Background of The Invention

The invention relates to the recovery of energy lost in power plant steam condensers where in the order o 300 tons of cooling water from lakes or streams is used p ton of coal burned. Consequently power plant efficiency about 35% to 45% of that theoretically obtainable. Altho great strides have been made in improving power plant efficiency by the use of higher and higher steam pressures and superheating to avoid condensation of steam in turbine little progress has been made in making low pressure steam efficient in producing electricity as high pressure steam. In 1698 Thomas Savery was granted a patent for "raising wa and occ-assioning motion to all sorts of mill works by the i pellant force of fire". The key to raising water with steam is that when steam condenses in a closed vessel it leaves a vacuum. Thus at sea level with 14.7 pounds per square inch absolute pressure the vacuum will lift cold wa about 34 feet. The real significance of this phenomena w lost sight of as the diameter and length of steam cylinder grew to about the limit foundry and machine shops could produce, and compact rotary pumps and turbines replaced cylinders. However, the early pump makers did demonstrate they could get better efficiency in pumping if, by the mea of counter weights or flywheels, they extended piston stro beyond that which their steam pressure would push the pist This demonstrated the importance of kinetic energy.

Summary of The Invention

This invention discloses what has long been overlooked, that steam vapor no matter how low in pressure,

will upon condensing leave a vacuum which at sea level will lift water 34 feet and the energy in a sguare foot column o water so raised is the weight of water times its average height which is 62.4 x 34 x 17 = 36,067 foot pounds for 34 cubic feet of vacuum space or 1060.8 ft. lbs/cu ft. If thi lifting of water is done once per second, the equivalent potential energy in terms of heat energy is 1060.8/778 or 1.363 Btu per cu. ft. of water displaced by vacuum per second. Referring now to steam tables wherein one pound of saturated steam at 212*F has an absolute pressure of 14.7 l per sq. in and the saturated vapor has a volume of 26.78 cu ft. and a heat of evaporation of 970.3 Btu which is conven¬ tionally lost condensing the steam- in the coldest water available to the power plant, this invention conceives that if a pound of this steam could be expanded 970.3/1.363 or t about 712 cu ft. in a second the heat of condensation might be converted to hydroelectric power instead of being lost i condenser water. Steam tables show a pound of steam having volume of 764.1 cu ft. has a temperature of 74*F and a hea of condensation of 1051.8 Btu. Dividing 1051.1 by 1.363 shows an expansion to 771 cu ft. close to the above 764.1. Such quick expansion causes implosion. Of course, steam at these low pressures and temperatures is wet steam and conditions are better seen from a temperature entropy diag for steam. Some molecules have slower velocities and condense first thus releasing their latent heat to produce wet steam droplets.

. The apparatus disclosed by this invention to quickly expand, with minimal friction and heat loss, the enormous amounts of steam now wasted in condensers of power plants is, in its most elementary form, a U-shaped tube or vessel half filled with water and closed on both ends and both arms evacuated of air to start, and thereafter incremental amounts of steam added to first one arm and the

the other to produce an undulating motion similar to a piston. _T o make the movement have minimum friction tube diameter may be 20 or more feet and length 100 feet but natural frequency of oscillation decreases with length. T reduce construction cost and conserve heat the vessel is m o _f light-weight concrete. To allow low pressure steam to move large volumes the U-tubes may be sloped, for example, a ratio of 1:3. where atmospheric pressure steam applied one arm will move water roughly 100 feet into the evacuate other arm. Stainless steel or insoluble plastic must be u to line such vessels because it is imperative that condens returned to boilers not be contaminated with anything to damage boiler tubes operating at red heat.

