unit it passes nothing but the liquid passing .30 through the system from the ow conduit 1.

Due to the fact that the control valve 68 has no portion extending above the filling level of oil in the tank 28, as determined by the vent v35, it is vobvious that in the normal operation of the 85 unit nothing but oil ever passes through the valve 6|!` Consequently, it cannot corrode or become clogged so that its control setting functions accurately at all stages of the operation of the unit.

The embodiment of proportioning unit shown and for introducing oil into gas.

` cleaning where necessary. The top 65 is equipped at its high point with an airvent 61 and is further provided with a sight gauge 68 having connecting nipples 69 and 18 entering the tank respectively from the upper and lower ends of the sight gauge tube at horizontal planes spaced somewhat from the top and bottom of thetank. In this embodiment the main throughput or flow conduit 1 through which flows the particular fluid to be treated has its riser Il' carrying the Pitot tube I2 connected to the verd.tically upstanding inlet pipe 1| which enters through the tank body 66 passing upwardly to discharge into the upper end of the tank slightly below thetop 65. The inlet pipe is further provided with a globe valve 12 and above this with a three-way valve 13 communicating with a drain pipe- 14. Also, at the top of the tank 23 is con- Y V'nected'a pistoniuid inlet pipe.1 5 having a control valve 16.

'Ihe reagent tank 64 is substantially twentyive per cent larger than the tank 63 and has a closed top 11 and a closed bottom 18 located in respective horizontal planes common' to the .top and bottom of the tank 63. ,p The ends of uthe tank 64 are outwardly dished for cleaning purposes and the top 11 is provided with an air vent 19 at the level of the air vent 61 on the tank 63. Tank 64 is likewise provided with a sight gauge 8|) having its upper and lower connecting nipples 8| and 82 entering the tank in horizontal planes common to the nipples 69 and 18 of the tank 63. The treating solution or reagent is discharged from the upper end of the tank 64 through discharge pipe 83 extending down through the tank bottom into connection with the Pitot tube outlet 22 on the downstream side .of 'the main uid through-put conduit 1. The pipe 83 is equipped with a globe valve 84 and between the valveand the bottom of the tank there is also provided a check valve 85, to prevent flow reversal in the line. The treating solution or reagent is supplied to the tank 84 through the supply pipe 86 opening through the top 11 and controlled by the valve 81.

In this embodiment the piston iluid is heavier than the reagent or the main through-put vfluid so that it necessarily gravitates to the bottom in each tank. With the unit in operation the through-put iiuid enters under pressure from the Pitot inlet I2 rising through the inlet pipe 1| to the upper portion of the tank 63 wherein it displaces the piston iuid in the bottom portion of the tank which in turn rises through pipe 88 extending down through the top of the tank 63 to a point adjacent its bottom and which pipe connects with the tank 64 at its top 11, the rate of passage of the piston fluid through pipe 88 being controlled by the indicator needle control valve 89 similar to the valves |4 and 60 previously described and having the same function. The pipe 88 does not open directly into the tank 64 but is continued therein as an extension 88 horizontally directed through the top portion of the tank to extend into the nipple 8| of the sight gauge 80 and opening therein in the axis of the sight gauge tube. As the piston fluid is forced through the pipe 88 and its extension 88' it discharges in the nipple 8| at the upper end of the gauge glass of the sight gauge whence it passes down therethrough inv drops which enter the bottom portion of the tank 64 through the lower connecting nipple 82. As the piston fluid is heavier than the reagent solution containedl in the tank 24 it VVforces the reagent solution upwardly within the `tank to discharge from its upper end down through the outlet pipe 83 to the main throughput conduit 1 on the downstream side, the rate of feed being controlled by the setting of the valve 88. A transfer pipe 99, controlled by valve 9|, connects the two tanks at their bottoms.

