Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
130Z716
P~WER SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new and useful
improvements in power systems which include an external
combustion chamber, a pressure tank, and a power means
such as an air motor, turbine or the like operatively
connected to said pressure tank so that the products of
combustion under pressure within said pressure tank
operate the power means.
One of the advantages of a system of this type
is that there are no moving parts required for said
combustion chamber which merely requires a source of
fuel, a source of air and ignition means. The products
of combustion expand thus increasing the pressure within
said combustion chamber and the products of combustion
under this pressure pass through an outlet conduit and
through a one-way valve into a pressure tank which builds
up pressure to a predetermined level controlled by a
pressure switch which in turn may be operatively connect-
ed to the fuel source.
~ en the predetermined pressure within the tank
has been reached, a control valve may be opened in an
outlet from the pressure tank and the gases under pres-
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sure may be fed on to an air motor or turbine or similarpower means.
According to the invention there is provided a
power system comprising in combination a spherical
combustion chamber, a one-way pressurized air inlet for
said combustion chamber, a source of fuel and an injection
system, a variable valve means between said source of fuel
and said combustion chamber, an outlet conduit operatively
connected to said combustion chamber to receive the
products of the combustion, a one-way valve in said
conduit, a pressure tank operatively connected to said
conduit downstream of said one-way valve, a pressure
operated power means, a variable valve assembly
operatively connected between said tank and said power
means, said air inlet including air pump means for
supplying air under pressure, and conduit means extending
from said power means to said air pump means for conduct-
ing exhaust gases from the power means to the pump means
for driving the pump means therewith.
An advantage of the invention is that many
varying types of fuel can be used such as natural gas,
gasoline, propane, diesel fuel, bunker fuel, fine wood
dust, straw dust, or any gaseous or finely comminuted
material which will burn in the presence of air.
A further advantage of the invention is to
provide a device of the character herein described which
is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and
otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is
designed.
` ~30Z7~6
With the foregoing in view, and other advan-
tages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art
to which this invention relates as this specification
proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference
to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which
includes a description of the best mode known to the
applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the
principles of the present invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~IINGS
The drawing i6 a schematic representation of
one embodiment of the system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention
in detail, reference character 10 illustrates a
combu6tion chamber which i8 preferably spherical for
efficiency.
A cooling jacket 11 may surround this combus-
tion chamber and a coolant (not illustrated) may be
circulated through this cooling jacket to maintain the
desired temperature within the combustion chamber and
this cooling system may have of course be controlled
thermostatically as is conventional and may include a
radiator depending upon design parameters.
A source of fuel 12 is provided and if this
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fuel is liquid or finely communited material, it is
preferable that it be gravity fed to the combustion
chamber via a variable valve 13.
If a gaseous fuel is used then such a fuel i8
usually under pressure and may be fed to the combustion
chamber via a control valve from any convenient source.
Ignition means 14 is provided through the wall
of the tank and may consist of a continuously operating
spark plug, glow tube or the like.
Alternatively, a liquid fuel may be fuel
injected by a conventional means as indicated by the
dotted arrow 15.
External air is conveyed to the combustion
chamber to support combustion and this air is preferably
under pressure as will herein be described. The combus-
tion may be pu1sed or continuous depending upon design.
An outlet conduit 16 extends from the combus-
tion chamber through which the products of combustion may
pass under pressure generated within the chamber due to
the ignition and burning of the fuel/air mixture and this
conduit leads to a one-way valve 17 and then to a pres-
sure tank 18 which stores the compressed products of
combustion until required for use. The pressure within
the tank builds up as the fuel is burned within the
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combustion chamber and a pressure switch 19 may be
provided and operatively connected to the source of fuel
and, if desired, to the ignition, via connection 20 in a
conventional manner. A pressure gauge 21 may also be
provided if desired.
A cooling jacket 22 surrounds the pressure tank
and operates in a manner similar to the cooling jacket
around the combustion chamber and may be operated by the
same system if desired.
A safety blow-off valve 23 may be provided
within the tank for safety purposes.
A power source such as an air motor, turbine or
the like i8 indicated schematically by reference charac-
ter 24 and iB connected to the pressure tank by means of
a conduit 25 having a variable control valve 26 therein.
Opening the valve permits products of combustion in the
form of gases to pass from the pressure tank to the power
source and operate same with the power generated being
operatively connected to a drive as indicated by
reference character 26.
The products of combustion finally exhaust to
atmosphere via exhaust 27 and a conduit 28 may extend
from the power source to an air pump 29 which pressurizes
external air and feeds same to the combustion chamber as
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required.
It will therefore been seen that a relatively
simple straight forwar~ external combustion system is
disclosed which is adaptable for use with either station-
ery or mobile devices requiring power.
Furthermore a great variety of fuels can be
used depending upon costs, availability, and other design
parameters.
Since various modifications can be made in my
invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
widely different embodiments of same made within the
spirit and scope of the claims without departing from
such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter
contained in the accompanying specification shall be
interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting
sense.
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