CA1195915A

CA1195915A - Method and apparatus for combustion of oil

Info

Publication number: CA1195915A
Application number: CA000417135A
Authority: CA
Inventors: James J. Dewald
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-12-07
Filing date: 1982-12-07
Publication date: 1985-10-29
Also published as: GB2112920A; AU1109683A; GB2112920B; WO1983002147A1; EP0095507A1

Abstract

Improved Method and Appartus for Combustion of Oil Abstract An improved apparatus and method for the combustion of oil produced by an oilwell during testing, for example, provides a self-supporting boom, for example, supported at a proximate end portion and connected adjacent an oilwell or oilwell platform, the boom having at its distal end portion a burner for atomizing oil to be burned and mixing with it air and/or water for improvement of combustion. Air may be secondarily added to the medium to be atomized after an initial mixing of the oil with water and/or air and prior to combustion. The addition of secondary air improves the burn and gives a desirable generally smokeless burn. The distal end portion of the boom supports in a rotational fashion the burner head (atomization and burning portion of the apparatus) which can be remotely rotated to a desired position as, for example, to direct the burner flame to compensate for wind. The burner head mounted on the distal end portion of the boom provides at least one venturi cone which provides a baffle mounted in a movable fashion with respect to a provided nozzle through which the oil, air, and/or gas mixture Is transmitted for atomization. The movement of the venturi cone baffle with respect to the nozzle is adjustable from a remote location allowing adjustability of air flow external to the nozzle, further providing further enhancement of a smokeless burn by control of air flow to the nozzle area.

Description

Improved Method and Apparatus ~Qr Combustion of ~il Tcchnical Field The present invention relates to an Æpparatus and method for the combustion of crude oil at, for example, the drilling site. More particu1Qrly9 the present invention sela~es to a method and apparetus or the improved combustion of crude oil using an atomizing burner in which the burner assembly i5 adjustably movable from a rem~te location9 and improvements enhence ~ombustion, prcviding Q smokeless burn to limit pollut~on and eomplete di3posal.

Bftckground Art In the drilling and subsequent testing of oilwells it is sometimes necessary to dispose of large volumes of oil produced. Oil may be preliminarily stored in tnnks upon the drill site, but eventtlally the oil must bc either transmitted to a point of desired locQtion, or disposod of in some manner which is of minimal impact to tIle environment.
The untre~ted dlsposal of un~anted srude oil upon the earth's surfaee or Into the oce~n causes ~ntolerable environmental demage and such ~t practice is generally prohibited.
To transmit oil i~mediately from a remote --2~
drilling site may not always be possible or eco-nomically feasible. Crude oil used for testing the well may additionally be mixed with driling mud, sand, or otherwise be impure or unusable.
Weather conditins may bear on the ability to transmit such oil Erom a remote drilling site until piping can be set up, especially in very remote areas as the arctic regions o~ the earth, and in Alaska in the United States. In these irigid and arctic regions, the disposal of oil can be particularly acute in view of the fragileness of such ecological regions. To dispose of oil by combustion in arctic regions requires a clean, complete combustion burn which is substantially smokeless.
Attempts have been made to overcome the disposal of excess or unwanted excess oil by the use of burners or combus-tion devices. See, for example, V~S. patents nos. 3,565,562; 3,632,287;
and my prior U.S. patent 3,807~832 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Combustion o~ Oil", the present in-vention being an improvement of these earlier devices F~ench patent 2l391,903 to LeCompte dis-cusses a flair support.
In U.S. patent 3,797,992 issued to Straitz there is seen a "Crude Oil Burner".
A "Duel Fuel Burner" is the subject oE
U.S. paent 3,153,438 issued to W.B. Brzozowski.
Powell discloses in U.S. patent 2,882,843 a "Combustion Apparatus".
~ pa-tent to Sherman (U.S. 2,869,626) discloses a "Fluid Fuel Burning Apparatus".
U.S. patent 2~8611629 issued to W.H.
Dailey provides a "Burner Apparatus".
Phillips in U.S. 2l793r686 discloses a "AY~ially Ad~ustable Fuel Burner for Furnaces".
The Caracristi patent 2,48~547 discloses a "Burner with Adjustable Air Distribution".

