F. SAWFORD.

MEANS FOR INDIOATING AND RECORDING THE CALORIFIG VALUE OF GASES.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT 18, 1907.

977,970.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

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FRANK SAWFORD, OF SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

MEANS FOR INDIOATING AND RECORDING THE CALORIFIG VALUE OF GASES.

977,970.
To all whom it may concern:

Speci?cation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Application ?led October 18, 1907.

Serial No. 398,001.

Means for Indicating and Recording the calori?c value; inversely, when the calori?c Calori?c Value of Gases, of which the fol value of the gas falls, the walls of the com lowing is a specification. bustion chamber give off heat slowly, tend~
This invention relates to means for indi
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the calori?c value of the gas rises, the tem Be it known that I, FRANK SAWFORD, a perature of the whole combustion chamber subject of Great Britain, now residing at must also rise, but the walls of the combus Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, have invented tion chamber being slow to absorb heat, the certain new and useful Improvements in temperature cannot rise at the ratio as of the

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cating and recording the calori?c value of quently, what is actually measured is gases. resultant temperature, dependent on \Vhen continuously generating or produc rapidity of absorption of the walls of ing gas in industrial processes, the composi combustion chamber and the rapidity in

ing to maintain the temperature; conse the the

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the
the
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essary to take measurements from time to time to determine the calori?c value of the gas. If the gas supplied to a calorimeter is maintained at a constant rate of ?ow, and 20 under suitable conditions it is evident that

tion of the gas is variable and consequently rise and fall of the calorific value. the calori?c value varies, rendering it nec In the present invention I propose to pro
vide a method of and apparatus for measur

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ing and recording the calori?c value of gases by which the temperature of the flame burning within the combustion chamber is 75 measured directly without reference to the the temperature due to combustion of the temperature of the burned gases or rest of gas, will at all times be proportionate to its the combustion chamber, and by so doing, calori?c value. The present invention util through the instrumentality of certain novel iZes this principle in a special manner, but means, I provide a method of and means for 80 whereas it has heretofore been proposed to measuring calori?c values of gases which is
measure the calori?c value of a gas by meas

uring the temperature of the burned gases

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practically errorless.
In carrying out the invention, I inclose
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in the combustion chamber wherein a flame, the ?ame, which is suitably supplied with supplied with the gas to be measured, is the gas whose calorific value is to be meas
the present invention I propose to measure
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burning, such method is radically distinct ured, preferably after previous passage
gas to said ?ame at a constant pressure,

from that which I have devised because in through a governor which will deliver the
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the calori?c value of the gas by measuring within a relatively large combustion cham the temperature of the ?ame itself without ber and associate a specially designed and reference to the temperature of the burned shielded thermometer bulb which is attached gases within the chamber in which the ?ame to the capillary tube of a well known type is burning. of recording thermometer. This thermome In those methods and calorimeters where ter bulb is arranged in such fashion as to in it is proposed to burn a ?ame in a com be subjected directly to the flame, and the bustion chamber and to employ a recording temperature of the bulb is in direct propor thermometer which is influenced by the tem tion to the temperature of the flame as the perature of the burned gases, accurate meas heat received by the bulb is the heat of direct urement is impossible for several reasons. radiation from the shield, in consequence of In the ?rst place, it is necessary to maintain which a true reading of the calori?c value a constant temperature of the air and gas of the gas is obtained which is not subject entering the combustion chamber and a con to the temperature of the burned gases in

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stant pressure inside of said chamber, as the combustion chamber or to the tempera also to insulate the combustion chamber to ture of the walls of the latter, and I have prevent any variation in external temper found that any variation in the tempera 105 ature from disturbing the internal tempera ture of the air entering the combustion ture of the combustion chamber, while also chamber has no appreciable disturbing in the effect of insulating the combutions cham ?uence on the thermometer bulb. ber is to cause a time-lag between the rise and The accompanying drawing is a view, fall in the calori?c value of the gas, and the partly in section, showing a calorimeter 110 rise and fall in the temperature of the com made in accordance with my invention. bustion chamber which is to say that, when The gas to be measured is introduced

, 977,970

through a pipe A to a governor B of any

gas and delivers it at a constant pressure

by the ?ame itself, enables a measurement of

taken, giving a true reading of the calori?c

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preferred form, which regulates the flow of the temperature of the ?ame itself to be
through a pipe vC, regardless of any variation value of the gas. Brazed to the top of the tube K, which is in pressure in the pipe A. The gas from pipe
C passes to a suitableburnerE containedwith in the calorimeter and resting upon a base J

sealed, and extending down centrally within 60

said tube and into the bulb'D, is a steel cap illary tube G which is made of that material

having a large number of perforations J to

subdivide the entering air and cause its
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rather than of copper as usual, because steel will permit the use of either air, inert gas or tion chamber within a shell or casing I, mercury as the expansive medium withm the 65 which may be of glass, metal or any suitable capillary tube G, whereas copper is not well material, but this casing is designed to be adapted for use with mercury and with air, of relatively large size as compared to the the copper tending to absorb the oxygen burner E. The burner E may be a Bunsen therefrom and thus lower the pressure. Con burner or the like, and when measuring sequently, I ?nd it desirable to use a steel 70 illuminating gas, it would be used as such, capillary tube G and while alcohol, air or but with producer or power gas, the air is mercury may be used, it is most desirable to not required to mix with the gas before have as the expansive medium an inert gas combustion. At its top the casing or shell such as nitrogen, because with such a gas the I is provided with a cap M which has an expansion is in direct proportion to the tem 75 ample outlet M and is provided with a perature and insures an even scale. The recording thermometer F is of a well frusto-conical de?ector M whose open up per part is freely separated from a depend known type and needs no other explanation ing tubular shell N, which rests upon or is than that the expansion of the gas in the attached to the top of the cap M and de capillary tube G operates the pointer which

uniform distribution through the combus

pends centrally thereof, its lower end. being makes the record 'on the dial.
contracted and open.
3O

Thile the use of the governor B is de

Attached to the top of the'shcll N and sirable, it is not essential to the proper work

depending centrally thereof, is a steel. tube ing of the calorimeter and carrying out of
K, which is made integral with or welded
to an egg-shaped steel bulb D at its lower end below the shell N. Beneath and sur

rounding, but not touching, the bulb I), is

the method, as I have found that variations in the gas pressure supplied to the burner E affect the indications of the instrument only to a very small degree.

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a cupshaped metal shield 11 which, as also Having thus described my invention, what bulb D, is disposed just above the upper end I claim as new and desire to secure by Let

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of burner E where it will directly receive ters Patent, is :-the ?ame from said burner. The purpose of In a calorimeter, the combination with a the shield H is two-fold: first, to prevent combustion chamber, of a gas supplied the flame from coming in direct contact burner whose flame is located within said with bulb D, as it has been found that in chamber, a thermometer bulb located with time the bulb becomes porous or spongy in the chamber in position to be enveloped under the action of the burning gas, result by the flame from the burner, and a shield ing in leakage of the air, gas or other fluid and ?ame distributer around the thermome or the like contained within the bulb (as will ter bulb and separated therefrom by an

appear presently) and; secondly, the shield air insulating space, said shield being adapt
spreads out the ?ame into a cylindrical form,

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causing it to completely envelop the bulb and thereby preventing the external air
(needed for combustion of the gas under test) from coming into direct contact with the bulb, whereby the heat thus received by the bulb is by direct radiation from the

ed to be enveloped by the ?ame. In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. FRANK SAVV'FORD.
Witnesses :

shield, which in turn, being heated directly

SADIE WOODILL,
'JOHN P. JoY. '