US792327A - Economizer and smoke-consumer. - Google Patents

Description

No. 792,827. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. I W. F GOODNOW.

ECGNOMIZER AND SMOKE CONSUMER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 26, 1904.

UNITED STATES Patented June -1 3, 1905.

PATENT OEEioE.

ECONOIVIIZER AND SMOKE-CONSUMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 792,327, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed October 26,1904. Serial. No. 230,010.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VALLAGE F. GooDNow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, county of Middlesex, State of' Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Economizers and Smoke-Consumers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel attachment to a furnace which operates both as an economizer and as a smokeconsumer.

The device comprises a heating-chamber which is interposed in the smoke-pipe of the furnace, so that the products of combustion pass therethrough,air-flues extending through the heating-chamber and opening into or communicating with a mixing-chamber, means to draw air through the air-fines and mixingchamber and deliver said air to the combustion-chamber of the furnace, and a valved passage between the heating-chamber and the mixing-chamber, so that a portion of the products of combustion may be drawn through said passage and commingled with the air in the mixing-chamber before the latter is delivered to the combustion-chamber of the furnace. The air is heated as it is drawn through the air-fines, and therefore the heat still remaining in the products of combustion is used to heat the air before it is delivered to the combustion chamber of the furnace. The valve controlling the passage between the heating-chamber and the mixing-chamber is preferably controlled automatically by some damper-regulator, and when it is open some of the products of combustion from the heating-chamber are drawn therethrough and commingle with the heated air, thus diluting the air which is delivered to the combustionchamber of the furnace. The valved passage is so arranged that the heavier portions of the gases passing through the heating-chamber are withdrawn therefrom, these heavier portions including the unburned gas and any particles of unburned carbon which normally go to waste up the chimney. By withdrawing these products from the heating-chamber and commingling them with the air not only are they saved and the heat units contained therein liberated in the combustion-chamber of the furnace, but they also serve to further heat the air with which they commingle, and thus render the furnace more economical.

It will be seen that by my invention I employ the heat which usually passes up the chimney and is wasted to heat the air before it is delivered to the combustion-chamber of the furnace, and I also withdraw from the gases escaping from the combustion-chamber the unburned gases and smoke and deliver these products back to the combustion-chamber, where they are completely consumed. This makes the furnace a smokeless furnace and also one having a great efficiency.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a furnace with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the heating-chamber with a portion broken out to show the interior construction. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 00 m, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4: is a side view thereof with a portion broken out.

3 designates a furnace of any suitable or usual construction, and 4 the breech or smokepipe through which the products of combustion escape to the chimney. (Not shown.) In applying my invention to a furnace of this character I interpose in the smoke-pipe a heating-chamber 5, through which pass a plurality of air-flues 6, said flues preferably having a staggered arrangement. The lower ends of said air-flues open to the atmosphere, and their upper ends open into an air-chamber or compartment 7 above the heating-chamber, said air-chamber preferably being smaller at one end than at the other, as best seen in Fig. 4. One end of the air-chamber is extended, as at 8, to form a mixing-chamber which overlies or extends alongside of the side of the heating-chamber. Connected to the lower end of the mixing-chamber is a pipe 9, leading to a suction-fan 10, and from said fan is a delivery-pipe 11, which leads to the combustion-chamber of the furnace. Said delivery-pipe may be arranged to deliver the air either beneath the grate or above the grate, or partially beneath and partially above the grate. In the invention herein illustrated said pipe is arranged with one delivery branch 12 to deliver the air beneath the grate and another, 13, to deliver it above the grate. Each of said branches are preferably provided with suitable dampers or valves 14:.

In case the boilers are arranged in a battery the pipe 11 will be extended to the various boilers of the battery and the delivery branches 12 and 13 led from said pipe to each furnace.

