Calorimeter
OwnerDaniel E. Christopherinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A calorimeter of the liquid flow type. The calorimeter includes a chamber in communication with a medium to be delivered to the chamber at a steady rate of flow. It also includes a heat exchanger having a liquid flowing therethrough at a steady rate of flow in a non-recirculating manner. The chamber is submerged within the heat exchanger and formed so as to release the heating medium from the chamber into the liquid as the liquid is flowing through the heat exchanger. The calorimeter also is capable of measuring an increase in temperature from a first point to a second point as the liquid is flowing at a steady rate through the heat exchanger. As a result, the calorimeter can measure the heating value of a heating medium at preselected intervals or continuously.
Claims21
A calorimeter of the liquid-flow type for measuring the heating value of a heating medium at preselected intervals or continuously, comprising:
- a heat exchanger having a liquid inlet at one end thereof and a liquid outlet at the other end thereof in spaced apart relation, said heat exchanger being in communication with a source of liquid under pressure at said liquid inlet and said liquid outlet being adapted to carry said liquid from said heat exchanger, and including means for providing a steady rate of flow of said liquid through said heat exchanger;
- a chamber disposed within said heat exchanger, said chamber being located adjacent said liquid inlet so as to be entirely disposed below said liquid outlet so as to be submerged in and substantially surrounded by said liquid when said liquid is flowing through said heat exchanger at said steady rate of flow, and including means for providing a steady rate of flow of said heating medium to said chamber;
- said heating medium in said chamber being adapted to heat said liquid from a first temperature at said liquid inlet to a second, higher temperature at said liquid outlet as said liquid is flowing through said heat exchanger at said steady rate of flow;
- said chamber including means for releasing said heating medium, said releasing means causing said heating medium to pass from a lower end of said chamber into said liquid as said liquid is flowing through said heat exchanger at said steady rate of flow, said releasing means insuring that all heat from said heating medium is transferred to said liquid;
- and
- means for measuring the difference between said first and second temperatures to determine the heating value of said heating medium.
A calorimeter of the liquid-flow type for measuring the heating value of a gas on demand, at selected intervals or continuously, comprising:
- a heat exchanger having a liquid inlet end and a liquid outlet end, said heat exchanger being in communication with a source of liquid under pressure at said liquid inlet end and said liquid outlet end being adapted to carry said liquid from said heat exchanger in a non-recirculating manner, and including means for providing a steady rate of flow of said liquid through said heat exchanger;
- a combustion chamber having a burner and being disposed within said heat exchanger adjacent said liquid inlet end, said liquid outlet end of said heat exchanger being spaced above said combustion chamber such that said combustion chamber is entirely submerged in and substantially surrounded by said liquid and adjacent said liquid inlet end in spaced relation to said liquid outlet end when said liquid is flowing through said heat exchanger at said steady rate of flow, and including means for providing a steady rate of flow of said gas to said burner;
- a source of oxygen under pressure for mixture with said gas, said oxygen and gas being adapted to be burned at said burner in said combustion chamber to heat said liquid from a first temperature at said liquid inlet end to a second, higher temperature at said liquid outlet end as said liquid is flowing through said heat exchanger at said steady rate of flow, and including means for providing a steady rate of flow of said oxygen to said burner;
- said combustion chamber including means for releasing the products of combustion from burning said oxygen and gas at said burner, said releasing means being disposed adjacent said liquid inlet end of said heat exchanger and causing the products of combustion to pass from said combustion chamber into said liquid as said liquid is flowing through said heat exchanger at said steady rate of flow, said releasing means ensuring that all heat from said oxygen and gas is transferred to said liquid;
- means for calibrating said calorimeter for converting a temperature difference between said liquid inlet end and liquid outlet end of said heat exchanger into the heating value of said gas;
- and
- means for measuring the difference between said first and second temperatures;
- whereby the heating value of said gas can be determined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.