When the sight gauges indicate the necessity for a recharge of the treating solution in tank 64 the appropriate valves are manipulated to allow a fresh supply of reagent to enter the tank 64 through the pipe 86, the three-'way valve 13 being open to the drain 14 so that the inlet pressure of the reagent supply forces the piston fluid back through the transfer pipe 98,- the valve 8| being opened for the purpose, into the tank 63 wherein it replaces the through-put fluid in the upper portion of the tank down through the pipe 1| through the drain 14 until the requisite amountpf reagentsolution has been recharged -int'o thefitank 64. 'I'he valves are then manipulated to set the unit again in operation in the manner previously described. A A

Many of the materials used in'processing fluids are very corrosive to th Akcommon metals and this is particularly true vtlf-ie hypochlorite s'olutions used for sterilizing water. supplies- A proportioning unit particularly designed for handling con-cave material is shown in Figure 4 and consists of two appropriately supported tanks Il disposed with their opposite ends occupying common horizontal planes and with the reagent solution tank Il being substantially 25 per cent larger than the tank $2. In this embodiment the reagent tank, being designed to handle corrosive fluids, is rubber lined and hard rubber valves and fittings are employed wherever contact with the corrodve reagent is possible. This unit employs the heretofore described oil as the piston uid which is supplied to the tank i2 through the supply pipe 8l having a control $5 and opening into the top of the tank. At the bottom of the tank a. drain pipe Si having a control valve Sl is provided for draining and recharging the unit. From the high point of the 22 a vent pipe n extends upwardly having its upper end provided with an air vent S1 located at a point higher than any point in which there is any transfer between the respective tanks. The through-put liquid in the main through-put conduit 'l risesA through the impact of the Pitot tube [Z through v the intake "I which opens into the bottom portion of the tank 92 through the connection lill at a point slightly above the horizontal plane of the bottom connecting nipple lli of a sight gauge [03 carried by the tank and having its upper inlet nipple i entering' the top portion of the tank at a point slightly below its top. The inlet pipe lll is provided with spaced globe valves N5 and lli between which is disposed a check valve lill. Within the tank Q2 the inlet pipe ill is conas an extension ill' horizontally directed. in the upper portion of the tank to extend into the sight gauge connecting nipple ill to open therein in the axis of the sight gauge glass. In this unit the piston duid ia lighter than. either the main through-put fluid orl the particular* corrosive reagent employed and as the through-put duid enters throughtheinlet lill it passes down through the sight gauge glass i131 in the form of drops entering the tank IZ at its bottom portion and collecting to forcef'the piston duid out of the top of the tank through the piston fluid conduit Il at a rate of which is regulated by the indicating needle control valve il! in the line [lli which valve iaidentical to the needle control valve described and which perf forms the same function. As the piston fluid is,-

' il transfer pipe tll" controlled by' a valve lill establishes communication between the tops of the tanks: 92 and Si so that in a recharging operation the piston duid flows back into the l2 through the line MI., It is; important to note here that; of the vent i at the high of the system precludesI any possibility of the d and HT and the control valve il! and MU from handlinganything other I than the piston which is', of course., non-cor- '.Ehe mit in Figure 5 embodies the principles of the units previously described but in a much more simplified structural arrangement. In this unit the two tanks lil and 2l are appropriately associated by supporting means, not shown, with their tops and. bottoms occupying common horizontal planes and with open communication across their tops by means of a pistou fluid conduit l2( equipped with the indicating needle control valve [25 identical with the indicating needle control valve previously de scribed and having the same functions of regulating the rate of proportioning feed of reagent from the tank 20. The tank lll is provided with a drain pipe [26 controlled by a valve 21.

In this unit the tank MS isV equipped with a sight gauge in and the through-put fluid entering from the impactI Pitot tube i2 in the ilow line l rises under the flow pressure through the inlet pipe 29 into the bottom portion of the tank through the connection l". The inle't pipe l2! is continued through the tank i i! as an extension [29T which continued into and opens in the upper connecting nipple ili of the sight gauge t28 in the am's of 'the gauge tube. The reagent tank [2li discharges from its bottom portion through the connection E32 to the reagent discharge pipe i3! controlled by the valve ill( and in communication with the discharge Pitot tube 2i on the downstream side of the through-put conduit 'L The intake pipe in is provided with a globe valve 35 and with a. check valve [It In the operation of this unit as the throughput fluid runs through the intake [2li it discharges trom the extension in into the upper connecting nipple lli of the sight gaugey on the tank il!` whence it passes in the form of drops downwardl'y through the sight gauge glass: into the bottom portion of the tank and displaces therethrough the line Mlm the drain lll being 09!! for the purpose.