The partition between the heating-chamber 5 and the mixing-chamber 8 is provided with a valved opening 15, which is adapted to be closed by a suitable valve 16. Said valve is herein illustrated as having a valve-stem 17, which is connected to any suitable damperregulator 18 to be operated thereby.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the above description. The gases delivered from the combustion-chamber of the furnace pass through the smoke-pipe 7 and into the heating-chamber 5, and on their passage through said chamber they heat the air-flues 6. The suction-fan 10 tends to create a vacuum in the mixing-chamber 8, and thereby draws air through the air-Hues 6. Said air becomes heated upon its passage through the lines and after being thus heated is delivered through the pipe 11 to the combustion-chamber for the purpose of supporting combustion. The unconsumed gases which escape through the smokepipe 4 and the heavier products carried thereby, such as smoke and unburned carbon, being slightly retarded by the air-Hues settle to the lower part of the heating-chamber and are drawn through the valve-passage 15 into the mixingchamber by the operation of the exhaust-fan, where they become commingled with the heated air, with the result that they are delivered to the combustion-chamber of the furnace. The amount which the valve 16 is opened is controlled by the automatic damper-regulator 18, and as a result if the [ire in the furnace becomes too hot the regulator 18 will open the damper 16 wider, thus permitting a greater portion of the products of combustion and unconsumed matter therein to be commingled with the air, and thus diluting the air to a greater extent. It will be obvious, of course, that the greater the air is diluted the less oxygen there will be to support combustion, and as a result the lire will gradually 0001. TV hen the temperature or steam pressure, as the case may be, drops below a certain point, the automatic regulator will close the damper 16 a little, thus reducing the amount of dilution in the air, with the result that the percentage of oxygen therein is increased. The obvious result of this condition is to increase the temperature of the fire.

By means of my invention not only is the unconsumed matter which escapes from the combustion-chamber of the furnace with the products of combustion. recovered and re turned to the combustionchamber, where it is utilized, but the heat in the products of combustion which are escaping and which would otherwise be wasted is used to heat the air of the force-draft apparatus, thus rendering the furnace much more economical.

Although I prefer to operate the damper 16 by means of an automatic damper-regulator, yet my invention would not be departed from if said damper were manually operated.

In case the device is used in connection with a battery of boilers I could either employ a heating-chamber for each boiler or employ a large heating-chamber which is connected with the smoke-pipes of all the furnaces of the battery.

It will be understood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made Without departing from my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A furnace, a smoke-pipe connected thereto, a heating-chamber connected to the smokepipe, air-Hues passing through said heatingchamber and open at one end to the atmosphere, a mixing-chamber with which the other end of said flues communicate, a valved passage between the heating-chamber and mixing-chamber, and means to draw air through the air-Hues and mixing-chamber and deliver said air to the combustion-chamber of the furnace, said means also operating to draw into the mixing-chamber through the valved passage a portion of the products of combustion which become mixed with the air.

2. A furnace having a smoke-pipe, a casing divided into a heating-chamber and a mixingchamber, a valved passage between said two chambers, air-fines extending through the heating-chamber, said flues being open at one end to the atmosphere and at the other end communicating with the mixing-chamber, and means to draw air through said flues into and through the mixing-chamber where it is mixed with unburned material drawn through the valved passage from the heating-chamber, said means operating to force said commingled air and unburned material into the combustion-chamber of the furnace.

3. A furnace having a smoke-pipe, a casing partitioned to form a heating-chamberand a mixing-chamber, said heating-chamber communicating with and forming an extension of the smoke-pipe, a valve controllinga port between the mixing-chamber and heating-chamber, air-flues extending through the heatingchamber, said flues being open at one end to the atmosphere and communicating at the other end with the mixing-chamber, a forceddraft apparatus to draw air through the airfines and mixing-chamber and force said air into the combustion-chamber of the furnace, and automatic means to control said valve.

4. In a furnace, a smoke-pipe connected thereto, a heating-chamber connected to the smoke-pipe, air-fines passing through said heating-chamber and open at one end to the atmosphere, a mixing-chamber with which the other end of said flues communicate, a valve controlling a port between the mixing-chamber and heating-chamber, automatic means to operate said valve, and means to draw air through said air-fines and mixing-chamber and deliver said air to the combustion-chamher of the furnace.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

lNALLAOE F. GOODNOW. l/Vitnesses:

LoUIs 0. SMITH, MARGARET A. DUNN.

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