US677866A - Apparatus for returning exhaust-steam to steam-boilers. - Google Patents

Description

No. 677,866. yPa'ten'wd luly 9, l90l.

w. T. HARRIS. APPARATUS FOR RETURNING EXHAUST STEAM T0 STEAM BUILERS.

(Application leiNov. 30, 1900.)

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM T. HARRIS, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

APPARATUS FOR RETURNING EXHAUST-STEAM TO STlEAM-BOILIERS.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,866, dated July 9, 1901.

Application filed November 30, 1900. Serial No. 38,241. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jeerson and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Returning Exhaust-Steam to Steam-Boilers,of which the following is a specification.

In steam-engine plants as ordinarily designed the steam after passing through the engine exhausts and in most instances passes into the open air, with a consequent large waste of heat and power.

'It is the object of my present invention to return 'this exhaust-steam and its condensation to the boiler, where it may be again converted into live steam, with the result that a much less expenditure of heat, and consequently of fuel, is required than is necessary to produce steam directly from water, the eX- haust-steam and its condensation being already, as will be readily understood, at a very high temperature.

An apparatus embodying my said invention will be first fully described and the novel features thereof then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying said invention; Fig. 2, a central sectional view thereof; Vand Fig. 3, a transverse sectional View, on an enlarged scale, as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 3 3 in Figs. 1 and 2. Y,

The main shell or bod yB of this apparatus is connected to that portion of any ordinary or desired steam-boiler which is above the water-line (preferably the steam-dome) by means of a steam-pipe 1, which leads to a steam-chamber 2 in said main shell or body. At the other end it is connected to the boiler at or near the bottom, below the water-line, by means of a hot-water pipe 3. At this end it is also connected to a cold-water supply,'as a tank or Well, by means of a cold-'water pipe 4, as in iirst starting the apparatus into operation it can better be done with cold water, and a small amount of cold water is'also necessary to replenish that lost by leakage, &c. The pipes 3 and 4 lead through a water-valve body 5 and a nipple 6 to a water-chamber 7 in the main shell or body B. The valve-body 5 is a double structure and contains both a hot-water valve 8 and a cold-water valve 9. Within this body, pointing toward the nipple 6, is a curved nozzle 10, leading from the hotwater valve. This constructioncontrols the direction of the flow of the water which is forced through the nipple 6 and into the chamber 7, the arrangement being such that the flow when -both the valves S and 9 are open is in the saine direction, so that neither interferes with or retards the other. I prefer also to provid'e a main water-valve 11, by which the flow of both the hot and cold water may be shut off at once from the apparatus. This valve is so arranged as to substantially divide the Water-chamber into two portionsthe main portion 7, into which the Water is first received, and a second portion or chamber 12, within which is the steam-injector nozzle 13. Said nozzle is in line with the combining-tube 14, through which the steam and Water are forced to the delivery-nozzle 15, which in turn discharges into the exhaustvacuum nozzle 16, and this into the main discharge-pipe 17, leading backl to the steamboiler. f

A vacuum-chamber 18, formed between an outer shell S and an innerrshell or wall w, surrounds the combiningtube 14. Connected to the shell of this vacuum-chamber is an overflow-chamber 19, having a nozzle 20. A small pipe 2l, having a valve 22, runs from the steam-chamber 2 and terminates in a curved ejector or exhausting nozzle 23 in the chamber 19. The last-mentioned apparatus I have denominated 'a teasen The passage-Way in the combining-tube 14 communicates by means of radial perforations p with the exhaust-chamber 18, so that water may be drawn into said chamber from said tube through the vacuum-chamber valve 24, when, as is commonly the case, said valve is free to move and be seated or unseated by pressure as it comes thereon. Said-valve, however, may upon occasion be fastened shut by means of the valve-stem 25 and the exhaust-chamber thus closed and rendered inoperative. v

f The exhaust-steam enters the Vacuumchamber 26 in the casing C through the ex- IOO haust-steam pipe 27, in which is the valve 28,

. and is drawn thence by the force of the eX-A haust created by the passage of steam and water through the delivery-nozzle 15 into the exhaust-vacuum nozzle 16 and thence by way of the pipe. 17 back to the boiler. A check-4 valve 29 (which is kept seated when the ap-v paratus is not in operation by a spring 30) prevents any backflow of water from theI boiler to the engine through the exhaust-n steam pipe.

