US1456057A - Fuel economizer - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l v w. G. ciRlFFlN FUEL EGONOMIZER med Dec, 21. 1921 AMay 2z, 1923;

INVENTOR.

kToRzx/EY.

May. 22, 1923. A I 1,456,057

` v' W.. G. GRIFFIN FUEL ouomlzzx v Filed nec. 21. 1921 f l 2 sheets-s119632 By n Y QA d@RA/EY.

./W //INVEN TOR.

Patented May 22, i923,

aufn srars i lg? r' site,

FUEL ECONOMIZER.

Application filed December 21, 1921.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM Gr. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel Economizers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in fuel economizers, and has particular reference to those devices of the type that are adapted especially for application to the smoke stack or other exhaust conduit from Vthe furnace and are designed to convert the unburnt products of combustion passing through the exhaust conduit into a combustible fuel and returning the same to the fire-box of the furnace where it is ignited and consumed. I

lWhile it has heretofore been proposed, and in some instances carried into practice, to make available for combustion 1n the lire-box of the furnace those unburnt prodto introduce to the fire-box the mixed air and unburnt products of combustion in sufiicient quantities to achieve the consumption. of the escaping products to the extent that is possible by the present invention.

It is therefore the object of this invention to make possible the utilization of the heat-producing properties of coal and other fuel by means of a method and construction, whereby l'iighly heated air is brought into contact with the hot gases at a point after they leave the combustion chamber. and in a manner to form a readily combustible mixture that will be drawn down into the furnace and burned. `While I am aware that it is not new to introduce air into these uprising gases, the introduced air heretofore used has been of thetemperature of the atmosphere and cools the gases and thus Serial No. 523,907.

defeats the intended purpose, which must be accomplished very quickly.

It is also an object of this invention to chamber by the return draft therein caused by the rarefaction of the gases in the combustion chamber.

A further object of the invention is to e'ect a greater admixture of air with 'the gases than otherwise would be possible, by causing the draft of the uprising gases from the furnace to divide and each divided draft to pass through an expanding and air-mixing chamber in order that increasing facilities may be provided for greater air introduction and more thorough mixing thereof with the products of combustion and the production of maximum results.

Another object of the invention is to relate the air inductor and the gaseous inductor to each other in such manner that the amount of air drawn into the drum will be determined by the density of the products escaping from the furnace, and will therefore at all times and under all conditions be that amount which will most efficiently support the combustion of these products which are returned to the fire-box of the furnace.

One feature of the invention resides in the method of improved combustion which consists in introducing highly heated air into the uprising unburnt products of combustion and causing the mixture of air and unburnt products of combustion to be introduced into the furnace, preferably through a return draft traveling through the uprising gases, whereby the same are drawn back for combustion with the requisite oxygen to support the same.

The apparatus for practicing the above method consists broadly in a casing or chamber to yform an intermediate portion of the exhaust conduit ofa furnace having one or more 'enlargedsection's lto ex-pandthe gases and smoke passing therethrough and 5 provided with air passages leading into the economizer which includesy asthe .essential central portion.v ofy the .-casingf and means:

for heating Athe air before it is ldrawn into the casing.

.The invention further consists 1n a fuel elements of construction a body casing to form anV expansion Ichamberadapted to `be interposed in theexhaust conduitfoflthe furnace,l a plurality of air openings through which' fresh air vmay enter the casing, a mirn drawing off `from the productsescapingfromy the furnace through the conduitthose oxy-l "carbongases and kpure carbon particles `which ing chamber which is segregated from` thev "interior'of the casing, a' means for.` directing the-'air enteringl the opening'm the mixing' chamber, andla means for" coincidentally will, when combined with air, produce a mixture of f relatively -liigh combustibility y and-of relatively high combustiontempera-g ture, so that the `amo-unt of 'heat vrescued Ifromwhat otherwise' would be waste prodg ucts, Iwill be of maximum extent.

