Improvements in Vapour Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vapour Engines.
I, DOMINIQUE ANTOINE CASALONGA, of 15, Rue des Halles, Paris, France,
Engineer, 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 of improvements in vapour engines has for object to produce
mechanical power by means of a closed cycle in which heat acts upon a vapour or
vapours generated between two temperatures (one of which is a minimum tem-
perature) that are suitable for working the engine without appreciable loss of
the vapour or vapours employed and without the internal cooling temperature
falling below the point of saturation at which condensation would take place
which is to be particularly avoided.
According thereto there is combined with a receiver or motor having either a
reciprocating or rotatory motion, such as a cylinder with piston, a turbine, or
other device, an apparatus which I term an "alternator," or two or more of
such apparatus, according as the engine is single-acting, double-acting, or
multiple-acting. Each alternator is in the form of a double bowl with a central
chamber which latter is filled before starting with vapour or vapours at a desired
pressure produced from the usual liquids or from suitable liquified gases accord-
ing to the extreme temperatures and pressures between which the engine is
intended to work. The vapours employed are heated and cooled alternately
and, as already stated must never fall during the working of the engine, at any
point of the interior of the alternator, so far as the point of saturation at which
condensation takes place.
Each alternator has formed on opposite sides of the aforesaid chamber a hollow
cylindro-conical zone in each of which there fits a corresponding extension of a
bell-shaped displacer. The two displacers in each alternator move alternately
and simultaneously, and their motion is arranged according to a desired ratio
and relation, either with the movement of a motor piston by means of rods
operated from the outside of the alternator through the medium of distributing
gear which latter is or may be of the cam or other suitable type; or with the
motion of a rotary motor such as a turbine or other device.
Of the two extensions or zones with which each alternator is provided, in
operation one is constantly being heated and the other is constantly being cooled.
An engine of this kind, whether it be combined with a receiver or motor of
the reciprocating piston type and single or double-acting, or whether it be of
the rotary type, by reason of the selection which can be made of the vapour or
mixture of vapours employed, according to the two extreme temperatures between
which it is desirable or possible to work, the losses or leakages of which can be
replaced by injection of the generating liquid passed either under pressure or
not, allows of working not according to the closed cycle of Carnot-Clausius,
which is frequently employed, but according to a different closed cycle, single or
double, derived from the law of gases at constant pressure of Gay-Lussac, and
based upon those of Dulong at constant volume, and of Mariotte at constant

page_text: temperature. The condensation of the vapour or vapours employed never takes
place during the working, and consequently latent heat does not interfere with
the efficiency of the engine, as is the case with engines working with a saturated
vapour.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows, in vertical central section, a motor
cylinder having a piston together with an alternator which could alone operate a
single-acting atmospheric engine or with the pressure of an equilibrium reservoir.
The dotted lines indicate an arrangement with a double-acting cylinder.
Fig. 2 is similar section, showing one of the two displacers, which produce in
each alternator the alternations of temperature and of pressure, in a different
position from that shown in Fig. 1, which position corresponds to an increase of
temperature and of pressure by the re-heating of the vapour.
Fig. 3 is another similar section but with the other displacer moved out of its
cold receptacle, this position corresponding to a lowering of temperature and of
pressure by the cooling of the vapour.
The displacers A and A¹ are adapted to have their respective cylindro-conical
extensions c, e inserted into corresponding annular conical hollow zones a, a¹
of the alternator B, in the central chamber C of which the said displacers are
moved by means of rods bb. The zone is hot and the other zone a cold.
The chamber C communicates freely with the zones a, a when they are not
blocked by the extensions c, c¹ and also with the passage E in which distributing
devices may be dispensed with, particularly in the case where the motor com-
prises a piston which receives pressure from only one end of the cylinder 1) on one
side of the piston P.
A screw-threaded valve rod arranged in the path of a feed pipe y provided
with a cock and connected with a pump or reservoir, allows of readily introducing
a desired quantity of the liquid from which the vapour is generated for the
purpose of making up for leakage or for increasing the power of the engine.
Such liquid may also be introduced at any suitable point for the purpose of
aiding in the lubrication of the rubbing surfaces, for example at the periphery
of the cylinder or of the piston and in the same manner as any other lubricating
liquid, the main purpose of which it fulfils at the same time.
