US830613A

US830613A - Apparatus for liquefying air and other gases.

Info

Publication number: US830613A
Application number: US4295101A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raoul Pierre Pictet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-01-12
Filing date: 1901-01-12
Publication date: 1906-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1923-09-11

Description

110. 830,013. PA1PN1PD SPP1. 11, 1000.

P.. 11.110111. APPARATUS P011 1.1001111110 A111 A1111 01111111 GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1901.

A P1 P A "nk \-z- 'N @-1"1.1-e11.a@11.111111110111'?iS1-.1S1-Ige-1.. I

UNITED ,STATE'SPATENT OFFICE y y l nacer. PIERRE rrcra'r, 0E NEW YORK, N. Y. YAEP/ausm*lis Fon LIQUEFYINQ A lnf AND ori-Isn casses.`

. Na. asocia.v

Tala/ZZ whom tilt may concern 1 `My invention relates to lmprovementsl in` apparatus for-liqu'efying air or other gases capableof' being i ueiied only vat loW temperatures and usual y under pressure.

My invention consists 1n the novel construction, character, and arrangement of the cooling devices employed for cooling the 'entering current of air or other gas, in the novel means em loyed for reducingr the pressure of the lique ed gas without the evolutionI of heat .in the apparatus due to such reductlon in pressure and with minimum evaporation 'of the liquid, in the employment of means for converting into useful work the energy Vcontained within the liquefiedgas prior to its reduction in novel combination, construction,- and arrangement of the parts ofthe apparatus. J

The objects of my invention are, first,- to liquefy air and othergases more efficiently and with less expense than has been possible heretofore second, to prevent so far as possible evaporation of the liquefied gas as an incident to the operation'of the apparatus;

third, to prevent so far as possible the productionA of heat in the va paratus; fourth, to convert into useful wor so far as Apossible the energy existingin the liquefied gas after liquefacti'on and prior to the reduction of the pressure -on the liquid, and generally to make the apparatus as simple, economical, efi'- cient, and easily operated as possible. These objects are attained" in the apparatus herein described, and illustrated in the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this application, in which the main portion ofthe apparatus-viz., the liqueiier-is shown in section, the other portions of the ap aratus beipg indicated diagrammatically an not to sca e. T he general method of operation ofthe apparatus herein illustrated and described is as follows: Air or other gas to be liquefied which has irst been dried and filtered, if necessary, is compressed. In 'the case of air the speeificnon of wcm Patent.

- I f j Ammonia aaa :muy 12,1901. seau n. 42.951.-

and exact descrip- `evaporation, and

ressure, and generally in theI degree of compression need not be greater Patented sept. 11, 190e.

than fifty-three atmospheres, this pressure I corresponding to the critical temperature of liquefaction of air. The air or rother gas so compressed is passed through a succession-of coohng coils, p1pes,.or passa es, themselves cooled b'y contact with a'rapi ly-evaporatin liquid refri erating a ent, such as li uid Asu furous acl l1 ueie ammonia, ch orid of ethyl, o r any ot er volatile liquid used in refrigeratlng-machines.

use the mlxture of sulfurous andcarbonio I prefer, however7 to lacids known as liquide Pictet. A combined vacuum andcompression ump creates a vacuum above the body o evaporatlng' rerigerating agent, so as to hasten the at the, same time compressesY the gas so drawn off and passes it through a condenser, so as to liquey itA again. ^From these coolin -coils the compressed and cooled air or ot er enterin gas, which by the treatment 'just mentione may have been cooled to or 100centigrade,

