US1023819A - Power-producing process. - Google Patents

Description

P. DANCKWARDT,

POWER PRODUGING PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. a. 1911.

lg. Panted Apr. 23, 1912.

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APPLICATION FILED APR. a. 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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P. DANGKWARDT.

POWER PRODUGING PROCESS. APPLIUATION FILED APR. s, 1911.

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PAUL DANCKWARDT, OF GALENA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

POWEB-PRODUCING- PROCESS.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Patenten npr. saisie.

Application led. april e, 1911. vSerial No. 619,877.

To all whom ztmay concern:

Be it known that l, PAUL DANcnwAnn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galena, county of Lawrence, and State of South Dalrotai` have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Prc- Processes and l do declare the fol- Y lowing to be a full,- clear, and exact description of the invention,'such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom an ing drawings, and to the characters oprelibrence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a power-produc ing process, and it-may be considered an improvement on the process sat forth in my previous Patent, No. 933,022, issued August 31, 1909.

The object of my present invention is to produce more power from a 'ven amount of h eat thanis possible by roilowing my prevlous process.

This invention involves a new principle in so far as instead of one s-forming dui as set forth in the aforesaid patent), which consists of a single substance of a` particular boiling point, several gas-formin uids of varying boiling points are use' these iuids being made up either of fracti ns of a mixture of several substances of diii'erent boiling points, as can be obtained by a fractional distillation. or they may be of different chemical composition, but must con tain certain qualities, as hereinafter described. The process further differs from that set forth in my said patent, in so far as the circulating medium is heated in portions of the apparatus employed, to different temperatures, in order to render it possible to utilize the latent heat of the exhaust gases of the preceding portion or unit of the apparatus, for the generation of power in the following unit. It will be seen that with sucha change in the. process, a much larger percentage of thc heat can be converted into useful power than in any other way.

The apparatus hereinafter described for carrying out In improved process, is a modification of t at illustrated in my aforesaid patent -ior the practice ofthe process covered thereby.

It consists of a' number of units as described in my previous patent, such changes, however, being embodied therein as have been found practicable and useful in such a combination.

The principal change `in the apparat-us consists in the fact that the condenser is placed on top ofthe apparatus, whereby I am enabled to perform the'work without any pumps, as the condensed fluid can thus force its way back into the apparatus by means of its own gravity. The object of combining a number of units is to utilize the waste next one. The heat lost in my former apparatus is principally latent heat, and it is this which I intend to recover and utilize for the production of a greater amount of powerv in my improved process. I obtain this result by the use of a separate gas forming `fluid of a lower boiling point in each succeeding unit, so that the heat ven up by the condensation of the next higher boiling uid, is suii'icient to volatilize the next lower boiling iiuid. Any heat added besides this can, of course, generate still more gas.

Having briefly outlined myv improved process, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, and in so doing will explain a Isuitable apparatus for carrying out or practicing the same, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which 1s illustrated an embodiment thereof.

ln this drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through an .apparatus equipped for practicing my process where a. single circulating fluid is employed. Fig.

2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a suitable apparatus for carrying out the process where different circulating fluids are employed in different units of the apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. l and 2, let the numerals 5, 6 and 7 designate three units which, except the condensers, are inclosed by a wall 8, pretcrabty com posed of briclrworlr. ln the bottom. of they by `this wall is placed aV chamber inclosed number of iron boxes 9 having lower compartments l0. From these compartments protrude pipes l2 which extend upwardly into larger pipes 13, whose upper extremities are secured in the bottom plates 14 of the iron top boxes 15. A larger pipe 16 connects the interior ofv each top box with motors 11 below, the motors being located outside of the casing. Discharge pipes 17 communicating with the lower extremities of the pipes 16, pass outwardly through the wall of the chamber and communicate With the motors, a shortreturn pipe 18 being employed to return the circulating medium to the iron box 9 of the unit. Condensers 19 are placed'on top of the brickwork directly above the respective units 5, 6 and 7. Gas pipes 2O lead from the tops of the respective boxes into the condensing chambers 19, while pipes Q1 provided with valves 22, form conduits for the passage of condensed fluids from the condensing chambers into the lower compartments of the bottom boxes 9. By operating the valves 22' of pipes 21, all jointly', the machine can be shut down quickly. -For this purpose the valves should be suitably connected to facilitate the operation. This detail is not illustrated, as nothing is claimed on the apparatus in this application.

