[Gasification] THERMAL EFFICIENCY

Sat Feb 9 23:33:36 CST 2008

Some years ago, I researched information on the water piston, “4 stroke engine”. There are similar patents preceding the Humphrey patent, no others seemed to have reached development. The institute of civil engineers had several proceedings at which time, Humphrey’s invention was debated. The “Efficiency” of this devise was established by dividing the weight of coal used, to deliver a measured quantity of ft/lb’s (work).

 I inspected the 3 Humphrey pumps at the King George 5th Reservoirs, at Chingford Essex.

The three pumps, two, 8ft and one 12ft diameter were no longer in use at that time.  A couple of high voltage multi stage electric pumps had been installed to super cede the gas pumps.

The reason for their disuse was the cost of running the anthracite gasifier. I interviewed the engineer, who lived on site and had run these pumps for many years. The large pump could be run at 10 power strokes per min. lifting one ton of water per stroke, from the river Lea up to the reservoir, a height of 52 feet. 

Other than the gasifer requiring heavy maintenance, there were issues with the bronze intake valves below the river level, of which there were several hundred, some of which would drop out or break springs. 

These pumps were built to Victorian standards, heavy cast iron sections, bolted together with thousands of nuts and bolts. The suction valves were still intact, the rubber diaphragms about the size of a big base drum. I asked the engineer if any moves had been made to run the pumps on North Sea Gas... He related a story of a visit from the Gas board, who sent a truck load of “Bottled gas” for a test, delivered by “a bunch of collage kids” that leaned heavily on the resident engineers experience in getting one of the pumps running. They asked if there had ever been any gas explosions. “Well, there was the big blow back which went right back to the gas holder and lifted the pavement”

“That’s when the whiz kids packed up and left” he gleefully related. ”I like my NEW pumps”

GF

Dear Greggfwhell at aol.com wrote:
> The heat engine efficiency theorems were applied to the 4 stroke Humphrey 
engine,and  were given an efficiency rating of over 90%.by the engineering 
examining body.
> The exhaust gas temperature leaving the engine was less than 15 Deg F above 
ambient.
> Does this mean, 90% of the fuel was converted into work?
> GF
>   

It depends on how they set up the study. It is extremely unlikely that 
the Humphrey Engine got 90% of Carnot Efficiency. However, the Humphrey 
Engine could perhaps have attained "90% of Carnot Efficiency."

OR, in comparison with a Boiler and Steam Engine System, the Humphrey 
Engine may have been 90% as efficient as a Boiler/Steam Engine system 
doing the same work.

You would really have to see teh original study to see what their 
evaluation basis was.

best wishes,

Kevin

Dear Greggfwhell at aol.com wrote:
 The heat engine efficiency theorems were applied to the 4 stroke Humphrey 
ngine,and  were given an efficiency rating of over 90%.by the engineering 
xamining body.
 The exhaust gas temperature leaving the engine was less than 15 Deg F above 
mbient.
 Does this mean, 90% of the fuel was converted into work?
 GF

It depends on how they set up the study. It is extremely unlikely that 
he Humphrey Engine got 90% of Carnot Efficiency. However, the Humphrey 
ngine could perhaps have attained "90% of Carnot Efficiency."
OR, in comparison with a Boiler and Steam Engine System, the Humphrey 
ngine may have been 90% as efficient as a Boiler/Steam Engine system 
oing the same work.
You would really have to see teh original study to see what their 
valuation basis was.
best wishes,
Kevin

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Chisholm <kchisholm at ca.inter.net>
To: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification <gasification at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 3:08 pm
Subject: Re: [Gasification] THERMAL EFFICIENCY

Dear Greggfwhell at aol.com wrote:
 The heat engine efficiency theorems were applied to the 4 stroke Humphrey 
ngine,and  were given an efficiency rating of over 90%.by the engineering 
xamining body.
 The exhaust gas temperature leaving the engine was less than 15 Deg F above 
mbient.
 Does this mean, 90% of the fuel was converted into work?
 GF

It depends on how they set up the study. It is extremely unlikely that 
he Humphrey Engine got 90% of Carnot Efficiency. However, the Humphrey 
ngine could perhaps have attained "90% of Carnot Efficiency."
OR, in comparison with a Boiler and Steam Engine System, the Humphrey 
ngine may have been 90% as efficient as a Boiler/Steam Engine system 
oing the same work.
You would really have to see teh original study to see what their 
valuation basis was.
best wishes,
Kevin

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Benjamin Domingo Bof <benjaminbof at yahoo.com.ar>
 To: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification <gasification at listserv.repp.org>
 Sent: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 11:33 am
 Subject: [Gasification] THERMAL EFFICIENCY

 Heat engines When transforming thermal energy into mechanical energy, the 
 hermal efficiency of a heat engine is the percentage of heat energy that is 
 ransformed into work. Thermal efficiency is defined as

 [edit] Carnot efficiency The second law of thermodynamics puts a fundamental 
 imit on the thermal efficiency of heat engines. Surprisingly, even an ideal, 
 rictionless engine can't convert anywhere near 100% of its input heat into 
 ork. The limiting factors are the temperature at which the heat enters the 
 ngine, , and the temperature of the environment into which the engine exhausts 
> ts waste heat,, measured in the absolute Kelvin or Rankine scale. From 
arnot's 
 heorem, for any engine working between these two temperatures:

 This limiting value is called the Carnot cycle efficiency because it is the 
 fficiency of an unattainable, ideal, lossless (reversible) engine cycle called 
> he Carnot cycle. No heat engine, regardless of its construction, can exceed 
 his efficiency.

 Examples of  are the temperature of hot steam entering the turbine of a steam 
 ower plant, or the temperature at which the fuel burns in an internal 
 ombustion engine.  is usually the ambient temperature where the engine is 
 ocated, or the temperature of a lake or river that waste heat is discharged 
 nto. For example, if an automobile engine burns gasoline at a temperature of  
 nd the ambient temperature is , then its maximum possible efficiency is given 
 y:

 In practice, because no practical implementation of the Carnot cycle exists 
 oupled with other irreversibilities such as the combustion process itself and 
 riction, real engines fall far short of the Carnot efficiency. Real automobile 
> ngines are only around 25% efficient, combined cycle power stations have 
 fficiencies much higher however will still fall at least 15% points short of 
 he Carnot value. As Carnot's theorem only applies to heat engines, devices 
hat 
 onvert the fuel's energy directly into work without burning it such as fuel 
 ells, can exceed the Carnot efficiency.

 --------------------------------
 Tarjeta de crédito Yahoo! de Banco Supervielle.Solicitá tu nueva Tarjeta de 
 rédito. De tu PC directo a tu casa. 
 Visitá www.tuprimeratarjeta.com.ar
 ______________________________________________
 asification mailing list
 asification at listserv.repp.org
 ttp://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_listserv.repp.org
 ttp://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org
 ttp://info.bioenergylists.org

 ________________________________________________________________________
 More new features than ever.  Check out the new AOL Mail ! - 
ttp://webmail.aol.com
 _______________________________________________
 Gasification mailing list
 Gasification at listserv.repp.org
 http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_listserv.repp.org
 http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org
 http://info.bioenergylists.org

______________________________________________
asification mailing list
asification at listserv.repp.org
ttp://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_listserv.repp.org
ttp://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org
ttp://info.bioenergylists.org

________________________________________________________________________
More new features than ever.  Check out the new AOL Mail ! - http://webmail.aol.com