Patent US3693324A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3693324A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flash economizer for variable loads
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-02-09
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Granted: 1972-09-26
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Expires: 1992-02-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus is provided for separting out pure flash or dry steam from a blowdown effluent discharge and, at the same time, for recovering a maximum amount of heat from and cooling the liquid content of the effluent to enable directly discharging the liquid into a natural body of water. The apparatus has an elongated main chamber-defining container or vessel provided with a vortex outlet for the steam in its upper area, an intermediate separation area, a heat exchange coil and baffle assembly within a bottom liquid collecting area, and pressure-sensitive trap means connected between lower and intermediate areas within the container for maintaining an effective and efficient operation under variable pressures and flow rates of introduction of the effluent.
Inventors
- 👤 John A Mcneil
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:49
CPC Classifications
F; F22; F22B; F22B3/00; F22B3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
399 words
In a flash economizer suitable for operation under variable load conditions for flash separation of pure steam from condensate and liquid of a contaminated blow-down discharge of effluent being introduced under positive pressure, a longitudinally extending outer container having opposed top and bottom end walls and a side wall defining a vertically elongated main chamber therewithin, a side-positioned inwardly extending effluent-introducing tubular inlet member open into an upper flashing chamber portion of the main chamber, a centrally disposed tubular outlet member for pure steam extending downwardly through said top end wall of said outer container into the flashing chamber portion and having an inner open end portion in a cooperating aligned relation with respect to said effluent inlet member, a bottom chamber portion open through an intermediate chamber portion to the upper chamber portion, an inner container positioned within said bottom chamber portion in an upwardly extending and transversely inwardly spaced relation with respect to said side wall of said outer container, said inner container having a lower open end portion to receive liquid from the bottom chamber portion and having a top end wall and a side wall defining a secondary chamber within the main chamber, means mounting said inner container with its lower open end portion in an upwardly spaced relation with respect to the bottom chamber portion of said outer container to provide for liquid flow from the bottom chamber portion through said open bottom end portion of said inner container into said secondary chamber, a heat exchange coil assembly mounted within the bottom chamber portion in a spaced-aparT relation between the side walls of said inner and outer containers, means for circulating cooling fluid through said coil assembly for removing heat from liquid collected from the effluent within the bottom chamber portion, said inner container having a vent opening in its said top end wall for equalizing pressure under normal operating conditions between the intermediate chamber portion and the secondary chamber, a tubular liquid outlet member extending from the secondary chamber through said outer container to remove cooled liquid from the main chamber, and pressure-sensitive means connected between the intermediate chamber and the bottom chamber portion and cooperating with the vent opening to maintain a level of liquid within said bottom chamber portion under steady and variable load conditions that covers said heat exchange coil assembly adjacent said top end wall of said inner container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
399 words
In a flash economizer suitable for operation under variable load conditions for flash separation of pure steam from condensate and liquid of a contaminated blow-down discharge of effluent being introduced under positive pressure, a longitudinally extending outer container having opposed top and bottom end walls and a side wall defining a vertically elongated main chamber therewithin, a side-positioned inwardly extending effluent-introducing tubular inlet member open into an upper flashing chamber portion of the main chamber, a centrally disposed tubular outlet member for pure steam extending downwardly through said top end wall of said outer container into the flashing chamber portion and having an inner open end portion in a cooperating aligned relation with respect to said effluent inlet member, a bottom chamber portion open through an intermediate chamber portion to the upper chamber portion, an inner container positioned within said bottom chamber portion in an upwardly extending and transversely inwardly spaced relation with respect to said side wall of said outer container, said inner container having a lower open end portion to receive liquid from the bottom chamber portion and having a top end wall and a side wall defining a secondary chamber within the main chamber, means mounting said inner container with its lower open end portion in an upwardly spaced relation with respect to the bottom chamber portion of said outer container to provide for liquid flow from the bottom chamber portion through said open bottom end portion of said inner container into said secondary chamber, a heat exchange coil assembly mounted within the bottom chamber portion in a spaced-aparT relation between the side walls of said inner and outer containers, means for circulating cooling