On the extreme right-hand side of'the apparatus, there is an extra condenserlilre vessel 23, which serves as a cooler for a part of `the circulating fluid. This cooler has inlet and outlet pipes 24 and 25 for cold water, Through the cooler passes part of the circulating fluid, the latter entering the cooler by a pipe 26 communicating with a pump 27 by means of which the fluid passes directly into the cooler through a pipe 28. The circulating medium leaves the cooler through a pipe 29 and passes first into the top 30 of the condenser farthest to the right. After the circulating fluid enters the top chamber 30 of the condenser, it passes downwardly through the pipes 31, all of which communicate with abottom chamber 32, whence this fluid passes through a pipe 33 to the bottom 320i' the nextJ condenser, thence upwardly through the pipes 31 of the last named condenser, into the top chamber 30 of the same, thence through a top pipe 34 into the top chamber 30 of the condenser farthest to the left, thence downwardly through the pipes 31 ofthe last named condenser into the bottom `chamber 32, and

thence downwardly from the said chamber to a pipe 35 into the chamber 36 of the iron box 9 surrounding the pipes 12 and comn'iunicating with the pipes 13 heretofore described.

In case the circulating fluid consists of plain water, the cooler 23 can be dispensed with, as in that case the cold water may be led directly into the last condenser, or that farthest to the right, and thence in succession toward the left through all of them and enter the bot-torn box of the first unit or that tor feed pipes 16 ofeach unit with the bottom box of the next following unit. All the units are separated one from another,by

partition walls 38 preferably formed of sheet metal, leaving openings 39 alternately near the top and bottom of the units for the heating medium, which enters the opening 40, to pass thro igh. All the turbines or Inotors 11 are mounted on the same shaft 41, supported in bearings 42. Pipes 43 provided With valves 44, serve for supplying the circulating medium and for regulating the level of it, While at suitable places (not shown), water gages and thermometers may be provided for a more perfect control. Pipes 45 .with valves 46 serve for filling said condensers with gas-forming fluid, and pipes 47 for withdrawing it from the bottom compartments 10 of the iron boxes 9, when desirable. The opening 40 in the wall 8 serves for introducing heat as heretofore explained. This heat may be fromany desired source. The heated' gases or products of combustion are discharged through a pipe 48 communicating with the heating chamber at the upper-right-hand corner, or a part of the chamber extremity remote from the opening 40 Where the heat enters.

In order to operate the apparatus, I lill allthe units With circulating fluid through pipes 43, to a suitable level. As a circulating-fluid, any fluid not reacting chemically with the substances of the gas-forming fluid, may be chosen. It may-be, for instance, plain water, or better, a solution of a heavy substance in water or any other solvent, or an easily 'fusible metal or alloy, or any solid, fused at the working temperature, the

advantage of the latter ones consisting principally in their higher specific gravity, which allows the apparatus to be built on a much smaller scale in proportion to the same power. I further introduce into each condenser, through pipes 45, a certain amount of gas-forming fluid. Each unit will receive a specific gas-forming fluid of a boiling pointl somewhat below the temperature of the circulating fluid contained in that particular unit. To explain this better, let us suppose that I keep the circulating fluid in the different ulnits at the following temperatures, beginning with the one on the left-hand as the first one: 950.,

ser, 83, 770, 71, 650, 59,- 530, 4.70 and 41; and. presuming that I employ ten units altogether. New I will select ten` gas-fornilGl differing from each other chemically and physically, or they may be made up partially or altogether by varying mixtures of the same compounds, but such mixtures must have the characteristic of the 'required difference in their boiling points, and they must not react chemically Wit-h the circulating tluid. i

