Brayton cycle - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brayton_cycle

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The Brayton cycle is a thermodynamic cycle named after George Bailey Brayton that describes the workings of a constant
pressure heat engine. The original Brayton engines used a piston compressor and piston expander, but more modern gas
turbine engines and airbreathing jet engines also follow the Brayton cycle. Although the cycle is usually run as an open
system (and indeed must be run as such if internal combustion is used), it is conventionally assumed for the purposes of
thermodynamic analysis that the exhaust gases are reused in the intake, enabling analysis as a closed system.
The engine cycle is named after George Brayton (18301892), the American engineer who developed it originally for use
in piston engines , although it was originally proposed and patented by Englishman John Barber in 1791.[1] It is also
sometimes known as the Joule cycle. The Ericsson cycle is similar to the Brayton cycle but uses external heat and
incorporates the use of a regenerator. There are two types of Brayton cycles, open to the atmosphere and using internal
combustion chamber or closed and using a heat exchanger.

In 1872, George Brayton applied for a patent for his "Ready Motor," a reciprocating constant-pressure engine. The
engine was a 2-stroke and produced power on every revolution. Brayton engines used a separate piston compressor and
piston expander, with compressed air heated by internal fire as it entered the expander cylinder. The first versions of
the Brayton engine were vapor engines which mixed fuel with air as it entered the compressor by means of a heatedsurface carburetor.[2] The fuel / air was contained in a reservoir / tank and then it was admitted to the expansion
cylinder and burned. As the fuel / air mixture entered the expansion cylinder it was ignited by a pilot flame. A screen
was used to prevent the fire from entering / returning to the reservoir. In early versions of the engine, this screen
sometimes failed and an explosion would occur. In 1874 Brayton solved the explosion problem by adding the fuel just
prior to the expander cylinder. The engine now used heavier fuels such as kerosine and fuel oil. Ignition remained pilot
flame.[3] Brayton produced and sold "Ready Motors" to perform a variety of tasks like water pumping, mill operation,
running generators and marine propulsion. The "Ready Motors" were produced from 1872 to sometime in the 1880's. How
many of these engines were produced is not known: probably there were several hundred; possibly a thousand. Brayton
licensed the design to Simone in the UK. There were many variations of the layout; some were single-acting and some
were double-acting. Some had under walking beams; others had overhead walking beams. There were both horizontal and
vertical models. Sizes ranged from less than one horsepower to over 40 horsepower. Critics of the time claimed the
engines ran smoothly and had a reasonable efficiency.[4]
Brayton cycle engines were some of the first internal combustion engines used for motive power. In 1875 John Holland
used a Brayton engine to power the world's first self-propelled submarine (Holland boat #1). In 1879 a Brayton engine was
used to power a second submarine, the Fenian Ram. John Philip Holland's submarines are preserved in the Paterson
Museum in the Old Great Falls Historic District of Paterson, New Jersey.[5]
In 1878, George B. Selden patented the first internal combustion automobile.[6] Inspired by the internal combustion
engine invented by George Brayton displayed at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, Selden patented a 4
wheel car working on a smaller lighter multi-cylinder version. He then filed a series of amendments to his application
which stretched out the legal process resulting in a delay of 16 years before the patent[7] was granted on November 5,
1895. In 1903 Selden sued Ford for patent infringement and Henry Ford fought the Selden patent until 1911. Selden had
never actually produced a working car, so during the trial 2 machines were constructed according to the patent drawings.
Ford argued his cars used the four-stroke Alphonse Beau de Rochas cycle or Otto cycle and not the Brayton cycle engine
used in the Selden auto. Ford won the appeal of the original case.[8]
In 1887 Brayton developed and patented a 4 stroke direct injection oil engine (US patent #432,114 of 1890, application
filed in 1887) The fuel system used a variable quantity pump and liquid fuel high pressure spray type injection. The liquid
was forced through a spring loaded relief type valve (injector) which caused the fuel to become divided into small
droplets. Injection was timed to occur at or near the peak of the compression stroke. A platinum igniter or ignitor provided

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