Automatic liquid bubbler

Claim 2

Automatic liquid bubbler apparatus comprising a first enclosed container defined by an enclosing wall adapted to contain a liquid, a second enclosed container defined by an enclosing wall adapted to contain a liquid, means for holding said second container within said first container in surrounding relationship, means adapted to receive a gas including conduit means for communicating said gas to said second container at a point adjacent the bottom of the second container and below a predetermined liquid level in said container when said container contains a liquid, whereby said gas bubbles through said liquid, means communicating with the top of said second container for collecting and transmitting gas that has bubbled through said liquid and passing the gas externally of the first container, means supplying a liquid to said first container for maintaining a predetermined liquid level having air space thereabove, means supplying a liquid to said second container for maintaining its said predetermined liquid level, and means for applying heat directly to said first container sufficient to maintain boiling of the liquid in the first container, thereby to maintain the liquid in the second container at the boiling point temperature of the liquid in the first container.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for supplying a liquid to said first container and said means for supplying a liquid to said second container comprises a liquid supply tube sloping downward from the horizontal adapted to receive a liquid supply at the higher end thereof, means for supplying a liquid to said liquid supply tube, a second container liquid input tube communicating with said liquid supply tube, said tube extending substantially horizontally from said liquid supply tube, passing through said first container in a fluid-tight relationship and opening into said second container whereby the liquid level in said container is determined by the axis of the horizontal portion of said second container input tube extending from said input tube, and a first container liquid input tube communicating with said liquid supply tube downstream from said second container liquid input tube, said first container liquid input tube extending substantialLy horizontally from said liquid supply tube and opening into said first container, whereby the liquid level in said first container determined by the axis of said first container liquid input tube is lower than the liquid level in said second container so that liquid surging from said first container does not enter said second container liquid input tube.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means adapted to receive a gas comprises an inlet tube entering the top of said first container in a fluid-tight relationship, following the outer surface of said second container, and opening into the bottom of said second container, whereby the gas in said tube is preheated by the vapor and liquid in said first container.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for collecting and transmitting gas comprises an outlet tube entering the side of said first enclosure in a fluid-tight relationship and opening into the top of said second enclosure.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising splash skirt means located below the top inside of said second container to prevent liquid in said second container from splashing into said outlet tube.

Claim 7

Automatic liquid bubbler apparatus, comprising: a first enclosed container adapted to contain a liquid, a second enclosed container adapted to contain a liquid, means for holding said second container within said first container, means adapted to receive a gas for communicating said gas to said second container at a point below the liquid level in said container when said container contains a liquid, whereby said gas bubbles through said liquid, said gas receiving means including an inlet tube entering the top of said first container in a fluid-tight relationship, following the outer surface of said second container, and opening into the bottom of said second container, whereby the gas in said tube is preheated by the vapor and liquid in said first container, means communicating with the top of said second container for collecting and transmitting gas that has bubbled through said liquid, said gas collecting means including an outlet tube entering the side of said first enclosure in a fluid-tight relationship and opening into the top of said second enclosure, splash skirt means located below the top inside of said second container to prevent liquid in said second container from splashing into said outlet tube, a liquid supply tube sloping downward from the horizontal adapted to receive a liquid supply at the higher end thereof, means for supplying a liquid to said liquid supply tube, a second container liquid input tube communicating with said liquid supply tube, said tube extending substantially horizontally from said liquid supply tube, passing through said first container in a fluid-tight relationship and opening into said second container whereby the liquid level in said container is determined by the axis of the horizontal portion of said second container input tube extending from said input tube, and a first container liquid input tube communicating with said liquid supply tube downstream from said second container liquid input tube, said first container liquid input tube extending substantially horizontally from said liquid supply tube and opening into said first container, whereby the liquid level in said first container determined by the axis of said first container liquid input tube is lower than the liquid level in said second container so that liquid surging from said first container does not enter said second container liquid input tube, whereby the application of heat to said first container sufficient to maintain boiling of the liquid in the first container maintains the liquid in the second container at the boiling point temperature of the liquid in the first container.

Claim 8

Automatic liquid bubbler apparatus, comprising: a first enclosed container adapted to contain a liquid, a second enclosed container adapted to contain a liquid, means for holding said second container within said first container, means adapted to receive a gas for communicating said gas to said second container at a point below the liquid level in said container when said container contains a liquid, whereby said gas bubbles through said liquid, said gas receiving means including an inlet tube entering the top of said first container in a fluid-tight relationship, following the outer surface of said second container, and opening into the bottom of said second container, whereby the gas in said tube is preheated by the vapor and liquid in said first container, means communicating with the top of said second container for collecting and transmitting gas that has bubbled through said liquid, said gas collecting means including an outlet tube entering the side of said first enclosure in a fluid-tight relationship and opening into the top of said second enclosure, splash skirt means located below the top inside of said second container to prevent liquid in said second container from splashing into said outlet tube, a liquid supply tube sloping downward from the horizontal adapted to receive a liquid supply at the higher end thereof, means for supplying a liquid to said liquid supply tube, a second container liquid input tube communicating with said liquid supply tube, said tube extending substantially horizontally from said liquid supply tube, passing through said first container in a fluid-tight relationship and opening into said second container whereby the liquid level in said container is determined by the axis of the horizontal portion of said second container input tube extending from said input tube, and a first container liquid input tube communicating with said liquid supply tube downstream from said second container liquid input tube, said first container liquid input tube extending substantially horizontally from said liquid supply tube and opening into said first container, whereby the liquid level in said first container determined by the axis of said first container liquid input tube is lower than the liquid level in said second container so that liquid surging from said first container does not enter said second container liquid input tube, whereby the application of heat to said first container sufficient to maintain boiling of the liquid in the first container maintains the liquid in the second container at the boiling point temperature of the liquid in the first container.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for supplying a liquid to said liquid supply tube comprises a cooling tower having a chimney communicating With said liquid supply tube downstream from said first and second container liquid input tubes, a tube adapted for receiving a liquid supply entering said cooling tower, coiled upward through said cooling tower, and passing out of said cooling tower, said tube extending above and substantially parallel to said liquid supply tube and curving downward into a loop to open into said liquid supply tube, whereby said liquid supply flowing through said coil is pre-heated by vapor in said cooling tower.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for holding said second enclosure within and spaced apart from said first enclosure comprises a thermometer well extending in a fluid-tight relationship through the tops of and fixed to said first and second enclosures, the bottom of said well extending to near the bottom of said second enclosure.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first and second enclosures are substantially concentric containers.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said apparatus is formed from quartz.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said apparatus is formed from heat-resistant glass.