US2362966A - Apparatus for filling gas balloons and airships with light gases - Google Patents

Description

APPARATUS FOR FILLING GAS BALLOONS AND AIRSHIIS WITH LIGHT GASES Nov. 21, 1944- J. A. BERTSCH Filed June 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l TA NK c4 TAL YST CHAMBER &

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APPARATUS FOR FILLING GAS BALLOONS AND AIRSHIPS WITH LIGHT GASES Nov. 21, 1944.

Filed June 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELEMENT VAPOR INLET LIGHT CA5 CA TAL Y6 T m A 3 a M VAPOR nusr CATAL YST IN VEN TOR. J'anAlv/v 140441 85012901, 05054850 S. R n u c 5 A 6 0 n M Q. 0 .m D N. A K M 5 m m C m m E H T Patented Nov. 21, 1944 APPARATUS FOR FILLING GAS BALLOONS AND AIRSHIPS WI'IHLIGHT GASES Johann Adam Bertsch, deceased, late of St. Louis, Mo.,by the Manufacturers Bank and Trust Company of St. Louis, executor, St. Louis, Mo.

Application June 12, 1941, Serial No. 397,727

4 Claims. (Cl. 244-98) This invention relates to a method and appa' ratus for producing lifting mediums and for filling balloons and airships with same, and also to novel 7 mixtures; of gases for lift-mediums for lighterthfan-air aircraft. I 7 -;The ordinary practiceof filling balloons and dirigibles entails the use of a central-station ground plant in a fixed location. Such plants consist of various pieces of expensive apparatus of considerable size and complexity. .;Moreover, they are subject to criticism, militarily, by'reason of their immobility and their susceptibilityto attacks from the air. None of the gases heretofore used for the purpose, for example, helium, hydrogen, or producer gas, or the-modern so- ;called blue gas, have been-produced in the quantities required for filling large balloons ex-, cept in plants of the kind just noted.

'-'F01' permitting the filling of-balloons at places other than such gas-producing plants, it has been proposed to utilize compressed gas, particularly hydrogen, shipped in containers such as are commonly employed for the storing and transportation of gases for welding. A great number of these cylinders have to be employedmaking the cost of the method of procedure often prohibithe formation of an explosive mixture. The presentinvention provides a means for cheaply and quickly producing the lift-medium in situ on the airship itself, whereby instead'of mentioned above, each airship can carryits' own generating plant and produce a' standard gas and be filled easily and quickly in situ wherever it may be.

Itv was discovered that the gaseous. products formed by decomposing certain volatile oxygenfcontaining liquid organic compounds,,such' as ,methyl alcohol, by the action of heat, or by heat Lin the .presence. of: a catalyst, .form eminently I I Extreme care should; be exercised in using commercial hydrogen, in welding, for example, to prevent suitable lift-mediums for lighter-than-air aircraft.

Accordingly, the present invention contem plates providing the airship with a'supp ly. of one or more volatile liquids; drawing out the desired quantity of the liquid when necessary; vaporizing it; dissociating or decomposing the vapor, in situ in the aircraft, into a gas lighter than air 'or a mixture of gases lighter-than-air; and

conducting and controlling the flow ofthe products into the gas cells.

In order that the inventive concept may be better understood, several embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the inventive idea itself is limited in its embodiments only by the scope of the sub-joined claims. In these drawings, a I v I Fig. 1 is'a diagrammatic representation ofa gas generating apparatus combined with one of the propulsion engines of a dirigible;

Fig. 2 shows a modified form thereof;

Fig. 3 shows another modification;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus suitable for use as a fixed or portable ground plant for carrying out the invention; and

Figs. 5-8 are diagrammatic illustrations of various forms of catalytic reaction chambers.

The substance known as methyl alcohol is plentiful and cheap, besides being a relatively depending .on the unsatisfactory ground-plants light liquid and not of an explosive nature. *It will, therefore, be taken as the preferred one of the various volatile organiccompounds referred to hereinabove. It can be decomposed at 200 450 C. either by the action of heat alone, or by the action of heat inthe presence of a catalyst, into agaseous mixture consisting of two volumes of hydrogen and one volume of carbon monoxide, in accordance with the following reaction formula:

' CH3OH- 2Hz+CO It was found that the gaseous mixture resulting fromthis reaction iswell-suited for use as the lift-medium of airships. This fact will be- Qcomeplainer upon considering that the weight alcohol vapor.

vaporizer 2, of .any' suitable type, wherein the.

liquid methyl alcohol is converted into methyl From the vaporizer, the methyl alcohol vapor is conducted by suitable piping to a suitable catalytic chamber 4, which is provided with jacket 3. In cases where the exhaust gases of the engine are used for heating the catalyst chamber, a particular advantage can be obtained by a subsequent total combustion of such engine gases by means of catalysts. The engine exhaust gases are rich in carbon-monoxide and the hot engine gases eventually, after addition of air, can be conducted over a catalyst such as Hopcalite or a more rigid catalyst, such as a Ceroxide mixture or fused Metaloxide, which catalysts cause total combustion, whereby additional heat may be produced.

