US1815285A - Fuel gas distributing system for coke ovens - Google Patents

Description

July 21, 1931. J, BECKER 1,815,285

FUEL GAS DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM FOR COKE OVENS Filed Oct. 11, 1927 v 4 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOYR WGwQ ATTORNEYS July 21, 1931. J. BECKER FUEL GAS DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM FOR COKE OVENS Filed 001;. 11, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR I BY 0 2 l IZATTORNEYS July 21, 1931. J BECKER 1,815,285

FUEL GAS DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM FOR COKE OVENS Filed Oct. 11, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheer. 3

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH BECKER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 KOPPERS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FUEL GAS DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM FOR COKE OVENS Application filed Qetober 11, 1927. Serial No. 225,451.

My invention comprehends improvements of .general utility in the heat treating artin which combustible gas is supplied to heating walls, and in its more specific aspects, relates to improvements in the distribution of combustible gases of different heating characteristics to the flued walls of coke ovens, or the like, exemplified for instance in the patent to Koppersl,026,169, dated May 14, 1912, or the patent to Becker- 1,374,546, dated April 12, 1921. More particularly my invention relates to certain modifications of the systems disclosed in my former Patent 1,623,460, dated April 5, 1927, and 11!? application Serial Number 33,811, filed ay 29, 1925, now Patent No. 1,704,239, of which later patent the present application is a continuation in part, and comprehends means whereby preheated gases or unpreheated gases or mixtures of such gases may, at will,-be efiiciently supplied to the heating Walls.

In the operation of by-product coke ovens it is a common practice to employ the distillation gases from the coke oven for heating the oven walls. However, this gas has a high B. t. u. value and is in great commercial demand for other purposes, and since, as is well known, available blast furnace gas, producer gas, blue gas, carbureted water gas, or other leaner gases can be used as substitutes for coke oven gas in the heating of the ovens,

. it is frequently desirable to employ one of oven gas.

the latter to conserve the more valuable coke Blast furnace and producer gas have a heating value from 100 to 135 B. t. u.s and blue gas of about 290 B. t. u.s, while coke oven gas has a heating value of 550 B. t. u.s, and upwards. Producer and blast furnace gas have a large content of inerts and therefore when employed to heat the oven walls must be pre-heated. On the other handcoke oven and blue gas contain practically no inerts and are therefore not pre-heated.

It has heretofore been a common practice to introduce the unpreheated gases through horizontal supply ducts located in the top of the regenerator division walls, said supply ducts being directly connected to the fines of the heating walls by vertical connecting ducts. Sincethe gas passes from the main through the horizontal ducts at an appreciable velocity it becomes necessary to compensate for the velocity effect to obtain uniform distribution of the gas to the several flues. Moreover, as thus located, the horizontal supply duct lies in a region of intense heat so that the gas introduced therein from the main exteriorly of the brickwork becomes more highly heated as it passes along the duct and its density accordingly decreases from the point of intake to the end of the duct. These factors necessitate the graduation of the nozzles located in the vertical ducts to effect the supply of a substantially uniform quantity of gas to each successive flue. The proper graduation and setting of these nozzles is a very tedious and costly operation, rendered still more so by the fact that after use the nozzles become burnt in making them difiicult to remove and liable to damage during removal.

All of these difficulties I overcome by locating the supply ducts for the several gases of different character, which do. not require preheating, exteriorly of the oven brickwork and advantageously in a tunnel beneath and lengthwise of the pillar or division walls which separate the regenerators, said supply ducts being connected through controlling and regulating means to the fines of the corresponding heating walls by ducts passing through the pillar or division walls, the latter ducts preferably being of a cross-sectional area suliicient for the leaner gas.

In one of the specific forms of my invention herein disclosed are provided two supply ducts directly connected to the fiued heating walls through vertical ducts individualto the respective combustion flues, the flow from each supply duct to each vertical duct being.

of another character, or the fiues, walls, or groups may be variously operated on a regulated mixture of the ases. Great flexibility of operation is there ore provided and economy of operation as well as close regulation of heating conditions rendered possible.

My system substantially eliminates the danger of fluxing the heating flues by irregular fuel gas distribution. Since the pillar walls are cool at their base, becoming hot at their tops, the temperature of the gas in the supply ducts is substantially uniform throughout and the temperature in the vertical ducts between the same and the combustion flues varies substantially uniformly in each from bottom to top and therefore gas of substantially uniform temperature is supplied by each to said flues. Hence variation of temperature and pressure existing in prior gas distributing systems are eliminated in my system, thus obviating the necessity for special regulation therefor by means of graduated nozzles, resulting in a material simplification of construction and operation.