fluid through said coil assembly for removing heat from liquid collected from the effluent within the bottom chamber portion, said inner container having a vent opening in its said top end wall for equalizing pressure under normal operating conditions between the intermediate chamber portion and the secondary chamber, a tubular liquid outlet member extending from the secondary chamber through said outer container to remove cooled liquid from the main chamber, and pressure-sensitive means connected between the intermediate chamber and the bottom chamber portion and cooperating with the vent opening to maintain a level of liquid within said bottom chamber portion under steady and variable load conditions that covers said heat exchange coil assembly adjacent said top end wall of said inner container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 1, said top and bottom end walls and said side wall of said outer container and said side wall of said inner container being of outwardly substantially convexly rounded shape, and said top end wall of said inner container being of substantially planar shape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 1, said tubular liquid outlet member extending upwardly through said bottom end wall of said outer container into the open bottom end portion of said inner container, and said pressure-sensitive means having a liquid outlet fitting and having inlet ports connected between the intermediate chamber portion and said liquid outlet member to control discharge of cooled liquid from the bottom chamber portion of said outer container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 3, said liquid outlet member extending within said inner container a maximum distance of about one-fourth of the depth of the secondary chamber thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
120 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 3, said pressure-sensitive means having a housing defining an operating chamber therein, having a valve seat open downwardly from said control chamber to said liquid outlet fitting, and having a ball valve operatively positioned within said control chamber and cooperating with said valve seat for movement between and open position with respect to said valve seat under normal operating conditions to bypass liquid from said liquid outlet member to said liquid outlet fitting and to close off liquid flow therebetween when a pressure is exerted on said ball valve within said control chamber that is excessive with respect to pressure exerted on said ball valve by cooled liquid within said outer chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 3, said mounting means for said inner container having leg means extending downwardly from said open lower end portion of said inner container and secured to said bottom end wall of said outer container to position said inner container in a centrally disposed relation within said outer container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 6, said liquid outlet member extending upwardly between said leg means and within said inner container a maximum of about one-fourth of the depth of the secondary chamber between said top end wall thereof and bottom edges of said open lower end portion thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 7, said effluent inlet member having a tangential mounting on said side wall of said outer container, and having an inner open end portion extending through said side wall on a substantially horizontal plane that is above and in substantial alignment with a horizontal plane taken along edges of said inner open end portion of said steam outlet member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 4, said heat exchange coil assembly being mounted on and extending in a horizontally spaced relation along said inner container within the bottom chamber portion of said outer container and terminating adjacent said open lower end portion of said inner container, a cooling fluid inlet extendiNg through said bottom end wall of said outer container and connected to a lower end of said coil assembly, a fluid outlet extending through said bottom end wall of said outer container upwardly along and within said inner container and being connected to the upper end of said coil assembly, and said fluid inlet and outlet being adapted to circulate a cooling fluid through said coil assembly for removing heat from the liquid within the bottom chamber portion of said outer container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
364 words
In a flash economizer suitable for operation under variable load conditions for flash separation of pure steam from condensate and liquid of a contaminated blow-down discharge of effluent being introduced under positive pressure, a longitudinally extending outer container having opposed top and bottom end walls and a side wall defining a vertically elongated main chamber therewithin, a side-positioned inwardly extending effluent-introducing tubular inlet member open into an upper flashing chamber portion of the main chamber within said container, a centrally disposed tubular outlet member for pure steam extending downwardly through said top end wall and having an inner open end portion in a cooperating aligned relation with respect to said effluent inlet member within the upper flashing chamber portion, a bottom chamber portion substantially fully open through an intermediate chamber portion to said upper chamber portion to constitute the main chamber, an inner container positioned within the bottom chamber portion in an upwardly extending and transversely inwardly spaced relation with respect to the side wall of said outer container, said inner container having an open bottom end portion to receive liquid from the bottom chamber portion and having a top wall