Low-head hydroelectric generators mounted in the oscillating flow-stream between the U-tube arms make elect power. This is implicit from the law of conservation of energy since by this invention the power plant steam cycle now a closed system. In large power plants currently havi 35% to 45% efficiency apparatus of this invention can impr efficiency to 75% to 85%. The above simple calculations illustrate this.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fi - 1 is a vertical cross section through a ves of the invention having a U-tube shape for converting vap to hydroelectric power.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 with the heat insulation removed from conduits supplying vapor to the end of the U-tube.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a second U-tube shaped vessel having greater length of tube than tub diameter than Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a variation of the design of Fig. 3 in

w _h ic _h t _h e _l ower right portion of the U-tube base has an extension horizontally to convert some of the momentum of oscillating stream to hydroelectric power.

_F ig. 5 is a horizontal cross section through A-A Fig. 4 showing how the exhaust stream from the hydroelectr unit enters the base of the U-tube at right angles to the oscillating flow stream.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section through the centerline of one arm of a U-tube which slopes about 1:3 f ground level.

Fig. 7 is section through Fig. 6 on A-A to show both arms of the U-tube.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the ground surface exposure of one arm of Fig. 7 or Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of a pair of metal plates having a multiplicity of elongated slots which act valve openings when a small sliding movement makes opening coincide.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through another no U-tube wherein part of the oscillating flowstream is route to a liquid storage tank under air pressure for use in hydraulically operated tools at distant locations.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section through a magnet a coil of wire located respectively on a float in an arm of U-tube and around a paramagnetic wall of the U-tube making the U-tube itself an electric generator.

Fig. 12 is a side view of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross section through A-A Fig. 14 of a basin-shaped vessel with a pair of sloping ro covering it wherein a liquid may be very rapidly oscillate at natural frequency by adding vapor at harmonic intervals the peak of first one roof and then the other.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of Fig. 13 showing how th vessel is elongated to take large quantities of vapor alon

the roof peaks

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal, vertical cross secti through the turbine wheel 6 of Fig. 13 and taken through of Fig. 14.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The invention has several features, each of whi has such beneficial features in energy conservation that i could be considered preferred in the aspect covered. By t following description of the invention through reference t the drawings those wishing to practice the invention will better understand its various aspects.

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a U-t about half full of water, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig with heat insulation removed to show steam ducts leading t the top of each arm of the U-tube.

In Fig. 1 the large U-shaped vessel 1 is made by excavation in the earth 2 and shaped or formed by casting light weight, heat insulating concrete 3, lined with stainless steel 4 and tightly covered by caps 5a and 6a wh seal U-tube openings 5 and 6 when closed and when open communicate with a duct system for supplying steam shown a in Fig. 2 duct 11 periodically allows first U-tube arm 7 t receive via cap 5a and aperature 5 an incremental amount o steam and then U-tube arm 8 via cap 6a and aperature 6. T produces an undulating motion of the water in the U-tube s that it fills first arm 8 and then arm 7. In this undulat process each incremental amount of steam drawn in is just that amount that will expand enough to cool and hence condense the steam completely and occassion implosion to a vacuum condition. Fig 2 shows in simplistic manner how st direction may be regulated. In duct system 9, he duct 10 from a conventional steam turbine exhaust branches into 11

and 12. The damper 13 allows steam via duct 11 to enter U arm 7 and then 8. Undulation of the water produces enormou amounts of kinetic energy which is absorbed by either novel or conventional, low-head hydroelectric generators 14 consisting of an automatically adjustable turbine runner 15 and electric generator 16. Loss of heat from the U-tube power system is minimized by heat insulation covering the duct system and the heat insulating concrete 3. The light weight floats 17, which are covered with stainless steel or insoluble plastic, are only necessary when- undulation is sl enough to possibly necessitate removing condensate quickly. Otherwise the expansion should be so fast and so extended that condensate is chilled to the temperature of the undulating water. Then, being a closed heat system, the hydroelectric power generated must equal the heat of condensation in steam which is on the order of 1000 Btu per lb. of steam.