The peripheral internal walls which are not heated directly, i.e., of the double
chamber C, of the passage E, and of the cylinder D, or of the casing of any
other receiving device, are not heated or cooled directly but are lined or covered
with a thin metal jacket which is, as far as possible, adiabatic, that is to say,
not suited for absorbing and conducting the heat. This object is attained by
'means of a thin metal covering which is smooth on one side and provided on
the other side with thin sharp ribs that form an underlying cellular partition
in which a vacuum can be produced.
The hollow zone a is heated by any suitable heating means F and the hollow
zone is cooled by means of a refrigerator G supplied with water or a current
of moist air. The arrangement is such that when the vapour enclosed under
pressure in the chamber is drawn, by the displacer A having taken up the
position shown in Fig. 2, to the bottom of the zone a, this vapour will become
heated and increased in pressure, whilst, in the other alternator B¹, (in the case
of a double-acting cylinder) the displacer A³, having taken up a position similar
to that of Fig. 3, "the vapour will become cooled and will lose some of its
temperature and pressure.
In this way there is produced a difference of pressure which acts on each side
of the piston P or upon the rotary device, whereby there is produced a movement
of the said piston or of the said rotary device. Shortly before the piston arrives
at the bottom of its stroke, the displacer A is rapidly pulled out of its receptacle
by means of suitable valve gearing and passes from the position shown in Fig. 1
into the position shown in Fig. 2 whereupon the vapour forms a thin layer between
the inner walls of the zone a and the outer walls of the extension c of the
displacer A, enters the space at the end of the zone a, and also the space formed

page_text: between the top T of the displacer A and the top T¹ of the extension or zone a,
thus becoming heated, and, increasing in pressure, it expands and acting against
the piston P when the latter commences to move in order to make its forward
stroke. At the same time the displacer A of the other alternator B¹ moves
rapidly out of the cold zone a³; the zone remains blocked up (Fig. 3) and
in the chamber C', which communicates by a duct E' with the other side of the
piston, the pressure falls rapidly until it becomes raised by compression to
its normal state.
When the piston P has accomplished a part of its forward stroke, the dis-
placer A moves down and places its extension c into the hot zone a which it blocks
up, the vapour having returned into the chamber C, and as soon as the piston
nears the end of its stroke, the displacer A' is rapidly withdrawn from its cold
zone a thus drawing the vapour which was hot immediately before and which
now becomes cool and falls in pressure. But, on the contrary, on the other
side of the piston P and in the second alternator 1, the extension c² of the
displacer A3 has moved out of its hot zone and draws in again the vapour which
becomes heated and increases in pressure whereupon it acts by expansion against
the piston P, and so on always with the same super-heated non-condensed vapour
which does not become exhausted.
The closed cycle of the various operations effected by the super-heated vapour
in the chambers C or C¹ and in the cylinder D, combined with the zones a
and a¹, or 2 and 3 of the alternators B or B₁ is indicated by the diagram shown
in Fig. 4 which is taken from each side of the motor piston. A similar diagram
corresponds to each alternator. The diagram of two alternators will be the
diagram which is completed on this Fig. 4 by dotted lines. If the receiver is
a rotary one, for instance, provided with vanes or blades, the diagram might be
represented by a triangle, or by an ellipse, as in Fig. 5 in the case of the single
alternator, or as in Fig. 6 in the case of two alternators.
If to Po to represent respectively the volume, pressure, and temperature of
the vapour in its initial condition in the chamber C, when the piston Phas
reached or is about to reach the bottom of its stroke, and is about to move back
and the displacer A is being rapidly disengaged from its hot zone a,
the vapour,
being rapidly heated at a constant volume will first acquire a temperature and
a pressure (the indicator point M rising to H). Then, whilst the piston P
will continue its forward stroke, and the displacer A will have entered its zone,
the vapour will expand isothermically-the point H will descend to M³, (Fig. 4)
the temperature will remain at and the pressure will have returned to Po
as soon as the piston reaches the end of its stroke. During this forward stroke
of the piston, on the other side of said piston, or rather in the alternator B',
the increase of pressure has been counteracted by the cooling exerted in the
cold zone by the disengagement of the alternator A³ therefrom. But as soon
as the piston P is about to finish its stroke, and is on the point of returning,
the alternator A' will move rapidly out of its cold zone a, will draw in the
vapour which becomes cooled therein; the temperature will fall again to t₁, and
the pressure will fall to a lower pressure Po; the point M¹ comes to I, then,
(by the compression which is appreciably isothermic) it moves to M when has
become po the cycle is then completed.
