Improvements in Steam and Vapour Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1396
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and Vapour Engines.
I, CHARLES BELLENS of 111 Boulevard Magenta, Paris in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved engine in which steam is the "thermic"
or heat generating medium, one feature of such engine being that it is closed, or in
other words, that the steam contained in the cylinder at the termination of the
expansion stroke does not escape into the atmosphere or pass off into a condenser,
as usual in steam engines.
Clausins and Rankine have shewn theoretically that during the expansion of
steam a portion thereof returns to the liquid state. Hirn has tested this theoretical
discovery experimentally, while Zenner went so far as to give the formula by which
the weight (or specific gravity) of the steam which becomes condensed in the
expansion stage may be calculated.
In the steam engines which have been used hitherto, the "work" or useful.
effect is for the most part produced by the heat set free by that quantity of steam
(measured by weight or specific gravity) which condenses during expansion; and it
is this property of steam that it is proposed to utilize in the employment of steam
by the present improved method.
Assume that the cylinder is a single acting one, the piston stroke is checked
at a distance from the inner end of the cylinder sufficient to leave a space
which may be called the "compression space and the object of which is hereinafter
explained.
At the lower part of this compression space there is provided a water chamber
subjected to the action of a suction pump adapted to force its contents into the
boiler.
The distributing valve is so timed as to be closed, at the latest, after a certain
maximum displacement of the piston.
With a view to facilitating both the starting and stoppage of the engine,
the compression space is placed in communication with both the steam-pipe
and the atmosphere by means of a suitably arranged set of pipes and cocks or
valves.
When the engine is started, the steam is sent into the cylinder by establishing a
direct communication with the boiler, so that it does not pass through the distributing
valve, and the water condensed by contact with the walls thereof collects in the
water chamber.
When the cylinder is sufficiently heatod, the piston is brought to its rearward
dead point, and steam is admitted into the compression chamber direct. The piston
will start moving as soon as the pressure is sufficient to overcome the inertia of
the parts of machinery of the engine. Upon its arrival at the termination of its
stroke the direct admission of steam will be cut off, and the cylinder be placed in
con.munication with the atmosphere. By operating two cocks in this manner, the
motor engine will be caused to acquire a certain speed. Then the direct admission
is cut off, and steam is further admitted only through the medium of the distributing
valve. The steam contained in the cylinder will expand, a portion thereof will
condense at the termination of the piston stroke, and the suction or " extraction
"

page_text: pump will aspire a certain volume (by weight or gravity) of water, which shall be
forced back into the boiler. In performing its return stroke, the piston will
compress the residual volume of steam and reduce it to the volume corresponding
to the capacity of the compression chamber, at the same time bringing it as
nearly as possible back to the initial pressure. By this time the inlet will open
to admit a fresh volume of steam, and the phases of the piston-stroke, will be gone
through as before; but the initial pressure will, at the same time, go on gradually
increasing until it becomes equal to the boiler pressure, when the engine will be fit
for normal operation.
At each piston-stroke the distributing valve will admit d litres of fresh steam.
The total volume of steam (capacity of compression space-d) will expand and,
at the termination of each forward stroke, e grammes of steam will have condensed;
a fraction of the e grammes of steam being, in the ensuing compression stage,
re-converted into steam. The pump, at the termination of the stroke, will
extract grammes of water, which weight is equal to the weight of the fresh
steam which has been added to the steam confined within the cylinder.
The useful effect will be here produced by the units of heat set free in
consequence of the condensation of a volume of steam equal to that which is
admitted at each turn of the crank to supplement the initial volume of steam
permanently contained in the cylinder and the sole function of which is to bring
about during the expansion stage the condensation of a volume of steam equal to
that of the superadded fresh steam.
The steam in the cylinder also has its duty to perform but this merely consists
in restoring that quantity of heat which it had absorbed during the preceding
compression stage.
