US2403230A - Oil burning equipment and controlling mechanism therefor - Google Patents

Description

Ju-ly 2, 1946.4 l. T. NAGEL ETAL j ,2,403,230

OIL BURN1NG EQUIPMENT AND CONTROLLING MTECHANISM THEREFORl Filed sept'. 11, 1942 ATTORNEY preferably Patented July 2, 15546l OIL BURNING EQUIPMENT AND CONTROL- LING MECHANISM THEREFOR Theodore Nagel, Brooklyn, and Harold D. Bliss, South Salem, N. Y.; said Bliss assigner to -said Nagel Application September 11, 1942, Serial No. 45.7,934 n 4 Claims. i 1.

This invention is directed to oil burning systems and has for one of its objects the provision offan oil burning system which, while it may be controlled manually or semi-automatically is Acontrolled entirely' automatically, wherein the practical maximum fuel range is very materially increased as compared with existing automatically controlled systems.

In marine service, for example, the fuel range requirements for ships at sea approximate 8 to 1. Prior to my invention the practical maximum fuel range of oil burning systems for marine service at sea, where oil pressure and now are varied under automatic combustion control, is about 21/2 to 1. In oil burning'systems with constant pressure, variable capacity oil burners, having oil recirculation systems,with automatic combustion control, the practical maximum fuel range lapproximates 5 to 1. For the wider fuel range demand in marine service at sea, the two systems above referred to require the manual turning olf and relighting of burners.

The present invention provides an oil burning.rv

system which meets the demands above referred to, in that we provide for a fully automatically controlled system covering a fuel demand of any practical wide range, as 8 to 1, for example, for ships at sea, with re in all furnaces, and without changing nozzle sizes, without manually relightlng burners previously turnedv off and Without re-` moving burners when they are turned off.

It is to be understood,I of course, that our improved system isl adapted for other than marine work, the marine service having been mentioned purely by way of illustration as a certificate of need. l 1

Broadly speaking, our invention provides an oil burning system wherein a multiple number of oil burner nozzles, constituting a nest, are placed at each furnace firing entrance, through which fuel and air are injected.v These nozzles are so arranged and controlled that one nozzle wil1 continuously delive'r oi1and remain lighted so long as'the furnace is in service, and function as a torch for lighting the other nozzles as they are placed in service.

'I'he burner nozzles of the nest are of different capacities and there is but one nozzle in service at any time additional to the tor'ch nozzle, the nozzle in operation at any instant depending upon the steam demand on the system.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail of part of the mastercontrol;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of a control valveassembly employed in the system illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

I, II, III, IV and V designate a plurality of.

pressure atomizing nozzles disposed at the one firing opening 4 of a furnace. The number of v furnace firing openings and the number of nozzles composing each nest of nozzles .may be varied as desired to meet the demands of any installation. For clarity of description and illustration'only one furnace ring opening has been shown with a nest of live nozzles at this opening, the nozzles increasing in capacity in the order I, II, III, IV, V.

The nozzles are so disposed relatively to each y other and to the furnace ring opening that the spread of lthe diverging stream of ignited atomized oil from each nozzle approximates the diameter of the firing opening so that one of the nozzles which is always burning as long as the furnace is in service will function as a torch in lighting the other nozzles when steam demand requires that they be set in operation. y

I2 designates a steam main from the'steam generating system.' I4 designates ,amaster control comprising a pressure tube I6 which cornmunicates with thel steam main I2 through line v I8. The oil supply .lineis designated 20 and extends into an oil pressure regulator or rotary valve mechanism 22. This oil pressure regulator 22 controls the supplying of oil to nozzlesvII, III, IV and V, lines from the oil pressure regulator to the nozzles being designated II', III', IV and V', respectively. The line leading to nozzle I is designated I 4and by-passes the regulator 22.

The line I is equipped withy pressure reducing y valve 24.

Nozzle I i-s equipped with manually operated combined oil and purge valve 26. Eachrof the nozzles II, IlLIV and V is equipped with a combined oil and purgevalve 28, each of the-se valves being electrically operated, the .solenoids therefor being shown at 3U. Purge line 32fis.common to all of the oil valves and as will be seen from the drawing is connected to the steam main I2.' As the oil valve at each nozzle is closed the purge line 32 to that nozzle will be opened to purge the i nozzle.

Combustion air tothe nozzle is supplied byy matically controlled from themaster control III`- so that although the nozzles II, III, I V andV eration: atany instant.

