US1631661A - Locomotive - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1927. 1,631,661

G. B. WARREN LOCOMOTIVE Filed D ec 30, 1925 a s g Inventor- Glenn B. Warren His Attorn ii Patented June 7, 1927.

UNETED STATES ram PATENT GLENN IB. WARREN, OF SGHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A GORI ORATION OF NEW YORK toconorrvn.

Application flled December 30, 1925. Serial No. 3,480.

The present invention relates to locomotives and especially to locomotives wherem the drive includes a low pressure elastic fluid turbine which operates condensing.

In connection with such locomotives, the power required to drive the auxiliaries, such as the circulating pump for the feed water, the fans for the air cooling chamber, the ex haust gas blower and the like, is comparatively high. In fact, the amount of power for the auxiliaries is so large in proportion to the total power developed, that the overall efliciency of the locomotive is very seriously affected by the efliciency of the drive for theauxiliarie. i I

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of driving means for a locomotive embodying a low pressure turbine, which driving means will have an overall efliciency higher than systems now in use, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and the claims ap pended thereto.

According to my invention, I divide the driving means proper for the locomotive.

into two units, a high pressure unit which may be an engine of either the reciprocating or rotary type, such as an elastic fluid turbins, and a low pressure unit in the form of a condensing turbine. For driving the auxiliaries, I then provide a single unit in the form of a low pressure turbine or a low pressure turbo-generator set, the generator of the set furnishing electric current to motor driven auxiliaries. The turbine of the low pressure turbo-generator set is operated by exhaust elastic fluid from the high pressure driving unit and is arranged preferably in series with the low pressure turbine as this arrangement possesses advantages .of a substantial order as is hereinafter pointed out. However, it may be arranged in parallel with the lowpressure turbine.

By the above described arrangement the turbine or the turbo-generator set for furnishing power to drive the auxiliaries becomes fairly "large, that is the volume of elastic fluid handled becomes quite large. At the same time, it is required to operate over a comparatively small pressure range. As a result it lends itself to being built to give much higher efficiency than would be the case otherwise, as is well understood by those skilled in the art of turbine construction.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a locomotive embodying my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of modifications.

Referring to Fig. 1, the locomotive is shown as comprising a primary section 1 and a secondary sect1on2. Primary section 1 is driven by a reciprocating engine 3 which maybe a usual form of reciprocating engine driven machine, it being understood that the engine comprises cylinders upon both sides of the locomotive. Secondary secti'on 2 is driven by a low pressure condensing turbine 4 through suitable gearing 5 01'. by other suitable means. 5 indicates a condenser for turbine 4, and 6 a cooler for the circulating water for the condenser. Mounted at the front end of primary section 1 is a turbo-generator set 7 which furnishes power to drive all the auxiliaries. It is located as close'as possible to the cylinders of engine 3 and the admission opening of the turbine is connected to receive exhaust elastic fluld from englne 3 by suitable conduit means 8. Conduit means 8 is made as short and as small as possible in order to reduce its recelver capacity to a minimum. The exhaust opening of the turbine of the turbo-generator set is connected by a conduit ,Q; to the admission end of low pressure turbine 4. 10 is aby-pass conduit controlled by a valve 11. Valve 11 is normally closed but may be elastic fluid flows through conduit means 8- to the turbine of turbo-generator set 7 and from thence through conduit 9 to low pres sure turbine 4. .The turbine of turbo-generator set 7 thus operates in series with low pressure turbine 4. a

As pointed out above, the turbine of turbogenerator set 7 is placed as close. as possible to the cylinders of engine 3 and conduit means Sis made as short and of as small capacity as possible. This is a thin of substantial importance, and for the tollowmg reasons y 4 As is well known, the exhaust from a reciprocating engine comes in a series of pufl's. This 1s due to the fact that at the moment of the exhaust valve opening a considerable pressure exists in the cylinders on account of the incomplete expansion of the elastic fluid to the back. pressure atwhich the engine is working. The pressure ofthe elastic fluid in the cylinder at the moment of the exhaust valve opening is, of course, a function of the incompleteness of the expansion which in turn is a function of the lateness of the cutofl. Due to this pressure at the moment of exhaust valve opening, there is a. considerable amount of energy stored in the steam over and above that stored in the steam when it has been exhausted to the uniform back pressure against which the engine is working. The amount of such energy stored in this exhaust steam depends upon the pressure in the cylinders at the time of the exhaust valveopenlng, which, as mentioned above, depends upon the lateness of the cutofl'. For example, at 80% cutofl, approximately 50% of the energy available in the elastic fluid from the initial pressure to the back pressure is still unused by the cylinders at the time the exhaust valve is opened. This means that there is as much energy available in the elastic fluid at the time ,the exhaust valve is opened as the cylinders have used.

An ordinary locomotive reciprocating engine o era'tes at from 40% to 85% cutoif,

epen

means that t ere is available in the exhaust elastic fluid down to the back "pressure against which the engine is working, energy equivalent to from 25% to 105% of the power delivered by the locomotive.