The proportioning unit shown in Figure d B designed for proportionlng two dliIerent reagent solutions simultaneously. It is particularly efective for processing problems requiring twin feeding and will handle the feeding of soda aan and alum, soda ash'and sodimm aluminate, ammonia and hypochlorite., tannin and phosphate and caustic sodaw ferrie sulphate and soda ash, and various other combinations.V Sodium sulphite may be fed in this unit in conjunction with pH adjustments or' water softening chemicals.

In this unit the piston fluid kV preferably the distinctively colored chemically inert oil previouslydescribedandtheunitofthreetanks, mi, il@ and iii, the te tank ill being filled with the piston fluid until it overflows through the air/veut |40 located in the top of this tank. Each tankV is respectively provided with a sight gauge these being indicated as at I4 I |42 and |43, the two end tanks being also provided with valve controlled drains IM. Each of the tanks |31 and '|39 islled with a different type of reagent the same being supplied thereto through the valve controlled supply pipe' |45 which extends downwardly into the bottom portions of the respective tanks. 'Ihe end tanks are also equipped with air vents IIS. In this embodiment the through-put fluid conduit 1 has one impact Pitot tube I2 directed upstream' and `con` necting with an' intake pipe |41 entering the bottom portion of the central tank |38 through the connectionV |48. This intake pipe is provided with a globe valve |49 andwith a check valve I 50. Each of the tanks |31 and |39 discharges its respective reagent solution from its bottom portion through a connection |5| to the discharge pip'l |52 equipped with a globe valve |53 and communicatng with the discharge Pitot tube 22 in the through-put conduit 1 and directed downstream thereof. The respective tanks |38 and |39 are in open communication between their 'tops by. means of a piston uid conduit I 5l equipped with an indicating needle. controlled valve |55 similar to the one previously. described and having the same function. For recharging purposes the tops of these two tanks are in communication by means of a transfer pipe |56 controlled by a valve |51 so that in the recharging operation the setting of the control valve |55 need not be disturbed. Between the respective tanks |38 and |31 the same system lies, the two tanks being .in open communication at their tops by a piston fluid conduit |58 having the indicating needle control valve |59 for regulating the rate of feed. These two tanks are also provided with a piston fluid transfer pipe |60. controlled by a valve |6| for effecting a recharge. y

The operating principles of this unit 'are the same "as those of the previously described units except that byproper manipulation of the control valves |59 and |55 the two different reagent solutions may be fed independently at different rates of speed. The principle is the same in that the through-put fluid enteringthe central tank through the intake |41 under the pressure in the conduit 1 displaces the piston fluid therein which passes through the respective conduits |54 and |58 into the reagent containingtanks for displacing the reagent solution contained `therein through the discharge pipes |52 into the down-stream side of the through-put conduit.

Attention is directed to the fact that in all embodiments of the invention the requisite pressure for feeding the reagent solution is insured through a fluid piston, that is,k a body of uid material separates the main through-put uid from the reagent at all times and such body of material,` by reason'of itsuid nature operatesto transmit pressure equally over the entire engaged area of the reagent solution. Being a uid body it is essentially mobile and instantaneously self-conforming to every surface irregularity and without hindrance to the transmission of preure. It is important to observe that in no case is there possibility of contamination between the respective'iluids for in those instances wherein the input fluid is passed through the piston fluid, the piston uid does vnot pass through' thel reagent solution, and in those in' stances where the piston iiuid is passed through the reagent solution the input iluidisnot passed through the piston fluid. It is known to 'the prior art to utilize an intermediate iluid body between two iluids in the art ofV proportioning butin such known instances or the prior art there is an ever present possibility of contamination due to the fact that in the said prior art practice the input fluid is passed'through'the piston fluid and the :piston fluid is in turn passed through the reagent solution. Thus it is .possible for considerable contamination to occur by the transfer of impu rities and foreign matter from one body to another as they are successively commingled in the 'operation of the apparatus.y