~ 9~ ~ ~
~3 A "Combination Burner for Liquid snd G~seous Fuels" is the subject of U.S. Patent 2,368917B.
An ~Air Directing ~eans in Gun Type Burners~ i5 the subject of U.S. Patent 29473,3A7~
A r'Method and Apparatus for Burning I,iquid Fuel"
is the subject of U.S~ 1~7o6~3~6 issued to Norton.
A "Process of Gener~tlng Gas frQm Kerosene and by Means of Wicks" is the subject of V.S. Patent 608,3940 Lucich dis~lose~ a "Burner for He~vy Liguid ~0 Fuels" in U.S. Patent 29003,1B1.
A "Pulverized ~uel Burner" is $he subject of ~.S.
Patent 1,878,926.
A "~uel Burner" is seen in V.S. Patent 1,870,013 issued to Keenan.
Another ~Apparatus for Liquid and PulYerized Fuel Furnaces" is seen in V.S. Patent 1,793,111 issued to J.
McDonald.
The Zink Patent 2,274,818 disclosPs "Combination Gas and Oil Burner".
Thompson shows in U.S. Patent 39120,260 ~ "Waste Gas Dispos~l Flare" having ~n ~d~ustable boom.
U.S. Patent 3,852,022 discloses a 'ILiquid Fuel Burner llead" is.sued to Medeot, et al.
U.S~ Patent 3,918,885 issued to Palm, et ~19 discloses nn "Apparatlls or Reducing the Dynamic Pressure of Cornbustion Air at the Burner llead of an Oil Burning ~pp]. i ance" .
U.S~ Patent 39758,259 issued to Voorheis discloses u "Method for Preparin~ ~uels and also for Thereafter ~eeding Them Into Furnaces ~nd Burning Them Therein"~
The Guerin Patent 3,533,717 provides an "Emuls}fier Burner for Hydrocarbons and Water with Mechanical Spraying A Controlled Flame ~nd Having An Anti-35 Atmospheric Pollution Effeet".
Walsh provides in U.S. Patent 3,413,069 a r'Method 7 ~c7~,~ r~

and Appara~us f~r Eliminating Furnace Pulsat~onsn.
Spe7nce discloses in U.S. 04,2~0 a "BurningHydrocarbont1 patent.
In U.5. Patent 447,757 issued to 5~mpbell there 5 is disclosed ~n "IncandesCent Burner ~nd Method of Using the Same".
Denis shows in U.S, Patent 3,266,552 a "Burner for Produein~ A Stable Flame with A High Concentration of Heat Stabi 1 i zed by A Shock Wave".
Str~itz in U.S~ P~tent 3,861,857 discloses a "Flam~able I.iquid Waste B7lrner".
Glotin, et al, provides in U.SO Patent 3,894,831 "Methods and Apparatus for Burnin~ Liquid Hydro~arbons7' which employes n boom.
Bleyl in U.S. Patent 3,948,196 discloses an "Apparatus for Burning ~luid at a Burner Mounted on a Floating Vessel Subject to Wave Actionl'. Booms are emplQyed in supportlng the burner assembly.
In UOS. Patent 3,749,318 issued to Cottell there 20 is provided a 'ICombustion Method and Apparatus Burni7ng An Intimnte Emulsion of ~uel and Water".
In U.S. Patent 1,976S523 issued to Vandeveer discloses a "Process for Burning Oil 1nsoluble Sludge".
RQulins discloses in U.S. Patenî 4,072,190 a 25 "Mot i Oll Com~ensator" .
Theriot ~iiscloses in U.S. P~tent 3,811,820 a "~1el 1 Test Burner" .
The ~ink Pntent 3,814,567 provides a "Smokeless Fl~re Using Liquid Water Particles".
Charpentier discloses in U.S. Patent 37875,99S an "Installation for Separation on ~he Seabed of the F.f f I uent s f rom IJnderwater Oi 1 We I I s " .
Reed, et al, discloses in U.S. Patent 3,632,287 a "~urner Assembly for Combustion of Oil".
The Dunn Patent 3,7~8,ngo discloses a "Combustion Control Apparatl1s Using A Liquid Spray7'.