The organic world offers a large number of suitable bodies, among which I will mention as cheap and practicable, the hydrocarbons, principally those contained in the coal oils, tar, oils, alcohols, ethers, ketones, carbon lai-sulfur, etc. Among the unorganic compounds, I will ment-ion Water, ammonia, mixtures of gases and Water, or other solvents. Any substance or mixture of several, Whether organic or unorganic, may be used as long as it has and does not react chemically with the circulating fluid. Y

Having supplied the apparat-us with the finids, I turn on the Water to the cooler by opening valves of pipes 24 and 25. lI then cause the vheating medium which may be of any description, preferably Waste heat, to enter the opening 40. This will raise the temperature of all the units to the desired points. The gas-forming fluids will, upon the opening of the valve-s of pipes 21, enter by their own gravity, the lower compartments 10 of the bottom boxes, and coming into contact with the iron plates and pipes surrounded by the hotter circulating fluid, will bc'converted into gas, Which forces its 'Way -up into the large pipes 13, lifting the Water contained therein into the upper boxes 15, trom Where it will tall into the dovvnwa rd pipes Y1G.

When starting the apparatus for the iirst finie, the valves 4G of pipes L1:3 remain open,

znnlil all tln` air contained in the apparatus lits been expelled. ,is the lett-hand pipes :uw new lai'; 'f-lv lillvd willi gaa, the pressure in the big pipes, being all filled with a heavy lian?, will l'nrm the turbines or nintors 1l to rij-volvo, while part of the circulating' ilui'tl will be forced to enter the neighboring box l) of the second unit through the pipe 3i", the pressure being there less than in the room above the turbine or motor. Thus a part of the desired boiling point,

the circulating Huid will pass from the hottest unit through thev Whole row of'units, imparting its heatt-o those -units and thereby assisting them to keep up' their temperatures to the points .required for continuing the evaporating process, Without receiving much additional heat from the heating gases.v If this were not the case the temperatures of these units would soon fall below the boiling points of the gas-forming fluids. That part of the circulating fluid which has traveled thus from the first to the last unit leaves the latter one through the pipe 2G, enteringthe pump 27 at a temperature somewhat above that of the boiling point of the respective gas-forming fluid, in my case ati about v 41 centigrade. In passing through tie cooler, its temperature is lowered to a oint (about 30 in my case) at which it Will be able to serve itself as a cooling fluid for the last condenser, for the gas-v forming fluid. of the last unit was to'have a boiling point of 36 centigrade. lThis will theret'orev condense bycoming .into contact with the Walls of the condenser on the other side of which the 30 fluid is circulating. By condensing, the gas gives off its latent heat to the circulating fluid, raising its temperature by several degrees, according to the quantity made to circulate through the row of condensers, in my case about 33"l to 34'. At this temperature the luid entersthe following condenser, Where it undergoes a similar process of exchange of heat with the gas condensing there, and so on. In each condenser the temperature 'of the circulating fluid is raised by picking up the latent heat of' the condensing gases. When it leaves the condenser of the first unit it will have acquired, in my case, 87 centigrade; therefore has nearly recovered -all the heat it lost by passing'through theunits from left lto right. Oilily a small amount of additional heat need to be added to make good the loss, While in the apparatus I first patented, all the latent heatl was lost, and I recom/mended therefore to use a gas-forming fluid of as small a latent heat as possible. In this modified process, the largest part of the latent heat is saved or utilized for producing power. To make this advantage clearer, I will consider it somewhat in detail.

