US1536894A - Evaporating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

,536,894 s. M. mLLE EVAPORATNG APPARATUS May 5,V v1925.

Filed July 24, 1922 Fig. 4f

Wfl-Ness:

phiaA an Evaporatin'g Ap aratus, of which thefol-'s the evaporator below the heating surfaces, wliich 'srfaces' are kept wet with the`liq= .f1-,saai

moeurs LILLIE, on rHnADELr-Hra, Janinasummit'La'u concern: I LIL- L1 `E,2a';citizen-of the United ringield Avenue, in the city of ia, in' the county vof Philadel State of Pennsylvania,- have invented new and useful mp'iovements in Parada lowing is as'peci cation.

My invention` relatesjto. andembodies iinprovelnents upon- Iny mechanical film evaporator which is .extensively known as the Lillief mechanical film .evaporator or vsimply Lillie evaporator. Following the,` lmode'of operation ofthi's apparatus, the' liquid 'under evaporation lies in the shell of uidinlmsby' means of a circulating pump and connections between it and the evaporator shell' which. draw from the. liquid' in the bottom ofthe evaporator shell and showerit over the heati-n' surfaces down which it flows iii-films bac into the. space belowafter completing.' a cycle of the constantl circulation. which is maintained over the `heating surfaces by the circulating in .the arrangement and construction ofthe- Referring to the drawingspuxnp and its connections. 4 v

'The apfparatus described in the following-"speci cation and illustrated in 'the acdrawings provides partlcular methodsoi5 taking the vapors oi evaporation -froin the nest"`o`f-evaporating tubes which gives a more free-and ea's; escape 35 rto e for thevapors than hashithe en the case, and spermit's of valuable advantages apparatus.

.Figure v1 is partlya plan. and partly a horizontal section through theline X-. Figure 2 and line Y-Figure 3.

Figure@ is mostly amiddle vertical section of one arrangement of my improved.-

evaporator, 'along the -line and line Z-fFigure 3.

W-Figure 1- Figure 3 is an 'end elevation'looking at' thedoor 16 but with the lefthalfbroken' away to show a transverse vertical lhalf '5o section along the lines V4-Figure Qfand lines Vf Figure 1 and Figure 5. 1

' Figure' 4 shows a detail 'of an evaporat- -ing tube, as employed in the construction of Figures' 1. to 3, inclusive, i. e., which constructions are intended for land service. Figure 5 Yis in part a plan and in part States, -residing EvAronA'riNG APPARATUS.

application 'nica-July 24,1922. '.seria'i No. 577,054.

intended for marine service.

. a horizontal section -through an evaporator of any suitablematerial. lmdrical in horizontal cross be elliptical, rectangular `orof It 1s shown cyother shape.

with connected vapor 'pipe, see Figure 3. The case is closed by a dish shaped bottom ,5, which has a liquid discharge open'- i ingrG-to which connectsthe suction line of the circulating pump 7, -This pump is 'driven by motor'or other means not indicated,

In the interior ofthe evaporator shell extendingfrom one side of it, nearly to the opposite is a-nest, 8, of Ievaporating tubes, having in the case illustrated rectangular'vertical and horizontal cross secl Referring to .the drawings, 1, ische in# closmg case or shell ofithe evaporator made section but may ItV is closed at the top by, the head 2-.-

with a vapor escape opening 3*.65

tions, and so proportioned and located i'n the evaporatorv shell as to leave belowit .a considerable liquor andvapor spar 9, and on each side 'of the nest vapor spaces, 10, vand 17 respectively,

which the side spaces 10 and 11, also the space 9 below the tubes, space 4 above'the tubes, and'- the space 4 in front of the tubes connect. In this collecting chamber the vapors which -escape from the nest of tubes: collect preparatory to leaving the evaporator, all as hereinafter described,

and above' 'the tubes a vapor collecting chamber, 12, with'.