B placin the turbine of turbo-generator set direct y adjacent to cylinders 3 and connecting it to them by conduit means having a minimum receiver capacity, I am enabled to utilize a considerable amount of the energy of the elastic fluid which otherwise would be lost in the expansion of the elastic fluid from the cylinder pressure down to the back pressure or receiver pressure. In other words, by my arrangement I am enabled to utilize the pufl's"of elastic fluid from-"the cylinder in operating the turbo-generator set. In fact, 1t becomes readily possible by this arrangement to utilize in the turbogenerator set 7 ener of the elastic fluid which would otherwlse belost completely. It may be in some cases that the amount of'this energy which is thus recovered will be sutficient to supply all of the auxiliary power. This means, therefore, that the tur-- bo-generator'set 7 and so the auxiliaries'mayv h be operated without actually decreasing the ing u on the draw bar pull, and this.

. turbo-generator set '7 I p thus enabled to akeia very substantial gain in the ovorall 'efliciencyof thelocomotive. 1

In Fig. 2 I have. shownzajinodification of my invention wherein. the:"primar section 12 of the locomotive is driven by t e elastic fluid turbine 13, suitably connected to the driving wheels of the locomotive. In the present instance it is shown geared, asindicated at 14. In this figure, 15 indicates the secondary section ,ofthe locomotive; 16 the low pressure turbine for'drivingit; 17 the condenser for turbine lfi, and 18 the cooler for the-circulatingwater for condenser 17 In this arrangementthe turboenerator set 19, corresponding to the tur o-generator set 7 of'Fig. 1, which furnishes power for the auxiliaries. is mounted in the present instance on the secondary section 15 of the 10- comotive and is connected in series. with low pressure turbine 16. '20 indicates a conduit through which elastic fluid is supplied from the boiler of the locomotive to the tur bine 13. 21indicates a conduit which conveys the exhaust fluid from turbine 13 to the turbine of turbo-generator set 19. The exhaust elastic fluid from theturbine of turbogenera'tor set 19 is conveyed'to low pressure turbine 16 by conduit 22. 23 is a'by-pass conduit controlled by valve 24 and which may be utilized to by-p'ass elastic fluid around the turbine of turbo-generator set 19, if desired. Valve 24 corresponds to valve 1 of Fig. .1. In Fig. 3, I have shown an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 2, except that the turbo-generatorset for driving the auxiliaries is connected in parallel with the low pressure turbine rather than in series therewith, as is shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3 reference numerals the same as those used in Fig. 2, with the exponent a. added have been applied to corresponding parts. The exhaust from high pressure turbine 13 is conveyed through conduit 21- to a point adjacent to the turbo-generator set 19. Here two branches are provided, a branch 25 which conveys elastic fluid to the'turbine of turbo-generator set 19 and a branch 26 which conveys elastic'fluid to low pressure turbine 16. The exhaust from the turbine of turbo-generator set 19 is conveyed by a ments shown there is obtained the advantage 1 that the power supplied to the turbo-generator-set utilized for operating the auxiliaries varies directly withthe power supplied tot e engines which propel the locomotive. Th1s 1s a most advantageousfeature in that it renders the turbo-generator set ,practically self-governin the'power delivered by it increasing and decreasing directly with increase and decrease'in the demand on the 10- comotive. Furthermore, the auxiliaries will automatically stop and start with the stopping and starting of the main locomotive and greatly reduce the stand-by losses of the complete unit.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes. I have described the principle of operation of my invention, to ether with the apparatus which I now consi er to iepresent the be t embodiment thereof, but cl desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

. What I claim as new and desire to :secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l -l. The combination with a locomotive comprising a; high pressure engine, a low pressure condensing turbine, and auxiliaries,

ofa turbo-generator set for supplying power :to drive the auxiliaries, said turbo-generator 14 and low pressure turbine being operated Elly exhaust elastic fluid from the. high pres- .sure iengine.

L. "Fhe combination with alocomotive comprising a high pressure engine. a low pressure condensing turbine, and auxiliaries. of 1a itiEU bOfgGHGIH-tOI' set for supplyingpower to drive the auxiliaries, said turbo generator set and said low pressure turbine being connected in series to theeXhaust end of the high pressure engine.

3. The combinatlon with a locomotive comprising a high pressure reciporcating engine. a low ressuie turbine, and auxiliaries, of a tur o-generator set for supplying power to drive the auxiliaries, said turbo-generator set being locateddirectly adjacent to the cylinders of the reciprocating engine and having the inlet of its turbine connected to receive the exhaust from the- Vt-( l .in series with it, and auxiliaries, characterizeil by the fact that time auxiliaries are driven by power supplied by an independent Elem pressure turbine operated in .series with the lir l named low pressure turbine.

1n nitness whereof, I ha\e ihereunto set my hand this 29th day of December, i925. GLENN B. WARREN.

Images