(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. N. SELFE, APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION OF AIR, G ASES, AND • WAPORS FOR REFRIGERATING AND OTHER PURPOSES, No. 250,586. Patented Deo. 6, 1881,

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starter (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, N. SEFE. APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION OF AIR, GASES, AND WAPORS FOR REFRIGERATING AND OTHER PURPOSES. No. 250,586. Patented Dec. 6, 188l.

Ituettor: UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN SELFE, OF SIDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TO HUDSON BROTHERS, OF SAME PLACE. APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION OF AIR, GASES, AND WAPORS FOR REFRIGERATING AND OTHER PURPOSES,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,586, dated December 6, 1881. Application filed September 21, 1881. (No model.) Patented in New South Wales April 2, 1880. To all whom it may concern: engine or prime mover, of both the supple Beit known that I, NORMAN SELFE, of Sid mentary engine operated by vapor generated ney, in the colony of New South Wales, have from a volatile liquid by the heat rendered So invented certain new and useful Improvements sensible by compression, and a supplementary 5 in Apparatus for Compression and Expansion engine or engines operated by the expansive of Air, Gases, and Vapors for Refrigerating force of air or vapor compressed by the afore and other Purposes, of which the following is said compressor, whereby I provide for the a specification. very economical operation of the apparatus. My said improvements are embraced in Let In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. 1o ters Patent No. S12, dated April 2, 1880, grant represents a partly-sectional plan of a refrig ed to me by the government of New South erating room and apparatus constructed and Wales. arranged according to my invention; and Fig. 6o The invention relates more particularly to 2 represents a similar view of an apparatus of refrigerating apparatus in which air or gases modified form. I5 are compressed by successive stages or opera Referring first to Fig. 1. A designates a cool tions, and cooled between the successive stages ing room or chamber, which may be construct or operations by being passed through heat ed in any suitable manner, and is provided with exchangers or surface condensers or coolers, a surrounding air-space, A', and with double whereby the heat rendered sensible at each doors A A. 2O stage of the compression is abstracted before B designates the cylinder of a steam-engine, the air or gas is subjected to the next stage of which constitutes the prime mover of the ma compression. The heat rendered sensible at chine or apparatus, and may be of any suita each stage of compression can thus be impart ble construction. B' designates the cylinder jo ed to other substances and utilized instead of of a compressor, or rather a compressing-cyl 25 being carried away by condensing-water, and inder, which may likewise be of any suitable the air or gas can be highly compressed with construction; and B° designates a second com out the inconvenience of the great heat and pressing-cylinder, which is of smaller diameter loss of power attending the use of ordinary than the cylinder B. 75 compressors. C designates the cylinder of an engine which The invention consists in the combination, is to be worked by the expansion of compressed with a compressor and an engine or prime air or gas, and C designates the cylinder of a mover for working the same, of a supplement similar engine, but larger in capacity than the ary engine operated by vapor generated from cylinder C. a volatile liquid by the heat rendered sensible D designates the cylinder of an engine to be 35 in the compressor itself. Ether or other vola operated by the pressure of a vapor generated tile liquid may be passed through the afore from a Volatile liquid-such as ammonia or said heat-exchangers or surface-condensers, ether-by the heat rendered sensible by com and the heat rendered sensible by the colm pression. pression of air or gas will generate a vapor, E F G H designate what I term “heat-ex 40 which, being applied to the piston of the sup changers,” each of which comprises a shell or plementary engine, Will operate the same and body, with a small chamber at each end, and furnish a part of the power necessary to Work tubes extending from end to end thereof, they the machine, and will reduce the amount of being constructed like any ordinary surface 9o condensing-water necessary to remove the re condenser. The pistons of the several cylin 45 mainder of the heat rendered sensible by com ders B B C are all connected to a common pression. piston-rod, I, so as to move simultaneously, and The invention also consists in the combina the pistons of the several cylinders BDC are 95 tion, with the compressor and its operating all connected to another piston-rod, I'.

