US2593655A - Vapor condensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1952 BYER 2,593,655

VAPOR CONDENSING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l M INVENTORA- J HEALQY E. BYE? 0 BY Arrotlvn s April 22, 1952 H. E. BYER VAPOR CONDENSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1948 INVENTOR. HENRY E. 5Y5? A 7'7'OPNEYS April 22, 1952 H. E. BYER 2,593,655

VAPOR CONDENSING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1948 3 Sheeis-Sheet 3 I s. Z w

I 115 X I 13]. I 1 117 [j g 131A J 1'28 12% INVENTOR. HENRY E. BYE/Q A TTOQNEYS Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATE.

This invention relates to the condensation of steam and other vapors through use of the barometric type of condenser, and especially to a method and apparatus for improving the operation of the water flow in the barometric pipe employed.

In my prior Patents Nos. 2,013,029 and 2,081,615,. I have disclosed improved apparatus of the counter-current and of the parallel flow types.

I have now made a further improvement in such;

"."closed at the upper end, and connected to water barometric condensers, whereby I take advantage' of the dead space or void, which currently exists between the bottom exit opening of the condenser,

through which the waste water and any air, and

non-condensable gases as may be cleared therethrough from the condenser, and the top level of the solid column of water riding in the Waste barometric pipe, to secure a more efficient method of discharging said waste water, air and noncondensable gases, through said bottom opening of the condenser into the tail pipe. A more eflicient method of removing to atmosphere said waste water and said air and non-condensable gases results.

One of the objects of the invention is to achieve greater economies in the operation of a barometric type condenser. 1

Advantage is taken of the hydraulic ejector action which commercial experience has proved occurs in the bottom of my above mentioned condensers and to provide a tail pipe construction whereby the return or slip-back of a portion of the air and non-condensable gases from the above mentioned dead space in the waste pipe above the level of the solid water column into condenser head is reduced to such a negligible quantity, commercially speaking; that the 'existing vacuum creep correctly experienced in a vessel being evacuated by my condenser is reduced to a negligible amount. Variation in slipback will cause a change in the vacuum'or a so-called creep. As the gases are carried along by the water stream, there will be a certain amount of said gases slipping back into the condenser, which is known as slip-back.

A further object brought about by my present invention is a reduction in the auxiliary power required to effect the condensation, both as regards the air removal, and as regards the water removal to the atmosphere when a tail pump is employed to remove the waste water from the tail pipe.

One of the features of the present invention is the connection of a threat piece or tailpipe for receiving the liquid-flow frornthe condenser and delivering the liquid to a barometric pipe barometric pipe. thereby provided at the top end of the barometric (tail pipe and a gas removal; means connected removal means at its lower endgiwith a constant .level liquid control means provided in conjunction with said barometric tail pipe 'to maintain a constant liquid level above said exhaust end of the throat piece for sealing the same inside the A gas collecting chamber is thereto for maintaining an absolute pressure in .said chamber between the absolute pressure in the condenser and atmospheric pressure. liquid can be removed from the bottom of the 'itail pipe by various means, such as a pump or by gravitational low into a seal tank.

The

- These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings Whichare merely exemplary.

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an elevation partly in'section of a modified form of the invention." 1 I Figure l is a sectional view taken-. along the line l-d of Figure 3. v a

Figure 5 is an elevation partly'in section of another modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line E3-@ of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevation partly in section of a modification of the invention.

Figure 8 is a section taken along the line 3-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section of a further modification of the invention.

Figure 1G is an elevation illustrating prior practice. I 3 1 For purposes of comparison, a prior condensing system is found in Figure 10 wherein steam to be condensed enters condenser I ll through steam inlet ii, the injection water entering at 2 and the wastewater discharging into the waste pipe through opening l3. A centrifugal tail piunp removes the waste water from M, discharging the same through discharge control valve 16 into an open well i? and thence to the sewer it.

This construction provides for water discharge valve it to open as the water level I9l9 tends to rise. and to close as the water'level l9|9 falls. Valve 56 in this case can be a standard make of valve connected by link motion to the float control 2 v =.The air and non-condensables areremoved pump l5 in current practice is located on the basement floor. Because of building structural requirements, it is necessary to locate the float control and its mechanism well below opening I3.

