An Improved Method of Utilizing Liquefiable Gases in the Operation of Engines or Motors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Utilizing Liquefiable Gases in the Operation
of Engines or Motors.
We, EDMOND VIGNON-ROURE, of No. 526, Rex Place, City of Camden, State of
New Jersey, Chemist, CORNELIUS AMBROSE LANE, of No. 718, Spruce Street, City
of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, Publisher, and Joux LINUS KELLY, of
No. 1831, Thompson Street, City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, Lawyer,
all in the United States of America, 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:-
-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the operation of engines by
the direct pressure of gases or vapors from liquefiable gases, that is to say gases
which at normal temperature and under normal conditions exist as such in the
form of gas or vapor, and which under the influence of pressure and cold may be
made to assume a liquid form.
It is well known that when liquefied gas is held under pressure and subjected
to the action of heat that the slightest increase in temperature, as by the mere
application of the heat of a lamp, will raise the pressure of the gas to an enormous
extent, and, if released, the gas passes to its normal gaseous form under great
pressure and in condition to be utilized for the driving of an engine of almost any
character,
It is usual in the use of such gases to save and to condense the same by cold,
and if to be used over and over again they must be compressed again to cause them
to re-assume the liquid condition.
The engines operated by these gases are necessarily operated under extremely
high pressure, often more than seven hundred pounds per square inch and owing to
the pressure, and the fact that the gas is exceedingly dry and hot, it is almost
impossible to introduce, or when introduced to gain any beneficial results from
ordinary lubricants in the engine.
As now practised grease or oil distributors of very delicate and special con-
struction are employed, and owing to the danger of leakage of the high pressure
gases these distributors must be made very strong and require the very best
workmanship to prevent leakage.
Another difficulty is that the gas, being very dry and hot will carry away some of
the grease and cause it to accumulate in the condenser pipes, but the most serious
objection is that when the gas comes into contact with the grease or oil it will
heat the latter, not to a sufficient extent to change them into vapor, but to cause
them to absorb and become charged with the gas and so form new chemical com-
pounds of different properties which remain in the cylinder of the engine in the
form of tar which obstructs piston and valves.
There are some gases, such as chloride of methyl, which are natural lubricants
and which may be used directly as motor agents and if so used the engine will not

page_text: need any additional lubricating agent, but these substances cannot be used to
advantage from an economical standpoint owing to their high point of liquefaction
and because of the great amount of caloric which they absorb before a sufficiently
high working pressure can be attained.
The object of our invention is to overcome all of these objections by employing
a mixture of gases of such nature that two very important advantages are
gained first, the increase of actual working pressure over the pressure which may
be attained by the use of a single gas under the same conditions of use, and second,
the lubrication of the engine without auxiliary lubricating substances, by the
employment in the working mixture of a gas having known lubricating properties.
If, for instance, a gas is used that can be liquefied at high pressure and low temper-
ature, as carbon dioxide and a gas such as chloride of methyl, which is a natural
lubricant, the desired result is attained, as the two gases mix together and the
lubricating properties of the chloride of methyl always keep the engine properly
lubricated.
In order that the method of operation about to be described may be more readily
understood reference is now had to the accompanying drawing which illustrates an
apparatus suitably arranged for carrying our invention into effect.
In the drawing A represents the original receiver or boiler, heated as by the
gas burner, s, shown beneath it. The gases to be employed are introduced into
the boiler, A, and under the action of the heat produced by the burner are forced
through the pipe, a, into the valve chamber of the cylinder, B, behind the piston
head and after acting thereon escape through the pipe, b, to the coil, c, situated in
a tank, C, filled with cold water; becoming liquefied and cooled by the process the
liquefied gas then passes through the pipe, e, into the cylindrical receptacle, D, in
the lower part of the same, the valve, el, in said pipe being normally open to permit
the flow of the liquid into said receptacle.
Above the cylinder, D, is a cylinder, E, mounted in such position that all or the
greater portion thereof shall be above the liquid level of the boiler, A. From the
upper portion of the boiler, A, to the upper portion of the cylinder, D, extends a
pipe, d, having a valve, which is normally closed and from the upper portion
of the cylinder, E, to the lower portion of the cylinder, I), extends a pipe, f.
having a valve, f, also normally closed. From the lower portion of the
cylinder, E, to the upper portion of the boiler, A, extends a pipe, g, having a
valve, g, also normally closed. From the boiler, A, extends a vertical pipe, i,
leading to a pressure gauge, h, and from the cylinder, E, extends a vertical pipe, ¹
leading to a pressure gauge, h. The two vertical pipes, i, ¹, are connected by a
pipe, k, having a valve, k', which is normally closed. On the boiler and cylinders
are gauges, H, to ascertain the liquid levers in these receptacles, and on the pipe, e,
at the exit end of the condenser, C, is a pressure gauge, h², the various gauges being
so arranged that the different pressures and liquid levels at different points may be
at all times visible.
In conducting the operation, all the valves in the apparatus except the valves in
the pipes, a, b, and e are closed and in the boiler, A, I proceed to mix in the
liquid state, carbon dioxide with about one third to one-half of its volume of
chloride of methyl, the latter gas having affinity for and absorbing a considerable
proportion of the carbon dioxide, the first and natural result being that the pressure
of the gases in the boiler is reduced in much the same manner as it would be if a
mixture of ammonia vapor and water were employed.
The mixture is then heated in the boiler by the gas burner, s, or by any proper
application of heat and the temperature is raised from the normal to about
ninety degrees Fahrenheit, the chloride of methyl when thus heated rejecting all
of the carbon dioxide which it has absorbed and the pressure becoming equal to
what it would if pure carbon dioxide were employed. The chloride of methyl,
however, also passes in a gaseous form and when the carbon dioxide passes off to
the engine through the pipe, a, the chloride of methyl will travel with it, the two
gases being mechanically mixed, and both of them acting on the piston of the

