US1176207A - Process of and apparatus for producing power. - Google Patents

Description

W. L.v DEMPSEY.

PROCESS 0F AND AEPARATUS FOR PRODUCING POWER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1u 1913 Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

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W. L. DEMPSEY.

PROCESS F AND APPARATUS FOR PRoDuclNG P0wER.-

APPLlCATION FILED lULY ll. 1913- l 176,207'.4 4 Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

. rnociisss or AND APPARATUS Fon. PnoDUcINe rownn.

immo?- speciac'ation of Letters Patent.

Application mea my 11,1913. serialNo.'7713,532. i f y To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM a 'citizen of the United States, and a resident of Somerville, in the county of Middle- L. DEMPsnY,v

more compact, more economical, lighter and more eiicient than. any with which 'I am familiar.

"To such ends lv have devised a process Patented Mar.. ai, raie.

60 sex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, wherein the initial energy of an exploding have made certain new and useful Improvecharge 1s utilized for the .production of ments in Processes o f and Apparat-us for power, and then such partly `expanded Producing Power, of which the following is charge is delivered to a separate but cona full and exact description. nected power-producing means for securing 65 10. As is well known, the usual types of in-4 the balance of power contained in such ternal combustion engines, while much more charge. Y economical than steam engines for the pro- My process further consists fin cooling byv duction of power, are nevertheless quite,` means of a fluidthe inner surface o'f the wasteful of thermal` units, and hence of rst power-producing means, and in utiliz- 70 A power, in several ways. In the rst place, ing the energy of such vaporized iuid for the high degree of heat produced by the exthe propulsion of the second power-proplosion, or instantaneous combustion, of the dupmg means; and also in coolingby a suitcharge, is ordinarily gotten-rid of-V-that is," ab e fluid the partly exploded charge on its thrown' away,-either by direct radiation, way to the second power-producing means, .75 or by a water jacket, or both, and no ,power `and utllizlng the energy of such vaporized is derived from such wasted thermal units. Huid for added. propulsive-edort. In the secondl place, the thermal units-con- The mechanism I have devised for carry tained lin the? exhaust, and the residual ing my process intolefect consists essentially power contained therein, are also usually of a reciprocating engine geared toa tur- 30 wasted, particularly inengines for motive bine engine so that the latter will rotateat power purposes.' Moreover',the usual types a far higher speed, and adapted to discharge lof internal'combustion engines do not furits exploded charge to the vanes of the tur, nish a constant torque, or turning eect, bine at anearly point of the reciprocating upon the lcrank shaft, but apply the power engines stroke; the reciprocating engines 35 derived from the explosive charge in an incylinder being preferably constructed to take- 'termittent or spasmodic way. It is also less in air, or water, or both, before the terminaeffective than it would be if a heavier charge tion of its working stroke, and where water could be drawn into the cylinder at each is taken in, to deliver the steam therefromto I charging stroke of 'the piston. the vanes of the turbine for the` development 90 The purpose lof my invention is the deof further power and the diverging nozzle, vising of a process, and the construction of through which the exhaust from the recipro mechanism for -carrying the same into effect, .eating engine to the turbine is conducted, whereby to conserve a' large proportion of being further adapted to' be'cooled by water l the thermal units' ordinarily 'lost as above and to deliver steam generated by such cool- 95 40 recited, and to convertfthe same into power. ing as added propulsive means for the -tul- My purpose is further the effecting of bine. l K y means whereby an almost constant ltorque or Referring to the drawings forming part turning action will be exerted uponl the of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional crank shaft, and for charging. the cylinder plan view on the line Y-Y in Fig. 2 of an 100 with a heavier charge than 4has'heretofore engine embodying V'my improvements and been done. l f'fv adapted forv carrying my process'into effect. vFurther ypurposes are .'the1pr`vi'sion of Fig.V 2 is across section ofthe same on the -means-for ooli'n'g. the combustion chamber line-X-X in Fig. -1. Fig. 3 is a perspective from withnand the utilization ofthe cool'- View .of a portion of the turbine cylinder, 105 ing substance for'the immediateiproduction -showing azpartvof onel of the stationary vane -of power; theconstruction of a. turbine en rmembers.` Fig.` 4 is a perspective view 4of gine driven'by'an explosive charge, and the one of the drums or wheels composing a part .effecting of means forlower'ing the temperaof the rotor ofthe turbine. Fig. 51s a sectureof the explodingcharge beforeitfenters tional view'on a somewhat larger scale than 110 f5 the turbine cylinder; and, A`finally, the con- Fig.' 1, of a portion of a vreciprocating engine struction` of an engine wine@ 1s simpler, cylmder and itsvalve. Fig. 6 isa longituis a cross section of the same. Fig.8 .is a A cross section of the turbine engine.