In a double acting cylinder the piston in performing its stroke in both directions
will stop at a distance from each end of the cylinder so as at either end to leave
compression spaces or chambers such as hereinbefore described and at each end
are a water collecting chamber and extraction or suction pump and inlet valves so
regulated or timed by means of practical tests as to admit steam only during a
very small fraction of the piston stroke and only as much steam as is equivalent
to the quantity of steam extracted by the pump in the condition of condensation
water during the last preceding stroke. The operation of each of the piston sides
or faces is identical with that which has been described in reference to the single
acting engine.
Practice alone will enable certain empirical rules to be established for determining
the relation between the respective volumes or capacities of the compression
chambers the maximuin steam admission in each case the free water surfaces
in the water collecting chambers and the volumes to be generated by the extraction
pumps.
This improved method of utilizing steam in the novel machines forming the
subject of this invention may be theoretically described as follows:
A pre-determined volume of steam being confined within a cylinder expands
during one piston stroke and is compressed during the following piston stroke
resuming its initial volume and pressure in either case and this alternate operation
will be repeated at each revolution of the engine shaft the useful effect absorbed
during the compression stage being in each case theoretically restored or reproduced.
To this volume of steam it is now according to this invention proposed to add at
each revolution in the case of single acting engines or at each half revolution in
the case of double acting engines a further predetermined volume of live steam
which is condensed at the termination of the expansion stage and then extracted in
the liquid form and re-introduced into the boiler. The volume of steam confined
within the cylinder has no other object than to bring about this condensation of a
volume of steam equal to that which has just been admitted, so as thereby to
cause it to yield up its total steam generating beat and part of its specific heat.
Here then are the successive phases of the improved cycle of operations performed
in accordance with this invention.

page_text: A certain volume of water (determined by weight) is converted into steam in a
boiler. This steam expands within a cylinder wherein there is already confined a
pre-determined volume of steam and where its total steam producing heat as well
as part of its specific heat is converted into actual power after which the water or
condensed steam returns to the boiler where the units of heat it has thus parted
with are restored to it.
As the water returns to the boiler at the same temperature at which it leaves the
cylinder the cycle of operation is performed without its being necessary to reduce its
heat so that theoretically its yield amounts to 100 per cent.
In the case of very powerful engines an attempt fully to turn to account the
advantages of this cycle of operations may sometimes necessitate the provision of
cylinders and parts of machinery of too large or unwieldly dimensions. It may
therefore be advisable in certain cases to be content with a somewhat reduced
"yield" so as to increase the actual working capacity attainable from a cylinder of
a given size it being only necessary, in order to effect this, to remove a certain
proportion of the heat during the compression period. In fact as has been shewn,
given a pre-determined volume of steam permanently remaining in the cylinder,
the effect of the expansion is always compensated by the opposite effect of
compression therefore by reducing this opposite or compensating effect within
certain limits from a corresponding proportion of the expansion effect will be
enabled to exercise actual power upon the crank.
In order to maintain the yield obtained from this cycle of operations at a high
per-centage or degree, the quantity of heat subtracted or removed should
correspond with the amount of latent heat which is absorbed by the fraction of
condensed water which resumes the form of steam during e compression stage.
Heat may thus be withdrawn, for example by the injecti a of a volume of cold
water of a pre-determined weight into the cylinder, the beginning of the
compression period, in which case the operation of the suction pumps should be so
regulated as to remove at the same time the water condensed by expansion and
the water injected for the purpose of lowering the temperature during the
compression stage.
All the dimensions of the cylinders, the extent of their piston strokes, the
admission, pressure and volumes of water to be extracted and injected can hardly
be exactly determined by computation the available formulæ of thermo-dynamics
being likely to give mere suggestions in each particular instance.
All liquids, the vapours of which possess the property of partly condensing
during expansion may be employed as "thermic " agents without any departure
from the principle of this invention.
Dated thie 4th den of Mov 1806
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
I, CHARLES BELLENS of 111 Boulevard Magenta Paris in the Republic of
5 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 relates to an improved engine in which steam is the "thermic" or
heat generating medium, one feature of such engine being that it is closed, or in
Dother words, that the steam contained in the cylinder at the termination of the

page_text: expansion stroke does not escape into the atmosphere or pass off into a condenser,
as, usunl in steam engines.
