US1809409A - Power generating and converting systems - Google Patents

Description

June 1931. I. J. GRANGER POWER GENERATING AND CONVERTING SYSTEMS Filed July 13 R O T N E V W v frying J (z ranger ATTORN Patented June 9, 1931 IRVING J. GRANGER, F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT POWER GENERATING 'AND CONVERTING SYSTEMS Application filed July 13, 1926. Serial No. 122,091.

This invention relates to engines, and more particularly to a machine for transmitting en ergy generated by an internal combustion engine to adrivenengine by means of a compressed and heated vapor.

One object of this invention is to provide a power generating and converting system comprising the combination of an internal combustion engine, a compressor for a mixture of preheated air and watervapor, and a vapor-driven engine.

A further object of this invention is toprovide a system of the above nature in which the piston of the internal combustion engine 15, is utilized to compress a preheated vapor medium in the cylinder space below the piston.

A further object is to provide a system of the above naturein which the airand water of the energy-transmitting vapor medium are separately preheated, the air receiving heat from the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine and the water receiving heat from the cooling medium of the internal combustion engine. I

A further object is to provide a systemof the above nature in which the compressed vaor medium is superheated and delivered to the high pressure cylinder of a compound vapor engine, the exhaust from which is interheated and delivered to the low pressure cylinder of said compound engine.

A further object is to provide a system for temporarily storing up the energy'produced by an internal combustion engine in a compressed superheated to operate a vapor-driven unit, the invention being herein exemplified by a system in which a steam type of locomotive is driven by a Diesel engine without the use of a boiler.

A further object is to provide a system of the above nature in which the scavenging of the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine cylinders is accomplished by a ortion of the compressed vapor medium.

A further object is to provide an automatic system of the above nature in which scavenging is effected at a pressure higher than is ordinarily employed'in Diesel enines, resulting in supercharging.

A still further object is to provide a sysvapor which is utilized 1 the tem of the above nature which will be relatively simple in construction, easy to manipulate, clean and quiet in operation, compact,

and very efficient in use.

Vith these and other objects in view,

has been illustrated on drawing one form in w there the accompanying hich the. invention may be convenlently embodied in practice.

The smgle figure of the a diagrammatic view,

drawing represents partly in section, show ing the invention as installed upon a railway locomotive.

In prevlous power pr actice, it has been found that a Diesel engine is the most efficient practical thermal engine known to-day, such an engine beingable to convert into power 35% or more of the heat units of the fuel supplied. The Diesel engine, however, is not adapted to be directly connected to the driving wheels of a locomotive; first, because it is not self-starting at full load; and second, because such an engine is not flexible enough for efficient operation at extremely variable speeds and loads.

Consequently, it

has been the general practice to interpose an the Diesel engine and Among intermediate mechanism of some sort between the driven unit.

such intermediate mechanisms may be mentioned electric motor-generator systems and hydraulic transmissions. These fdrmsof mechanical mechanisms are objec= tionable, however, owing to the excessive heat and friction losses which occur during the transmission. The hydraulic transmissions have the additional objection that the oil employed is likely to leak due to the highpressure, and the oil is liable alsoto become overheated. By means of above and other disadv the present invention, the I I antages. have been avoided. This has been accomplished by utilizing the'bottom part Diesel engine as a compressor for air and water vapor,

of preheated engine being sarily of the preferably two-stroke cycle type.

inder of a a mixture the Diesel though not neces- The of the cy air and water mixture which for convenience will hereinafter be terme (1 thermal vapor,

when compressed temporarily accumulates the energy received fortransmission without appreciable loss. The thermal vapor is then delivered to a vapor-driven expansion machine, herein shown as a reciprocating tandem compound engine.

During the greater part of the operating cycle, the two elements of the thermal vapor are in combination in the form of a compressed gas. After the mixture has performed its work upon the driven engine, the two elements thereof are separated by passing into the condenser-separator. The water is in a closed circuit and after being condensed is returned tothe water reservoir substantially without loss. It will then be preheated by the cooling water from the Diesel engine, and after being recombined with preheated air, the water will be vaporized and superheated in the compression chamber by the heat of compression. The air element of the mixture is also in a closed return circuit, except that means are provided to perveloped by the latter is mit air to escape therefrom or to admit air thereto to control the pressure thereof.

