US2181058A - Gasifier - Google Patents

Description

Nov, 21. 1939. c.7 1.3.,LARSEN GASIFIER Filed oct. 21, 19:56

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENToR. (Aff/ 5. fr/gsm.

ATTORNEY Nov. 21; 1939.

c. la.k LARsEN GASIFIER Filed OL. 2l, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Fral INVENToR. CARL LAesfA/ ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 21, 1939v UNITED STATES FFME GASIFIER Carl B. Larsen,

Racine, Wis., assignor to J'. I.

Case Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation Application October 21, 1936, Serial No. 106,775

14 Claims.

in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a tractor embodying an engine including an example of the improved gasifying means.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the gasier alone, enlarged and with parts b-roken away.

Fig. 3 is a similar view depicting more particularly the now of the various uids in the device.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and showing certain parts in a diierent position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View of the retort structure taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View of another portion of the retort taken on the line 7 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a similar of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

The invention is shown in Fig. 1 as applied to an engine used on a tractor including the usual wheels I0 and I I, transmission housing I2, steering apparatus I3, fuel tank generally denoted b-y numeral lli, radiator l5, and engine I6, the gasier of the present invention being carried by the engine, and generally designated by numeral l?. In the present instance the engine I6 provides a plurality of inlet ports I8, Fig. 3, and exhaust ports I9, Fig. 4, which are closely related to the gasier as will appear.

'I'he gasiiier proper, as readily seen in Fig. 3, belongs to the general class in which an overrich mixture is formed with a part of the entering air, the mixture being heated and diluted or blended with other air before being used in the engine. It comprises a plurality of passageways through which fuel and air are drawn by the View taken on the line 8 8 View of the device (ci. 12s-iss) action of the engine, together with suitable liquid fuel feeding and controlling means. Thus the engine draws in mixture through the intake ports I8, this being supplied through an intake manifold of usual or suitable form, and discharges *.5 exhaust gases through exhaust ports ES, into an exhaust manifold generally designated as 2|, which also serves a purpose in forming the combustible mixture.

The air is initially supplied through a pipe or `1 0 stack E2, Fig. 2, passing through a fitting 23, formed for convenience as part of the exhaust manifold, into an air cleaner 2d of suitable or Well-known form, in the present instance having a removable reservoir or sump for well-known 15 purposes.

Part of the cleaned air is induced through a `passageway 2t, Fig. 3, in a iitting 2i, passing through a mixing or primary air passageway 28, in an atomizing portion generally denoted by 20 numeral 29, wherein it picks up liquid fuel, the resulting mixture passing through an exhaust heated retort til and a pipe or passageway 3l into a mixing throat or secondary air `passageway generally denoted by numeral 32. The heating y25 effect of the relatively large retort 3K9 makes practical the use of fuels so heavy as to be ordinarily considered fit only for engines of the compression ignition type.

Other or secondary air, also from air cleaner A24, is induced through a passageway 33 in tting 21, passing to mixing throat 32 through a passageway 34, where it meets the above mentioned mixture coming from pipe 3l, the resulting iinished or blended mixture passing out of the throat 35 into the intake manifold 2li, and so into the engine.

The engine is started on gasoline or the like, and operated Auntil the retort 3i! is hot, after which it operates on heavy fuel, and the means for supplying these fuels is as follows:

Tank ld, Fig. l, is provided with two chambers 35 and 36, chamber 35 having an outlet valve 31- discharging into a fuel nlter 38, and chamber 36 having a discharge valve 39, also discharging 45 into filter 38. From the iilter a pipe line 40 leads to the liquid fuel supplying apparatus, so that, by means of the valves 3l and 39, it is possible to supply fuel tothe engine from either of the chambers 35 or St.

Atomizing portion 29, Fig. 3, in the present instance is a casting embodying the above described passageways 2B and 313, and, for supporting a iioat chamber or bowl M, Fig. 2, it has a downwardly extending stem portion 42 passing integrally therewith.

through the bottom of the bowl il, which is clamped against a shoulder @i3 on the stem by means of a nut or the like M, the upper edge of the bowl seating against a suitable cover portion 15, on portion 2S, and forming an upper closure for the bowl. A suitable float d@ controls the level of liquid in the bowl in well known manner not shown.