Clausins and Rankine have shewn theoretically that during the expansion of
steam a portion thereof returns to the liquid state. Hiru has tested this theoretical
discovery experimentally, while Zenner went so far as to give the formula by which
the weight (or specific gravity) of the steam which becomes condensed in the
expansion stage may be calculated.
In the steam engines which have been used hitherto, the "work" or useful effect
is for the most part produced by the heat set free by that quantity of steam
(measured by weight or specific gravity) which condenses during expansion, and it
is this property of steam that it is proposed to utilize in the employment of steam
by the present improved method.
The series or "cycle" of operations which the steam is to perform in accordance
with this invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a section of the cylinder of a motor engine according to this invention
the assumption, here, being that the cylinder is a single-acting one, adapted to
operate with steam at a pressure of (n) atmospheres absolute, its diameter being
expressed by (D).
The piston stroke is supposed to equal a and to terminate at a distance b from
the inner end of the cylinder thus leaving a space C which may be called the
"compression space" and the object of which is hereinafter explained.
At the lower part of this compression space there is provided a water chamber p
subjected to the action of a suction pump P adapted to force its contents into
the boiler.
c is the distributing valve which is so timed as to be closed, at the latest, after a
certain maximum displacement of the piston.
With a view to facilitating both the starting and stoppage of the engine, the
compression space C is placed in communication with both the steam pipe and the
atmosphere by means of a suitably arranged set of pipes and cocks or valves.
When the engine is started, the steam is sent into the cylinder by establishing a
direct communication with the boiler, so that it does not pass through the
distributing valve, and the water condensed by contact with the walls thereof
collects in the water chamber p.
When the cylinder is sufficiently heated, the piston is brought to its rearward
dead point, and steam is admitted into the compression chamber C direct. The
piston will start moving as soon as the pressure is sufficient to overcome the inertia
of the parts of the machinery of the engine. Upon its arrival at the termination
of its stroke, the direct admission of steam will be cut off, and the cylinder be placed
in communication with the atmosphere. By operating two cocks in this manner,
the motor engine will be caused to acquire a certain speed. Then the direct
admission is cut off, and steam is further admitted only through the medium of the
valve c. The steam contained in the cylinder will expand, a portion thereof will
condense at the termination of the stroke of the piston, and the suction or
" extraction pump P will aspire a certain volume (by weight or gravity) of
water, which will be forced back into the boiler. In performing its return stroke,
the piston will compress the residual volume of steam and reduce it to the volume
corresponding to the capacity of the compression chamber C, at the same time
bringing it as nearly as possible back to the initial pressure. By this time the inlet
will open to admit a fresh volume of steam, and the phases of the piston-stroke will
be gone through as before; but the initial pressure will, at the same time, go on
gradually increasing until it becomes equal to the boiler pressure; when the engine
will be fit for normal operation.
"
At each piston stroke the valve c will admit (d) litres of fresh steam. The
total volume of steam (capacity of compression space C+d) will expand and, at
the termination of each forward stroke, (e) grammes of steam will have condensed;
a fraction of the (e) grammes of steam being, in the ensuing compression stage,

page_text: reconverted into steam. The pump P, at the termination of the stroke, will
extract (f) grammes of water, which weight is equal to the weight of the fresh
steam which has been added to the steam confined within the cylinder.
The useful effect will be here produced by the units of heat set free in
consequence of the condensation of a volume of steam equal to that which is:
admitted at each turn of the crank, to supplement the initial volume of steam.
permanently contained in the cylinder, and the sole function of which is to bring
about, during the expansion stage, the condensation of a volume of steam equal to
that of the super added fresh steam.
The steam in the cylinder also has its duty to perform, but this merely consists
in restoring that quantity of heat which it had absorbed during the preceding
compression stage.
Figure 2 of the drawings is a section of a double acting cylinder. The piston
in performing its stroke in either direction will stop at a distance b from each end
of the cylinder, so as, at either end, to leave compression spaces or chambers.
such as CC.
pp are the two water collecting chambers, P P' are two extraction or suction
pumps, c c are the two inlet valves, so regulated or timed by means of practical
tests as to admit steam only during a very small fraction of the piston stroke, and
only as much steam as is equivalent to the quantity of steam extracted by the
pumps, in the condition of condensation water, during the last preceding stroke.
