Improvements relating to the Reduction of Condensation and of Loss of Tension in Vapour Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1899
Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 15th June, 1900-Accepted. 1st Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ELIAS GOTTLIEB BEIIREND, of No. 24, Kir;
chenallee, Hamburg, Engineer, and Dr. FRIEDRICH OTTO CORNELIUS ZIMMER-
MANN, of Ludwigshafen on the Rhine, Chemist, both in the Empire of
Germany.]
Improvements relating to the Reduction of Condensation and of Loss
of Tension in Vapour Engines.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its chief object to reduce the losses resulting from
condensation and reduction in tension during the circulation of the motive fluid
in vapour engines i.e. motive power engines driven by vapours having a low
vaporizing point and possessing at low temperature a considerable tension (such
for example as sulphurous acid, ammonia and so on) which enables them to be
vaporized by the heat contained in the exhaust products of other engines. This
novel arrangement is characterized in that the vapour after leaving the vaporizer
(vapour generator) and during its working in the vapour engine is constantly
supplied with heat.
A vapour engine in which the motive-fluid (sulphurous acid or ammonia)
runs through a complete cycle may for example be used in connection with an
ordinary steam engine to utilize the latent heat in the exhaust steam.
A suitable arrangement for carrying out the invention is as follows:—
The exhaust steam from a steam engine is conducted by a pipe into a vaporizer
containing the motive-fluid which thus becomes vaporized, by the heat from
such exhaust steam.
The vapours thus generated then pass through a pipe to a reheater and thence
through another pipe into the working cylinder of the vapour engine doing work
by expansion and then escape through other pipes into the condenser where
they are condensed by means of cold water. These condensed vapours are
extracted from the condenser by means of a pump and returned in liquid con-
dition through suitable pipes into the vaporizer in order to be utilized again
in the same manner.
During its circulation the motive fluid, in ordinary vapour engines as hereto-
fore constructed i.e. without a reheater, loses a large amount of working energy
through condensation both on its way from the vaporizer to the vapor cylinder
and also in the latter itself.
•
Now according to this invention the above mentioned defect may be wholly
or partially remedied, firstly by supplying, in any suitable manner and if desired
during its entire passage to the vapor engine, heat to the vapors generated in
the vaporizer by the exhaust steam for example from a steam engine, and
secondly by continuing the supply of heat to the vapours during the period of
working while in the vapour engine-cylinder.

page_text: The arrangement for additionally heating the vapours during their passage
from the vaporizer to the working cylinder expediently consists of a system of
tubes mounted in a casing through which tubes the vapours pass and where
they are heated by a heating medium, say high-pressure steam, admitted to
the casing circulating around the tubes and then passing out through a suitable
outlet. The supply of additional heat to the vapours in the working cylinder
is effected by means of a jacket surrounding the said cylinder into which steam
is introduced through a pipe leaving through another suitable pipe.
The heat supply to the vapours may extend only for a portion of its passage
from the vaporizer to the cylinder but obviously this may be extended, for
instance by employing a longer re- or superheater, or several such superheaters
may be used.
By means of this additional heat supply not only are the losses from con-
densation and cooling in the pipes prevented but an increased expansion of the
vapours is obtained without their tension being increased.
The heat supply to the previously generated vapours to produce expansion
without increasing the tension must be considered thus that in the proportion as
the volume of the vapours tends to increase the vaporization in the vaporizer
decreases owing to its being supplied with less heat.
With regard to the low vaporizing point of the vapours the quantity or amount
of heat which may be supplied to the vapours in a saturated condition is limited
owing to the tensions which arise and, as these tensions are already excessively
high at comparatively low temperatures, constructional difficulties might appear.
This disadvantage is obviated by the method herein before described as the
vapours in the vaporizer only are supplied with the proper heat to correspond
to the desired tension for working, while the additional heat supply is introduced
to the vapours on their passage from the vaporizer to the working cylinder.
Dated this 15th day of September 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Reduction of Condensation and of Loss
of Tension in Vapour Engines.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
:―
This invention has for its chief object to reduce the losses resulting from
condensation and reduction in tension during the circulation of the motive fluid
in vapour engines i.e. motive power engines driven by vapours having a low
vaporizing point and possessing at low temperature a considerable tension (such
for example as sulphurous acid, ammonia and so on) which enables them to be
vaporized by the heat contained in the exhaust products of other engines. My
improved arrangement is chiefly characterized by the fact that the vapour after
leaving the vaporizer (vapour generator), and during its working in the vapour
engine, is constantly supplied with heat.
