US1347955A - Gaseous combustion - Google Patents

Description

A. C. |'.O NIDES, JR.

GASEOUS COMBUSTIONL APPLICATION FILED AUG.I,,1.9 I8.

1,347,955. Patented July 27,1920.

c 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

YNVENTUR- A. C Ion/1218835;

ATTORNEY A. C. IONIDES, JR.

GASEOUS COMBUST|ON..

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1918.

1,347,955. atent d uly 27, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- wvmuu Aolmdem ATTORNEY A.C.l0N|DES,Jm

GASEOUS COMBUSTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-1| 191B.

Patented July 27,1920;

3 SHEETS-$HEET 3.

INVENTOR 4.0.kndies,

; 11mm sr rss PATENT orrlce ALEXANDER CONSTANTINE IUNIDES, JIFL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

GASEOUS COMBUSTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, ALnxANonR CONSTAN- 'JTINI] lemons, Junior, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residin at 3 1 Porchester Terrace, London, 7,2,. lbngland, have invented certain new and useful improvements in or ,llelating to Gaseous Combustions, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to gaseous combus tion of the type in which a combustible gaseous fluid and supporter oi combustion, such as gas and air, are both conveyed in separate conduits at pressures bearing a con stant relationship to one another to the desired position and mingled. prior to combustiouot the mixture in the correct proportions to obviate a si'lbstantial residue of a constituent. i

In connection with multi-lmruer heating devices, l have already usedfa distribution system for combustion as above in which each burner fitted independently with means for adj usting by the area of controlling orifices the proportions of the constituents in the mixture at that point, which adjustment having been once made at the maximum calorific value of the gas, is not altered for the minor variations in quality of the gas which may at any time occur during working. In order, however, to still maintain substantially exact proportions during such minor variations, the main conduits which supply ally the burners in. common are one or both provided with adjust ing means by which temporary corrections aitii'ecting all the burners simultaneously can be made. ll ow l have-found that the foregoingsystern of adjustment may under ordinary practical conditions be givenv a much wider scope and extended to, say, complete system oi gas lighting or to a series or bay of furnaces although the average consumption is not subject. to large fluctuations, izousiderable variations may from time to time occur. By this means it is possibleto place any large sour ee ofdemand under the superintending control of a single responsible individual whoby, say, reference to a test flame as hereinafter described, a guide, or any ordinary kind of light,or by other Specification of Letters Patent.

or other lieatin appliances where,"

Patented July 2'7, 1920,

Application filed. August l, 1918. Serial No. 247,7?5.

means,'may eflect adjustment to counteract unavoidable variations in the quality. of the gas, which variations would. otherwise lead to great loss of ellicieney.

W hen experimenting with combustible mixtures, great difliculty has been experienced in providing a simple means for determining a neutral mixture, namely, a mixture of which the products of combustion will contain neither an. excess of carbon nor an excess of oxygen.

Now it have found that although mixtures of an ordinary coal gas and. air when issuing under a moderate pressure, say 13 water gage, into the atmosphere from a small parallel orifice or jet will not continue to burn when the proportion of air to gas appreciably exceeds three to one, yet. by suitably flaring or coning the mouth of'a bad vheat conducting orifice, or by heating the mixture to a suitable extent combustion on issue will easily continue with much weaker mixtures up to, or exceeding seven of air to one ofgas.

A mixture of one and a half of air to one of an ordinary London coal gas gave under the above conditions a long flame having a central extended cone of greenish. color of a clearly defined length, which cone shortened. as the proportion of air in the mixture was increased until it became a minimum which in this case was half oi the length first observed. The proportions of air to at this point were three and a half to one.

The central greenish cone up to this point had beenv si'lrrounded by a sheath of'reddislryellow color of a maximum diameter at about the middle oi? its length, which gradually decreased in thickness and length until at a ratio roughly of threeand three quarters of air to one of gas the outline of the cone and the exterior of the sheath merged into the single outline of a flame of a faint blue color and gradually tapering term, slightly longer than the above minimum cone.

