US1998282A - Steam controlling system - Google Patents

Description

April 16, 1935. A. LUTH STEAM CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 10, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 S R Y 3 M WW R v m m A W m I I. IHHH. Q

April 16, 1935. A. LUTH STEAM CONTROLLING SYSTEM 'Filed Sept. 10/ 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m. MW u 4 W m A ATTORNEYS I April 16, 1935. I A. LUTH 1,998,282

STEAM CONTROLLINGSYSTEM 42 INVENTOR Aer/Jae 407M Patented Apr. 16, 1935 17 a 1,998,282.

UNlTED- b-TATES PATENT OFFICE Y STEAM CONTROLLING SYSTEM Arthur Luth, Astoria, N. Y. Application September-10, 1932, Serial N0.63 2,554 s ename (01.137 79) This invention relates to steam heating sy s scribed and particularly pointed out in the claims, tems and more particularly to steam heating systhe advantages of which will be readily under; terns which are supplied with steam at relatively stoodand appreciated by those skilled in the art high pressures and are automatic in their operato which the invention pertains.

tion. 7 I e t The invention will be clearly understood from 5 One object of the present invention is toimthe accompanying drawings illustrating the inprove the construction and mode of operation of vention in a preferred form and the following steam heating systems, particularly of the type detailed description of the constructions therein in which the source of supply is steam at appreshown.

l0 ciably higher pressures'than is practicable for use In the drawings: in the radiating units and to provide mechanism Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view which will effect a highly' economical distribuofha building, illustrating a steam heating systion of steamin suflicientvolumeto maintain any tem constructed in accordance with'the present desired temperature inthe areas'affected by the invention, a

l5 radiating units. u j 1 j Figure 2 is an enlarged view in elevation, partly A featureof the invention resides in a novel in section of the control portionof the system, arrangement of parts whereby steam from ahigh Figure 3 is a View in end elevation of one of pressure source is introduced atj'high pressurein the control elements of the system,

rapidly intermittent pulsations into a low pressure Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale,

system or branch which includes the heating taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, 20"

units, the intermittency of the pulsations" being Figure 5 is a sectional view on 1 an enlarged determinecl'by' the "building up of pressure toa' scale taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and;

predetermined point in the low. pressure system. Figure 6 is a view of a portion of the operating A further feature of'the invention resides in a mechanism of one of the control devices, the

novel arrangement ofparts whereby the entire parts being shown in disassembled positions. '25

system after having been set in operation, will .While the system of the present invention .is.

continue automatically so longas steamis supcapable of use in connection with any type of plied at high pressure to the system. steam supply, I have chosento illustrate it as em- A further feature" of the invention resides in I ployed in connection with a so-called commercial a novel combination of pressure and temperature steamsystem in which steam is generated at any 00 operated mechanisms'fo'r controlling the supply of, suitable central point and distributed at high steam from a high pressure supply to a low pres-' pressure through street mains from which it is sure distributing system; v j j taken off for use. In the accompanying draw- A further feature of the invention resides in a i gs, Such a Street main designated by t e refnovel construction and arrangement of parts erence numeral l0 and'leading therefrom into a 35 whereby the entire system may be cut out of opbuilding N, there is a feeder p p l2 terminating eration by a temperature control mechanism in a aut mat ally Operating Control Valve should an unexpected rise occur in atmosphere the specific construction of which will be heretemperature to a point where the predetermined 'inafter described. This portion of the system V 40 operating pressure of the low pressure branch Will be hereinafter referred to as the ig p 40 would maintain too high a temperature in the u e branch. area being'heated by the system. V 1 Leading from the control valve [3, there is 2. Still a further feature of the invention resides pip line l4 rmin in i a m ri r l5 havin anovel heating system wherein vacuum pumps, jing' branches [6 from which extend risers ll aror'other vacuum producing machinery, reducing ran d to supp y t a t the heating units 8,

valves and traps commonly employed and e esherein illustrated as radiators of a convention,- sary to the successful operation of large instalal type. The Sev at g units 3 are conlations,,are dispensed with. 7 nected by pipes IS with a condensate line 28 ter- Still a further feature of theinventionre sides minating in a preheater 2| from Which a d in a, novel heating system in which an even dice charge pipe 22 leads to a sewer or drain 23, This 50 tribution of steam throughout the ar a, t b portion of the system will be hereinafter referred heated, is had. V z ,to'as the low pressure branch. I V

Other. features of the invention relate to cer- Leading f th i p r ran h 12 as tain novel and improved constructions, arranger at 24 there is a pipe 25 which terminates as at 26 'ments and combinations of parts hereinafter dein the low pressure branch of the'system and this portion of the system will be hereinafter referred to as the intermediate pressure branch.