-The inventionialso'consists in other novell 30 features of arrangementand-construction ofl parts allras hereinafter described, and as specifically pointed l' out yfin the a appended' claims.vr l

Aln the .accompanying drawings yfa lpreferrediform ofndu'al construction, in

which view `oneof thev duplicate air and gas inductorsv -is-shown in full line yFigure 2 atop orv plan view ofthe device;

Figure 3 a ybottom view thereof; and V Figure 4L a detail showing a top view vof one ofzthefhoops constituting a part 'of the gaisinducting means andshowiig the supportingl i 45 spider therefor.

Referringto thejdrawingsfor aidetailed descriptionth'ereof, 10 :indicates a casing preferably"constructedof sheet metal and de-i signedto be Finterposed in thesmoke rpipe or exhaustconduit of-afurnacm'and to fornr Va chamber. thatfzconstitutes'apartof the draft vpassageway and into which the uprising products of combustion exitingthrough the conduit must enter -andybe enpandechandy for the lpurpose: ofwconlnectmg ltr-up inthe con; f

duit,\ it: i is formed Y' withl y centrah flanged vfiopeningf11lat the furnace fendftowreceive and makea unionwviththe sectionifof pipe 12 leading directly lfromthe furnace, or if de sired; .the union can be' madedirect-ly with thelflanged pipe provided on' furnaces forthe `Figure 1 isf-alongitudinal sectional view r of the fuel economrzer, showing the same inr which completes the same to a chimney or stack. ln the vpreferred form shown, in which a double form ofthedeviceispresent, a double elbow 14E forms the means ofdividing thedraft passage and permits the ap plication. ofthe-invention separately to each draft to further amplify the economic resultsinyapplying the principles of the invention, which are present and complete in each part and may be practicedwith but one of the. duplica-te parts connected up 'Vsingy in the exhaust conduit. Forthe purpose `of the dual' form shown, the'double elbow l-nnites i the 'divided draftjpassing through the sections 16 and 17- which fornr the connections between the double elbow, and permits theV united draft to continuethrou'glrthe :remain-v ing portion of the exhaust conduit.

tThe sections 16 andv 17y each includes? an expansion chamber l1 8 of larger crosssection than the exhaust conduit,- and which-` at its 'endsis commensurate witheach opening 19 of thedouble elbow 14:` and'` forms atene end a juncture with the :saidl ielbow'This e);-` pansion chamber 18 is outwardlyliared to an intermediate point .thereofrand''then` contractedto receive a short'waist section-20,

the chamber 21, having a: co'nical'top 22n and 4- base portion`22b of inverted frusto-conical form and in. open-relation at its flower end with the chamber 21. "From the baseportion of the chamber 22 air ducts 423 extend into open relation with the airon the exterior of preferably of the cross sectional size of the 1 the chamber 21,'the'1piping forming'ithese ducts extendingthroughl the/sides y2 l and being hanged down on theexterior'thereof,

so that the 'air entering the openings will beV solely directed into the interior'chamber 22. ln order that' they air entering theuchamber 22 may be heated `to a temperature 'that `will permit it to readily mix: with thegases and unburnt products of'combustion,` there :is

rounds the'sections 16 and 171as made up of the parts yconstitutingit;which drum is pro-L vided with openings 242% at :the bottom there- 'of :to permit the entrancepf air, which as` indicated by the arrows,4 isfheatedf it risesf-feXhausticonduit; vOnlthe opposit'efory topto-th'e upper part ofi-the interior ofthe end the lcasing-is provided withI a flanged 'enit` opening 13 to: make aunionwvith f that portion beingfof suchY aI degree 'of temperature. as yto 65 of ftlieconduit or -smoke pipe (notf shown A)"Hreadilyr mix with the products ofcombustioni drum `where it. is drawn intoV the chamber 22 I As a further kmeans of inducing heated air into the chamber 22, atube 25 is centrally disposed longitudinally through the casing or section (16 and 17) and through the elbow 1a, the same extending through and bein@ supported at its lower end on a cap 26 closing a side opening 2T to permit ready removal of the tube with its associated parts for cleaning'7 the tube being secured to the cap 26 by nutsVV 28 land 29, andy being removably centered in a spider 30 secured within the air chamber 22 so that with the removal of the cap 26 the tube will be withdrawn from the central opening of the spider support.

