US2636506A

US2636506A - Strainer-equipped condensation drainer

Info

Publication number: US2636506A
Application number: US220478A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clair Charles W St
Original assignee: Coe Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Coe Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1951-04-11
Filing date: 1951-04-11
Publication date: 1953-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-28

Description

April 28, 1953 c, w, CLAIR 2,636,506

STRAINER EQUIPPED CONDENSATION DRAINER Filed April 11, 1951 0000000000000 000000 00000 000000 00000 000000000 22 cooooocoo 000000000 000090000000 77 000000000 00000000 000000000 OO QO O QEETJFFB' 5T INVENTOR. C mm as W 52? CLAIR Arromveys Patented Apr. 28, 1953 STRAINER-EQUIPPED CONDENSATION DRAINER Char-res W. St. Clair, Painesville, Ohio, assignor to The Coe Manufacturing Company, Painesville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 11, 1951, Serial No. 220,478

This invention relates to condensation draining devices for the removal of condensate from pipe lines or other apparatus to which steam or vapor is being supplied. More particularly, this invention relates to a condensation drainer of the continuous type embodying a permanently open flow contro1 orifice and which is an improvement over the drainers disclosed in United States Patents 1,950,227 granted March 6, 1934 and 2,020,563 granted November 12, 1935.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved condensation drainer of the type embodying a permanently open orifice and a Strainer for preventing clogging of the orifice, and in which novel mounting means is employed for positioning the strainer. in the desired location.

Another object is to provide an improved condensation drainer of the character mentioned in which the novel mounting means permits the strainer to be readily removed for inspection or cleaning and renders the strainer self locating when being replaced, and in which the closure means for the strainer access opening will always have fluid-tight engagement therein and W111 insure proper positioning of the strainer regardless of repeated removal and replacement of such closure means.

A further object is to provide an improved condensation drainer of the kind above referred to in which the strainer is an open-ended foraminous sleeve and the mounting means comprises axially spaced internal annular seat means engaged by the ends of the sleeve and having a selfcentering effect thereon. i

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claim hereof. I

In the accompanying sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is an outside e1evationa1 view showing a condensation drainer embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the drainer of Fig. l, substantially on the vertical longitudinal mid-plane thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section corresponding with a portion of Fig. 2 and showing the strainer and the strainer mounting means on alarger scale.

As representing onepractical embodimentof the invention, the drawing shows the improved condensation drainer I as comprising ametal body or housing ll having an inlet portion 12 1 Claim. (Cl. 137177) through a receiving chamber 23.

and an outlet portion IS. The inlet portion I2 is provided with an inlet passage M for admitting condensate or a mixture of condensate and steam under pressure and is adapted to be connected with a pipe coil or other steam using apparatus as by means of the conduit 15. The outlet portion !3 is provided with an outlet passage it for the discharge of condensate from the drainer and is adapted to have a discharge conduit 11 connected therewith for conducting the condensate to a hot-well, waste drain or other disposal place.

The inlet portion of the drainer I0 is also provided with a condensate and sediment collecting chamber l8 which is formed by a pair of serially connected, laterally adjacent branch portions comprising a down-flow branch portion l9 and an up-flow branch portion 20. These downfiow and up-flow branch portions have their lower ends connected by a short connecting passage 2|. One of these branch portions, preferably the down-flow branch l9, constitutes a strainer chamber in which a strainer 22 is mounted by the novel strainer mounting means to be described hereinafter.

The inlet passage I 4 can, if desired, be connected directly with the down-flow branch I9 but as shown in Fig. 2 is preferably connected with the upper portion of the down-flow branch This receiving chamber is located directly above the downflow branch l9 and is separated therefrom by an intervening transverse wall 24 of the housing H. The lower end of the receiving chamber 23 is connected with the upper end of the down-flow branch I9 through a relatively short connecting passage 25 of the wall 24.

The o tlet portion of the drainer i0 is provided with an evaporat ng chamber 26 and a dischar e chamber 21. The dischar e chamber 21 is disposed in an upright laterally adjacent relation to the up-flow branch 2!] of the inlet portion of the drainer. The outlet passage I6 is in open communication with the discharge chamber 2! for conducting condensate freely therefrom. The evaporation chamber 26 is an intermediate chamber ha ing port ons thereof located above the up-fiow branch charge chamber 21.

