US2011283A

US2011283A - Apparatus for efficiently burning fluid fuels

Info

Publication number: US2011283A
Application number: US447987A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lyman C Huff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-04-28
Filing date: 1930-04-28
Publication date: 1935-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1952-08-13

Description

Aug. 13, 1935, L. c. HUFF APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENTLY BURNING FLUID FUELS Filed April 28, 1930 NN @NNW N 1 if L Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENTLY BURNING FLUID FUELS Lyman C. Huff, Winnetka, Ill.

Application April 28, 1930, ,Serial No. 447,987

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a means and method of burning combustible gas, and refers more specically to the eiiicient burning of gas as a fuel in domestic and industrial furnaces or the like.

The utility of the invention, as well as the objects and advantages thereof, will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and following detail description.

In the single drawing, a vertical sectional elevation is shown illustrating suitable instrumentalities for carrying out my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I indicates a lower header of a conventional furnace which may be annular in shape and may be of any conventional type. A plurality of tubes 2 may connect into the upper portion of said header and may be connected at their opposite upper ends to a similar header (not shown). It is to be understood, of course, that the type of furnace in which my invention is to be used is immaterial and may take the form of a steam, hot water, vapor, hot air furnace, or the like.

A plate 3 may be enclosed Within the header I and may be supported by brackets or angle irons 4. Plate 3 may be provided with a series of circularly disposed apertures 5 and a similar series of apertures 6. A plurality of radially extending bars 1 may be supported beneath plate l3 by means of bolts 8 and 9, said bars being spaced from plate 3 by means of collars or spacers I and Il, respectively. A shutter or damper I2 of circular shape may be slidably positioned between the bolts 8 and 9 and may be interposed between the bar 1 and plate 3, said shutter being provided with a series of apertures I3 which may be adapted to register with the apertures in the plate 3. I

To facilitate'the movement of shutter I2 and hence control the degree of registration between the apertures 5v in the plate 3 and apertures 3 in the shutter I2, a handle I4 may be provided upon the lower surface of shutter I2. A circular shutter I5 may be positioned beneath apertures 6 and may be provided with a series of apertures I6 which may be adapted` to register with apertures 6 upon circular movement of the shutter I5 within the space between plate 3 and bar 1. To facilitate this movement, a handle I1 may depend from the lower surface of shutter l5.

It is to be understood, of course, that although slidable shutters or dampers are shown for controlling the opening and closing of apertures 5 and 6, the invention in its broadest concept contemplates the use of any suitable type dampers.

A hearth I8 of heat radiating material may be positioned upon the upper -surface of plate 3, the outer surface of which may follow the contour of header I. The hearth I8 may be divided into two sections, an outerv annular portion I9 and an inner portion 20, said portions being so spaced from each other as to provide an annular fissure 2|. The inner portion 20 of the hearth may be provided with an opening 22 at its center which may connect at its lower end with the apertures 6 in the plate 3. The upper edge of the opening 22 may be rounded as shown at 23 to define a more or less crater-like opening.

A mixing chamber 24 may be co-axially positioned within opening 22 and may be' provided internally at its lower end with a Venturi neck 25. The element 26 forming said Venturi neck may be removably positioned within the chamber 24 by means of set screw 21 or other suitable fastening means. An air chamber 28 may be threadedly mounted on the lower end of mixing chamber 24 and may be provided at its lower end with a plate 29, said plate being threadedly engaged upon the inner surface of chamber 28. The plate 29 may be provided with a plurality of circularly disposed apertures 30 and may support at its center an upwardly extending nozzle 3|. l A shutter 32 may be positioned immediately adjacent the lower surface of plate 29 and may be maintained in operative slidable position by means of nut 33. The shutter 32 may be provided with a series of apertures 34 which are adapted to be brought into or out of registration with apertures 30 by the rotation of shutter 32. To facilitate said movement, a handle 35 may be mounted upon movable shutter 32. 'I'he lower end of nozzle 3| may be connected by means of elbow 36 to fuel intake pipe 31.

A cap 38 may be threadedly mounted upon the upper end of mixing chamber 24 and may be provided with a plurality of laterally disposed aper- 40 tures 39. A hood 4U may be mounted upon the cap 38 by means of bolt 4| and may be spaced therefrom by collar 42. The hood 40 may be provided with a plurality of openings I3, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fullyl described.