Such a difference in dimension s9 results in'a wide variation in the volume of the dead space 28,

as it actually occurs in commercial practice; producing a corresponding Wide variation as regards the vacuum swing experienced in the vacuum vessel being served by the condenser. It will be apparent that the percentage of air and noncondensables carried into the space2ll will vary with resultant variation in the slip-back of air and non-condensablcs through opening l3 back into condenser, depending-onthe height of the water fall in 20.

Commercial experience shows a variation in operating results of such a previously used apparatus because of this variation in vertical heights mentioned, employing the same type'an'd design ofvaouum vessel to be evacuated, operating under the same condenser operating conditions, and

, with the same sizes of condensers employed;

The condenser of Figure 10 is of the countercurrent design as described in my Patent 2,913,029. Commercial operation has shown that the large diameter hydraulic water cone Si with the diameter of the casing as its base as at 32 will entrap and carry through the water openin l3 approximately 59% of the non-condensable gases entering condenser, which represents in general the amount which enters through I l in the steam and-through leaks. The balance of the air and non-condensables enter with the injection water at E2 and through leaks. As the water removal pump l5 can carry out but a small percentage of the air and non-condensable gases carried into the dead space 2i it will be apparent that such air and gases must be drawn back into condenser casing 56 through l3 for removal by the air pump through 22. The diameter of the condenser casing Ill and the tail pipe it must be made amply large so as to assure a slow air velocity through the condenser because otherwise experience proves that there will be a surge in the vacuum.

If the vacuum carried in the previous type condenser I8 is 27 Hg and 380 G. P. M. water is handled, the current steam jet practice viould design the primary jet element 23 to maintain 2'7 Hg at 22, 22" Hg in the secondary jet element 25, and 22 Hg in the inter-condenser 24. On the basis that 17 pounds per hour of atmospheric free dry air are to be removed from the condenser with 135 pounds per square inch as motive steam power for the jet pump, the primary jet 23 would requireapproximately 4.9 pounds per hour motive steam and the secondary jet 26, 49 pounds per hour; or a total of 2-9 pounds per hour motive steam to operate the steam jet pump.

temperature of the air at E2 is assumed to be Q6 F.

and. injection. water temperature entering at i2 is assumed to be 85 F.

,The water pump 55 as illustrated would be designed .to operate against-a total head of feet of water with a 9 foot submergence and 27 Hg in the tail pipe 14. When so operating and handling 380 G; P. M. of F. Water and based on standard pump efficiencies, the operating horsepower would be approximately e.28 and a 5 H. P.

motor would be required. It is thus seen that in a condenser operated according to the described example of prior practice, that the steam cost to rernovethe air and non-condensables is 89 pounds per hour and the horsepower required for the m0- tor will be 4.28.

. A condenser made in accordance with the present invention is seen in Figure 1 having a tail pump'BS at an elevation 36 similar to elevation 29 of Figure 10. In the invention, advantage of the hydraulic ejector action is used to deliver the air and non-condensable gases discharged by said hydraulic ejector action into a lower vacuum positively maintained in the air collecting space or dead space i. In the form of the invention seen in Figures'l and 2, the air or gas collecting space or chamber is formed for convenience between the exterior tail pipe 38 and a relatively smaller diameter and shorter throat piece 39 which now forms an improved exit passage for the air and waste water discharging throzgh opening 4%] of the condenser ii. The open end 42 of threat piece 39 is sealed below the level it-43 of the solid column of. water M maintained in pipe 33, a water column 3?, having a height 45" rising to a level it- Z6 being maintained in throat piece 39 by the difference in the pressurein dead space 3.1 andthe pressure in condenser ii. Condenser 41 may beof the counter-current type illustrated in my prior. Patent No. 2,013,029.

In. the form seen in Fi ure l, with the vecu m in M at 27" Hg, the vacuzm in 3? would be 22" Hg. and a column of solid water of a height or" 5.6 feet would balance the difierence in the two vacuu'a. Thrs the previous dead'spa-ce shown at 2% in- Figure 10 is eliminated between level 4343 and the exit opening til. It will be apparenttha-t with the air and non-condensabie gases carried down the interior throat pipe 38 that said air and gases will be promptly removed at the 22 Hg vacuum state so that only a negligiblepercentage of the air and non-condensable gases can back into condenser It! in the present invention. For this reason, the necessity for pro.- viding a steam jet pimp with a capacity of 17 pounds per h er of atmospheric free dry air, as in Figure 10 in previous practice is eliminated. Instead, the primary elment ll in the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 wo ld onlybe req ired to evacuate cne-hali of that amount or 8 /2 pounds of atmospheric free dry air per hour.

