N.

CONSTKIJCTICH AND

ST1;AA AIR- EJECTOR

V. A.

KHS^K

A.

TAYLOR

fv.

il'lST
-}

621.64

K46

TES'i

lUiaois iasdtote

of Tecliaology

UNIVERS)'Ty LIBRARIES

AT 491
Kerr, V. A.
Design, construction and
test of a steam air-ejector

Digitized by tine Internet Arcliive

in

CARLI: Consortium

of

2009 witli funding from

Academic and Researcli

Libraries

in Illinois

http://www.archive.org/details/designconstructiOOkerr

Design, Construction and

Test of a Steam air Ejector
A THESIS
PRESENTED BY

V. A.

KERR AND

K. A.

TAYLOR

TO THE

president

and faculty
OF

ARMOUR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FOR THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
IN

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

MAY

29, 1918

APPROVED:

OF TECHNOLOGY
GALVIN LIBRARY

ILLINOIS INSTITUTE

PAUL
35

V.

WEST 33RD STREET

CHICAGO.

IL

60616

^c^^
^-^^^^ J??^:^^//.*^.,.^/^,.fM.diiB<u>.,

U^^^yR^^.
'iww^rin.s^ii-

^<^
DcAti of Ctlcurml ScudiM

TABLE OP CONTENTS
Pages

1.

Introduction and Summary of

Machines already on the Market

1-15

2.

Design of Theoretical Nozzle

15-20

3.

Design of Working Nozzle

20-26

4.

Method of Construction

26-29

5.

Testing and Operating

29-48

6.

The Proposed New Design of Steam

Air-Ejector

28097

48-52

ILLUSTRATIONS AND LOG SHEETS

Pages
1.

The Radojet.

(built by the C.?I,V/heeler

Mfg. Co.
2.

Method of Utilizing The Heat in The Steam

& Freezing Air From Mixture.

3.

Types of Pvimps Developed by 'Maurce

Leblanc
4.

'

11

Form ^Thich A Steam Jet Assumes During

Expansion Into A Partial Vacuum.

13

5.

Log Sheet of Theoretical Nozzle.

19

6.

Log Sheet of Working Nozzle.

24

7.

Assembly of The Apparatus Used In Testing The Steam Air-Ejector.

8.

Photographs of The Actual Apparatus As

Used.

9.

25

32 & 33

Log Sheets Of Tests Of the Steam

Alr-EJector.

37 & 38

10. Longitudional Section Of The New

Design Of Steam Air-jector.

51

1.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
INTRODUCTION
The study of the steam air-ejector opens

up

field which is intensely interesting. This

thesis covers, of necessity, only a small area

in the search to find something useful to the

engineering profession.

It is with this thought

and hope in mind that we have launched out on

new waters of experimentation.

It is hoped that

our work will not he set aside, hut will be

carried on hy the future students at the Armour

Institute of Technology.
The authors desire to express their gratitude
and indebtedness to their teacher. Professor

George F. Gebhardt, whose deep interest and co-

operation have made this report possible.

The subject has herein been presented in
two parts:-

the first, the general principles

and important factors which enter in, and second,

an application of these to a concrete example.

STEAI;!

AIR-EJECTOR

A survey of what work and results of

experimentation has already been accomplished

is given in part #1.

The design of some of

the machines, which are already on the market,

is also given.

The calculations, design, construction,

and testing of a particular apparatus for the

removing of air from condensers, when

high

degree of vaciaum, is desired are given in part

#2.

In this day of high efficiency, limited

floor space, low maintenance cost, and depend-

ability of machines, the steam turbine, as a

prime mover, has, no doubt, come to stay.

With

the turbine came the demand for condensers of

a large

capacity and capable of maintaining a

high degree of vacuum.

It depended chiefly upon

the air pump to maintain this vacuum.

Hence an

air pump of minimum space requirements, highest

efficiency, and lowest maintenance cost, is a

3.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
machine which is most desirable.

Much has

yet to he done before such a machine will be

brought forth.

Steam air-ejectors, for removing air have

been known and used as early as 1868, but
never with the thought of producing a high vacuum, commercially.

This was due to the fact

that the demand for a high vacuum was created

only when the steam turbine became one of the

standard prime movers for power plants.

The knowledge of the properties of steam
at this time was based mainly on the classic

investigation of Regnault.

Steam air-ejectors operate on the dry air

principle.

It is desirable that they be highly

developed because of their mechanical simplicity,

ruggedness, absence of moving parts,

(and hence

the absence of lubrication), and durability,

(because of their design and construction).

The Radojet Air Pvimp, which is built by the

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
C

H.

Wheeler Manufacturing Company, is

perhaps one of the most advanced air-ejectors

that is on the market at the present time.

The Radojet consists of two steam ejectors

working in series; the upper ejector being

called the first stage, and the lower one, the

second stage.

Referring to Pig. #1, the live steam is

delivered at 'L', and from there it passes

through a strainer #1, through pipe #2, auxiliary steam valve #3, strainer #4, and into the

expansion nozzles

//5.

It then crosses the suc-

tion chamber #6 of the first stage ejector.

This chamber is in direct communication with
the condenser through the opening #S.
The steam expands in the nozzles, leaving

them with a very high velocity.

7/hile passing

the suction chamber #6, it entrains the air and

vapors, which are to be compressed up to the

pressure of the atmosphere.

STEAM AIR- EJECTOR

The mixture then passes into the diffuser
#7.

Here it is discharged at a higher absolute

pressure than that of the air entering at 'S'.

It then enters into a double passage #8, which

communicates with the suction chambers #9 of

the second stage.

These two suction chambers

are annular, giving the commingled gases a

large entraimient surface.

Steam is simultaneously delivered through

the strainer

^fl

into the passage #10.

This

communicates with annular expansion nozzle,

which is formed between the two circular discs

#11 and #12.

Disc #12 may be adjusted by means

of screw #13, to vary the cross section of the

nozzle passage.

Hence the expansion ratio of

the steam is changed.

The steam, delivered radially by the annular

nozzle #11 and #12, expands leaving it as a jet

of high velocity in the form of a disc.

In pass-

ing across the suction chamber #9, it entrains

6.

7.

STEAJ/1

AIR- EJECTOR

the air and steam coming from the first stage.

The commingled air and steam passes into the

annular diffuse #14, and the mixture is then

compressed up to atmospheric pressure.

The

mixture is then discharged into casing #15,

which has

discharge opening #D.

The steam nozzles and the diffuser are de-

signed scientifically to give the highest overall efficiency.

The nozzles of the first stage

are bronze and those of the second stage are

of a bronze steel.

The diffusers of bronze and

In the smaller sizes, the

accurately machined.
diffusers are

part of the casting, v;hile in

the large sizes the diffusers are secured to a

cast iron casing by bolts.

These form a ground

metal to metal, joint with the casing.

The strainers ahead of the nozzles are

easily removed for cleaning.

Figure #2 shows

mixture into

method of discharging the

tank supplied with fresh water

8.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
for the boiler.

The steam contained in the

mixture is condensed and the heat transmitted

to the boiler feed water, raising its tem-

perature.

The air frees itself from the rais-

ing water and escapes through a vent to the

atmosphere.

Another design of an ejector air-pump,

or steam air-ejector, is being put on the

market.

After many months of arduous research

work, during which time many set-backs and

innumerable difficulties were overcome, the

inventor, Maurce Leblanc, evolved a fairly high
class pump.

Figures #5 and #6 show the general arrange-

ment of this apparatus.

The pump is arranged

to work in two stages, steam being admitted

to the second stage by the valve

diately

'C*

'C'.

Imme-

is opened, steam fills the annular

space behind the nozzle plate and finds its

way into the throats of the group of nozzles,

GATE VALVE

STEAM
FROM BOILER

WATER

OVERFLOW

INLET

CONDENSING
TANK

10.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
'Y',

which are attached to this plate. The

method of supplying the first stage with steam

is readily seen from the pictujfe.

The pump is

connected to the condenser at the branch 'd',

which is the air inlet.

At the entrance to

each of the steam spaces back of the nozzles,

fine wire gauze strainers are fitted to prevent

any foreign matter, which may have primed over

from the boiler, from entering the nozzles.

A stoppage of one or two of the nozzles might

mean

a loss of the vacuvun.

The nozzles are securely locked to the

nozzle plates.

The mixture Of air and steam

is discharged at the mouth of the cone

'Y

and lead away to a feed water heater of the

open type.

In this

mam

er a part of the heat

of the steam is reclaimed.

To start the pump, the valve

'c'

is opened

and a certain degree of vacuum is attained in

the condenser.

When the needle of the vacuum

11.

12,

STEAM AIR- EJECT OR

gauge becomes stationary, the inlet steam

valve for the second stage is opened and the

maximum degree of vacuum is obtained in a short

time.

A very important factor in this type of

pump is the absence of moving parts.

This Leblanc air pump, although apparently

having

rather high steam consumption is really

very efficient and economical. This m^achine gives

back about ninety-five percent of the original
heat of the steam.
Figure #7 shows the form which the steam
jet is though to take, upon expansion into a

high vacuiim.

The steam, issuing from the mouth,

expands and contracts alternately.

It ultimate-

ly assumes a constant cross sectional area.

Leblanc found that a nximber of these nozzles

grouped together gave far better results than

a

single nozzle with a throat area equal to the

aggregate area of the smaller nozzles.

The

13.

14.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

reason for this is that the alternate increasing and decreasing of the cross sectional area
of the jets is minimized by the contact of one

steam jet with next, when groups of nozzles are

used.

This helps considerably to increase the

surface available for entrainment of the air.

15.

STEAJf AIR- EJECTOR

DESIGN OP PRIMARY NOZZLE (theoretical)

The design of the first stage nozzle

resolves itself into the following problem:-

Assume a diameter of throat opening and

back pressure at end of nozzle.

Having given

the available steam pressure, follow through

the calculations and design of a nozzle. Compare

these calculated dimensions with the required

ones for such a nozzle.

Hencf, given 100# gauge,

(or 115# abs.),

initial pressure, .94# abs. back pressure and

1/4" diameter throat.

Initial steam assiimed as

dry.
Dia.

Bg

1/4"

'SS X 115# ; 66. 7# abs. press,

in the throat.

?! = 100#-f-15# z 115# abs.

Yrj

28# vacuum

Area of 1/4" throat

192 x .49

.4915 sq. in.

.000341 sq. ft.

.94#
abs.

16.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

V
where,
"

^H^

224

Hg

H^.

^eat at 115#

H2

heat at 66. 7#

1188.7 B.T.U.

1145 B.T.U.

Assuming adiabatic expansion.

Vg

224

1188.7

1145

1480 ft. /sec,

Prom Moller diagram,

V]_

3890 ft. /sec. velocity.

Xg

.964

'S'

at 66. 7# = 6.48 (from steam tables)

.964 X 6.48

6.25 cu. ft./#

also

Vo

224 \/
^

Hn

"

Ho~(where
Hi at 115# A

"
Hq at .94#)

_2 224 \/ll88.7

885

3890 ft. /sec.

(check)

::

778 (1188.7

1145)

34400 ft./# of energy in the steam.

WS/V

where

]_A

El

area in sq. ft. of nozzle opening.

"

"

S ; specific volume

z w't"

of steam,

17.

STEM
where V

AIR- EJECTOR

vel. ft. /sec.

.000341

W X 6.49
14B0

,Q11Q# steam/sec.

or .0778 X 3600

284# steam/hr.

This is theoretically the amount of steam

which will pass through the nozzle per sec. by

expanding from 115# abs. boiler pressure, to

66. 7# pressure in the throat.

The areas, or diameters, of the different

sections at the respective pressures of 66. 7#;

40#; 14. 7#; 8#; 4#; 2#; & .94# (discharge press.)

were obtained in the following manner; i.e. at

8# pressure.
A

.0778 (lbs, steam/sec.) x S(sp ec ific vol. @ 8#)

3060 (vel. in ftT/sec.)
.475" dia.

.00121 sq. ft. area.

This method gives a diameter of 1.156" at

.94# back pressure.

There are losses which enter

in and change the quality, volume, and velocity

18.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
It is necessary to allow for

of the steam.

these in the working nozzle.

The calculations

for this nozzle will be given later.

The total heat, quality and velocity used
in these calculations were obtained from the

Moller diagram, (the velocity being checked by

calculation)
F

W X V

where F

no. foot-lbs.

"

wt. of steam,

"

vel. in ft. /sec

"

32.2 ft. /sec. /sec.

F (at 4#)

X 3370

104.6 ft. -lbs.

also

d ~-

/144 X 4

3.

A,

1416

(where A = area in sq.

^*" ^ cross section.

::

13.65 ^.00705

1.15" dia. at discharge.

19.

rHEORfinCAL A/OZZLE
.?= 2r^^

/Vfi^^.

\ror/IL'f4'T\Qi/ALtry S/^

VOL. Acr'l VOiyEL.Fi/sSec

//B0.7

/.oo

J.85

//'9S

.9<V

6.^9

93S

/Of99

.ae^

a.G.8

ffoe

/03 9

iOOB

9B3
.&86>

\2'^,40Q

9.8

^0I0

\C>,BOO looo'^o(,\

2*f^O

.3/3

/73.S

Mt
\

\.o0034l

f*/eo

\^/.S

3S'O.B

\DtA-fN' POUNDS

4>.i5

\^7.B7

SO. J^T

^.8Q

.a^H

.7*>/

Fr-LB

4i.7*i

3(?i,0

f/4r^900

.000

7(y

\t^J'ZO(i [oo/^f

.2.S

V6.<7

.ays'

^z.H

77

QS.t

.3

3<V3
I

9S0

\/l7S

3390

&r^jOoo

t3H,S'<90

.OO3T0
.OOHS"

.33'd.

'ST

'/

3,^

/^7

20.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

DESIGN OF WORKING NOZZLE

The design of this nozzle takes into

consideration the increasing quality of the

steam, due to the friction in the nozzle.
The length of the nozzle will not change

from the theoretical.

This nozzle, like the theoretical one,

presents the following problem:

d^

1/4"

Pi

lOC^ ga.

P2 =

.4915 sq. in.

=

.58 X 115#

.000341 sq.ft.

115# abs.
z

66. 7# abs. pressure in

1.92 x .49

throat.
Pg

28" vacuum

.94# abs.

pressure.
The energy loss is converted into heat and

hence tends to dry out the steam.

Assuming a

10^ energy loss and calling this loss

224

\J(1

y)

(H^ - Hg)

'y'

21,

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

"

1188.7 B. T. U.

heat at 115#

H2

heat at 66. 7#

224

(1 - O'l)

224

\/'

.9 X 43.7

1405 ft/sec. vel. of steam in the

where H^

=
=

1145 B.T.U.

(1188.7

1145)

entrance.

QUALITY OP THE STEAM AT VARIOUS POINTS

Xi

real quality,

Xq

theoretical quality

r3

latent heat of vaporization

Xi

Xg

Xq

y (Hi

,1 X (1 188.7

886)

Iq

Hq)

Increase in quality;
'

1035.6
.0294

Real quality

.0294

.791

.0294

::

.810 for the discharge quality.

POOT-LSB. OF ENERGY IN THE STEAM.

E

778 X

778 X \/{l

\f{l ' y)
-

(^r^^H^T"

0.1)

(1188.7

1145)

22.

STEAM AIR-EJfiCTOR
31,000 ft. lbs. of energy at throat

AREA IN SQ. FT. OF NOZZLE

Aq

X U

- TSX]_

V
where A

area in sq. ft.

of steam passing through nozzle.

"

<^t.

"

X3

quality of steam (real).

"

Uo

specific volume of steam at .94#

A3

.00588 sq. ft.

but, Ai

d =

0778 X 81 X 550.8
3760

1/4 X 3.1416 X d2
\/.

*7b8d.^

Q05Q8

.0865 ft. dia.

::

1.038"; say 1" at end of nozzle.

FOOT-LBS. OF ENERGY
F

W V
g

.0778 X 5760
52.2

116.7 ft. IbB.

23.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

LENGTH OP NOZZLE.
'L'

rV15 X
r

Vl5 X

where

'a'

dia. at throat.

.25"

1 & 15/16"

length from throat.

24.

25.

CONOENSCB.

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GAUG

lu ^^

sre.A/^ Aiff ^j^cro/7co/^ffri.&.

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z'Laov\f.

rHCSS. GAt/GJS
^i.XZx/'/tj:f.r.'

CA L. OK

m re/^

i'-^xii^-^/^rX

i^pifie

'rTijg,"meo.'r:

9"P/f>e
-I

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H'a.i^AAfo/^ere-

Sr/l/^

>4//?-^/^C TOR.

CHtCASO.
MfitelMiMMMiaiaiMiiMi

ii.L,

26.

STEMt AIR-EJECTOR

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
The upper combining shell was made of cast

The surface of the top joint was turned

iron.

corrugated to prevent the packing from blowing

A light cut was taken from the inside of

out.

this piece.

This lessened the friction of the

gases, which are traveling at a high velocity.

The surfaces of the lower joint were turned smooth in order that the joint might not

leak when a metal to metal contact was desirable.

The inside of the lower nozzle, forming this

piece, was turned central with the outer edge

of thesteam passage.

with

This outer edge was made

sliding fit, over the shoulder of the

lower combining shell.

It was in this manner

that the nozzle was centered.

The lower combining shell was finished with
a light cut on the inside to reduce friction

on the high velocity gases.

The outer edge of

27.

STEAlvl

the lower nozzle,

AIR-EJECTOR

(on the inner side of the

upper combining shell), was finished smooth

to exact size.

were
The upper and lower combining shells
fitted together, by means of the centering
shoulder.

When the two smooth surfaces came

of between 1/64
in contact, it left an opening
the circamference
and 1/100 of an inch all around

of the secondary nozzle.

By inserting

a pack-

joint, a known
ing of a known thickness in the
be obtainwidth of opening of the nozzle could
ed.

on
Thehozzle was made of brass and filled

which causes
the inside to reduce the friction,
steam.
a loss of energy in the

Threads were

discharge,
cut, on the opposite end from the

nozzle
leading up to the shoulder, so that the
top plate.
could be screwed tight up against the

inserted between
By this means washers could be
shoulder and the top plate, if it was desirthe

able to change the position of the nozzle.

28.

STEAiVl

AIR-EJECTOR

The calculations show that the nozzle

should not be as long as the blueprint calls

for.

The authors thought that with the extra

length of nozzle, a 'rolling action' could be

produced on the sides of the jet that would

cause a greater entrainment of air.

The nozzle

is so designed that it could be cut off to the

theoretical length, if it is shown through the

subsequent tests that the extra length of
nozzle is not desirable.

29.

STEAM AIR- EJECTOR

TESTING AND OPERATION

The ejector was set up for testing in the

north-east end of the engine room of the Armour

Institute of Technology.

A plan of the apparatus

illustration
and its construction is given in the
#A2.

and
In this illustration all the fittings

plane
apparatus are sho;vn to be swung up into the
of the paper.

In illustrations

#k-^

and #A3 the

when it was
actual apparatus is shown as it was
being tested.

The live steam pipe, #9 in #A3,

ejector. The
feeds direct from the boiler to the

boiler, it was
steam coming so direct from the
of
permissable to assume that it had a quality

tests that
100^, in the calculations of the
follow.

calculations
This was also assumed in the

of the nozzle.

pipe #9,
The live dry steam, coming through
the primary
goes through valve #8 and enters

nozzle at #1.

It then goes through the ejector

and out the exhaust #14.

This gives the opera-

30.

STEM AIR-EJECTOR
tlon of the first nozzle alone, assuming that

valve #16 is closed.

To operate the secondary nozzle alone,

valve #8 was closed and the live steaii goes

through valve #16 and into the secondary nozzle

at #la

The commingled air and steam then pass

out the exhaust #14.

To operate both nozzles,

valve #8 and #16 are both opened and the steam

passir\g through them comes together again in

the lower combining shell, #1^* and hence to

the exhaust.

The air that was sucked in came

through the pipe #17 and valve #6.

This pipe

connected on to a displacement air meter #11,

which was capable of handling abcut 125 cu. ft.

of air per minute.

This was sufficient for the

ejector.
The exhaust leads to a counter-current

condenser, #2, that had

mosphere.

beer;

opened to the at-

This virtually makes it an open type

of condenser.

This was necessary in order that

31.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
the air, which had been entrained in the

steam, could have an outlet.

A reciprocating pump was situated directly under the condenser.

This machine pwaped

the condensed steam, and a certain amount of

air, into either one of two weighing tanks.

These tanks were situated about 10 feet back

of the condenser and in the south end of the

wash and locker room.

The live steam, to ac-

tuate the pump, was admitted through the valve

#18.
In starting to run a test on the ejector
as a whole,

the steam was first admitted slow-

ly to the line #9, by means of a gate valve and

a separator (not shown), so as not to cause

'Water-hammer'.

The valve #16 was then cracked

open and the drip of valve #19 was allowed to

drain off through valve #16, down through the

drip-cock #13, and into a pail on the floor.

The cooling water from the city mains was then

32,

33,

34.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
Started through the condenser.

This was forced

through by city pressure alone, no pump being

used for this circulation.

The condenser pump

was then started by admitting steam through

the valve #18.

This pump pumped the condensed

steam into the above mentioned tanks which

rested on platform scales and were capable of

holding about 1600 to 2000 lbs. of water.

When the drip was drained off, the valve

#16 was opened full.

secondary nozzle.

This let steam to the

It was thought best to let

the steam through the secondary nozzle, first,

in order to build up a vacuum in the upper

combining shell.

The valve #8 was now opened

and the steam was admitted to the primary, or

first stage nozzle, after having created as

high

degree of vacuum as possible.

The valve

#6, from the air meter, was now cracked open.

This was done because the drip from the steam
pipe had collected in the air pipe above the

35.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
valve #6.

In this way the collected water

was gradually taker, into the ejector and

hence into tho condenser.

When the ejector

was well heated up, the air valve, #6, was

opened full.
The boiler pressure was read on gauges

#4 and #5.

The degree of vacuvun was read on

gauge #3, and also on the manometer,

frlO,

This

manometer lead to the suction pipe by means of

the tube, #7.

The amount of air drawn in was

read from the meter at #11.

The amount of

condensed steam was weighed by means of the

tanks on the platform scales in the locker-room.
In starting the first test, the secondary

was turned on first.

Instead of creating the

desired vacuum, it caused a back-pressure. The

authors thought that the reason for this was
that this secondary nozzle had too wide an opening.

Because of this, the steam was not direct-

ed down, but rather in a course that was diagonal

36.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
across the lower combining shell.

By follow-

ing this course, the steam from one side of

the nozzle met the steam coming from the other

side at a comparatively wide angle.

>^s

a re-

sult of this there was a combined, splash and

'rolling-back' action produced, causing the

steam to build up pressure in the upper combining shell.

The first nozzle was turned on at this

time with the secondary nozzle and a vacuum of

about 1" was created.

Vi/hen

the secondary nozzle

was turned off and the 1st left on running, with

wide open valve and under 93# pressure, a vacuum

of 2.75" Hg. was created.

When the air was shut

off fully and maintained about l" Hg. vacuum

and pulled about .47# of air per # of steam.
(see log blue print for test #1).

The above results were of little value, hence

more elaborate tests and data were unnecessary.

The gasket from the lower joint was taken

37.

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39.

STEM! AIR-EJECTOR
out in order to lessen the opening in the

secondary nozzle.

This coincided with the

above stated ideas that the back-pressure was

caused by the steam from the secondary nozzle

not having had the right direction in its ex-

pansion.

The latter was caused by too great

an opening in the secondary nozzle.

In this next test no run was taken on the

primary nozzle alone as the conditions under

which it operated in the first test, were not

altered.
The secondary nozzle was made longer by

putting the upper combining shell in a lathe

and cutting down the upper face of the lower

joint and also the outside of the inner edge of

the nozzle.

Hence it was calculated to give a

little less than 1/8" opening, as any less than

this v/ould result in wire-drawing.

This was

done in view of the fact that the steam should

be given a better direction, and hence a better

40.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
expansion.

The latter was to be obtained by

having the nozzle longer and of a smaller

angle with a geometrical axis of the ejector.

By running the secondary nozzle alone

under 105# of steam, it gave

a vacuuin of 2.75"

Hg. with the air entirely shut off.

It main-

tained a vacuum of l" Hg. with the air valve

full open.

The secondary nozzle, operating

under these conditions, gave better efficiency

than the primary nozzle did running alone. The

secondary was now a little less than 1/8" openj

This run, by giving better efficiency,

which was almost double the other, proved that

the authors were working along the right line

for the improvement of the ejector.

In the test #3, both jets were full open

with a 93# steam pressure.

The results of this

run show a slight improvement, but it still shows

that the two stream lines from the nozzles were

causing an eddying, by coming together at too

41.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
great an angle.

The cause of this was un-

doubtedly a rolling-back action that destroyed any vacuum which was created by the primary

nozzle.

Before run #5 was made, the apparatus was

taken down again and the primary nozzle cut off

to the calculated length.

From the results of

run #5, it shows a better efficiency than before,

but a smaller capacity.

This shows that the

theory of the 'rolling-up' action of the steam,

due to the extra length of nozzle, did make a

greater entrainment of air, but it was done so

at the expense of efficiency.

With the results of these tests at hand,

the authors thought that the entrainment space

was entirely too large to have these stream

lines not conflict with each other.

This space

begins at a point a little below the primary

nozzle and extends to the point at which the

steam from the secondary nozzle entrains the

42.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
comingled air and steam coming from the primary
nozzle.

The velocity with which the gases go

through the combining chamber, and also the

manner in which they go dovm the middle of this
space, necessarily leaves a dead space at the
sides.

With such

a space present,

the vacuum

which had at first been created by the steam,

by
as it first left the nozzle, was destroyed
air and steam backing up into this space. The

action is similar to the action which would take

place in a hydraulic ram if the cylinder was

entirely too large for the piston.

That is, like

leaving a space between the piston and the walls

a
of the cylinder and then trying to build up

pressure.
To overcome this, it was thought that an

additional part could be put into the machine

would
so that the part, which was introduced,

velocity
be entirely filled by a strean of high
gases.

Hence the tendency for a dead space to

43.

STEAli AIR- EJECTOR

form along the sides would be eliminated and

the ejector could maintain a high degree of

If this fast moving stream could be

vacuum.

conducted so that it would not have to pass

through the truhulent, or hack-eddying part,

of the lower combining shell, it would help
to direct the stream lines in this part of the

ejector.

It is here that the stream from the

secondary nozzle comes together and enters

this stream below this point.

In this way much

of the energy of the streams would not be dis-

sipated by coming together at a comparatively

large angle.

Although this might cut down the

capacity a little, yet, this is not as important

to maintain as a high degree of vacuum.

In the assembly blueprint, #2, is shown the

method by which this problem was attacked.

In

this is shown a cast iron collar which fits up

against a shoulder at the base of the air passage.

This shoulder

v/as

made by running an extra

44.

STEAM AIR- EJECTOR

cut down the indise of the upper combining

shell, and stopping it at this point.

This

collar fits with a tight fit in the shell and

has sufficient bearing length so that it v;ill

always remain in the same position.

the collar it was threaded and a

Inside of
and 1/2"

pipe was screwed in until the end of the pipe

came flush with the top side of the collar.
The upper edge of the pipe and collar was rounded off to give a good entrance for the comming-

led air and steam.

The pipe was long enough to

extend below the back-eddying space in the lower

combining shell.

It discharged into the center

of the high velocity stream of steam coming from

the secondary nozzle.

In this manner a large

part of the dead space, which was a drag on the

machine, was placed in a position so that it

would not be detrimental to the vacuum created

in

thie

ejector.

The collar, holding the pipe, was held in

45.

STEAM AIR- EJECTOR

place by means of cap-screws inserted from the
outside, as shown in the blueprint.

The pipe

depended solely upon the collar for its support

in a central position.

When the steam was turned on the ejector,

containing this part, it was found that the
secondary nozzle opposed the first, and caused
a back pressure.

Hence no run could be made with

the secondary nozzle.

A run was made, however, on the first nozzle

alone.

As seen from the log blueprint it gave

nearly twice the capacity that any previous run

did and also with about an average efficiency.

In this run a vacuum of 5" Hg.
off, and 2 and 1/2" Hg.

with the air shut

with the air full on,

was maintained steadily through the run.

This run shows that the problem

v/as

being

attacked along the right line, so far as the

first stage was concerned.
The reason for the secondary nozzle's creat-

46.

STEAM AIR- EJECTOR

ing a back pressure was that the steam coming
out of this nozzle came at such a comparatively wide angle with the central axis of the

ejector.

It therefore encountered the pipe,

which interfered with the direction of the

stream line and caused an eddying and a disturbance.

This caused a back pressure and a loss

of efficiency.

The authors were lead to the following

new design of steam air-ejector, after a study

of the results and data obtained from these
tests.

It is believed that the new design will

rectify many troubles, which were prevalent

in the earlier machine, and will give much better

results.
It is hoped that the following design will

be taken up by future students and the machine

built with improvements made upon it if possible.

Although the present machine is a long way from

perfection, yet that degree is obtained only by

47.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

making these necessary steps leading to it.

48.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
THE PROPOSED

NE?;

DESIGN OP STEAM AIR-EJECTOR

In this design the authors still adhere to

the same principles of the old ejector.

To utilize

design
this principle to a better advantage, the
was changed.

With the exception of the secondary

of different
nozzle, the new design consists mainly

proportioning of the combining chambers.

design,
Referring to the blueprint of the new
to the primary
#4, is the live steam entrance
through this nozzle
nozzle, #5. The steam passes
the air
entraining the air which is coming through

inlet, #6.

into
The commingled air and steam pass

the combining chamber, #7.

Going from this chamber,

and are again

the gases pass around the part #8,

combining
entrained by the jet #9, in the lower
chamber.

They then pass out through the exhaust

#11, into the condenser.

the upper
In this design we see the shape of

final
combining shell was reconstructed on the
drawing.

case.
The steam and air enter, in this

49.

STEAM AIR- EJECTOR

through the rather narrow opening, or throat,
of a slightly divergent nozzle.

the upper part of this shell.

This forms
In this manner

the entire cross section of the ejector will

be filled by high velocity gases, havirig nearly

the same velocity in any one cross section.

On the sides, there is, perhaps, about a 5% lag.

With this condition prevalent, it vrould be

practically impossible for the air or steam to
cause a back pressure by going back next to the

walls.

In the old design this was undoubtedly

the main reason for the low vacuum obtained.

The secondary nozzle, #9, is screwed into

the part #8 and connects with the steam passage #2.

This part, #8, is a 'v' shaped piece,

with the vertex upward, and extending entirely

across the lower part of the upper combining
shell.

The steam passage #2 is bored through

from the outside until it just overlaps the

middle, and at the outer end of the passage it

50.

STEAM AIR-EJECTOR
is tapped for the steam line.

A hole is drill-

in the middle of
ed and tapped from the bottom,

steam passpart #8, and extends in to meet the

age #2.

This hole is tapped so that the nozzle

may screw in tight.

entrains
The steam from the secondary nozzle
primary nozzle and
the vapor and air from the
small throat of
ejects it into the comparatively
the lower combining chamber #10.

This is a

slightly divergent nozzle.

nozzle can
In this manner the secondary
the mixture
maintain the vacuum created and expel

through #16.
against the atmospheric pressure,
design, the
In the analysis of the first
new ejector will
authors feel confident that this
first one did.
give far better results than the
had the time
The authors regret not having
so that they might
to build this second machine,
instead of negative
have presented positive,
results.

51.

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