Technikatörténeti szemle 20. (1993)

TANULMÁNYOK - Garamvári Pál: 100 Years of the Carburetor

Best known of them were the so called evaporating carburetors, which — in general — used the heat of motor to vaporize fuel and mixed it with air. It was this vapour which was then injected into the cylinders. Different constructions of the free-flyng imagination or those of the profound knowledge were more or less successful but failed to deliver the perfect solution to fuelling the motors. In many instances they were agents of accidents. At the same time experiments afforded the possibility of recognizing and specifying requirements that must have been satisfied by the device working perfectly in every respect. These were partly technical, partly economical requirements. First in the line of the technical requirements was the recognition that liquiform fuel must be carbureted (converted into spray) instead of getting it vaporized, for lighter ingredients of fuel evaporate sooner than the heavier ones. Besides, In order to provide for immutability of fuel mixture, an unchanged level of the fluid should be maintained. Last but not least attainment of the safe and easy control and manageability is also a sine qua non condition. One among the economical requirements is to convert energy of fuel into useful work with the possible best efficiency. The first design that met the main expectations fully was the BánkiCsonka's carburetor. The two inventors came forward with their contrivance in the most crucial period in history of ICE so far, when future and practicability of this type of motor seemed doubtful. Donát Bánki, later professor at Joseph Technical University (now Technical University Budapest) still pursued studies when he met János Csonka, the then foreman in engineering shop at the above-said institute. János Csonka made the first Hungarian gas engine in 1883, which was used to provide for the energy supply to workshop at the Technical University. It is to be regretted that neither drawing nor description of this motor failed to survive. Csonka considered this motor as a pilot accomplishment. In possession of experiences gathered during the experiments he designed a new motor and had it patented in 26th November, 1884. His new motor featured a twofold character because it was able to work both on gas and on kerosene (petrol) with a power output of 3 HPs. In 1886, Ganz Factory purchased Machine Factory Leobersdorf, Austria. Together with this factory, Ganz got hold of several ICEs which had been manufactured sooner at Leobersdorf. The job of improving, perhaps further-developing these motors was assigned by András Mechwart, the manager-general at Ganz Factory to Donát Bánki a young mechanical engineer In Ganz employment at that time. Later on, János Csonka, who had been regarded as an authority on motor development activities, joined