This represents a saving of 26 pounds of motire' steam which is equal to approximately 2"? saving in said power as compared to the device of Figure 10.

By mounting the steam jet intermediate condenser 48 on the side of the tail pip 38, with two admission ports 49 and so, it will be apparent that the air and non-condensable gases discharged through the improved inner tail pipe or throat piece 39 through its exit opening 42, will be pulled. into the air collecting chamber 37 at a 22." Hg vacuum, and thence through the port 50 into intermediate jet condenser 4a where the air and gases will mingle with the air and gases exhausted into 48 by the primary jet ll through port 49 for removal to atmosphere by steam jet element 5!.

It will: be observed that the construction of Figure 1-, not onlyentirely eliminates the dead space above the water level in the tail pipe but the lower vacuum carried in space 31 also permits the attachment of the steam jet vacuum pump arrangement including jet condenser 48 to tail pipe 38, whereby the same lower degree of vacuum carried in space 37 is carried in intercondenser 48 by secondary jet 5|, the primary jet 4'! exhausting into the same lower degree of vacuum carried in inter-condenser 48.

By the above improved means, the two stage vacuum pump is now furnished with an intercondenser 48 which has two admission openings for air and steam. The secondary steam jet element 5! can have the same capacity as mentioned for Figure 10, 17 pounds per hour atmospheric air at 22 Hg vacuum. The primary element 4'! can be furnished with a capacity suflicient to handle 8 pounds per hour at 27" Hg vacuum with a steam consumption of pounds per hour. The secondary jet 5! will require 49 pounds per hour motive steam. The waste Water from inter-condenser 48 drains off into tail pipe 38 at 52.

An air control valve 53' or other means can be used to admit atmospheric air into the air collecting chamber should the vacuum in 37 become higher than the specified 22 Hg.

A float control 53 can be connected to valve 54A for controlling the level 63=i3. Pump exhausts through pipe 5a to the outlet at 55.

Because the vacuum against which the tail pump 35 now pulls is 22" Hg instead of 27" Hg in Figure 10, the pumping horepower is reduced to 3.86 H. P. representing a reduction of approximately 14% over the horsepower required to operate the pump as indicated in Figure 10, this calculation being based on the standard calculation employed by all water pump manufacturers.

There is a saving therefore in the horsepower required to operate the tail pump or 14%, and there is a saving of approximately 26% in the amount of steam required to operate the steam jet, over current practice, such as illustrated in Figure 10, the total steam required to operate the jets being only about 69 pounds per hour.

In Figure 3 will be found another form of the improved construction of the invention, wherein the float control mechanism is replaced by an internal sealing tank 66 with pump 78 having a discharge loop comprising pipes 6!, 62 and 63. A check valve 65 is located in the discharge line. Pumping level S565 thus is maintained below the sealing tank level 5E6e.

One of the advantages of this type of construction is that it does not require a float valve mechanism.

In the operation of the arrangement of Figure 3, the water flow through condenser ii? functions as described for Figure l but the diameter of the tail pipe 63 is made greater than the diameter of the pipe illustrated in Figure 2, so as to permit the use of a sealing tank 55 of suitable vol' ume.

It will be evident that with the open end 69 of the throat piece ill, sealed below the level ii6ii5, the open end 59 of said pip 1 will deliver'its contents into the internal sealing tank 89, and function with operating figures as mentioned for Figure i. There will be a vacuum of 22" Hg carried in gas collecting or dead space 'H, the air and non-condensable being removed from ii through port 72 into intercondenser 13 where they mingle with the air and gases carried into inter-condenser 73 by the primary jet hi-through port 15 for removal to atmosphere by steam jet element 16. Water employed in the inter-condenser l3 drains off into sealing tank 60 through port 71.

Referring now to the water removal pump 18, this is shown as a centrifugal pump of the open impeller type with its casing vented by pipe I9 into air collecting chamber ll. With this type of open impeller pump, the pumping efficiency is less than with a double suction type of centrifugal pump illustrated in Figure 1 but the loss in efiiciency is compensated for by the discharge loops 6!, 62 and 63 illustrated in Figure 3, whereby the horsepower required to remove the water from the tail pipe 68 in general can be considered as the same as with the type of pump shown in Figure 1. The horsepower required to operate the tail pump 18 therefore can be assumed to average 3.86 H. P. and the saving in the amount of steam required to operate the steam jet over current practice is assumed to be 20%. In the arrangement of Figure 3, the power and steam required to operate the auxiliaries, water pump and steam jet, are approximately the same as with Figure 1.