Continuing to increase the quantity of air in the mixture, the charactertistic of a single outline bluish flame was maintained, increasing in length until at seven parts of air to one of gas the flame was double its minimum length.

tions'of gas and air which gave a neutral mixture for the gas under consideration, corresponding to maximum efliclency combustion'in a closed furnace, and that the relative lengths of the cone and-flame also indicated further, defined proportions in either an oxidizing or in a reducing mixture; *The'measurements of cone and flame lengths vary with the qualityfot the gas, and thepressure' or the incoming mixture.

The'object of the present invention is to fprovide improved means for controlling a gaseous fuel supply system.

A furtherr object of the invention is to apply the hereinbefore described phenomena tot-he determination of the proportions of a combustible gaseous mixture.

The invention consists in a system for supplying gas'eousfluids such as gas and air separately through suitable main conduits to an'y'numberof combustion appliances, in which a supply of gas is governed to preve'ntia predeterminedpressure being exceeded'and a supply of airis provided at a pressurealw'ays in excess thereof, or vice versa, saidsupplies of elastic fluids'being further controlled by a pressure-balancing device to maintain a definite relationship between their, pressures, andjmeans being also provided for compensating for the variations in the quality of the gas by adjustment of the supply to the main conduits of one or both of the fluids. 1

The invention further consists in a system as' above indicated in which a governor onv the gas supply prevents a predetermined pressure'being exceeded and further control of the fluids is effected within very narrow limits by a sensitive pressurebalance having balanced valves actuated by amovable partition member such as a sensitive bell or diaphragmsubjectedon opposite sides to the airand gas'pre's'sures, adjustment'preferably by'means of valve control on the air conduit atthe outlet of the pressure balance being also provided for compensating for variations in the quality of the gas.

The invention further consists in a system'according to one or both of the preceding paragraphs in which the gas and air are combined at theburners of the combustion appliances in substantially the correct proportions rm combustion'by orifices primarily adjusted in accordance witlrthe pressures and not easily afterward disturbed,

. said air and gas being subsequently thoroughly mixed prior to reaching the ignition sions of a flame produced by burning in the under a a small atmosphere, a jet thereof issuing constant moderate pressure from and preferably flared orifice.

The invention further consists in heating on its way to a small orifice a combustible gaseous mixture at a moderate constant pressure to a temperature at which a mixture of the required proportions will burn when issuing into the atmosphere from such an orifice and utilizing observations of the character of the fiames resulting from the combustion under corresponding conditions of mixtures of known proportions to obtain the desired proportions in the mixture under consideration.

T he invention further consists in a device for determining the proportions of the constituents in a combustible gaseous mixture, said device comprising a small orifice for providing a jet of the combustible mixture issuing into the atmosphere, means for heating the mixture if necessary on its way to such orifice, and means for observing the character of the flame produced by combustion of such jet of mixture, under a given pressure.

The invention further consists in a. de vice according to the preceding paragrapl'l in which a jet of mixture issues from a preferably flared orifice at the end of a horizontally disposed tube which may be heated externally if desired, and a horizontal hollowed shielding screen positioned below the flame produced by combustion of said jet is darkened, and may be provided with a pointer, markings, or like means to "facilitate observation oi the flame.

The invention also consists in the improved method of and or means for determining and adjusting the proportions oi the constituents in a combustible gaseous mixture as hereinafter indicated.

Figures 1 and 2 show a more or less diagrammatic plan anrt elevation partially in section of one form of supply system in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 IS a section of one form of mixture .cock with adjustable orifices at the mixing point.

Figs. t and 5 are longitudinal and cross sections of one form of the flame test appliance and Fig. 6 shows a modification of the test appliance.

In carrying one feature of the invention into effect in a convenient form as shown by way oi. example in the drawings, a supply of gas at any convenient pressure in excess of possible requirements is passed from any blower or pressure device 1 through any known floating bell or the like gas governor 2 or other suitable apparatus for governing the pressure of the gas which is so adjusted that some predetermined pressure within the limits of the supply will not be exceeded.

