US2162148A - Air compression system of variable radiation capacity - Google Patents

Description

Juhe13,1939. LEML N ET AL 2,162,148

AIR COMPRESSION SYSTEM OF VARIABLE RADIATION CAPACITY ATTORNEY.

I Patented. June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- AIR COMPRESSION SYSTEM OF VARIABLE RADIATION CAPACITY Lyndon F. Wilson and John M. hammedce, chicago, Ill., assignors to Wilson Engineering Corporation, Chicago, Ill ware a cq 'lwration of Dela- Application August 31, 1938, Serial No. 227,696

.4 Claims.

posed to the surrounding atmospheric temperatures. The atmospheric air taken into the compressor varies widely not only in temperature but in humidity. Consequently, the condition of the 1 air when compressed varies accordingly in tem-- perature and humidity.

Condensation in a compressed air system becomes of vital importance where the system is subjected to freezing temperatures for the reason the storage reservoir or at the control valves, the system is rendered immediately inoperative, and serious accidents as the result of brake application failure may result. A similar hazard is, of

25 course, presented if the condensate freezes in the line ahead of the storage reservoir, that is, between .the compressor and the reservoir.

In order to prevent condensation and consequent freezing in the supply line from the reservoir, modern practice requires that the compressed air be cooled-enroute to the reservoir so that it will reach approximately its lowest temperature in the reservoir where the condensate may be collected and drained 01f without inter;

35 fel'ing with the operation of the system. With this end in view, an air cooled radiator or cooler is customarily interposed in the line between the compressor and the reservoir, but in order to in sure against the freezing up of this line as the result of production ofiexcessive condensation therein, the capacity of; the radiator is so limited that when subjected to the lowest expected atmospheric temperature, the compressed air and 5 condensate wlllstill enter the reservoir at a temperature above freezing.

As a result of this restricted radiator capacity,

the system when operating under high atmospheric temperatures is very ineflicient because 50 the temperature of the atmospheric air taken into the compressor is raised substantially by the act of comp on, and since the radiator capacity is, for the reason above mentioned, insumoientto dissipate all or even a large part of the 55 heat of compression, the enters the reservoir designed for pressed air system employed is continuously exthat if the condensate freezes in the line beyond may be electrically driving (01. so s-1) considerably above atmospheric temperature. The efl'ective capacity of the reservoir is accordingly diminished in accordance with the increased temperature, and the air in the supply line from I 1 the reservoir being further cooled enroute to its 5 point of use loses pressure as it is reduced in temperature, "thereby becoming less efiective for the required operating purposes. I

The ideal condition for hot weather operation is to dissipate all the heat of compression before 0 the air reaches'the reservoir, and for cold weather operation to dissipate only so much of the heat of compression aswill leave the air-and condensate entering the reservoir at a temperature slightly above freezing so as to obviate danger of stoppage by freezing of the supply pipe to the reservoir.

The purpose of our presentinvention is to approach as nearly as practicable such ideal operating conditions by providing a variable capacity radiator which, under cold weather operation, will dissipate only a safe amount of heat from the compressed air, and in hot weather operation will, due-to its increased capacity, dissipate as much as possibleof the,heat of compression before the compressedair enters the reservoir.

On the accompanying drawing, we have shown for j illustrative, purposes merely those embodiments of our invention which at present appear .tobe most practical, but it should be understood that these embodiments are illustrative merely. and are not intended to circumscribe the scope of our inventionas defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view somewhat schematic in. character of a compression system embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form'of 40 the invention.

-Referrlng to the drawing more in detail, r'efer-. ence character 5 indicates generally an air compressor of any standard or preferred type which or otherwise driven, a steam being hereillustrated asthe The compressedalr storage reservoir indicated by reference character! may be of any preferred shape and dimensions, the com-- pressed air from this reservoir being delivered'to sectional view on the line 2-2 of actuated motor the point of use through a delivery pipe 8, Conensation accumulatingin the reservoir may be drawn on at intervals through the cock 9. The compressed air is delivered to the reserand adapted to dissipate heat of compression from the compressed air passing therethrough.

