US457791A - William edgar prall - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) ZSheets-Sheet 1.

W. E. PRALL. GONBBNSER.

Nu. 457,791. Patented Aug. 18, 1891.

` n Smc/Mofa J M; w

me wams News cu.. mum-umu.. summum m c.

2. u e h S e e h S 2 u.

n mw Pm .D Bw .nu W

(No Model.)

No. 457,791. Patented Aug. 18, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.V

WILLIAM EDGAR PRALL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CONDENSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,791, datedAugust 18, 1891.

Application filed February 4| 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LWILLIAM EDGAR PRALL, a resident of Washington, in the District ofv Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condensers; and I do hereby declare the following to bel a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to steam-condensers, and, though primarily intended for Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a diagrammatic view of apparatus including air and water tanks, engine, and condenser, part of the latter being broken away. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views of details on an enlarged scale.

Let 1 indicate an engine, and 2 its valvechest placed on the lower side thereof. This arrangement of the valve-chest is most suitable for the combined use of compressed air and highly-heated water, as set forth in my patent, No. 449,588, dated March 31, 1891.

3 is the exhaust-pipe.

4 indicates any convenient means of supporting a vessel 5, preferably in the form of a shallow pan. In Fig. 3 is shown at the bot-l tom thereof a section of a part of such pan and a portion of the engine exhaust-pipe 3. From the sides of this pan rise the supports or posts 6 6, preferably integral with the pan, but not necessarily so. These posts or uprights are arranged in pairs, the two members of each pair being oppositely placed on the sides of the pan. l

3 indicates a water-discharge pipe.

The uprights above described are made to sustain a fibrous sheet or sheets in the following manner: A piece of coarse woolen clothfor example, having a width a little larger Serial No. 380,175. (No model.)

than the distance between the uprights on opposite 'sides of the pan-has one of its ends secured in any convenient manner to the end 7 of the pan. The cloth is then arranged on the uprights in such manner that it extends between the opposite posts and from the top of said posts to a little below their junction with the sides of the pan proper. The edge of the cloth is folded over the posts and secured thereon by means of other similar posts or uprights, (denoted by 9,)

manner in which these folded edges are clamped between the uprights 6 and 9 is indicated in Fig. 2. The clothin Fig. 3 is represented as sectioned in a plane midway between and parallel to the uprights on opposite sides of the pan, the folded edge of the fabric being indicated by broken lines.

In Figs. 4 and 5 numeral 10 indicates a water-receptacle having an inlet 3,-which may be the exhaust-pipe of an engine and an outlet 3. The tube 10 has several branches 11, upon each of which are secured a series of domes or closed tubes l2, made of wire or perforated metal and covered with fibrous material, such as heavy woolen cloth.

Figs. 7 and Srepresent modifications ofthe tubes 12, in which two walls a b of wire fabric or perforated metal are made to sustain asbestus between them.

In Fig. 6 is diagrammatcally represented an apparatus in which .it is proposed to use the condenser, the form of th/e latter being in this instance that also shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A llot-water-storage tank is denoted by 13, and a tank for com pressed air by 14. The valve-chest 2 is located at the under side of the cylinder t0 provide for easy discharge of water. 15 15 indicate check-valves, and 16 16 cocks to provide for the simultaneous admission of air and water to the cylinder. The design of this construction is to utilize compressed air and highly-heated water in running the engine of a car or other vehicle by expanding the mingled air and Water in the cylnder thereofs The water is used sufficiently hot to expand into steam in the cylinder, and the expansion ofthe air absorbs its heat, with the resulting effect of very largely increasing the work done by the air and at the same time lubricating the engine and discharging the steam or steam and Water in acomparatively cool condition. In such apparatus it is desirable that the cylinder be capable of being freed promptlyfrom water, and also that the exhaust-steam be at all times speedily and thoroughly condensed. For this reason the valve-chest is placed as indicated, and a condenser used of the general character herein set forth. In these condensers a water-receptacle is connected with an exhaust-pipe near its top and below the condenser proper and the water-outlet is placed as low as practicable, the arrangement being such that steam can be admitted and water drawn oif without noise or interference of one with the other.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the pan isvon its upper side inclosed by a textile cover arranged in folds or loops secured to the uprights and to the upper edge of the pan.

In operation steam and air are exhausted into the pan, and rising into the recesses or bays formed by the looped fabric the air passes out through its interstices, the steam accompanying it being rapidly condensed. This rapidity of condensation is insured by the final expansion of the air and by the fact that the air, which has free access to the exterior of the fabric, evaporates a part of the moisture, which is deposited by the steam in the interstices of the fabric, thereby reducing its temperature and maintaining its efficiency as a condenser. The main part of the water of condensation is deposited in the pan and may be discharged either at intervals or continuously and either upon the ground or into any desired receptacle.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the condenser is provided with an extensive surface of fibrous textile or equivalent capillary material, which will permit steam and air to come in actual contact, and will allow a substantial portion of the condensed steam to be evaporated from the exterior thereof. This effect may be secured by a great variety of open fibrous fabrics, textile, metallic, mineral, or vegetable, and by means of mechanical devices for supporting such fabrics other than the particular one illustrated, and the condenser can be varied in these particulars so long as substantially the same structure and the same principles of operation are preserved. Thus the particular form of the folds or convolutions are unessential and the sizes of the interstices thereof, provided they permit the escape of air and prevent any material escape of steam and have a capillary action sufficient to retain Water until it is evap orated by the external air. The folds of cloth, when such are employed, will preferably be arranged in such manner as to promote the circulation of air on their exterior, and for this purpose they may be arranged in the direction of the motion of the car when used thereon.

I am aware that condensers have been made of Wire-cloth, and alsothat fibrous materials have been used to aid the evaporation of water for refrigerating purposes, and such devices are not of my invention.

It is characteristic of my improvement that it brings air and condensed steam in contact in or upon fibrous or porous material, Whereby the air aids in the evaporation of the water of condensation in or upon the wall of the condenser, the condensation of steam being aided by the evaporation of the product of previous condensation. It also provides for the free escape of air through the capillary passages in the material of the condenser, and it utilizes either the final expansion of air from the engine or external air, or both, to

cool and condense the steam within the condenser by evaporation of -water of condensation.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. In combination with an engine and the exhaust-port thereof, a condenser inclosed by a textile fabric or the like, and a conduit leading from said exhaust-port to the condenser and adapted to conduct steam to the interior of the same, said condenser having no free outlet for steam and its fibrous or porous wall constituting its exterior being in free communication with air, whereby all of the steam is condensed and a part of the condensed steam is evaporated from the exterior of the condenser to reduce its temperature, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a steam-engine and the exhaust-port thereof, the water-holding IIO receptacle having a convoluted cover of textile fabric or equivalent inclosing a chamber, and a conduit leading from said exhaust-port to the condenser and adapted to conduct steam and its iibrous or porous wall constituting its exterior being in free communication with air to the interior of the same, said condenser having no free outlet for steam, whereby all of the steam is condensed and a part of the condensed steam is evaporatedv from the exterior of the condenser to reduce its temperature, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a steam-engine and the exhaust-port thereof, the water-holding receptacle having oppositely-placed posts on its sides, and a brous covering secured in folds upon said posts and covering the receptacle, substantially as set forth.

for introducing steam within the condenser,

and means for bringing air in contact with 'said Wall, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 15 specification in the presence of two subscrlbing witnesses.

VILLIAM EDGAR PRALL.

W'itnesses:

BENJ. R. CATLIN, ARCH. M. OA'rLIN.

Images