Pipes 18 are used for purging gases such as air b vacuum means. This ^" is always necessary when starting the undulations after a shut-down. A vertical pipe 19 is necessary to withdraw condensate continuously to forward it to the boiler feedwater pump system. A submersible pump is used in pipe 19 for ease in rapid replacement for repairs. In Fig. 3 the proportions of arm diameters to length are illustrated. Longer arm lengths are possible wi forced oscillation frequency as distinguished from natural harmonic oscillation where short arm lengths are required. Space between arms 19 is large enough for an elevator or manway and likewise large enough for power conduits 20 show passing through concrete 3 and earth 2 shown going upwardly Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a vertical and horizontal cross section of concrete formed tubes off the base of a U-tube. These tubes are lined with stainless ste or coated with insoluble plastic. Obstructions to the wate

undulating in the U-tube portion are avoided by placing a hydroelectric generator 14 in a semicircular conduit 22 extending from the base of the U as portal 23 and reenter at about the centerline of the U-tube base via exit portal ⁵ 24. As can be seen from the arrows indicating direction water flow, part of the kinetic energy of the undulations throtled to higher velocity and directed into the turbine while the undulations, being at right angles to the exit portal 24, help evacuate turbine discharge flow by well k 10 laws of fluid mechanics. Since water velocity is increas by the square of duct diameter, smaller but higher head pressure turbines may be used.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent a design wherein l pressure vapors can readily move huge volumes of liquid bu 15 necessarily must sometimes have a forced speed of undulati (as distinguished from natural harmonic frequency) because ^* their length in proportion to diameter. As shown in Fig. the U-tube branches slope about one foot vertical to three feet horizontal making a 3.16 foot hypotenuse and a 20 length of 34x3.16 = 107.4 ft. length of water which steam 14.7 psia (atmospheric pressure) can lift.

In Fig. 6 the U-tube has a reenforced concrete shell 3a having prestressed cables therein to prevent cracking. Figs. 6 and 7 show four hydroelectric turbines 25 in series to allow power to be absorbed from the fast undulations without exceeding the stress limits of the lon rotating blades usually permitting speeds of only a few revolutions per second. The Kaplan type blade in wide usa is automatically adjustable from a flat position at no loa 30 to a steep angle at full load and allows flowstream revers but perhaps not quickly enough for this service without redesign.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the U-tube taken through A-A of Fig. 6 wherein the undulating water 35

length has been made roughly three times the vertical depth indicated in the vertical section of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows in plan view the surface aperatures and 6 are made circular in cross section to mate with ducts the same 10 ft. diameter from conventional steam turbine conduits to condensers.

Fig. 9 illustrates in a face view, a sliding valv plate 26 intended, like 5a and 6a of Fig. 1 to allow steam enter first one tube and then the other. This design uses multiplicity of parallel slots only a few inches wide and spaced a slightly greater distance apart so a pair of such plates, where the lower one is stationary, can be opened i split second by moving the upper plate a few inches so the slotted openings for steam entry match. Such valve plates must be made of self lubricating material not corroded by steam. Thus graphitic cast iron rubbing on stainless steel or teflon would have low friction.

Figure 10 is a vertical cross section through a tube 25 of the invention which has two principal novel features. Firstly, part of the kinetic energy of the oscillating water is diverted to a water reservoir 31 unde air pressure so water drawn off via pipes or pressure hose 32 can operate hydraulic machinery located some distance therefrom. Secondly, in Fig. 10 the U-tube 25 has electri wire windings around its periphery and contains a float wit a multiplicity of magnets thereon whose lines of magnetic force induce current in the windings thus making the U-tube itself an electric generator without having conventional hydroelectric turbines obstructing the undulating mass, but this feature is not necessarily suitable for large installations simply because a lightweight float may not impede and regulate the undulating flow frequency of undulation which heavy currents must do.