In. the actual application of this invention to locomotive practice, the ineflicient steam boiler and furnace are replaced by a highly efficient Diesel engine, and the power detransmitted by the thermal vapor to the pistons of the driven engine.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the single view, the numeral tion engine of the two-stroke cycle type,

10 indicates a water-cooled internal combuspreferably a Diesel engine. 'The engine 10.

has a cylinder comprising an upper explosion chamber 11 above the piston 12, and a lower compression chamber 13 below said piston. The thermal vapor which ,is compressed in the chamber 13 is adapted to pass out through pipes 14 and 15 either to an after-' heater 16 or to the receiver 55, as will be described later. After passing through the afterheater 16, the compressed thermal vapor is delivered to the high pressure cylinder 17 of a double-expansion tandem compound engine connected to driving wheels 18 mounted upon railway tracks 19. A throttle 20 is provided for controlling the amount of thermal vapor delivered to the driving wheels, said throttle being connected, as by a rod 21, to any suitable manipulating control, not shown,

' within reach of the operator.

The exhaust from the high pressure cylinder 17 is adapted to travel through a pipe 22 to an interheater 23 similar to the afterheater s 16, where it is reheated by the exhaust gases on their way to the stack 24. The thermal vapor then flows intothe low-pressure cylinders 25 of the driven engine, from which it exhausts through a pipe 26 into a combined condenser and separator 27, within which the water portion of the greatly-cooled thermal vapor condenses to liquid water, the separation being assisted by a series of bafie plates 28. The water is continuously drawn from the bottom of the condenser-separator 27 through a pipe 29 by means of a centrifugal pump 30 and is forced through a check valve 31 and a pipe 32, into a water storage tank 33, conveniently located above the Diesel engine 10.

The air from the condenser-separator27 flows through the pipes 34 and 35 into an air preheater 36 similar to the afterheater 16 and the interheate 23. The air is preheated during its passage through a helical coil 37 centrally located in the preheater 36 and which is surrounded by the exhaust gases from the Diesel engine. From the helical coil 37 of the preheater the air passes into the mixing chamber 38 where it is commingled with water from the reservoir 33 which has been preheated during its passage through a water preheater 39. The water preheater 39 is. heated by the outgoing jacket-cooling water, which is. connected by a pipe 40 to the engine jacket41, said preheater being also connected to the radiator. 43 by a pipe42, said radiator in turn being connected by a pipe 43a to the bottom part of the engine cooling jacket.

The. air space at the upper part of the water reservoir 33 is connected by a pipe 44 to an upward extension 45 of the air pipe 34 leadof this construction the pressure in said reservoir 33 will at all times be equal to that in the condenser-separator 27.

The injection water after leaving the preheater 39 is adapted to pass through a pipe 46 into a float chamber 47 in which is a float 48. The float 48 has a valve 48A. connected therewith, said valve being adapted to open and close automatically so. as to maintain a constant level of Water in the float chamber. The compression chamber 13 is provided with inlet and outlet valves 5]? and 52, said valves being automatically returned to closed positions by spiral spings 53 and 54.

In order to provide greater flexibility of the system, provision is made of a high pressure storage receiver 55, said receiver having a pipe 57 extending upwardly therefrom, said pipe 57 being connected to the thermal vapor pipe 15 by an angle pipe 56, and having an upwardly extending pipe 57 projecting from its top, said pipe 57 being closed by a safety valve 58.

In order to provide drainage for any water which may condense in the storage receiver 55, a drain pipe 59 depends from said receiver, said drainpipe being controlled by a hand-operated valve 60 and being connected at its lower end-to the pipe 26 leading into the condenser-separator 27.

In order to scavenge the Diesel engine cylinders, the receiver 55 is connected by a pipe 61 to a reducing valve 62, from which ther- .ing from the condenser-separator. By means ing connected pipe 66 under the control of a suitable pumping mechanism, not shown.