An air, supply is provided by a fan or other means-at "a pressure which will not be lower at any time thanthe governed pressure of the gas. 1

The supplies of the two fluids are passed through a pressure-balancing device 4, preferably oi": the typedescribed in-British Patent Specification No. 110568, in which the movement {of a sensitive hell 4?. or diaphragm or partition subjected upon oppo? site sides to the pressures of the air and gas operates balanced valves t" and 4; controlling the passage of the fluids through the apparatus.

The supply mains 5 and 6 to the system of furnace, lighting or other burners 7 comprising .in the embodiment illustrated an installation. oi": furnaces otthe, type described in American application, Serial No. 137885, lead directly fromthe outlets of the pressure balance 4, and upon one or both of these mains ordinary stop or like adjustment valves 8 and 9 are provided, the adjustment being preferably made upon the tions from both the gas and air mains 5 and 6, the 13101301'131011501' the mlxture be ng ad-' .justed in accordance with the relative pressures oi": the fluids by means of adjustable orifices 10 10 in mixing cocks 10 or the like, as shown in Fig. 3 and the constituents being thoroughly mixed prior to reaching the ignition zone of the burner.

In such a system the gas governor2 is so set that a suitable predetermined gas pres sure shall not be exceeded and the pressure balance 41: is arranged to maintain equal pressures oii, or any desired relationship within the scope of the device between the pressures oi? the two fluids. The burner or mixer orifices 10, 10 are primarily adjusted to pass the desired quauti.tiesfor a correct mixture at the determined pressures and where the greatest niceness of adjustment is required as above at the maximum calorific value of the gas, all of the burner mixers in the system, preferably inchulingthat for a flame, light, or other test burner 11, being adjusted under the same conditions.

lldiere the system comprises lights, one may be lined at a convenient position to act as a guide, or a guide light may be added to any system whiehcomprises only furnaces or other heating appliances. Where, however, the condition of the furnace flame,

via, oxidizing, reducing or neutrah'is of:

importance, a test flame of the type herein indicated is preferably employed at 11. When once the burner orifices 10, 10" have been adjusted they should not be altered by the workman or other persons without authority, further adjustment under working conditions in order to provide for the slight unavoidable variations}; in the quality of the gas being ellected by adjustment oi? the air supply to theentire system by means of a valve or the lilre 9 as hereinbeitore described. When effecting such temporary adjustments the guide lighter other determining means 11 as indicated will preferably be used by the superintending responsible person as an indication in order to establish correct conditions in the mains.

in a complete works in which pieces or apparatus requiring widely different pres sures are installed, such apparatus may be grouped in order to place all those requiring substantially similar pressure conditions under one system of control. A main supply of gasmay be provided at a pressure high enough for the maximum requirements, and the different pressures required in the separate system can be controlled by gas governors positioned at the inlets to the pressure balances of the respective systems. An air supply at the maximum necessary pressure may be taken to all the balances Without "further control, as the pressure oi? one of the constituents entering the pressure balance being correct, the pressure of the other constituent in order to maintain a desired constant relationship will be automatically controlled by the pressure balance itself. lf'the pressures of gas and air in the mains are high enough, all the heating devices can be given greater elasticity by a proportional valve being introduced tothose requiring that elasticity.

. .The burners are preferably iuclosed and so armanged that escape oi. the products of combustion into the atmosphere is at a point below the levelof the combustion zone in order to avoid the suction effect of chimneys or equivalent devices- By this means it is assured that no external air can possibly obtain access to the burner or other i parts of the furnace or combustion appliance to upset the proportions of the 1nixture.

1 ln carrying); the second feature of the invention into eflect inone simple piece of other suitable material and having the greater portion of its ,top open, as shown at '7). i'

Into-one end of the casing a is fastened 'a back-flash extinguishing device preferably ol the'type described in my British )ressure 'a 'e suitable forrecordin moderate pressur and to the otherbranch of which' is. attachedfa stop-cock 9 provided with an extension 72 adapted to receive a rubber tube 'connection 2'.