In the operation of the condenser illustrated by Figure 3, there will be a water column in the throat piece is, said water column being balanced by the vacuum 27" Hg carried in condenser 61 and 22 Hg carriedin space H. With the level 66-68 positively maintained by said fixed sealing tank 60, it will be evident that with the vacuum in space H maintained at a stable figure of 22" Hg through air control valve or means 8!, the column 89 will be maintained at a fixed value, irrespective of the amount of water being discharged from condenser 61 through opening 82 into the sealing tank 60.

It will be understood that the amount of injection Water used in a condenser of this type, based on economical operation is varied to suit the seasonal changes in water temperature over a twelve month operating period. This means the water removal pump 18, which is designed to'opcrate at its maximum with the level 6565 at the height of pipe 62, will drop its pumping level through a range of height indicated as 83 because a water pump designed to operate at a fixed speed will reduce its suction pumping level as the amount of water is reduced. This variation in the pumping level represented by 83 in no way afiects the maintained level 6B--66 above it so that the stability of the water column 80 is maintained throughout the entire pumping cycle.

It is thus apparent that Figure 3 represents a construction which provides for a maintained sealing tank level in tail pipe 68 at a point above the'maximum pumping level 6565 and a variable pumping head 83 through which the water removal pump 78 operates.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the application of my improved construction to a condenser employing a gravitational fall pipe 9|, the latter having two oiT-set bends to accommodate building structure. This is a construction commonly used and results in air binding of the gases in the fall pipe. My invention overcomes the defect of said air binding in the barometric fall pipe.

In the operation of the condenser illustrated by Figure .5, a vacuum apparatus 2, such as an evaporator or the like, is connected by vapor pipe 93 to a condenser of the parallel flow type as shown in my Patent No. 2,081,615. The vacuum apparatus 90 is supported at fioor level 94-94 at a height above the ground level 95-95, in

this instance this height being 4% feet. The operating floor 93-94 supporting the vacuum apparatus G8 is commonly placed at a distance well above the barometric height of 34 feet relative to the floor level 95-95.

Injection water enters the condenser 9!! at 96 with the vapor and non-condensable gases entering condenser 90 through 93, the injection water being distributed through the interior of the condenser to suit the construction provided for in that the pipe could be on the vertical center line (not shown) of condenser 90.

It will be noted that the gravity fall pipe 9| replaces the water removal pump illustrated in Figures l-3, inclusive.

Because condenser 9c is of the parallel flow type with all of the non-condensable gases discharging through opening 98 into the tail pipe I63, there is no necessity for the employment of a primary element steam jet as in Figures. l-3, inclusive, so that it is necessary only to furnish the secondary steam jet element IM, said secondary element ltd maintaining a vacuumof 22 Hg.

An inter-condenser I95 and control valve I06 similar to those described for Figures 1-3, inclusive, can be used.

Still employing the same example as mentioned previously where the injection water handled is 380 G. P. M., vacuum carried in the condenser 2'7" Hg, vacuum carried in the air collecting space IE1 is 22" Hg and on the basis that 17 pounds per hour of atmospheric free dry air are to be removed from the condenser while employing motive steam pressure of 135 pounds per square inch, the secondary jet its would then require 49 pounds per hour of motive steam to function. The. temperature or air handled by jet I04 is taken as 90 the injection water temperature entering the ail-cooler I65 as at I58 being taken as 85 F.

As the water is removed by gravity fall there is no power required to remove the'water, so that the total cost of aitecting this method of condensation is only 59 pounds per hour of steam required by the steam jet pump I04.

It will be noted the construction provides a compact, convenient one as regards the supporting of the condenser and the accessability for the operator. Tail pipe IE3 is supported at floor level 9 i9 i by brackets I08 with the jet cooler I05 projecting above the floor level, whereby the water valve its and the valve operating the primary jet le t are at a convenient location for the pan operator of the vacuum apparatus 92.

