Improvements in and relating to Hydrocarbon Vapour Motors.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Hydrocarbon Vapour Motors.
I, AUGUSTE QUENTIN, of No. 49, Rue Antoine Dansaert, Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention has for its object the utilization of hydrocarbons volatilized
for the operation of motors in a closed thermic cycle in contradistinction to their
present utilization by explosion.
The utilization of hydrocarbons in the form of vapour has the advantage of being
very economical because all the vapours discharged can when recondensed serve over
again, and moreover, the volatilization of hydrocarbons in suitable generators only
requires very little heat.
Moreover, a thermic machine with vapours combustible as well as condensable,
presents a special cycle in the sense that it permits the combustible to be abstracted
at one of its phases for the purpose of the volatilization of the liquid already in the
gaseous state, which permits of the reduction of the consumption of this item to an
insignificant quantity of liquid. According hereto the thermic evolution of the
cycle takes place as follows:-The liydrocarbon is volatilized in the generator whence
the vapours pass into the cylinder or cylinders to accomplish their work and to be
condensed at the outlet in order to serve again in the generator; before or during
the condensation there is abstracted the vapour necessary for the heating of the
generator an operation which is consequently the more economical in that it will
necessitate less combustible. Furthermore, in consequence of the nature of the
hydrocarbons and of their vapours which may be brought to an expansion and
consequently to considerable pressure in a well designed generator, the supply to the
generator may be regulated in such a manner that it shall not exceed the quantity
necessary to the heating of the generator for the volatilization, so that in this case
the thermic cycle is absolutely perfect. It results from this that the generator is the
important or principal factor in the new system of hydrocarbon motor the more so in
that if it be important from the economic point of view, it is equally so in relation to
its volume and weight which become trifling when the same is judiciously planned so
that the new type of motor will not. possess a weight greater than that of motors
without a generator, which is a point of supreme importance for example in the case
of the application to vehicles, because the new motor may be constructed lighter than
the explosion motors, of which moreover all the accessories usually indispensable may
be suppressed. The generators with great development of vapour even though in
little volume are necessarily designed for instantaneous evaporation, and are
characterised by the division of the liquid in very fine layers brought directly in
contact with the heating surfaces.

page_text: in this new generator the division of the liquid to be vapourized into fine layers is
not obtained as usual in quick evaporation boilers by the almost capillary arrangement
of the heating surfaces but by the infiltration of the liquid into a material which is a
good conductor of heat in a very fine state of division, such as metal borings or other
scraps in form of fibres, shreads, etc. in thin layers and as much as possible
homogeneous so as to leave between them regular interstices after the packing of the
generator to its full capacity.
In one method of construction, the generator consists of a tube of about ten
millimetres internal diameter, filled with metallic fibres or scraps and provided on its
outer surface with numerous thin gills, very close together and which increase
considerably the exterior heating surface. The material which divides up the liquid,
whilst it is at the same time heated by internal radiation, is heated also by conduction
in consequence of the very numerous points of contact which it possesses with the
walls of the generator. A generator or tube of the above described kind having a
length of six metres evolves a motor force of two and a half nominal Horse Power, of
course on the condition that the heating of the outer wall is effected and maintained
at the required degree. The mono-tubular generator of sinall section presents the
further advantage of permitting the employment of tubular walls of very small
thickness which do not become retainers of heat.
I regard the length of six metres above stated as a maximum for a single element.
because beyond this the evolution of the vapour is no longer affected with the same
facility so that if it be desired to construct a more powerful generator it is advisable
to simply combine several elements delivering into a common collecting tube. It is
also evident that the elements need not be applied whether alone or combined in
rectilinear form along their whole length but that they may be bent several times
in S form so as to form a coil or curved piece which however consists of a single piece
having neither joints nor the like. In addition to the novel elements already
indicated of this new generator its volume and weight are practically trifling even in
comparison to that of the motor which it is designed to actuate, and this especially if
the method of heating employed requires no special construction of furnace.
Nevertheless nothing prevents the actuating or heating by means of a furnace, and
that by radiation as well as by conduction. It would suffice in fact to place the
mono-tubular generator entirely over a coal or hydrocarbon fire in a suitable furnace
for the heating by radiation whilst for the heating by conduction it might be immersed
in a bath maintained at a high temperature, such for instance as a soda solution
under the influence of a suitable force of heat.
