Improvements in Machines for Artificial Refrigeration.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1889-Accepted 30th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Artificial Refrigeration.
A communication from abroad by NORMAN WILLIS WHEELER, of 166, Alexander
Avenue, City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of America,
Engineer.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm. Brookes & Son of 55 & 56.
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The said invention relates to that class of refrigerating machinery, wherein anhydrous
ammonia or other proper vapour or gas, is compressed by pumps working with small
continuous or intermittent injections of oil, or other liquid, for scaling joints, for
neutralizing dead space in the pumps, and for absorbing heat developed by compression,
and embodies
A device for separating the oil from the compressed vapour, which oil leaves the
pump mixed with the vapour, largely in the form of unagglomerated particles pervading
the vapour, by reason of the agitation suffered by it during its passage through the
conduits and valves of the pump. For the purpose of effecting the separation of these
oil particles from the vapour, and of agglomerating them promptly, a portion of the
pump discharge pipe is coiled into a spiral form, and its end fitted tangentially to a
cylindrical closed vessel, in such a way that the mixture of vapour and atomized oil,
when driven at a considerable speed through the spiral coil, will be subjected to centri-
fugal force, causing the heavier particles of oil to pass outward through the vapour to
the surface of the pipe furtherest from the axis of the coil, where the separated particles
are rubbed together and upon the metal surface, causing the agglomeration thereof
into a thin stream of oil, which, being discharged tangentially against the inner
cylindrical surface of the receiving vessel, continues the spiral movement impressed
upon it in the coil, around and down the inner surfaces of the receiving vessel, reaching
the bottom, or the body of oil already in the vessel, separated in a reasonably complete
state from the vapour which came with it through the coil.
The compressed vapour may be drawn off into the refrigerating system from the top
of the receiving vessel, and the oil from the bottom of the receiving vessel
into the cooling pipes provided, practically without mechanical mixture of.
one with the other, and by reason of the complete separation being made while
the vapour and the oil are still subject to the beat of compression, nearly free
from intermixture by absorption or occlusion, which in the necessary subsequent
operations, has been found to be highly deleterious.
A device for automatically controlling the passage of oil from the oil cooling system
back to the pump, for the purpose of performing its sealing, lubricating, and heat-
absorbing functions therein, which device is operated by the intermittent discharge of
vapour from the pump, by means of a piston working in a short cylinder, through
which the vapour must pass, the vapour forcing the piston beyond the cylinder into a
larger enclosed space at each pulsation, the piston returning into the cylinder when-
ever the current of vapour ceases, by its own weight, or by the resilliance of a proper
spring.
This piston is connected mechanically to a valve in the return oil pipe in a proper
manner, and it follows that, whenever the vapour current is passing in such volume as
to raise the piston beyond its cylinder, the valve in the oil pipe is opened for the
passage of oil into the pump. In compressing such vapours as are used in artificial
refrigeration, complete compression takes place before the vapour begins to pass from
the pump, and hence the controlling valve in the return oil pipe is only opened after
compression is completed and discharge has begun, in any stroke of the pump, hence
the oil injection will always be intermittent when this device is used. It is considered

page_text: good practice when this device is used, to make the debouchere of the return oil pipe
in the form of a nozzle sufficient in size, and only sufficient, to meet the need of the
greatest injection required, and to diminish the quantity of injection oil by a throttle
in the return pipe when necessary, to the end that the oil may go into the pump-barrel
as a jet, and break into spray, so that large surfaces of oil and vapour will be in contact,
to promote absorbtion of vapour by the oil, thus procuring a part of the compression
by chemical means.
A device to replace the common expansion cock in refrigerating plant, which device
is essentially a reducing valve, held to its seat by a spring, and susceptible of pressure
adjustment. To avoid the great amount of wear which takes place in the common
'reducing valve when great differential pressures are involved, the valve-seat passage is
prolonged, and at fixed distances are inserted or worked, internal collars, so that the
prolongation of the seat passage, consists of a number of short cylinders with cavities
of larger diameter between. To this series of cylinders is fitted a spindle, carrying
collars at fixed distances, to serve as pistons for the series of cylinders, the spindle
being connected to the valve proper, so that spindle and valve will rise or fall together,
the collars having such relations that when the valve is closed, the piston collars enter
the cylinder collars a short distance, to the end that when the valve is raised and
vapour allowed to pass, each collar will be slightly withdrawn from its cylinder, and
the vapour throttled in many places instead of one, thus dividing the wear between the
collars and the valve.
