US240400A - Ooooood - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) isheets shget 1.

. J. GAMGE-E. .Thermo Dynamic. Engine, I I I 'No. 240,400,. PatentedApri'I 19,1881.

I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I I i I l I I WITNIBSIIS INVENTOR kin ATTORNEIYC.

4 Shets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. GAMGEE.

Patented April 19,1881.

my v a. am? e V a V .m F g n E G 1 m a n V. D 0 m r e h 0 6% 0 V A 0 4 2 m N WITNESSES I INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 8. J. GAMGEIEL, Thermo Dynamic Engine.

Patented April 19,1881.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. GAMGEE- Thermo Dynamic Engine. No. 240,400. v Patented April 19,1881.

WITNFBSES v I Q INVEiITOR I ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN GAMGEE, or LONDON,'ENG-LAND.

THERMO-DYNAMIC ENGlNE.

srncr'ncs'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,400, dated April 19, 1881. Y

Application filed To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J orm Gamma, of Lon don. England, at present residing in the city of Washington, District of Columbia,.have in ventedcertaiu new and useful Improvements in Thermo-Dynamic Engines, or, more particularly stated, in the method of and apparatus for using a liqueliable gas or vapor at low temperature as a motor fluid, of which the following is a specification.

My in ention relates to the employment, as a motor fluid, ot a liquefiable gas or vapor of adequate tension, the product of aliquid which boils at or near the temperatnreof surrounding objects. I find that by working such a gas or vapor expansively in one or more engins-cylinders its heat can be converted tosuch an extent into mechanical energy or motion that at the exhaust it will have returned, in great measure, to its original liquid conditiou, from which state it may be again caused to assume the condition of a motor vapor or gas by exposing it to the needed temperature. It is this feature-viz, the working of such a vaporor gas expansively to the extent of more or less complete liquefaction and then reconverting it from the liquid tothe vapor-- ous or gaseous condition for use again as a motor fluidwhich mainly characterizes my invention. The vapor having expended its energy and' being mostly liquefied by the conversion of its heat into motion, is discharged from the engine=cyliuder into a closed exhaust-vessel protected or insulated from euvironing heat. The maintenance of 1 the exhaust at the boilingpoint for atmospheric pressure or thereabont) oi .the liquid used may beinsured in various ways-for instance, by means of an injector or pump. By the injector or pump, or both, --the' cooled vapor is forced into an apparatus, for convenience sake termed a boiler, where it is exposed to the temperature needed to re-' store it to its original tension, and thence returns to the engine,

It will thus be seen that it is my object ,to obtain in a motor-engine the conditions of a closed circuit with a liquid boiling at. a low temperature relatively to water transformed into vapor, the molecular energy of which is 1 m'ospheres; heat, it reaches over 8,000 millimeters, or over converted into the mass or molar motion of February 26, 1881.- (No modem.

the piston, so that its initial condition is re-' stored. In this way, in a heat-engine,'l extend the temperature within which the heat is utilized downward in the direction of the absolute zero, instead of upward above the temperature of surrounding objects.

The intense heat of boiler-furnaces, the internal work-- heat necessaryto the'formatipn of water-steam, the abundant exhaust waste of the steam-engine, difliculties of lubrication,- &c., are one and all avoided by my invention.

The cycle I propose can be performed more or less satisfactorily with almost any liquid yielding expansive vapor belowthe tempera-. ture at which water boils; but in developing most power with most compact apparatus it is essential to use a compound which has a maximum amount of latent heatwhich I find in practice most available forthis purpose is anhydrous ammonia, .the boilingpoint of which, at' atmospheric pressure, appreaches closely to 344 centigrade. At 0 centigrade its vapor tension is 3,183.34millimeters, or about *four atmospheres, while'at 10 it attains to 4,574.03 millimeters, or six atmospheres. Whenthe mean temperature attains 20 centigrade no less a pressure is exerted than 6,387.78 millimeters, or nine atand at 30.centigrade, or'tropical ten and one-half atmospheresiu tension. Since at blood-heat two hundred pounds to the square inch-is available, it is evident that the usual temperature of' ocean or river water is most desirable in practice and best, in my opinion, when below 20 centigrade.

he latent heat of ammonia is about 900 as against 960 'for water. It is .this latent heat which Iuse in developing energy. so as .to reduce the amount of rejected heat to a minimum and obtain a maximum rate of tion. Although high pressures are attainable atlow temperatures, it will always be found best in practice to work below rathor'than. over one hundred pounds to the square inch.

From the fact that I-utilize heat in this system downward to 0 ccnti grade and below to-' ward absolute zero, I propose, for convert The agent I I liquefacan apparatus adapted to carry'into effect my invention. I wish it to be understood, however, that I do not restrict myself to the particnlar construction and combination of parts which compose the apparatus, for these may be varied to suit special conditions, so long as the apparatus as a whole is adapted to carry on}; the cycle of operations hcreinbetorc speci-' Figure 1 is a side elevatiompartly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a section on line as m, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 1 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view of a modification hereinafter referred to.