' While the system thus far described is of general utility, it is of special advantage when employed in a battery having oven chambers whose opposite walls are provided with flues communicably connected across said chambers b a plurality of connecting ducts, as in the hecker type of oven herein disclosed, for in the latter case, the uniformity of the temperature and pressure of the gases issuing from the flues of one wall is maintained and the gases are passed across to the flues of the opposite wall and through the same, the uniformity of temperature and pressure of the gases at corresponding points in their paths being preserved throughout.

As an alterative construction I may provide the foregoing system with gas pressure equalizing channels-into which the vertical ducts port, said channels being preferably located in the tops of the pillar or division walls or in the brickwork below the heating walls, said channels being connected through a plurality of preferably vertical ducts provided with refractory nozzles with the respective flues of the heating walls. By this construction, should any irregularity in flow occur in any of the vertical connecting ducts below the equalizing channels, it would not materially affect the uniformity of pressure at the nozzles supplying the respective flues since the vertical ducts not so affected would compensate for the variation through the equalizing channel.

As a further important feature of my invention I extend the equalizing channels at one end through to the outside of the brickwork in order that they may be accessible for cleaning and also in order that atmospheric air may be passed therethrough to burn out carbon and tarry or other deposits from the gas frequently occurring in regions of high temperature. This air being introduced at low pressure has no tendency to be forced back into the fuel gas supply through leaka cocks or by reason of other mechanical failures or faulty operation, thereby giving rise to dangerous mixtures, as is possible when the air is forced in from the bottom under pressure through the supply duct and small metallic orifices designed for pressure operation. I may locate the equalizing channel in a region so selected that ordinarily there will be no tendency for carbon or tarry deposits to form below it thus obviating the necessity of cleaning the small metallic orifices below. I may, however, introduce the air from the bottom through said orifices in the usual manner if desired.

I have shown the air supplied to undivided regenerators through channels in their soles, which, upon reversal, are employed to convey the waste gases therefrom, although the air might be introduced through individual ducts and sectional regenerators. The most satisfactory results, however, are obtained by the introduction of the air in the former manner, due to the fact that the convection currents produced within the undivided regenerator chambers between the gases at different temperatures therein cause rapid diffusion so that both the air and, on reversal, the waste gases within such regenerator chambers quickly acquire a uniform temperature and pressure throughout, resulting in perfect equalization. The complication of structure and cost of installation of the less efiicient individual ducts or channels and sectional regenerators without attendant advantages, therefore, render such construction, from an engineering point of view, unwarranted.

In addition to the general features and ob jects of the invention above recited, the invention has such other improvements or advantages in construction and operation as are found to obtain in the structures and devices hereinafter described or claimed. In the accompan ing drawings, formin a part of this speci cation, and showing or purposes of exemplification, a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section transversely of the battery through a heating wall on the line 1-1 of Fi 2, showing one form of my invention provi ed with gas equalizing channels,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the battery, the section 2-2 being taken on the line 22, and the section 2' being taken on the line Fig. 3 is a vertical crossse'ction transversely of the battery through a heating wall taken The same characters of reference indicate the same parts in each of the several views of the drawings: Y

My invention is herein disclosed as applied to the Becker type of oven, in which it has special utility, as herein elsewhere more particularly set forth, but it is obvious that it is of general application and utility as applied to other types of ovens, such for instance, as the well known Koppers type and others.

Referring to the drawings there are illustrated a plurality of crosswise elongated heating walls 11 and a plurality of crosswise elongated vertical coking chambers 12 supported by heavy supporting or pillar walls 13 which extend crosswise of the battery and are located as shown in Fig. 2 beneath the respective heating walls 11. These pillar walls, together with other walls, collectively form the main support for the entire superstructure of the oven battery and are themselves supported upon a flat pad or platform 14, which inturn rests upon supporting walls 15 provided with doors 16 by means of which access to the tunnels formed by these walls .below the oven may be had. These tunnels are further provided with ventilation spaces 19. The heating walls 11 are each provided with a plurality of combustion flues 17 connected in the usual manner by the ducts 23 to the regenerators 18 which are located between the pillar walls 13 and intermediate supporting walls 22. These regenerators are adapted to preheat the air of combustion when an unpreheated combustible gas is employed, or to preheat both the air and the combustible gas, respectively, when a gas which requires preheating is employed. A main P for supplying the latter gas is shown connected to the regenerator system in the conventional manner. Each flame flue 17 of each heating wall has at its top a port or opening 24 leading to a bus flue 25 formed in the heating wall, there being shown in the present instance two of such horizontal flues positioned end to end with respect to each other, one on eachside of the median line L of the battery. Each of these bus flues is connected with the corresponding bus flue in the wall on the opposite side of the oven chamber by means ofa plurality of passageways 26. I have shown three such passageways connected to each horizontal flue 25, although it is obvious that any number from one up to the number of heating flues feeding into the horizontal flue may be em ployed, the horizontal flue in the last case being dispensed with.

