Improvements in Apparatus for Transferring Heat or Refrigerating.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Transferring Heat or Refrigerating.
We, FRANCIS WILLIAM CROSSLEY, of Crossley Brothers Limited, Openshaw,
Manchester, and JAMES ATKINSON, of Amherst, Fallowfield, Manchester,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention is for the purpose of more conveniently and by means of more
simple apparatus transferring heat from any substance or fluid at one temperature
to any other substance or Huid at another temperature for condensing, cooling,
heating, refrigerating, or for the production of ice.
The apparatus consists of a suitable cylinder fitted with a piston driven in any
convenient manner. One end of the cylinder hereinafter referred to as the
charging end is used for drawing in and transferring a charge of the working fluid,
which may be any suitable gas which will condense more or less completely under
pressure and reduction of temperature, but is preferably a mixture of air or
incondensable gas with a condensable gas. The other end of the cylinder is herein-
after called the compressing end, and is the end which is in connection with the
heat transferring portion of the apparatus.
Usually the working fluid will be used in a closed cycle, passing through the
cylinder whereby it is cooled, thence into a system of coils or other suitable
arrangement of surfaces wherein it picks up heat from the substance to be cooled,
and back to the cylinder to be recooled.
The piston rod preferably passes out through a gland in the charging end cover
of the cylinder wherein there need not be any inaterial pressure as the cooled
working fluid may be employed in the cooling coils at approximately atmospheric
pressure thus making it a very easy matter to prevent leakage.
The piston at the charging end draws in a charge of the working fluid through
a valve, preferably self-acting, during a suction stroke, lightly compresses it during
a return stroke, towards the end of this return stroke it passes round through
suitable passages and valve (or valves). also preferably self-acting, into the
compressing end of the cylinder. The piston now makes another suction stroke
drawing in another charge at the charging end, also compressing the contents of
the compressing end into heat transferring tubes, coils or recesses which are always
in direct communication with this compressing end of the cylinder. The working
fluid is now very rapidly cooled after being heated by compression and if condensable
gas is present some of it is liquified or condensed. As the piston returns the
contents of the compressing end re-expand giving back a very material portion of
the power absorbed during the compression, but being much cooler and some of the
condensable gas being now liquid the pressure falls more rapidly than it rose
during the compression stroke. As soon as the pressure falls below the pressure
in the charging end the fresh charge passes through the intermediate valve
(or valves) and enters the compressing end, driving out the cooled charge in front
of it through an outlet port uncovered by the piston, or through a valve operated
mechanically; the cooled gas or gases passing into the cooling coils, or refrigerator,
or condenser.

page_text: The heat transferring surfaces which are in direct communication with the
compressing end of the cylinder may consist of tubes for which the end cover of
the cylinder forms a tube plate. The tubes may be closed at their outer ends, or
they may pass through another tube plate into a restricted chamber, in the latter
case the charge in passing from the charging, end to the compressing end may pass
into the restricted chamber.
As the apparatus may be used both as a heater and refrigerator or condenser,
the outsides of these tubes may be surrounded by a fluid to be heated by receiving
beat from the working fluid.
The working fluid may in many instances suitably consist of air and ammonia or
similar gas, mixed in such proportions that at the working temperature in the
cooling coils it will be at atmospheric pressure or so regulated as to give any desired
pressure. When compressed in the compressing end of the cylinder the ammonia
will partly liquify and on re-expansion some of the liquified ammonia will
re-evapourate and cool the mixed air to a very low temperature. Some of the
ammonia may pass with the air as very fine spray in mechanical suspension into the
cooling coils in which it will absorbe heat by its complete re-evapouration.
It will be seen that by means of this invention a very small quantity of ammonia
is required and that the apparatus can be so operated that only a very small
amount (one cylinder full) is ever under any material pressure at any one time
and that therefore it is a safe apparatus to use even in confined positions as on
board ship.
A small self-acting valve opening outwards and fixed in connection with the
compressing end of the cylinder may be used for, in the first place, exhausting air
or other gas from the closed system of cooling coils before admitting the ammonia
so as to have the working fluid at any desired pressure and proportion of ammonia
to air, and, in the second place for compressing the working fluid into any suitable
receptacle before stopping the machine, so as to store the ammonia safely for
The apparatus may force the working fluid into the receptacle at such
a pressure that the ammonia will liquify, the air being allowed to escape into the
cooling coils.
future use.