' In carrying my processinto effect, 1 prefer to employ .two kauxiliary power and charging cylinders of substantially a' well known reciprocating two-cycle type, coacting with a single turbine cylinder or rotor. Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate such an arrangement, the reference numeral 1 designating the reciprocating cylinders; 2, the trunk pistons connected by pitmen 3 to a common crank shaft 4; 5, the movable vane-members of the turbine, and 6 the shaft thereof connected@ to said common shaft 4 by bevel gears 7, 8 adapted to permit the shaft 6 nearly ten times the speed of said crank shaft.

From a point of each cylinder 1 to be uncovered by its piston immediately after half working-stroke, extends a divergingnozzle 9 adapted to deliver `the discharge from said cylinders to the vanes of the turbine;.each nozzle being controlled by a piston valve 10 operated by a cam 11 on the crank shaft. The case 12 of each piston valve' is provided with' a chamber 13 kept full-of water from a. receptacle 14 communicating through a pipe 15 entering the lioor'of the chamber. As shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7, water is admittedjwithin the passage way 16 through i each piston valve by means of a small vent 17 coactingwith a port 19 through the case 12 at a certain point of the valves travel.

Each cylinder v1 is formed with a port 2O normally closed y -a puppet valve 21, the stem 22 ofl which. s formed to act as aneedle valve for closing simultaneously the water pipe 23. 'When said valve is opened, as by a .vacuum 'Within the cylinder, both air and water are admitted together.

Within the turbine case 25 are a Vseries of movable vane-members 5 'fixed upon the shaft 6- and rotative therewith, while fixed to the interior of said case are the stationary vane-members 26, shown in Fig. 3, posi- `tioned between the movable vanes but not in i actual contact therewith. To inclose the open inner ends of the vanes 2 6, drums 27 Y (Fig. 4) are fixed on the shaft 6, as shown in Fig. 1. j Hence when a blast of gas strikes the nearer movable vanes in a direction substantially parallel with Ithe. shaftv 6, such blast .will react between the movablevanes tionary manner, until all the power resid- ,ing in the blast'has been consumed andthe shaft is rotating with its maximum' speer. As shown in Fig. 2, I `preferto have the nozzles'9 eonnectwith the head of the tur-- bine case at diametrically .opposite oints.

The steps of my processare asfo ows: In' starting the engine, the clutch 30 is thrown.v

'to unclutch the turbine section, and the cocks a 31 are clqsed to shut off the water from the Y pipes 23. Then the shaft 4 is cranked up in the usual manner, sucking in air through the ports 20, then forcing a charge from`the crank cases 32 into the cylinders 1 to mix with such air, until proper ignition causes an explosion of one or. both charges and the reciprocating cylinders begin to operate.`

The exhaust fromthe cylinders discharges into the turbine, but, the latter being unclutc'hed and running idle, gives no resist` ance to the exhaust nor to the starting of the crank shaft and connected parts. The cocks 31 are left closed until after the turbine has been clutched to the shaft 4, and the cylinders begin to get-quite hot, then the water is turned on and permitted to spray into-the cylinders for cooling them. Now, immedii ately after a piston begins its working stroke, its valve 10 opens the associated diverging nozzle 9, but the latter lremains closed by said piston until slightly past half stroke. The instant, therefore,4 that its crank reaches or' passes ,900, the diverging nozzle is-unclosed and the exhaust permitted to .discharge to the'vanes of the turbine. So great is the velocity and consequent momentum of the outrushing gas that it leaves behind it a partial vacuum or rarelfaction sufficient' to open the pop valve and admit both air and a strong jet of Water. As.. this water strikes the surfaces within the cylinder, the great heat of the latter instantly flashes the water into steam, and such steam" pressure acts both against the piston to :aid it in the remainder of its travel, but mainly to discharge through the diverging nozzle against. the vanes of the turbine and continue the rotation of the latter.r The quantity of water thus admitted to the cylinder is adjusted for the proper cooling of the same, so l' Hence, when such mouthsV are unclosed, the