In addition to `the pressure tube I6, master kcontrol I4 comprises reversible electric motor 38, the circuits of which are controlled by movable contacts 40 and 42 in turn controlled by the pressure tube I6, the contact' 40 being adapted under certain. conditions to bridge fixed contacts 44 while contact42 is adapted under other conditions to bridge .fixed contacts 46. It will be seien fromthe drawing that the contacts 44 when i bridged are adapted to close a circuit to the motor 38 to drive the same inl one direction, while the contacts 46 when bridged are adapted to close a Circuit to the motor 38 to drive the same in the opposite direction. j j Mounted. above the motor 38 is a jack shaft 50 3 geared to the motor by reduction gear train 52.

A cam 54 is mounted onl this jack shaft and cooperates with a follower bar or follower rod 56 l'pivoted intermediate its ends, as shown at 58.v

Connected to the free end of the follower bar or rod 56 are two springs 60 and 62. The lower end ofthe spring 60 is anchored while the upper end of the spring 62 is connected byra. cable 64, passing over an idler roller 66, to the free end of the pressure tube I6. The function of this mas i ter control is to start the motor 38 inone direcl tion or the other, depending upon a few ounces rise or fall of steam pressure in the-pressure tube I6 upon increase or decrease in steam demand, l thereby through various instrumentalities which 1 will be later referred to-autom'atically selecting the nozzle of the proper capacity to be set into operation vin accordance with the mentioned var- 3 .iation in steam demand and to open the circuit of the motor 38 when the steam being generated springs 60 and 62 through pivoting ofthe follower rod 56 and whenthe forces of steam pressure and Spring tension have become balanced the g motor circuit automatically opens and movement of jack shaft 50 ceases. It will be seen, therefore, that the-master control operates in a. series 1 of steps for a 'given pressure increment above or below normal steam pressure.

vIt will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4 that the pressure regulator 22 comprises a. hollow rotor 68 mounted within casing 10. This rotor is equipped with a sprocket whee1'12 driven through 1 of the master control.

chain 'I4 and sprocket `I6 on lthe` Jack shaft 50 Within the rotor 68 is 1 a cylindrical stator 18 which is ln constant communication with the oil supply line 20. The casj ing 'I0 heretofore referred to of the oil pressure regulator is provided interiorly withcircumferi entially extending ports au, s2, a4, as, with which the oil lines II', III', IV' and V' are in constant I communication.

Rotor 68 is provided in its periphery with ports l 88, 90, 62 and 34. These ports, lengthwise of the rotor, are spaced according to the spacing of the circumferential ports 80, 82, 8,4 and 86 ,in the casing 10. The stator I8 is provided with ports 1 se, es, mn and |02. also lengthwise of the statorcorresponds to the The spacing of these ports selector switch 04 which is driven off the jack This tipselector 4 spacing in the same direction of the ports 80, 88, etc., in the shell I0 and rotor 68.

The ports 88, 90, 92 and 94 circumferentially of the rotor 68 and the ports 96, 98, |00 and |02 circumferentially of the stator 'I8 are so spaced that rotation of the rotor 68 will bring the ports 88 and 96 intoregister with each other so that oil from the line 20 may flow to the line II' of nozzle II, the other portsl of the rotor 68 and stator I8 being at that moment outA of register with each other so that lines III', IV' and V' are not being supplied with oil at that moment. Further rotation of the rotor 68 will bring ports 98 and 90 of the stator I8 and rotor 68 into register to permit oil to flow through the line III' to the nozzle III, this movement of the rotor at the same time moving port 88 out of'register with port 96 to shut ol the oil to the line II'. In

other words, this arrangement is such that as of the nozzles II, III, IV and V is vequipped with.

a solenoid 30 and it is not only necessary that the solenoid tov'one of these oil valves have its circuit closed in order to open the oil valve but -at'the same time the oil pressure regulator 22 should function to open the oil line to that particular valve. For example, it is necessary that the solenoid 30v for the oil valve of the nozzle II have its circuit closed at the same instant that y the port 88 in the rotor 6 8 is brought into register with the ports'86 in the stator .18.

The circuitsof the various solenoids for the burner oil valves are controlled by a tip or nozzle shaft of the master control. switch comprises four fixed contacts |06, I 08,- l0 and I|2 adapted to be engaged by a switch arm I4 which is driven from the jack shaft 50.v v In addition the tip selector switch comprises pressure tubes ||6,||8, |20 and |22 connected, respectively, to the oil lines II', III', I'V and V' leading to the oil valve of 'nozzles II, III, IV and V, respectively, and these pressure tubes are adapted to bridge fixed contacts |274, |26, |28 and |30 connected, respectively, to xed contacts |06, |08, ||0 and ||2 and to the solenoids 30 of zle is in operation at any instant, and inasmuch as the blower 34 which supplies this combustion air is a constant speed blower, it is necessary to vary the setting of the damper 36 in accordance with the nozzle capacity. Accordinglythe shaft of the jack shaft of the master control is equipped, forI instance, with an arm |32, and

.cable |34 passes 4from this arm and is connected to counterweighted arm |38 of the damper 36.