.. , .. . .. . _ .. . . . .... ...

Kub~sta in U.S. Patent 3,666,395 discloses an "O~fshore Gas FlAre ApparatUsn.
A method and appaPatus for oil and g8S pollution control is disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,602,299 to MozieO
5The Sparrow Patent 3,756,765 dis~loses an "Automatic Flare Igniter and Counterbalanced ~lare St~ck".
One of the problems experienced in the burning of oil especi~lly on offshore oil platforms is the direction of the flame in the event of windchanges and the like~
Since these offshore structures contain at many times g~s, oil, or other volatile substances9 flames can be of great danger to the personnel and property of the structure itself. Thus the flame is generally burned at ~ distance from the structure by the use of a boom as sh~wn in my 15prior U.S. Patent 3,80?,832.
The boom itself may be threatened in the event of a wind change or the like and thus it would be desirable that the boom be ~djustable with regard to direction.
Another problem with combustion of crude oil involves the environmental problems associated with smoke which is generated during the combustion as well ~s heavy matter which falls out on the ground. In delicate environments such as on the North Slope of Al~skn~ the creation of a great deal of heavy black smoke and/or fallout during the burning of crude oil can produce disastrous ecological consequences in such a fragile environment.
Such environmental problems are well-known in open pit burning as well In trying to dispose of oily w~ste in disposal wells or the like.
A great deal of expense would be involved in shipping this oil away from the fragile environment slte because of the severe cost involved.
In high rntes of burning such as many thousand barrels per day, the problem of achieving a smokeless environmentally clean burn is accentuated.

Often the oil being burned itself is not only oil but a much heavier product such as oil phase mud. This heavier material as well as the burning of certain toxic chemicals requires a high efficient complete combustion in order to be environmentally safe. The above problems of burning various hard to dispose of waste materials such as crude, oily waste, oil phase mud, toxic chemicals, and mixtures of the above at high rates to produce a clean smokeless burn wi-th an assembly which is adjustable in a v~riety of wind and weather conditions is the problem to which the present invention is direc-ted.
It is thus an object of the present in-vention to provide a burner apparatus which is remotely operable and adjustable as between -the burner and boom in a variety of wind and weather conditions .
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved burner apparatus which burns a variety of oily waste product, crude oil~
oil phase mud, and the like at high rates and in a clean smokeless fashion.
Another object of -the present invention 2S is to provide a burner apparatus having improved mixture prior to atomization of the oil being burned in combination with air and/or oll.
Another objec-t of the present invention i5 to provide burner apparatus for use in disposing of oil, oil phase mud, and like waste products during well testing operations in fragile environments such as the ~rctic regions of the earth.
It is another object of the present in-vention to provide an apparatus for the combustion of oil having improved nozzle construction enhancing complete combustion by an improvecl air flow to the product being burned and prior to atomi~ation.

-6a-In one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for combustion of crude oil, comprising boom means connected at its proximate end portion to a support; burner means connected to the distal end ~ortion of the boom means, the burner means having nozzle means for atomizing a mixture of crude oil and a gaseous atomizing medium to improve combustion; oil conduit means for supplying crude oil ~o the burner means;
wate.r conduit means for supplying water to the burner means; gas conduit means for supplyi.ng the gaseous atomization medium to the burner means, and rotational connection simultaneously conveying crude oil, water and the gaseous atomizing medium, for rotatably supporting the burner means upon the boom means and comprising; a housing which includes swivel support means for transferring load between the burner means and boom means; inlet means below the swivel support means for transmittillg air, oil and the gaseous atomizing medium to the housing, and outlet means discharging air, oil, and the gaseous atomizing medium from the housing at a position above the swivel support means.
In a ~urther aspect of the present inven-~5 tion there is provided a method of atomlzing oil pr.ior to combustion comprising the steps of; provid-ing a ~oom having proximate and distal ends and comprising a plurality of structurally connected tubular members; suppor-ting the boom at the proxlmate end; con~eying oil, and a gaseous atomizing medium from the proximate to the distal end oE the boom;
providing an atomizing nozzle at the distal end of the boom; m.ixing a primary air stream and oil in the nozzle prior to atomization; mixing a second-ary air stream with the air-oil mixture prior to atomization and after preliminary mixture of the oil with the gaseous atomizing med.ium; and atomizing - - .~