Suppose for instance the heating to be effected by a battery of Bunsen burners, the
hydrocarbon vapours produced in the generator having served in the same inanner as
steam for the actuating of the motor, the discharge would reconduct them to the
supply of the heating burners and the excess thereof to the condensation and supply
reservoir which completes the cycle unless it be desired to form the complete cycle as
above indicated. Nevertheless it will be understood that the complete cycle is hardly
realisable by aid of the means of heating indicated in consequence of loss of heat to
which they give rise, whereas it may possibly be obtained by a special method of
heating which I employ by preference in my motor. This system consists in covering
or enclosing the exterior walls of the generator with a finely porous material having
the property of becoming red hot when it is placed in contact with the vapours of
hydrocarbons which it burns upon the whole of its surface when the, combustion is
once started.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Hydrocarbon Vapour Motors.
I, AUGUSTE QUENTIN, of No. 49 Rue Antoine Dansaert, Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, 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:—
The present invention has for its object the utilization of hydrocarbons volatilized
for the operation of motors in a closed thermic cycle in contradistinction to their
present utilization by explosion.
The utilization of hydrocarbons in the form of vapour has the advantage of being
very economical because all the vapours discharged can when recondensed serve over
again, and moreover, the volatilization of hydrocarbons in suitable generators only
requires very little heat.
Moreover, a thermic machine with vapours combustible as well as condensable,
presents a special cycle in the sense that it permits the combustible to be abstracted
at one of its phases for the purpose of the rarefication of the liquid already in the
gaseous state, which permits of the reduction of the consumption of this item to an
insignificant quantity of liquid. According hereto the thermic evolution of the cycle
takes place as follows:-The hydrocarbon is volatilized in the generator whence the
vapours pass into the cylinder or cylinders to accomplish their work and to
be condensed at the outlet in order to serve again in the generator; before or during
the condensation there is abstracted the vapours necessary for the heating of the
generator, an operation which is consequently the more economical in that it will
necessitate less combustible. Furthermore, in consequence of the nature of the
hydrocarbons and of their vapours which may be brought to an expansion and
consequently to considerable pressure in a well designed generator, the supply to the
generator may be regulated in such a manner that it shall not exceed the quantity
necessary to the heating of the generator for the volatilization, so that in this case the
thermic cycle is absolutely perfect. It results from this that the generator is the
important or principal factor in the new system of hydrocarbon motor the more so in
that if it be important from the economic point of view, it is equally so in relation
to its volume and weight which become trifling when the same is judiciously planned
so that the new type of motor will not possess a weight greater than that of motors
without a generator, which is a point of supreme importance for example in the case
of the application to vehicles, because the new motor may be constructed lighter than
the explosion motors, of which moreover all the accessories usually indispensable may
be suppressed. The generators with great development of vapour even though in
little volume are necessarily designed for instantaneous evaporation, and are
characterised by the division of the liquid in very fine layers brought directly in
contact with the heating surfaces. In order to define clearly my ideas of the new
type of hydrocarbon motor and the special system of generator which is
preferably applied thereto I have represented the same by way of example in the
accompanying drawing of which :-
Figure 1 represents an element of the generator partly in section and partly
in elevation.
Figure 2 represents the combination of various elements.
Figure 3 is a diagram of the system with heating by means of Bunsen burners.
Figure 4 is a modification of Figure 3 with heating of the generator by means of
combustion flues burning directly the outlet vapours.
Figure 5 represents a detail of Figure 4.
In this new generator the division of the liquid to be vapourised into fine layers is

page_text: not obtained as usual in quick evaporation boilers by the almost capillary
arrangement of the heating surfaces but by the infiltration of the liquid into a
material which is a good conductor of heat in a very fine state of division, such
as metal borings or other scraps in form of fibres, shreads, etc. in thin layers and
as much as possible homogeneous so as to leave between them regular interstices
after the packing of the generator to its full capacity. If on the one hand this
method of division of the liquid in fine layers obviates the approaching of the
heating surfaces in the manner above described as capillary, it is necessary
nevertheless not to proceed to the extreme opposite and give too much sectional
capacity to the constituent elements of the generator in the interest of a satisfactory
heating. In conformity with the ideas above explained, an excellent method of
construction of the generator C consists of a tube of about ten millemetres internal
diameter, filled with metallic fibres or scraps M as above described and provided on
its outer surface with numerous thin gills a a very close together and which increase
considerably the exterior heating surface (Figure 1). Now, whether this be heated
by radiation or by conduction, it will be remarked that the generator presents this
particularity namely, that the material M which divides up the liquid, whilst it is at
the same time heated by internal radiation, is heated also by conduction in
consequence of the very numerous points of contact which it possesses with the walls
of the generator of which the heating effects are consequently further increased.