In carrying out my invention a uid fuel, such as, for example, the usual commercial illumina-tling or heating gas, may be introduced through pipe 31 and may be discharged through nozzle 3| into the Venturi neck 25. Due to the fact that the gas under pressure is passing through a more or less restricted opening, an inducing action will take place which will draw air through openings 3l and 30 into air chamber 28 and thence into chamber 24 where the induced air and combustion gas will mix. The mixture will then be discharged through apertures 39 and is passing between the rounded defining edge 23 of aperture 22 and the ou-ter curved edge 44 of hood 40, a secondary supply loi' air will be drawn through apertures I6 in shutter I5, apertures 6 in plate 3 through opening 22, and will mix with said discharged gas and tend to produce a more eilicient combustion of the mixture issuing from aper- -tures 39.

It can readily be seen that as the combustible mixture issuing from apertures 39 is ignited, the heat radiating material 20 will become highly heated and will give off a great amount of radiant heat and, in addition, due to the peculiar character of the space 45 provided between the rounded edge 23 of the hearth 20 and the lower curved edge 44 of the hood 40, a zone of reduced pressure will exist beneath hood 40. This, as can readily be seen, will tend to induce a recirculation of the gases issuing from the apertures 39 through apertures 43, as shown by the arrows at 46. In this manner, the freshly introduced mixture issuing from apertures 39 will be heated both by contact with the hearth 20 and by the recirculation of the heated combustion gases 46 passing through apertures 43.

By diluting the freshly admitted gas with recirculated hot gases combustion will take place gradually and the noise of combustion will be greatly diminished. The character of the flame can also be controlled by the amount of hot gases recirculated and a highly luminous or radiant flame may be obtained. By recirculating hot gases in this manner any incompletely burned fuel will again be brought in contact with air in a high temperature zone and complete combustion will be eifected. It is obvious that inasmuch as the air passing through apertures I6 and 6 and space 22 must travel adjacent the hot hearth 20, the same will become preheated and will tend to further cause eicient combustiom o A plurality of upwardly extending projections 41 may be provided upon the upper surfacesof hearths 20 and I9 and tend to impede or divert the gases passing adjacent the upper surfaces thereof, causing said gases to eddy and be main- .tained in contact with the upper surfaces of said hearths. In this manner a greater areaof radiant iiame will be provided.

As the hot gases of combustion pass the upper end of fissure 2 I, air will be induced through said iissure and will mix with said gases of combustion and tend to form a more radiant name.

To control the character oi' theiame caused by the ignition of the gases issuing from apertures 39, the air brought into mixture with said gases may be regulated initiallyby the degree of registration of the

apertures

34 and 30, and thereafter additional quantities of air may be brought into contact with the ignited mixture by controlling the degree of registration of apertures I6 and 6, and also the degree of registrat1on of apertures I3 and 5. In this manner, a close control may be maintained upon 'the character of flame produced.

If desired, the metal portions of my device which may be subjected, to high temperatures, for instance, hood 40, cap 38, spacer 42, bolt 4I, etc., may be constructed of a metal having high heatresisting properties. Also, if desired, a heat insulating medium, such as asbestos or the like, may

separate plate 3 from refractories I9 and 20, as, .26

shown best at 48.

It is to be understood, of course, that instead-' of relying upon inducing means for supplying air,

a blower (not shown)v may be utilized to supply said air. And, if desired, the heat radiating hearths I9 and 20 may be dispensed with, and an annular member (not shown) may take the place of the rounded defining edge 23.

I claim as my invention:

In combination, means forming a primary air supply chamber and a mixing chamber connected thereto, a fuel supply pipe extending into said air chamber to discharge fuel under pressure into said mixing chamber and to thereby induce a ilow of air into said mixing chamber from said air chamber, an annular heat radiating hearth surrounding said mixing chamber and forming therewith an annular secondary air chamber, a peripherally apertured distributing cap closing said mixing chamber, apertured hood means mounted above said cap and coacting with the adjacent edge of said hearth to form an annular opening through which the mixture of fuel and air from said cap is discharged across said secondary air chamber and directly over and in contact with the upper surface of said hearth, whereby secondary air and products of combustion will be entrained into the said mixture prior to its discharge through said annular opening, and a second annular hearth spaced from and surrounding said rst hearth to form therebetween a tertiary air supply chamber through which additional air may be supplied.

' LYMAN C. HUFF.