and a side wall defining a secondary chamber within the main chamber, said inner container being mounted within said outer container with its said open bottom end portion in an upwardly spaced relation with respect to the bottom end wall of said outer container to bypass liquid from the bottom chamber portion into the secondary chamber, a tubular liquid outlet member extending into the secondary chamber adjacent said open bottom end portion of said inner container for receiving and discharging cooled liquid from the bottom chamber portion of said outer container, a heat exchange coil assembly mounted within the bottom chamber portion in a spaced-apart relation between the side walls of said inner and outer containers and adapted to circulate a heat removing fluid therethrough for cooling liquid collected from the effluent within the bottom chamber portion; and pressure-sensitive means cooperating with said liquid outlet member, the intermediate chamber portion and said inner container for controlling discharge of cooled liquid from the bottom chamber portion of said outer container through the secondary chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
364 words
In a flash economizer suitable for operation under variable load conditions for flash separation of pure steam from condensate and liquid of a contaminated blow-down discharge of effluent being introduced under positive pressure, a longitudinally extending outer container having opposed top and bottom end walls and a side wall defining a vertically elongated main chamber therewithin, a side-positioned inwardly extending effluent-introducing tubular inlet member open into an upper flashing chamber portion of the main chamber within said container, a centrally disposed tubular outlet member for pure steam extending downwardly through said top end wall and having an inner open end portion in a cooperating aligned relation with respect to said effluent inlet member within the upper flashing chamber portion, a bottom chamber portion substantially fully open through an intermediate chamber portion to said upper chamber portion to constitute the main chamber, an inner container positioned within the bottom chamber portion in an upwardly extending and transversely inwardly spaced relation with respect to the side wall of said outer container, said inner container having an open bottom end portion to receive liquid from the bottom chamber portion and having a top wall and a side wall defining a secondary chamber within the main chamber, said inner container being mounted within said outer container with its said open bottom end portion in an upwardly spaced relation with respect to the bottom end wall of said outer container to bypass liquid from the bottom chamber portion into the secondary chamber, a tubular liquid outlet member extending into the secondary chamber adjacent said open bottom end portion of said inner container for receiving and discharging cooled liquid from the bottom chamber portion of said outer container, a heat exchange coil assembly mounted within the bottom chamber portion in a spaced-apart relation between the side walls of said inner and outer containers and adapted to circulate a heat removing fluid therethrough for cooling liquid collected from the effluent within the bottom chamber portion; and pressure-sensitive means cooperating with said liquid outlet member, the intermediate chamber portion and said inner container for controlling discharge of cooled liquid from the bottom chamber portion of said outer container through the secondary chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 10, said tubular liquid outlet member extending within the secondary chamber and a maximum of about one fourth of the total vertical extent thereof within said inner container.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 11, said pressure-sensitive means having a pressure-sensitive valve operative to maintain a desired level of liquid from the effluent within the bottom chamber portion of said outer container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 10, said pressure-sensitive means being connected at one end to said intermediate chamber and at its other end to receive cooled liquid from said liquid outlet member, and said pressure-sensitive means having a valve that is normally open to discharge cooled liquid when pressure within the intermediate chamber portion is normal and to close off discharge flow of the cooled liquid when pressure within said intermediate chamber is above normal and until pressure exerted by the cooled liquid within the bottom chamber portion of said outer container substantially balances the above normal pressure within the intermediate chamber pOrtion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 13, said pressure-sensitive means being carried at an elevated position that substantially represents the level of liquid within the bottom chamber portion of said outer container.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
In a flash economizer as defined in claim 13, said pressure-sensitive means comprising a float trap unit having a float valve member therein that is operatively positioned for retention in an open liquid outflow position when pressure within the intermediate chamber portion of said outer container is normal and to close off discharge of cooled liquid when pressure in the intermediate chamber portion is above normal and is exerting a surface-depressing action on the liquid level within the bottom chamber portion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-26 | 1976-03-27 | 1976-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-26 | 1980-03-27 | 1980-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-26 | 1984-03-27 | 1984-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |