Strength; The Condenser - White Motor Company White Steamer M Service Manual

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The construction of the boiler has been shown and described, from which it is seen that the diameter of each

pressure element is small and consequently of great strength and not likely to be strained to any high percentage of its

ultimate strength by any pressure which could be produced under ordinary conditions.

gives great power to the engine and explains the great success of the car in climbing high hills and in passing over

unusually bad roads. A safety valve, not shown in the drawing, is attached which may be set at any desired pressure

but is usually set to blow off at from 1000 to 1200 lb. per square inch. Because of the small quantity of water and

steam present in the boiler no serious damage is probable to person or property, even should boiler tube be

accidentally split or ruptured, as the effect would be simply that of allowing the steam gradually without producing

any disastrous results, and even this accident has been extremely rare. Considering the fact that thousands of these

steam generators are in use, in the charge of men who have had practically no experience in the operation of steam

plants, the results as to freedom from accident are remarkable and indicate that the apparatus is, from the standpoint

of safety, not open to criticism.

I have tried to get data respecting the amount of deposit of scale in the tube of the White boiler due to its

continued use, but without any very great degree of success. Investigation indicates that there has been very little

practical difficulty due to this deposit and the makers report only a few instances, which have come to their

knowledge of any trouble due to this cause. The velocity of discharge of steam through the single tube or the boiler is

great and it is believed has been sufficient to remove the deposits in nearly every case. In the boiler of which the

results of the test are given later, as much as 488 lb. of steam were produced per hour by the ½ inch tube. Without

taking into account the extra volume produced by superheat, the calculated velocity approximates 1/3 more.

For the actual operation of the White boiler on the motor car, water is taken from a reservoir which is

supplied in great part with water condensed in an air surface condenser. The condenser is located at the front of the

car and receives the exhaust from the engine, which contains an appreciable amount of cylinder oil. A large

proportion of this oil remains in the water tank and is discharged when convenient, but at times quite a considerable

amount is forced through the boiler. So far as the makers have been able to ascertain no injurious effects have been

caused by this practice and as a consequence they have made no attempts to introduce a separator for removing this

oil.

The steam system is provided with an air condenser which in its application to a motor car is placed at the

front of the vehicle. It consists of a series or corrugated copper pipes with suitable header connections at top and

bottom and is arranged to receive the exhaust steam into the upper header.

the lower header and is removed by a pump. The tubes are surrounded by air, which is circulated by the motion of the

vehicle supplemented by the use of a fan located between the engine and the condensing surface. The condenser is

furnished with a relief valve, which opens to exhaust steam into the air in case the backpressure becomes of sensible

amount. The condenser as previously applied to motor cars was not adapted to produce a sensible vacuum, its purpose

being to conserve the water supply. Recent improvements in the pumping system give a substantial vacuum from

which a considerable increase in economy due to the vacuum is anticipated in the future. The motor car of 1907, it is

expected, will maintain a vacuum of over ten inches at a speed of 20 miles per hour.

The strength of the fittings at the point of leakage for the tubing I found to vary from 7000 to 18,000 lb. per square

inch.

The condenser dimensions are as follows: For E and F cars (1905-6) 74 tubes, 24.5 inches long, with a total surface

of 118 sq. Ft. For car (1907) of 65 tubes 27 inches long with a total surface of 136 sq. Ft.

STRENGTH

The high working pressure

The condensed water falls by gravity to

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