At this point it should be explainedtliat the products of combustion. entering the exhaust conduit in their outward passage travel along the walls' of the conduit, there being a. tendency to hugv the Wall, leaving along the axial path of the' conduit a rei turn current. This condition is due` mainly to the rarefactio-n of the air and gases within the furnace, which rarefaction is making a I from the hub portion and secured at theii` ,lemand always for more air, and this air which `seeks entrance alo-ng an axial path within the conduit forms a part of the returning current." In the' present invention this condition is taken into consideration and is 'augmented by the expansion given the gases in the present device, the effect of the expansion starting in the elbow'section 1e and further taking place in expansion'chambers 18 acts, not only as a retardent to the outgoing'current by rarecation, butrincreases the return current so that the air introduced into and along the axial path by the air inductor assists materially in building up this return current especially in that the air is heated so that'itwill unite with the outgoing gases and much'of `the unburnt products of combustion returned and consumed.

As a means to give a nozzle eifect within the device of the induced air and at the same tiiue induce the gases along a considerable path therein to mix with the heated air'and become part of this return current, there has been provided a nozzle structurel that is built up of a multiplicity of frusto-conical.

hoops 31 horizontally supported upon the heated air tube 25 with the flare thereof upward, so that each hoop will extend well within the iiext adjacent lower hoop and leave the sides of adjacent hoops spaced apart tofoi'm the `-eas-inducing openings 82 through which the unburnt'products of coinbustion are drawn, these hoops being also spaced apart from the tube 25 to form a lnozzle passage or mixing chamber 33 surrounding' the said. tube for the heated air from chamber 22 and the indrawn gases through the opening 32 to thoroughly commingle and be carried along the axial path of the device and exhaust conduit into the combustion chamber of the furnace. 'it will be vnoticed that the mixing chamber or nozzle formed by the series of flanged hoops 31 is arranged to receive the heated air from the air inductor chamber 22, the discharge opening of that chamber being within the initial or top hoop, and tha-tfthis mixing chamber or nozzle-extends axially Withthe expansion casing and Well Within the ex-y pansion chamber V18, so that the current of the products of combustion which will be more or less retarded at this point of great-A est expansion as Well as raretied, assists in causing the unburnt or more volatile products to seek the return current through vthe gas inductor openings, the surface of the lia-red walls of the. gas inductorhoops tending also to arrest the outward current and deflect it downward'and inward.

As a means of supporting the flared hoops 31 of the inductor nozzle, a spider 34 is 'v employed which consists of a hub portion 34j* to receive the tube 25 and clamp 'thetube therein, and arms or spokes extending ends to the hoop, the hub and arms being formed preferably as shown in Figure 4 in which four strips of sheet metal are so bent and united as to form a simple and inexpensive Spider construction for the purpose.

From the foregoing it will be seen thatv the present device has not ymerely proceeded on the principle that atmospheric'air may be let intoV the exhaust conduit at a point where the same is expanded to promote fuel consumption in some part, but that the in! vention has sought n a very substantial vway to extend this principle so that a very considerable quantity of air Will not o-nlyfbe properly combined with the escaping products of combustion but delivered with theA troduced atmospheric air does not take place quickly enough to effect thorough commingling of air and gas to secure the-benetit present when heated'air'is introduced andv is objectionable in that it lowers the ignition point of the gases. Further the presence of the axial `return current is 'made This result has proceeded, as

use of when cold 'air is introduced only slightly. if at all, and must be au'ip'litied as it .is in the present invention by thebo-osting` cui-rent of heated air and the counteracting of the outward bound current which is retarded by the general expansion of the gases and whichare given a further expan sion and retardation in the expansion chainber 18q where the conditions are present for the induction of the unburnt productsintothe fproducts fof,.,cornbustion, means con-L tained Within the f :chamber for V supplying freshair in .combustionfsupporting quanti. tiesto `,tha-products of vcombustion exiting.` ,15: through @the conduit, 1 said Vrmeans being further adapted ,to initiate la return curreht'of, such mixture Ythrough *.the conduit totheifurnacealonga path axially yrelated to the conduit.