The average percentage of heat converted into power by gasifying a fluid and causing it to do work in a heat engine, is eight per cent. whenexhausting into a, vacuum. This means that if' I supply a certain amount of heat to the first unit, I get eight per cent. useful work out of the gas, and 92 per cent. Will be lost in other losses considered here), of the gas formed. 'ln my case, however, this gas being condensed, surrenders this latent he! a ltemperature of about latent heat (no to the condensing fluid, which returns it to the system. If I now suppose no other heat were available for producing power in the next following unit than this ninety-two per cent. returned into the system, I could convert there in the second unit another eight'per cent. of the ninety-two per cent. left r saved, which is equal to 7.36 per cent. of the total heat, and in the following other amounts, diminishing in the order: 6.7 7 per cent., 0.22 per cent., 5.73 per cent., 5.27 per cent., 4.85 per cent., 4.46 'per cent., 4.10 per cent. and 3.78 per cent.` The amounts saved in more than ten units would be so small as to appear negligible for practical purposes, but in ten units I convert 56.5 per cent. of the total heat introduced into the system, into useful work. There are, still other advantages in placing several units in series, one of which is the larger range of temperature between sources of heat and the last condenser, which is a lead ing item for the efficiency of any heat en.- gine. The larger this the better, particularly also for the reason that greater differences of temperatures between the units may be, established, which secures ay better condensation and allows the condensers to be built smaller. In this connection I will mention expressly that there are better combnations of circulating fluids andl gasfoiming fluids than the above case presumes. A combination which affords a wide range of temperature betweenA ,the source of heat and last condenser, and consequently also between each two units, is that of a metal or an alloy as a circulating fluid in the first units, beginning with about 400 centigrade down to about 200O centigrade, from where the following units might contain a solution of a salt 1n glycerin as a circulating medium, and vthe last ones from 100o centigrade on downward a solution of a salt in water. Or the first metal may be followed by mercury to the last unit. To obtain gas-forming fluids for such a wide range of temperature, the natural coaloil can be subjected to fractional distillation and suitable fractions cut out and used for'that purpose, or may be mixed with other substances, or other substancesto pass any farther than the last unit coni taining the saine circulating medium, and

the second one not beyond the last unit filled with that particular fluid. The pipe 3T therefore, connecting t-he last unit containing the metal or alloy with the first unit containing the glycerin solution', and

however,

also the same pipe 37 connecting the last glycerin unit with the first water unit, will have to be provided with a separate pump 49, which discharges the fluid through a pipe into the condenser of the preceding unit, 'from where it passes on through tho others as in the former case, serv-ing thus as the condensing medium for all but the last condenser of the set of units containing the saine circulating medium. The condenser of the last unit of each set of units run on either metal or glycerin respectively, will receive as a condensing. fluid that coming from the next following condenser as in the case before, but the fluid after having picked up the latent heat of the condensed gas, is made to return into its lown system or set of units by connecting a pipe 51 of each box with the bottom box 2 of the suc ceeding unit, at a point 'where a pipe 37 would otherwise enter. 'possible to transfer the waste (latent) heatof the preceding unit to the next following one, at the point where the two sets of units meet, and where the connecting pipes the case of a single circulating fluid. The feature of the process last described is illustrated in Fig. 3, in which two umts sisting of two members of the kind designated units in the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Another feature of advantage of this improved process, is the low pressure at' which the apparatus can be run without suffering in efficiency. In the first case heretofore described, the pressure will be around one atmosphere 'ahsd lute, which means that thepressure inside sure of the atmosphere. This circumstance allows the apparatus to he built of cheap explosions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: n

1. A process Vof producing power which consists in heating several circulating@ fluids /ad several gas-forming fluids -to dierent temperatures, the gas-forming fluids having boiling points lower than the temperatures of the corresponding circulating fiuids, causing the gases formed to react mechanically with the circulating fluids so that the latter will acquire-velocity, utilizing the energy of the circulating fluids for the production of power, and condensing the gases in order to repeat the operation.

2. The process of producing power, which consists in introducing gas-forming fluids into' several separate heated bodies of circulat-ing fluid having varying temperatures,

thereby Iimparting motion to the latter, the

In this way it `is for the. circulating fluid had to be removed,

through which the heat is transferred in.

only are shown, each` unit, however, coni of the system equals nearly the outside presmaterial and avoids dangers of leaks and l isti ' boiling gas-forming fluid introduced into each heated body of circulating fluid having a point lower' than the temperature of the said heated body of circulating fluid into which it is introduced, condensing the exhaust gases, and utilizing the energy of the motive fluid for the production of power, substantially as described.

The process of producing power which consists in heating portions of a circulating.

fluid below its boiling point, the temperature of the said portions gradually falling ofl". introducing into them portions of a mixture of other fluids, the boiling points of which are lower than that of the corresponding portions of the circulating fluid, thereby creatingA gas, condensing the gas continually', and utilizing the gas pressure for the production of Ipower.