Any suitable lubricating oil may be allowed to pass through the cylinder into
the cooling coils from which it may be withdrawn at convenient times or it may be
allowed to pass 1ound in the closed cycle with the working fluid.
In a modification of the apparatus more especially for larger machines we can
use two cylinders each of them having the piston rod ends of the cylinders connected
freely together by an open passage and used as charging ends. The other ends
are compressing ends and are also freely connected by a considerable number
of shaped heat transferring tubes. The cranks driving the pistons are at about
right angles more or less. The charge in passing from the charging ends is
admitted to the compressing end of the following cylinder and when cooled passes
out through a port in the leading cylinder uncovered by the piston or through a
valve mechanically controlled. The charge is cooled by being compressed between
the two pistons and when at or near its greatest compression is transferred from
the following cylinder to the leading cylinder through the heat transferring tubes.
In some instances air only may be used in the apparatus in a closed or open
cycle. Large bodies of air may be moderately cooled for ventilating purposes by
using a large cylinder and compressing the charge into the heat transferring tubes
to a moderate pressure only.
Dated this 1st day of September 1894.
F. W. CROSSLEY.
JAMES ATKINSON.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Transferring Heat or Refrigerating.
We, FRANCIS WILLIAM CROSSLEY of Crossley Brothers Limited, Openshaw,
Manchester, and JAMES ATKINSON, of The Woodlands, Marple, Cheshire, late of
Amherst Fallowfield Manchester, Engineers 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 is for the purpose of more conveniently and by means of more
simple apparatus transferring heat from any substance or fluid at one temperature
to any other substance or fluid at another temperature, for condensing, cooling,
heating, refrigerating, or for the production of ice.
To enable our invention to be clearly understood we append drawings in which
the same letter applies to the same part in the corresponding views.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal view of a complete apparatus as arranged to be
driven by a belt from any suitable source of power.
Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a longitudinal section of the cylinder, piston, cooling surfaces
and valves.
Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a section through the cooling surfaces.
Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a section through the cylinder and through the outlet ports.
Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a part longitudinal section showing an alternative method of
arranging the valves, and
Fig. 6, Sheet 2,
an enlarged section of an arrangement of the cooling surfaces.
As shown in the illustrations a suitable crankshaft A is carried at one end of a
foundation on which the cylinder C is also fixed. Side connecting rods_connect
the crank shaft to a guide block B in which is secured a piston rod D. The
linder C is placed between the side connecting rods and the work done by means
of a return piston rod for a reason which will be subsequently explained.
cy
The cylinder C is fitted preferably with a long piston E, which divides the
cylinder into two portions, one end, hereinafter referred to as the charging end, is
used for drawing in and transferring a charge of the working fluid, and the other
end hereinafter referred to as the compressing end, is in connection with the heat
transferring portion of the apparatus.
It may
The working fluid is a gas or mixture of gases suitable for the purpose.
be air, any convenient gas which will condense more or less completely under
or more such
pressure and reduction of temperature, a mixture of two
condensable gases or a mixture of such gas or gases with air or other
noncondensable gas or gases.
The working fluid may be used in a closed cycle, passing through the apparatus
to be cooled, thence into a system of coils or other suitable arrangement of
surfaces wherein it picks up heat from the substance to be cooled, and back
to the cylinder to be re-cooled. It may however be used in an open cycle,
as for instance, air may be drawn from a chamber or the atmosphere, passed
through the apparatus to be cooled, thence into a cooling chamber in the well
known manner.
In many instances the working fluid may, if desired, be worked in a closed cycle
at or about atmospheric pressure, thus making it a very easy matter to prevent
leakage. The piston rod D should be arranged to pass through a gland at the
charging end of the cylinder C as shown in the drawings, because at this end
the pressure in most instances need not be much above or below atmospheric
pressure.
The piston E during an instroke draws in a charge of the working fluid through
a valve F, this valve being preferably self acting. The piston E is shown in

page_text: Fig. 2, Sheet 2, at the end of an instroke. During a return outward stroke the
contents of the cylinder and the reservoir G, shown above the cylinder, are
compressed to a few lbs. higher pressure, the extent of this increased pressure
being regulated by the volumes of the reservoir G, the clearance spaces and the
passages, compared with the piston displacement. Towards the end of this outward
stroke the piston passes the outlet holes H, thus opening a passage for the working
fluid through the self acting valve I to the compressing end of the cylinder C.