The flow of condensate through the drainer I0 is controlled by an orifice fitting 28. and a tube 29, which are mounted in transverse wall portions 30 and 3! of the housing H. The Orifice fitting 23 contains a permanently openedrestricted flow control orifice 28 forming a con- 20 and the dis-' necting passage between the upper end of the up-fiow branch 20 and the evaporation chamber 26. The tube 29 has a permanently open passage 29 which connects the evaporation chamber 25 with the discharge chamber 27.

For convenience in inspecting or replacing the orifice fitting 28 and the tube .28, the housin U is provided with suitable openings :32 :and .33 located above these members and which are normally closed by suitable screw plugs 34 and 3.5.. The discharge chamber 21 is provided at the lower end thereof with a drainopening 3'6 is normally closed as by means of a removable plug 37.

In the operation of the improved drainer iii, a mixture of condensate and vapor under pressure is supplied to the collecting chamber I8 through the receiving chamber '23 and the-passage 25. The vapor supplied to the receiving chamber 23 comes in contact with the extensive internal wall surface thereof and is condensed into liquid which "unites withthe condensate entering through the inlet passage 44 and flows directly into the collecting chamber 48 through the passage 25 and-the down-flow branch 1-9. Before passing into the up-flow branch 2'8 through the connecting passage 2!, the condensate must travel through the screen '22 by which scale, rust or other sediment will be removed and prevented from causing clogging or abrading of "the GIifiBE fitting 28.

Under the pressure of the steam of the conduit iii, the condensate is forced upwardly into the up-flow branch 2i) and is discharged through the orifice 23 into the evaporation chamber-26 from which the condensate flows downwardly through the tube 29 into the discharge chamber '2 and then out into the conduit ll through the outlet passage 15. 'Thecondensate-which collects in the chamber :58 and that which is forced .upwardly'in the upflo.w branch 29 forms a liquid seal for-the orifice fitting '28 to prevent steam from being wastefully discharged through the orifice 28 and the passage 12 52 of the tube :29. The :flow f condensate through the orifice fitting 28 ;a somewhat pulsating flow but nevertheless :a :more or less continuous how by which thecondensate will be effectively removed from the apparatus served by the drainer 110, at substantially the rate pf production of such condensate. The :theory of operation for this type of drainer .is 'descrihed in greater detail in the above-:mcntioned earlier Patent No. 1,950,227.

The novel mounting -means for the strainer :22 constitutes an important part .of this invention and will be described ,next. As shown .in Figs. 2 and 3, the strainer 22 is an ,elona-gted, tubular strainer or foraminous sleeve eXtendi-ngaXial-ly in the down-flow branch 49 of the collecting chamber 13. The lower .end of the idown fiow branch I 9 is provided with an opening .38 through which the strainer 22 can be inserted or removed and through which condensate and sediment can be drained from the collecting chamber l8. The opening .33 is provided with an internal screw thread which, for the purposes of this invention, is a tapered pipe thread, and is adapted to be closed by a plug as having stem portion .35 also provided with .a tapered pi e, thread and engaging in such opening.

The strainer 22 is positioned in the down-flow branch is y th n age ent of the ends of the strainer with upper and lower seat means provided. on the wall 25 and on the plug 39. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the upper seat means for the strainer 22 comprises a substan- 4 tially fiat annular surface 40 provided on the underside of the wall 24 in surrounding relation to the passage 25 and adapted to be engaged by the upper end 22 of the strainer. The upper seat means also includes a relatively short substantially cylindrical internal annular locating suriace Al .locatedimmediately adjacent the flat seat mill and which may be formed as a counterbore extending into the wall 24. This internal annular surface 41 snugly embraces the upper end 22 of the strainer and positions the same in the downefiow branch 19. Additionally, the upper seat means includes a tapered approach portion leading to the internal annular locating surface A! and defined by an upwardly converging inter- .nal annular tapered surface 42.

The lower seat means for the strainer 22 is formed on the plug 39 which supports the strainer in the down-flow branch 19. The stem portion 39 of the plug is provided with an axial recess 43 which receives the lower end 22 of the strainer. The upper portion of therecess 53 comprises a relatively short cylindrical portion defined an internal annular locating surface 54 of the stem 39 -of the plug. The lower end 22* of the strainer extends into the cylindrical portion of the recess 4-3-andis snu ly embraced by the internal annular surface 43. The lower portion of the recess 33 is a tapered portion defined by a downwardly converging internal annular surface 45 which forms a supporting seat for the lower end 22 of the strainer.