As shown herein, the regenerators H and G, respectively, on opposite sides of a pillar wall 13c0nstitute a pair connected by ducts 23 to flues 17 of the corresponding heating wall 11 and when operating on a gas which requires.

preheating, e. g. producer gas, a regenerator of one of these pairs preheats and delivers the gas to said flues while its mate delivers preheated air thereto, combustion taking place within the flues and the products of combustion passing from the top of the flues through the cross-over ducts 26, down the flues 17 in the heating wall 11 on the opposite side of the oven and from thence by way of the ducts 23 through the next adjacent pair of regenerators H, G, which at this stage serve as waste heat regenerators. Upon reversal of the battery the latter pair of regencrators serve to preheat the air and gas respectively while the former pair serve as waste heat regenerators, all as set forth more at length in my former Patent 1,374,546, supra, or in my pending application Ser. N 0. 705,556 filed April 10, 1924.

Extending from each side of the battery and crosswise of the same, through the openings 19 and along the tops of the tunnels and beneath t-he respective pillar walls 13, on each side of the central line L of the battery, are gas supply channels or ducts for supplying gas which does not require preheating, for ex ample, coke oven gas to the several flame flues of each heating wall when the oven is operated on such gas, the supply ductson one side of the battery being shown at 27. These supply ducts are fed in turn from gas mains M by appropriate connections, flow through which may be controlled by the valve or cook m. As an important feature of my present "invention I provide a second, set of supply ing gas of different heating characteristics which does not require preheating, e. g. water gas, to the several flame flucs when it is desired to operate them on such other gas. These supply ducts are fed by appropriate connections from second gas mains N, flow from which is appropriately controlled by valves or cocks n. The supply mains and ducts for the respective unpreheated gases may be conveniently arranged, as shown, in close parallel relationship, the ducts 27 and 29 being provided at, a plurality ofspaced points, conveniently in vertical alignment with the respective fines, with branch connections 3132 respectively to a common orifice 33 in vertical alignment with ducts 34 extending vertically through the pillar walls and in turn terminating in equalizing channels 35. The equalizing channels 36 on the opposite side of the median line L of the battery may be connected in a similar manner to sourcesof gas supply located on that side. Ducts 37 provided at their ends with the usual refractory nozzles 38 lead from the eq lalizii g channels into the bottom of each combustion flue 17. In the branches 31-32 are located respectively the valves or cocks 3940 which are easily accessible through the tunnels and may be conveniently set to regulate the flow to each heating flue.

By employing a plurality of vertical ducts 34 corresponding in number and each individual to the respective heating flues I am able to effect a very eflicient distribution of the gas and am thus able to regulate the temperatures and pressures at different points in the heating walls according to the particular needs, and obtain very uniform heating conditions throughout. The equalizing channels for the most part do not serve to convey the gas to the heating flues but serve essentially as balancers or equalizers, and in case the flow through any particular vertical duct 34 should be obstructed they serve to convey from the other duct-s a supply of gas for the heating flue which would otherwise be deprived of its portion. If desired, in fact, the number of vertical connecting flues could be materially reduced and arranged in the manner disclosed in my prior application 33,811 referred to above. It will be obvious that the respective connecting ducts 34 pass through regions having corresponding temperature characteristics, being cooler at the bottom and hotter at the top, and since the flow into each duct may be separately regulated the gases issuing from the respective connecting ducts may be made to have substantially uniform temperatures and pressures.