While Figure 5 illustrates the parallel current type of condenser as shown in my Patent No. 2,681,615, the tail pipe construction is applicable as well to the counter-current type of condenser as seen in my Patent No. 2,013,029. In the latter case, a primary steam jet would be employed with an inter-condenser and a secondary jet similar to the construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, such would require the useof pounds per hour of steam to operate the primary jet and 49 pounds per hour motive steam to operate thesecthrough pipe 53 into Q2.

ondary'jet, representing a total of 69 pounds per hour required to operate the steam jet for the counter-current type of construction as compared to the parallel flow illustrated in Figure 5.

As an illustration of theelimination of vacuum creep back from the condenser into the vacuum apparatus served by it, referring to Figure 5, it is evident that as dehydration proceeds in 92, the liquid level therein gradually falls. With the water column H2 as between 98 and IDI-Illl maintained at a constant column or height, it will be apparent that there will be no slip-back of air or non-condensable gases back from H33 into the condenser and thence This stabilizes the. dehydration process in 32 permitting the dehydra tion to proceed more steadily, more quickly and with less attention required on the part of the operator of the apparatus.

It is apparent that the invention can be used -for purposes other than condensing steam and that various modifications can be made in the illustrated details without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

Another form of the invention is seen in Figures 7 and 8 where the dead space is avoided by connecting a throat piece or tail pipe IIS extending downwardly from the bottom opening II? of the condenser 5 l5. Steamenters the condenser at H3 and water at H9. A parallel flow condenser also could be used. Throat I I6 makes a' bend I20 and enters into the side of tail pipe l2I so that the lower end of the throat exhausts into said tail pipe. A partition or receptacle I22 serves to maintain the water level HEB-I23. The partition I22 may have notches or apertures extending downwardly from the upper wall so as to break up the heavy stream of water flowing over the top thereof. It is seen that the gas collecting chamber is interposed between the two tail pipes and intermediate the condenser and the final discharge of the tail pipe means to the atmosphere.

The primary jet E25 draws air from the top of condenser IE5 through pipe I26 and discharges the same through pipe 22? into the tail pipe IZI. Secondary jet I28'is connected to gas collecting chamber I35. A pump I29 can be employed to remove water from the bottom of tail pipe I2I, said pump discharging to waste at I30. The liquid in the condenser will iiow down the walls and form a cone of water iti which flows into throat piece lit. The liquid weight flowing into said throat piece or pipe will remove a large percentag of the air and non-condensable gases from the condenser. The remainder of the air and non-condensable gases in the illustrated counter-current condenser will be removed by primary jet !25. The steam jet discharges into space E32 above the water level i33I33, the steam being condensed by contact in this water sheet or film I3 3. Said gases pass upwardly through the open slots formed in the water film I3 5 into gas collecting chamber I36 and thence to the secondary jet I28. It is thus apparent that the water film I35 which is broken up by the slots in the partition I22 will serve to condense the exhaust steam from jet I25 and as a cooling means for the air and non-condensable gases discharged into tail pipe I2I.

The column'of water 529A will be substantially constant. An air relief valve I3iA can be employed to assist the steam iet I28 in connected directly to the condenser, the main re-- 9 trolling the pressure in gas collecting chamber I36.

The straight passage throat piece N6 of Figure 7 can be replaced by a Venturi-type throat piece I35 such as seen in Figure 9 if desired.

The particular arrangement of the tail pipe and throat piece of Figures 1-5, inclusive, can take various forms, it being evident that the tail pipe itself does not necessarily have to be conquisite being the provision of gas collecting chamber at the top thereof for removal of gases.

It is thus apparent that the invention discloses a manner of removing air and non-condensable gases from a condenser into athroat piece. The

bottom end of said throat piece has a level of liquid maintained at a predetermined point above the end of said throat piece. The gas collecting space over said maintained level of water has air and non-condensable gases removedtherefrom at a pressure which is between that in the condenser and the atmosphere. The lower end of the tail pipe in the various forms has suitable liquid removal means such as a pump or a barometric fall pipe dischargingthrough a seal to atmosphere.

I claim: j

1. In a direct contact condenser wherein air and non-condensable gases are removed by liquid weight through an aperture in said condenser, a barometric tail pipe with a closed gas collecting chamber at its upper end, liquid removal means connected to the lower endof. said tail pipe, a throat piece connected to the bottom of said condenser, andhaving its lower end ex-,

hausting into said tail pipe, constant liquid level sealing means interposed between the lower exhaust end of said throat piece, and said gas collecting chamber, gas removal means connected to said condenser, and gas removal means v connected to said gas collecting chamber, said removal means maintaining an absolute pressure therein between the pressure in the condenser and atmospheric pressure, said throat piece maintaining a column of liquid balancing the pressure difierential between said condenser and said gas collecting chamber.