The end of the back-flash extinguisher 0 projecting within the casing a is' provided with a short length of rubber tubing j into which is lnserted the bu'lbed end of a.

silica glass tube 72 the other end-of which is internally'coned or flared, as shown at Z. Thls' glass tube may conveniently be about three inehes'long andone-eighth bore,

with the flared end opening from one-ei hth to one-quarter diameter in a length of about one-quarter of aninch. V r

liastened tothe opposite end of the easing a and projecting to beneath the flared end of the tube is a shallow trough or shield m'which may conveniently be formed to a semicircle in cross-section, as shown in Fig. This screen is preferably darkened upon its upper surface in order to render the flame more visible and its edge may be provided with suitable markings or other means for determining the length of the flame.

Beneath the tube 73' the casing a may be provided with a pocket a closed by a lid 0 and in which the pressure gage 7' may be inserted when not in use to protect it from injury.

iVhen using the apparatus, the rubber tubei is connected to a furnace or other burneri which is to 'be tested or'it may be connected to *the ontlet'of any mixing appliance inwhich a mixture isliormed from separate supplies of two' constituents such asgas and air maintained at equal or constantlyf related moderate pressures, further adjustment of the pressure at the jet and upon the 3 pressure gage beinge'lfected adjustment of the stop cocks e and g as desired,a pressure of a few tenths of an inch water gage being generally a convenient one with which to operate. The jet of .issuing'mixture is then lighted and the as already described.

"Tothe outlet ofthe backflash extinguisher is fitted a' lengtho'f horizontal pipe 70, say a silicaglas's tube, of about three inches in length and one-sixteenth diameter bore, or other; suitable dimensions, and below this pipe there is provided a spirit lamp Z or other convenient heating device capable of raising the temperature of the mixture passing through the pipe k at a point sulliciently far from the outlet end'to prevent the flame of the lamp interfering with the flame produced at the issuing jet of mixture.

Beneaththe orifice) from which the mixture issues at the end oi? the pipe it is a horizontal hollow or concave shielding screen m, long enough to cover any length of flame producedbythe pressure of mixture employed in the apparatus. This screen maybe darkened and litted at one of its edges with markings.

This screen, in addition to :l acilitating observation of the ilame also acts to shield it against any currents of air coming from beneath andtending to cause undesirable upward deflection oi -the flame.

In operation, mixture at a suitable pressure issupplied to the ajniaratus, the pressure being further adjusted by means ol? the tap untilthe desired reading, say, of a few tenths oi an inch water pressure is obtained on the pressure The spirit lamp or like heating means when used is then'put in'operation and the jet o'l issuing mixture lighted and the propm'tions adjusted until the desired result is attained by observation of the flame, as hereinbeilore indicated.

' By means of thissecond feature of the invention, the proportions of gas and air in the mixture can be easily and rapidly ad- .justed to give either a neutral, reducing or oxidizing llame. Such adjustment being effected by a portable apparatus successively applied at each furnace during the same period that the permanent apparatus is correctly adjusted and operating at the icst point 1.1 of the system. When a change in the quality of the gas shows undesiredioa ditions at the permanent apparatus. a correction is made by adjustment on the mains when the supply to all the furnaces will be simultaneously corrected.

Modifications in the arrangemem: oi the system or in the apparatus and manner ol using the same may be introduced, and automatic means for recording the results added, without in any way departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having now fully described and ascertained my said invention and the manner in which-it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is "1. A system for supplying two gaseous fluids such as gas and air to any number of combustion appliances, comprising in combination a supply of one of said fluids, say for example the gas, governed to prevent a predetermined pressure being exceeded, a sup ply of another fluid, such as air at a pres sure always in excess of said gas, a pressure balancing device by which said supplies are further controlled to maintain a definite relationship between their pressures, and

means for compensating for the variations in the quality of the gas by further adjustment of the controlled supply of one or both oi the fluids.

