US1478186A - Evaporating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec.A 18,1923. 'A

w. .A. SWAN -EvAPoRATINe APPARATUS Filed Np'v. 11. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1923. 1,478,186

- w. A. SWAN EVAPORATING APPARATUS Filled Nov. 1l, 1919 2 Sheet Patented Der. l, lQE

NETE@ STATES PATENT @.FFK@

piratas EVAPORATING APPARATUS.

Application. led November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,142.

T 0 all whom it may conce/fu:

Be it known that I, Tinus A. SWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Port Huron, county of St. Clair, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Evaporating Apparatus, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make andA use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the evaporization of liquids, and has for its object an improved organization of Aparts by means of which the liquid or fluid may be rapidly and eiiiciently' subjected to the heating, agitation, and aeration, to which it is necessary to subject the liquid before the process @can be considered as satisfactorily completed. My improvements herein set forth not only make possible `a more compact and easily accessible mechanism, but as well enable the contemporaneous subjection of the liquids to the several treatments above mentioned.

In the drawings l Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved apparatus, with parts of the side Walls of the vat or tank cut away to show details of the heating, agitating, and aerating media.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation through the center of the tank.

Figure 3 is a plan view from above.

Figure a is a detail horizontal section of one form of scraper for the side walls ofthe tank, taken along the line 4 -4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view of a modified or alternative form of scraper.

Fig. 6 is'a detail sectional elevation of exterior circulating pump and conduits.

A indicates a vat or tank, at the bottom of which is located a steam chamber B, adapted to receive live steam through the pipe C, controlled by the valve E; from the bottom of Ithe chamber B leads a discharge pipe D for carrying away the condensed steam, and from the bottom of the liquid-containing interior of the tank A leads a drawoff pipe A1 controlled by a valve or faucet A2. Rising from the edge of the floor of the vat A is the lowermost annular section F of the side wall. rlhis is hollow and is adapted to receive steam through the valve J, and to discharge condensed steam past the check valve M into the exhaust line P, either to connection with the'pipe D, or to an independent discharge pipe. Above this section F is a similar hollow annular section G, the entry of steam into which is controlled by the valve K, and from which condensed steam escapes past the check valve N. The top annular section H, is similarly provided with the control valve L and check valve O. All of these sections may be firmly clamped together by vertical bolts l, passing through the top flange l1 and the base flange I2.

WVith its tapered lower end journaled in the center ofthe bottom of the tank, the

hollow pipe R rises above the top of the tank to connection with an air pipe Q, which cooperates with the tapered lower end of the pipe Rin rotatably centering it. The pipe Q, is formed of two parts having a slip connection as shown in Fig. 2 permitting rotation of the pipe R and the attached port-ion of the pipe Q- relative to the main part of the pipe Q; which, in effect, provides a bearing for the pipe R at the upper end. rlhe bevel gear S near the top of the pipe R is engaged by a complementary bevel gear T on thel end of' the shaft U, connected with a pulley U1, or other suitable source of rotative power.

The lower portion of the pipe is perforated with a plurality of holes, which afford communication with the interior of the perforated arm X, and throughv the holes Xl in which air is forced into the lower portion of the milk supply in the tank. From"` complementary,positions about the top portion of the pipe R project radial arms WV. From the end of each upper arm W and its corresponding perforated arm X is hung a scraper Z, fitted thereto in any desired manner, as by the dovetail Z1. Pivoted to the outer faces of each scraper body are wooden or other relatively soft wiping members Y, which are yieldingly forced outwardly to engage the inner side walls of 'the tank by springs Y1. This scraper may also take some other form as regards the yielding centrifugal projection of its relatively soft wiping edge, suchas is shown in Figure 5, wherein the wiping member Y3 is yieldingly projected by the spring Y? n ln operating the device, l find it of great advantage to first let the steam only into the bottom chamber B and the lowerrnost annular section F, then, as the liquid becomes heated,

steam is admited to the second chamber G, through the valve K, and later, it the quantity of liquid to be evaporated justifies it,

' the check valve N, or in the latte-r, the check valves N and O, prevent the steam from backing into the upper wall chamber or chambers through the check valve M of the lower chamber F, past which the condensed steam at once begins to escape as soon as the chamber F has received steam through its control valve J. 1

As soo-n as liquid has been placed in the tank, and steam has been turned into the lower chambers,the rotation ot the hollow pipe R and its series of supporting arms VV and X is begun, and air under pressure 1s admitted through the pipe Q. This air proceeds through the holes in the lower end of the pipe R, and is distributed into all parts of the'body of liquid in the tank through the holes Xl'in the lower arms X. The. action of the relatively'sot wiping edge Y of the Scrapers Z against the side surface of the tank begins as soon as the rotation o'l' the pipe R is started, and this serves to prevent an accumulation of bubbles or particles on the walls of the tank, thus avoiding scalding of the milk or other liquids, since all of it is kept in a state of constant agitation until the evaporating Voperation has been accomplished.