A branch 31 from the hot-water pipe 3 may lead to the main discharge-pipe 17, said branch having a suitable valve 32 and terminating in a curved nozzle n, arranged todischarge longitudinally of said y pipe, as shown.

The operation of said apparatus is as fol-` lows: Assuming it to be completely out of op` eration and the valves all closed, I prefer in putting-said apparatusinto use -to rst open. the cold-water valve 9. I then open the main water-valve 11. I then open the teaser-valve 22, by means of which a small jetof live steam is permitted topass from the live-steam chamber 2te the exhausting-nozzle 23 in thef chamber 19 andtheuce out through the -noz-` zle 20, creating a vacuum in the vacuum` chamber 18, which first raises the valve 24, and then draws a small supply of water? from the chamber 12 through the combiningtube 14 and out through the radial perfora=` `tions Vtherein yinto said chamber, whence Vit',`

willpresently overflow, showing that the wa @terfhas begun to move through the apparatus. v' :I then by meansof its handle h open the mainv 'livefstearn valve 33, which permits the live;

. steam yto pass through the injector-,point 13j `into kthe combining-tube 14, .which drives thev water with great force through said tube and through the delivery-nozzle 15, creating ai vacuum in the vacuum-nozzle 16 and in-the lspace behind it and unseating the valve 29.j

At the same time I open the valve 28 in the exhaust-steam pipe 27, which permits ex haast-steam to be withdrawn with the water` and sent with great force through-the pipe 1'7` back into the boiler. At about the same time I open the valve 8, admitting hot water1 directly from the boiler to the apparatus.,` I presently close or nearly close the cold,` water valve 9, for, as Will be readily under--v .-stood, yno very great supply of cold water isg Vnecessary fwhere my apparatus is used, it

being only necessary to start the operationl .and a steam-engine, of an apparatus for returning the exhaust-steam from said engine to said boiler, consisting of an injector one portion whereof is connected to said steamboiler at a point above the water-line, and

another portion whereof is connected to said steam-boiler at a point below the water-line therein and also connected to a cold-water supply, said injector being provided with a vacuumchamber into which the exhauststeam from the engine is discharged by means of a suitable pipe, said pipe, an exhaust-'vacuum nozzle connected with said chamber, and means for establishing a' circulation through the injector, whereby the Water and exhauststeam are driven back into the boiler4 thereby.

2. The combination, in an injector, 4of the main shell or body containing a live-steam chamber and a water-chamber, suitable connections with the boiler whereby the steam and the water are admitted to said chambers respectively, an injector-nozzle communicating-with said steam-chamber and positioned to discharge into a combining-tube which communicates with said water-chamber, said .Combining-tube having radial perforations therein, a 4vacuum-chamber surrounding the shell containing said combining-tube vat the point whereit contains said radialperforations, a valve in said shell, anoverlioW-chamber communicating with said vacuum-chamber and having a suitable exhausting-nozzle therein, and a small pipe leading from said nozzle to the live-steam chamber and containing a valve, vwhereby when said `valve is opened and the other valves of the apparatus are in proper position water will be drawn up into said Avacuum-chamber .by the force created by ,the steam passing through said pipe and nozzle, substantially7 as set forth.

3. The combination, in an injector, of the main shell or body containing chambers for waterand steam, an injector-nozzle leading out of the steam-chamber therein, a suitable valve therefor, a combining-tube leading out of Athe water-chamber therein and arranged to-receive thedischarge from said injectornozzle, a delivery-nozzle forming a prolongation of said combining tube and passing through an exhaust-vacuum chamber,a checkvalve surrounding said delivery-nozzle and closing the orifice leading from said exhaustvacuum chamber toward the delivery-point against backow, an exhaust-vacuum nozzle leading from the space containing the checkvalve, a pipe surrounding the mouth of the same and leading thence back -to theboiler, and agpipe lleading from the engine to said exhaust-.vacuum chamber and adapted to conduct the exhaust-steam thereto.