-is Vpassed through other cooling coils', pipes, or

passages themselves subject to the action of a liquid refrigerating agent having a much lower boiling-point than that liquid which cools the primary cooling-coils and which is itself evaporated, compressed, condensed,

and returned in the same manner as the pri-l ma refrigerating agent. By this second coollng the entering current of air or .other gas to be liquefied may usually' be cooled to `such a temperature that under the pressure to which it has been compressed it will liquefy. For the secondary refrigerating agent I preferably employ ethylene or protoxid of nitrogen, either of whieh'agents permits the cooling of air to from 140 to 150o centigrade. The air thus liquefied lis under considerable pressure, and to permit it tovbe stored economically or to be used for most purposes it must be relieved of this pressure. This ma be accomplished most expeditiously by a lowing the liquefied air to escape through a suitable orifice and fall into a suitable receptacle;but because of the pressure to which it is subjected the liquid air in soissuing will have great velocity,` and if the jet be interrupte or defiected downward by av suitable baHie-lplate the energly of the rapidly-moving partie es of liquid Wil be converted into heat,

which is objectionable for two reasons-rst,

will be caused to evaporate, and, second, be-

IIO

cause the ener wasted. For t 's reason I preferably locate in front of the jet a turbine'or other suitable fluid-motor operated by the impact uponit designates the outer casin of the lliquefier,

so converted into heat isv absorbe Without the evo ution o any considerable amount of heat within the apparatus in so doing, and the ener so imparted to the fluid-motor may be a sorbed in operating machinery of any t e, and therefore ma if desired, be returne to the system.

referring now to the drawing, numeral 1 which casing is a cylindrica shell. Within it is la second casing2, connected tocasing 1` at .to and bottom and inclosing, with casing 1, a'jacket3, adapted to contain a volatile fluid and Aalso contaming pi e-coil 4 and 5. The central space surroun ed by casing 2 is open atto and bottom. In this s ace is a second vessell formed by casings 6 an 7, together inclosing a jacket adapted to contain a volatile fluid and containing a pipe-coil'8. The second or inner jacket is numbered 9. This sec'- .ond vessel is open at the bottom, but is closed at the top by a cover-plate 10. Within the said vessel is still a third vessel 11, and within vessel 11 is a tube 12, open at the bottom. Within the space between the walls of vessel =11 and tube 12 is a helical partition 13, divid'- l Zing this chamber so as to make it a helical assa e, and within said helical passage are elica ipe-coils 14. Thevessel 11 has a conical ottom 15, to which apipe 16 for car- 7 rying off the liquid air is connected.

. acid, 'liquefie vapors Numerals 17, 18, and 19 designatcthree compressors. Compressor 17 draws atmosheric air or other gas from'a filter and deydrator 20, com resses said air to a pressure of from fifty to l ty-three atmospheres, and -delivers the compressed air to the 'coils' 4 within the outer jacket 3. This jacket contains the 'li uide Pictet, liquid sulfurous d ammonia or chlorid of ethyl or other rimar refrigerating agent which may have geen selected. Such liquid evaporates rapidly in the jacket 3, the more sobecause .the com ressor 1 9 is arranged to draw off the fli'om the jacket 3 through a pipe 21 and-in so doing maintains a considerable vacuum in the jacket. The vapors of the `primar refrigerant so drawn ofi"` are compresse by compressor 19 to .an extentsufii-v cient to liquefy them when cooled, and they are then passed through pipe 22, condenser- 23, wherein they are condensed and cooled, and pipe 24, 'back to thev jacket.

.of cold air until t .The prima? within the jac et 3 cools the entering air in pipe-coils 4 and also the substance in the coils 5, whichis the secondary refrigerant, such as protoxid of nitrogen or ethylene. The main ody of this secondary refrigerant is contained inthe second jacket 9, and the vapors which are formed in said jack'et 9 by the evaporation of the secondary reri erant are drawn off by the compressor 18 t ipe 25, are compressed .to a pressure of from ve to fifteen atmos heres, are cooled by passing through the coils 5', themselves cooled y the primary refrigerant, and are thereby liquefied, and are then returned through pipe 26 to the jacket 9.