The engine shown in the drawings is a den: ble-cylinder rotary engine, B being the first or high-pressure cylinder, and B the second or low-pressure cylinder, into which the first cylinder exhausts through pipe (1. ,As seen in section, Fig. 3, the gas or vapor enters the cylinder B through the valve a and sliding division-port a, which runs incontac-t with the eccentric rotary piston C in the usual way. The admission-valve is operated from the rocking valve-rod a? in the usual way,sa id rod having an arm, a, which bears against the rotating adjustable cutoff cam b, whose shaft b is r0- tated through the medium of eccentrics and connecting-rods from the main shaft D in'the ordinary manner. The exhaust-portof the first cylinder is shown at d in communication with the exhaust-pipe d, which leads to the gasor vapor admitting valve of the second cylinder, 13. The latter, with its accessories, is similar, except in size, to the first cylinder, B, the shaft D being common to both, and the two cylinders are combined together the same way as the two cylinders of anordinary compound or doub e-cylinder rotary englue.

The pipe 0 conducts vapor to the primary cylinder B from the dome A. of the part A, which, for convenience sake,

will be termed the boiler, hereinafter described.

The exhanstpipe f from the second cylinder, B, leads into the closed exhaust-vessel E. This vessel receives, through the exhaust-pipe the liquefied vapor and gas from the-second cylinder. f

From the upper part of the exhaust-vessel leads a pipe, g, to the larger cylinder, .F, of a compound or double cylinder rotary pump, F F, driven by the rotary shaft D. The larger of these pump-cylinders is shown in section. in

and which will be Fig. 4., The smaller or high-pressure cylinder,"

F, with its accessories, is the counterpart of the other, and has its induction-port in communication with thceduction-port of the larger cylinder through the intermediary of I pipe h. The eduction-port of the smaller cylinder, F, communicates, through pi pc h, with the space in 'boilcr A, which receives the liquid from which the motor-gas or vapor is to be generated. The pump being of known description, and the arrows in Fig. 4 indicating plainly the direction of motion and the induction and passing through the for operation in theliquefiable gas or it, rises. In so doing it lifts a eduction, further description of this instrumentality is unnecessary.

Boiler A is a metallic shell, containing at each end an inner hollow head, A, and'a space, z, between that head and the outer head, A, to receive the liquid-preferably water-which takes the place of fuel as aheater for the liquid ammonia. Pipes j lead from one space i to the other, passing through without having communication with the hollow inner heads, A. Into the space 1' on one side enters the water-induction pipe 1', and from the opposite space 1' leads a water-eduction pipe, 1". Water entering through pipe i will circulate through spaces 11 and pipes j, and will pass out through a. The interiors k of the in communication by means ofpipes I, each of which surrounds'concentricallyone of the pipes j, and is suflicientlylarger to leave between it and the pipej an annular space, through which the ammonia can pass from vone space k to the other. The water is permitted by proper means to circulate, not only through pipes j, but also around the exterior of the ammonia- .pipes z. Alternatin partitions m are formed in the spaces 7:, so that the ammonia-vapor" shall be caused to follow a tortuous path in pipes l and spaces k.

The edu ion-pipe ,h' from the pump leads into the lower part 0 one of the spaces 1:, and through this pipe. the pump discharges into the ammonia-space of the boiler Aany amniouia vapor or gas that may be in the exhaustvessel E. v v

From the bottom of the exhaust-vessel leads a pipe, 12., which communicates with the lower part ofthe otherone of the spaces k, and through this pipe is conducted from the exhaust into the boiler the ammonia which has liquefied by reason of the conversion of its heat into mechanical energy. In order to force the liquid into theboilerI makeuseofan injector, (indicated at G,)'nsing as motive power therein a jet of ammonia gas or vapor athigh pressure, obtained from. an auxiliary boiler is supplied with ammoniaby means of a small steam or other powcr-driyen .pump, I, which draws the supply of ammonia needed from some suitable part of the apparatus-in this instance from the lower part of boiler A, through a pipe, 0, and forces it in to theauxiliary boiler through pi pc 0. The boiler His stayed by bolts or-tic-rods p, to resist pressure, and heat is supplied to the ammoniait contains by vmeans of a system of piping, r s. Heated watcr, supplied from any suitable source, enters the space r through pipes r, thence passes up through the pipes r, thencc'down through the outer coneentric'pipes, a, which are closed at their upper ends, into space '8, and out through pipe 8. Am monia-va por at high pressure can be thus generated, the vapor passing from the boiler to the in jcctor through a pipe, t. In the pipe t, or upper part of the boiler, is a regulating or safety when the pressure exceeds the prescribed limpivoted lever,

hollow heads A are ammonia-boiler, H. This valve, t, which, I

[: for instance, to one-tenth of the stroke.

t", attached to'a connecting-rod, t, which at its. lower end, is attached to the valve '0', that reguto be understood without further explanation.