;` 2*.The.combinationwvith the exhaust con-l duitrof a furnacey ofuan yexpansion ychain ber forminga -partthereof forgthe passage ofi ythe products of,- combustion, ,means contained Withinf'the 'chamber for. supplying fresh,4 air ,in combustionfsupporting quantities to the lproductsofscombustion exiting through "the conduit, saidmmeans being i further adaptedrto strengthen aretufrn cur-A rent present` along -afpath axially krelated 30.1fto, 'the conduitxfdue! to rarefaction Aof air Within the combustion chamber and induce the mixing `with, thel air i and` return to.,y the furnace7 of y a.; substantial `portion of ,the products of combustion exiting through the ficonduit.y l

The f combination With the exhaust con- 'duit of a' furnace, of an .expansion chamber A forming avpartthereof fonfthe productsof combustion, means contained `Withinrthe 40# chamber forsupplying'fresh air in combustionfsuppo'rtingj quantities L and means 'i for heatingthe air before :it isfintroduced into saidair,supplyingmeans.

- 4.' The combination With .the exhaust con-' 4'5 -\duit of ,av furnace, ofan expansion cha1nber forming a part thereoff for thepassage of'the `products of'combustion, means Withinuthefexpansionchamber for directinga Y current-ofy air-therein in a direction oppo- 5Qsitei to the normal exiting draft Ithereof,

and means exterior to said conduit forv heating'fthe air introduced therein.

5l" The combination with the exhaust con-r duit. of af' furnace, of an; expansion chamh-bery forming apart ythereof lfor they pas-v sageoflthe,products of combustion, means Withinlthe expansion rchamber for heating'. and-,directing'aicurrent of air-therein lin ak direction opposite `to the normal exitingv draftizthereoL-andumeans exterior to saidv v conduit for `preheating the air before ity is admitted toi-the heater-` ,withinthe conduit. 6;:The combination Withthe exhaust con-k duit; of au furnace, of any expansion chamerabertformingfa partthereoffor the lpassage the pro-ducts' of'.l combustion,.- andanl air in` vber for theproducts ofC0Irlloustion,y an air the ,conduit-from the normal. path andfto of Vthe products of y.combustion,A ajchamber. Within the expansion chamber for heating and ,discharging air therein, means for:

r'furnishing,preheatedair to said heating chamber disposedvvithin ythe conduit, and 7.0A furtherfmeans for furnishing preheated air tetheI heating chamber.l from a source exterior tothe conduit. w

7.v The .method of imprpving the ICQ-mtas; n

tion offuels, which consistsin yexpanding 75 ucts of combustion .to enter the `furnace throughl the. said conduit and be consumed.

8;; Thezmethodfof improving the combusf tion of fuels, Whichconsistsin expandingA 85` the productsfof combustionv Whileexiting n through the exhaust, conduit ofwa furnace, introducingv into; the said yexp anded -fproduct heated. air, that/has received .its heat ybefore itis conducted within said conduit, further heating. said air Within.k the conduit by the heat from the products of ycombustion and before its commingling therewith, and causf ingthe mixturenof heated air and products` ofcombustion .to enter-the.furnace-*through the'said conduit andlxbe consumed; i i

9. .The 5 combination `with. the exhaust .conduit `of a--fui`nace,\ofan expansionchamber forming ag part "thereof for the passage of 10o duotor disposedthereon extendingina di,-

`rection opposite to Vthe anormal vdraft of the conduitgaand having a `discharge opening'at its linnernfend,. :said inductor. having slde p openings for'theinduction `into the inductor. of the surrounding products of combustion.