The automatically operating control valve l3 hereinbefore referred to is shown in detail in Figure 2 and it comprises a valve housing 21 having two seats 28 and 29 engaged respectively by valves 30 and 3| which are carried by a valve stem 32 which projects from the housing 21 and is connected to a yoke or similar member 33 mounted in a suitable housing 34 and secured to the upper face of a diaphragm 35. Thejlower side of the housing 34 is'connected by means of a pipe 36 with the intermediate pressure branch 25 ot the system as at 3T.

This automatically operating control valve |;3 is of the balanced inverted type, and by examination of Figure 2 of the drawings, it will beap'par ent that pressure upon the under side of the diaphragm 35 will operate to unseat the valvesf tfl and 3| and discharge steam from the high pressure 1 branch l2 directly into the lowpressure branch. l4 at approximately the pressureof steainin the" high pressure branch. The steam for operating.

said diaphragm 35 is obtained fromlthe'inten,

; mediate pressure branch and the desiredpressure tion thus cutting oii the discharge of steam fr'o'r'n the high pressure branch to the lowpresfsure branch, this leverbecoming operative wh'erith'e pressure in the intermediate pressure. bigness suitably reduced as will now be describedI The reference character 4| designates a pre sure operated unit which, as illustrated in Figure's 4 and 5, comprises a housing 42 havingfoneend closed by a cap 43 through which leads a pipe. 44 which is connected at its other endto the low pressure branch as at H. The cap 43 serve to secure a diaphragm 48 in position andthisdiaphragm carries an operating button 48 which engages the nose56 of a lever v pivotally mount ed as at 52 in the housing 42. A spring 42; is interposed between the outer face of. the diaphragm 48 and the cap 43. This lever 5|, has alonglar'm 53 terminating in a hooked end 5'4 and is. slotted, as at 55, the slot being bridged by, a pin 56 which may if desired have a roller mountedtherfeon.

The nose 50 of the lever 5| is maintainediin en gagement with the operating button '49 of the diaphragm 48 by a spring55' connected at one. end to the hooked end 54 of the lever 5| an at the other end to a bolt 56 havingithreadedthereon a nut 51 by means of which theten sio'n of spring 55' may be adjusted. I

Pivotally mounted as at 58 in the housing 42, there is a rocking lever 59 and this lever-I59 car-' ries a projecting stud 6|! which eitendsthrough.

the housing as best illustrated in' Figure 4. The. lever is illustrated in dash lines inFig'ure 4 in one of its positions and in Figure 5 in its other position, in. which latter position its'left. hand;

end is elevated, thus elevating the stud, will be apparent by comparison of Figures. 3"andf 4. The lever 59 is held in the positionin which by the housing 42.

By the construction just, deseribedg it willbe g i tion" thu as at 65 there is a'spring' 6.6, the othergehdlofj which is connected to'a pin'for the like 61. carried obvious that when the parts are in the position in which they are showninFigure 4, the stud 65 will be held in its lower position by reason of the engagement of the cross-pin 56 in the notch 64. When, however, the diaphragm 48 rocks the lever 5| to the position in which it is shown in Figure 5, the spring 66 causes the cam face 63 to ride the cross-pin 56. The spring 66 in pulling trigger 6| to the right in Figure 5, causes a vertical movement of the trigger 6| in said figure which vertical movement acts to rock the left hand end of'th'e lever 59'upwardly to raise the pin 60. On the other hand, as the spring 55 raises the lever 53, the cross-pin 56 riding the bottom edge of the notch 64, eggerts a downward pull upon the trigger 6| which rocks the lever 59, in the oppositedirection to lower the pin 60.

Thereference character designates. a valve interposed in'the intermediate pressure line 25, said'valve being mounted on the housing 42 of the element 4|. As. best illustrated in Figure 4, this valve 16 comprises a housing havingj'a seat 1| engaged by a valve member 1-2 to. closethe'valve. The. valve member 12 has. a valve stem' .13 provided witha socket 14 in which is mounted a plunger between which and the closed end wallof the. socket [4, there is a cushion spring 16. This plunger 15 rests. upon the stud 6Q ofthe lever 59; The valve. 12 is held on its seat by pressure fromvthe. high. pressure branch and a spring'l'l arid when closed prevents escape of r'r ssllr i th me iat r b n h, and'when moved from its seat, permits "the in- -.terme.diate. pressurebranch to, discharge directly into" the lo'w'pressure branch l4. s

thus. far described the. apparatus operates i ll w Assuming thatthe apparatuscontains nostearn and is tobestartedirom the zero (0) point. The.

mastervalve 95 is opened and steam at'the high pressure carried in the street main. H1 is. intro.- duced' directlylnto. the intermediate pressure branch. 25,. At this. time, the. valve. l3 Will, be ed ne ag s bi ack of e s n h inter? mediate pressure branch andthe several parts of the pressure operated unit 4| will occupy the" 4, the rave 11, being closed.

The steam entering the intermediate pressure branch immediatelyv builds up; pressure therein po 'tions' in which they are illustrated in Figure" since, thereisno escape pro ided for thisstearn i e. nte m d ate P ssur r hhe e pressure in the intermediate pressure branch becomessuif cient toovercomefthe weight. 46, the diaphragm 3,5; operates. to lift said weight and 'm'ovfethe valve L3 teitsopen position. "Immediatelythev,a1ve, 3 opensthere is arush. of steam at: high essure directly, into the low pressure branch, t stea npassing clear tothe further- .mostpo tionfof the low pressure branch. The

pressure inthe low pressure branchimmediately begins to build up and when it reaches the. pre-v determined value for whic h the spring isset theleveg andelevatethe stud as heretofore stea from the .h

sure operatesthe diaphragm 4.8 to .rock.

thermal element N34 is placed-in the condensate line 20 in such a manner that it will be directly affected by the temperature of the condensate in gins to fallgand the spring 55 immediately restores the several parts of the pressure operated unit M to that position shown in Figure in whichposition, the. valve l2'wi1lbe closed and pressure begins again to build up inthe intermediate pressure branch to again operate the.

diaphragm 35 tojopen the valve I3 and efiect'another introduction of steam at high pressure into the low pressure branch which again' operates as" :described to close off the valve i3. 1

The above cycle of operation takes'but afew seconds to complete, the periodicity of the cycle depending in part upon temperature and in part upon adjustments or the various parts such as is very short the several operations of each cycle take place exactly as describ'ed and the valve 13 cis intermittently operated to introduce steam at high pressure directly into the low'p'ressu're branch I of' the system in impulses of extremely shortduration. As the operation progresses and the temperature of the area affected by the several heating units 58 rises, the pressure in the low pressure'branch will not fall as rapidly and the intervals at which the above described cycles are effected will n'aturally'be of longer duration'but in any event, the adjustments will be such that the: desired temperature will be maintained.

From the foregoing description, it will be obviousthat the present invention 'providesa steam heating system in which steam is distributed in termittently in suflicient quantities to maintain desired temperatures and that all electrical and system operative and'inoperative and this tem-' perature control is preferably wholly independent of the pressure control apparatus. H

While the operation of the temperature control device maybe efiected or controlled by variations of temperature'at any given point or location, I' prefer to employthe'condensatetemperature and outside or atmosphere temperature in combination and in such a manner that each will aid the other in the control of the system.

To the attainment of these ends, I provide a valve I99, preferably of the double balanced type. This valve tilt is located as illustrated, in the low pressure branch of the system and is so constructed and arranged that under normal operating temperatures, the valve will be maintained open to permit of the flow of steam therethrough to that part of the low pressure system beyond the valve HIE! and will close'to prevent the flow of steam to the low pressure branch beyond the valve 500 when predetermined high temperatures at pie-determined locations in the system, are.

reached.

The valve 160 is preferably of a conventional type which will be operated in one direction, (preferably opened) by a spring and closed by an expansible fluid which exerts a force upon the valve stem Hll.

The expansible fluid is carried in conduits Hi2 and IE3 preferably of conventional type and each tube has a thermal unit they being herein designated I04 and M5 respectively.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the

said line, the'thermal unit E05 being so located that it is directly affected by outside tempera tures. I 7

'By the arrangement described above should the temperature of the condensate rise or the outside temperature rise, or both, the thermal units P will operate to effect an expansion ofthe fluid in the conduits-I92 and 03 and operate to partially or completely close the valve its depending" upon the rise of temperature; The valve I06 and its controls being independent of the valve 21, the valve- 21 functions as described, the supply .of steam in front of the'valve' I to being at'all times the same, the valve H10, however, controlling by its position, the quantity of steam distributedthrough'the low pressure branch of the system."

Thus it will be apparent that when the temperature control is functioning, steam at substantially street main pressure is circulated through theflow pressure branch of the system when the valve E06 iscornpletely open and that even though steam at full street-main pressure is introduced into the low pressure branch of the system, when the valve 1 Eli is partially closed, a correspondingly lesser pressure will be circulated through the'low pressure branch.

From theforegoing, it will be readily apparent that the' present invention provides a new'and improved system of steam distribution which is highly efiicient in operation and which will maintain desired temperatures with minimum steam consumption.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in its preferred form, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the specific construction in which it is shown particularly with respect to the specific types of pressure and thermal devices herein illustrated since such devices may be employed invarious. forms within the scope of the present invention.

'Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and What it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A steam controlling system including a high pressure branch, a low pressure branch and an intermediate pressure branch, a valve for controlling'ithe flow of steam from the high pressure branch to the low pressure branch at the pressurepresent in said high pressure branch, means operated by fluctuations of pressure in the intermediate pressure branch for opening and closing said valve, and pressure operated means for producing fluctuations in pressure in said intermediate pressure branch.

2. A steam controlling system including a high pressure branch, a low pressure branch and an intermediate pressure branch, a valve for controlling the flow of high pressure steam from the high pressure branch to the low pressure branch at the pressure in the high pressure branch, means operated by fluctuationsof pressure in the intermediate pressure branch for opening and closing said valve, and means operated by a pre-determined pressure in the low pressure branch for producing fluctuations in pressure in the intermediate pressure branch.

3. A steam controlling system including )a high pressure branch, a low pressure branch and an intermediate pressure branch a valve for controlling the flow of high pressure steam from the high pressure branch to the low pressure branch at the pressure in the high pressure branch,

means operated by fluctuations of pressure in the intermediate pressure branch foropening. closing said valve, and means operated by a predetermined pressure in the low pressure branch for producing. fluctuations in pressure in the intermediate pressure branch and including means for discharging pressure from theintermediate pressure branch, into the low pressure branch.

4. A steam controlling system including. a high pressure branch, a low pressure branch and an intermediate pressure branch connecting the high pressure, branch with the low pressure branch, a valve in said intermediate pressure branch to alternately establish and cut off communication between the intermediate pressure branch'and. the low pressure branch to produce fluctuations of pressure in the intermediate pressure branch, a valve-operated by the fluctuationsin pressure in the intermediate pressure branch for establishing and cutting off direct communication between the high pressure branch and the low pressure branch and for admitting steam to the low pres.-

I sure branch at the pressure of the high pressure branch, and pressure operated means for operating the valve in intermediate pressure branch.

5. A steam controlling system including a high pressure branch, a low pressure branch and an intermediate pressure branch connecting the high pressure branch with the low pressure branch, a valve in said intermediate pressure branch to alternately establish and cut ofi communication between the intermediate pressure branch andthe low pressure branch to produce fluctuations of pressure in the intermediate pressure branch, a valve operated by the fluctuations in pressure in the intermediate pressure branch for establishing and cutting ofi direct communication between the high pressure branch and the low pressure branch to. admit steam at the pressure of the high pressure branch to the low pressure branch, and. pressure operated means for operating the valve in intermediate pressure branch, said last mentioned means being operated by pre-determined pressure in the low pressure branch. i

6. In a steam controlling system, a high pressure branch, a low pressure branch and an intermediate pressure branch, said intermediate pressure branch having communication with both the high and low pressure branches, a valve sepain closed position, means operable by pressure in" the intermediate pressure branch for moving said valve to open position upon presence. of a predetermined pressure in the intermediate pressure branch, and means, operated by a predetermined pressure in the low pressure branch for releasing the pressure in the intermediate pressure branch and permitting the valve between the high pressure branch and the low pressure branch to move to closed position.

'7. In a steam heating system, a high pressure branch, at low pressure branch and an intermediate pressurebranch, a valve interposed between the high pressure branch and the low pressure branch, said valve serving to establish communication between the high pressure: branch and the low pressure branch when the valve is open and to cut off such communication when the valve is closed, mechanically operated means for moving said valve normally to its closed position, pressure operated means operated by the building up of a predetermined pressure in the. intermediate. pressure branch for movingsaid valve. to its open position, and means responsive to pressure in the low pressure branch of the system for efiecting a reduction of pressure in the intermediate pressure branchtopermit movement of the valve. toits closed position by said mechanically operated means.

8. In a steam heating system, a high pressure steam supply line, a low pressure branch, a valve interposed between the supply line and the low pressure branch, said valve adapted to admit steam tothe lowpressure branch from the supply line at a pressure not lower than the pressure present in the supply line, and means for intermittently operating said valve, said last mentioned means including an intermediate pressure branch connected to both the supply line and the low pressure branch, pressure responsive means actuated by a predetermined pressure in the intermediate pressure branch for opening the valve between. the, supply line and the low pressure branch to admit a charge of steam at a pressure not lower than the pressure of the supply line to the low pressure branch, means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the low pressure branch for effecting a reduction of pres.-

sure, in the intermediate pressure branch, and

means for closing. the valve between the supply line and the low pressure branch upon reduction of pressure in the intermediate pressure branch.

' ARTHUR LUTH.

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