Improvements in Thermo-electric Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by VINCENZO RIATTI, of Campo Lodigiano, Milan,
in the Kingdom of Italy.]
Improvements in Thermo-electric Apparatus.
I, JULIAN GOLDSMID of 105 Piccadilly, London, W., Baronet of the United
Kingdom, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for converting heat into electricity, con-
structed and arranged as follows. A vessel, preferably of rectangular form, made
of material such as wood which is a bad conductor of heat and electricity, and
having on its bottom an electrical conductor such as a plate or a number of
connected pieces of metal, is charged to a certain depth with a saline solution
rendering it conductive of electricity preferably solution of a salt of the metal
which occupies the bottom of the vessel."
The upper part of the liquid is heated by steam or hot gases passed through
horizontal tubes which are just submerged in the liquid, or by directing jets of
flame or heated gas on metal plates which are just submerged in it. A conducting
plate or body may also be placed in contact with the upper part of the liquid.
The tubes (when they are of conducting material) or the conducting body in the
upper part of the liquid and the metal in the lower part of the liquid being
connected in circuit by suitable conductors, when heat is applied at the upper part
of the liquid, a current of electricity is transmitted through this circuit. A number
of vessels arranged as above described, each constituting a thermo-electric cell, may
be connected in parallel or in series according as electricity required in greater
or less quantity or tension. The conductors and the solution may be so selected that
whatever electric current they produce without heating shall reinforce the thermo
electric current. Thus for instance the upper conductor may be copper, the lower
conductor lead, and the liquid a solution of nitrate of lead.
1001
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thermo-electric Apparatus.
1, JULIAN GOLDSMID, of 105 Piccadilly London, W., Baronet of the United
Kingdom, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for converting heat into electricity, con-
structed and arranged as follows. A vessel, preferably of rectangular form, made
of material such as wood which is a bad conductor of heat and electricity, and having
on its bottom an electrical conductor such as a plate or a number of connected
pieces of metal is charged to a certain depth with a saline solution rendering it
conductive of electricity, preferably solution of a salt of the metal which occupies
the bottom of the vessel.
The upper part of the liquid is heated preferably by steam or hot gases passed
through horizontal tubes which. are just submerged in the liquid, or by directing
jets of flame or heated fluid on metal plates which are just submerged in it.
A conducting plate or body may also be placed in contact within the upper part

page_text: of the liquid. The tubes (when they are of conducting material) or the con-
ducting body in the upper part of the liquid and the metal in the lower part being
connected in circuit by suitable conductors, when heat is applied at the upper part
of the liquid or when the lower part is cooled, a current of electricity is transmitted
through this circuit. A number of vessels arranged as above described, each con-
stituting a thermo electric cell, may be connected in parallel or in series according
as electricity is required in greater or less quantity or tension. The conductors
and the solution may be so selected that whatever electric current they would
produce without heating or cooling shall re-inforce the thermo electric current.
Thus for instance the upper conductor may be copper, the lower conductor lead,
and the liquid a solution of nitrate of lead.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a section and Fig. 2 is a plan shewing
three thermo electric cells according to this invention connected in series.
Each cell consists of a vessel A which may be of wood, having on its bottom a
plate B of conducting material. It is charged with saline solution C in which are
immersed, at the top of the liquid, tubes D having steam or heated fluid passed
through them so as to heat the upper layer of the liquid C. The tubes D are not
necessarily of conducting material. A plate, tray or other suitable piece of con-
ducting material, as shewn at G, may be placed in contact with the liquid, the
conductor E being in that case connected to it and not to the tubes.
Conductors E and F connected respectively to the tubes D and the plate B
being externally connected in circuit, an electrical current will pass through the
circuit. A number of cells may be connected parallel, all the conductors E joining
one main conductor, and all the conductors F joining another. Or, as shewn in
the drawing, the conductor F of one cell may join the conductor E of the next,
thus connecting the cells in series.
Although the tubes D are shewn in each case as being continuous and bent,
obviously they may be otherwise formed and arranged, so long as they serve to
heat the upper layer of the liquid.
The conductor below the liquid may itself form the bottom of the cell, exposed
to cooling, or the lower layer of the liquid may be cooled by pipes circulating cold
fluid through it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
A thermo electric cell consisting of a vessel made of material which is a bad
conductor of heat and electricity, charged with liquid capable of conducting
electricity and having electrical conductors at the top and bottom arranged to be
respectively heated and cooled, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of February 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.