US479454A - Generation of steam-power - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. O. PEOK. GENERATION 0E STEAM POWER. No. 479,454. Patented July 26, 1892.

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G. 0. PEGK.

. GENERATION 0F STEAM POWER. No. 479,454. Patented July 26, 1892.

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0. O. PEGK.

GENERATION 0F STEAM POWER. No; 479,454. Patented July 26, 1892.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CASSIUS C. PEOK, OF WARSAlV, NEW YORK.

GENERATION OF STEAM-POWER.

$PECIFICA'1ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,454, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed October 26, 1891. Serial No. 409,817. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OASSIUS O. PEOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVarsaw, in the county of Wyoming and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Generation of Steam- Power, of which the following is a specification sufficient toenable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to use the same.

My invention relates especially to systems and apparatus in which surface condensers are used in conjunction with the engines, the water of condensation being returned to the boiler.

I am fully aware that heaters have heretofore been arranged to purify feed-water by bringing it in direct contact with live steam from the boiler, and I do not seek to cover the direct use of live steam in this connection, broadly. I am also aware that nearly all engines have feed-water heaters attached for utilizing the exhaust-steam, and that in some cases the water of condensation formed in the heaters is added to the feed-water; but these old contrivances do not anticipate my invention, and, in fact, I expressly avoid and disclaim the feature of combining the fresh water with the water of condensation, as well as all idea of purifying the water returned to the boiler, an essential feature of my invention being the return of practically all the steam of the boiler by its condensation in a surface condenser and the heating of the water of condensation to practically the same temperature as that of the water in the boiler preparatory to adding it thereto. Since the feed-water required for a boiler would serve ordinarily to condense only from one-sixth to one-fifth of the weight of steam generated in the boiler, (provided the feed-water were cold to start with,) it follows that five-sixths of the water to be pumped into the boiler would have to be fresh water, requiring purification, as in devices heretofore known, in which the purification of the fresh feed-water is the object sought to be obtained.

In my improved system of generating steam no'provision is made or designed for-heating 5 fresh feed-Water, the invention relating solely to the reheating of the water of condensation from the surface condenser in such manner as to attain the greatest efficiency with the least expenditure of heat.

I employ a surface condenser requiring about twenty-five pounds of cool condensingwater for every pound of steam to be condensed. The introduction of fresh feed-Water into my system would soon impair the results and soon render the apparatus inoperative by reason of incrustation, and, on the other hand, the object of my invention cannot be attained by the use of the apparatus heretofore known and designed for the purification of fresh feed-water. It will thus be seen that my invention is limited to and restricted 1 by the use of a surface condenser in conjunction with means for heating the water of condensation therefrom up to the temperature of the water in the boiler by the use of live steam derived directly therefrom.

Heretofore where surface condensers have been employed, as 'with marine engines, in connection with which they are practically indispensable, the water of condensation has been pumped directly from the surface condenser, or the hot-well into which it flows from the condenser, into the boiler at a temperature of, say, about 120 Fahrenheit. The boiling-point of water in the boiler being determined by the pressure of steam carried, it follows that the water of condensation thus delivered into the boiler cannot boil until heated to the temperature corresponding with the pressure. Thus when water at 120 Fahrenheit is pumped into aboiler carrying, say, one hundred and sixty pounds of steam-pressure it cannot boil until heated to 370 Fahrenheit, or 250 degrees above that at which it is introduced into the boiler. When thus pumped into the boiler, the water of condensation gradually mingles with the boilerwater, reducing the temperature of the latter below the boiling-point and checking evaporation until the resulting admixture of boiler-water and water of condensation is again heated to the boiling-point. The water in the boiler is expanded by the heat, becoming lighter and more limpid, so that its particles move more freely among themselves, thus creating a more rapid circulation. As the temperature rises the internal currents by which the heat is carried off from the heat ing-surfaces become more rapid, and correspondingly more heat is carried away from able to maintain the whole body of water in the boiler in a continuous state of ebullition in order to attain and maintain the most effective conditions, since heat can be transmitted to the water at about three times the rapidity while evaporation in the form of boiling is going on, as compared with the same water While being heated to the boiling-point.

My invention consists, essentially, in condensing practically all the exhaust-steam after it has performed its work in the engine in a surface condenser in which condensation is effected by an independent supply of condensing liquid separated from and having no connection with the steam or water of condensation, and then reheating the water of condensation from the surface condenser to or approximating the temperature of the water in the boiler preparatory to its introduction into the latter by means of live steam taken directly from the boiler, the water of condensation from the live steam being also returned directly to the boiler, so that in operation a perfectly-uniform unvarying temperature is maintained within the boiler and the generation of steam is continuous and uuvaryiug and not subject to the fluctuations or interruptions that would otherwise be occasioned by the return of the water of condensation. It may not at first thought seem that there can be any gain in this procedure, as compared with the old method of pumping the water of condensation directly into the boiler; but I have discovered and demonstrated that by my method of equalizing or nearly equalizing the temperature of the boiler-water and water of condensation prior to uniting them in the boiler I am enabled to materially augment the amount of evaporation which can be effected in said boiler. In other words, Iincrease the eiliciency of the boiler with respect to the amount of heat which it will transmit to the water contained therein. In order to realize the value and importance of this feature of raising the temperature of the water of condensation prior to its incorporation with that in the boiler, it must be understood that the gain in the transmission of heat, hereinbefore intimated, is equivalent to about three to onethat is to say, heat can be transmitted to water at about three times the rapidity while evaporation in the form of boiling is going on as compared with water which is being heated up to the boilingpoint. This is equivalent to saying that a boiler should not be used to heat the water of condensation directly by the injection of the water of condensation into the boiler-water, since a given amount of boiler-surface is worth about three times as much for evaporation as for heating. There is also a further important feature worthy of consideration, which contributes largely to the efficiency of my invention, and that is the fact that the independent heater for the water of condensation will not require as much surface as the boiler to transmita given amount of heat, since the boiler-surfaces are heated by direct contact with the products of combustion, while the heater receives its supply of heat by steam from the boiler, the steamheated surfaces being nearly three times as effective as the gas-heated surfaces.