In operating the battery on coke oven gas the latter is fed from the mains M to the gas supply ducts 27 on one side of the battery and to similar ducts (not shown) on the other side of the battery and from these ducts and through the valves or cocks 39, adjusted to give the gas distribution desired, then upwardly through the connecting ducts 34 to the equalizer channels 3536, then upwardly through the nozzles 38 also graduated for the flow distribution desired and ducts 37 to the combustion flues 17 of the inflow walls where it combines with the air supplied to the combustion flues from the regenerators in the usual manner, as disclosed for instance in my prior Patent No. 1,374,546 or my pending application No. 705,556, supra, the products of combustion passing from the tops of the flues 17 through the ports 24 into the horizontal flues 25 and thence through the crossover passageways '26 to the flues of the outflow walls on the opposite sides of the respective chambers and thence downwardly through said flues and out through the waste gas regenerators to the waste heat flues 'F, the uniformity 1 f temperatures and pressures of the gases at corresponding points in their paths being preserved throughout.

When it is desired to operate on other unpreheated gas, e. g. water gas, the coke oven gas connections are cut off at m and the water gas supply from the main N connected to the supply ducts 29 and 30 by opening the valve n, the flow being thence through the valves 40 adjusted to give thedesired distribution of water gas, the operation otherwise being substantially as set forth for coke oven gas.

It is obvious that, if desired, either as a matter of economy or for the purpose of obtaining a better heat distribution certain of the flues may be supplied from the coke oven gas mains and others from the water gas mains, or certain of the walls may be supplied with coke oven gas and others with water gas, or groups of said flues or walls may be similarly supplied. It is also obvious that they may, if advantageous, be similarly supplied by a regulated mixture of the two gases. It is further obvious that, if desired, additional sources of: unpreheated gas supply may be employed, each having its own individual mains and supply connections.

When it is desired to operate the oven on producer or other gas requiring preheating the unpreheated gas connections are all shut off. The gas to be preheated and the air are passed through their. respective regenerators, the waste heat being taken ofi' through the remaining regenerators. Upon reversal the waste heat regenerators of the previous period become air and gas regenerators, respectively, while the air and gas regenerators of the previous period become waste gas regenerators, the arrangement in each case being preferably such that the regenerators through which the combustion gas passes are separated from those through which the waste heat passes by regenerators passing air whereby the liability to wasteful leakage of gas through the walls into the waste gases is obviated.

It is also possible for the purpose of regulating flame height, heat distribution, or for purposes of economy, or the like, to supply the combustion flues with a regulated mixture of preheated and unpreheated combustible gases.

The equalizer channels 3536 have open outer ends to permit cleaning or the introduction of air to burn out the carbon and tarry or other deposits, their open ends during normal operation being closed by the decarbonizing guns 45. Decarbonizing air may, however, if desired, be introduced from the bottom into the supply ducts 27, 28, 29 and 30 in the usual manner.

In the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4, the equalizing channels are dispensed with and the vertical flues 34 communicate direct- 1y with the respective combustion flues 17 of the heating walls, regulation being positively efl ected by the proper setting of' the cooks 1 s 39 and 40 The operation of this form of my inventlon is otherwise substantially similar to that set forth for the first form.

each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and adapted to supply to said combustion flues air, or air and a preheated combustible gas separately and simultaneously, andto remove products of combustion therefrom in alternation; a plurality of individual gas mains extending along said oven lengthwise thereof for feeding along said oven unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, respectively, for delivery to said combustion flues; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas mains in accessible passageways beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a pluralityof leader conduits communicably connected with said gas mains, respectively, for leading off gases of different heating characteristics from the respective mains for delivery to the combustion flues; ducts respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues, each of the ducts for the respective fiues extending upwardly from the passageways below the regenerators up to the combustion flues and being adapted for communicably connecting the respective flues with a plurality of the leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators; and connections in the passageways below the regenerators for connecting the ducts for each of said combustion flues individually witheach of the leader conduits of the set thereof with which they are adapted to communicate.

2. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and adapted to Supplyto said combustion flues air, or air and a preheated combustible gas separately and simultaneously, and to remove products of combustion therefrom in alternation; a plurality of individual gas mains extending along said oven lengthwise thereof for feedingalong said oven unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, respectively, for delivery to said combustion flues; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas mains in accessible passageways beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with said gas mains, respectively, for leading off gases of different heating characteristics from the respective mains for delivery to the combustion flues; duct means respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues, each of the duct means for the respective flues extending upwardly from the passageways below the regenerators up to the combustion flues and being adapted for communicably connecting the respective flues with a plurality of the leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators; and connections in the passageways below the regenerators for individually connecting the duct means for each of said combustion flues with the leader conduits of the set thereof with which they are adapted to communicate.

