Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
l;~ ` BACRGROUND OF T~E INVENTION
1~
16 ~ost propulsion sys~em~ today, such a~ internal co~bustion
17 e~gines, are complex and relati~ely heavy mechanis~ which
18 operate at a relatively low efficiency. As the energy crisis
19 becomes more acute, there is a growing need for a li~hter,
20 more efficient engine which can operate at a minimum expend~ture
21 of available energy sources. Moreover, it ~ 5 well established
22 that a major co~tributor to air pollution anà unhealthy
23 en~ironmental conditions is t~e exhaust from internal ~o~ustion
24 engines
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~166458
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l OB;~:CrS C~F T~E IWVENTION
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3 It is an o~ject of ~his invention to provide a propulsicn
4 system capable of highly efficient operation.
It is a further o~ject of this inve~tion to provide
6 a propulsion system which is light in weight, simple to
7 m~nufacture and relatively inexpensive to operate.
8 It is a further object of ~his invention to provide
9 a prop~lsion system including very $ew mo~ing parts.
It is a further object of this invent~on to provide a
11 propulsion system which releases very few pollutants to the
abmosphere.
13 Other object5 and advantages of this in~ention will
14 become apparent ~rom the descr~ption to follow, particularly
15 when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
16
17 BRIEF SUM'~lARY OF THE INVENTION
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In carrying out this invention I provide a clo ed cycle
21 conduit in which are arranged in series~ a propulsion unit,
an air cooled condenser, a pumD, a ~uperheater, a gas storage
22 tank and back to the propulsion unit. The propulsion unit
23 ¦ co~prises a pair of rotors disposed with their axes parallel and
24 ~lades on the rotors move through a flow duct arranged tangential
2 to and between the rotors. Freon*Pl2 with five percent by
26 ~olume of synthetic motor oil adaed for l~brication, is the
28 fluid medium, and same is superheated at the heat generator and
29 fed to a reservoir which has the capac;ty to maintaln a
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l ll~64sa
l su~ficient quantity for operation despite fluctuation in demand,
21 and to provide quick start-up. The superheated gas is passed
3~ through a throttle valve and into the propulsion unit where it
impinges upon concave blades of the first rotor; continues on to
51 impinse upon the concave blades of the second rotor and then
6 exits to the condenser whexe it is cooled and iiquified,
7 Ithereafter, it is prPssurized.~y the pum~-compressor and delivered
8 ¦back to the heat generator. ~he rotors are geared together
9 ¦to a single output, with the second ro~or providing enough
10 ¦additional horsepower to accommodate auxiliary units, such as
11¦ the pump-compressor.
121
13¦ BRIE~ DESCRIPTION OF ~ DRAWINGS
141
15¦ In the drawings;
16¦ FIG. 1 is a more or less sche~atic view of the
17¦ continuous cycle dual rotor propulsion system of th~s invention;
18¦ FIG. 2 is a section view taken through the propulsion
19¦ unit; and
20¦ FIG. 3 is a partial sect~on view taken along line 3-3
21¦ of FIG. 2.
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23¦ DESCRIPTIGN OF A PREFERRED Æ~ODIMENT
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25~ ~eferring now to FIG. 1 with greater particula~ity,
26 ¦the continuous cycle aual rotor propulsion system 10 of this
271 invention includes a propulsion unit 12 in which are rotatably
28¦ mounted a first and second rotor 14 and 16 having generally
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ra~ia~ blades 18 and 20. The leading ~urface~ of the blades
18 and 20 are generally cylindrically concave at 22 to provide
increases in surface area relative to the cross-section thereof,
A flow duct 24 of small, generally rectangular cross-section
follo~s a rel~tively straight path through the housing 12
though at a slightly arcuate path at 26 and 2~ wherein it is
tangential to the outer surfaces of the rotor 14 and 16.
In these tangential runs, the blades 18 and 20 occupy the full
cross-section,of ,the flow duct 24.
