US1958265A - Combustion chamber - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1934.

G. W. CHRISTOPH COMBUSTION CHAMBER Filed NOV. 20. 1931 Patented May 8, 1934 TATE PATENT QFFECE COMBUSTION CHAMBER George W. Christoph, East Windsor, Conn.

Application November 20, 1931, Serial No. 576,368

1 Claim.

My invention relates to the class of devices empioyed to promote the combustion of hydrocarbon fluids and other combustible material which may be more or less in a state of suspension, and an object of my invention, among others, is the provision of means for effecting consumption of fuel to a maximum degree, thereby enabling a maximum amount of heat to be obtained and consequently effecting a saving in the amount of fuel required for a given purposev One form of an apparatus embodying my invention and in t 1e construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front View of a heater equipped with my improved device.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view, scale enlarged, in central longitudinal section through my improved combustion chamber.

Figure 4 is a View in cross section through the same on a plane denoted by the dotted lines l i of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top view of the same with the top wall broken out to show construction.

It is a well recognized fact that a large amount of heat is wasted in all of the devices employed at the present time in the consumption of oil or similar fluids, or other combustible material such as coal dust, sawdust, and similar inflammable matter which may be more or less in a state of suspension, for heating and similar purposes, for the reason that much of the combustible mate'- rial is thrown oiT unconsumed and is therefore wasted. This is largely due to the fact that the inflammable matter is not thoroughly mixed with air which is necessary for perfect combustion. It is my purpose to provide means for combining the combustible material air to a maximum extent and thereby eifect such consumption of the combustible elements in the fuel as will create and produce a maximum amount of heat.

Such a device is shown in the accompanying drawing in which the numeral 5 denotes my improved combustion chamber comprising a casing that may be composed of any suitable material and of such size as will be effective for any specific purpose. This casing or chamber may be of different shapes in cross section and it has an inlet opening 6 for supply of a combustible fuel to the interior of the chamber. Different forms of apparatus for supplying the fuel to the combustion chamber may be employed, the one selected by me for disclosure of my invention,

and as shown in the drawing herein, comprising an inlet tube '7 which may consist of the stem of a Y-joint or fixture, one of the branches 8 of which may be attached to a pipe 9 connected with any suitable source for supply of combustible fuel and the other branch 10 of which may be connected with a fan 11 employed for supply of air to said fixture, and which may be driven as by means of a motor 12. Each of the branches 8 and 10 may be equipped with a valve suitable for controlling flow of fuel and air through such branches, and any desired means for promoting movement of the combustible fuel through the pipe 9 may be employed.

An outlet tube 13 is attached to the chamber in any suitable manner and extends inwardly thereinto for a proper distance from one end thereof to produce the desired results. The inlet tube '7 enters the chamber near one end and between the outlet tube 13 and the inner wall of the chamber, and as shown in Figures 3 and e of the drawing. An ignition device of any suitable type may be located in the chamber in line with the inlet 6, in the arrangement pictured herein this device comprising a spark plug 14 that may be connected with any suitable source of electric energy. I

This arrangement is such that a stream of combustible material is delivered through the inlet 6 and is ignited at its entrance into the chamber. This stream takes a centrifugal spiral course within the chamber, gradually extending inwardly to the mouth of the outlet tube 13 through which it escapes from the chamber. The swirling action of the mixture causes the air and combustible fuel to be thoroughly mixed thereby promoting combustion to a high degree, and the time during which the mixture is retained in the chamber being prolonged results in a high percentage of consumption of fuel and consequently in the production of a maximum amount of heat from the consumption of a certain amount of fuel.

This chamber may be made use of in various ways. In the particular form of apparatus illustrated herein the chamber is supported just outside of a heater 15, a conducting tube 16 extending from the outlet tube 13 being projected through the wall or door of the heater into the interior thereof and into which the flame from the combustion chamber is delivered with substantially all of the combustible elements in a state of ignition. In the example herein shown the tube 16 is extended through the lower door 17 of the heater. This affords a ready means for attaching the device to a hot water heater, steam generator, or other heating equipment already installed, but I contemplate that the chamber may be formed directly within and constitute an integral part of the heating apparatus in the form of a water heater, furnace, or the like, and particularly when such heater is originally designed to employ my improved combustion chamher as a means for consumption of fuel therein.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

A combustion chamber comprising a cylindrical casing of constant diameter throughout its length and having one closed end wall, a cylindrical outlet tube extending axially through the other end wall and arranged coaxially of the casing and providing an annular chamber defined by the coaxial walls of the casing and tube, the inner end of the tube terminating in spaced relation to the closed end wall, fuel supply means tangentially communicating with the casing through the cylindrical wall thereof adjacent the end wall supporting the outlet tube and igniting means for the fuel adjacent its delivery to the casing whereby the ignited fuel is caused to travel in a spiral path towards the closed end wall of the casing for complete combustion before discharge through the outlet tube.

GEORGE W. CHRISTOPH.

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