2. In a direct contact condenser wherein" at least a portion of the air and non-condensable gases are removed by liquid weight through an aperture in the bottom of said condenser, a barometric tail pipe having a closed upper'end, said closed upper end defining a gas collecting chamber, a throat piece connected to the bottom of said condenser and having its lower end exhausting into said tail pipe, a constant level liquid sealing means adjacent the exhaust end of said throat piece andadapted to seal the same relative to said chamber, liquid removal means connected to the lower end of said tail'pipe',' as removal means connected to said condenser, 'and gas removal means connected to said gas collecting chamber and maintaining an absolute pressure therein between that in said condenser and that in the atmosphere, said throat piece main} taining a column of liquid balancing the pressure difference between said condenser and said gas collecting chamber.

3. In a direct contact condenser wherein at least a portion of the air and non-condensable gases are removed by liquid weight through an aperture at the bottom of said condenser, a barometric tail pipe having a closed upper end, said closed upper end defining a gas collecting chamber, a throat piece connected to the bottom of said condenser and to said tail pipe, said throat piece having an outlet in said tail pipe intermediate the upper and lower ends of said tail pipe, a constant level liquid sealing means at the outlet of said throat piece in said tail pipe for sealing said throat piece relative to said gas collecting chamber, liquid removal means connected to the lower end of said tail pipe, and gas removal means connected to said gas collecting chamber and maintainingan absolute pressure therein between that in said condenser and that in the atmosphere, said throat piece maintaining acolumn of liquid balancing the pressure differential between said condenser and said gas col- 15. lecting chamber.

4. Ina direct contact condenser wherein at least a portion of the air and non-condensable gases are removed by liquid weight through an aperture in the bottom of said condenser, a

barometric tail pipe having a closedupper end, said closed upper end defining a gas collecting chamber, a throat piece at least partially in said tail pipe and connected to thebottom of said condenser and to said tail pipe, a receptacle in said tail pipe into which said throat pipe exhausts, said receptacle maintaining a constant liquid level sealing the end of said throat piece relative to said gas collecting chamber, liquid removal means connected to the lower end of said tail chamber, a throatpiece at-least partially in said- 4 tail pipe and connected to the bottom of said said tail pipe into which throat piece exhaustsv maintaining a constant liquid level above the opening of said tail pipe to seal the end thereof relative to said gas collecting chamber, liquid removal means connected to lower end of said tail .pipe, gas removal means connected to the top of said condenser exhausting into said tail pipe below said receptacle and above the normal water level therein, said gases travelling upwardly past the liquid flowing downwardly out of said receptacle, a second gas removal means connected to said gas collecting chamber maintaining anabsol'ute pressure therein between that in said condenser and that in the atmosphere, said throat piece maintaining a column of liquid balancing the pressure difference between said condenser and said gas collecting chamber.

6. In a direct contact condenser wherein air and non-condensable gases are removed by liquid weight, through an aperture in the bottom of said condenser, a barometric tail pipe with a closed gas collecting chamber at its upper end, liquid removal means connected to said tail pipe, a throat piece connected to the bottom of said condenser and having its lower end exhausting into said tail pipe, said throat piece including a Venturi-shaped passage therein, constant level sealing means interposed between the lower end of said throat piece and said gas collecting champipe, and gas removal means connected to said- *condenser and tosaid tail pipe, a receptaclein 11 ber, and gas removal means connectedto said gas collecting chamber and maintaining an absolute pressure therein between that in the con denser and that in the atmosphere, said throat piece balancing the pressure and said gas collecting chamber.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising a condenser, a tail pipe connected to the lower end of said condenser, a throat piece connected to the lower end of said condenser extending within said tailpipe and forming a gas collection chamber in conjunction with said tailpipe, means maintaining a predetermined water levelbelow the bottom end of said condenser and above the lower end of said throat piece, gas removal means connected to said gas'chamber formedbetvveensaid tail pipe and said'throat piece, and water removal means connectedto said tail pipe.

8, In a device of thecharacter described, the combination comprising a steam condenser, a

tail pipe connected to the lower-end ofsaid condenser, a throat piece connected to the lower endof said condenserextendingdownwardlywithin said tailpipe and forming a gas collection chamber-in conjunction with said tailpipe, liquid removal'means connected to-said tailpipe, float control means connectedto said liquid-removalmeans and with said tail pipe to maintaina liquid level in said tail pipe-above the bottom end of said throat piece, and gas-removal meansconnected to said gas collection chamber.

