US835262A - Means for heating compressed gas. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

W. H. SODEAU. MEANS FOR HEATING COMPRESSED GAS.

APPLIOATIOK FILED AUG. 21. 1906.

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WILLIAM HORACE SODEAU. OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY LIMITED, OF NEWOASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR HEATING COMPRESSED GAS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

Application fil d August 21,1906. Serial No. 276.029.

. DEAU, eng'neering chemist, a subject of the of r Kin eat Britain, residin' at Elswick Wor s, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, ngland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Heating Compressed Gas,

-of which the following is a specification.

It has before been proposed to heat compressed air or gas by means of the combustion in it of petroleum, alcohol, or other suitable combustible liquid, thereby raising the temperature of the air and consequently increasing the volume which a given weight would occupy at a given pressure. The rise of temperature has other beneficial effects, notably that it is capable of preventing the formation of ice from an water which may have been carried forwar by the compressed air.

According to this invention the-combustion takes lace inside the pipe or passage through WhlGh the compressed air is supplied to the engine or pneumatic tool, whic pipe or (passage will usually be locally increased 1n ameterin order to provide a combustion chamber of sufficient capacity and suitable sha e, and the arrangement is such that the ratio of fuel to air can be kept practically constant or can be varied at pleasure.

The combustible liquid is contained in an appropriate vessel or fuel-reservoir communicatin with the compressed-air-supply pipe at a point where the pressure is higher than in the combustion-chamber and connected to a pi e passing into the combustion-chamber, w ere it preferably terminates in a suitable spraying-nozzle.

In some installations there may be an already existing drop of pressure which can be utilized for feeding the combustible liquid into the combustion-chamber; but it is usually necessary to interpose a special obstacle, such as a cock or a perforated plate, in the path of the compressed air.

The amount of combustible liquid fed into the combustion-chamber per umt weight of compressed air will of course depend upon the relative densities of the two fluids and the relative resistances in the paths of each. Thus the relative proportion of a given combustible liquid may be increased by decreasing the size of the hole or holes in the perforated plate above described or by increasing the orifice through which the combustible liquid is discharged. The same effect is produced by decreasing the pressure, and consequently the density, of the compressed-air supply; but if the mean pressure 1s kept constant the proportion will be but little influenced by the rate at which the compressed air is passing, as the stream of combustible liquid will vary in racticall the same de gree. It will thus e seen t at within reasonable limits any desired temperature can be obtained by altering the mean pressure or by changing the arrangement producing the dro in the air-pressure or by changing the fue -delivery orifice.

When only a moderate rise of temperature is desired, as in the case of pneumatic handtools, 800., only a portion of the total air-supply need be sent through the combustionchamber, ap ropriate cocks, valves, or other controllin evices being employed to obtain the desire ratio between the two air-streams which streams are, of course, subsequently reunited.

In installations which are required to run for long periods I preferabl employ two or more fuel-reservoirs provi ed with appro priate cocks or valves so arranged that an empty reservoir may be shut off and refilled without interfering with the continuous ac tion of the appliance. The spraymay be ignited by introducing a piece of burning material into the combustion-chamber after temporarily relieving the pressure in the same (appropriate valves, cocks, doors, 800., being provided for this p ose) or while the compressed air is actual y traversing the combustion-chamber by means of an igmtiontube, primer, cap, or electric ignition device.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of an apparatus suitable for use with pneumatic hand-drills and the like. Fi 2 is is a milar view of an apparatus suitab e for tor edo propulsion.

n Fig. 1 the greater part of the air passes through the cook a in the main supply-pipe b, by which it is ,led to the engine; but a portion takes the alternative path through the pipe 0, which forms a connection between the airsupply pipe I) and the combustion-chamber e,

plpes and becomes heated and then rejoins the main streamthrough the pipe f and cock 9.

Li uid fuel'is contained in the fuel-reservoirs 7', which are connected to the air supply pipe. b. by the pipes c c and Z and n, the

and n being provided w1th cocks Z and n. The reservoirs h and j are connected to the chamber e by the pipes m and 0, which are provided with cocks m and 0. Fuel may .be I su plied to the reservoirs through the valve openings h and '1".

The drop of pressure-caused by the, cock (1 causes the liquid fuel to be forced through the spraying nozzle k for combustion in the chamber e.

The pro ortion of fuel to air in e may be increased y decreasing the opening of the cock (1, while the fuller opening of the cock 9 or the partial closing of the cock 0, will cause a larger stream to pass through the chamber c. These adjustments. enable the desired temperature to be obtained.

When the reservoir it becomes empty, it

may be refilled after closing thecooks l and m, the supply of fuel being meanwhile obtained from the reservoirj, and the latter can be similarly filled after closing the cocks n and 0. The spray may be ignited by means of an appropriate electric igniter p.

In Fig. 2 the portion of the pipe 1) between the pipes c and f, Fig. 1, is omitted, the pipe 0 being in a line with and forming a continuation of the pipe I), so that the whole of the air passes through 'the chamber e and is led away by the pipe f of Fig. 1, which is now merged in-the outgoing portion of the pipe I). In this case the requisite head for spraying is caused by the insertion of a perforated plate q in the pipe 0, through which the whole of the compressed-air stream passes into the combustion-chamber c.

When the en ine has made a prearranged number of revo utions, the valve m is opened by hand and liquid'fuel is forced from the reservoir it through the nozzle 7c into the chamber 6. Almost immediately the primer p is fired and the spray is thereby ignited. In

0th arrangements the ends of the pipes m and 0, which are connected to the chamber 6, are preferably at a higher level than the to s of the reservoirs h and i, so that fuel is on y supplied to the chamber 0 when air is flow ing through-the pipe I).

What I claim is 1.- The combination of an air-sup 1y pipe, a reservoir for liquid fuel, a com ustionchamber, connections from the pipe to the reservoir and chamber, a connection from the reservoir to the chamber, and means in the connection from the pi e to the chamber for reducing the pressure 0 the air-supply to the chamber as compared with that of the 2. The combination 'of an air.supplypipe, .a'reservoir for liquid fuel, a combustionfor reducing the pressure 0 the'air-supply to the chamber as compared with that to the reservoir.

3. The combination of an air-supply pipe,

a reservoir for liquid .fuel, a combustionchamber, a connection from the pipe to the reservoir, two connections from the pipe to the chamber, a valve m the pipe between these two connections, a connection from the reservoir to the chamber, and means in one of the connections from the pipe to the chamber for reducing the pressure of the air-supply to the chamber as compared with that to the reservo1r.

4. The combination of an air-supply pipe,

a reservoir for liquid fuel, a combustionchamber, a connection from the pipe to the reservoir, two connections from the pipe to the chamber, a valve in the pipe between these two connections, a connection from the reservoir'to the chamber, (the chamber end of this connection being at a higher level than the top of the reservoir,) and means in one of the connections from the pi e to the chamber for reducing the pressure 0, the air-supply to the chamber as compared with that to the reservoir WILLIAM HORACE SODEALU. Witnesses:

OSCAR FREY, PERCY FREDERICK ALLAN.

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