Dated the 13th day of December 188e
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Artificial Refrigeration.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm. Brookes & Son of 55 & 56 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents (a commu-
nication from abroad by Norman Willis Wheeler of 166 Alexander Avenue, City,
County and State of New York in the United States of America, Engineer) do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention is especially designed for use in confined spaces such as between
decks in ships.
The said invention relates to that class of refrigerating machinery, wherein
anhydrous ammonia or other proper vapour or gas, is compressed by pumps working
with small continuous or intermittent injections of oil, or other suitable liquid, for
sealing joints, for neutralizing dead space in the pumps and for absorbing heat
developed by compression and embodies the special engine here constructed adapted
to work in confined spaces as on ship-board, and under conditions which do not
include the constant attendance of a skilled engineer.
The engine is preferably a single-acting compound fly wheel engine, and the
compressor a single acting pump, with the cranks of the engine and compressor
connections set in this case, 22° to 30° from each other.
The connection through the cranks and beams are so arranged that the steam
admitted to the initial cylinder may follow until the gas or vapour in the com-
pressor is fully compressed and a part of the discharge made, so that if the engine
be running throttled and the resistance be too great for the steam pressure due to
such throttling to overcome at the original speed, the speed will be reduced and
time be given for the steam to pass through the throttle to increase the pressure
under the piston to nearly full boiler pressure.
The intermediate steam passes through the intermediate pipe from the exhaust
of the initial to the steam side of the expansion cylinder, and the expansion of the
intermediate steam sends both the pistons downwards as well as the compressor

page_text: Pistons or buckets, any excess of power being stored in the fly wheel will be avail-
able as a part of the power required for the subsequent stroke.
The gas admitted to the compressing cylinder from the expansion coils in the
brine coolers, and also the oil injected for the purpose of sealing and lubricating
the inner parts of the compressing cylinder, and to take up the heat due to com-
pression, is discharged into the Oil Separator A, and there the oil is separated from the
gas or vapour by means which may be described as follows: reference being made to
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings in which Fig. 1 shews a vertical section and Fig. 2 a
horizontal section on about the line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section, and
Fig. 4 an end view of the oil regulator.
Fig. 5 shews a vertical section and Fig. 6 an end view of the expansion valve, B³,
and Fig. 7 details of parts G2, H2, 12, K2, and 0.
Fig. 8 is an outline or diagram indicating the relative connections of the parts in a
system of refrigerating apparatus adapted to carry out the invention.
Fig. 9 shews
to a larger scale in elevation, an arrangement of plant adapted for employment in
connection with the parts forming the present invention.
A is a device for separating the oil (the oil being indicated by dotted lines), from
the compressed vapour, which oil leaves the pump, mixed with the vapour, largely in
the form of unagglomerated particles, pervading the vapour, by reason of the agitation
suffered by it during its passage through the conduits and valves of the pump.
For
the purpose of effecting the separation of these oil particles from the vapour, and of
agglomerating them promptly, a portion of the pump discharge pipe D E is coiled as
at G into a spiral form, and its end fitted tangentially to a cylindrical, closed vessel A
in such a way that the mixture of vapour and atomized oil, when driven at a consider-
able speed through the spiral coil G, will be subjected to centrifugal force, causing the
heavier particles of oil to pass outward through the vapor to the surface of the pipo C,
farthest from the axis F of the coil G, where the separated particles are rubbed
together and upon the metal surface, causing the agglomeration thereof into a thin
stream of oil, which, being discharged tangentially against the inner cylindrical surface
of the receiving vessel A continues the spiral movement impressed upon it in the coil,
around and down the inner surface of the receiving vessel A, reaching the bottom, or
the body of oil already in the vessel A, separated in a reasonably complete state from
the vapour which came with it through the coil. The compressed vapour may be
drawn off into the refrigerating system (sco diagram Fig. 8) from the top of the
receiving vessel A by exit orifice F', and the oil from the bottom of the receiving
vessel may be conducted by pipe H into the cooling pipes provided; practically, with-
out mechanical mixture of one with the other, and by reason of the complete separation"
being made while the vapour and the oil are still subject to the heat of compression,
nearly free from intermixture by absorption or occlusion, which, in the necessary
subsequent operations, has been found to be highly deleterious.
The letters on the drawings Figs. 1 & 2 will designate the different parts connected
therewith and the arrows show the direction of the gas after it is separated from
the oil.