-6b-the air-oil mixtureO

Brief Description of Drawings For a further understanding of the nature and ~ ~5~
~ ~ .3 objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following deta;led deseription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings~ in which like parts are given like reference numerals and wherein:
~igure 1 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of ~lle app~ratus of the present invention;
~igure '~ is a partially broken elev~tional view of the preferred em~odiment of the apparatus of the preserlt inYent i on 9 ~igure ~ is a section~l fragment~ry view of the swivel mount portion of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of th~ present in~ention;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the swiYel and burner portions of the preferred embodiment o~ the app~ralus of the presen~ inventiOn;
~ igure 5 is a partial sectional view of the nozzle portion of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 6 is ~ fragmentary front view of the nozzle portion of the preferred embodiment of the ~pparatus of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a sectional view taken Rlong line~ 7-7 of Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a se~tional view of the swivel portion of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the prcsent invention; and Figure 9 is a sectional vicw taken along lines 9-9 of figure 8.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Figure 1 best illustr~tes the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention deslgnated generally by the n~meral 10~ In figure 1 there can be seen a boom 20 supported on a drilling p~atform 169 for example, at one end portion thereo~ by a boom support assembly bracket 15 which can be pivotally connected to support 15 by me~ns of ~ pin connection. At the extreme end por~ion of ~oom 20 opposite support 15 is supported burner assembly 25 which would be movably attached to boom in a pivotal fashion by me~ns described hereinAfter.
Mounted upon boom 20 is burner mount plate 30 supporting swivel ~ssembly 40 thereupon.
Burner assembly 25 would be desirably rotatably movable with respect to boom 20 (and preferably from a remote location) responsive to rotation of a portion of swivel assembly 40 to which burner ~ssembly 25 is att~ched and supported at least in p~rt. ~otation of burner ~ssembly 25 could be by means of ~ motor 70 and gearing arrnngement as best seen in figure 2.
Figure 2 shows swivel assembly 40 receiving thereto a plurality of flow lines 21-23 which would convey respectively oil, w~ter, and a gaseous atomizing medium such as air. It should be understood, however~ thRt insteAd of oil or crude o~l any other material which is to be burned could be supplied such as haz~rdous waste9 or a mud Rnd oil combin~tion.
Burner mount plate 30 is shown in fragmentflry in figure 2 wi~h an annulsr burner flsnge 64 being supported thereupon arId allowed to rotflte with respect to mounting pla~e 30. A detail of the connection of ~lange 64 ~nd 25 mount pl~te 30 i~ seen in figure ~ in sectional Yiew with n t~e~ring surfnce 65 whieh could be of any desirable substantially frictlonless or low friction materl~l or the lIke or R polished metRtlic substance. A ret~ining collar 67 ~rovides sn ~nnular overlapping shoulder 68 which would 30 ret~in fl~nge 64 in a vertical direction against movement. Sufficient clearance would ~e provided to allow fl~nge 64 to slide freely wlth respect to bearing surface ~nd collar 67. Set screws 69 as desired would be provided to firmly ~ffix flange 64 wlth respec~ to mounting plate 30 if so desired.
In figure 2 there can be scen motor 7D supported _9 _ by bracket 73 whlch motor 70 could be a hydraullc or electric motor~ for example~ ~nd extend therefrom shaft 71 and at its distal end pinion gear 7~. A toothed rack 6~
would be annular and would be proYided in a substantially 36D degree ~ircular f~shion abou~ the edges of fl~nge 64. Rotation of motor 10 would thus produce a rotation of shaft 71 and pinion 72 to rotate burner assembly 25 in a desired direction. Motor 70 would thus prefePably be bidirectional in nature allowing rotRtion of sh~ft 71 in either of the two ro~ational directions.
Pigure 2 further shows ~ plur~lity of risers 26-28 which would convey respectively water, oil, and air.
Each riser would communic~te with piping provided upon burner assembly ~5 and convey fluid to nozzle 35. Wa~er would also be conveyed through line 29 to water r~n~ 32 and to the plur~lity of nozzles 33 disposed thereabout in a r~dial fashion.
The construction of swivel assembly 40 is seen more paPticularly in figures 8 and g. Swivel 40 provides a houslng 41 ~aving an inner bore 42 whieh during oper~t;on will house swivel element 50. Swivel element 50 will rotate within housing as descr~bed more fully hereinafter. A plurality of annular seals 46-49 isolate therebetween three fluid retalning annular groove 51-53, eac~ heving communi~ation with the exterior oi housing 40 through ports 43-45 whi~l would respectively eonneet to inflow lines 21-23. Thus9 ports 43-45 would separately receive air, oil, water9 or other desirable products to be use~i ~n the combustion process and to be mixed and atomized at the nozzle 35 por~ion of burner assembly 25.
A lowermost plate 55 would be equipped9 for ex~mple9 with Q plurality of openings 56 through whieh suitable fasteners such as bolts ~) for example, could be passed and nttached to swivel 50. Swi~el element 50 as best seen in figure 3 provides three annular grooves 56-58. T~e combination of Qnnular ~rooves 51-53 of housing .... .