Stem l2 is hollow and provides one or more openings 1 communicating from bcwi il! to the bore 48 of the stem. A fuel nozzle @il is preferably fixed in an upper portion of stem @-2, communicating with a bore i8 thereof, the discharge end of the nozzle being disposed in 'the present instance at about the mid-portion of mixing passageway 28, and within a 'Venturi tube fail, which, upon flow of air in passageway 2B will cause a reduction of pressure in nozzle iil, and atomizing of liquid therefrom, and accordingly from bowl 4l. The liquid is broken up by the air blast into a spray and carried on to the engine after being gasified and diluted as above outlined. For regulating the proportions of fuel to air, a needle Valve 5i is adjustable in a suitable bushing E52 and has a tapered portion 53 arranged to enter the nozzle a limited amount to control the flow of fuel therefrom, the amount of fuel allowed to flow depending upon the setting of the valve. In practice the mixture formed at this point is much too rich to fire, so that there is no difficulty from igniting of the fuel in the retort.

Retort 3B may or may not be formed as a single piece with exhaust manifold 2 l but in the present illustrative embodiment it is shown as formed It comprises a long passageway of relatively small cross section, and, in the present instance, flat, as shown particularly7 in Fig. 6, although other forms which would bring the mixture into intimate contact with the heated walls are contemplated as equivalent.

The cross sectional area of the passageway is sufficiently small to insure the maintenance of a velocity of flow therethrough high enough to maintain the liquid spray in suspension until it is gasied.

In the present instance the cylinders of the engine are divided into two groups, one group exhausting into a portion 54, of manifold 2 l, and the other group into a portion and these portions are kept separate, one communicating with a passageway 5G, Fig. 6, and the other with a pas'- sageway 51, these passageways being on opposite sides of passageway or retort Sli. In this way the total quantity of hot gas is substantially equally divided, and the retort more evenly heated than it would be if the exhaust were allowed to discharge into a single chamber and then divided to pass on both sides of the retor Attention is particularly directed to the fact that retort 30 is a straight passageway extending completely through an inclined portion 58 of manifold 2 l, the lower extremity or opening being covered during operation by a closure 59 maintained in position by a screw of the like as shown, and the upper opening being covered by a similar closure Gil, held by a screw or the like 6l.

It is therefore possible, by simply removing closures 59 and 6l) to run a tool completely through the retort, and thus to readily remove any accumulation of carbon, dirt, or other foreign matter which might occur therein. This idea may be further carried out, mixing passageway 28, above mentioned, registering in a straight line with a passageway G2 extending through the lower end of portion 58 of exhaust manifold 2l,

the end of this passageway being closed by suitable means such for example as a removable plug t3. This passageway may accordingly also be cleaned by the insertion of a suitable tool.

The upper end of retort 3G widens out into a chamber 64, Fig. 8, from which leads a port 65 communicating with above mentioned pipe or passageway 3l. This pipe, in the present illustrative embodiment, is composed entirely of straight sections so that drills or other tools can be run through every part for cleaning. Thus as seen particularly in Fig. 4, the pipe comprises a straight middle section 55 having a transverse portion 61 provided with a flange bil or other suitable means for attachment to manifold 2l. Portion 6l is straight, and at one end opens into port 65, while at its other end it intersects portion B6 and is closed by a removable plug 553 which may be removed for the insertion of a cleaning tool, which may pass clear through into chamber 64. Portion 66 is closed at its'ends by plugs 1l) and 1l, which may be removed for cleaning, and a tool may pass completely through the portion as will be apparent. Pipe 3i has another transverse portion 12 connecting with above mentioned blending throat 32, a flange 13 or other suitable attaching means being provided as shown.

A removable plug 14 permits insertion of a cleaning tool into portion 12, which tool may pass completely through into the throat.

The stream of exhaust gas coming down portion 56 of manifold 2l passes directly to an exhaust pipe or stack 15 as clearly shown in Fig. 3, while thatcoming through portion 51 passes in front of retort portion 30 as shown in Fig. 7 through a by-pass chamber 16 to stack 15.

Fig. 5 shows the details of blending throat 32. It comprises a tubular portion 'i'i having a restriction 18 therein, and providing a port 19 through which the heated rich mixture from retort 351 and pipe 3l enters. Air flows upwardly in tube 11, and, under full flow conditions, restriction 18 causes enough reduction of pressure at port 19 to assure a suiiicient flow in the pipe 3l and mixing passage 2B above mentioned to cause efficient atomizing at the fuel nozzle t9. Under low throttle conditions restriction 18 assists in thoroughly blending the rich mixture and secondary air, causing smoother running of the engine than that obtained without the restriction.

