US1221356A - Apparatus for eliminating condensation in steam-engine cylinders. - Google Patents

Description

W. A. MOFFAT. Y

APPARATUS FOR ELIMINATING CONDENSATION IN STEAM ENGINE CYLINDERS.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, I915.

1,9135%, Patehted Apr. 3-, 1917 WALTER A. MOFFAT, or nine, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR ELIMINATING OONDENSATION IN STEAM-ENGINE CYLINDERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 191W.

Application filed February 11, 1915. Serial No. 7,501.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cir/run A. Morrn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Eliminating Condensation in Steam-Engine Cylinders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to steam engines, and consists in providing means for heating engine cylinders so that the Working steam will not become condensed within said cylinder.

This object may be obtained by placing the tubes of a super-heater in the discharge end of the fiues of a steam-boiler, where the temperature of the fire-gas, passing therethrough is lowest, and then passing a portion of the exhaust steam from the engine through said super-heater and from superheater into a steam jacket around the engine cylinder, and thence allowing the same to escape to the atmosphere.

It will be evident that as the temperature of the exhaust steam is relatively low, the fire-gas, after performing its office of generating steam, will be very much more eflicient when acting upon exhaust steam which is at a very much lower temperature, and that if the cylinder jacket is filled with this exhaust steam having a temperature equivalent to or greater than the temperature of the boiler steam at the point of cut-off, there will be no loss of power from condensation inside of the cylinder, due to cold walls, and further that if the temperature of the jacket steam is maintained high enough there will be an inward flow of heat to help the steam from the point of cut-off to the end of the pistonstroke, thus ultimately permitting of an earlier cut-off.

Another advantage of this method of preventing cylinder condensation is, that it, to a great extent, eliminates the danger incident to the use of super-heated steam, in that the steam is passed through the super-heater at or somewhat above atmospheric pressure, which also permits of the use of much less expensive material in the construction of the super-heating apparatus.

The features of my invention are hereinafter more fully explained and pointed out, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l, is a vertical central section of a locomotive boiler, with portions thereof broken away, showing apparatus installed therein suitable for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 2, is a front end view of the same.

Fig. 3, is a detail of a suitable super-heating element.

In these drawings A, indicates a steamboiler; A, indicates the smoke-box; A", indicates boiler-fines therein; B, indicates engine cylinders associated with the boiler A; B, indicates the steam conductor pipes from the boiler to the cylinder B; C, indicates the usual exhaust-pipe, all of which parts are of usual and ordinary construction.

Within the smoke-box A, I place the header D, of a super-heater, from which super-heater tubes D, extend backward into some of the boiler-flues A the header D, being in spaced relation to the discharge ends of the boiler-fines A so as to permit of the flow of fire-gas therefrom.

The exhaust-pipe C, I provide with a branch-pipe C, which leads to the intakeside d, of the super-heater header D. With in the exhaust-pipe C, I provide a curved wall G which is adapted to deflect a portion of the exhaust steam into the branch ioe C and to arevent steam from )assin 7 b backward from the branch-pipe G, into the exhaust-pipe C, I provide a non-return valve 0, which will prevent of the passage of steam into the branch C; but when closed will prevent a reverse movement of steam therethrough. From the intake side (i, of the header D, the steam passes into the tubes D, above the division wall (Z, in said tubes, and returning it flows under said division wall into the discharge side 6Z2, of the header D, from which it is conducted by the pipe E, into a steam-receiving-jacket E, which incloses the heads and side of the cylinders B, and from the opposite end of the cylinder a pipe E leads to a suitable point of discharge, as shown in the drawings.

In order to prevent over-heating of the super-heater tubes I), when the engine cylinders B, are not being operated, I provide a steam pipe F, leading from a suitable source of supply, which in case of a locomotive installation, may be the exhaust from the air-brake pump, (not shown) whereby a supply of steam within the superheater and cylinder jacket can be maintained when there is no exhaust from the engine cylinders.

I also provide an air-intake valve F, which communicates with the pipe F, and an air outlet'valve F which controls the passage through the pipe f, which connects with the discharge side (Z ofthe header D, so that when the boiler A is being heated up in the round-house or elsewhere, before any steam is generated therein, air may be circulated through the super-heater until there is suflicient steam when the valves F and F may be closed. The steam jacket E, is also itself provided with a jacket G, of any nonconductor of heat, so that there shall be substantially small loss of heat by reason of outward radiation, thereby causing the engine cylinder B, to receive substantially the full benefit of superheated exhaust steam passing around the same.

I11 operation, when steam is exhausted from the engine cylinder B a portion thereof,- by reason of the force of the exhaust, is deflected by the wall C in the exhaust-pipe G, into the branch-pipe C, and thence into and through the super-heater header D, and tubes D, located at apoint, with relation to the boiler A, where the fire-gasis lowest in temperature, but greatly in excess of the temperature of the exhaust steam within the super-heater, and thence, after being superheated until the temperature thereof is above that of the boiler steam, it passes through the pipe E, into the steam cylinder jacket E, surrounding the heads and sides of the cylinder B, escaping therefrom through the pipe E which results in maintaining the cylinder B, at a temperature equal to or slightly above the temperature of the live steam as it leaves the boiler, thereby transferring'the waste heat escaping from the exit ends of the boiler flues A which otherwise would pass to the stack and be lost, to

. the wall of the cylinder B, and therethrough to the working steam within the cylinder B.

A further result of the practice of my invention as above described, is the elimination of dangerous high pressure within the super-heating apparatus.

' Having thus fully described my invention, and the construction and operation of suitable apparatus for utilizing the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- V tors-Patent is 1. The combination of a tubular steam boiler, a superheater located adjacent to the discharge ends of the flues of said boiler, an engine cylinder, a steam jacket thereon, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for steam connection from the discharge side of said superheater and said jacket, a steam escape pipe from said jacket, an exhaust pipe from said cylinder, a steam connection from said exhaust pipe to the intake side of said superheater, and means in said exhaust pipe to deflect a portion of the exhaust steam into said superheater, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a tubular steam boiler, a superheater header adjacent to the discharge ends of the flues of said boiler, superheater tubes extending from said header into the flues of said boiler, an engine cylinder, a steam jacket thereon, a steam connection from said superheater to said jacket, a steam escape pipe leading from said jacket, an exhaust pipe, a steam connection between said superheater and said exhaust pipe, and means within said exhaust pipe to deflect a portion of the exhaust steam into said superheater, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a steam boiler, a superheater so located as to be acted upon by the Waste fire-gas, an engine cylinder, a steam jacket thereon, a steam connection from said superheater to said jacket, an escape pipe from said jacket, an exhaust pipe from said engine cylinder, a branch pipe leading from said exhaust pipe to said superheater, means in said exhaust pipe to deflect a portion of the exhaust steam into said branch pipe, and a non-return valve to prevent backward flow in said branch pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

a. In an apparatus of the character described, a steam generator, a steam superheating apparatus adjacent to the smoke discharge end of said generator, an engine cylinder, a steam receiving jacket thereon, an exhaust pipe from said engine cylinder, a branch pipe leading from said exhaust pipe to the intake side of said super-heating apparatus, whereby a portion of the exhaust steam from said exhaust pipe may be conducted into said superheater, a pipe leading from said superheater into said steam jacket, means independent of the exhaust from said engine cylinder to supply steam to said superheater, and means to conduct steam away from said steam jacket, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER A. MOFFAT.

Witnesses:

H. M. STURGEON, A. SMITH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C.

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