page_text: engine. After acting on the piston both gases are conducted by the pipe, b, to the
condenser pipes, c, where they are cooled to a temperature proper for their re-
condensation to liquid form, which, however, is accomplished only by the exercise
of considerable pressure, the pressure in the condenser when carbon dioxide is
employed being about eight hundred pounds and the direct working pressure
exerted by the gases on the piston of the engine will be about fifteen hundred
pounds, so that with a back pressure of say eight hundred pounds from the con-
denser, the active working pressure will be the difference between the two or about
seven hundred pounds. This is the case where pure carbon dioxide is employed,
but with the addition of the chloride of methyl a new step takes place which very
materially increases the working pressure of the engine by reducing the back
pressure thereon, and this is due to the fact that as the chloride of methyl is cooled
in the condenser it re-asserts its affinity for the carbon dioxide and absorbs the same
so that the pressure in the condenser is reduced considerably below eight hundred
pounds in much the same manner that it was reduced by the preliminary mixture
in the boiler.
If the reduction in pressure is say two hundred pounds, this same amount will
be added to the working pressure of the engine and the same will be raised from
about seven hundred pounds to about nine hundred pounds.
Owing to the avidity with which the chloride of methyl absorbs the carbon
dioxide when the two are reduced to the proper temperature this reduction of
pressure may be increased to some considerable extent by properly proportioning
the relative amounts or quantities of the gases, and the work of the engine be
correspondingly augmented..
As before stated all of the valves in the apparatus except the valves of the
pipes, a, b, and e, are normally closed, and as the vapor from the boiler, after
operating the engine is condensed in the condenser, C, it flows through the pipe, e,
until the cylinder, D), becomes partially filled with comparatively cool liquid.
When it is desired to transfer this liquid to the cylinder, E, the valve el, in pipe, e,
is closed, and the valve, d, in pipe, d, and the valve, f¹, in pipe, f, are opened.
The vapor from the boiler, A, under he
pressure, then enters
the upper portion of the cylinder, D, and forces the liquid therein
up through the pipe, f, to the cylinder, E, and this is continued until
the desired quantity has been so transferred, when the valves, d¹ and f¹, are closed
and the valve, e¹, again open. It follows then that the cylinder, E, contains liquid
somewhat heated from its contact with the vapor and at a level above the level of
the liquid in the boiler, A.
After a time the liquid in the cylinder, E, is cooled and when the boiler, A, needs
replenishing the valve, k', in the pipe, k, is opened and the upper portion of the
boiler placed in communication with the upper portion of the cylinder, E, the
vapor under pressure flowing from the boiler to the cylinder and equalizing
the pressure in both vessels. Valve, gl, in pipe, g, is then opened and the liquid
flows by gravity from the cylinder, E, to the boiler, A.
The engine need not at any time be stopped as the pipes governing the flow of
gas to effect the movement of the liquid are comparatively small and there is little
or no decrease in pressure.
In carrying out our invention we may mix chloride of methyl with about one-
half its volume of toluene or methyl benzene, which acts in the same way with
chloride of methyl as does the chloride of methyl with carbon dioxide, the absorbing
action, however, being somewhat more thorough and complete.
If a compound mixture of carbon dioxide, chloride of methyl and toluene be
made a portion of the carbon dioxide will be absorbed by the chloride of methyl
and by the toluene and a portion of the chloride of methyl will be absorbed by the
toluene. When this mixture is heated to about ninety degrees Fahrenheit the
component gases are separated and each then exerts its full expansive power and
the three gases in mechanical mixture pass through the engine and from thence to
the condenser.

