US1313676A

US1313676A - Water and steam system for steam-driven automobiles

Info

Publication number: US1313676A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1936-08-19

Description

r. I. DU PONT.

WATER AND smm SYSTEM FOR STEAM 0mm: AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18 l9l9. 1,313,676, Patented Aug. It), 1919.

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WATER AND STEAM SYSTEM FOR STEAM DRIVEN AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION flLED JUNE 18, I919.

latcntcd Aug. 19, 1915).

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FRANCIS I. DU POINT, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

WATER AND STEAM SYSTEM FOR STEAM-DRIVEN AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed June 18, 1919. Serial No. 305,017.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS I. DU PoN'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, county of New Castle, and State of Delaware, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water and Steam Systems for Steam-Driven Automobiles, of which the fcllowin is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the water and steam system of a steam driven automobile.

In the standard steam driven car, the feed water is pumped from the water supply tank through a s ecial feed water heater on its way to the boiler, its temperature therein being raised by exchange of heat with ex haust steam flowing from the engine to the radiator condenser.

The standard arrangement has several practical disadvantages. The engine is not in operation all the time, since on a slight down grade steam is turned off. During this time the feed water pump is working and water passing through the feed water heater is not heated. Again, when the engine is running, the radiator condenser is insufficient in capacity to condense all the steam, and, therefore, some of it goes back along the drip pipe and heats up the water in the'water tank. While the heating of the water in the water tank is desirable, the only steam available for that purpose, with the present standard arrangement, is that which has not been condensed due to the lack of efficiency in the radiator condenser.

The more specific objects of my invention are to use the greatest possible percentage of the exhaust steam in the useful work of heating the feed water.

A further object of my invention is to reduce to a minimum the loss of water, by escape of exhaust steam, by increasing the efficiency of the radiator condenser.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagram, partly in perspective, of my improved steam and water system.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the radiator condenser shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a plan view, longitudinal sectlon and cross-section of a modified form of radiator condenser.

a is the engine; b the boiler; c the water tank; and d the radiator condenser. Within the water tank, which isprovided with a cover not shown, are manifolds e and 7 connected by a series of pipes g of relatively small diameter.

The exhaust steam from the engine cylinder passes through the Pipe h into the manifold c and thence through the pipes g, which are immersed in the water in the tank, into the manifold f. The exhaust steam heats the water in the tank and may be partly condensed in the pipes g.

The manifold f has two outlets. One outlet is a small pipe 2' extending up from a point near the bottom of the manifold 7' and opening into the upper part of the water tank. The other outlet j leads to the condenser d.

The pipe 2' is of small diameter and allows the escape of water which has condensed in the pipes g. The pipe 6 must not be of such size as to allow any appreciable amount of exhaust steam to escape into the water tank. The force which drives the water from the bottom of the manifold f up the pipe 71 is the back pressure due to the friction of the exhaust steam passing to the radiator condenser (Z. The pipe 11 terminates, as stated, at or near the top of the water tank in order that, when the exhaust is not flowing through the iping, the water will not be sucked from t 1e tank back into the system.

The radiator condenser d comprises two headers or frames m and n made of rectangular tubing. The upper frame m is connected with the lower frame a by a large number of small vertical tubes 0. A cross pipe k, which connects opposite longitudinal tu es of the frame m, is connected with the pipe 7' and distributes the exhaust steam to both sides of the tubing frame m. The frame m may be arched in front to give a conventional appearance to the radiator.

From the lower frame a a pipe 7) leads back to the water tank and enters it near the top, so that water will not be sucked into the condenser from the tank.

From the tank a pipe r leads to the boiler having interposed in it the usual boiler feed pump 8, and t represents the supply pipe from the boiler to the engine.

I have not herein shown the automatic bypass for the water when the water in the boiler reaches a predetermined level, and other details of the water and steam system,

nor have I shown the fuel system; as it is obvious that the illustration and description of these details would not asslst 1n understanding my invention.

Since the water in the tank 0 is the boiler feed water, there is no better way of conserving heat than to absorb it at first as much as possible in this water. As the amount of water carried, however, in a steam driven automobile is not great, this water soon reaches boiling point, after which the excess steam passes over and is condensed in the condenser. A feed water heater would, after the feed water reached the lioiling point, be useless, as the water in the tank is already heated as much, or nearly as much, as it would be heated by means of a feed water heater, even if the engine were working continuously.

Instead of the radiator condenser shown in Figs. land 2, I may use the radiator condenser shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, wherein the exhaust steam flowing through pipe 9' is conducted to a longitudinally extending mid-rib pipe or header to, which, by means of two series of small pipes o and w extending laterally and downward, is connected with a header or tubing frame a: similar to frame m or n. This construction may be preferable from the standpoints of ease of construction and efficiency, although its shape does not conform so well to that of a conventional automobile.

' Having now fully described my invention,

' what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a water and steam system for steam vdriven automobiles,-the combination with the engine, of a tank for the water supply, a water supply heater comprising a multitude of pipes of relatively small diameter extending into the lower part of the water supply tank, a condenser, an exhaust pipe connection from the engine. to the water supply heater, a pipe connection from the water supply heater to the condenser, and a pipe connection for water of condensatioili from the condenser to the water supply tan r.

2. In a water and steam system for steam driven automobiles, the combination with the engine, of a tank for the water supply, a water supply heater in the water supply tank, an exhaust pipe connection from the engine to the water supply heater, a condenser, and two outlets from the water supply heater, one for steam to the condenser and the other for condensed Water to the upper part of the water supply tank. 3. In a water and steam system for steam driven automobiles, the combination with the engine, of a tank for the water supply, a water supply heater comprising a multi tude of pipes of relatively small diameter extending into the lower part of the water supply tank, a condenser, an exhaust pipe connection from the engine to the water supply heater, a pipe connection from the water supply heater to the condenser, a pipe connection for water of condensation from the condenser to the water supply tank, and a pipe extending from the bottom part of the water supply heater to the upper part of the water supply tank and through which water that has condensed in the water supply heater will be expelled by back pressure due to the friction of'the exhaust steam passing to the condenser.

4:. In a water and steam system for steamdriven automobiles, the combination with the engine, of a tank for the water supply, a heater through which exhaust steam passes, said heater being in contact with the water in said supply tank, a radiator condenser arranged to receive such exhaust steam as may not be condensed in the aforesaidheater, and a conduit to convey the water of condensation from the radiator condenser to the water supply tank.

5. In a water and steam system for steam driven automobiles, the combination with the engine, of a tank for the water supply, a condenser, an admission pipe connection to the condenser, an exhaust pipe connection from the engine, and a water supply heater in the water supply tank, said heater comprising a manifold connected with the exhaust pipe from the engine, a manifold connecting with the admission pipe to the condenser, and a multitude of relatively small pipes connecting the two manifolds.

6. In a water and steam system for steam driven automobiles, the combination with the engine, of a tank for the water supply, a water supply heater in the tank, an exhaust pipe connection from the engine to the water supply heater, a pipe connectionfrom the water supply heater, a radiator condenser communicating with the last named pipe connection, and a pipe connec-' tion for water of condensation from the radiator condenser to the water supply tank; said radiator condenser comprising an upper header, a lower header, and two series of tubes connecting said headers.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Phila, Penna, on this 17th day of June, 1919.

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