In Fig. 10, 25 is the U-tube arm 7 in vertical

cross section. It has at one end of its extended base a curving entry 26 to divert the undulating water and speed by throttling in duct 27 thence up heavy pipe section 28 w its ball socket, which, with ball 30 constitutes a one-way pressure valve in the bottom of water reservoir 31 that is always under pressure due to compressed air above the wate level as shown. Water under pressure is drawn off through pipe or pressure hose at times and in quantities desired through valve 32v, which may be remote controlled, to oper the positive displacement turbine 33 or piston that might attached to a crank shaft, and thence via exhaust pipe or hose 34 to the base of the U-tube which it meets at right angles to undulating flow to get a desirable evacuation effect. With U-tubes of this invention the feature of Fig. 10 above described allows railroad coal-fired steam engine to apply positive displacement to wheels or large trucks operated with coal-fired steam engines. Similarly ships operate their propellers in this manner.

A second novel feature of Fig. 10 and also Figs. and 12 is the float 39 made of aluminum with just enough sealed float chambers that only its top edge surfaces. It has a central tube 36 and socket 37 that keeps it accuratel centered in the U-tube by the centerl _. ine shaft 40 through which 36 passes. Around the periphery of the U-tube float 39, are mounted layers 41 of permanent magnets 42 having north and south poles 43 and 44 producing magnetic lines of force which cut the windings of electric wire 45 wound arou the aluminum wall 38 of the U-tube. As the float moves upwards and downwards current is generated in the windings 45. Fig. 11 is a top view and Fig. 12 a side view of these magnets. The spacing between the magnet faces 43 and 44 an the nearest winding should not exceed one half inch. Aluminum is necessary for the construction of both float an U-tube walls 38 because it is paramagnetic. Instead of

permanent magnets the float may have merely iron poles whic vary the magnetic reluctance of electromagnets mounted arou the periphery of the outside of the aluminum tube 39 as in conventional electric generators having "revolving fields" instead of revolving armatures. Although this invention anticipates water may be kept as low as 70 to 80 ^* F. heat insulation 29 is shown in the drawings to avoid heat loss a so all energy is withdrawn as electric power.

Mixtures of water with substances which are solub therein and have higher vapor pressures at ambient temperature like ammonia and alcohol, or instead, common refrigerants themselves, may be used by this invention to vaporize, from heat exchange with air or water in lakes or the sea, and may then be expanded in a undulating U-tube t incipient condensation or implosion to produce mechanical power or hydroelectric power. As a practical matter the hu expansions required with the less expensive refrigerants s as ammonia and sulphur dioxide must be done as a matter of safety in underground U-tubes or in ocean vessels where th outer surface of the vessel is extensive enough to evapora large quantities of the refrigerant and where the U-tubes be made long and of large diameter.

This invention discloses the advantage of taperi each arm of the U-tube to a smaller cross section at the t since then the arm to which vapor is added falls with much higher velocity than the liquid rises in the bottom of the opposite arm. This is important since velocity starts fro zero at undulation reversal and reaches a maximum when liq levels in the arms are momentarily equal. While cone shap tubes are some improvement, the ultimate in technical and economic effectiveness must be the objective in engineerin and the following design appears better than cone shapes.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 show by cross sections and pl view an aspect of the invention which has some important

advantages in construction costs, fast oscillation and no hydropower turbine blades which rotate in the same direct when the water oscillates from right arm to left arm or oscillates from left arm to right arm and rotates at spee consistent with stress capabilities of turbine blades.