charge rushes into the cylinder and mixes with the moistened air therein, ina proportion to give a most powerful mixture. The

piston now returns, the mixture is com# pressed and ignited, and the cycle'repeated. t should be noted that by exhausting at half stroke, and then filling the cylinder with air and steam, practically every portion of thevv products of combustion are forced therefrom; whereas in the usual two cycle englne,

a considerable proportion of the exhaust re-` mains to be mixed with `the charge, and,

moreover, a quantity of the charge itself es- "capes with the exhaust before the exhaust port is closed. Hence, since in my device none of the exhaust remains to weaken the mixture, but the cylinder is filled with pure hydrocarbonV and oxygen; and, moreover, since-none of the charge escapes Afrom the cylinder, every explosion is of maximum 4 'power and economy, as compared with the usual engine. Although the action of the reciprocating cylinders is' thus made effective and economical, such cylinders are-not the primarypower-producing means of my engine, but merely preliminary ,to the operation of the turbine. Theyare in effect com- .pression chambers for the turbine, although adapted to add their quota to the powerl communicated t`o the drive shaft 4.

. In previous attempts at combining reciprocating and rotary hydrocarbon engines,

the two were geared together to run at equal numbers of revolutions per unit of time.

They have never, however, proved successful, and the reason therefor I have discovered to be the fact that, among other causes, the motion of the turbine is so slow as to be wholly without eficiency. `l have, consequently, geared the-turbine to'run several `times faster than the reciprocating cylinders,-preferably ten to one. Another cause for such inefficiency of former attempts was owing to the considerable distances-the ex` haust was required to travel to reach the turbine. In my construction 'I reduce such travel to a minimum by positioning the reciprocating cylinders parallel with the rotary cylinder and close beside the same, in prac. tice having the distances less even than illustrated in Figs. l and 2.

Another diiiiculty in connection with a turbine explosion engine is found to consist in the rapid erosion and injury to the thin vanes thereof by the intensely hot gases. To remedy this, T. have provided the water A jet entering each nozzle 9 through the small vent 17, as already described. When the piston valve 10 is presented to its open position, as it is during the first half of the y working stroke of each piston, said vent is directly above the opening- 19 (Fig. 7 of the valve case 12, and a tiny stream of water is consequently being forced by gravity into the nozzle 9 and converted by the residual heat ofthe parts into steam, which travels toward the turbine vanes. The instant the piston uncovers its nozzle 9, the exhaust from the cylinder' bursts past the vent 17Qand impinges upon the turbine vanes., adding to their velocity. -The vanes -having Aalready been'cooled somewhat by the steam, and the exhaust itself being materially reduced in temperature by 4the steam, said vanes are kept from receiving 4an excessive and injurious heating. More` over, as the exhaust shoots past' the vent 17, a suction -is produced which causes a still larger flow of Water therefrom. This also flashes into steam, further 4cooling the ex-` haust and metal parts, andgreatly increasing the volume of turbine-Operating fluid,

so that it is a fair question whether the turbine is not actuated by steam pressure more than .by gas pressure. However that may be, it is certain that a very large proportion of the heat ordinarily lost in an internal combustion engine, is in my engine converted into propulsive energy, while at the same time the engine'is saved from the explosion engines, arising from the intense heat generated -by the instantaneous combustion. v Y

, It should be noted further that the highest temperature and the maximum pressure the power communicated to said shaftby the turbine is continued from the instant of the uncovering of the nozzle until the piston completes its compression-stroke, this long continuance coming from the action of the steam on the vanes of the turbineand vthe prolonged generation of such'steam. lBy

`injurious eEects ordinarily associated with combining two such cylinders withv the turbine, not only is more power generated for the same turbine, but the torque on the crank shaft is .thereby rendered not alone continuous, but practically uniform in intensity.' 'By having the turbine run at a high velocity compared with the reciprocating engine, the former is given an eficiency wholly lacking in a slower rotor. Such speed seems also to aid in the production of the vacuum needed in the feeding in of the a'ir and water to the reciprocating turbines shaft renders it practicable to mount thereon a magneto or generator 35 for ignition and lighting purposes.