' I 3. In a coking retort oven, in combination:

a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of 'each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and adapted to supply to said combustion flues air, or air and a preheated combustible gas separately. and simultaneously, and to remove products of combustion therefrom in alternation; a. plurality of individual gas mains extending along said oven lengthwise thereof for feedingalong said oven unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, respectively for delivery to said combustion flues; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas mains in accessible passageways beneath, said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits cdmmunicably connected with said gas mains, respectively, for leading gases of different heating characteristics from the respective mains for delivery to the combustion flues; a plurality of duct means communicating with the combustion flues of each of said heating walls, each of the duct means extending from the passageways below the regenerators up to the combustion flues and being adapted for communicably connecting each of the combustion flues with which they respectively communicate with a plurality of the leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators; and connections in the passageways below the regenerators for individually connecting the respective duct means with the respective leader conduits of the set thereof with which they are adapted to communicate.

4. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arrangedlaterally of each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said coking chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with the combustion flues of said heating walls; a plurality of individual gas mains extending along said oven lengthwise thereof for feeding along said oven unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, respectively, for delivery to said combustion flues; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas mains in accessible passageways beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with said gas mains, respectively, for leading ofi gases of diflerent heating character istics from the respective mains for delivery to the combustion flues; ducts respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues, each of the ducts for the respective flues extending upwardly from the passageways below the regenerators up to the combustion flues and being adapted for communicably connecting the respective flues with a plurality of leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators; and connections in the passageways below the regenerators for connecting the ducts for each of said combustion flues individually with each of the leader conduits of the set thereof with which they are adapted to communicate.

5. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating wall-s therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by divisionwalls, below said coking chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with the combustion flues of said heating Walls; a plurality of individual gas mains extending along said oven lengthwise thereof for feeding along said oven unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, respectively, for delivery of said combustion flues; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas mains in accessible passageways beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with said gas mains, respectively, for leading off gases of different heating characteristics from the respective: mains for delivery to the combustion flues; duct means respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues, each of the duct means for the respective flues extending upwardly from the passageways below the regenerators up to the combustion flues and being adapted for communicably connecting the respective flues with a plurality of leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators; and connections in the passageways below the regenerators for individually connecting the duct'means for each of said combustion flues with the leader conduits of the set thereof with which they are adapted to communicate.

6. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with the flues of said heating walls; a plurality of individual gas mains extendin along said oven lengthwise thereof for ceding along said oven unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, respectively, for delivery to said combustion flues; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas mains in accessible passageways beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with said gas mains, respectively, for leading gases of different'heating characteristics from the respective mains for delivery to the combustion flues; a plurality of duct means communicatin with the combustion flues of each of said eating walls, each of the duct means extending from the passageways below the regenerators up to the combustion flues and each of the combustion flues with which they respectively communicate with a plurality of the leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators; and connections in the passageways below the regenerators for individually connecting the respective duct means with the respective leader conduits of the set thereof with which they are adapted to communicate.

7. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other ina row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with said combustion flues of said heating walls; gas main means extending along said oven lengthwise thereof and adapted for electively feeding along said oven for delivery to the combustion flues in said heating walls proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of difierent heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas main means beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with and adapted for electively leading off said gas main means for delivery to the'combustion flues of said heating walls proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of diiferent heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity; and ducts respectii'ely individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues and each adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues with a plurality of leader conduits of one of said sets thereof independently of said regenerators, said ducts passing through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to the combustion flues and being proportioned for electively delivering proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of difierent-heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity to their respective combustion flues from the set of leader conduits with which they are adapted for connecting their respective combustion fiues.

8. In coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion fiues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with said combustion fines of said heating walls; gas main means extending along said oven lengthwise thereof and adapted for electively feeding along said oven for delivery to the combustion fiues in said heating walls proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity; a series of sets of leader conduits extending laterally from said gas main means beneath said regenerators, each of said sets comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with and adapted for electively leading off said gas main means for delivery to the combustion fines of said heating walls proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity; and a plurality of duct means respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion fines of each of said heating walls and each adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues with a plurality of said leader conduits of one of said sets thereof independently of said regenerators, each of said duct means passing through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to their respective combustion fines and being propor.

tioned for electively delivering proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity to their respective combustion fiues from the set of leader conduits with which they are adapted for connecting their respective combustion fiues.

9. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row; each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion fiues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with said combustion flues of said heating walls; gas main means extending along said oven lengthwise thereof and adapted for electively feeding along said oven for delivery to the combustion fiues in said heating walls proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity; a. series of sets of leader conduits eX- tending laterally from said gas main means beneath said regenerators, each of said sets.

comprising a plurality of leader conduits communicably connected with and adapted for electively leading off said gas main means for delivery to the combustion fines of said heating walls proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics at substantially similarvelocity; and a plurality of duct means communicating with the combustion fines of each of said heating walls, and each adapted for communicably connecting each of the combustion lines with which they respectively communicate with a plurality of the leader conduits of one of the sets thereof independently of the regenerators, each of said duct means passing through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to the fines with which they communicate and being proportioned for electively delivering proportionate quantities of unp'reheated combustible ases of different heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity to the combustion lines with which they respectively communicate from the set of leader conduits with which they are adapted for communicably connecting said fiues. I

10. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row, each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with said combustion fines of said heating Walls; individual gas conduits adapted for feeding proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics electively to the combustion flues of said heating walls at substantially similar velocity; and, ducts respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues and each adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues with a plurality of said individual conduits independently of said regenerators; said ducts each passing from said conduits through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to the combustion flues and being so disposed within the respective division walls in spaced relation to the wall surfaces thereof contiguous to the regenerator chambers separated thereby as to deliver fuel gas without substantial preheating thereof by the regenerators, said ducts also being respectively proportioned for electively delivering proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics at substantially similar velocity to their respective combustion flues from the plurality of individual conduits with which they are adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues.

11. In a coking retort oven, in combination a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row, each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below said chambers and heatin walls and communicably connected with said combustion flues of said heating walls individual gas conduits adapted for feeding proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible-gases of different heating characteristics, electively, to the combustion flues of said heating walls at substantially similar velocity; and a plurality of duct means respectively individual to and communicating with the respective combustion flues and each adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues with a plurality of said individual conduits independently of said regenerators; said duct means each passing from said conduits through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to the combustion flues and being so disposed within the respective division walls in spaced relation to the wall surfaces thereof contiguous to the regenerator chambers separated thereby asto deliver fuel gas without substantial preheating thereof by regenerators, and each of said duct means also being so proportioned as to be adapted for delivering proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, electively, at substantially similar velocity to their respective combustion flues from the plurality of individual conduits with which they are adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues.

12. In a coking retort oven, in combination: a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged lateral- 1y of each other in a row, each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion fiues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below the coking chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with said combustion flues; individual gas conduits adapted for feeding proportionate quantities unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, electively,

to the'combustion flues of said heating walls at substantially similar velocity; a plurality of duct means communicating with the flues of each of said heating walls and each adapted for communicably connecting each of the combustion flues with which they respectively communicate with a plurality of said individual conduits independently of said regenerators; said duct means each passing from said conduits through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to the combustion fiues and being so disposed within the respective division walls in spaced relation to the wall surfaces thereof contiguous to the regenerator chambers separated thereby as to deliver fuel gas without substantial preheating thereof by the regenerators, and each of said duct means also being so proportioned as to be adapted for (10? livering proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, electively, at substantially similar velocity to the respective combustion flues from the plurality of individual conduits with which they are adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues.

13. In a coking retort oven, in combination a series of alternate coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged laterally of each other in a row, each of said heating walls comprising vertical combustion flues; regenerators, separated by division walls, below the coking chambers and heating walls and communicably connected with said combustion fiues; individual gas conduits adapted for feeding proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of different heating characteristics, electively, to the combustion fiues of said heating walls at substantially similar velocity; a plurality of duct means communicating with the flue's of each of said heating walls and each adapted for communicably connecting each of the combustion fiues with which they respectively communicate with a plurality of said individual conduits independently of said regenerators; said duct means each passing from said conduits through said division walls from beneath the regenerators to the combustion flues and being spaced from each other along and so disposed within the respective division walls in spaced relation to the wall surfaces thereof contiguous to the regenerator chambers separated thereby as to deliver fuel gas without substantial preheating thereof by the regenerators, and each of said duct means alsobeingso proportioned as to be adapted for delivering proportionate quantities of unpreheated combustible gases of difierent heating characteristics, electively, at substantially similar velocity to the respective combustion flues from the plurality of individual concluits with which they are adapted for communicably connecting their respective combustion flues; and equalizing channels disposed Within the respective said division walls below the vertical combustion flues and each communicably connecting for gas pressure flow with each other a plurality of the said duct means in the same division wall therewith.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.v

JOSEPH BECKER.

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