9; In a device of the characterdescribed, the

combination comprising a direct contact steam condenser having an aperture adjacent; the bottom portion thereof, saidcondenser -having a casing defining the path of a gaseous medium, liquid supply means'for said casing, means insaid casing distributing said liquid in a downwardly flowingfilm away from the sides of the casing into the lowerend ofsa-idcasing, athroa-t piece connected" to the lower end of said casing into which said downwardly flowing film is, di-

rected, a barometric tail pipe in which said" throat piece exhausts, said tail pipe having a gas collection; chamber atits. upper portion, con stantliquidlevel control means connected with the end of said throat piece for maintaining I a predetermined liquid level above-the lower end ofsaid' throat piece so as to.- seal said throat.

from said gas collecting chamber; gas removal means connected to the upper-portion of saidtail pipe, said gas. removal means maintaining an absolute. pressure between the absolute pressu ein: ai conde e -and: a mosn e icpressure and means toremove; liquid from said tail; pipe,

0.: In d vice the; character; descr ed); t e. co an m ri in a ca in defining:

ai c s n ans in s id casing he. .ibut me i liquid st. d wnward fi w n ffi m wayo t e sides f he a in n h ow end of the casingathroat piece connected'to formed between the tail piece and the throat piece, said vacuum being maintained between the vacuum in the condenser and atmospheric path of; a gaseous mediuni1.i liqu d. uppl n 8 pressure, andmeans to remove liquid from said means positively-maintaining a predetermined liquid level above the lower end of said throat piece forming a liquid barometric leg in said throat-piece, said leg balancing the difference in pressure between the pressure in the condenserand the pressure in the gas collection chamber, and gas removal means connected to said gas collection chamber maintaining a vacuum therein between that in the condenser and atmospheric pressure.

12. Ina device of the character described, the combination'comprising a direct contact counter flow steam condenser having an inlet for the gaseous medium to be condensed and a water inlet, baffle means distributing the water and 1 producing a conical'flow of water through the condenser, a barometric tail pipe, a throat piece connected to the bottom of said condenser and exhausting into said tail pipe, said throat piece receiving the conical flow ofwater through said I l condenser, a gas collecting chamber at the top of said tail pipe, gas removal means connected to said gas collecting chamber maintaining an absolute pressure in said chamber between the pressure in the condenser and atmospheric pres- -sure, means maintaining a level of water in the tailpipe above the end of said throat piece, and means removing liquid from said tail pipe.

13; Ina device of the character described, the combination comprising a direct contact counter flow. condenser having an inlet for the gaseousv medium to. be condensed and a water inlet,

baffle means. distributing the water and producing a conical flow through the condenser, a tail pipe connected to, the lower end of said condenser, a throat piece connected to said condenser within said tail pipe, and forming a space therebetween, said throat piece receiving the conical flow; of water through said condenser, as r mo al e n connected to the. pac

tween thetail pipe and throat piece maintainpiece is sealedrclative to, the pressure in thend nser-t 14 In a, direct, contact condenser wherein air and non-condensable gases are removed by liquid weight th lqughanaperture in saidcondenser, auraltailpipe with aclosed gas collecting chamber at its upper end liquid removal means connected to the; lower end of said tail pipe, a, second tail pipe connected to the bottom of said condenser, and having its lower end exhausting into said first tail pipe, constant-liquid level sealing means interposed between the lower exhaust end of said throat piece, and said gas collecting chamber, andgas removal means connected to said gas collecting chamber, said removal means maintaining an absolute pressure therein between the pressure inthe con- -denser and atmospheric pressure, said second 13 14 tail pipe maintaining a column of liquid balanc- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing the pressure difl'erential between said con- Number Name Da'te denser and said gas collecting chamber. 493,123 schulte Man 7 1893 1 260 593 Suczek Mar. 26 1918 HENRY E. BYER. 1

5 1,563,981 Helander Dec. 1, 1925 1,957,094 Byer May 1, 1934 REFERENCES CITED 2,013,029 Byer Sept. 3, 1935 The following references are of record in the 2,081,615 Byer May 25, 1937 file of this patent: 2,462,355 Byer Feb. 2 2, 1949

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