The flow duct is typically between 6 and 12 mm across
and 30 to 50 mm in width and preferably approximately 10 mm
across and apProximately 40 mm in width and the
blades 18 and 20 of the rotors 14
and 16 conform in cross-section to the same dimension whereby the
blades will occupy the full area of the flow duct as they
move through it. Preferably, some means (not shown) are
provided to seal around the profile of the blade to prevent
any energy loss through blow-by.
The flow duct 24 follows a generally sloping downward
course, whereby the rapidly cooling gas flow is augmented
by gravity.
From the propulsion unit 12, the gases flow to a conaenser
30 wherein they are cooled in the usual manner by flowing
through coils over which air is passed. If desired, the air
movement may be increased by suitable blower means (not shown)
The medium employed in the system is a suitable fluorocarbon
and preferably Freon*R12 to which iQ added a synthetic motor
oil at a ratio by volume of approximately 1 to 20. The
synthetic motor oil is preferably of the neo-pentyl polyol-ester
type such as the motor oil produced by Chemical Re~earch
*Trademark
~66458
l Laboratoriec of Superior, Wisconsin and sold under the trademark
2 "All Proof". The synthetic oil so used with Freon~Rl2
3 functions to lubricate the pump and rotors. It is preferred
4 to petroleum oil because of its abili~.y to withstand higher
5 te~peratures and because it has no corro,ive characteristics~
6 The li~uified Freon*12 mixture is pumped by a suitable
7 pump-compressor such as the radial vane type pump 32 to flow
8 through the continuous closed conduit cycle 34 in which the
9 various components are arranged in series. The pu~p preferably
10 hasTeflon* coated barrel 33 and blades 34 and functions to
11 pump the li~uid through the closed circuit conduit to the heat
12 generator at elevated pres-~ures of, for example, 400 p.s.i.
13 The pump may be driven by any suitable motor transmitting
14 means from the rotors 14 and 16. For exa~ple, the pump may
15 be driv~n by a chain and sprocket or a cog belt from a
16 power take-off hereinafter to be described.
17 Tne Freon*Rl2 with synthetic oil entrained is pumped to
18 the heat generator 36, where it is heated and superheated to a
20 temperature of 400 and the gases so produced are delivered
21 to the reservoir or supply tank 38 which insures a steady and
22 ade~uate supply of gas, despite fluctuating demands. Preferably,
the valv~s 40 and 42 are proviaed upstream of the heat generator
23 and downstream of the supply tan~ 38 to isolate the g2ses
22s therein when the system is idle. The heat generator may be
26 electric or a ~olar heater, or it ~ay use any satisfactory
27 liquid fuel, su~ as alcohol,
28 From the supply tank 38, the superheated gas with entrained
29 ~y~thetic lubricating oil jets through a throttle val~e 44
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1 forming the intake to the propulsion unit 12. There, ~e gas
is throttle down to the desired flow rate to impinge up~n the
3 rotox blades 18 and 20, driving the primary and secondary
rotors 14 and 16 in cloc~wise and counter-clockwise ~irections,
respec.fully. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotors 14 and
6 16 may drive pinions 46 an~ 4~, whi~h together drive an ou~put
8 gear 50 to deliver a rotary force at 52 ~FIG. 2). Of course r
9 an intermediate or idler gear 55 is provided with one o~ the
pinions 48 to reverse the direction so as not to oppose the
11 pinion 46. Also if desired, a pinion may be provided on the
output shaft 54 to drive a pinion 56 on a take-of~ shaft 58,
12 which may be usea for driving the pu~p 32, as previously
14 ¦described and other auxiliary equipment.
In opera~ion, the superheatedFreon* R12 at pressures up
16 to 400 p.s.i. acts over an area of .62 s~uare inches l4 sq.cm)
against the rotor blades. With eight inch rotors it is
78 calculated ~hat this will drive the rotors at 50~ revolutions
19 per second a~ 71 gross horsepower.
~ile this invention has been described in conjunction
21 with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is o~vious that
modifications and changes therein may be made ~y those
23 skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and
24 scope of this invention~ as de.ined by the claims ~ppended
2~ hereto.
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