The gas to 'be liquefied after passing through the pipe-coils'4 immersed in the primary refrigerant is led by a pipe 27 to the pipecoils 8, immersed in the body ofthe secondary refrigerant contained'n the second jacket 9. In its passage through these coils 8 the air or-other gas to be liquefied is cooled rough the [refrigerant in evaporating to such an extent that being under considerable pressure it isliqueed, but although it is now a lllnd its pressure must be reduced to that of t e atmos here, and likewise its temperature must be lowered to that of li uid air (or whatever other gas is being treate at atmospheric pressure. To accomplish this, the hquid alr or other substance is conducted b a pipe 28 to the pi e-coils 14 within the he ical passages of t e vessel 11 and passes downward through surrounded by an u wardly-moving current e liquid finally passes through a nozzle 29 and lmpinges upon the buckets of a turbine-wheel 30, mounted upon a revoluble shaft 31, mounted within the tube 12. The liquid as it issues from the nozzle 29 has a high velocity, due to the pressure which impels it; but upon encountering the turbine 30 the velocity of the liquid is irnlparted to the blades ofthe turbine, the liquid itself falling downward. A portion of the liquid will evaporate and will pass off through the helical channels of'the vessel 11, abstracting heat as it does so from the incoming air in the coils 14 and so cooling such incoming air,"

but the proportion of liquid which thus evaporates is Very much less than would other- -wise be the case, owing to the use of the turbine 30, for if the energy of the stream of liq- IIO uid under pressure were not imparted to the v turbine it would be converted into heat through the impinging of the liquid upon the sides of the apparatus or otherwise, and thus aiconsiderable proportion of the liquid would be evaporated. The energy imparted to the turbine is a measure of the energy that otherwise would be converted intov heat in that part of the apparatus Where it is least desirable that heat should be produced.

' The shaft 31 may be caused to drive suitable machinery, and thereby the power imparted to the turbine may be utilized and, jif

, desired, may be returned to the s stem in this manner. In the drawin the ls aft 31 is shown as driving an electric ynamo 32; but of course machinery of any other type may also b'e driven therefrom. The shaft 31 may also drive a meter 33 by which the amount ofliquid air produced may be measured, 'for after the ap aratus is operating in the normal manner tlie `number of revolutions of the sha t31 in a given time will be a measure of the amount of liquid air produced in that time.`

SuchI of the liquid air as evaporates'iand' passes upward through thehelical passages ofthe vessel 11 passes downward through the annular space between casing 7 and vessel 1 1 andthen upward through the annular space between casings 2 and6. Such air therefore serves to chill to a considerable extent the entering air. evaporate asses out through the pipe A16 and may be col ected as produced.

'lheoperation of the apparatus is as follows: The three compressors 17, 18, and *19 being driven from any suitable source comem lo ed as the rimar refrigerant.

P y P presser 17 draws in air to be liquefiedfcompresses it to a suitable ipressure, which I prefer to be from fifty to fi ty-three atmos heres, and delivers it to the` co1ls` 4,iminersed) in the body of primary refrigerant within the jacket 3.- The compressor. 19 draws the vapors of the primary refrigerant from the jacket 3, in so doing producing a partial vacuum in said jacket, and thereby hastening'the eva oration ofthe primary refri erant and maklng it possible to maintain a re atively lowtemperature' in Ithe jacket 3. The compressor 19 compresses such vapors to the `necessary extent to insure liquefaction, of such vapors upon cooling, and such vapors then pass through the cooler 23, are liquefied therein, and are then returned to the jacket 3. The entering compressed air in passing through the coils 4 is cooled to a tem creature of'from to 100 centigradei liquide Picl'eti air so cooled and still un er substantially the initial pressure next passes'throu h the coilsl `8, nnmersed 1n the secondary re igerant 1n the jacket 9. Compressor 18'draws the vapors of this 'secondary refrigerant from the' jacket 9, in so doing producing a partial 'vacuum in said jacket, and thereby hastening the .evaporation of the secondary refrigerant and making it possible .to lnaintaina relatively low temperature in the jacket 9.4 The compressor 18 compresses such va ors to the necessary extent to insure lique action of such vapors upon eoolingin the pipe-coils 5, immersed in the primary refri erant within the jacket 3 ,and suchA vapors t en pass through Athe coils 5, are condensed and cooled therein,

and are then returned` in the liquid state to thejacket 9. A `pressure of from six toeight The liquid air which does not,