The tubes forming the nest are parallel to each other and are arranged lin vertif cal'and horizontal rows with tubes in the latter rows covering .and breaking spaces Awith each other. rows transverse horizontal spaces, shown'in Figures 2 and'S, are'left'which form vapor passages unobstructedby tubes between the ing vaporspaces. Thus disposed, the tubes of each roi?, eXCeptingthc lower row., serve to deflect or-direct the falling li uid onto Between 'the horizontal interiors of the-tube nests and. surround-` the tubes of .the row next below ut leave free horizontal vapor' passages or `spaces between the rows'-of tubes. The greater! .the vertical'width of those horizontal pasl' sages, the' less willA be. the pressurey ditierf cuco between the inn st parteci the tube nestsand the .vapor spaces surrounduigthe tube nests. At one end the nest of tubes extend into `a, neck, 13, formed, on and projecting horizontally from' the vshell, to the and closed opposite lto the tube plate by a form. a proper pocket;

end ot'which neck is attached the-steam chamber, 14,-with a transverse vertical tube plate, 15, separating the interiors of the neck chamber. The steam. chamber is hinged door, 16, and it has a. somewhat 'largercrossarea than the area' ofthe tube in the said pocketoic the steam' eh a1n.cr.. Opposite thetube plate',

the vapor chamber is forme d with a door, 20, lwhich when opened'uncovers a somewhat greater. area than 'that of the tube plate, sufficientto permit access to, and in some "cases the entrance of a man above, the' tube nest.

The .evaporating-t'ubes open through the tub plate into the4 steam chamber and are expanded in the tube, plate without having been annealed, the tubes. (se'evFigs. l and 2) are supported entirely by the tube plate.

The endsof the tubes away from the tube.

plate arenot supported or held inany way, and the end of each tube-is closed -and is provided with aV small .air'vent"plug, see

Figure 5,in which. is shown the free end of a tube .such as have been used 1n Lil- -lie evaporators Vand such as are used' in the nest of tubes illustrated in Figures 1-2 and 3 for land installations. The tubesincline slightly downwards towards' the tube plate so that the steam condensate will flow bach into the steam chamber. The spaces or passages around the unsupported' 'ends of the tubes connect all the intertube spaces, vertical a's wel] as horizontal, with therapor space la between thev ends' of the tubes and the door 2l).

Above the nest of tubes there is supported in 'any suitable way a perforated distributi'ng' plate 2l-this plate is horizontal and nearlyY covers the entire crossarea of the tube nest. lt extends into the heele 13, nearly to the tube plate. Aft lthe other end. the edge -ot the perforated plate touches the edge offthe cross rib 22 attached to the door', 20. Between the plate 2l and the upper rouv ot' thetube nest, .8, is a vapor space. 15.- either side' with. vapor spaces l()` and 1l respectively and thence to the collecting chamber l2, which is also thecase withthe vapor space, fl. below the nest of tubes and the space 4 which faces the 'free ends 'oflthe. tubes. .Towards the "sides, the perforated plate extends practically totarsys` teni o battles 23 .and 2t hereinafter de-v vEach' baille" consists nest. The AIv bars n la. short distance. apart, .with thebars in vone row will be ba 'serves a similar 'pur-pose.

-from the which connects on circulating pump 7- delivers through the insideconnecting pipe, 25, upon the perforated plate 2l at a point located about symmetrical with 'respect to the twoside edges` and the'two end edges of the plate. 70 0n Veach side of the nest'of tubesis an arrangement 'of' hailles, at -23 on' one side A. .and at 2d on the otherside of the nest.-A

of -two parallel rows.. of vertical metal I bars, whichv .bars in each row. -stand en end with their webs in line andparallel to the length of .the tube each 'row `are spaced the two rowsV breaking interspaees' with 80 each othen. The two'roxvs of. I bars are quite close tooether, so that the .twojrows 'mesh with leac l other soto speak, and va.

p ors .passingv tlirou lithe interspaces of,

ed bythe-Webs of the 'B5 other row. The battles are supported-'on eachside ofthe nest upon a rib orplate, 26', which extendsoutwarc1 from theside' of the shell and parallel to `the tubes of Y thenest, 'The rib' on one side of the tube 90V nest is shown at. 26;y ,On' the ,other sidel of` the tube nest isasimilar rib which Each rib supports the baleelemgnts which stand upon it' between' two'ribs.A The upperv ends'of 95 each baille system rest between the ribs of a horizontal I bar, 27, -vwhich 'extends' from front to-bach of the evaporator ease 4an'd is' atan elevation 'about the same as the perforated extends' to-'tl1e ailles just below the lower edge of the I bar; 27.