In order to start the Diesel engine,- provision is made of a starting valve 67, through which compressed air or other suitable medium may be introduced to the annular chamber a. The starting valve 67 will normally be held closed bya spiral spring 68 surrounding a valve stem 69.

- Thermostatic regulator In order to automatically maintain the proper ratio of water to air in the thermal vapor at all times, a thermostatic rod 70 is fixedly secured at one end 71 to the top of the pipe 15, the lower end 72 of said rod being connected to a lever 73, said lever in turn beto a rod 74, fixedly attached to the upper end of a flexible metallic bellows 75. The lower end of the bellows 75 is connected by a pipe 76 to a second bellows 77 having its upper end connected valve 78. The bellows 75 and 77 as well as the pipe 76 are preferably filled with oil or other suitable liquid so that when the thermostatic rod 70 becomes heated by thevapor deliveredfrom the compressor, the needle valve 78 will be drawn downwardly to allow more water to flow out of the atomizing nozzle 50 into the mixing chamber 38. In this manner, the composition and temperature of the thermal vapor delivered from the compressor will be controlled within desirable limits.

scavenging In operation, the Diesel engine functions in the conventional manner with the exception that the scavenging is performed by the thermal vapor from the high pressure storage receiver 55. This scavenging takes place at the end ofeach power stroke whenthe pistons uncover the, narrow annular exhaust port 7 9, which extends practically the entire distance. around the cylinder, and then continues at constant pressure until the piston on the up-stroke again covers the exhaust port 79. This method of scavenging permits the exhaust gases to be thoroughly cleaned out of the cylinder.

A certain amount of supercharging is also obtained, this being desirable because it permits relatively more power to be developed verted into mechanical power.

to a needle 7 from an engine of given dimensions and weight.

' superheating The heat of compression generated in the compression chamber 13. together with the original heat of the preheated air is utilized for completely vaporizing and somewhat superheating the water portion of the thermal vapor, thereby increasing the volume of compressed vapor delivered by the compressor;

Operation of t he As the reheated thermal vapor enters the eomlenser-sepamator low pressure cylinder 25, it will of course rapbeing con- \Vhen said vapor exhausts from the low pressure cylinder into the condenser-separator 27, it will still further expand and its temperature will fall greatly, causing the water vapor therein to condense.

As clearly shown on the drawing, the intake opening of the pipe 29 leading to the centrifugal pump 30 is at a point slightly above the bottom of the condenser-separator 27. By means of this construction, any solid matter such as dust, metal from cylinder Wear,,scale, rust, or other impurities from any source, which collects at the bottom of said condenser-separator will be prevented from passing into the pipe 29, the condenser-separator thus functioning as afilter in addition to its other functions.

In order to permit the water and sediment in the system to be drawn ofl' periodically, a drain cock 80 maybe provided in the bottom of the condenser-separator 27, it being understood that fresh water will in this case be supplied through the reservoir 33 to replace that removed through the drain cook 80.

- Release 'valoe idly expand while its energy is In order to relieve the system from excessive back pressure of the exhaust thermal vapor, provision is made of a release valve 81 adapted to open to the atmosphere when the pressure reaches a predetermined point. The

valve 81 is connected by a pipe 82 to the pipe 45, previously mentioned.

A tmospiwric inlet valve For the purpose of preventing the formation of a'vacuum in the system, an atmospheric inlet valve 83 is provided on said pipe 45, said valve 83 being adapted to open inwardly from the atmosphere against the pres- Advantages An important advantage of the invention when appliedto locomotives is the fact that extreme overloading can produce no harmful results to the mechanism as a whole, because in such a case, the driven unit will simply cease operating because of its inability to support or propel the load. In other Words,

that any tendency of the thermal vapor to condense its moisture content when exhausting from the high pressure cylinder 17 is immediately counteracted.