will suflice to cause liquefa'ction of protoxid l5 of nitrogen or ethylene, the secondary refrig-r erants preferably emplo ed in the coils 5. Cooling of the entering air in the coils 8 sufi ces to reduce its temperature to from 140 to 145 centigrade. The'air so cooled is then passed through the pipe-coils 14 in the helical passages of the vessel 1 1. Cooling of the air to 140 to -1 145 centigrade in the coilsS under a pressure of from fifty to fifty-three atmospheres will suffice to li uefy air; but the air so'liquelied is neverthgless cooled to a still lower temperature in its passage through the pi e-coils 14 by radiatlon of heat to the ,co der outgoing'current of air passing out- 'Ward around the pi es 14. Fin ly the air so compressed, coole and liqueiied emerges from the nozzle or nozzles 29 as a stream ofV liquid air having a high velocity, owing to the pressure behinditf, The energy of such jet or jets is imparted to the turbine 30 and so to theshaft 31 and the machinery driven there-` by, the liquid falling from the buckets of the turbine. A portion of this liquid will vaporize, because the temperature of the liquid air issuing from thenozzles is not yet that of liquid'air at atmospheric pressure; 'but the evaporation of Ithisportion of the li uid air will cool the remainder of the liqui tothe temperature of lli uid airi at 'atmospheric pressure, and such' iquid will be collected by they conical bottom 15 andV will descend through the pipe 16 and may be caught.

The jacket 3 serves both as an initlal cooler for the compressor 17 and as a condenser for' the secondary refrigerant. It is therefore unnecessary to employ a separate initial cooler for the'compressor 17 and a separate condenser for the secondary refri erant.

The air which passes up throug the helical passages of the vessel 11 asses downward through the annular space etween vessel 11 and casing 7 and then upward through the annular space between casings 2 and 6. In

so passing it helps to cool the primary and.

secondary refrigerante and also to insulate the passages 6V and 14 against absorption of heat from the outside.

I do not limit myself to conducting the refrigeration of the entering air in any particular number of stages or to the use of any particular refrigerante. Nor doI limit myself to other gas capable ofbeing liquefied by the application of cold or of cold and pressure in t e same way. p

I do not limit myself to the use of the particular 'construction andl arrangement of parts herein illustrated. j

Preferably two or more nozzles 27 should be employed, and these nozzles should be so s aced around the periphery of the turbine that side thrust is avoided.v In the drawing IOO IIO

the treatment ofairfor liquefying it by the method herein describedl I may treat any' two such nozzles are shown, one being indiv cated by dotted lines.

The jackets or vessels 3 and 9 may be v refrigerants of successively lower boilingpoints, each provided with cooling-passages, for conveying the gas to be liquefied through said cooling vessels, such passages of the said vessels being connected in series, and the ves sel for containing, the refrigerant of higher Vboiling-point having other cooling-passages connected with the vessel for containing refrigerant of lower boiling-point, and forming cooling-passages for the refrigerant of lower boiling-point, of means for compressing the vapor of the refrigerant of lower boilingpoint, and for passing it through the corresponding,cooling-passages of the vessel containing the refrigerant of higher boilingpoint, back to its corresponding vessel, and means for compressing the vapor of the refrigerant of higher ,boiling-point, cooling it and returning it to its corresponding vessel.

2. In an apparatus for liquefying air and other gases, the combination, with primary and secondary cooling vessels, adapted to contain, respectively, primary and secondary liquid refrigerants of progressively lowei` boiling-points, said cooling vessels each provided with cooling-passages for the gasto be liquefied, said passages of the said vessels being connected in series, the primary cooling vessel being also provided with other coolingvpassages connected with the secondary vessel and forming cooling-passages for the secondary refri erant, of means for compressing the* vapor o the secondary refrigerant, and for passing it through the cooling-passages of the primary vessel back to the secondary vessel, and means for compressing the vapor of the primary refrigerant, cooling it, and returning it to the primary vessel.