The operation of each of the piston sides or faces is identical with that which has
been described with reference to the single-acting engine.
Practice alone will enable certain empirical rules to be established for deter-
mining the relation between the respective volumes or capacities of the compression
chambers, the maximum steam admission in each case, the free water surfaces in
the water collecting chambers, and the volumes to be generated by the extraction
pumps.
This improved method of utilizing steam in the novel machines forming the
subject of this invention may be theoretically described as follows:-
A pre-determined volume of steam, being confined within a cylinder, expands:
during one piston stroke and is compressed during the following piston stroke,.
resuming its initial volume and pressure in either case; and this alternate operation
will be repeated at each revolution of the engine shaft, the useful effect absorbed
during the compression stage being in each case, theoretically, restored or
reproduced. To this volume of steam it is now, according to this invention,
proposed to add at each revolution in the case of single acting engines, or at each
half revolution in the case of double-acting engines, a further pre-determined
volume of live steam, which is condensed at the termination of the expansion stage
and then extracted in the liquid form and re-introduced into the boiler.
The volume of steam confined within the cylinder has no other object than to
bring about this condensation of a volume of steam equal to that which has just
been admitted, so as thereby to cause it to yield up its total steam generating heat
and part of its specific heat.
Here, then, are the successive phases of the improved cycle of operations
performed in accordance with this invention.
A certain volume of water (determined by weight) is converted into steam in a
boiler. This steam expands within a cylinder wherein there is already confined
a pre-determined volume of steam, and where its total steam producing heat, as
well as part of its specific heat is converted into actual power; after which the
water or condensed steam returns to the boiler where the units of heat, it has thus
parted with, are restored to it.
As the water returns to the boiler at practically the same temperature at which
it leaves the cylinder, the cycle of operations is performed without its being
necessary to reduce its heat; so that, theoretically its "yield" amounts to
100 per cent.
In the case of very powerful engines an attempt fully to turn to account the

page_text: advantages of this cycle of operations may sometimes necessitate the provision of
cylinders and parts of machinery of too large or unwieldy dimensions. It may
therefore be advisable in certain cases to be content with a somewhat reduced
"yield," so as to increase the actual working capacity obtainable from a cylinder
of a given size, it being only necessary, in order to effect this, to remove a certain
proportion of the heat during the compression period. In fact, as has been shewn,
given a pre-determined volume of steam permanently remaining in the cylinder,
the effect of the expansion is always compensated by the opposite effect of com-
pression. Therefore, by reducing this opposite or compensating effect within
certain limits, a corresponding proportion of the expansion effect will be enabled to
exercise actual power upon the crank..
In order to maintain the yield obtained from this cycle of operations at a high
percentage or degree, the quantity of heat subtracted or removed should correspond
with the amount of latent heat which is absorbed by the fraction of condensed
water which resumes the form of steam during the compression stage. Heat may
thus be withdrawn, for example, by the injection of a volume of cold water of a
pre-determined weight into the cylinder, at the beginning of the compression
period; in which case the operation of the suction pumps should be so regulated
as to remove at the same time the water condensed by expansion and the water
injected for the purpose of lowering the temperature during the compression
stage.
All the dimensions of the cylinders, the extent of their piston strokes, the
admission, pressure, and volumes of water to be extracted and injected can hardly
be exactly determined by computation, the available formulæ of thermo-dynamics
being likely to give mere suggestions in each particular instance.
All liquids, the vapours of which possess the property of partly condensing
during expansion may be employed as "thermic" agents without any departure
from the principle of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In steam or vapour engines means for obtaining the useful effect by the heat
liberated by the admitted steam as it condenses within the cylinder, owing to its
expansion together with another volume of steam permanently retained within that
cylinder; the usual exhaust being replaced by means for the extraction of the
condensation liquid which is preferably conveyed back to the steam boiler, with or
without cooling during the compression period.
Dated this 29th day of October 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.