The outlet holes H being connected to the cooling coils or chamber in which the
cooling is required, the pressure at these outlet holes is practically the same as at
the inlet J to the suction valve F, consequently the few pounds increased pressure
in the reservoir G is sufficient to open the self acting valve I; the new charge of
working fluid in entering the compressing end of the cylinder drives out the
previous charge through the outlet holes H. At the termination of the outward
stroke the compressing end of the cylinder C is mainly filled with the charge just
passed over; as the piston E returns on the inward stroke it first covers up the
outlet holes H and as the self acting valve I closes there is no other outlet for the
shut in charge which is then compressed to a high pressure into the heat transferring
tubes, coils or recesses K, which are always in direct communication with the
compressing end of the cylinder C. This charge of the working fluid after being
heated by the compression is now very rapidly cooled and if condensable gas is
present some of it is condensed or liquified. It will be understood that during this
inward stroke the piston E has drawn a fresh charge of the working fluid into the
charging end of the cylinder C. As the piston E returns on the next outward
stroke the contents of the compressing end re-expand giving back a very material
portion of the power absorbed during the compression but being now much cooler
the pressure falls more rapidly than it rose during the compression stroke, especially
if there has been any condensable gas present in the working fluid and it has been
condensed. As soon as the pressure in the compressing end falls below the pressure
in the charging end the self-acting valve I opens automatically and the transfer of
the next charge commences to take place and is completed whilst the piston E is
towards the end of its outward stroke when the outlet holes H are uncovered, the
cooled gas or gases passing into the cooling coils, or refrigerator or condenser.
The heat transferring surfaces K which are in direct communication with the
compressing end of the cylinder may consist of tubes for which the end cover of
the cylinder forms a tube plate. The tubes may be closed at their outer ends or
they may pass into a restricted chamber L. This latter arrangement is shown in
the drawings in Figs. 2 and 5. In Fig. 2 the self acting valve I is shown opening
into a side passage so that the working fluid in passing from the charging end to
the compressing end of the cylinder Centers between the piston E and the heat
transferring surfaces K. In Fig. 5 an alternative arrangement is shown having
the self-acting valve I so placed as to interpose the heat transferring surfaces K
between it and the piston E and this arrangement is suitable when through tubes
are used for the heat transferring surfaces K. Fig. 6, is an enlarged view of a
suitable arrangement of the heat transferring surfaces K in which M M are two
of the tubes, N N are rods placed inside the tubes M M for the purpose of
decreasing the clearance space and increasing the surface, being kept cool by
radiation to the tubes M. A portion of the restricted chamber is shown at L.
A valve O may be fixed as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, to be opened for the purpose
of blowing dirt or oil out of the heat transferring tubes M wilst the apparatus is
at work aud it may also be used to take the load off at starting.
As the apparatus may be used both as a heater and a refrigerator or condenser,
the outsides of the heat transferring tubes M may be surrounded by a fluid to
be heated by receiving the heat taken out of the working fluid which is being
cooled.
The working fluid may in many instances consist of air and ammonia or similar
gases mixed in such proportions that at the working temperature in the cooling
coils it will be at about atmospheric pressure or so regulated as to give any desired

page_text: pressure. When compressed in the compressing end of the cylinder C the ammonia
will partly liquify, and on re-expansion some of this liquid ammonia will re-evaporate
and cool the mixed air to a very low temperature. Some of the ammonia may
pass with the air as very fine spray in mechanical suspension into the cooling coils
in which it will absorb heat by its complete re-evaporation.
It will be seen that by means of this invention a very small quantity of ammonia
is required and the apparatus can be so operated that only a very small amount
(one cylinder full) is ever under any material pressure at any one time and that
therefore it is a safe apparatus to use even in confined positions as on board ship.
A small self acting valve opening outwards and fixed in connection with the
compressing end of the cylinder C may be used for, in the first place, exhausting
air or other gas from any closed system of cooling coils before admitting the
ammonia or other suitable gas, so as to have the working fluid at any desired
pressure and proportion of ammonia to air; and, in the second place, for compressing
the working fluid into any suitable receptacle before stopping the machine so as to
store the ammonia safely for future use, the apparatus forcing the working fluid
into the receptacle at such a pressure that the ammonia will liquify, the air being
allowed to escape intermittently into the cooling coils. The valve O may be used
for this purpose if suitable valves and connections are provided on the pipe P.