By modifying the sensitiveness of the catalyst, it is possible to compensate within certain limits for, any deficiencies in the heat of the exhaust gases, as for varying types of engines, so as to always have. the optimum reaction temperature in the catalytic chamber 4. It is preferable to so control the flow and proportions of the methyl alcohol vapors entering into the catalytic chamber that no undecomposed methyl alcohol will leave the farther end of the chamber, and to this end, a suitable valve may be provided in the pipe leading into the chamber.

The mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, as it is produced and leaves the chamber 4, is suitably protected from contact with. sparks or open flames, and'is led thence either directly to the cells of the gas-bag, by means of the usual piping and valves 6-; or, ifdesired, first over activated charcoal, or silica gel or through water, to remove water vapor and any trace of methyl alcohol vapor not dissociated in the chamber. This washing is, however, not obligatory but is advisable when the rate of flow and dissociation in the chamber cannot be properly controlled.

In either case, however, it is not necessary to employ pressure-increasing means; such as a gaspump or blower fan, as the dissociation of the substances of the present invention is accompanied in every instance by an increase of pressure, which is always sufficient to completely inflate the gas bag without the aid of auxiliary pressure-increasing means.

The separate vaporizer may, if desired, be dispensed with by running the-methyl alcohol in place of water into the cooling system of the engine, whereby the liquid will not only be vaporized and the resultingv vapors advantageously preheated, but the necessity for carrying a separate supply of engine-cooling medium, such as water. will be obviated. As shown in Figure 3, this may be accomplished by enclosing a conduit 1 within the water-jacket block of the engine, and coiling it around each cylinder, whereby the methyl alcohol is vaporized and the vapors preheated before entering the catalytic reaction chamber 4.

Various instrumentalities can be employed to heatthe catalytic chamber. As already mentioned. in connection with Fig. 1, the exhaust gases from the engine can be used directly for heating the catalytic chamber or chambers. The usual temperature of the exhaust gases is between 330 heatingmedium (Fig. 8).

degrees C. and 380 degrees C. When used on the ground, the catalytic chamber may be surrounded by a suitable fluid bath. A very good temperature regulation is then secured by using a liquid of suitable boiling point, which point may be adjusted by regulating its vapor pressure, or by circulating the liquid by a force feed system connected to the engine. The liquid bath may also be replaced by a solid block of metal in which the catalytic chambers are embedded, such block serving as a heat reservoir. Heat may also be supplied electrically as indicated at 8 in Fig. 2, and in Fig. 6. If the catalytic material is an electricalv conductor in itself, or is coated onan electrical conductor such as metals and alloys, the catalytic elements may be heated directly by electric current. The vapors may also be dissociated by the discharge through the chamber of silent electric sparks. Heat may also be produced by combustion, particularly surface combustion of a liquid or gaseous fuel. Thus methyl alcohol or gasoline vapors mixed with air may be passed over a suitable catalytic material, such as platinum asbestos or Ceriumoxide or Hopcalite catalyst whereby a flameless combustion is produced which furnishes a very uniform heat. The air as used for such combustions may be passed before entering the fire box over exhaust scrubbing material such as silica gel or charcoal, which is soaked with undecomposed liquid obtained from scrubbing the gases to be conducted into the balloon.

Any suitable catalyst may be employed in carrying out the invention, and the invention is not limited to any particular catalyst or type of catalyst. When using methyl alcohol, it is preferred to use a type of catalyst which, in a reaction converse to that of the present invention, will produce methyl alcohol or the like from the oxides of carbon in the presence of gases containing hydrogen. For example, the catalyst may be an oxide, or a mixture of oxides, suboxides, silicates. borates, fluosilicates, halides, alloys, or'metallides, of zinc, copper, silver, chromium, vanadium, uranium, manganese, gold or lead, or all of them, or any combination of them. The invention is not limited to any of these materials however.

The catalytic chamber can be constructed in any well known manner which secures a uniform distribution of heat through the catalytic mass. The catalyst may be carried as a single layer (Fig. 5) or a plurality (Fig. 6) of flat layers and the supporting plates or grids may be heated from outside by electricity (Fig. 6) or pipe coils wherein a gaseous or liquid heating medium circulates (Fig. 5). Heating elements may also be embedded in the catalyst layer (Figs. 545). The catalyst tubes may be immersed in a liquid or gaseous heating bath. These types of catalytic chambers are merely representative and it is to be understood that any other suitable arrangement of the catalytic chamber may be used without deviating from the present concept. How ever, the chamber is contemplated as always be.- ing made of copper or stainless steel, or alloys or other substances which do not form Ironcarbonyl with carbonmonoxide, since such is harmful to the catalyst. Vice versa, the catalyst may be located outside the tubes and the inside of the tubes may be traversed by heating gas or liquid. The tubes containing the catalyst may be closed on one end and have a center tube extending partly through the closed-end tube for conducting inlet or outlet gases and such tubes may be embedded in the Vice versa, the heatin fluid or gas may be circulated in these double tubes and the catalyst may be located outside the tubes. Flatlayers of catalyst may be combined in succession with layersarranged between, or inside of open or closed-end tubes.