Moreover, the material which divides the liquid has the effect of obviating all
phenomena of calefaction. In these conditions the yield is very considerable because
experiment has shown that a generator or tube of the above described kind having a
length of six metres evolves a motor force of two and a half nominal Horse Power, of
course on the condition that the heating of the outer wall is effected and maintained
at the required degree. In this class of ideas the mono-tubular generator of small
section presents the farther advantage of permitting the employment of tubular walls
of very small thickness which do not become retainers of heat so that the action of
the heat upon the walls is immediate and is transmitted directly to the interior in all
its intensity thus increasing the effect upon the vapours.
I regard the length of six metres above stated as a maximum for a single element
because beyond this the evolution of the vapour is no longer effected with the same
facility so that if it be desired to construct a more powerful generator it is advisable
to simply combine several elements delivering into a common collecting tube T as
shown in Figure 2. It is also evident that the elements will not be applied whether
alone or combined in rectilinear form along their whole length but that they will be
bent several times in S form so as to forin a coil or curved piece which however
consists of a single piece having neither joints nor the like, a very important condition
with regard to escapes from such apparatuses which are always more sensitive from
this point of view than large boilers. It should also be remarked that in addition to
the novel elements already indicated of this new generator its volume and its weight
are practically trifling even in comparison to that of the motor which it is designed
to actuate, and this especially if the method of heating employed requires no special
construction of furnace. Nevertheless nothing prevents the actuating or heating by
means of a furnace, and that by radiation as well as by conduction. It would suffice
in fact to place the mono-tubular generator entirely over a coal or hydrocarbon fire
in a suitable furnace for the heating by radiation whilst for the heating by conduction
it might be immersed in a bath maintained at a high temperature, such for instance
as a soda solution under the influence of a suitable source of heat, from which it
results that the generator by itself may serve also as a boiler for water vapour for
other motors, but in this case the thermic cycle would no longer have the special
feature indicated for the hydrocarbons which I will now proceed to explain.
Suppose for instance the heating to be effected by a battery of Bunsen burners, the
hydrocarbon vapours produced in the generator having served in the same inanner a
steam for the actuating of the motor, the discharge would reconduet them to the
supply of the heating burners and the excess thereof to the condensation and supply
reservoir which completes the cycle (Figure 3) unless it be desired to form the

page_text: complete cycle as above indicated. Nevertheless it will be understood that the
complete cycle is hardly realisable by aid of the means of heating indicated, in
consequence of loss of heat to which they give rise, whereas it may possibly be
obtained by a special method of heating which I employ by preference in my motor.
This system consists in covering or enclosing the exterior walls of the generator with
a finely porous material having the property of becoming red hot when it is placed in
contact with the vapours of hydrocarbons which it burns upon the whole of its surface
when the combustion is once started. This device is represented in diagram in
Figure 4. The generator C being covered with the combustion layer X is placed in
a receptacle or double envelope E into which discharge the vapours of hydrocarbons
and are therein consumed upon the materal, heating the same and the wall of the
generator to redness, and thus producing an intense heating enabling the maximum
yield thereof from all points of view to be obtained and the accomplishment of the
perfect thermic cycle.
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. A motor for hydrocarbon vapours or similar liquids baving a thermic cycle,
characterised by the utilisation at one of its phases of a portion or the whole of the
vapours discharged for the heating of the generator.
2. In a motor for hydrocarbon vapours or other media having combustible vapours
similar to that set forth in Claim 1, a mode of heating the generator characterised by
the covering of the outer walls of the generator with a suitable incandescence material
burning the outlet vapours and capable of heating the walls to a red heat.
3. In the motor characterised in Claims 1 and 2 or the like, a generator for
instantaneous vapourization characterised by having one or more mono-tubular
elements of small section provided with gills on the outside and filled internally with
a material in fibres or strips which conducts heat, and is very finely divided forming
very numerous capillary interstices creating a large evaporating surface influenced at
the same time by its conductability and by its radiation.
Dated his 30th day of T
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.
Patent Agents for the Applicant,