3.. In an apparatus for liquefying air and other gases the combination with a series of cooling. vessels adapted to contain liquid refrigerants of successively lower boilingpoints, located one within the other, and each provided with cooling-passages, for conveying the gas to be liquefied through said cooling vessels, such passages of the said vessels being connected in series, and the vessel for containing the refrigerant of higher boiling-point having other cooling-passages connected with the vessel for containing refrigerant of lower boilingpoint, and forming cooling-passages `for the refrigerant of lower boilingoint, of means Vfor compressing the vapor o the refrigerant iof, lowerw boiling-l point, and for passing it, throu'gh the corresponding cooling-passages of the vessel con-l taining the refrigerant of higher boilin -point back to its corresponding vessel, andi-means for compressing the vapor of the refrigerant of higher boiling-point, cooling it, and returning it to its corresponding vessel.

4. In an apparatus for liquefying air and` other gases, the combination, with primary and secondary cooling vessels, 'located one within the other, and adapted to contain, re-

spectively,'primary and secondary li uid refrigerants of lprogressivel lowerA oilingpoi-nts, said cool/ing vesses each provided with cooling-passages for the gas to be liquefied, said passages of the said vessels being connected in series, the primary cooling vessel being also provided with other coolingpassages connected with the secondary vessel and forming cooling-passages for the secondary refrigerant, of means for compressing the vapor of the secondary refrigerant and forv passing it through the cooling-passages of the `primary vessel back to the secondary vessel,

gas to be liquefied throug said coolin vessels, such passages of the said vessels eing proi vided with cooling-passa es, for conveying connected in series, and the vessel for containy ing the refrigerant of higher boiling-point having other cooling-passages for the refrigerant of lower boilingoint, of means for inducing circulation in t e several cooling-passages, means for condensing and returning to ,1., the vessel for containing the refrigerant of higher boiling-point, the refrigerant which evaporates therein, and a heat-exchan er., i

within the innermost of said vessels, provi ed wi th adjacent passages for enteringland outi going gas, and with an expansion-orifice c onf necting the same.

6. In an ap aratus `for liquefying air `and f other gases, t e combination with primary ifsv and secondary cooling vessels, the latter lo cated within the former, said vessels containing respectively primary and secondary ref frigerants, the latter of lower boiling-point'.

than the former, said vessels provided with cooling-passages, connected in series, for thez gas to be liquefied, the .primary vessel being also provided with other cooling-passages connected with the secondary vessel and forming cooling-passages for the secondary refrigerant, of means for compressing the vapor of the secondary refrigerant and for passing it through the corresponding passages of the primary vessel back to the secondary vessel, and means for compressing the vapor of.

the .primary refrigerant, cooling it, and returmng it to the primary vessel.

. passages connected with the secondary vessel and forming cooling-passages for the secondary refrigerant, of means for compressi the vapor of the secondary refrigerant, an for passing it through the corresponding passages of the primary vessel back to the secondary vessel, and means for compressin the vapor of the secondary refrigerant, co in it and returning it to the primary vessel, t e'heatexchanger being arranged to cause unlique- {ied gas to pass back through the spaces between the exchanger' and the primary and secondary vessels.

8. In an apparatus for liquefying air and other gases, the combination, with primary and secondary cooling vessels, located one gg-frigerants of progressivel within the other, and adapted to contain, respectively, primary and secondary liquid relower boilingpoints, said cooling vesse s each rovided with cooling-passages for the as to e liqueiiod, said passages of the sai vessels being connected in series, the primary cooling vessel being also provided with other coolingpassages connected. with the secondary vessel and forming cooling-passages for the secondary refrigerant, of means for inducing circulation through the several cooling-passages, means for condensing and returning tothe primary vessel the refrigerant which eva orates therein, and a heat-exchanger witin the innermost of said vessels, provided lwith adjacent passages for entering and outgoing yeying gas to be liqueiie gas, and with an expansion-orlce connecting the same.