-' 1. A proportioning apparatus comprisingin combination with a iluid through-put conduit, a closed receptacle, an inlet pipe between the bottom portion-of said receptacle and the conduit, a second receptacle having a capacity in excess of the capacity of the first receptacle, means for supplying a treating iluid to the second receptacle, a pipe between the upper ends' of said receptacles and communicating at the top of cach, a valve in said pipe for regulating by predetermined adjustment the rate of passage of fluid therethrough betweensaid receptacles. ,a treating uid outlet pipe between the bottom of saidv secondreceptacle and the conduit,l and a body of liquid inthe receptacles between the through-put fluid fand the treating fluid, said body of liquid being chemically inert and immiscible relative to the through-put fluid and the treating fluid. l 1

2, A proportionlngapparatus comprising in combination with a -ihrough-put uid conduit, a receptacle, a through-put fluid inlet pipe between said conduit and one end of said receptacle, a second receptacle, a treating iluid discharge pipe between said conduit and one end of said second receptacle, a =b0dy o1' treating fluid in said Asecond receptacle, a pipe establishingcommunication between said receptacles, a valve means adjustable to determine the rate of flow through said pipe, a second pipe establish,

ingi communication between said receptacles at another point, valvel means in said second pipe, and a body of liquid completely filling said recepput iluld and thetreating Huid.

3. A proportioning apparatus comprising in combination with a fluid through-put conduit, a closed receptacle, an inlet pipe between the through-put conduit and one end of said receptacle, a second and largerA receptacle having a capacity in excess of the capacity of the ilrst receptacle, means for supplying a treating iluid to one end portion of said larger receptacle, a pipe establishing communicationbetween said receptacles at substantially opposite end portions of each, a valve in said pipe and adjustable to -tacles and first-named pipe between the throughdetermine the rate of ow therethrough, a body of liquid lling'said receptacle and pipe at all times between the through-put :duid and the bottoms arranged in common horizontal planes, one of said receptacles being larger than the other, a sight'gauge on said larger receptacle and 1havingconnecting nipples opening to the interior thereof at the top and bottom of the gauge,

terminating-in the lower connecting nipple of f' said sight gauge, a valve in said pipe adjustable to determine the rate of ow therethrough,

and a body of liquid lling said receptacles at all times between the through-put :duid and the treating fluid, said body of liquid being of a specific gravity diifering from the treating iiuid and the4 inlet* fluid and ychemically inert wit respect thereto. i 5. A proportioning apparatus comprising ixL combination with a through-put ud conduit, a

receptacle, an inlet pipe communicating between the upstream side of said conduitand one end portion of said receptacle, a second and larger receptacle, means for supplying a charge of treating fluid into said larger receptacle, a treating iluid exhaust pipe communicating between an.

` and immiscible with any.

said connecting pipe adjustable to determine the rate of ow therethrough, Vent means carried by said smaller receptacle at a point above the horizontal level of said pipe connecting the two receptacles, and a body of liquid filling said receptacles and pipe at all times between the throughput fluid and the treatingfluid, said body of liquid being of a specic gravity diiering from Athatof the through-put iluid and the treating fluid and being chemically both.

6. A proportioning apparatus comprising in inert with respect to combination withA a `through-put iluid conduit, a

plurality of closed receptacles, an inlet pipe between the upstream side of said conduit and one end of one of said receptacles for admitting through-put fluid thereto under pressure, means for supplying individually different treating fluids to the remaining receptacles, feach said remaining receptacle having a treating iiuid discharge pipe connecting the 'bottom thereof with the downstream side of said conduit, pipes establishing communication between the top of said first named receptacle and, each of the remaining receptacles, valves in said communicating pipes and adjustable `to determine the rate of flow individually through each, and a body of liquid completely filling the space between the throughput fluid, in said rst receptacle and the respective treating iiuids in the -remainingreceptacles and said-connecting pipes, said. body of liquid being 'chemically inert with respect to the through-put iiuid and the various treating uids.

DAVID W. HAERING.

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