page_text: As the gases are cooled in the condenser the carbon dioxide is partially absorbed
by the chloride of methyl, and the chloride of methyl is partially absorbed by the
toluene, so that the pressure is reduced and the active working pressure on the
opposite side of the piston of the engine is augmented to a corresponding extent.
The toluene vapors do not to any material extent contribute to the motive power
of the engine as the heat is never raised to a sufficient degree to obtain any effective
pressure from the vapors, but they are useful in that with the chloride of methyl they
act as a lubricant and further, they absorb in the heating operation a large amount
of caloric which they carry to the cylinder of the engine and there act to maintain
the heat and consequently the pressure of the working gases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is:-
-
1. The herein described method of utilizing liquefiable gases in the operation
of engines, said method consisting in mixing with a liquefiable gas of high pressure
at a given temperature, another liquefiable gas of lower pressure at the same
temperature, which latter gas has an absorbing affinity for the first gas, heating
said gases, conducting them through an engine to operate the same and condensing
the gases, the affinity of the gas liquefiable at the higher temperature exerting itself
at this stage of the process upon the other gas at a temperature higher than the
point of liquefaction of the other gas.
2. The herein described method of utilizing liquefiable gases in the operation of
an engine, said method consisting in mixing two or more liquefiable gases when
in a liquefied or nearly liquefied condition, one of said gases being liquefiable at a
temperature lower than the point of liquefaction of the other gas, the gas liquefiable.
at the higher temperature having an absorbing affinity for the other gas, heating
the mixed gases to separate the same to increase their pressure, conducting said
mixed gases to and through an engine to operate the same, and reducing the
temperature of such gases to gr below the point of liquefaction of the one gas and
partly absorbing by it the vapors of the other gas before that temperature is
reached at which the said other gas becomes liquefied, and continuing the reduction
of temperature to or below the point of liquefaction of both gases.
3. The herein described method of producing power in engines, said method
consisting in generating gas from a mixture composed of two or more liquefiable
gases liquefiable under different pressures at the same temperature, and reducing
the back pressure after the operation of the gases upon the piston of the engine
by cooling and first liquefying one of the gases and absorbing by the said liquefied
gas, the vapors of the other gas before the point of liquefaction of said other gas
is reached.
4. The herein described method of utilizing carbon dioxide and chloride of
methyl in a gas engine, said method consisting in mixing the two gases until the
carbon dioxide is partially or wholly absorbed by the chloride of methyl, heating
said gasès to separate the same and increasing their pressure, conducting the gas to
and through an engine to operate the same, then reducing the temperature of the
gases until the chloride of methyl is liquefied and absorbs the vapors of the carbon
dioxide while the carbon dioxide is in its gaseous form and continuing the reduction
of temperature until both gases are liquefied for reducing the back pressure for the
purposes described.
5. The herein described method of utilizing carbon dioxide, chloride of methyl
and toluene in the operation of an engine, said method consisting in mixing the
carbon dioxide, methyl, and toluene under pressure until the toluene partially or
wholly absorbs the chloride of methyl, and the carbon dioxide is partially
or wholly absorbed by the methyl and toluene, heating the gas to separate the
same and increasing their pressure, conducting said gases to and through an
engine to operate the same, reducing the temperature of the gases to the point of

page_text: liquefaction of the toluene, absorbing a portion of the gases of the chloride of
methyl by the liquefied toluene continuing the reduction of temperature to the
point of liquefaction of the chloride of methyl not absorbed, absorbing a portion of
the gases of the carbon dioxide by the liquefied chloride of methyl and continuing
the reduction of temperature until the liquefaction of all the gases occurs for
reducing the back pressure on the engine.
6. The herein described compound for the operation of engines the same consist-
ing of chloride of methyl, carbon dioxide and toluene combined in or in about the
proportions specified.
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HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicants.

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