GB2152838A

GB2152838A - Combustion catalyst generation

Info

Publication number: GB2152838A
Application number: GB08400278A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adam Saville Tucker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-01-06
Filing date: 1984-01-06
Publication date: 1985-08-14
Also published as: GB8400278D0

Abstract

A vessel for use in the catalyzing of a combustion of gaseous, liquid or solid fuels comprises a container 10, 13, means 17 for partially filling the container with water, an air inlet 20 communicating with the lower part of the container so that air entering the container when it is in use will enter below the water level, and an air outlet 19 communicating with the upper part 14 of the container so that, when the container is in use, air which has bubbled from the inlet to the surface of the water can leave the container through the outlet. In a preferred embodiment a manifold 21 is provided to distribute finely the incoming air across the container and thus put the maximum surface area of air in contact with the maximum surface area of water for a given volume of water and a given rate of flow of air. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combustion catalyzing apparatus The invention relates to combustion catalyzing apparatus.

It is known that the combustion of fuels, including gaseous, liquid and solid fuels, can be enhanced by bubbling at least some of the combustion air supply through a vessel containing water. The air treated in this way appears to have a catalyzing effect which improves combustion even though the precise mechanism is not fully understood.

We have now developed an improved vessel for use in the catalyzing of combustion.

The invention provides a vessel for use in the catalyzing of the combustion of gaseous, liquid or solid fuels, the vessel comprising a container, means for partially filling the container with water, an air inlet communicating with the lower part of the container so that air entering the container when it is in use will enter below the water level, and an air outlet communicating with the upper part of the container so that, when the container is in use, air which has bubbled from the inlet to the surface of the water can leave the container through the outlet.

Preferably the container and the air inlet are arranged to put the maximum surface area of air in contact with the maximum surface area of water for a given volume of water and a given rate of flow of air.

Preferably the air inlet is arranged to finely disseminate the air entering the water.

Preferably the air inlet communicates with a manifold arranged in the bottom part of the container to distribute the incoming air across the container.

Preferably the manifold has a very large number of fine air outlets.

Preferably the outer periphery of the manifold is related to the width of the container and to the water surface area such as to reduce the tendency of air bubbles to migrate to the sides of the container and increase the tendency for the air bubbles to burst in free air.

Preferably the manifold comprises at least two concentric air passages, each air passage having a plurality of air outlets distributed therearound.

There may for example be an outer air passage, for example in the form of a tube, extending around the inner periphery of the container, and at least one further air passage closer to the centre of the container.

Preferably the container is of circular crosssection and there are three circular air passages in the form of tubes each formed into a ring and arranged concentrically.

Preferably the air inlet communicates with the outer ring and there are radial passages connecting the outer ring to the middle ring and connecting the middle ring to the inner ring.

The tubes may be connected to the base of the container by retaining clips.

Preferably the container has a cylindrical bottom part and a frustoconical upper part.

Preferably the air outlet extends through the top ofthefrustoconical upper part.

Preferably the air inlet comprises a tube which extends through the top of the frustoconical upper part and extends downwardly through the container to the manifold.

The means for partially filling the container with water may comprise a filler cap arranged in the top ofthefrustoconical upper part.

The container may be manufactured from fibre reinforced resin.

The manifold may be manufactured from flexible plastics tubing.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partially in section, of an embodiment of vessel according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the vessel shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on line Ill-Ill of Figure 1.

The container shown in the Figures comprises a cylindrical base part 10 having a base 11 and upstanding side walls 12, and a frustoconical top part 13. The parts 12 and 13 are manufactured from glass reinforced epoxy resin having an average wall thickness of two millimetres. The upper part 13 fits over the lower part 12 in the manner of a cap, thus forming an overlapping joint at 14. The joint is sealed with polyurethane sealant.

The frustoconical part 13 has a flat top 15. The top 15 has an aperture therein around which is mounted a screw-threaded boss 16 (see Figure 1). The container can be filled with water through this aperture and the aperture can then be closed by means of an internally threaded filler cap 17.

The flat top 15 of the frustoconical part 13 has two further apertures therein. Pipes 18 and 19 are sealingly connected to these apertures.

The pipe 19 communicates with the interior of the top part 13 and provides an air outlet. The pipe 18 communicates with an internal flexible plastics tube 20 which extends downwardly to communicate with a manifold 21 which is best seen in Figure 3.

The manifold comprises three concentric rings 22, 23 and 24 each formed from flexible plastics tubing having an external diameter of substantially eight millimetres.

The tube 20 communicates with the outer ring 22 at point 25. At point 26, diametrically opposite point 25, a radially extending tube 27 interconnects rings 22 and 23. At a point 28, diametrically opposite point 27, a radially extending tube 29 interconnects rings 23 and 24. Thus air can be delivered to all of the rings from the tube 20.

Each of the rings has air holes 30 therein evenly spaced apart around the ring. The air holes are arranged so as to widely disseminate air which enters the tubes. It will be seen for example that the air holes in the middle ring 23 are staggered in the circumferential direction with respect to the air holes or the adjacent rings. There are in practice many more holes than are shown.

The manifold formed by the rings 22, 23 and 24 is held securely in position on the base of the vessel by means of clips 31.