A vapour engine in which the motive-fluid (sulphurous acid or ammonia)
runs through a complete cycle may for example be used in connection with an
ordinary steam engine to utilize the latent heat in the exhaust steam.

page_text: In order that my invention may be readily understood and carried into effect
I will describe the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawing in
which I have shown a suitable arrangement for carrying out the invention.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a vapour engine constructed and arranged
in accordance with the present invention.
-
Figure 2 is a cross section through the working cylinder drawn to a some-
what larger scale.
The exhaust steam from a steam engine is conducted by a pipe a into a
vaporizer A containing the motive-fluid, which latter thus becomes vaporized
by the heat from such exhaust steam.
into
The vapours thus generated then pass through a pipe b to a reheater E and
thence through another pipe c
the working cylinder B of the
vapour engine doing work by expansion, and then escape through
other pipes c6 into the condenser C where they are condensed by means of cold
water or in any other suitable manner. These condensed vapours are extracted
from the condenser C by means of a pump 1) through a pipe f and returned
in liquid condition through a suitable pipe g into the vapourizer A in order to
be utilized again in the same manner.
During its circulation the motive fluid, in ordinary vapour engines as hereto-
fore constructed i.e. without a reheater, loses a large amount of working energy
through condensation both on its way from the vapourizer to the vapour cylinder
and also in the latter itself.
Now according to this invention the above mentioned defect may be wholly
or partially remedied, firstly by supplying, in any suitable manner and if desired
during its entire passage to the vapour engine, heat to the vapours generated
in the vaporizer by the exhaust steam, for example from a steam engine, and
secondly by continuing the supply of heat to the vapours during the period of
working while in the vapour engine-cylinder.
The arrangement for additionally and subsequently heating the vapours during
their passage from the vaporizer to the working cylinder may conveniently
consist of a system of tubes e mounted in a casing E through which tubes the
vapours pass and where they are heated by a heating medium, such as for instance
steam of a higher pressure, (admitted to the casing through an inlet e¹) circulat-
ing around the tubes e and then passing out through a suitable outlet e². The
supply of additional heat to the vapours in the working cylinder B is effected
by means of a jacket 1 surrounding the said cylinder into which steam is
introduced through a pipe h leaving through another suitable pipe /³.
The heat supply to the vapours may extend only for a portion of its passage
from the vaporizer to the cylinder but obviously this may be extended, for
instance by employing a longer re-heater or superheater, or several such super-
heaters may be used.
By means of this additional or subsequent heat supply not only are the losses
from condensation and cooling in the pipes prevented, but an increased expansion
of the vapours is obtained without their tension being increased.
The heat supply to the previously generated vapours for producing expansion
without increasing the tension, must be considered thus, that in the proportion
as the volume of the vapours tends to increase, the vaporisation in the vaporizer
decreases owing to its being supplied with less heat.
With regard to the low vaporizing point of the vapours the quantity or
amount of heat which may be supplied to the vapours in a saturated condition
is limited owing to the tensions which arise, and, as these tensions are already
excessively high at comparatively low temperatures, constructional difficulties
might appear.
This disadvantage is obviated by the method hereinbefore described, as the
vapours in the vaporizer only are supplied with the proper heat to correspond
to the desired tension for working, while the additional heat supply is intro-
duced to the vapours on their passage from the vaporizer to the working cylinder.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The herein-described process in working vapour engines driven by vapours
having a low vaporizing point, which consists in subjecting the motive vapours
during their passage from the vaporizer to the working cylinder and in the latter.
itself to an additional or subsequent heating, substantially as and for the pur-
pose set forth.
2. The process in working vapour engines driven by vapours having a low
vaporizing point, which consists in subjecting the said motive vapours during
their passage from the vaporizer to the working cylinder and in the latter itself
to an additional or subsequent heating by means of a heating medium produced
or derived from fluids having a higher vaporizing point, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved method for working vapour engines driven by motive fluids
having a low vaporizing point, substantially as herein before set forth.
-
Dated this 15th day of June 1900.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.