The Separation of Oil from Exhaust Steam and Boiler Feed Water

The most efficient method of lubricating the cylinders of steam engines is to employ an atomizer in the steam flow, situated a little distance before it enters the steam cylinders, and thus inject the oil in the form of a spray so that the steam carries it to the cylinder walls and valves. In other words, the steam is made to act as a lubricant. In this way there should be no part that comes into contact with oil that is unlubricated and, furthermore, this is not only the most efficient method of lubricating a steam engine, it is also the most economical, since only small quantities are required of the finely atomized oil. It is possible to lubricate a number of pumps or several high and low pressure steam cylinders from a single feed lubricator in this way.