A further advantage of the interheater is that it functions as a receiver between the high and low pressure cylinders.

t will be understood that it is within the spirit of theinvention to employ a turbine or single expansion engine as the driven unit instead of the tandem compound vapor en- 'gine herein. disclosed.

One advantage of employing water as an elementin the power-transmitting thermal vapor is that said vapor may be compressed to a relatively hi h pressure in one stage without the .liabihty of igniting any combustible elements such as lubricating oil which may be present in said vapor. The

. use of thermal vapor also eliminates the necessity of providing means for separating the lubricating oil from the vapor, which vwould be required if compressed air alone were employed.

A further advantage of employing thermal vapor is that it has much of the high heat-storing ability. of superheated steam. The efiect of the air portion of the thermal vapor is to greatly reduce its specific heat. Consequently, the thermal vapor will release its heat. in the form of energy more completely, and the water portion thereof may be condensed without employing expensive vacuum condensers. In fact theseparation of the water from the air may be done quite readily at pressures above a! :nospheric. It is obvious that compressed air alone" could not be used as the power-transmitting medium because of its low heat-storing characteristics. 1

A further advantage of this invention is that by reason of having no moving parts in the power-transmission portion thereof, the system will be very reliable and unlikely to get out of order. p

A still further advantage of the invention is that the present form of locomotive is'capable of delivering for short times, as in starting, greater power than that of the internal combustion engine, this being accomplished by drawing upon the reserve supply of compressed thermal vapor stored in the receiver 55.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, I

what is claimed as new, .and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is

I 1. In a power transmitting apparatus, a chamber for mixing air with atomized water, means for compressing said mixture to form a vapor, a vapor engine drivenby said compressed vapor, a condenser for separating the water element of said vapor from the air thereof, and means for returning said air and liquefied water to the mixing chamber.

2. In a power transmitting apparatus, a

chamber for mixing air with atomized water, means for compressing sald mixture to form a-thermal vapor, a vapor engine driven by said compressed Vapor, a condenser for separating the air and water of the exhaust mixture, and means for returning said air and liquid to the mixing chamber.

3. In a power-transmitting apparatus, a

mixing chamber, means for supplying air tosaid chamber, means for supplying atomized water to said chamber, means for mixing said an and water, means for compresslng said mixture to produce a vapor, a vapor engine driven bysaid compressed vapor, means for separating the exhaust vapor mixture from sa d Vapor engine lnto ts air and Water constituents, a check. valvev open on one side side with said air-supplying means, said check valve being adapted to open inwardly and permit air to flow into said air-supplying means, whenever the pressure therein falls be low atmospheric.

4. In a power-transmitting apparatus, a mixing chamber, means for supplying air to said chamber, means for spraying water into said chamber to form an air and atomized water mixture, means for compressing said mixture to produce a vapor, a vapor engine driven by said compressed vapor, means for separating the exhaust vapor mixture from to the atmosphere and connected on its other said vapor engine into its air and liquid Water constituents, a check valve open on one side to the atmosphere and connected on its other side with said air-supplying means, said check valve being adapted to open inwardly and permit air to flow into said air-supplying means whenever the pressure therein falls be low atmospheric, and a relief valve for said air-supplying means for permitting air to escape therefrom to the atmosphere whenever the pressure exceedsa predetermined amount.

5. In an apparatus for transmitting power from an internal. combustion engine to a driving element, a water-jacketed cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having one side in contact with the explosive gases, the opposite side of said piston acting as a compressor for a mixture of air and atomized water, and means for operating said driving element by said compressed mixture, the constituents of said mixture being separately preheated by the exhaust gases and jacket-cooling water of said internal combustion engine.

6. In a power-transmitting apparatus, a

mixing chamber, means for supplying air to said chamber, means for spraying water into said chamber to form an air and atomized water mixture, means for compressing said mixture to produce a vap0r,'a vapor engine driven by said'compressed vapor, means for separating the exhaust vapor mixture from said vaporengine into its air and liquid water constituents, and a relief valve for said air-supplying means for permitting air to escape therefrom to the atmosphere whenever the pressure exceeds a predetermined amount.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

IRVING J. GRANGER.

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