US1431225A - Fuel product and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

Patented Get. 10, 1922.

STATES amaze e curios,

CHARLES JASON GREENSTREET, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUEL PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

No Drawing.

States, residing at Chicago, in the county.

of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel Products and Methods. of Making Same, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a fuel product and a method of making the same and, more particularly, to a fluid fuel composed '-of a liquid fuel and finally divided solid fuel particles suspended therein in asub: stantlally permanent suspension. v

The many advantages in the use of fluid fuels such as their low labor cost in firing,

their freedom from ash, the exact control of the rate at which'they may be supplied and burned and the' exact proportioning of air to fuel which is possible with them and the high efficiency and economy which these features make possible, have made the prospect, of transforming solid fuels into liquid fuels highly attractive and desirable. This is more particularly the case as a large amount of solid fuelis produced in the form of dust, powdered and small dimensioned particles, such as culm, which are difficult to burn on the ordinary types of grates and therefore have little commercial value. Certain fuels, such as lignite, which disintegrates to a powder on exposure to the latmosphere, can not be readily Handled and burned in the solid form are of little use and value;

Attempts have been made to utilize powdered fuels of the above types by simply mixing them with fluid or liquid fuels to serve as a vehicle or carrier and burnirTg the-mixture similarly to a liquid fuel. The densities of these fuels are, however, generally different from those of the liquid fuels which are available, and the solid particles settle out after standing for a short time and form hard cakes. which clog the conduits and passages of fluid fuel burning apparatus. Attempts to reduce the coal particles to a size approaching colloidal dimensions, while offering possibilities in. the way of stability of suspension, are not commercially feasible or practicable since the excessively fine grinding which this requires makes the cost Application'filed May 9, 1922. Serial No. 559,600.

provide a fuel product in which solid fuel particles of a size readily and cheaply ob- A further object of the invention is to provide a, method of forming a substantially permanent suspension of solid fuel particles of above colloidal size in a fluid fuel medium. a

Further objects of the invention are to provide a fuel product in which solid fuel particles are maintained in suspension in a fluid fuel mediumby the emulsification of a suitable fuel-oil and water and a method of maintaining a suspension of such particles in a fluid fuel medium by the emulsi ficationof fuel oil and water and of a method of stabilizing such emulsions 'by' the use of soaps. 1 3

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the fuel product and themethod of making the same described and set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the present invention the solid fuel is reduced by any suitable grinding means available for grinding on a commercial scale, to a sufficient degree of fineness so that the particles may readily pass through the passages of the fuel burning apparatus without danger of clogging. The fuel is preferably ground as fine as is practicable with ordinary commercial methods, s nce the finer the grinding the more easily may the particles be maintained in suspension, but grinding to a degree approaching colloidal dimensions is not necessary. The finely divided solid fuel particles are then uniformly dispersed and suspended in a liquid fuel medium in the quantity desired for the particular purpose in view. To fix or stabilize this suspension the liquid fuel medium is rendered sufiiciently dense and viscous to resist or overcome the tendency of the solid particles to settle out of the liquid under the action of gravity. This stabilization is preferably obtained by 1ncorporating into the liquid fuel a substancewhich increases its density and viscosity such, for example as a liquid or semi-liquid which forms a permanent or substantially permanent emulsion with the oil. A suitable en'iulsifying agent or protective agent may also be added, when necessary to stabilize and maintain the emulsion.

The solid fuel used in forming the fuel product may be any kind which can be reduced to a degree of fineness that it will pass through the burner'apparatus in which the fuel is to be burned. Anthracite and bituminous coals, coal dust, coke, coke dust, lignite, saw dust and other carbonaceous and cellulosic waste products may be mentioned as sources of the solid fuel. If not already in the form of a sufficiently fine powder these materials are pulverized in any of the usual mills or grinding devices used for the production of powered fuels which will provide a powder of the desired degree of fineness. Any mill which grinds to a fineness of about two hundred mesh or finer is usually satisfactory for this purpose. The finer the grinding the more desirable the resulting fuel from many standpoints, but the excessively fine grinding necessary to reduce the solid fuel to colloidal dimensions is not required. Two or more kinds of fuel may be used to produce a fuel having certain desired properties or to utilize waste products which do not give desirable results when used alone or which are not available in sufiicient quantities to provide the required quantity of fuel.