As a result of my invention the amount of boiler-surface for a given effective power may be reduced about onefourth, or boilers of a given size increased proportionately in efficiency-as, for instance, in the ease of marine boilers,in which case the steaming capacity of a steamship could be augmented about one-fourth by the employment of my system of heating the water of condensation in conjunction with the present boilersin use.

An incidentalbnt important advantage attained by my system of equalizing the temperature of the water of condensation and the boiler-water preparatory to mixing them is the increased durability or life of the boiler, owing to the uniformity of temperature and circulation maintained, thereby obviating unequal expansion and contraction, and the consequent straining and weakening of the parts. Thus by keeping the whole body of water in the boiler at nearly equal temperature throughout I overcome one of the most objectionable causes of injury to boilers, especially to marine boilers and those of large size.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate three arrangements of parts adapted for use in carrying out my invention, each modifica tion operating in substantially the same manner in use. I do not confine myself to any special construction of heater, nor to the ex act arrangement of the parts shown, since it is obvious that various modifications maybe made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation representing diagrammatically the combination and arrangement of a special form of heater for the water of condensation, in conjunction with a condensing-engine and a steam-boiler, pumps, &c.; Fig. 2, a similar view, in which an ordinary form of steam surface condenser is usedas a heater for the water of condensation; Fig. 3, a similar view, in which a horizontal form of heater is used.

A represents any ordinary or desirable form of steam-boiler supplying steam through supply-pipe a, to the steam-engine B. The exhaust-steam from the latter is conducted by the pipe I) to the surface condenser 0, provided with hot-well c. From the hot-well 0 the condensed steam is forced by the pump D through the pipe d into the heater E. The heater E is supplied by pipe f with live steam from the boiler A. In Fig. 2 the steam enters a compartment 6 in the heater E, through which pass the tubes 6 opening into the end compartments 6 e. The water of condensation enters one of these compartments e and passes through the tubes (2 to the other 6 from which it is conducted by the pipe e back to the boiler A. During the passage of the Water of condensation through the tubes 6 of the heater E it absorbs heat from the steam in the compartment 6, condensing the steam therein, which condensed steam is returned to the boiler through the pipe 6. Checkvalves e e are interposed in the pipes e e.

In Fig. 3 the water of condensation passes from the pipe-d of the heater E around the pipes 612 and out through the pipe d to the The steam from the boiler A enters boiler A. the end compartment a of the heater through the pipe a passes through the pipes (Z is condensed, and enters the other end compartment (1., from which it is returned by the pipe a to the boiler. Suitable valves 0. a a are interposed in the pipes d, 0. and at.

In Fig. 1, instead of imparting the heat to the water of condensation in the heater E by surface condensation of steam, as in Figs. 2 and 3, I inject the steam directly into the body of the water of condensation. In this case the water of condensation is forced from the hot-Well c by the pump D, through the pipe (1 into the lower portion of the heater E.

The lower portion of the heater is divided from the upper by a perforated partition f, below which it is filled with gravel, &c., in which a perforated steam-chamber f'eis embedded. Live steam is conducted from the boiler A by the pipe f to the steam-chamber f, by which it is distributed radially to the water of condensation, which condenses it and absorbs its excess of heat. The combined water of condensation from the hot-well and the steam thus condensed in heating it is then returned to the boilerA through the medium of pipe g, force-pump G, and injection-pipe g Steam to operate the pump G may be drawn from the upper part of the heater E or from the boiler A direct, if preferred; but there must be somewhat less pressure in heater E to permit steam from the boiler to enter the heater. The exhauststeam from the force-pump G is preferably conducted through the pipe 9 to the condenser C. Regulating-valves are arranged in the pipes g and f WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process herein set forth of attaining increased. efficiency in the generation of steam, consisting in generating steam of a prescribed, pressure and temperature in a suitable generator, utilizing the energy of the steam in a suitable motor, condensing the exhausted steam by an independent supply of condensing liquid having no direct contact with the exhaust-steam or its water of condensation,heating the water of condensation thus obtained to or approximating the temperature of the water remaining in the steamgenerator by means of live steam derived therefrom, and returning the said heated water of condensation, together with the steam condensed in equalizing the temperature thereof, back to the body of water contained in the generator to be reconverted into steam.

2. The combination of a steam-generatorA, a steam-engine 13, connected with and operated by steam from said steam-generator A, a surface condenser 0, connected with and arranged to condense the exhaust-steam from said steam-engine B by means of an independent supply of condensing liquid having no direct contact with. the steam or water of condensation, forcing mechanism D, and pipe connections for transferring the water of condensation from said surface condenser O to a heater E, said heater E arranged to heat the said water of condensation received from the surface condenser O to or approximating the temperature of the Water remaining in the steam-generator A by means of live steam derived directly from said steam-generator A, and means for returning the said water of condensation and the steam condensed in equalizing the temperature thereof back to the body of water contained in the steam-generator A, the several parts being arranged with relation to each other and operating sub stantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

OASSIUS O. PEOK.

Witnesses:

L. L. THAYER, WM. E. MONTGOMERY.

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