The phenomenon recommences and is continued in the course of each stroke,
and for each of the alternators, each of which performs an equal share of
work.
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of an alternator acting upon a rotary turbine
behind which is an equilibrium reservoir of suitable volume and in which there
exists a mean pressure between the two pressures which obtain in the alternator.
The vapour passes into the said reservoir and returns therefrom through a single
duct or it may enter by one duct and return by another.
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a rotary engine having two alternators, or
several alternators may be arranged either in line on each side, or round it

page_text: like a revolver. After the pressure of the vapour has risen rapidly in the
alternator B, the vapour escapes through an orifice (a¹) (6) into the other
alternator, in which the pressure falls. As soon as the equilibrium tends to
become established, the pressure rises in the alternator and falls in the
alternator B, the vapour returning but acting always upon the receiver in the
same direction, indicated by the arrows. There may be only one outward and
return duct, or there may be two ducts in which case one of the ducts would
serve for the outward passage of the vapour and the other duct for the return
of the vapour. Each alternator would then have two ducts, of the required
section, particularly at the orifice or point of discharge into the chamber. Each
duct may be provided or not with a valve or with a distributing device under
control. Around or at each side of a receiving device there may be arranged
several alternators acting successively upon the said device, the object being to
ensure uniformity in the working of the device or motor, and increasing its
power proportionately.
At starting, after each alternator has received and vaporized the requisite
quantity of liquid for producing at the minimum temperature and pressure with
which it is desired to work, then each alternator works with the same vapour
which expands in acting upon the piston, or which escapes and mixes with the
vapour of another alternator in the case of a rotary device; the escape may be
effected by means of one or more orifices.
This kind of motor having an alternating or rotary movement, as hereinbefore
described, is characterized by the two movable displacers in the form of bells,
combined together and with the pressure receiving device, by the corresponding
zones of each alternator; by the adiabatic covering of the surfaces which are
neither heated nor cooled, and are not in contact with the vapours; by the
selection or use of the vapours to be super-heated according to the extreme
temperatures available, and their position upon the thermometric scale; and by
the feeding of liquid for making up for leakage or loss or for increasing the
power of the motor, whilst aiding the lubrication of the rubbing surfaces. This
motor is suitable for use particularly in hot countries, for utilising the heat of
the sun, either acting directly upon the hot zones which are provided with
absorbing ribs or by means of a mirror provided with a heliostat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In an engine without exhaust and without condensation, worked by vapour
which is alternately heated and cooled between two temperatures the minimum of
which is never allowed to fall below the point of saturation at which condensation
takes place, the said vapours being selected according to the temperatures avail-
able and which are always superheated at a sufficient initial pressure, and which
is produced at starting by the internal vaporization of a usual liquid or of liquified
gases, the introduction of which, by means of a feed pump or of a pressure re-
servoir, is capable of making up for leakage or for increasing the power of the
engine, whilst aiding in lubricating the rubbing surfaces:-the two dis-
placers A, A each provided with a conical bell-shaped extension adapted to be
moved in the chamber C by the action of a distributing device through rods bb;
and the truncated conical hollow zones (of which one, a is heated and the other
one a cold) of an alternator B communicating: (a) by means of a free outward
and return duct with one end of a motor cylinder provided with a piston whilst
another similar alternator is adapted to communicate in a similar manner with
the other end of the same cylinder.
(b) By means of a duct or ducts, one or more of which, if there are more than
⚫ one, being intended for the outward passage and the other or others for the return
of the vapour, to and from the space in which a rotary receiver or motor works,
said duct being provided or not with valves or distributing devices under control.

page_text: 2. A vapour engine worked by means of a closed cycle comprising a chamber
provided with two cylindro-conical extensions or zones in each of which and in the
chamber there is adapted to be reciprocated a displacer having an extension
corresponding in shape with the said zones, one zone being provided with heating
means and the other with cooling means, and the chamber having an inlet for
liquid from which the vapour is generated and an opening for outlet and return
of vapour to and from the motor operated thereby, the said motor being connected
by suitable mechanism with the reciprocating displacers, substantially as described.
3. Vapour engines constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein-
above described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; whether single
or double acting; or whether modified in accordance with Figs. 7 and 8; of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of Nawa 1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
Agent for the Applicant.