It is apparent that the nest oi eva o` rator tubes and the'vapor spaces 4 andJ 9 are all entirely surrounded and' separated 105 vapor spaces 10, V,11 .and '12', Within the shell, by the baffles 23 and 2li-perforated plate 2l, rib 22, on' door 20 and the ribs or plates .2G-.Which support the balie;'so that the only connections is by the tor-5110 tuous passages through the baillesf (ln each side 'above the baille Sets 23 and 24, and resting on the I beam 27-are other vertical baille sets similar to 23 and 2d* one of which sets 24" is shown. Eachofp115 these extends from 'a l1or1zontal,I`beam27 to thereof. 2 of the evaporator'shell where is delivered awayby the circulating pump. flo

the -door way -7 through the'discharge nozzle 30; The were allowed to'. merely pass into the side operation' of the apparatus illustrated in passages and up through' the' same into'the Figures l'to 4, inclusive, maybe describedupper or collecting chamber 12, without any 'as follows: obstruction by intervening battles such as'24 A 'charge of liquid having beendelivered f and 24,vthere would be very little entrained 70 into the bottom of the'evaporator through .liquid in the vapor passing away through f the float va1ve29, the circulating p mp 7 isthe vapor outlet,"dur1ng normaloperation pllt 1n service which results in the liquid "of the evaporator. Many natural fresh being delivered in large quantities through waterscontain very little salts in solution,

1o the-'connecting pipes 25 and 25" on to 'say-1% of that in sea waterf In the evapora. 7.5

40 the adjacent spaces andthence through the leaving the evapor-ators.

perforated distributing `piate 21 The 1m-- tion ofthcse-thc oaiiies could be omitted and -ipact of the liquid upon the plate causes the also the-ledge 22 on the door 20, Fig; 2` liquid to spread. over the entire surface of couldbe omitted in which latter case the y the plate and to shower through the perfora- 'vaprjs passing in-to the space 4a from around tions inthe plate upon'the nest of tubes bethe ends of the'tubes would passupwards 8O i low, down and over which theliquid flows as into the. collecting chamber 12.` indicated in Figures 2 and 3. A suddendrop in pressure vinthe interior If'now-steam be delivered into the'steam 'of an evaporator causes ebullitin through' chamber 14 through the nozzle marked all the particles-ot liquid-ih the evaporator Steam inlet, the steam 'passes into .the andis likely to'cause considerable entrain- 85 evaporating tubesand willcause evaporation ment in the vapor leaving a nest of tubes atfrom the liquid circulating over the tubes .the instant Aof the drop, and in the case of with a condensation. of the steam inside the submerged tube eyaporators where the liquid tubes and with the collectionfof the -air or is boiling in mass, the entrainment. at the other gases, Whichinay'have'been contained time of a sudden drop .in pressureis very '9o 1n the entering steam,.at thefree tube ends heavy'. Incthe construction shown in' the from whichl gases escape into the interior ofdrawings al1-the entire 'nest of tubes and all the evaporator 'through an air vent -in each .the liquid lyingr in the bottom of the evapotube end," as indicated in Figure 4 Tube rator is 'separated from the vapor spaces and ends. The condensate/from the steam flows from the collecting chamber 12'by the battles 95- b'ack romthe tube into thesteam chamber, 24,24, etc., and otherwise as described in 14, and away from the latter through the disthe specifications. so that no vapor con i charge pipe 19 as controlled bv a steam trap away. from the circulating liquid o-r from 0f 50H16 Suitable; make aS II ilted D the the liquid in mass below the tubes, which flPeUZVIlgSl does not pass through the baiiles before' it 100- The vaporsresulting-from the evaporation enters the collecting,r chamber, 12, and passes Y escape from the tube nest from. all sides-of from'the vapor cutie so' that even in the the nest withthe' exception of the side at the event of a sudden drop in pressure, there is tube plate. They escape from each Side into likelyto be little entrainment inthe vapors baiiles into the passages 10 and l1. Some of The construction of the cylindrical shell the vapors escape'into the space 4.above the of the evaporator with a projecting neck, 13, tubes and under the perforated plate, 21, and with the steam chamber at the end of the thence escape to the sidespaces. Some also game, permits fa smaller diameter for f the .45 escape DJO- th Space 9 below the nest and cylindrical c'ase for a given area of heating 110 above th liquid in thebottom of the evlpO- surface in the tube nest, which results in an rator and thenceinto the side spaces and economy of space occupied by the evapotheyeSCape fI'Om theube nest thlOUghhe rator when constructed with a cylindrical longitudinal inter tube spaces into the space, case.