H J J designate pitman or connecting rods, eral pistons will be set in motion and air will whereby the two piston-rods II are connected be drawn through the pipe at into the cylinder with a crank-shaft, K, upon which are fly-wheels B'. This air on being compressed will be re 7 o K. K., and which is adapted to rotate in suit duced in volume and increased in temperature able bearings. through some of the latent heat becoming sen I would here remark that the purpose of the sible, and on being discharged through the steam-engine B is to drive both the compress pipe b into the heat-exchanger E this air will ing-pumps or compressors B'B'; but its power impart some of its heat through the metallic 75 is supplemented by the power generated in the surfaces thereof and become cooler, and at the O supplementary vapor-engine D and the sup same time it will deposit a portion of any moist plementary air-engines C C, and hence its ca ure it may contain on the metallic surfaces. pacity and its consumption of steam need not The air will then pass through the pipe c into be as great as Would otherwise be required. the compressor-cylinder B', where it will be I will now describe the several connecting further reduced in volume and again increased air-pipes of the apparatus. in temperature, after which it will pass through a designates a pipe leading from the cooling the pipe d into the heat-exchanger F, where it room A to the compressor-cylinder B', and con will part with more heat and deposit more stituting the suction-pipe therefor. moisture. The air then passes through the b designates the discharge-pipe of the com pipe e to and through the tubes of the con pressor-cylinder B', through which the air is denser G, where it deposits more moisture and conducted into the body of the heat-exchanger is further cooled, if necessary, after which it E, from which it passes through a pipe, c, to passes through the pipe f to the cylinder C, the second compressor-cylinder, B°. From the where it will give out power by its expansion. compressor-cylinder B°, the fully-compressed The air passes from the cylinder C by the pipe air is conducted through a pipe, d, to and g to and through the body of the heat-exchanger 25 through the tubes of the second heat - ex H, and by the pipe h to the cylinder C, in which changer, F, from which it passes through a it is again expanded and gives out power, be pipe, e, to and through the tubes of the third ing still further reduced in temperature and 95 heat-exchanger,G, from which itissues through increased in volume. The air passes from the a pipe, f. The heat-exchanger G is in fact a cylinder C by the pipe i into the chamber A condenser, and has proper inlet and outlet or air-space A', where it takes up heat from the pipes, G' G', for water or other cooling-fluid. articles to be kept cold and then re-enters the The air, which is now deprived of the greater apparatus through the pipe a, as before. (O part of the heat rendered sensible by com While the above-described operation is be pression, passes through the pipef to the en ing performed ether or some other volatile 35 gine-cylinder C, wherein it expands and pro liquid is pumped by means of the pumpf into duces a certain amount of power, and from the and through the tubes of the heat-exchanger cylinder C it passes through the pipeg to and E, where it is vaporized by heat abstracted IC 5 through the beat-exchanger H, and thence from the air, after which it passes through the through a pipe, h, to the larger cylinder, C, pipe lc to and through the body of the heat wherein it still further expands and produces exchanger F. From the heat-exchanger F the more power. From the cylinder C the air vapor passes by a pipe, l, to the cylinder D, passes through a pipe, i, wherein is a cham wherein it performs its work by expansion, IO ber, i, to the cooling-rooin A. and from which it passes by the pipe in to and I will now describe the circulating-pipes for through the tubes of the heat-exchanger H, 45 volatile liquid and the vapor generated there where its heat is abstracted by the air and it from. is liquefied. The heat thus taken up by the j designates a pipe for volatile liquid, lead ether from the compressed air will render less 15 ing from the fourth heat-exchanger, H, and water necessary in the condenser G, and will having connected with it a reservoir, j', for give out power in the engine D and assist in SO volatile liquid, and a pump, j', for producing driving the whole machine. When the cham the circulation thereof. (The pump here rep ber A is reduced to the desired temperature resented is of the rotary class.) The volatile the pipes (t, and i may be disconnected from liquid passes through the pipei, to and through the chamber itself and connected with the the tubes of the first heat-exchanger, E, where jacket A', to prevent the infiltration of heated SS in it is raised in temperature and partly vola air and keep the chamber cool without chang tilized or vaporized; thence through a pipe, k, ing the air therein. to and through the body of the second heat Fig. 2 represents another form of similar ap I 25 exchanger, F, wherein its vaporization is com paratus, but with one compressing-pump and pleted; thence the vapor passes by a pipe, l, one expansion-engine for the air, and one en to the cylinder D, wherein it does its work, gine for the secondary vapor, details being and from which it escapes through a pipe, m, omitted for simplicity. to and through the tubes of the fourth heat A is the cylinder of a pump for compressing I 30 exchanger, EI, wherein it is cooled and lique I. fied. B is the cylinder of an engine worked by The operation of the apparatus is as follows: compressed air. The engine B being set in operation, the sev. C is the cylinder of a vapor-engine. 