After the gas leaves the oil separator A, it passes through the pipe on the top into
the Oil Regulator A¹, shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 which is a device for automatically con-
trolling the passage of oil from the oil-cooling system back to the pump, for the purpose
of performing its sealing, lubricating and heat-absorbing functions therein, which device
is operated by the intermittent discharge of vapour from the pump by the channel C¹
by means of a piston E¹ working in a short cylinder M¹ through which the vapour
must pass, the vapour forcing the piston E¹ beyond the cylinder M' into a larger
enclosed space N¹ at each pulsation, the piston E' returning into the cylinder M¹ when-
ever the current of vapour ceases, by weight, or by the resiliance of a proper spring H³.
This piston E is connected mechanically to a valve G¹ in the return oil pipe 9 between
the inlet and outlet I', K¹ in a proper manner and it follows that whenever the vapour
current is passing in such volume as to depress the piston beyond its cylinder M², the
valve G¹ in the oil pipe 9 (at I¹ K¹) is opened for the passage of oil into the pump.

page_text: It is
In compressing such vapours as are used in artifical refrigeration, complete compression
takes place before the vapour begins to pass from the pump, and hence the controlling
valve G¹ in the return oil pipe 9 between the inlet and outlet 1' K¹ is only opened after
compression is completed and discharge is begun, in any stroke of the pump, 2. Hence
the oil injection will always be intermittent when this device is used.
considered good practice when this device is used, to make the debouchere
of the return oil pipe 9 in the form of a nozzle, sufficient in size, and only
I sufficient to meet the need of the greatest injection required, and to diminish the
quantity of injection oil by a throttle or stop-cock 12 in the return pipe 9, when
necessary, to the end that the oil may go into the pump barrel in a jet and break into
spray, so that large surfaces of oil and vapour will be in contact, and to promote
absorption of vapour by the oil, thus procuring a part of the compression by occlusion.
Referring to the letters on the drawing, the gas enters at C₁, and forces the
piston El below the inner edge M¹ of the cylinder A', which permits the gas to flow
out at D' through the pipes into the condensers where it is condensed into a liquid.
Now returning to the oil discharged with the gas from the compressor-pump (2).
After it is separated in the Oil Separator A, it falls to the bottom of the tank and from
there it passes through the small pipe H into the oil cooler as shown, where it is cooled
by water or other cooling medium, passing through the oil cooler 7 as indicated on the
drawing Fig. 8.
The oil then passes out at the bottom of the cooler through the cold oil pipe 9 and
junctions I¹K of the oil regulator, when the small valve G₁ is opened by the discharge
of the and oil from the compressor pump (2).
gas
The oil then flows out at K' and
through a continuation of the pipe 9 and stop cock 12 provided in that pipe 9,
to regulate flow of oil to the compressor-pump (2), into the bottom chamber of
the cylinder of the compressor pump (2), see Fig. 9.
The oil, by this device being injected after the compressor pump cylinder has received
its full complement of gas from the expansion coils, does not decrease the capacity of
the compressor.
The liquid or anhydrous ammonia is retained in the U shape pipe Q and bottom of
condenser and is admitted to the expansion coils through the expansion valve now to
be described and shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings which is a device to replace
the common expansion cock in a refrigerating plant, which device is essentially a
reducing valve G whose upper portion is guided in a short barrel b, said valve is held
to its seat I' by a spring D and susceptible, by means of the screw P working in the
thread P³ of the case B³, of pressure adjustment. To avoid the great amount of wear
which takes place in the conimon reducing valve, when great differential pressures are
involved, the valve-seat passage H2 is prolonged, and at fixed distances are inserted or
worked internal collars H³, so that the prolongation of the seat-passage H³ consists of
a number of short cylinders, H³ with cavities H' of larger diameter between. To this
series of cylinders H' is fitted a spindle K', carrying collars 0% 0%, at fixed distances,
to serve as pistons for the series of cylinders, H³, the spindle K2 being connected to the
valve proper G, so that spindle and valve will rise or fall together, the collars changing
such relations that when the valve G2 is closed, the piston collars G2 enter the cylinder
collars H³ a short distance, to the end that when the valve G is raised and vapour
allowed to pass, each collar O* will be slightly withdrawn from its cylinder, H³, and
the vapour throttled in many places, instead of one, thus dividing the wear between
the collars 0 and the valve G. The contracted portions H' should be of steel or other
hard metal.
The liquid enters at L' and when the pressure of the expanding gas falls below the
normal pressure, that the valve G2 is set to, the liquid flows through the valve G³ and
opening M³, into the bottom of the brine coolers, and thence through the pipe 34 to
the compressor pump 2, to be recompressed and condensed as before.