4%, between the free ends of the tubes and the Iry'Figure v5 evaporating tubes t afi-h 115 door 20 and thence as indicated bythe ar- 1er-1d awayrom the steam chamber are not rows pass around into the side spaces. ""All Closed, brit they open into' a floating head the vapors escapingfrom the five sides 0f 31. During' the process of evaporationin the tube 1165.13 PLSS thlOUgh th Vapor' b ales the construction of Figure '5, the incondensainto thespaces l0 and l1 and thefcepass ble gases which come in' with the steam, 120 upwards and thIOllgh the upper Set 0f bailies, Collect/as above at the ends of the tubes away as 24, into the collecting chamber orspace fromth@ Steam chamber, In the Cas@ Qf y above and :from it escape from the evapothe floating head', thel air passes throughl rator through the opening marked Vapor -the-perforations in a septum plate, 31, and Theivapor current 'away from the tube nest may bejta en away fromthis space through at anypoint is comparatively slow and con' the'vent pipe, 33, which opens'into the space sequen 'y has butslight tendency to carry.. 32'an`dextends along an evaporating tube to particles of 1i uor 'entrained in it, sothat thegst'eam chamber' and through and away into the saceA 32. The incondensable gases 125i even if no baidest eused, and the ivapor from it, to any exhausting apparatus, or if 3 forheating vent pipe, the space 32' the boiling point nal shell, which the .shell 'surrounding walls enclosingt partment and 'outer the pressure is greaterl than the ,atmosphere7 then away against thepressure of the latter. These gases laden with 'vapor may be used purposes. -Or instead of this may .be ven-ted directlyinto evaporatorl shell througha little vent indica-tedby't. f

The construction ot` Figure {iis-suited to use on shipl'ioai'd 4where the evaporator is subjected tothe rolling motion `Vozt the ship,

l? or the purpose of preventing the Swashing surge plates, 35, are deineath thelubes.

Figure. l and also Figure. v5 indicate a construction vof film evaporator in which the nest of tubes is contained in a'longitudishell has above the tube nest an enlargement' l2 intermediate to' the placed in the space unends ofthe `tubes, to forni a. chamber into.

which the vaporsof evaporation flow from the protruding sections of the longitudinal shell and .from which enlargement the vapers escape-from the evaporator.

By 'the expression an evaporatonin which evaporation is. -obtained. by delivering or showering tlieliqui'd -ered'upon it will tall downward from element to element and keep them thoroughly. wetted and of the heating surfaces iinally fall from the nest of tubes to a receptacle'below from which receptacle evaporatiiig liquid is rccirculated over the heat- 'ing surfaces eontinuously.- The elements of heating-nest are, by some .heating agent, maintained at a teiiipeiatu'ie above ofthe circulated liquid at in the spaces sui"- surfaces In the is mentioned asthe agent, but other agents may be usedhotgases and electricity are Vexamples. In the speeilications and drawings,V the heating nest is composed of. an aggregation of'parallel horizontal tubes supplied with steam at one end oit the nest of tubes .from a stea'i'n chamber common to all the the pressure existing rounding the heating specification steam tubes-other arrangements ofthe heating" film evaporator a shell; a nes't of tubular heating elements so supported within the shell and having such dimensions and location as te provide spaces Within the e nest and dividing the spaces surrounding the nest into a nest comcompartnients; lmeans lor supplying the tubular heating agents sea Write-r1 being evaporated lengthwise ot the nest of tubes, transverse vertical v v film evaporator, 'asi employed in the following claims, is meantv an aggregation or nest of heating- Vwithin the shell as to .the nest; vapor baille showeringliquid over internally iifith -a heating agent; distribut-'j ing means above the. nest of tubular heating elements within the enclosing vapor between nest compartment and' outer compai'tine'nts; aiid'vapoi escapes for the outer compartments. l

2. In a tilmgevapora'tor a shell; a nest of tubular heating elements so'A supported With- .in the shell iii having 'such dimensionsand location asv t0 a lower portionthereof andprovide spaces surrounding tlienest within the shell; means for .Supplying the tubularv heating elements-internally with a heating agent; a perforated-' septum .plate locatedv above theV nest of tubular vheating elements and serving to divide. theinterior of the shell essentially into ai ,lower chamber con? tainingthelieating elements andava or collecting .chamber above; means for de `v ering aliquid to be evaporated u ponthe said perforated septum platean'd through'- its Aperforatioi'isV onto the top of the nest oil heating elements; verticalyapor'batlie Walls enclosing the collecting. chamber above the perforated septum plate, vapc'r', passages through these walls and cpmmunicating with the spaces `below the septum plate; and .a vapor escape for. theyoollecting chamber.