In use the vessel is filled with distilled water up to the level 32 shown in Figure 1. The air outlet pipe 19 is connected to a combustion apparatus such as a boiler and the air inlet pipe 18 is connected to an air inlet pump. Combustion air is then pumped to the boiler through the vessel. The air emerges from the holes 30 in the manifold in the form of fine bubbles 33, the holes 30 being substantially 0.25 millimetres in diameter. The distribution of the holes 30 is such that the bubbles 33 are evenly distributed across the container.

After the combustion air has bubbled through the water it leaves the container through the pipe 19 and is utilised in the combustion process.

A certain amount of water is entrained in the air as water vapour but a significant proportion of this water recondenses on the sloping sides of the frustoconical top portion 13.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment. If desired an air filter may be positioned on the inlet side of the pump.

Furthermore a device for measuring and/or controlling the rate of airflow may be provided, for example between the vessel and the combustion unit.

It is not essential that the container have the size illustrated in the Figures. Different sizes of containers may be used to suit different sizes of combustion unit.

The manifold may have any desired number of concentric rings, for example two, four or more to suit the size of the container. It is not essential for the tube 20 to be connected to the outer ring. It may be connected to any desired ring of the manifold, for example the inner ring.

The container may be manufactured by an injection moulding process.

The size of each hole 30 is preferably a maximum of 0.25 millimetres in diameter. Preferably the holes are made as small as is physically possible, and in as great a quantity as possible, to fulfil the objective of putting as great a surface area of air in contact with as great a surface area of water as is possible for a given volume of water and a given rate of flow of air. The holes 30 may for example be made by puncturing the tubing, e.g. with a needle. The holes may actually re-close afterthey have been formed, as a result of the elasticity of the tubing, the holes being forced open again in use by the air pressure within the tubing.

If desired a water level indicator may be provided to give an indication as to when the water level in the vessel should be topped up.

A range of different size vessels may be manufactured from substantially the same components shown in the Figures, except for the base part 12. Different heights of base part may be manufachgred to fit underneath the same size of top part 13.

With vessels having a smaller volume, it may be necessary for the water level 32 to be within the frustoconical upper part 13, in order to provide a satisfactory volume of water. It is preferred that, whatever the size of the vessel, there is sufficient water to provide a constant ratio of water volume to surface area.

Since the surface area will be reduced if the water level is within the frustoconical part 13, it is preferred that the diameter of the manifold is correspondingly reduced, to reduce the tendency of the air bubbles to migrate to the sides of the vessel and increase the tendency for the air bubbles to burst in free air, ratherthan to burst against the side walls of the container.

Claims

1. A vessel for use in the catalyzing of the combustion of gaseous, liquid or solid fuels, the vessel comprising a container, means for partially filling the container with water, an air inlet communicating with the lower part of the container so that air entering the container when it is in use will enter below the water level, and an air outlet communicating with the upper part of the container so that, when the container is in use, air which has bubbled from the inlet to the surface of the water can leave the container through the outlet.

2. A vessel as claimed in claim 1, in which the container and the air inlet are arranged to put the maximum surface area of air in contact with the maximum surface area of water for a given volume of water and a given rate of flow of air.

3. Avessel as claimed in claim 2, in which the air inlet is arranged to finely disseminate the air entering the water.

4. A vessel as claimed in claim 3, in which the air inlet communicates with a manifold arranged in the bottom part of the container to distribute the incoming air across the container.

5. A vessel as claimed in claim 4, in which the manifold has a very large number of fine air outlets.

6. A vessel as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which the outer periphery of the manifold is related to the width of the container and to the water surface area such as to reduce the tendency of air bubbles to migrate to the sides of the container and increase the tendency for the air bubbles to burst in free air.

7. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, in which the manifold comprises at least two concentric air passages, each air passage having a plurality of air outlets distributed therearound.

8. A vessel as claimed in claim 7, in which there is an outer air passage, for example in the form of a tube, extending around the inner periphery of the container, and at least one further air passage closer to the centre of the container.

9. A vessel as claimed in claim 8, in which the container is of circular cross-section and there are three circular air passages in the form of tubes each formed into a ring and arranged concentrically.

10. A vessel as claimed in claim 9, in which the air inlet communicates with the outer ring and there are radial passages connecting the outer ring to the middle ring and connecting the middle ring to the inner ring.

11. A vessel as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, in which the tubes are connected to the base of the container by retaining clips.

12. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 11, in which the manifold is manufactured from plastics tubing.

13. A vessel as claimed in claim 12, in which the plastics tubing has holes therein which are a maximum of 0.25 milimetres in diameter.

14. A vessel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the container has a cylindrical bottom part and a frustoconical upper part.

15. A vessel as claimed in claim 14, in which the air outlet extends through the top of the frustoconical upper part.

16. A vessel as claimed in claim 15, in which the air inlet comprises a tube which extends through the top ofthefrustoconical upper part and extends downwardly through the container to the manifold.

17. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 14to 16, in which the means for partially filling the container with water comprises a filler cap arranged in the top of the frustoconical upper part.

18. A vessel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, manufactured from fibre reinforced resin.

19. A vessel for use in the catalyzing of the combustion of gaseous, liquid or solid fuels, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.