US1874203A - Steam heating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 30, 1932. G. J. MULLER STEAM HEATING A PPARATUS Filed Feb. 1. 1950 TITIT /N VENTOR A TTORNE-J Patented Aug. 30, 1932 PATENT orrlcr.

' GEORGE J. MULLER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND STEAM HEATING APPARATUS Application filed February 1, i930. Serial No. 425,212.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for generating steam, particularly for domestiche'ating purposes, and has for one of its objects toprovide animproved apparatus that shall be exceedinglysimple in construction and operation and economical to install and maintain.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a novel arrangement of apparatus that 19 may be operated with a minimum quantity of water, thus enablingthe latter tobe rapidly heated to the desired temperature and which will deliver the steam to the system in a comparatively dry state.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a novel apparatus including a tubular boiler with a steam space therein, combined with a separating chamberexterior to the boiler, and interposed between the system and the steam-space in the boiler, for effecting a second separation of steam and water, and to provide a return passage from the separating chamber to the boiler below the water level of the latter and preferably near its bottom, which passage preferably has a dip or loop extending below the lower crown sheet of the boiler in order to lessen backpressure in said return passage, so that water carried over with the steam by the pressure in the so boiler during the first separation, will be caught in the separating chamber during the next separation, andreturned to the boiler, while the steamseparated therefrom may be sent to and through the system. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus for domestic steam heating, including a tubular boiler with awater level maintained at a point between the V i as to prevent it from being blown out of the boiler through the piping system and thus A opposite ends of the tubes, and with a steam separating chamber exterior to the boiler from which the steam is delivered to the system.

lVit-h these, and other objects in view, the invention is more or less diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein',- p g Fig. 1. shows the improved apparatus in front view, and i Fig. 2. illustrates the same in the complete system but on a small scale and diagrammatically.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates the shell of a tubular boiler with a fire-box 11 at the base thereof in which latter the heating means, of any desired form,

may be housed.

In the present lnstance the shell of the boiler is of the vertical type, but this is not essential to the invention as the same may as readily be of a horizontal form.

Int-he present disclosure, the boiler shell is mounted on a sort of header 12 which latter is supported over the firebox, and across the header there extends a lower tubesheet 13. v

An upper tube-sheet 14 extends across the boiler-shell nearthetop thereof and a series of tubes 15. extend vertically in the shell with their lower ends passing through the lower tube-sheet and their upper "ends passing through the upper tube-sheet.

The upper tube-sheet 1 4 is located below the top of the boiler shell to provide a space 16 which is the equivalent of a smoke-box and a pipe 17 for carrying off the products of combustion is provided at the upper side of the shell.

To better understand the invention, it is pointed out that in actual practice one structure embodying the invention in full size employs boiler-tubes of one inch diameter and twenty-four inches long while the boiler shell 10 is only twenty-eight inches high.

The problem the present invention meets and overcomes, is the utilization of a small quantity of water which may be rapidly heated and which water will be so controlled depleting the water in the boiler itself.

By means of my invention, I efiect one separation of steam from the water in the boiler itself and then after the steam has left the boiler and been removed from the direct heat of the latter, I efiect a second separation of steam from the particles of water that have passed out with the steam, and return the separated water from this second stage of separation,.back to the boiler,

in the boiler. of dlscharge 1nto the disengaging chamber while the steam in a comparatively dry state is sent through the heating system.

The header 12, is preferably provided with a plurality of spuds 18, through which openings extend in order that any one or more of them may serve as a connection for the piping of the circulating system. Any one or more of the spuds not used may readily be capped or blanked.

The water level in the boiler is indicated by the horizontal line 19, and by reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that a gauge tube 20 is located on the side of the boiler shell to indicate the water level.

Cocks 21 and 22 respectively are also lo cated in the side of the shell,one above the water line 19 or communicating with the steam space 23, which is in the boiler between the water level and the upper tubesheet 14. The other cock 22, extends through the side'of the boiler shell below the water line.

From the steam space 23 of the boiler there extends a pipe 24 which enters a shell 25 in which there is a steam separating'or disengaging-chamber 26. This shell and its chamber are exterior tothe boiler and are removed from the direct action of the heat This pipe 24 has its point 26 suflicientlv above the bottom thereof to create in the lower portion of said chamber a gravity head sufficient to cause water that is carried over into said chamber to return to the boiler at some point below its water level, and preferably near its bottom.

From the top of this shell and the chamber 26 therein there leads a pipe 27 to the heating system in which the radiators 28 are located so that the steam may be distributed as desired.

For the purpose of permitting gravity return of water to the boiler from the bottom of the steam separating or disengaging chamber 26, there is a passage 29, in the present instance in the form of a pipe, and for the purpose of minimizing back pressure in this passage the returning water is caused to reach the boiler through a dip or loop, in this instance provided in the form of a U-bend 30 which extends below and then leads upwardly to the water space in the lower header 12.

A return pipe 31 from the radiators and heating system extends back toward the source of supply and this pipe may, with advantage, also have a U-bend 32 at a point below the header 12 and then extend up and communicate with the depending pipe 29 at a point above the header and below the water level of the boiler.

It will thus be noted that the return pipe 31 will convey back all water of condensation that has been produced in the system, the latter being a closed one. i

by purging, but this water will not be car- I ried through the heating system for it will simply deposit in the chamber 26 and immediately be carried by pipe 29 back to the header 12 and boiler.

The moisture in the steam however that enters chamber 26 will be separated therefrom in that chamber and also return to the header and boiler, while the comparatively dry steam will pass through pipe 27 to the system and condensation therefrom will be returned. by pipes 31 and 29 to the header and boiler.

Because of the interposition of the separating chamber 26, between the steam space in the boiler and the piping system and the pro will take place; the water of this second separation w ll be immediately directed back toward the boiler while the comparatively dry steam will be carried off from the shellchamber for utilization in the heating system.

Having described my invention, I claim,-

1. An improved steam generating apparatus including, in combination, a boiler adapted to havea water level which leaves a steam disengaging space therein, a shell exterior to the boiler and having a water and steam separating chamber, at least a portion of which chamber is above the water level of the boiler and has a steam outlet, a connection between the steam space of the boiler and the chamber of said shell, and a water circulating connection from said shell to the boiler at a point below the water level of the latter; the last-named connection including a loop for preventing reverse flow from said boiler to said shell.

2. A steam generating apparatus as described in claim 1, in which both legs of said loop are beyond the range of direct heat transfer from the boiler to said loop.

3. A steam generating apparatus as described in claim 1 which also includes a condensate return connected with said water circulating connection at a point below the Water line of said boiler.

4. A steam generating apparatus as described in'claim 1 which also includes a condensate return and in which said condensate return delivers to the water circulating connection below the water level of the boiler but above the said loop.

5. A steam generating apparatus as de' scribed in claim 1 which also includes a condensate return connected with said water circulating connection below the water level of the boiler, and which said condensate return includes a loop which dips below its point of connection with said water circulating connection.

In testimony whereof GEORGE J. MULLER.

Iafiix my signature.

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