While the radiating units may be of any preierred construction, we have shown here for illustrative purposes an efllcient and satisfactory type of unit comprising a relatively narrow body It or cast iron or the like equipped with a series of radiating fins l8 cast integrally with the body and preferably formed of a high heat conductivity material such as aluminum. These units are designed to efliciently dissipate the excess heat'irom the compressed air enroute from the compressor to the storage reservoir.

It will be observed that in Fig. 1 the units'are shown asinterp'osed in the supply line in'parallel so that substantially equal proportions of the compressed air will pass through each unit when the plug valve "H in the branch I3 is open.

For hot weather operation, this valve is open so that the full radiating capacity of the two units may be utilized. These units constitute in effect a single large heat dissipating radiator interposed in the supply line to the reservoir. The aggregate radiating capacity of the units illustrated is such that substantially all of the heat of compression is dissipated from the,air. The air accordingly is delivered to the reservoir at substantially atmospheric temperature which contributes maximum efllciency. Ii, because of space limitations or other reasons, two radiator units are insufllcient for the required purposes, one or more. additional branch pipes equipped with similar units may be connected in the line between the compressor and the reservoir.

In other words, our invention contemplates the utilization of as many heat radiating units as may be necessary or desirable in any particular installation, and any or all of them may be equipped with shut-oil valves so that the capacity of the radiator as a whole may be varied to meet existing conditions by shutting oil one or more of the valves to thereby reduce the radiating capacity.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the two radiator units ll, illustrated, instead of being connected in the supply line H in parallel are connected in series, and a shunt line I8 around one-oi the units is controlled by a three-- way valve I! by manipulation of which the comair may be delivered directly through both units for hot weather operation or shunted around one unit for cold weather operation. Ad-

ditional radiator units may also be employed in this type of hook-up, and shunt lines and valves may be employed to cut out one or more of such units as occasion'requires.

' compressor;

,one of said heat radiating diating units in series It should be apparent from the foregoing that we have provided an air compression system having a variable radiation capacitywhich can be regulated and controlled so as to conform to atmospheric temperature variations and produce a maximum efliciency in operation under all conditions and without danger of injury as the result of freezing of the system,

The structural details shown for illustrative purposes may obviously be varied within wide limits without exceeding the scope of the intended claims.

We claim:

1. A variable radiation air compression apparatus for railway air brake systems comprising, an air compressor; a compressed air storage reservoir for supplying air to a braking apparatus; and means for unobstructedly delivering compressed air from the compressor to the reservoir and for cooling said air en route, said means including a plurality of radiation units, a pipe system, and a control valve whereby the air maybe directed through one or more of said units to vary the radiation capacity of said system at will.

2. In afsystem for supplying compressed air for braking purposes, the combination of: a a storage reservoir for compressed air; a plurality of heat radiating units and piping connecting 'allel between said compressor and reservoir for cooling the compressed air en route to said reservoir; and a valve connected in said piping arranged to control the flow of compressed air to units, whereby the flow of compressed air through said unit may be cut oil.

3. A system for supplying compressed air for braking purposes comprising, a compressor; 'a

said heat radiating units in par-' reservoir for compressed air; a plurality of heat 1 connecting said heat rabetween said compressor and reservoir; a shunt pipe line around one of said heat radiating units connected with said radiating units; piping piping; and a valve connected with said shunt line and disposed between two heat radiating units for cutting out one of said heat radiating units and directing flow through said shunt line. 4. In a system for-supplying compressed air for braking purposes, the combination of: a compressor; a storage reservoir for compressed air; a plurality of heat radiating units and piping connecting said heatradiating units with said compressor and reservoir for cooling the compressed air en route to the reservoir and a valve connected in said piping arranged to control the flow of compressed air 7 heat radiatingrunits, whereby the flow of compressed air through said unit may be cut oil. LYNDON F. WILSON.

JOHN M. LAMMEDEE.

to one of saidv

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