2. A system for supplying two gaseous fluids such as gas and air to any number of combustion appliances comprising in combination a governor on the gas supply preventinga predetermined pressure being exceeded, a sensitive pressure balance having balanced valves actuated by a movablepartition member such as a sensitive bell or diaphragm subjectedon opposite sides to the static, air and gas pressures to control the relationship otthe pressures of the fluidswithin very narrow limits and valve control means on one of the supply mains at the outlet of the pressure balance "for compensating for variations in the quality of thegas. Y L

3. A system for supplying two gaseous fluids, such as gas and air, to anynumber of combustion appliances comprising in combination a supply of one of said fluids, say for example gas; a gas governor toprevent a predetermined pressure being exceeded, a supply of the other fluid such as air at a pressure always in excesso'f the said gas, a pressure balancing device by which said supplies are further controlled to maintain a definite relationship between their pressures, means for compensating for the variations in the quality'of the gas by .further adjustment of the controlled supply of at least one of the fluids and mixing means having orifices controlled by members not easily afterward disturbed, which are primarily adjusted in accordance with the pressures to give a mixture which is correctly proportioned prior to reaching the ignition zone of the combustion appliances.

4. Asystem for supplying gaseous fuel and air to a number of distributed combustion appliances comprising in combination means for providing a supply of gaseous fuel. at a moderate pressure, means for providing a similar supply of air, means for maintaining a constant relationship between the pressures of said two supplies and a sig' nal light or test flame situated at a convenient station and individually adjusted simultaneously with all the other burners of the system to comply with desired ob served conditions at a given calorific value of the gaseous fuel and a determined ratio between the pressure of the two gaseous fluids, so that upon alteration of the calorific value all the burners may be returned to the desired conditions by adjusting a single bination a governor on the gas supply'pre venting a predetermined pressure being exceeded; a sensitive pressure balancehaving balanced valves actuated by a movable partition member such as a sensitive bell or diaphragm subjected on opposite sides to the static air and gas pressures to control the relationship oi the pressures of the fluids within very narrow limits; valve control means on one of the supply mains at the outlet of the pressure balance for compensating for variations in the quality of the gas and mixing means having orifices controlled members not easily afterward disturbed, which are primarily adjusted in accordance with the pressure to give a mixture which is correctly proportioned prior to reaching the ignition zone of the combustion appliances. e V V 6. A'method of obtaining exactly proportionedmixtures of gaseous constituents such as gas and air adapted for combustion, consisting in providing separate supplies of said constituents at moderate pressuresbean ing a constant relationship to one another, mixing said constituents in proportions regulated by controlling apertures, adjusting the pressure of the resulting mixture to a definite determined value and observing the nature of the flame produced, by burning in the atmospherea jet of the mixture issuing from a small and preferably flared orifice.

7. A method of obtainingexactly proportioned mixtures of gaseousconstituents such as gas and air adapted forcombustion. consisting in providing separate supplies of said constituents at moderate pressures bearing a constant relationship to one another, mixing said constituents in proportions regulated by controlling apertures, adjusting the pressure of the mixture to a definite determined value and observing the nature of the flame produced, by burning under conditions adapted to maintain an issuing jet of the mixture at a temperature sufficient to insure continued combustion in the atmosphere.

SQ A method of obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of gaseous constituents such as gas and air for combustion consisting in providing separate supplies of said constituents at moderate pressures. bearing a constant relationship to one another, mixing said constituents in the proportions regulated by controlling apertures, adjusting the pressure of the mixture notto exceed one inch water gage amt-burning in the atmosphere a et of the mixture issuing irom arsmall orifice of refractory material havnga flared or coned mouth piece.

. 9. In combination apparatus for obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of gaseous constituents such as. gas and air adapted for combustion, means for providing a correctly proportioned supply of mix-i ture at'a moderate pressure, means for omit- I tinga small jet of the mixture into the at- 'mosphere, and means fonmaintaining.said

jet at sucha temperature as to-insure continued combustion. I

10; In combination in apparatus for obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of 7 gaseous-constituents such as gas and. air