A throttle valve Si! of buttery or other suitable type is interposed in tubular portion 11 beyond port 19, and may' be. controlled in any suitable manner for regulating the speed and power of the engine, a connection 8l for this purpose, Fig. 1, from a suitable or well known type of governor (not shown) being provided in the present instance. Manual control may be exercised over the engine by means of a lever 3l which may influence either the governor or the throttle in any suitable or well known manner forming no part of the present invention.

Connection Si, as shown in Fig. 4, engages a lever 82 xed on a shaft 83 journaled in substantially gas-tight manner in the walls of tube 11, and upon which valve il() is mounted.

At low throttle openings, there would be insufficient flow of air through restriction 18, Fig. 5, to provide the necessary vacuum at port 19, and the supply of mixture from pipe 3i would be deficient. To provide against this contingency a valve 84 is arranged in tube 11 on the upstream side of restriction 18, this valve being mounted on a shaft 85, and normally controlled dependently with valve 80 above mentioned.

Shaft 83, as'shown in Fig. 2, has an arm 86 having pivotally secured thereto an apertured member 81 through which passes a rod 88, preferably adjustably engaged with a clevis or the like 89 pivotally secured to an arm 98 fixed on above mentioned shaft 85. Rod 88 carries a stop 9| in the present instance above member 81, and a slidable collar 92 is urged by a spring 93 against the under side of member 8'1, the spring bearing at suitable means justment.

Normally stop 9| is maintained against member 8'! by spring 98, and rod 88, and accordingly valve 84 partakes of movements of valve 80 and arm 86.' In the event, however, that it is `desirable to close, or partially close valve 84, asshown in Fig. 5, without affecting valve 8U, this can be done, rod 88 sliding through the aperture in member 8'1, and collar 92, and spring 83 yielding to permit this movement.

This might be necessary in starting the engine, and it is readily effected by means of a choke rod 98 operable from a convenient position, in the present instance in front of the tractor, and connecting pivotally with an arm 91, Fig. 2, loose on shaft 85, and having' an abutment 85n arranged to engage a pin or the like h fixed on arm 98, to urge the arm in a direction to close valve 88.

engine so as to obtain a very strong` suction through port 'i9 and mixing passageway 28. It should be noted that, under these conditions, the tractor governor will be holding the valve 89 in its fully opened position, but, on account of the extremely low engine speed there will be very little flow in the tube '17, and virtually no vacuum in the neighborhood of port 19. Closing valve 88 causes substantially all the air drawn in to pass through port 19, and accordingly through mixing passageway 23, so that a suitable spray issues from nozzle 49, and the engine starts readily.

When the device is applied to an engine which is not equipped with a governor the valve 88 will ordinarily not be opened wide for starting, but only sufciently to give a moderate idling speed, but, in any event, the restriction caused by valve 84 when closed is made to substantially exceed that of valve 88 when in starting position, so that a satisfactory draft of air is obtained through primary air passageway 28, retort 30, pipe 3|, and port 79.

Immediately upon firing of the engine, the suction past valve 38 is enormously increased, so that the additional restriction caused by the closing of valve 88 is no longer necessary. Choke rod 96 is accordingly released, whereupon the spring S3 restores valve 84 to its correct running relation with valve 8d, and the rod -88 and its associated mechanism maintains this relation, as above outlined.

Rod 86 may be retracted by suitable or well known means such as spring 96a to remove abutment 85a from pin 85h, and prevent interference with free movement of arm 98.

In practical operation chamber 38 of tank M, Fig. 1, is lled with gasoline or similar volatile fuel, while chamber 35 is illed with furnace oil,

Diesel oil, or other non-volatile fuel, and the gasoline, through valve 39, is allowed to iiow into bowl 4i, whereupon the engine is started as above explained. As soon as the engine fire/s, choke rod 96 is released so that valve 89 `opens to an extent corresponding approximately to the opening of valve 88, but the large flow of air through restriction 'i8 occurring when the engine starts causes a sui'cient vacuum at the mouth of port 'i9 to induce a strong fiow of air through mixing passageway 28 so as to induce suitable atomizing of fuel at nozzle 49.

As soon as the engine reaches full speed, unless the load is heavy, the governor closes, or nearly closes Valve 88, which results in a greatly decreased flow through tube 11, and this would result in a greatly reduced fiow through mixing passageway 28 if it were not for the fact that valve 84 is also closed, and,by virtue of the adjustment provided in rod 88, in the ratio necessary to maintain a substantially constant, or suitable quality of mixture at various openings of throttle valve 88.

