US561445A - Apparatus for dynamic heating - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Mudel.)

A. SUHULTZE. APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIG HEATING. No. 561,445. Patented June 2, 1896.

AN DREW EGBANAM. PHOTOUTHQWASNINGTON, D;

. trated in Fig. 1.

NrTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR SCI-IULTZE, OF HOBOKEN, NEWV JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC HEATING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561 ,445, dated June 2, 1896.

{Application filed March 2,1895. Serial No. 540,832. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR SCHULTZE, a citizen of the United States, residing at I-loboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Dynamic Heating, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an apparatus which produces heat by the compression of air; and it consists of an apparatus of this character which (for a given size) is adapted to utilize the greatest amount of energy from a given source of energy and thus produce the greatest number of units of heat and to avoid the expenditure of energy in the movement of the air without the loss of heat. It is based upon the well-known principles that a body of gas is heated by compression and cooled by expansion, if in the act of expanding it has to do any outer work-as, for example, if it eX- pands against the pressure of the atmosphere; but air or any other gas will expand without cooling if it be discharged into a vacuum. Making use of these principles of action of gaseous bodies, I compress by suitable means a body of air or any other suitable gas in a chamber fitted for the purpose, whereby the compressed air is heated, and then discharge this compressed and heated air into a vacuumchamber or into a chamber in which the pressure is reduced, so that the air or gas expands without work or without sufficient work to exhaust the heat acquired by the condensation. After the air has thus been expanded without cooling it is discharged into the rooms to be warmed or into the chamber or compartment to be heated, as hereinafter more fully explained.

I have hereinafter shown apparatus suited for the purpose and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the apparatus in central longitudinal section. Fig. 2 shows a similar view of the modified form of the apparatus illus- Fig. 3 illustrates a different form of the app ratus involving the same principles as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a cylinder made airtight on all sides and of any material suited to the purpose. It is practically divided into two chambers by means of the piston P, and in the chamber A is a valve a, opening inwardly, and a corresponding valve b in the end B, opening outwardly. The piston is moved by any suitable power. The valves are shown as being located in the cylinder-heads and as operating automatically by differences of pressure created by movement of the piston; but the valves may be located in pipes communicating with the chambers and taking the air from any other point or conducting it to any other point, as may be desired, and, further, the valves may be operated by any suitable mechanism.

In the compression end or chamber in the cylinder is a by-pipe p, communicating at the point m with the bottom or end of the compression-chamber and at the point at with the endof the expansion-chamber, thus establishing a communication between these two chambers. In this form the length of the pipe 1? depends upon the degree of compression required, the maximum of compression being reached when the piston reaches the point 12. and commencing to diminish after the piston has begun to open the port at n, since the air in front of the piston begins to be discharged back into the expansion-chamber. It will be plain that as the piston moves from the end B toward the end Athe vacuum will be created in the end or chamber B more or less complete, according to the conditions or perfection of the machinery, and the same air or gas will be compressed accordingly in the end or chamber A. The common boundary of the two chambers is determined by the limit of the forward movement of the piston, which, in form shown in Figs. land 2, must always be at a point beyond the port at 02. When this limit has been reached by the piston, the heated air is discharged back into the vacuum created by the same movement, and as it is expanded without outer work it loses no heat. Upon the return of the piston it may be discharged through the valve into the chamber to be warmed, or the same expanded air may be carried around and returned through the valve to to be again subjected to compression and repeatedly, if desired, to increase the heat by repeated compressions.

If the expanded air be discharged through valve 1) into a compartment to be warmed, a

new supply of air is taken in at a by the return of the piston.

The air expanded in the expansion-chainber has, by reason of its heat generated by the compression, a greater tension than that of the atmosphere, which implies a waste of energy. To decrease this tension without loss, I provide in the modification shown in Fig. 2 a third opening 0, provided with a valve, the apparatus being in other respects the same as that shown in Fig. 1. In the form shown in Fig. 2 as the valve at 0 opens outward the air will not be compressed by the piston moving forward until it has covered the port 0, but further movement closes the port and the action of the apparatus on further movement of the piston is the same as heretofore explain ed. Since, therefore, the smaller quantity of air is compressed, the tension of the air after it has returned to fill the whole cylinder will be less, and by the proper placing of the port 0 this tension may be made exactly equal to that of the atmosphere.

As the resistance offered to piston in its forward movement is not uniform, it may be desirable under the same circumstances to use several cylinders and pistons, geared to operate successively and thus distribute the work which is to be done.

Instead of the reciprocating piston with the cylinder the same method above explained may be carried out by what I have called a centrifugal dynamic heater, as shown in Fig. 3. This consists of a cylindrical shell mounted to rotate 011 a central axis and provided with an opening 1 for the admission of the air. The shell or case is divided into compartments by substantially radial partitions 5, arranged to receive the air from the opening at the center and all arranged about the center. The compartments are formed, therefore, by the end walls 3 of the case and by the peripheral wall 4 and the radial walls 5. The rotary movement of the shell or case forces the air into the outer ends of these compartments, and these therefore become the compression-chambers. Outside of the peripheral wall expansion chambers B are formed by the continuation of the end Walls 3 and the radial partitions. These form chambers open at the outer ends, and as the shell revolves the air is forced outwardly by the centrifugal motion from these expansionchambers, and thereby pressure is reduced therein. Small slits or openings 0 are formed in the periphery, wh ereby the air is permitted to escape from the compression chambers into the expansion-chambers, and thus a 0011- tinual compression and expansion in rarefied air are secured. As the compressed air expands in rarefied air, it expands with diminished work and therefore with heat retained corresponding to the lesser work, which heat is communicated to the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus; or the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 may be inelosed and the air conducted therefrom to another point where it is desirable to raise the temperature.

\Vhile air is the most convenient medium for carrying out my method, it is obvious that any other gas suited to the purpose may be used instead.

I claim- 1. The combination of an air-compression chamber having an air-inlet opening, means for compressing the air therein, and an airexpansion and vacuum chamber communicating with the air-compression chamber, and having an opening for the emission of air therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In combination, an air-compression chamber having valved openings at, Z), and the piston arranged to operate in said cylinder and a pipe 1) making communication between the openings as m, n, the parts being arranged to operate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR SCHULTZE.

IVitnesses:

HENRY E. Coornn, J AMES M. ,SPEAR.

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