In these Figs. 1 is the pair of elongated basins each tightly covered with elongated, sloping roofs. These function as U-tubes which have fast harmonic motion due to the low fall and rise of the centroid (center of gravity) the displaced water. In Fig. 1 the pools of water are sho with the water levels equal and so inoperative or at maxim velocity. The basins and roofs are formed of 2, a light¬ weight, heat-insulating concrete with inner coating of stainless steel or heat resistant plastic. All of the structures may be buried in the earth 3 or only the lower parts as shown. Of course, the weight of lightly cemented and compacted earth helps resist the alternating forces of vacuum and steam pressure thus lessening the costs of more highly reenforced concrete structures. The basins are joi at their bases by the elongated, covered channel 4 likewis formed of reenforced concrete but lined in all cases with stainless steel to withstand the washing action of the rapidly surging stream of water through the downwardly throats 5 whose configuration directs the water rushing downwardly out of the left arm then upwardly into the turb wheel 6, made of stainless steel, and then directs the wat rushing out of the right arm downwardly into the turbine wheel. Accordingly a turbine scoop or blade 7 attached to the shaft 8 receives the water impulse force against its scoop-shaped face from the water rushing from the emptying basin and then receives the reaction force against its scoop-shaped face from the water leaving it to fill the opposite basin. Since the turbine shaft 8 with its attach scoops extends the entire length of the basin, and the wat

flow is throttled only at throats 5, stresses on turbine- parts are not excessive.

The low pressure steam from which hydroelectric power is produced by this apparatus enters via heat- insulated, tapered steam pipe assembly 9 wherein 10 is the fiberglass insulated, tapered, stainless steel steam pipe, is a heat-insulated concrete covering not attached to the pipe, 11 is a succession of crack-thin openings on the bot of pipe 10 extending throughout its length to provide instantaneous bursts of incremental amounts of steam at harmonic intervals to the oscillating water and 12 is a stainless slotted rod, which, when rotated slightly align slots on its surface to allow steam to pass through 11 int partly filled arm of water moving downwardly so momentum i harmonically increased. Since the basin shape uses a mini of reciprocating water to steam condensed, the design is efficient. The flywheel effect of oscillating water is reenforced in this design by the long length of turbine dr shaft and attached blades held between discs to which they are likewise welded. This is shown in Fig. 15 which is a longitudinal, vertical cross section through the turbine wheel 6 of Fig. 13. The continuously rotating mass of wat during oscillation reversals also provides flywheel effec In Fig. 15 the hydroelectric turbine is made up the turbine 1, and the pair or electric generators 2 all o which are supported on reenforced concrete bases 3 resting earth 4. The long turbine shaft 5 extends between the electric generators through suitable couplings and passes through the oscillating basins illustrated in Fig. 13 and through the walls 3 of the concrete structure shown in the plan view of Fig. 14. Surrounding the turbine shaft are successive lengths of stainless steel tube 6. Circular stainless steel reenforcing discs 7 are welded to both the turbine shaft and the lengths of hollow tube. All these m

be of steel plate thick enough to stand the strains impose by continuous operation and supported on the shaft 5 ridin on bearings 9, 10 and 11. The hollow tube sections 6 are valuable not only for attachment to vanes 7 but also to he float the rotating structure and thus take weight off bearings 9 which must be oil free and of self lubricating type such as bronze impregnated with graphite. Similarly vanes 7 may be made hollow to lessen weigh on bearings. Bearings 10 must withstand leakage of water out of the structure and into the underground structure housing the electric generators 2 the heat from which should be used t warm the water used for oscillation thus recovering the electrical loss in a novel manner.

Although the behavior of wet steam introduced in the vacuum chamber of this invention is complex, it should possible to predict conditions from the steam tables of saturated steam and the following Table I is presented for those wishing to choose a design similar to those illustra in Figs 13,14 and 15. A pair of roof areas having a base 100 ft. and height of 18 ft. is selected so the center of gravity of water in the left triangular arm need fall only six feet to where water levels in both arms are the same a so top velocity is reached and kinetic energy at a maximum In Table I a building length of 96.4 length is chosen mere to show the number of times saturated steam would be expan if the triangular face were 18 feet high which the Table I indicates would be 32.38 times which should comfortably extract all the heat of condensation of 100 pounds of saturated steam at 212 ^* F were added to one arm each second to both arms in two seconds. The oscillation is classed a driven and damped type. The turbines damp the force. Ste additions drive it.