'10. TheV combination with ofthe.,V exhaust conduit-of a furnace, of an expansionvchaminductor open `tofthe atmosphere for supplying a current of fresh air to .the `chamber, and a'coaoting inductor disposedQto ef- A i feet adeflectionof a substantial portion of theprod'ucts of,combustion.passingthrough i' conveythem tothe pathofthe air 'current immediately adjacent to-the exit'of the air;

inductor. i, 'f

11: The l combination .With the ,A exhaust l conduit of a furnace, of an expansion fcham-l ber;y for the products of' combustion, vkan air .inductor communicating ivithfthe atmos, phere for .supplying acurrent of .fresh air, to the chambera gas inductor coacting with the Y air 'inductor and disposed to effect the 4. deflection of a portionof the gaseous products passingqthrough the A,con duitfrom theirv normal path tothe path of, air icurrent exit-fing .from theairinductor. ,K j

12. The `colnb,inationj with4 the vexhaust retener conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an inductor communicating with the atmosphere for supplying a current of fresh air to the chamber, a gas inductor coacting With the air inductor and disposed to effect the deflection of a portion of the gaseous products passing through the conduit from their normal path to the path of air current exit-- ing from the air inductor, the deflection of gaseous products from their normal path, their conveyance to the path of the air current attained by means of an induced current set up in the gas inductor in response to the exit of the air current from the air inductor into the gas inductor.

13. The combination With the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an inductor communicating With the atmosphere for supplying` a current of fresh air to the chamber, a gas inductor coacting with the air inductor and disposed to effect the deflection of a portion of the gaseous products passing through the conduit from their normal path to the path of air current exiting from the air inductor, and a mixing chamber located at the point when the said deflected products of combustion enter the path of the air current.

14. rlhe combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an air inductor communicating` With the atmosphere, and a coacting gas inductor, concentrically disposed with respect to the air inductor.

15. The combination With the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion cham-A ber for the products of combustion, an air inductor communicating with the atmosphere, and a coacting gas inductor, concentrically disposed With respect to the air inductor and partially enveloping the air inductor.

16. The combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an air inductor communicating with the atmosphere, and a coacting gas injector concentrically disposed with respect to the air inductor and surrunding the inner end of the air inductor.

17. rlhe combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an air inductor communicating with the atmosphere, and a coacting gas injector concentrically disposed With respect to the air inductor and surrounding the exit mouth of the air inductor. f

18. The combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an air inductor axially disposed therein, anda gas inductor concentrically disposed v1with re-y spect to the air inductor and surrounding the inner end thereof.

19. The combination with the exhaust con` duit of a furnace, of an expansionvchamber for the products oficombustioman air inductor axiallyy Idisposed within the chamber, a series of annular exhaust passages for conducting products of combustion from the chamber, and a gas inductor.

20. The combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber for the products of combustion, an air inductor, axially disposed Within the chamber, and means for forming a series of exhaust passages for conducting products of combustion from the chamber, said series of passages, being concentrically disposed With respectto the inductor.

2l. The combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber forming a part thereof for the expansion of the products of combustion, means for inducting heated air into the chamber along an axial path therein, and means for indue ing the products of combustion to be drawn into the induced a-ir along said axial path, whereby the mixture is returned to the furnace through the conduit for consumption.

22. The combination With the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber forming a part thereof for the expansion of the products. of combustion, means for inducting air into the chamber along an axial path therein, and a gas inducing nozzle coacting with the air inducting means, said nozzle having openings along its length for inducing the products of combustion therein and directing the mixture intothe furnace through the conduit.

23. The combination with the'exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber forming a part thereof, means Within the chamber for inducing air therein, means for directing the induced air along an axial path therein, said means comprising a series of flared hoops arranged to extend in spaced relation one With the other to deflect the outgoing products of combustion Within the hoops to mix With the induced air and direct the mixture to the lire-box of the furnace along the return path of the conduit'.

24. The combination with the exhaust conduit of a furnace, of an expansion chamber comprising a portion in Which the maximum expansion of the products of combustion is present, means for inducing a current of air to said maximum expansion portionin opposite directions to the exiting' current and along the axial path of the chamber, and means for inducing 'the expanded and retarded products to be drawn into the axial current and mixed with the air and returned by said current to the furnace.

25. Thel combination With the exhaust con-

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