and the annular grooYes 56-58 o~ swivel element 50 pro~ide l~qllid retain~ng reserv3irs through which liquid or fluid could be tr~nsmitted from ports 43-45 to the three risers 75-77. Each ~nnular grooYe 56-58 proYides communication with its corresponding port 59-61 and ~urther communicates with risers 75-77 which are shown in phantom lin~s in figure 8. From the above it can be seen that fluid supplied to ports 43-45 respectively woul~ be communicated through swivel 50 and upw~rdly to risers 65-6~ and piping ~6-2~ connec~ed thereto, thus supplying fluid ~s desired to burner ~ssembly 25.
The uppermost portion of swivel 50 shows bearing pl~te 64, and upper annular plate 63 which proYides the annular toothed rack 68 which will communicate during operation with pinion gear 72.
In addition to the rotational movement of burner head assembly 25 with respect to boom 20 9 furth~r adjustable means is provided for controlling th~ air flow through the venturi cones in the ~orm of conical ba~fles 20 ~06 which are movable in a linear fashion with respect to nozzle ~ssembly 80 as indicated by the arrow in f igure 20 Baf~les 106 would be linearly adJustable by means of sliding engRgement with nozzle assembly 80 responsive to expansion and contraction of pushrod 105 as urged by 25 hudraulic cylinder 104. Hydraulic cylinder 104 would be mounted upon brackets which would be att~ched by welding or like suitable m~ans to venturi cone V, and would be supported ther~y. ~enturi cone V would be supported by noz~le ass~mbly 8n by welding thereto9 with nozzle 30 ass~mbly 80 being suppor~ed by piping 26-28 which is in turn supported by swivel element 50, swivel housing 41, skirt S9 ~l~nge 649 plate 30 and then by boom 20. This would ~llow linear relative motion of b~fle 22 with respect to venturi cones Y and would increase or decrease the floY of air into venturi cones V from a remote loc.~tion as wou]d be desirable. Hydraulic lines (not .. . . . . . . . ~ ~, .. . . .. ...

shown) would be ~tt~ched to cylinder 104 ~nd be routed to n remote location by attaching hydraulic lines (not shown) to boom 20 a~d thence to a desired point of operntiOn.
A wnter ring 32 would be affixed to the extreme end portion of venturi cones V and would be provided with plurality of nozzles 29 thro~gh which water could be sprayed for engagement ~ith the combustion area.
~ igure S ill~strates nozzle assembly 80 which provides a disk shnped plate 84 which forms the downstre~m end of nozzle assembly 80. A tubular member 86 is connected to conduit 87 and is threfldably connected to disk 84, nlthough tubular member 86 and the other membePs described hereinafter, may be connected in any suit~ble mnn;~er such as welding9 or the like. A first sleeve 92 encircles the forward portion of the tubular member 86 and con~uit 87. Sleeve 92 is threadnbly connected to plate 84. The upstrenm end portion of sleeve 87 ~oins the perimeter of conduit 87. Sleeve 92 is of ~ greater diameter than tubular member 86 and conduit 87, an~ an nnnular space 99 is provided ~round the periphery of tubular member 86. Piping would be connected to ~leeve 92 for the purpose of admitting crude oil in the annular sp~e 99.
Plate 84 is foreed against second nnd outermost sleeve 91 by ~ssembly collar 89 whi~h is threndably attAched to sleeve 91. The upstream end portion of sleeve 91 joins the perimeter of first sleeve 92. Sleeve 91 is of a greater diameter than sleeve 92 and an annular space ~8 is provided therebetween. Connected to annular space ~0 98 would be piping for the purpose of ndmitting w~ter thereto.
A plur~lity of ports 93 are ~ormed in plnte 84 through which gaseous atomizing medium (such as nir~ may escape, providing primary nir for AtOmizatiOn. These port~ 93 preferably have their axes ~ligned wi~h the a~es of discharge openings 95. The openings 95 are of ~ larger .. ~, ~ ,... ..