I The catalytic apparatus illustrated in the various figures may be combined in series or in paral- If desired, the gas producing plant of the present'invention can be erected on the ground at an airport, as shown in Fig. 4, the size of the various components being increased sufficiently to supply the airships berthed there, instead of be- .ing designed in combinations with the motive lel, and one type may be combined in series or v in I parallel with any other type. Heat-exchange elements for preheating .the incoming gases and.

be impregnated with catalyst, or the carrier may itself be either catalytic or inert. When the carrier is to be impregnated with. the catalyst, the-carrier preferably consists either of silicic acid or a silicate such as'zeolite. Itv may also consist of a base-exchanging bodyhaving a highly ramified, cellular innersu'rface, in which the silica may be substituted by other groups,

plant of a single airship. Various other modifications of like nature may bemade without going beyond'the scope of the present invention.

j Itis claimed:

1. In a lighter-than-air flying machine having a buoyant gas cell, a propeller, and an internal combustion engine for driving the same, means for chemically generating buoyant permanent gas for filling saidgas cell, consisting of the combination of a reservoir of liquid methanol, means for vaporizing the methanol stored therein, said means being operated by the heat of said engine, catalytic means for I converting the vaporized methanol into a mixture of permanent gases, and

means for introducing said permanent gases into said gas cell.

such :as stannates. plumbates, aluminates, etc.

Instead of employing a separate carrier, the walls themselves of the'chamber may be coated with the catalyst. In this case, the catalyst is reduced before'use at about 250 300 C. by hydrogen-containing gases or methyl alcohol vapors.

7 By means of the present invention, therefore, both the lifting medium for the gas-cells and fuel for the engines may be generated in situ in the airship. The use of those volatile liquids from which are produced only hydrogen and a heavier gas also gives the advantage that the heavier gas generated therefrom serves to automatically compensate for the loss in weight during flight caused by the consumption of fuel. Further, if the gasbags are originally filled with pure hydrogen, and

it is desired to reduce altitude during flight, replenishing the bags with the carbonmonoxide-hy drogen mixture of the presentinvention serves automatically to restore the craft to the desired weight. If it is desired to lower the lifting power still more, the carbonmonoxide-hydrogen mixtrim, or a part thereof, may be conducted through an additional catalytic chamber'producing 'meth ane from the gases, or a part thereof, so that a gas mixture of a still further decreased lifting power is produced. Also-particularly when the invention is embodied in a central-station ground plantone or more components of the mixture,

' such as suitably small. amounts of carbon-diox- -ide or of carbonmonoxide, may be removed by scrubbing with any suitable absorbent, to vary the y gen content of the dissociationproduct and, j

therefore, the lift power of the craft, to any desired degree.

By the, use of one of the sources ofv hydrogen contemplated by the present invention from which also other useful by-products can be produced, the present invention makes it possible to 2. In a lighter-than-air flying machine having a buoyant gas bag, a propeller, and an internal combustion engine for driving the same, means for generating buoyant gas for filling said gas cell, comprising the combination of a supply of liquid methanol, means for vaporizing saidmeth- .anol, catalytic means for converting the vaporized methonal into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon.

monoxide, and means operated by said engine for heating said vaporizing means and said catalytic means.

3. In a lighter-than-air flying machine having a buoyant gas cell, a propeller, and an internal combustion engine for driving the same, means for generating buoyant. gas for filling said gas cell, comprising the combinationof a reservoir of liquid methanol, means for vaporizing the methanol stored therein, a catalytic combustion chamber for converting th vaporized methanol W into a mixture of gases lighter-than-air, a plucombustion engine for driving the same,-means for generating buoyant gas for filling said gas rality of electrically conducting catalysts in said catalytic combustion chamber, an electric generator motivated by said engine, and electrical conductors between said generator andsaid electrically conductingcatalysts for passing an electric current through said electrically conducting I catalysts to cause decomposition of said vapor-' ized methanol.

4. In a lighter-than-airfiying machine having a buoyant gas cell, a propeller, and an internal cell, consisting of the combination of a reservoir of liquid methanol, means operated by the heat of said engine for vaporizing said meth- F anol, catalytic means for converting the vapornot only generate a standard, high quality lift- 1 gas in site on short notice wherever the airship may be and inany quantities, but also obviates the necessity of depending upon the unreliable local products alongits course,='as when on an extended voyage, and thus widens considerably the held of usefulness of lighter-than-air craft.

ized methanol into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon'monoxide, and means for heating said catalytic means including a catalytic combustion chamber adapted to burn the exhaust gases from said engine and heat exchange means between said catalytic combustion chamber and said catalytic means.

THE MANUFACTURERS BANK 8:

TRUST COMPANY OF ST. LOUIS, Executor of the Estate of Johann Adam Bertsch,

Deceased, By HUGH B. ROSE,

Trust Oflicer.

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