Rufus Stokes
Encyclopedia
Rufus Stokes an American
inventor, was born in Phenix City, Alabama
.
, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
, and Good Conduct Medal
.
While leaving the military, Stokes met Bessie Lee Knight, his future wife, of Camp Hill, Alabama
when she was attending Tuskegee Institute. Army records indicate that he was married at the time of his discharge in 1945. Soon after, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri
, where Stokes was employed as a part-time auto mechanic. In 1947, they moved once again, to Waukegan, Illinois
where he found temporary employment as a pipe and sheet metal worker. Between late 1947 and 1949, Stokes was employed as an orderly at the Chicago Veterans Administration Hospital, specifically in the Tuberculosis Sanitarium. It was during this time that he first saw the negative health effects of the city's pollution. In 1949, he left the hospital and found work at Brule Inc., an incinerator manufacturing company in Chicago. He quickly learned the process of combustion
and was thought to contribute heavily in the designs of new incinerators, but was never credited for his work. For that reason, he left to pursue his own interests.
He later created a smaller domestic version and a larger mobile version of the air purification device to show its versatility. This device further reduced the ash emissions of the furnace and power plant smokestack emissions. Moreover, it was not limited by design and configuration, meaning that its efficiency remained excellent regardless of industrial or residential applications. This was not true of typical air pollution control technologies, such as electrostatic precipitators, bag houses, and wet scrubber
s. Conversely, the larger the device that utilized these approaches, the more cumbersome and inefficient it became. The core of Dr. Stokes technology was a unique utilization of what he described as "the three Ts": Temperature, Time and Turbulence. In his patent applications (U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan), he provided only data sufficient to obtain patent approval. Other critical processes involving variations of physics were not revealed, but nevertheless manifest in demonstrations to municipal, State and Federal officials and engineering firms such as A.T. Kearney. The ability of the APC-100 to convert particulate matter and toxic gases resulting from the burning of rubber tires and other combustibles to steam was a constant source of intrigue to those who witnessed its operation.
In 1982, Rufus Stokes was granted a doctor of science degree from Heed University in Hollywood, Florida
on account of his scientific achievements. In 1985, he moved to Claremont, California
where he died of mesothelioma, an asbestos
-related disease in 1986. Ironically, his death coincided with his being brought in as a consultant to the Los Angeles Hyperian Waste Water Treatment facility.
Stokes' inventions led to a direct improvement to air quality, but more importantly, brought attention to the idea that scientists could work to reduce pollution and harmful gases in the atmosphere. Notably, he has been honored with inclusion in the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) list of "Energy Pioneers",http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/history/people/pioneers.html as well as being acknowledged in the technology white paper "Quantum Parallel".http://www.emotionreports.com/downloads/pdfs/FQuantum.pdf
Many of his research and development papers, correspondence and diagrams are included in archival data donated to the University of Illinois at Chicago Libraryhttp://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/specialcoll/services/rjd/findingaids/EWinslowb.html by publisher/graphic artist and military aviator Eugene Winslow, a long time friend and business colleague. They are accessible to researchers subsequent to appropriate inquiry.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inventor, was born in Phenix City, Alabama
Phenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city and the county seat in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smiths Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area...
.
Early life
Rufus Stokes grew up in the rural South and attended public school in Alabama until he was 18 years old. On November 5, 1940, just before receiving his high school diploma, Rufus Stokes enlisted in the US Army at Fort Benning, Georgia in the Quartermaster Corps. In the Army, he attended a technical school where he received auto mechanic training. He was deployed in western Europe and served predominantly in the Rhineland campaign. Upon his discharge, he was decorated with an American Defense Service MedalAmerican Defense Service Medal
The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:...
, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
, and Good Conduct Medal
Good Conduct Medal
The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States military. The Navy Good Conduct Medal was first issued in 1869, followed by a Marine version in 1896. The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was issued in 1923 and the Army Good Conduct Medal in 1941. The Air Force was...
.
While leaving the military, Stokes met Bessie Lee Knight, his future wife, of Camp Hill, Alabama
Camp Hill, Alabama
Camp Hill is a town in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,273. It is part of the Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area. Camp Hill is the home to Lyman Ward Military Academy...
when she was attending Tuskegee Institute. Army records indicate that he was married at the time of his discharge in 1945. Soon after, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, where Stokes was employed as a part-time auto mechanic. In 1947, they moved once again, to Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
where he found temporary employment as a pipe and sheet metal worker. Between late 1947 and 1949, Stokes was employed as an orderly at the Chicago Veterans Administration Hospital, specifically in the Tuberculosis Sanitarium. It was during this time that he first saw the negative health effects of the city's pollution. In 1949, he left the hospital and found work at Brule Inc., an incinerator manufacturing company in Chicago. He quickly learned the process of combustion
Combustion
Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the form of either glowing or a flame...
and was thought to contribute heavily in the designs of new incinerators, but was never credited for his work. For that reason, he left to pursue his own interests.
Accomplishments
Wet scrubber
The term wet scrubber describes a variety of devices that remove pollutants from a furnace flue gas or from other gas streams. In a wet scrubber, the polluted gas stream is brought into contact with the scrubbing liquid, by spraying it with the liquid, by forcing it through a pool of liquid, or by...
s. Conversely, the larger the device that utilized these approaches, the more cumbersome and inefficient it became. The core of Dr. Stokes technology was a unique utilization of what he described as "the three Ts": Temperature, Time and Turbulence. In his patent applications (U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan), he provided only data sufficient to obtain patent approval. Other critical processes involving variations of physics were not revealed, but nevertheless manifest in demonstrations to municipal, State and Federal officials and engineering firms such as A.T. Kearney. The ability of the APC-100 to convert particulate matter and toxic gases resulting from the burning of rubber tires and other combustibles to steam was a constant source of intrigue to those who witnessed its operation.
In 1982, Rufus Stokes was granted a doctor of science degree from Heed University in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
on account of his scientific achievements. In 1985, he moved to Claremont, California
Claremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
where he died of mesothelioma, an asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
-related disease in 1986. Ironically, his death coincided with his being brought in as a consultant to the Los Angeles Hyperian Waste Water Treatment facility.
Stokes' inventions led to a direct improvement to air quality, but more importantly, brought attention to the idea that scientists could work to reduce pollution and harmful gases in the atmosphere. Notably, he has been honored with inclusion in the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) list of "Energy Pioneers",http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/history/people/pioneers.html as well as being acknowledged in the technology white paper "Quantum Parallel".http://www.emotionreports.com/downloads/pdfs/FQuantum.pdf
Many of his research and development papers, correspondence and diagrams are included in archival data donated to the University of Illinois at Chicago Libraryhttp://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/specialcoll/services/rjd/findingaids/EWinslowb.html by publisher/graphic artist and military aviator Eugene Winslow, a long time friend and business colleague. They are accessible to researchers subsequent to appropriate inquiry.