|
Home
CNR 6167
Journal
CNR Stats
News
Links
E-Mail |
"The carrying over of moisture with the steam into the locomotive superheater units causes a substantial and needless loss in the efficiency of the locomotive. For each one per cent of moisture that is carried over into the superheater with the steam, there is a drop of about 17 degrees in superheat. In large locomotives the carryover of moisture into the superheater may be as high as five to ten per cent resulting in the lowering of the superheat correspondingly. The carrying over of moisture into the superheater will also cause internal encrustation of the superheater units, with a resultant decrease in temperature, an increase in pressure drop, and a shortening of the life of the superheater.
The space in the steam dome, which was previously occupied by the throttle before the introduction of the smokebox throttle, is suited for the application of a steam dryer. The Elesco tangential steam dryer, as shown below, is suitable for application in the steam domes of locomotives equipped with either the types A, H-A, or E designs of superheaters. The steam going to the superheater is dried by separation, and the moisture is returned to the boiler. It is very efficient under normal operating conditions, and will effectively handle as much as 20 percent of moisture in the steam at an efficiency of better than 80 per cent.
The Elesco Tangential Steam Dryer is located at the highest point in the dome. Its inlet is unobstructed and non-cloggable and it has no moving parts. It functions with a minimum of pressure drop, is easy to install, is low in first cost and maintenance cost is negligible."
The CNR would have applied the Tangential Steam Dryer to larger power equipped with a front end throttle. Most Northern's for example were either built with it, or had it applied after the fact. Records show that many engines had the Tangential Steam Dryer removed. One possible motive for this is that the Tangential Steam Dryer obstructs access into the boiler through the steam dome for the purposes of maintenance and inspection.
Lastly, the price tag on the Tangential Steam Dryer was about $209.00 CDN in the 1940's.
The Elesco Tangential Steam Dryer |