What I claim is:

cylinder. Further, the high speed of the 1. The process of producing power by in- .i

ternal combustion consisting in compressing a'combustlble mixture in acombustion chamber having a piston, ignitingl the same,

utilizing a portion'of the expansive energy to actuate the piston, releasing the partially expanded gases from the combustion cham'- yber into an expanding nozzle, interposing a body of water .in the path of said gases the velocity of thelproduct'to actuate a-rotatable power transmitting member.

2. The process of producing power by internal combustion consisting in Vcompressto cool said gasesandby its vaporization to Y increase` the volume thereof y and4 utilizing ing-a combustible mixture ina combustion chamber having a piston, igniting the same, utilizing a portion \ofl the expansive energyv to actuate thepiston, releasing the partially expanded gases from the combustion chamber into an expanding nozzle, introducing a body of water in the path of said gases to cool said ases and by its vaporization to incnasetevolume thereof, adding to the gases a further amount of water by inover-rich hydrocarbon, compressing the mixspiration and utilizing the velocity of the product to actuate a rotatable power transmitting member.'

3. The process'gofproducing power byinternal combustion consisting in introducing by inspiration linto a suitable combustion chamber having a piston definite amounts of airl and water, adding thereto a charge of ture thus' obtained, igniting the same, utilizing a portion ofthe expansive energy thus obtained to actuate the piston, releasing the partially expanded gases and directing the same upon the blades of a rotary power transmitting member, simultaneously supplying ,to said exhausting .gases a fluid adapted to be volatilized by the heatof said.

gases and thereby to supplement the volume and velocity of the same. Y

4. The process of producingpower by an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a piston, consisting in introducing by inspiration during the exhaust stroke of.

the plston a definite amount `of air and water, adding thereto a; charge of over-rich combustible gas, compressing .the mixturethus obtained, igniting the same, utilizing a portion of the energy thus created to actuate said piston, exhausting the gases when partially expanded, treating the .same with a 1 body of liquid adapted upon contact withsaid gases to cool the same and'bvvapori- 'zation 'tof increase the volume thereof and l utilizing the volume 'and velocity lof the product to impel a rotary power transmitting member.

'5. A power producing means comprising areciprocating internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a piston, means for said engine, a conduit for receiving the exturbine, a valve located at an intermediate supplying said cylinder with a ,hydro-carbon mixture, means for igniting said mixture 'after compression by 'said piston, a turbine,

having blades` operatively connected with haust gases from said cylinder and -delivering them against the vanes of said point of said conduit and havin an opening, said .valve being adapted or closing said conduit and for presenting said opening thereto and meansfor delivering -water into said opening.

6. power producing means comprising a combustion cylinder and a piston, means 'for' supplying a hydro-carbon mixture to said cylinder, means for igniting said mixture .after compression by said piston,` a turbine, an expanding nozzle leading from said cylinder at a point substantially at the midstrokeof said piston to sald turbine, 'a

7. A power producing means comprising.

a reciprocating internal combustion -engine having a cylinder and a piston, a conduit disposed to receive the dischargefrom said engine at half working stroke, a turbine having vanes and. operatively connected with said engine, a conduit'adapted to deliver and discharge against said vanes, a valve having an opening, said cylinder having an exhaust port at half stroke connecting with said" conduit, means for moving said valve to present saidopening to said conduit before the .engine piston reaches half stroke and means for delivering -water into said opening. v

8. The combination of a reciprocating internal'combustion engine, a turbine engine operatively connected therewith, a nozzle for directing the exhaust from the reciprocating engine to the turbine engine for the actuating of the 1atter,n 1eans for surrounding the exterior of said nozzle with water, a .piston valve controlling said nozzle and having a transverse hole through it composing a section of said nozzle, said valve having an opening connecting with the surrounding water and a piston valve having a vent adapted periodically to coperate with the last named opening for theadmission of water to the nozzle.

In testimony that `.lclaim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of July, 1913. y

LDEMPSLEY. Witnesses:

A.- B. UPHAM,

'HARRYV SILvERMAN.

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