CONDENSER, one who or the thing which condenses. Some of the methods in general use are: An apparatus for reducing to a liquid form the steam in front of the pis ton, so as to obtain a toartial vacuum at that point, and thus utilize the natural pressure of the atmosphere. Watt invented the injection condenser and the separate condenser. The surface condenser has a series of flat chambers or tubes, usually the latter, in which the steam is cooled by a body of water surrounding the tubes.
In the jet condenser the steam and water meet in an air-tight chamber. A modified form of the jet condenser, known as the siphon condenser, makes use of the Torricellian vacuum. Distilled water for ships' use is ob tained by the condensation of steam in a sur face condenser. Condensers are always em ployed on ocean-going steamships, never on locomotives. Elsewhere the practice varies.
Distilling.— The still-condenser is an appa ratus generally made of the worm-tube form; the coil containing the alcoholic vapor travers ing a tub which receives a constant accession of cold water, condensing the vapor in the coil. The liquid escapes at a cock valve below.
An apartment in which metallic or deleterious gaseous fumes are condensed to prevent their escape into, and contamination of, the atmosphere. The device consists of a pro longed duct for the fumes, with showers of water to condense the arsenical, sulphurous and other fugitive volatile matters. It also serves an economical purpose in saving fugitive fumes of lead, zinc, mercury, sulphur, antimony and similar metals.
An instrument for concen trating electricity by the effect of induction. It usually consists of confolded sheets of tin foil, whose layers are separated by a thin sheet having a non-conducting surface.
Other forms are the Leyden Jar, and the variable condensers made of metal sheets which can be moved in and out through an air gap, that are used in wireless telegraphy and for other similar purposes. With induction appara tus, a condenser may be used as a device for absorption or suppression of the extra current induced by the rapid breaks in the main cur rent. See ELECTRICITY; INnucrioN.