Since a very important part of the operators duties consists in closely watching the temperature of the milk within the tank, and since therotation of the agitator and aerator renders the location of a thermometer within the tank out of the question, I make the valve or faucet A2 of the three way type, so that when the eva-poration process is under way, it may be turned so as to close the discharge outlet A3 and connect the outlet pipe A1 with the rising section A, whose top portion is bent around until it ends, as at A5, Hush with the inner surface of the tank. In this section I'install a pump, as V, by which a continuous flow may beset up so as to be drawing therethrough a sample of the milk'being heated. The temperature of the milk can thus be constantly watched on the thermometer V1, mounted in the end of the branch pipe V2.

By the arrangement described, consisting of the three-way valve, conduits or pipe lines A4, V2 and A5, a continual circulation oi' the A .fluid is obtained through `operation of the pump V. By use of a thermometer in the conduit the temperature of the fluid being treated is continually indicated and further, by operation of the valve A2 the contents of the tank may be discharged through the pipe line A. i

It is further to be observed that by the arrangementot the superimposed hollowv annular sections each independently supplied with steam, an economical apparatus is' pro vided for use with various quantities o milk-that is, it only a small quantity of milk is to be treated, steam may be admitted to the lower annular section F and to the hollow base B. If a greater quantity is to be i Y tity of fluid in the tank. in additional ,y

vreason for the provision-oic the hollow annular sections in superimposed relation sub stantially, as shownv and independently connected with the steam lineis in securing a uniform applicationof heat to the milk or other Huid being treated.V `@ne of the diculties encountered Lin the use oir a hollow jacketed kettle in which the heat is applied at one point for the entire jacket space'is that lin such arrangement the heat is not uniformly applied to the fluid `being treated. The jacket will be of the highest temperature at and adjacent to the point of intro duction of the stream and the `,wall would be decreasingly heated from such point tothe point of discharge. With superimposed sections of small capacity each independentl supplied with steam, each section of the wa l of the tank is oi the same temperature andV the body of fluid within the tank is uniformly heated. Such arrangement of superimposed sections is believed to be a new and important feature in a condenserl of the character herein set forth.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim is: f Y

, l. In evaporating apparatus, a series 0f separable superposed and annular hollow sections, a hollow bottom. the sectionsV and bottom being secured together and providing a cylindrical tank, each of said sections being provided with an Aindependent inlet and outlet. f f

2. In evaporating apparatus, a series of separable, superposed and annular hollow sections, a'hollow bottom member, the said sections and bottom being secured together providing a cylindrical tank, and a rotatable agitator in the tank, Veach of said sections kbeing provided with an independent inlet and Outlet.

iio

3. An evaporating apparatus comprising Y,

a series of separable, superposed, annular hollow sections, a hollow bottom member, the sections and bottom member being secured together to form a cylindrical tank, an

independent inlet and outletfor each of the sections, a valve for each inlet, a check valve in each outlet a rotarv aerator and agitator Within the tank, and regulatable means for actuating the aerat-or and agitator and for supplying air under pressure thereto.

il. An evaporating apparatus comprising a series of separable, superposed, annular hollow sections, a hollow bottom member, the sections and bottom member being secured together to form a cylindrical tank, an independent inletvand outlet for each of the sections, a valve for each inlet, a check valve 'in each outlet, a rotary aerator and agita-tor within the tank, regulatable means for actuating the aerator and agitator and for supplying air under pressure thereto, a conduit on the exterior of the tank having an inlet and outlet in communication with the bottom and top thereof respectively, a pump in said conduit, and means for indicating the temperature of the fluid passing through the conduit.

5. An evaporating apparatus comprising a hollow walled tank, means for supplying steam to the said hollow wall, an agitator SSE within the tank, a conduit exteriorly of the tank having an inlet and outlet in communication with the bottom and top thereof respectively, a pump in said conduit, and a temperature indicating means subject to influenc-e of heat of fluid passing through the conduit.

6. An evaporating apparatus comprising a hollow walled tank, means for supplying steam to the said hollow wall, an agitator within the tank, a conduit eXteriorly of thetank having an inlet and outlet in communication with the bottom and top thereof respect-ively, a pump in said conduit, a temperature Vindicating means subject to influence of heat of fluid passing through the conduit, and a discharge pipe controlled by said valve.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

WlLLlS A. SWAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM M. SWAN, JEFFERSON G. THURBER.

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