' adapted for combustion, means for providinga. correctly proportioned supply of mixture at -a moderate pressure, a small orifice for emitting a jet-0f the mixture into the at mosphere means preferably comprising .a flared mouth piece {to said orifice for main tainingsaid jet at such a temperature as to insure continued combustion and a hollowed V shielding screen positioned closely adjacent the side of said-jet and adapted to facilitate observation thereoff r 11. Incombinationin.apparatus for obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of gaseouslconstituents such as gas. andflair adapted forf combustion,'nieans for .pro- Vi ding a correctly proportioned supply of a 1 mixture ata moderate pressure, a small orifice foremittin a horizontal 'et of the mix- .s l ture nto the atmosphere, means preierably compr smga flared mouth piece to said onfice for maintainin said; 'etat such a temb peratureas to insure continued combustion, a darkened hollow shielding screen positioned"horizontally. below said jet and .,markings orlike'means upon said shleld'to facilitate observationof theflame'.

12. Aemethod of obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of gaseous constituents such (sagas. and air for combustion con- I sistingjin providing:separate supplies .of said constituents under moderate pressure,

mantaining. a constant relationship between the. pressures Of SitMl const tuents bycontrolling said supplies by valve means actuated by a, movable. p artition: subjected upon oppositesidesto the controlled pressures, mixing .saidconstituents in proportions regulatedcontrolling. apertures, adjusting the pressure of the. resulting.. mixture to a definite. determined value, and. observing the maintaining a constant relationship between the pressures of said constituents by controlling said supplies by valve means aetuated by a movable partition subjected upon opposite sides to the controlled pressures, mixing said. constilalents in, proportions regulated by controlling apertures, adjusting the pressures of the mixture, not to exceed one inch water gage, and burning in the atmosphere a jet of the mixture issuing from a small orifice of refractory material having a flared or coned mouth piece.

14. A method of obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of gaseous constituents such as gas and air for combustion consisting in providing separate supplies ol said constituents, governing the pressure of one supply so that the-pressure of the other will under all ordinary conditions of variation be the greater, automatically maintaining a constant relationship between the pressuresof said constituents by exerting a checking or throttling action upon said supplies in conjunction with submitting a movable partition, which actuates the throttles to the modified pressures of said constituents acting upon opposite sides thereof, providing for. further optional control of one of said supplies and applying combustion indicating means to obtain any desired exact proportions ina mixture of said constituents.

'15. A method of obtaining exactlyproportioned mixtures of gaseous constituents such as gas and air for combustion consist ing inproviding separate supplies of said constituents, governing the pressure of one supply so that the pressure of the other will under all ordinary conditions of variation be the greater, automatically maintaining a constant relationship between the pressures of said constituents by exerting a checking or throttling action .upon said supplies in. conjunction with submitting a movable partition which actuatcs the throttles to the modified pressures of said constituents acting upon opposite sides thereof, and providing for further optional. control ofoneof said supplies.

16. A method of obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of gaseous constituents such asgas and air for combustion, consistingin providing separate supplies of said constituents, automatically maintaining a constant relationship between the pressures of said constituents by exertinga checking or throttling. action upon said supplies in conjunction with submittinga movable partition, which actuates the throttles to the modified pressure of said constituents acting upon opposite sides thereof, providing for further optional control of one of said supplies, and applying combustion indicating means to obtain any desired exact pro portions in a mixture of said constituents.

17. A method of obtaining exactly proportioned mixtures of aseous constituents such as gas and air for combustion c0nsisting in providing separate supplies of said constituents, governing the pressure of one supply so that the pressure of the other will under all ordinary conditions of variation be the greater, automatically maintaining a constant relationship between the pressures of said constituents by exerting a checking or throttling action upon said supplies in conjunction with submitting a movable partition to the modified. pressures of said constituents acting upon opposite sides thereof providing for further optional control o'l one of said supplies, applying temporary combustion indicating means to show the character of a mixture consumed in one of any number of furnace or other combustion appliances operating under desired conditions, simultaneously adjusting a mixture to produce like results in a permanent combustion indicating means and subsequently inthe case of variation in the gas supply utilizing the further optional control to restore the desired conditions of combustion from observation of: the permanent indicating means. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALEXANDER CONSTANTINE IONIDIlS, JR.

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