Any suitable lubricating oil may be allowed to pass through the cylinder C into
the cooling coils from which it may be withdrawn at convenient times, or it may
be allowed to pass round in the closed cycle with the working fluid.
In a modification of the apparatus as shown in Figs. 7, and 8, Sheet 3, we can
use two cylinders Q and R having the piston rod ends of the cylinders connected
freely together by an open passage S and used as charging ends. The other end;
are compressing ends and are also freely connected together by a considerable
number of Ushaped beat transferring tubes. The cranks driving the pistons are
at about right angles more or less, the piston of the cylinder Q leading. The
charge of working fluid is drawn in through the self-acting valve F and lightly
compressed in the charging ends of both cylinders and transferred to the compressing
ends through the valve I; the cooled charge passing out through the opening in
the cylinder when passed by the piston or there may be an outlet having
mechanically controlled valve. The charge is cooled by being compressed between
the two pistons and when at its greatest compression mainly transferred from the
following cylinder R to the leading cylinder Q through the heat transferring
tubes T.
مان
In some instances air only may be used in the apparatus in a closed or an open
cycle and large bodies moderately cooled for ventilating or other purposes by
using a large cylinder or cylinders and compressing the charges into the heat
transferring tubes to a moderate pressure only. The apparatus thus not only
cools the air moderately but moves it to where it is required.
Instead of driving the piston or pistons by means of an ordinary crank and
connecting rod any special mechanism may be employed for the purpose of causing
the piston or pistons to move more slowly at the time when the greatest compression
of the change takes place. It will be seen in Fig. 1, Sheet 1, that return
connecting rods are used, these give a longer pause at the proper time than if
direct connecting rods were employed.
It will be noted that in all the above mentioned arrangements self-acting valves
only are necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The construction and use of an apparatus for transferring heat, consisting of
a cylinder one end of which is used for drawing in, lightly compressing and
transferring charges of air to the other end of the same cylinder, in which it is
compressed into close contact with heat transferring surfaces open to the cylinder,

page_text: thus having heat extracted from it, being then expanded and expelled in a cooled
state, as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Sheets 1 and 2.
2. The construction and use of an apparatus for transferring heat, consisting of
a cylinder one end of which is used for drawing in, lightly compressing and
transferring charges of condensable gas, gases or a mixture of condensable gas or
gases with air or other gases uncondensable at ordinary temperatures and pressures
to the other end of the same cylinder, in which they are compressed into close
contact with heat transferring surfaces open to the cylinder, thus having heat
extracted from them, being then expanded and expelled in a cooled state, as
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheets 1 and 2.
3. The construction and use of an apparatus for transferring heat consisting of
two cylinders, adjacent ends of which are used for drawing in, lightly compressing
and transferring charges of air to the other ends of the same cylinders, in which it
is compressed into close contact with heat transferring surfaces open to the
cylinders, thus having heat extracted from it, being then expanded and expelled
in a cooled state as described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 Sheet 3.
4. The construction and use of an apparatus for transferring heat consisting of
two cylinders, adjacent ends of which are used for drawing in, lightly compressing
and transferring charges of condensable gas, gases or a mixture of condensable
gas or gases with air or other gases uncondensable at ordinary temperatures and
pressures to the other ends of the same cylinders, in which they are compressed
into close contact with heat transferring surfaces open to the cylinders, thus having
beat extracted from them, being then expanded and expelled in a cooled state, as
described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 3.
5. The construction and use of an apparatus for transferring heat, consisting of
a cylinder one end of which operates as a charging end and the other as a
compressing end in which the fluid to be cooled is compressed into close contact
with heat transferring surfaces open to the compressing end of the cylinder, so
arranged that all the necessary valves may be self-acting as described and illustrated
in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheets 1 and 2.
6. The construction and use of an apparatus for transferring heat, consisting of
two cylinders, adjacent ends of which operate as charging ends and the other
adjacent ends as compressing ends in which the fluid to be cooled is compressed
into close contact with heat transferring surfaces open to these compressing ends of
the cylinders, so arranged that all the necessary valves may be self-acting, as
described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 3.