Flow of the exhaust gas through passageways 5S and 5l' quickly heats retort 80, and in a short time after the engine is started valve 39 may be closed and valve 31 opened, whereupon heavy fuel flows through lter 38 and pipe 48 into bowl 4|. As the resulting heavy fuel mixture passes through the hot retort 30 it is sufficiently heated to be vaporized, the product flowing in pipe 3| being in the nature of a rich mixture of a dry gas and air.

The proportions of this mixture are readily controlled by suitable adjustment of needle valve 5l, and the degree of blending of this mixture with fresh air in throat 32 iseasily controlled by adjusting the rod 88, the rst adjustment corresponding in a sense to the low-speed ad? justment, and the second to the high-speed adjustment of an ordinary carburetor.

In this device, as above stated, it is practical to vaporize or gasify oils for use in an ordinary typeof internal combustion engine, which previously have been usable only in engines of the compression ignition type.

If the use of thesev fuels is `attended with the deposit of a certain amount of carbon or other material in the retort 39 or connecting passageways 62 or 3|, it is a simple matter to remove the closures provided, when suitable cleaning tools or the like can be run through all of the passageways likely to receive such deposits. 'I'his is the work of only a few minutes, and need be done ordinarily only once in from one to seven days with heavy fuels. With gasoline, kerosene, and the lighter distillates cleaning isusually not required, or if at all only at very long intervals.

W'hile the disclosed embodiment of the invention shows an up-draft arrangement of the parts, it is to be understood that the principles herein set forth are equally adaptable to a down-draft arrangement, and that the invention is'not to be taken as limited to the arrangement shown, or in fact in any way except as defined in the claims.

The upwardly inclined arrangement of retort 30 is advantageous in` facilitating a compact arrangement of the various passageways, in obtaining av counter-flow arrangement of the heating and cooling gases, and in assisting in preventing the carrying over of unvaporized particles of the heavy fuel, and this arrangement also makes conveniently possible the division of the issuing exhaust gas into` two separate streams sol as above explained, resulting in a very even heating of the retort, which in turn is at least partly responsible for the extreme effectiveness of the device.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a gasifier for an internal combustion engine, a primary air passageway, a fuel nozzle arranged to communicate with said passageway, a passageway leading to said engine, and spaced flow controlling valves in the second-mentioned air passageway, said primary air passageway communicating with said second-mentioned passageway between said valves, a connection from one of said valves to the other including a stop for positively actuating the second-mentioned valve from movements of the first-mentioned valve in one direction, a yieldaole element arranged to impositively urge said second-mentioned `valve from movements of said first-mentioned valve in the opposite direction, means for moving said first-mentioned valve for controlling said engine, and means for moving said second-mentioned valve independently of said first-mentioned valve by virtue of yielding of said yieldabie element, for temporarily changing the relation between said valves.

2. In a gasier an air passageway, a fuel nozzle arranged to communicate with said air passageway, and said passageway being extended to form a fuel vaporizing retort, a manifold for collecting heated fluid, means dividing said manifold into a plurality of exhaust chambers, and independent passageways individual to said chambers and extending along the sides of said retort for thorough and uniform heating thereof.

3. In a gasier a primary air passageway, a fuel nozzle arranged to communicate with said primary air passageway, a manifold for collecting heated fluid, means dividing said manifold into a plurality of independent chambers, and a mixture heating retort between said chambers, a secondary air passageway, and connections for flow of fuel mixture from said primary air passag'eway into said retort, and from said retort to said secondary air passageway, there being means beyond said secondary air passageway for regulating the flow of mixture to a point of use.

Ll. In a gasifler for an internal combustion engine, a manifold, tubular passageways extending from different portions of the manifold for conveying uid from the latter and forming therebetween a longitudinally arranged retort heated by the fluid, means communicating with the retort for producing and conveying volatile mixtures into the retort, an air passageway, and means connecting the retort to said passageway for conveying heated mixtures into the latter.

5. In a gasier for an internal combustion engine, a source of heated fluid, tubular passageways extending from different portions of said source for conveying heated iiuid from the latter and forming therebetween a longitudinally arranged retort heated by the fluid means communicating with the retort for producing and conveying volatile mixtures into the retort, an air passageway, and means connecting the retort to said passageway for conveying heated mixtures into the latter to be conveyed thereby to a point of use.