3'; In a lm' evaporatora shell; an enclosure within the shell formed by approximately vertical so located Within the shell as to leave outer spaces hetween'the walls and the seetions'of the shell facing the Walls; .a nest of tubular heating elements ini a' lower' .part of said enclosure; meansor supplying the interior of the tubular. Heating elements with a heating agent; distributing meansf above the said nest of heating elements and ada ted to shower a liquid over the heatin e evapor .bathe enclosing -ivalls ments, and meansfor delivering the liquid to be evaporated tothe distributing means; vapor passages through the vapor baffle enclosing Walls between the .tubenest enclosure and the said outer spaces; a collecting chamber above the distributing means; va-v por Acommunications between the eollecting chamber and the said outer spaces';-and a vapor outlet for the collecting chamber.

Ll. .In a li'ilm cvaporatora containing shell;

an enclosure Within the shell having its vsides formed by, vapproximately vertical vapor baille walls each extending nearly-t0 .the roof of the shell. and nearly to the Hoor of the saine, the baille 4walls being so located 'i form outer compartments between' the shell and said Walls :and a nest of tubular heating elements supported in the said enclosure in the lowerpart thereof; distributing means locatc'dabo've the nest of heating elementsV for ldistributing and Y the said nest and exiso' -tendingtothe inner surfaces of the enclos- .ing Walls to -form a'tube nest chamber below and a vapor collecting hhamber above said.

distributing means Within the enclosing Walls; means for delivering a 'liquidto the distributing means; *vapor passages through the vapor baille' enclosing vWalls between the.

tubenestchamber and the said outer compartments; vapor passages through the enclosing Walls between the collecting chamber and the said outer compartments; and a vapor outlet for the collecting chamber'.

5. In a film evaporator an mclosing shell;

a nest'of substantially horizontal and parallel spaced heating tubes; so supported within the shell in a lower portion thereof as to provide spaces within the shell on each side of the nest oftubes and an upper space above the tubes, the tubesat one end opening vthroughatube plate into an inclosed steam chamber separated from the' interior of the I Sllell by the tube plate, the tubes at the other end away from the tube plate being closedand facing an end space-inthe shell, 4the in tertube spaces communicating with the saidend space; a steam supply inlet to the steam chamber; distributing means within theshell in the lower part of the space above the nest -of heating tubes and adapted to, shower a liquid over fthe nest of tubes, with means for deliveringa' liquid to be evaporated to the distributingmeans; the spaces at the sides of the nestvof tubes. communicating with the i upper space above theV distributing means .Y ing With the upper space -above the distrib-14 therein; and the said end space communicatuting means and a. vapor outlet for the said upper space above the distributing means.

6. Ina film evaporator a vertical shell; a

neck projecting horizontally from and opening into the vertical shell; an' enclosed steam chamber at the end of the neck away from the shell, with a tube plate. dividing the inv 'terior-of the steamA chamber trom-the'interior ot -the neck a nest o'tsubstantially horizontal and parallel spaced hcatingtubes supported Within the neck, the tubes at one end opening through the tube plate into the steam chamber and at the other end extending into the verticalshell; asteam supply inletV to the steam chamber; distributing means Within the vvertical shell above the nestof tubes and' extending into the neck,

tor supplying the tubes with a heating agent; a'uupwardly extending portion of the shell'above'the nest of tubes anclshorter than the tubes, said portions being adapted to serve as a'collecting chamber for vapors;

distributing means Within the'4 incloing lo'n-V gitudinal" shell above the heating u tubes adapted to shower a liquid over the nest of tubes throughout the length of the nest of tubes Within the shell; vapor passages connecting and adapted to convey. vapors of "evaporation Jfrom the portions of the shell beyond the limits oi the collecting chamber to the chamber; a vapor outlet for the vapor l chamber.

SAMUEL Monats LILLIE.

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