~2-diameter than ports 91. Apertures or channels 102, which are equal in n~mber to discharge openings 95, provide ~om~unication betwe~n the annular space 99 at 103 and the di3charge ope~ings 95. ~imilar aperatures or ch~nnels 96 eonnect space 98 with discharge openings ~5. The ga~eous atomizing medium esc~pin~ ~hrough the openings 95 serves to drsw oil from the ~nnular space 99 and w~ter from the annular space 98 into mixing channels between ports 93 and openings g5 to break the erude oil and w~ter mixture into small droplets and propel it through the openings 95.
Secondary air through annular condui~s or channels would be provided at discharge openings 95, also prior to atomixation snd combustion~ These annular conduits or channels are seen as 97 in figure 5. The lS second~ry air improves atomization and combustion.
The above construction provides an appar~tus which produces an essentially smokeless burn and an adjustable ~pparatus which allows ~djustment o~ burner assembly 25 position with respect to boom position, as well as the enhancement o~ a smokeless burn by using air flow control for controlling air to the nozzle ~nd burner ~ren both prior to and during combustion.
The ~bove construction has been fou~d to be psrticulsrly use~ul in the burning of crude oilg as well as the burning of oil ph~se mud~ ~nd uneut oil phase mud. The oil phase mud can be cut with an equnl volume of diesel fuel to thin it out, however, the appar~tus of the present invention can be used as well to burn uncut oil phase mud.
Because many v~rying ~nd different embodiments msy be made withi~ the scope of the inventive concept herein t~ught, Qnd bee~u~e many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be underseood that the det~ils here~n ~re to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a llmiting senseO

.~. ~,. .. .

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for combustion of crude oil, comprising:
a) boom means connected at its proximate end portion to a support;
b) Burner means connected to the distal end portion of said boom means, said burner means having nozzle means for atomizing a mixture of crude oil and a gaseous atomizing medium to improve combustion;
c) oil conduit means for supplying crude oil to said burner means;
d) water conduit means for supplying water to said burner means;
e) gas conduit means for supplying said gaseous atomization medium to said burner means;
and f) rotational connection means simul-taneously conveying crude oil, water and the gaseous atomizing medium, for rotatably supporting said burner means upon said boom means and comprising:
i) a housing which includes swivel support means for transferring load between the burner means and boom means;
ii) inlet means below the swivel support means for transmitting air, oil and the gaseous atomizing medium to the housing; and iii) outlet means discharging air, oil, and the gaseous atomizing medium from the housing at a position above the swivel support means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotational connection means comprises in part a liquid interface provided by a liquid collector ring.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said burner means comprises at least in part a nozzle, and a venturi-shaped shroud with dual venturi-shaped cones joined at their narrow ends in order to first condense and then expand air flowing through the shrouds and around the nozzle, said nozzle mounted within the confines of said shroud, a venturi-shaped baffle movably mounted with respect to said shroud, and there is further provided adjustable movement of said baffle with respect to said nozzle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said ad-justment means comprises a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said boom, and a pushrod extending from said cylinder to said baffle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotational connection means comprises a normally static swivel housing connected in operation to said oil conduit means and said gas conduit means and a swivel element disposed within said housing and rotationally movable with respect thereto.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said burner means is connected to said swivel element for rotation therewith.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotational connection means comprises at least in part a swivel housing, a swivel element mounted within said housing and supporting said burner means, upper annular rack means attached to said swivel element for imparting rotational motion to said swivel element; and driven gear means intermeshed with said rack means for moving said rack means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said driven gear means comprises in part a motor mounted on said boom for imparting rotational power to said gear means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said atomizing means is a nozzle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said nozzle provides means for crude oil, air, and water prior to atomization.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said oil conduit means comprises at least in part a structural member of said boom.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gas conduit means comprises at least in part a structural member of said boom.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said oil conduit means comprises at least in part a longitudinal support stringer of said boom.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said oil conduit means comprises at least in part a longitudinal support stringer of said boom.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said burner comprises in part a nozzle in which crude oil and gaseous atomizing mixture are mixed within said nozzle.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further com-prising water conduit means for supplying water to said burner means.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said water conduit means comprises at least in part a structural member of said boom.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said oil conduit means comprises in part said rotational connection means.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gas conduit means comprises in part said rotational connection means.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said water conduit means comprises in part said ro-tational connection means.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 further com-prising water conduit means for supplying water to said burner means, and said rotational connection means comprises:

i) a swivel housing mounted upon said boom;
ii) means on said swivel housing for forming separate fluid connections with said gas, oil and water conduit means;
iii) a swivel element rotatably mounted within said swivel housing;
iv) separate gas, oil and water reservoirs within said swivel housing; and v) riser means partly within said swivel element for transmitting separate fluid streams of air, oil and water to said burner means.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further com-prising seal means for separating said gas, said oil and said water reservoir.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of said reservoirs are annular spaces between said swivel housing and said swivel element,

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of said reservoirs are annular grooves formed in said swivel elements.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of said reservoirs are annular grooves formed in said swivel housing.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 further com-prising piping means for connecting said nozzle and said riser means.

27. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein gas and oil are mixed within said nozzle prior to combustion.

28. The apparatus of claim 15 further com-prising means for mixing water with said gaseous atomizing medium and said oil prior to combustion.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is provided secondary air means for mixing air with mixture of said oil and said gaseous medium after they have been mixed but prior to atomization wherein said secondary air enters the mixture stream in a direction generally opposing the entry directions of other components of the mixture stream.

30. A method of atomizing oil prior to com-bustion comprising the steps of:
a) providing a boom having proximate and distal ends and comprising a plurality of structurally connected tubular members;
b) supporting the boom at the proximate end;
c) conveying oil, and gaseous atomizing medium from the proximate to the distal end of the boom;
d) providing an atomizing nozzle at the distal end of the boom;
e) mixing a primary air stream and oil in the nozzle prior to atomization;
f) mixing a secondary air stream with the air-oil mixture prior to atomization and after preliminary mixture of the oil with said gaseous atomizing medium; and g) atomizing the air-oil mixture.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein there is further provided the step between steps "d"
and "e" of mixing water with the air-oil mixture prior to atomization.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein in step "d" the nozzle provides a plurality of atomization ports with at least oil and a gaseous atomizing medium being conveyed through said ports prior to atomization.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein in step "d", the plurality of ports are radially spaced.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein in step "c", oil is conveyed through one of the boom struc-tural members.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein in step "c", water is conveyed through one of the boom structural members.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein in step "c", a gaseous atomizing medium is conveyed through one of the boom structural members.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein the nozzle provided in step "c" provides a primary mixing channel where the mixture of oil and the gaseous atomizing medium occurs, and a plurality of feed channels for transmitting fluid into the mixing channel.

38. The method of claim 30 wherein in step "e", the gaseous atomizing medium is first trans-mitting to a mixing channel in the nozzle before oil or water.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein oil is secondly transmitted to the mixing channel after the gaseous atomizing medium.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein secondary air is thirdly transmitted to the mixing channel after sequentially introducing the gaseous atomizing medium and oil.

41. The method of claim 29 wherein thirdly transmitted to the mixing channel after sequentially introducing the gaseous atomizing medium and oil.

42. The method fo claim 37 wherein in step "c", a plurality of radially spaced mixing channels are provided in the nozzle, each being equipped with a plurality of feed channels communicating therewith.