250,5s6 D is a surface condenser or vaporer fitted and any moisture deposited is drawn offath and with tubes or other metallic surfaces for trans lc. While the above-described operations are 55 mitting heat. being performed the pump l, Fig. 2, draws liquid E is a surface-condenser similar to D. either from condenser F and discharges it into F is a vapor-condenser similar to D. condenser D, where, in coming in contact with G is a crank-shaft connected to the piston pump A and pipe b, it is converted into vapor rods of A, B, and C by means of a pitman or under pressure. The vapor is then delivered connecting rod, G', or other suitable means. by pipe m to the vapor or gas engine C, where a is a pipe supplying the air or gas to be com it expands against the piston, performs work, O pressed to cylinder A. becomes reduced in temperature, and then b is a pipe leading compressed air or gas passes by exhaust-pipe in into condenser F, from compressor A, and forming part of va where it is cooled by contact with the pipe?, porer D. containing cold air, to be again liquefied, when c is a continuation of pipe b, forming part of it is again drawn off by pump l, Fig. 2, and the 15 surface condeuser or exchanger E. operation is continuous. d is a further continuation of pipe b, con In either of the foregoing arrangements the veying compressed air or gas to expansion-en compression and expansion cylinders can be gine B. - fitted with jackets for the circulation of vola e is the exhaust-pipe of expansion-engine B, tile material or water, for the purpose of talk leading to vapor-condenser F. ing up or abstracting heat from the air, and fis a continuation of e, being portion of con additional exchangers can be applied on pipes denser or exchanger F. d, if desired. 75 h h are stop-cocks or traps for removing de What I claim as my invention, and desire to posited water. secure by Letters Patent, is 25 k k are pipes to h h. - 1. The combination, with a compressor and l, Fig.2, is a pump for removing volatile liquid an engine or prime mover for working the from condenser F to condenser D in the direc same, of a supplementary engine operated by tion shown by the arrows. vapor generated from a volatile liquid by the m an are gas-pipes conveying vapor under heat rendered sensible in the compressor it pressure to gas or vapor engine C. self, substantially as and for the purpose speci in n is the exhaust-pipe to engine C, convey fied. ing vapor under reduced pressure to F. 2. The combination, with a compressor and o and p are pipes for the inlet and outlet of an engine or prime mover for working the condensing-water to surface-condenser E. same, of a supplementary engine operated by 35 g is a pipe leading off cooled air to where it vapor generated from a volatile liquid by the is required. heat of the compressed air or gas, and one or On the machine thus described being set in more supplementary engines operated by the motion through power applied to the crank expansion of the compressed air or gas, Sub shaft G, air is admitted by pipe d and com stantially as and for the purpose specified. pressed by the piston of compressor A, when 3. The combination, in an air-compressing its latent heat is rendered sensible and is con apparatus, of the counpressing-cylinders B'B', municated to the metal of the compressor and of different sizes, the steam-engine B, the sup 95 exhaust-pipe b, by which it leaves, The com plementary vapor-engine D, the supplement pressed air then passes through pipe c into ary air-engines CC', of different sizes, the heat 45 surface-condenser E, where it is cooled by com exchangers EFG H, and the connecting-pipes ing in indirect contact with the circulating for air and volatile liquid and vapor, all ar OC Water. The compressed air is then passed to ranged and operating substantially as speci expansion-engine B, where it exerts its power fied. upon the piston, performs work, parts with In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my So heat, and then exhausts by pipe e into pipef, name this 11th day of June, 1881. which constitutes part of vapor-condenser F, NORMAN SELFE. at the same time becoming cold from the re Witnesses: eXpansion or released pressure. The cold air I. HoMAN, then passes by pipeg to where it is required, W. EIUMPHREYS,