'Any liquid fuel which may be thickened or increased sufliciently in density or viscosity may be used as the liquid fuel medium, The mineral fuel oils which are obtained as the heavy residues in the refining of petroleum or in the cracking of hydrocarbon oils in pressure stills or other cracking processes are especially suited for the present fuel product as they are available in large quantities, have a considerable initial gravity and viscosity and are readily emulsifiable. The heavier grades of Mexican crude petroleums and the residues from the refinin of such oils and from cracking of theii lighter distillates are also very desirable for the present purpose. Fuel oils of a density of about 25 B. or denser have been found very satisfactory as a liquid fuel medium. Certain of the naturally occuring emulsions or bottom settlings whi. 1 are not suitable for refining on account of their water content may be utilized in the present fuel.

Water has been found to be a suitable emulsifying component for oils of this type. The watermay be in the condition of purity in which it occurs or may have added to it certain materials to render its emulsion with the fuel oil more stable. The ground water or surface waters which are produced with certain crude petroleumsare usually suitable.

Other materials may be used in forming the emulsion but when posible water is preferred as the main constituent of the emulsifying constituent because of its cheapness and its property of promoting a smokeless combustion of the fuel.

l/Vhen, under certain conditions, there is a tendency for the emulsion to become unsolution. The soap solution may be used in full strength as the emulsifying constituent or may be added to or diluted with Water as conditions may require or the cost of materials may render desirable.

The fuel is preferably formed by mixing the finely powdered fuel with the fluid fuel medium in a mixing device or in a tank arranged to permit of air agitation or fitted with suitable stirring devices. The emulsifying constituent is then agitated with the solid and liquid fuel mixture to produce the emulsion, a stabilizing agent such as the soap solution being used or added to the Water to assist in forming the emulsion when required. Some or a considerable part of the emulsifying constituent may be present when the solid fuel is being suspended in the liquid fuel medium, particularly when a natural emulsion or bottom settling is being used. The emulsion may be obtained in a thick liquid or paste or may be thickened until it is in "the form of a solid or semi-solid paste or gel which may be sufficiently liquefied when warmed slightly, to be pumped to and through the burner apparatus. When a very heavy fuel oil is used the resulting emulsion with water or a heavy solution the density is increased to materially lessen the action of gravity on the solid fuel particles and assist in maintaining the particles in suspension.

As an example of a specific form of embodiment of the invention thirty-three parts of suitably powdered coal is suspended in one hundred parts of fuel oil of 22 B. gravity by air agitation in a tank. Two parts of soap dissolved in just sufficient water to make a 'elly is then added and the whole further agitated until homogeneous. A fuel oilv of 18 B. was also found to work satisfactorily when emulsified.

The fuel product obtained as above may be used in substantially the same manner as the ordinar types of heavy fuel oils and for substantia ly the same purposes. In addition to utilizing many fuels which are at Of my present wasted it permits of a fuel of any desired quality to be otained and'req'uires less storage space and is more free'from fire dan ers than the ordinary types of fuels.

T is application is a continuation in part co-pending applications Serial No. 274,358 filed January 31, 1919 and Serial No. 312,871 filed July 23, 1919 to the extent of some of the subject matter disclosed in said ap lications and also disclosed herein.

aving described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid fuel product which comprises a liquid fuel and a powdered fuel dispersed throughout said liquid fuel and of a size at which it settles out of said liquid fuel, and said liquid fuel being thickened through emulsification to avoid settling of said powdered fuel. 7

2. A process of making a fuel product which comprises mixing powdered fuel With a fluid fuel said fuel powder being of a size at which it settles from said fluid fuel,

and thickening said fluid fuel to avoid the settling of said powdered fuel.

