US2493073A

US2493073A - Method of vaporizing or gasifying liquids

Info

Publication number: US2493073A
Application number: US689766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kinneen William Patrick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-08-14
Filing date: 1946-08-10
Publication date: 1950-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 1967-01-03

Description

Jan. 3, 1950 w. P. KlNNEEN 2,493,073

METHOD OF VAPORIZING OR GASIFYING LIQUIDS Filed Aug. 10, 1946 INVE -11 R1 WILUAM Ffirfmcu K: Mus-E m mm fbm w wAfr'ya Patented Jan. 3, 1950 William Patrick Kinneen, Dublin, Eire Application August 10, 1946, Serial No. 689,766 In Great Britain August 14, 1945 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved method of vapourising or gasifying liquids, more particularly liquids which it is desired to vapourise or gasify in order to produce the driving gases of jet-propulsion units or internal combustion engines, although it is generally applicable to the vapourising or gasiiying of liquids for any purpose, subject only to the limitation that a jet of the liquid in question shall be capable of conducting an electric current.

According to the present invention, a jet of the liquid to be vapourised or gasifled is forced through a nozzle on to a conductive surface or electrode and an electric current of suflicient intensity to vapourise or gasify the liquid is passed through the jet.

This may conveniently be done by making the nozzle, through which the jet is forced, of metal and by establishing a suitable potential difference between the nozzle and the surface or electrode on which the jet impinges. The potential difference and the intensity of the current flowing through the jet will, of course, vary according to the nature of the liquid (or mixture of liquids) forming the jet.

In order that this invention may be the more clearly understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example certain embodiments of this invention, and in which:

Figure l is a somewhat diagrammatic section through a single jet gasifying heat generator and part of a gas expansion chamber according to the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a two jet system according to the present invention.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate embodiments of the present invention using a two and three phase source of electric supply for the vapourisation of liquids from two and three jets respectively.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the body of the apparatus may be made as a unit and comprises a gasifying head l leading directly to a gas expansion chamber II.

The head I0 is provided with one or more nozzles I2 passing through the walls, the fitting of the nozzle, or each of the nozzles, as the case may be, being of such a nature as to prevent the escape of gas. For simplicity of description it will be assumed in the following description that only a single nozzle I2 is employed. The nozzle I2 is supplied with the liquid to be gasifled under pressure through the pipe I3 and non-return valve I4.

The pressure on the liquid may be obtained by means of a pump, by means of air pressure with in the storage tank for the liquid, or by gravity. The non-return valve I4 is provided in order to prevent the back pressure of the gase formed in the head affecting the supply of liquid to the nozzle and, in some cases, is unnecessary.

The body of the gasifying head and the nozzle I2 are in electrical connection with one another and are connected to an earthed terminal of a source of electric power shown diagrammatically in Figure l as a battery I5. It may not be necessary actually to earth the body of the gasifying head but it can be considered as the ground potential of the whole apparatus.

Inserted through the wall of the head Ill andsupply I5 so that the jet of liquid issuing from the nozzle I2, which will strike and contact electrically the projecting electrode, will carry an electric current of sufficient intensity to vapourise the liquid into a gas.

As above stated, more than one nozzle I2 with the corresponding number of co-operating electrodes Il may be provided in the gasifying head. These nozzles may all be supplied with the same liquid, or may be supplied with different liquids which are gasified and mixed within the gasifying head. Where different liquids are supplied to the nozzles, it may be desirable to establish different potential differences across the jets. This may be done by returning the different electrodes I'I, IIa to diiferent points on the battery or source of power I5, as shown in Figure 2, the nozzles I2, l2a being grounded to the common point of the supply.

Where the gasifying head employs two jets or two groups of jets, the jets being of the same or different liquids, it is convenient to employ a twophase system of electrical supply, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2. All the nozzles l2 are connected to the electrical centre of the two phase system 20. One electrode or set of electrodes I1 is connected to one of the phases, and the other electrode or set of electrodes I'Ia is connected to the other phase, both at potentials suitable for the liquid or liquids being used. The positioning of the nozzles and electrodes in the gasifying head may be such that, when splash of liquid takes place, there can be a flash-over from the greater voltage between the phases at the electrodes, thereby causing better gasifying action.

In a similar manner to that of using a twophase supply system, a three-phase supply may be used, as shown in Figure 4. All the nozzles are connected to the electrical centreof the supply system andxthe individual electrodes, or groups of electrodes, are connected to the phases as shown at potentials suitable to the liquids being used.

In some cases, air or other gas or gases ,may be injected into the gasifying head or gas expansion chamber to assist the gasifying action Thus, as shown in Figure 1, air or other gas may be injected into the gasifying head 'IO through a pipe- A further possibility is to fit the gasifying headto the induction manifold or cylinder block head oi the engine serving as the gas expansion chamher. In this case, the supply of liquid to the gasifying head may becontrolled in a manner similar to that of a Diesel or semi-Diesel engine, liquid being fed to the nozzle only when the compression of theair inducted is about its maximum.

. 30 i of an internal combustion engine, the cylinders I claim:

1. Apparatus for vapourising or gasifying a liquid capable of conducting an electric current by passing an electric current of sufficient intensity to vapourise or gasify the liquid through the same comprising a gasifying head including at least one tubular nozzle of conducting material to which the liquid to be gasified is fed, and at least one electrode disposed opposite. said nozzle, together with means for establishing a sufificient potential difference between said nozzle and ids fi tm e, 1

'2, Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the liquid is fed to said nozzle through a non-return 'valve.

3, Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for feeding a gas to the gasifying head through a non-return valve.

' WILLIAM PATRICK KINNEEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-inthe file of this patent:

I .TA .AT N

Number Name Date 995,132 Grifiing June 13,1911- 1, 587,-197 Southgate Junel; 1926* 1,994,331 Ziskin et a1 Mar. 12, 1935 2,368,115 Chapple Jan. 30, 1945- FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 335,245 German-y Mar; 30,1921