4. The process of producing power which consists in heating circulating fluids and gas-forming fluids, the boiling points of the latter being lower than the temperatures to which the circulating fluids are heated, the temperatures of each gradually falling od allowing the fluids to react calorifically and mechanically on each other, so that the circulating fluids acquire velocity, condensing the exhaust gases, and utilizing the energy of the moving fluids for the productionl of power.

5. The process of producing power which consists in heating a circulating liquid and a gas-forming fluid, the boiling point of the latter being lower than that of the former, allowing them to react calorically and Ineclianically on each other, so tha-tthe circu- .cng fluid acquires velocity, causing fresh amounts of gas-forming fluid of a lower boiling point than that of the first one to react calorically and mechanically with Y fresh portions of circulating fluid, and a part of the old one, at a lower temperaturethan that of the first step, thereby creating more gas, repeating this as often as gas can be generated by the remaining heat, condensing the exhaust gases, and utilizing the energy ofthe moving fluids for thelproduction of power. a

6. The process of producing power which consists in bringing gas-forming fluids intov contact with circulatin'g fluids' having temperatures higher than the boiling points. of

ing all in order to volatilize the gas-forming Huids, thereby imparting velocity to the circulating fluids, condensing the gases, and

utilizing the energy of the moving fluids for the production of' power.

7 rThe process of producing power which consists in'heating several bodies of circulating fluid to temperatures tgarying from each other and falling ofi gradually, bringing into contact with each one of them a gas-forming fluid or a portion of a mixture of gas-forming substances, the boiling point of each gas-forming fluid entering a certain circulating fluid, being below that of the temperature to which the respective circulating fluid is heated, thereby the exhaust gases, and utilizing the energy of the moving fluids for the production of power.

' 8. The process of producing ower which consists in heating circulating uids or portions of one circulating duid to temperatures gradually falling ofi', introducing into each one of them a.. articular gas-forming Huid or a portion o a mixture of gas-forming 'substances of a definite boiling point lower than the temperature to which the correv spending circulating duid is heated, thereby gasifying the former and 1in rting motion to the circulating Huid, allowing part of the volatilizingthe gas-forming fluid and imparting velocity to the circulating fluid, condensing circulating fluid of each'higher te portion to flow over into the ne'bori i portion of lower temperature, thereby sup-l i plying the largest part of heat needed for the further evaporization of tirages-forming fluids, causing a corresponding part of circulating fluid of lowest temperature to be cooled so that it may be used. as a condensing fluid for the gases, returning it to the first portion of the circulating duid after having picked up all the latent heat of the gases, and utilizing the energy of the moving fluids for the production of power.

9. The process of producing power which consists in heatin circulating fluids to teinperatures graduali into each one of them gas-forming substance having definite boi ing points lower than the temperature to whichthe Acirculating duid is heated, thereby volatilizing the latter and imparting velocity to the circulating fluids, condensing the 'gases continually and causing the latent heat of them to supply the largest part of the heat needed forA the continuance -of the process, and utilizing the energy of the moving fluids for the production of power.

10;y The process of producinofipower which consists in heating portions oiJ one circulat-` ing fluid to diderent temperatures, these falling oft' gradually, introducing into them the gases generated from other fluids of boiling points lower than the temperature of the corresponding portion of the circulating duid, thereby imparting velocity to the circulating fluids, condensing the exhaust gases in a way by which at thesaine time the latent heat of the gases is recovered, and utilizing the energy of the moving fluids for the production of? power.

l1. The process of producing power which consists in heating several circulating fluids` y falling ofi, introducing f I ilo to dierent temperatures, 'these falling of l is recovered, and utilizing the energy of the gradually, introducinginto them the ases moving fluids for the produotion of power. 10 generated from other fluids of lower boiling In testimony whereof I afix my signature points than the temperatures of the'correin presence of two witnesses.

sponding circulating fluids, thereby impart- PAUL DANCKNARD'I.

ing velocity to the circulating fluids, con- 1Witnesses: densingthe exhaust gases in :i way by which ROBERT N. Geom: et the same time the latent heat of the gases C. A. Con.

@spies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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