When the strainer 2-2 is to be assembled into the housing H its lower end .22" is inserted into the recess 43 of the plug 39. The strainer and plug assembly thus dormed is moved upwardly axially :of the strainer chamber 19 and during which movement the strainer 22 is inserted into this chamber and the threaded stein portion 353 of the plug is screwed into the opening 38. The strainer 22 is .of :a length such that when the plug 3S has 'been tightly engaged in the opening 38, theupper end 22 of the strainer will engage the flat .seat and the lower end 22' of the strainer will :engagezthe tapered seat 65.

During the insertion hi the strainer 22 into the chamber i9, the'upperendof the strainer will automatically center :itself by the guiding action thereon of the tapered approach portion 42 such that the upper end 19f the strainer will quickly come into proper engagement with the seat it without jammin During the tightening of the p t-1e35, this member will lift the screen 22 so as to press and retain the upperend thereof against the seat ill! and the tapered lower seat 25 will exert a self-centering action on the lower end of the screen. By reason of the mounting means iust described .above for the screen 22, it will be seen that this member ,can .be easily and rapidly assembled into the housing H and will .result in the screen being always correctly positioned and retained in the housing.

Because of the tapered pipe thread provided in the opening 38 and on the plug 39 this plug, when tightened in the opening will always .form a fluid-tight closure therein. Repeated removal andreplacement of the plug 39 will result in some wear on the threads, but the tapered shape of the plug causes this wear to be taken up by the plug moving somewhat .iarther into the opening 38.. Such further movement of the plug into the opening 38 to always form a fluid-tight closure therein is permitted by the intervening space provided .between the housing I l .and the head of the plug. So far as the strainer 22 is concerned, this increased inward movement of the plug 39 into the opening 38 is accommodated by relative sliding between the lower end of the strainer and tapered annular guide surface 55 of the plug.

From the accompanying drawing and the foregoing description, it will now be readily understood that this invention provides an improved condensation drainer of the continuous type which embodies a strainer and novel mounting means for such strainer. Since the orifice passage in a drainer of this kind may be of very small diameter such as could easily become clogged, the strainer and the strainer mounting means represent an adjunct of real importance. It will also be seen that by reason of the novel strainer means herein provided, the assembly of the strainer in the drainer can be very easily accomplished and the locating and retention of the strainer in the proper position is always assured. Although the novel strainer mounting means provided by this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claim hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: A condensation drainer comprising, a housing having an inlet portion adapted to be connected with a source of condensate and vapor under pressure and an outlet portion including a low pressure outlet chamber, said inlet portion having therein a vapor chamber and a condensate chamber in laterally adjacent relation and an upright strainer chamber connecting the lower end of said vapor chamber with the lower end of said condensate chamber, the lower ends of said strainer and condensate chambers forming a pocket for the collection of condensate and sediment and the lower end of said strainer chamber being provided with an opening, means defining a permanently open restricted flow control orifice connecting the upper end of said condensate chamber with said outlet chamber, a transverse wall in said housing between said vapor chamber and said strainer chamber and forming an upper strainer seat, a substantially cylindrical internal annular locating surface in said strainer chamber immediately adjacent said upper strainer seat, an upwardly converging internal annular surface in said strainer chamber forming a tapered approach for said locating surface and upper strainer seat, a closure plug engaged in said opening and having a recess in the upper side thereof surrounded by a Wall defining an upwardly convergent axially tapered lower annular strainer seat, and an open-ended substantially cylindrical strainer extending axially in said strainer chamber and supported therein by said plug with the upper end of said strainer engaging said upper strainer seat and embraced by said annular loeating surface and the lower end of the strainer extending into the recess of said plug and engaging said tapered lower strainer seat, said tapered approach and said tapered lower seat being eifective on said strainer for centering the same during assembly thereof in said housing, said opening having an axially inwardly converg ing tapered pipe thread therein and said closure plug also having an axially converging pipe thread thereon for fluid-tight engagement with the pipe thread of said opening, said closure plug being movable into said opening for an increased distance to compensate for wear on said pipe threads.

CHARLES W. ST. CLAIR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 675,711 Brophy June 4, 1901 738,088 Vauclain et al Sept. 1, 1903 986,678 Bordo Mar. 14, 1911 1,687,292 Grant Oct. 9, 1928 1,950,227 Chevalier Mar. 6, 1934 2,020,563 Moore Nov. 12, 1935