In operation and assuming that burner I is turned on andinas been ignited and is operating at 125 pounds oil pressure: It will be understood that the pressure reducing valve 24 inthe oil line` to nozzle I is set for pounds oil ypressure and that its setting is not changed. Under these conditions combustion air is being supplied to nozzle I by natural draft.

Assuming nowthat there is a demand for a larger quantity of steam: Under these conditions there will be a slight change in pressure in the pressure tube I6 of the master control, this tube, as above pointed out,'being connected to the steam main l2. Consequently the free end of the tube willmove to cause the contact 42 to bridge fixed' contacts 46 and close a circuit to the motor 38 of` the master control.

The circuit of the motorl 38 now being closed, the rotor 88 of the oil pressure regulator 22 will be rotated to bring the port 88 thereof into register with the port 96 of the stator 18 to open the oil line II leading to the oil valve of nozzle II. At the same time the arm H4 of the tip selector switch |04 will engage the fixed contact |06 of that switch and the pressure tube Il 6( which is connected to the oil line II will bridge the contacts I 2l so that a circuit is now closed to the solenoid 38 of the oil valve for nozzle II andv this valve will be opened, the purge line 32 to that nozzle being closed as the oil valve moves to open position. Oil will now, therefore, be supplied to nozzle II. At this Asame time also, due to the ystarting up of the motor 38, the damper 36 will be moved into position to permit air from the blower 34 to iiow to nozzle II. As explained above, the five nozzles of the nest are so relatively disposed that nozzle I, which is always on fire when the equipment is in service, will function as a torch t0 light the other nozzles. Consequently operation4 of nozzle II will now have been established or initiated. Nozzle II is of larger capacity than nozzle I. The oil pressure in the line II', which to start with was at 125 pounds, begins to increase. tinues to increase 'so that there is a slight pressure drop in the tube I6 of the master control, the circuit of the Imotor 38 will remain closed,

So longas the demand for steam con-- the damper 36 will continue to move toward open position and the rotor88 will continue to rotate until the oil pressure to the nozzle II is built up to 250 pounds. Building up of the oil pressure in line II' from 125 pounds to 250-pounds will be understood from an inspection of-Figs. 3 and 4. Assuming' that rotor 88 is rotating because of a demand for more steam, it is apparent that 68 will rotate from a position where line II' is closed to a. position where port 96 in stator 'I8 and'port` 88 in the rotor are in full register. In other words, portarea gradually increases from Zero to maximum. v If at that time rotor 88 still continues to rotate, port area wil1 gradually be re- 'duced to zero again and further rotation of 68,

because steam demand is still unsatisfied will move rotor 68 to bring the next set of ports, which are vfor line III' into gradual register. In other words, with ports 88 and 88 in full register. maximum oi1 pressure of 250 pounds has been reached.

If the demand for steam is not met whenthe oil pressure to nozzle II has built upy to 250 pounds, the motor 38 will rotate to bring the arm IN on to fixed contact |08 and at that time the Y rotor 68 will have rotated suiliciently far to bring the ports 98 and `88 out of register with each other and the ports Quand 98 into register with each other. As soon as the ports 88 and 98 move out of register with each other, nozzle II will be shut oi, the circuit to the `valve of nozzle II opening at the pressure tube H8 which' it is to be remembered is connected tothe oil line II ofnozzle n. As the port 88 of the rotor 88 begins to uncover the port 98 of the stator 18, pressure will be built up in the tube H8 of `the tip selector control switch. mechanism and a circuit is closed to the solenoid of the oil valve for nozzle III, the nozzleof the next higher-capacity,

6 and the same cycle of operation is gone through at this nozzle, as explained in connection with nozzle II. As this next larger capacity nozzle J-goes on oil, the oil pressure drops to pounds and nozzle .II automatically goes off oil, after which the oil pressure begins to build up again to 250 pounds and if the steam demand is still not satisfied higher, capacity nozzles IV and V will go on successively, the preceding nozzle shutting off each time as explained in connection with nozzles II and III.

With nozzles I and V in operation, the system is steaming at capacity.