TABLE I

TEMPERATURES, PRESSURES AND VOLUMES OF 100 POUNDS OF SATURATED STEAM

EXPANDING FROM 212 ^β F _r 14. 7 psia AND 2680 cu ft. AS INDICATED BELO

HEIGHT OF TRIANGULAR

(from steam tables) NUMBER SEGMENTS TO EQUAL (G)

TIMES Fig . 13 TRIANGLE TOTAL

°F psia cu ft. EXPANDED 6x18 ft. facex96.4ft

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)- the square root of (C)/l/2 base _ x height x 96.4

120 1.69 20,318 ^" 7.51 8.71

DERIVATION OF

100 0.95 35,022 13.06 11.44 ABOVE FORMULA (E) base x height

90 0.70 46,790 17.45 13.22 Area- 2

- 50 x(18-H)

80 0.51 63,303 23.62 15.37 50/18 - 2.778 so Areas- 2.778 x H

70 0.36 86,795 32.38 18.00 Volumes - (C)-s 96.4x2.778 x H -

60 0.27 120,710 45.04 21.23 267.8 x H thus (C)/267.8 - H so

5Q 0.18 170,430 63.59 25.23 20,318/267.8 - 75.87 and (E) - 8.71- H

From the above it can be seen steam can be expand 32.38 times from 2680 cu ft. at 212 F and 14.7 psia to 86,7 cu ft. at 70'F and 0.36 psia if the triangular section of Fig. 13 has a base of about 100 ft. and height of 18.00 ft Of course, the triangular face could be higher and the leng of building (length oscillating) shorter. Little can be gained by expanding beyond the point of recovering heat of condensation. The condensed water is withdrawn continuousl to serve as boiler feedwater which must be preheated by ste extraction at various stages in the steam turbines.

Although Fig. 13 roof construction is shown triangular in cross section for the purpose of illustrating the above calculations, all parts of the oscillating water container need to be smooth curves to prevent erosion akin water hammer effects. The enormous advantages of the oscillating basin design of 13, 14 and 15 over that of the

U-tube of Fig. 3 or Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is the reduction in velocity of water to get the same displacement capacity o water via which steam may be expanded to produce hydroelectric power. Again it must be emphasized that the expansion steam at low temperatures and pressures can not be that derived from steam tables of saturated (dry) steam so TAB above can not represent the conditions in the practice of this invention. A better visualization may be obtained f the Mark's Standard Handbook 8th Edition 1979 discussion Temperature-entropy diagram for steam page 4-24 wherein F 18 Data is stated from Keenan and Keyes "Thermodynamic Properties of Steam", Wiley. There the rapid drop in qua of steam shows its departure from a saturated state to a condensed state wherein latent heat of condensation is bei released to sustain the temperature of the molecules remaining as steam or raise the surface temperature of the water which itself is evaporating in the final vacuum achieved. This invention likewise discloses that, power pl condensers wherein steam is conventionally condensed by wa drawn from lakes, streams or the ocean and made obsolete b the oscillating power of this invention, may be used to vaporize a refrigerant whose vapors may be used to operate the apparatus of this invention to produce additional powe thus cooling the water from lakes, streams or the ocean instead of heating it. Thus use of 300 tons of water per of coal currently used to heat water 19 may be used to c it 20 ^* F and the 300x2000x20= 12,000,000 BTUs per ton of co converted to hydroelectric power. Some coal has only

24,000,000 Btus recoverable per ton burned in a power plan so possible savings by retrofit are enormous.

Where U-tubes are referred to in the specificati or claims of this invention it is meant to cover all shape

in which water may be oscillated to practice the invention excepting where a precise shape of apparatus is described a illustrated and even then obvious improvements in one shape adaptable to other shapes are purposely omitted to avoid excess repetition. Particularly the trough-like shapes of Drawings 13, 14 and 15 may be considered elongated U-tubes. A U-tube is not to be assumed having a circular cross secti or arms to be cylindrical unless so described and illus¬ trated. Obviously the invention may be practiced with a variety of shapes.