6. In a gasifler a manifold for collecting heated fluid, a plurality of conduits independently connected to and communicating with different portions of the manifold, said conduits being spaced apart to form a retort therebetween heated by fluid flowing through the conduits to an outlet, a primary air passageway communicating with the retort, a fuel receptacle associated with the passageway, a fuel nozzle communicating with the passageway and cooperating with the receptacle for atomizing fuel to be conveyed into the retort, a secondary air passageway and means connecting the retort to the secondary air passageway for conveying volatile mixtures into the latter to be thence discharged to a point of use.

7, In a gasier the combination of a manifold for collecting heated fluid, a plurality of conduits independently connected to and communicating with different portions of the manifold for conveying heated uid therefrom, a retort between said conduits, and means for atomizing fuel to be conveyed through the retort and heated by the fluid in the conduits.

S. In a gasifier including a manifold, the combination, with the latter, of a combined retort and heating conduits positioned at opposite sides thereof, independently connected to and oomrnunicating with different portions of the manifold for conveying heated gases from the manifold along the sides of the retort for heating volatile mixtures passing therethrough.

`9. In a gasifier for an internal combustion. engine a primary air passageway, a fuel nozzle arranged to communicate with said passageway, means for supplying liquid fuel to said nozzle, a secondary air passageway, said passageways being arranged to join in a single passageway leading to said engine, a throttle valve in said single passageway, a regulating valve in said secondary air passageway, a restriction in said secondary air passageway, the junction between said primary and secondary air passageways being between said restriction and said throttle valve, whereby the reduction in pressure caused by said restriction under fully open throttle conditions will cause a draft of air through said primary air passageway, and a connection for operating said regulating valve dependently with said throttle valve and arranged to cause said regulating valve to restrict said secondary air passageway sufficiently under low throttle conditions to maintain a suitable vacuum to induce a sufficient flow through said primary air passageway to draw a proper quantity of fuel from said nozzle.

l0. In a gasifier for an internal combustion engine a primary air passageway, a fuel nozzle arranged to communicate with said passageway, means for supplying liquid fuel to said nozzle, a secondary air passageway, said passageways being arranged to join in a single passageway leading to said engine, a throttle valve in said single passageway, a regulating valve in said secondary air passageway, a connection between said throttle valve and said regulating valve for dependent operation of said valves, a restriction in said sec-- ondary air passageway said restriction being as to cause a vacuum in said secondary air passageway under full throttle conditions, such as to cause a draft of air in said primary air passageway sufcient to draw a proper quantity of fuel from said nozzle, and said connection being adjustable to cause said regulating valve, under various low-throttle conditions, to restrict said secondary air passageway sufciently to maintain a draft of air in said primary air passageway sufciently strong to draw a proper quantity of fuel from said nozzle under each of said conditions.

`ai.prirriar'y` air passageway, a fuel nozzle arranged toy communicate with said passageway, a secondary air passageway arranged to Join said 5 primary air passageway, and a blended mixture passageway leading from the juncture of the aforesaid passageways to said engine, spaced iiow controlling valves, one of said valves in said blended mixture passageway and another of said 10 valves in said secondary air passageway, whereby said primary air passageway joins the other passageways between said valves, a connection from one of said valves to the other including a stop for positively actuating the second-mentioned 15 valve from movements of the first-mentioned valve in one direction, a yieldable element arranged to impositively urge said second-mem tioned Valve from movements of said first-mentioned valve in the opposite direction, means for 20 moving said first-mentioned valve for controlling said engine, and means for moving said secondmentioned valve independently of said first-mentioned valve by virtue of yielding of said yieldabe element, for temporarily changing the r between said valves.

itil iliuiliflli ltite'ifel pendent chambers, and including a plurality of independent discharge conduits individual to said chambers, said conduits being spaced apart and 5 providing a mixture heating retort therebetween.

13. An exhaust manifold for an engine, said manifold being divided into al plurality of independent chambers, and including a plurality of independent, downwardly directed discharge conduits individual to said chambers, said conduits being spaced apart and providing a mixture heating retort therebetween, and said conduits being arranged to intercommunicate at their lower ends to provide a common discharge outlet.

14. An exhaust manifold for an engine, said 15 manifold being divided into a plurality of independent chambers, and including a plurality of independent discharge conduits individual to said chambers, said conduits being spaced apart and forming therebetween a straight attened tube of uniform cross section

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