4. The combination, with a steam-boiler ICO 'and a steam-engine, of an injector containing a steam-chamber, a water-chamber, and a vacuum-chamber, said steam-chamber being connected with the steam-boiler at a point above the water-line, said water-chamber being connected with the steam-boiler at a point below the water-line, and said Vacuum-chamber being connected with the exhaust-pipe of the steam-engine, a combining-tube arranged in said structure and leading from the waterchamber through the vacuum-chamber, and an injector-nozzle arranged in line with said combining-tube and leading from the livesteam chamber, said several pipes and passages being provided with suitable valves, whereby the exhaust-steam is delivered into and mingled with the water and driven back into the boiler under the force of the discharge in said injector-nozzle.

5. The combination, with a steam-boiler and a steam-engine, of an injector adapted to return the exhaust-steam and its products to the boiler, said injector containing a livesteam chamber, a water-chamber, and a vacuum-chamber, said live-steam chamber being connected to the boiler above the waterline, said vacuum-chamber being connected to the stea m-engine and adapted to receive the exhaust therefrom through a suitable pipe, and said water-chamber being connected both to the steam-boiler below the water-line and also to a source of cold-water supply, the hotwater supply terminating in a curved nozzle, 10, around which the cold water passes on its way to the cold-water chamber said injector being also provided with a combining-tube and delivery-nozzle extending from the waterchamber through the vacuum-chamber, an exhaust-vacuum nozzle surrounding the delivery-nozzle and leading from the vacuumchamber into which the exhaust-steam is conveyed,- a pipe adapted to receive the discharge from said exhaust-vacuum nozzle and which leads thence back to the boiler, and an injector-nozzle leading from the live-'steam cham- -ber and arranged to discharge `into said combilling-tube, substantially as set forth.

(i. The combinatiomin an injector,ofa main body containing a water-chamber and leading from said live-steam chamber, a combining-tube in line therewith having radial perforations and leading through a surrounding shell and through a vacuum-chamber, with the latter of which the exhaust-steam pipe from the engine is connected, a priming vacuum-chamber surrounding said shell, a valveseat in said shell, a loosely-mounted valve thereon, and a teaser composed of a small pipe, valve, and nozzle, leading from the livesteam chamber, whereby water is drawn through radial perforations in said combining-tube into said priming vacuum-chamber and the injector thus primed.

7. The combination, with a steam-boiler and a steam-engine, of an injector whereby the exhaust-steam and its products are conveyed back to the boiler from the engine, a connection between said injector and said boiler at a point above the water-line, a second connection between said injector and said boiler at a point'below the water-line whereby hot water 'is conveyed to said boiler through said injector, said connection being provided with a branch coupled to the return-- pipe leading from said injector back to the boiler at a point beyond the nozzle thereof whereby a portion of said hot water is adapted to pass through the injector and a part by way of said branch pipe into said return-pipe beyond `or ahead of said in j ector, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a steam-boiler and a steam-engine, of an injector whereby the exhaust-steam and its products are conveyed back to the boiler from the engine, a connection between said injector and said boiler at a point above the water-line, a second connection between said injector and said boiler at a point below the water-line whereby hot water is conveyed to saidboilerthrough said injector, said connection being provided with a branch coupled to the return-pipe leading from said injector back to the boiler.

at a point beyond the nozzle thereof said branch being coupled to said pipe by means of a coupling containing a curved nozzle, n, whereby a portion of said hot water may be discharged into said return-pipe and unite with the contents thereof without retard-ing the iiow therein, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 24th day of November, A. D. 1900.

VILLIAM T. HARRIS. s]

" Vitnesses:

CHEs'rER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH.

IOO

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