9. In an a paratus for liquefyin'g air and other gases, tlhe combination with a seriesof cooling vessels adapted to contain liquid refrigerants of successively lower boiling-points, each provided with cooling-gases es, for cont t roug said coolm vessels, such assa` es of the said vessels being connected 1n series, and the vessel for' containing the refrigerant of higher boilingpoint havmg other cooling-passages for the refrigerant of lower boilingoint, of means for inducing circulation in t 1e several cooling-passages, means for condensing and returning to the vessel for containing the refrigerantof higherboilin -peint, the-refrigerant which evaporates t erein, and a heat- Vexchanger within the innermost of said vessels, provided with adjacent passages for entering and outgoing gas, and with an expansion-orifice connecting the same, there being a passage betweenrthe exchanger aud the adjacent cooling vessel, in communication with the outgoing passage of said exchanger, f

through which the outgoin gas may flow.

10. In an a paratus for iiquefying air and othergases, tiie combination, with primary and secondary cooling vessels, located one withinthe other, and adapted to contain, respectively, lprimary and secondary liquid refrigerants of progressivel lower boilingpolnts, said cooling vesse s each rovided with cooling-passages for the as to cliquefied, said passages of the sai vessels being connected in series, the primary cooling vessel being provided also with other coolingpassages connected with the secondary vessel and forming cooling-passages for the secondary refrigerant, ciJ means for inducing circulation through the several cooling-passages, means for condensing and returning to the primary vessel the refrigerant which eva crates therein, and a hcat-exchan er Wit in the innermost of said vessels, provi( ed with adjacent passages for entering end outgoing gas, and with an ex ansion-orifice connectmg the same, there )eing a assage be'- tween the exchanger and .the adjacent cooling vessel, in'communication with the outgoing passage of said exchanger, through Whlch the outgomg gas may flow.

11. In an apparatus for liquefying air and other gases the combination wit a series of coolin vessels, located one within the other,

and a apted to contain liquidrefrigerante ofv successively lower boiling-points, each vessel Y rovided with.coolingpassages, for conveymg gas to be 'liquefied through said cooling vessels, such tpassages of the said vessels being connecte in series, and the vessel for containing the refrigerant of higher boilingpoint havmg other cooling-passages for the IIO refrigerant of'lower boilingoint, of means for compressing the vapor o the refrigerant of lower boiling-point, andv for passmg it, through the corresponding cooling-passages of the vessel containin the refrigerant of higher boiling-point, bac to its corresponding vessel, means for com ressing the va or of the .refrigerant of big er boiling-point, cooling it and returning it to its corresponding vessel, and a heat-exchanger Within the last of said vessels, provided with adjacent passages for entering and outgoing gas, and

ywith an expansion-orifice connectmg the same, and a motor within the heat-exchanger arranged to be actuated by fluid issuing from said orifice.

12. In an apparatus for liquef ing air' and other gases the combination wit a series of coolin vessels, located one Within the other', and a apted to contain liquid reiriger'ants of successively lower boiling-points,- each vessel provided with coolin pas\s\ages, for conveygas tobe liqueiie fromsaid coolin ves'` ses, such passages of the said vessels eing connected in series, and the vessel for containing the refrigerant of higher boiling-point i having other cooling-passages for-,the refrig` Id: lerant of lower lboiling-point, of means for compressing the vapor of the refrigerant of lower boilingoint, and forpassing it, through thecorrespon ing cooling-passages of the Vessel containing .the refrigerant 'of higher boil- 1 5 ,ing-point; hack to its corresponding vessel,

j rneans lforicompressing the yapor of the ref -f fri erantof lhigher r`helling-point, cooling it, an returning it-to its correspondin vessel, a heat-exchan erwithin thelastof said-Vessels, provided Wit adjacent passagesfor entering and outgoing gas, 'and'with an expansion-oriice co'nnectin the same, land a turbine-mo, tor within the eat-exchanger arranged to be actuated by fluid issuing from said orifice. In testir'nony whereof-I affix my signature z 5 in the presence of tard-.witnesses v RAOUL PIERRE PICTET. Witnesses:

ERNEST H. DE VINE,

D HOWARD HAYWooD.