It will be appreciated that should the demand for steam be satisfied at any point between the operation' of nozzle II and nozzle V, the circuit of the motor 38 will open and further operation of the oil pressure regulator 22, damper 36 and z f tip selector control switch |84 will cease. It has already been explained that as the oilvalve at each nozzle shuts oi the purge line 32 to the nozzle of that burner is automatically opened so as to purge the nozzle.

For a continuing decrease in demand for steam the cycle above described is reversed Under4 these conditions there will be a `few ounces rise in .pressure in the tube I 6 of the master con. trol so that fixed contacts 44 will be bridged to close the circuit to the motor 38 to rotate the same in a direction opp site to thatrst .described. Let us assume t at nozzle I and highest capacity nozzle V are in operation on this decrease in steam demand: Under these conditions the operation of the motor 38 will eiect rotation of the rotor 68 gradually to move the port 94 out of register with port 402 in stator i '18, decreasing theroil pressure in the line V'. When this oil pressure has reached 125 pounds the circuit for the solenoid for the oil valveof v nozzle V will be opened at the contacts |30 and arm IHwill swing out of contact with contact H2 which' is in thecircuit of this same solenoid. Consequently, nozzle V will befshut oil and the succeeding lesser capacity nozzle IV turned on oil due to further rotation of the rotor 88 and assuming that the demand for steam on the system continues to decrease. As nozzle IV goes on the oil pressure is at maximum, namely, 250 pounds, and as the rotor 68 continues to move this pressure will drop until nozzle IV goes olf and `nozzle III comes on. This cycle is repeated until in operation .so long as the equipment is in use.

in order that it may function as a torch .for the other nozzles lwhen lthe demand for steam'requires their operation, it being understood, of course, aside from the constantly operating nozzle but one nozzle of the nest is in operation at any instant.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement of parts herein illustrated and described within the purview of our invention. What we claim is: 1. An oilburning system for generating steam,

amaaso in opening of a furnace, the operation of saidl nozzles being controlled by the steam demand on a boiler being red by the furnace, an oil valve g for each nozzle, a solenoid for each valve, an oil pressure regulator for regulating the oil pressure to each nozzle, a master control comprising) a reversible electric motor, said master control being under the direct control of the steam pressure in the systemfwhereby upon vincreasing steam demand on the system the 'circuit tothe solenoid l 4for the valve of one nozzle will be opened to interrupt the operation of said nozzle and simul- 1 taneously the circuit ofthe solenoid for 'the oil i valve for the nozzle of the next larger capacity i will be closed to open said valve, and simul- 'taneously said oil pressure regulator will be op erated, whereby `operation of the said larger capaclty nozzle at reduced oil pressure will be 1 initiated. i

y2. An oil bur-ning system for generating steam,

said nozzles under the direct control of the steam j beingv generated, said master control including a reversible electric motor the circuit of which is controlled by steam. pressure, a nozzle-selector l comprising a switch arm driven by said motor, contact mechanism cooperating with said switch said system comprising in combination a plul raiity ofI pressure atomlzing nozzles of diilerent capacities at a `flring opening of a furnace, an l electric valve for each nozzle, a master control for arm for opening and closing the circuits of said electric valves in the order as determined by the said reversible motor and the steam demand on the system,` and means for supplying oil and 3. An oil burning system for generating steam,

comprising in combination a vplurality of pres- 1 combustion air to the vnozzles in iixed oil-air sure atomizing nozzles a firing opening of a furnace, means for supplying oil and -airv to said nozzles, an electricallyk operated. oil valve for each nozzle, switch mechanism for said valves, and a master control-comprising a reversible electric motor under. the direct control of the steam pressure in the system operable to operate said' switch mechanism to initiate the operation of said nozzles in the as cending order of their capacities on increasingy steam demand` on one direction of rotation of said motor and to reverse this cycle on decreasing steam demand upon rotation of'said motor in the opposite direction, said oi1 supplying means comprising an oil pressure regulator driven by saidreversible motor and provided with a` port for each nozzle, whereby the quantity of oil supplied to the system will vary in accordance with "the nozzle in operation at any instant, said air supply means comprising a. damper controlled by said `motor whereby the air supplied to the system'will vary in accordance with' the capacity of the nozzle in operation.

' 4. An oilV burning system comprising in' combination a plurality of pressure atomizing nozzles ofdifferent capacities at a firing opening of a,

furnace, a master control therefor includinga reversible motor, an oil pressure regulator comprising a ported rotor driven by said motor for en by said electric motor for selecting the nozzle I valve to be operated at any instant depending upon the setting of said ported rotor and thel steam demand on the system, thereby to malnvtially constant. l

tain the steam pressure on the system substan- TH'EODORE NAGEL. HAROLD D. BLISS.

of different capacities at

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