Theoperation is as. follows: The ammonia gas or vapor passes from the boiler into thesmaller or high-pressure cylinder, where it is worked expansively, the cut-oil being adj usteId,

11 thus expanding and doing work the gas parts with its "heat to a considerable extent. It

thence exhausts into the second or lower pressure-cylinder,.where it is cut off at,-'say, one- :0 half the stroke,'and is thus caused to dofurther work expansively. The resnltis thatgthe vapor, by. the time it passes from the second cylinder into the exhaust, has been almost entirely liquefied, only an exceedinly small pm 2 5 portion of the ammonia retaining vaporousform. The engine thus may be said to act not only as amotor, but as the condenser. From the exhaust-vessel the ammonia is,.-by'means of the compound pump and injector, forced back into the boiler to be again broughtto the condition of a motor gas or vapors In Fig. 5 is represented in further illustration of my invention, a plan of an apparatus in which acompound reciprocating engine and compound reciprocating pump 'are em ployed instead of the rotary engine and pump.

' In this apparatus the high and low pressure cylinders are horizontal, and in each cylinder the exhaust on each side ofthe reciprocating piston leads from thelowest part or bottom of the cylinder, so that the liquefied ammonia can be conducted off without difiiculty. The lettered parts in this figure indicate parts which correspond in function to like lettered parts in the preceding figures. The compound engine and pump require no detailed description, be-

ingconstructed and arranged in a manner similar to compound reciprocating steam engines and pumps which have heretofore been used.

*In order to keep the'pumpcylinders cool they are preferably surrounded by a waterjacket, as indicated at E, Fig. 4. The cooling liquid enters at w, and is discharged at one or the other of the openings 14;.

In order to shield. the exhaust-vessel from the heat of surrounding objects, I inclose it in a metallic tank, J. The confined air within vessel J forms a good non-conductor of heat.

'It will be found desirablein many cases to have one or more vessels accessory to the exhaustvessel, in which a vacuum may be main;

tained or absorbents held for the purpose of relieving the exhaust-vessel or of emptying any part of themachine, as circumstances may require. Such a vessel, which may be called an absorber, is shown in Fig. 1, at K, placed in the same tank J which contains the exhaustvessel. It is constructed for .the most part like a tubular boiler, the tubes ybeingintended for the circulation of warm water or other heating medium. 'A pipe, z, leadingfrom-the illlllllOIlli\- S[f-l08 of the boiler or exhaust or other suitable part of the apparatus enters the vessel, and is perforated, as shown .at z, tp permit ammonia topass therefrom into'the vessel, which is to be filled with someabsorbentof ammonia. This. vessel is intended to serve as a place where the ammonia can be stored temporarily when access is to be had to any part of the interior of the apparatus.

By properly regulating the cocks and valves .with which the apparatus is provided the ammonia canbediverted into this vessel, where it .will be taken up and held by the absorbent. Whenever it is desired to withdraw the ammonia therefrom warm water or other heating medium is caused to circulate through the tubes or heating-space of the vessel. This causes the vaporization of the ammonia, and said vapor is carried oil by the pump through the valve or cock-controlled pipe z,- which communicates at one end with the upper part of the vessel K and at the other end with the pipe 9.

I remark that, in lieu of the injector a forcepnmp, such as pump 1, can be used to force liquid directly from the exhaust into the boiler. In fact, there arev various means-by whichthe equilibrium may be permanently disturbed, so that the exhaust may, during the operation of the engine, discharge into the boiler.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s V 1. The method of'condensing a liquefiable gas or' vapor '(the product of a liquid of low boiling-point) used as a motor-fluid in a thermo-dynamic engine,\vhich consistsin working said gas or vapor expansively to the extehtof more or less complete liquefaction in giving motion to the engine, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. The method herein described of using a liqueiiable gas or vapor (the product of aliquid of low boiling-point) as a 'motor-fluidfor engines, which consists in working said vapor or gas in the engine cxpansively to the extent of more or less complete liquefaction, then exhausting the vapor thus liquefied. into'a suitable recciver, thence conveying it to a boiler where it is subjected to the low degree ofheat needed to bring it agaiu'to the condition of a motor gas orvapor, and thence returning it to the engine to again go through the same cycle of operations, substantially as hereinbefore set forth. 3. The combination 'of an engine proper, in

which a liqucfiable gas or vapor is worked expansively to the extent of liquefaction, so that said engine shall serve not only-as motor, but {3 as condenser, a. closed exhaust-vessel which receives the liquefied gas or vapor from the engine-eylinder,a boiler, and means, substantially as described, for forcing the contents of said exhaust-vessel directly to the boiler, the combination being and acting substantially as hereinbet'ore set forth. 4. In a thermo-dynmnic engine, in which a Iiquefiabie gas is used as the motor-fluid, substantially as specified, the combination, with the engine-cylinder, of a closed liquefied gesreceiver or exhaust-vessel pro ected by a noneondncting covering; from the heat of the environment.

5. In a thermo-dynmnie engine, vessels ascessory to the exhaust-vessel in-whieh a menum may be maintained or absorbents held for the purpose of relieving the exhaust-vessel at 4 any moment, or emptying any part of the mar 5 chine, as circumstances may demand. substantiaiiy as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of February A. D. 1881.

JOHN GAMGEE.

Witnesses E. A. DICK, BAILEY,

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