3. A fuel product which comprises a liquid fuel, solid fuel particles dispersed throughout said liquid fuel and of a size at which they settle out of said liquid fuel, and amaterial of greater density than said liquid fuel emulsified in said. liquid fuel to produce a stiff, heavy medium and t6 avoid settling of said solid particles.

4. A fuel product which comprises a liquid fuel, a powdered fuel dispersed throughout said liquid fuel and of a size at which it settles out of said liquid fuel,

and water emulsified in said liquid fuel, said liquid fuel being thickened through said emulsification to avoid settling of said. powdered fuel.

5. A fuel product which comprises a liquid fuel, a powdered fuel dispersed throughout said liquid fuel and of a size at which it settles out of said liquid fuel, water emulsified in said liquid fuel to thicken said fuel and avoid the settling ofsaid powdered fuel and a material to stabilize said emulsion of water and liquid fuel.

6. A fuel product which comprises a liquid fuel, a powdered fuel dispersed throughout said liquid fuel and of a size at which it settles out of said liquid fuel, and a soap solution emulsified in said liquid fuel to thicken said liquid fuel and avoid the settling of said powdered fuel.

7. A fuel product which comprises a fuel oil of a density of 25 Be. or lower, a

powdered fuel dispersed throughout said oil of a density of 22 B., a powdered fuel dispersed throughout said fuel oil and of a size at which it settles out of said fuel oil,

and Water emulsified in said oil to thicken said oil and avoid the settling of said powdered fuel.

9. A fuel product which comprises approximately 100 parts of fuel oil, approximately 33 parts of powdered fuel dispersed through said fuel oil and of a size at which it settles out of said fuel oil, and approximately 10 parts of water emulsified in said oil, said fuel oil being thickened through said emulsification to avoid settling of said powdered fuel. I

10. A fuel product which comprises approximately 100 parts of fuel oil, approximately 33 parts of powdered fuel dispersed through said fuel oil and of a size at which it settles out of said fuel oil, and approximately '10 parts of soap solution emulsified in said oil, said fuel oil being thickened by said emulsification to avoid settling of said powdered fuel.

11. A fuel product which comprises ap proximately 100 parts of fuel oil, of a gravity of approximately 22 B., approximately 33 parts of powdered fuel dispersed throughout said oil and of a size at which it settles. Out of said fuel oil and approximately 10 parts of water emulsified in said oil, said oil being thickened by said emulsification to avoid settling of said powdered fuel.

12. A process of making a fuel product which comprises mixing powdered fuel with a liquid fuel, said powdered fuel being of a size at which it settles out of said liquid fuel, and thickening said liquid fuel by emulsifying with a thickening agent to 105 maintain said powdered fuel suspended in said li uid fuel.

13. method of forming a fuel product which comprises suspending a powdered solid fuel in a liquid fuel by gaseous agi- 110 tation, said powdered fuel being of a SlZe at which it settles from said liquid fuel, and thickening said liquid fuel by emulsification with water.

14:. A method of forming a fuel product 115 which comprises suspending a powdered fuel in a liquid fuel by gaseous agitation, said powdered fuel being of a size at which it settles from said liquid fuel, and thick ening said liquid fuel with water and soap as an emulsion stabilizer.

15. A method of forming a fuel product which comprises mixing and suspending a powdered fuel, said powdered fuel being of a size at Which it settles from said liquid 25 cluding a heavy liquid, a lighter liquid fuel relatively immiscible in said liquid and suspending a finely divided solid fuel in said liquid mixture, the particles of said solid fuel being of a sizeat which they settle from said liquid fuel and the consistency of the resulting liquid mixture being such as to prevent substantial settling and separation of said particles from said liquid.

17. A fuel product which comprises a fluid fuel, a liquidto render the consistency of the mixture such as to receive and hold a solid fuel in substantially permanent suspension and a powdered fuel of a size Which Will not readily mix and remain suspended in said fluid fuel, said powdered fuel dispersed throughout said fluid fuel.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

CHARLES JASON GREENSTREET.