. 1 is the crank axis from which power to drive the beam 4 is obtained and
operating the piston rod 6 of the compressor-pump (2).
A is the oil separator, 2 is the compressor pump, 3 indicates the position of the
expansion coils, B is the expansion valve, 5 are the condensers, A¹ is the oil

page_text: regulator, 7 is the oil cooler, 8 being the water inlet, 9 the pipe having stop-
cock 10 conveying cold oil to the oil regulator inlet I¹. Another portion of this
pipe 9 leads from the outlet K¹ back to the compressor pump 2, the stop-cock 12
being interposed therein to regulate flow of oil to said compressor pump 13 is the
pipe leading from the compressor-pump to the oil separator A, 14 being a check-
valve interposed therein. 15 is a blow-off cock, 16 a stop-cock, 17 an air cock
from the top of the oil separator, 18 is a gauge glass interposed between the stop-
cocks 19 and 19* in a pipe leading from H in the base of the oil separator A.
20 is another pipe in which is interposed the stop-cock 21 for conveying the
heated oil from the oil separator to the oil cooler 7. 22 is a stop-cock in the pipe 23
leading to the passage C₁ to the oil regulator A¹. 24 is a pipe leading from the
passage D' of the regulator, 25 being a stop cock therein. The pipe 24 leads to
the condensers 5, 5. 26 is a stop-cock in the pipe 27 leading to the opening L'
in the expansion valve B². 28 is a stop-cock in the pipe 29 leading from the
exit M of the expansion valve. 30 is another stop-cock. 31 is the brine pipe
leading to the coils in the rooms to be refrigerated. 32 is the return brine pipe
leading to the brine coolers 33, 34 is the return gas channel, 35 is a stop cock
therein, before leading into the compressor pump (2). 36 is a pipe for the supply
of the volatile liquid (anhydrous ammonia) for filling, in which is interposed the
stop-cock 37.
The brine circulated by the pump attached to the compressing engine 2 passes
through the openings and tubes or water inlet, and outlet, into the coils placed in
the rooms to be refrigerated, and then it is returned to the brine cooler again
for the heat to be taken out of it by the expansion of the liquid in the coils
thereof.
Another small pump (not shown) is used to circulate the water in the con-
densers 5. By the use of suitable machinery provided with the above named
devices and shown on the drawings, such machinery when set in motion and
regulated, will work automatically.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In machines for artificial refrigeration which depend on the expansion of a
previously compressed and cooled ammoniacal or equivalent vapour; the means for
separating the liquid from the gaseous portions which consist of an oil receptacle A,
into whose upper part the mingled gas and liquid are forced through a spiral duct
or passage G substantially as set forth.
2. In machines for artificial refrigeration of the character herein before described,
apparatus for automatically controlling the passage of oil from the oil cooling system
back to the compressing pump, which consists of the combination with the respective
gas and oil passages C, D, I, K', short throat or barrel M' in said gas passage and
valve-seat in the oil-passage, of a spring-elevated stem T which traverses both said
barrel and said seat, and which carries a piston E¹ and a valve G¹ which operate to
close said gas and oil passages when the supply and back pressures of gas approximate
equilibrium and to open said passages at any excess of supply gas pressure; substan-
tially as set forth.
9
3. The automatic throttle for the compressed vapour consisting of adjustably spring-
depressed valve G whose stem K' has one or more collars or short pistons O' which
slide loosely within contracted barrels or throats H' in the vapour duct for distributing
the wire-drawing passages and automatically regulating the supply of compressed
vapour to the brine-coolers, substantially as set forth.
4. In a refrigerator plant fit for use of a volatile liquifiable refrigerating agent
associated with a permanently sealing liquid; the combination of valve G₁ fitted to a
spindle T of a disc or piston E¹ a duct C D¹ for vapour and a duct I K¹ for liquid;
whereby the flow of scaling oil to the compressor-pump is automatically stopped with

page_text: cessation of the flow of the vaporous refrigerating agent; substantially as set
forth.
5. In a machine for artificial refrigeration of the character hereinbefore described;
the combination of the device A for automatic separation of the gas and liquid, the
.device A¹ for the automatic regulation of the return flow of oil to the compressor-pump,
and the device B³ for the automatic "wire-drawing" of the refrigerating agent to the
expansion-coils or brine coolers; substantially as set forth.
Dated the 11th
11000
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.