US2779315A

US2779315A - Steam generator

Info

Publication number: US2779315A
Application number: US387727A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tucker Jesse Dee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-22
Filing date: 1953-10-22
Publication date: 1957-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1974-01-29

Description

if j.

Jan. 29, 1957 Filed Oct. 22, 1955 [um a; n1

J. D. TUCKER 2,779,315

STEAM GENERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l R. JESSE DEE rue/rm BY 7M W W ATTORNEYS Jan. 29, 1957 J. D. TUCKER 2,779,315

STEAM GENERATOR Filed 001;. 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JESSE DEE TUCKER BY 7M70M W ATTORNEYS STEAM GENERATOR Jesse Dee Tucker, Patterson, Calif. Application October 22, 1953, Serial No. 387,727

5 Claims. (Cl. 122- 208) This invention relates to newand usefulimprovements in steam generators, and more ,par'ticularly rlates to a" generator for producing high pressure, superheated. steam. One respect in which the ,present invention is distinguishedfrom other steam generatorsisthat the water entering the generator is initially vaporized byinjectio'n through a high-pressure nozzle havinga relatively small orifice which breaks up the water into a fog of fine One of the-features of the inventionis the provision .of

a tier of pairs of plates,the meeting surfaces of the plates providing very thin passageways through which the water vapor and steam travel. 'Alternatepairs of plates areannular and circularin shape,.the vapor first passing radially outwardly'in the uppermost plate (which is circular), thence downwardly to the outside of the second pair of plates (which is annular), then horizontally inwardly of the second pair of plates, then downwardly and inwardly of the third highest pair of plates (which is circular), and alternately inwardly and outwardlyrasthe steam progresses downwardly in the generator.

The peripheries of the circular platesare spaced inwardly from the inner walls of the shell of the generator thus providing a space for the passage of hot .gases whereas the peripheries'of the annular plates are in contact with the interior of the shell of the generator, thus directing the gases through the opening inthe center of the annular plates. From the foregoing, which ishereinafter described in greater detail, it will be seem that the passage of the gases thus likewise is circuitous.

The result of the construction of the plates is the:provision of a simple and inexpensive generatorha'ving a low fuel consumption and producing a very largetvolume of steam for a small weightand volume of generator-unit.

Further, there is no danger ofcracking the equipment because water enters'the generator in a vaporvstate,:thus

eliminating the danger of conventionahboilers which be used by unskilled personnel and under conditions which have heretofore precluded the widespreaduse of steam generators of thisgeneral type such 'a's in motor cars and the like.

nited States Patent 0 2,779,315 Patented J an. 29, 1957 The steamsgenerator hereinafter described has a down draft whereby the draft is automatically controlled to maintain'an eventemperature within the generator. It will be understood thatthe generator may incorporate a pilot flame which ignites "the burner so that it may be turned on and off at any time. This enables the generator to beheld at an even temperature and makes the device responsive to amanually controlled throttle in the steam discharge line.

Other objects of thepresent invention will become apparent upon reading 'the -following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar charactersof referencerepresent corresponding parts in each i of v the several 'views.

In athe drawings .Fig. .1 is a-vertical-midsection through the device.

Fig. 2 is'a horizontalsection taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig 1.

Fig; 3 is a horizontal:section taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The present invention employs a cylindrical steel shell 11, suitably insulated by means of glass wool or other insulation lZ- on the exterior, in and upon which the other elements of the generator are mounted. At the top of theshell is a down-draft gasburner 13, the burner being annularinshape with th'e jets '14 of the burner directed downwardly inside the casing 11. Gas and-primary air enterth'rough pipe 16. A manifold 17 surrounds the casing below the ib'urner, the manifold communicating with the interior of thetb'urnerby means-of ports 18 m the casingrwall. Air'entersthe manifold and the interior of thecasing throu'glnairinletduct-19, the flow ofair being regulated by damper 21, which is manually or automaticallycontrolled by means-hereinafter described. The primary ainandtsecondary air entering'through ports 18-support "combustion in the combustion chamber 22, the hotrgases-passing downwardly-in a circuitouspath as hereinafter .more "fully set forth and "being drawn off through afiue 23*connected to the bottom plate 24 which closes off theloWer end of the casing. A- damper 26in the flue 23 likewise regulatesthe flow of combustion gases through the generator. The burner construction dfthe generator is subje'ct to'con'siderable variation, the above-described structure being "a presently preferred construction.

Mounted in the casing. below the combustion chamber 22zis a tier ofhorizontallystacked pairs of plates; Each plate of each pair of;plates is spaced apart a-short distancefrom itsmate; there being a thin passageway through which steam-or water may pass from: the water inlet located at the. top of the generatort'o the steam outlet at the bottombf: the generator. The topmost pair of

plates

31 and 32 is mounte d immediately below the combustion chamber =22,'the-upper plates 31 being provided with anupwardlyi'extending inlet riser 33 which receives water discharged'from nozzle'34 ashereinafter set forth. Located inthe'inlet riser 33-is=a defiectorfifi, conical in shape, which deflects the water radially outwardly through the :narrow' passageway -37 between the upper plate 31 and the lower plate 32. Adjacent theperipheryof the pairof plates is anannular enlarged collector ring 38 in'which water vapor and steam collects. It will be'noted, particularly with reference to Fig.2, that an annular space 39vexists: around therperiphery of the topmost pair ice of plates 31. and32, the hot gases of the combustion chamberv passing downwardly through this annular space. The second pair of plates 41 ancl'42, positioned below the topmost :platesvfil and 32, are substantially annular in shape, the uppermost plate 41 beingjoinedto the interior of th'e 'cylindricalcasing-11to act as a' baflle so thathot gases are directed inwardly and thence through thecircular hole 43 at the center of the annular plates. The annular second series of plates has an annular collector ring 44 near its periphery which is connected by a plurality of vertical pipes 46 with the ring 38. A second or inner collector ring 47 is formed between the second pair of plates adjacent the inner diameter thereof. Between the first and second

annular rings

44 and 47 is a thin passageway 48 through which vapor and steam pass, it being understood that the passageway 48 may be corrugated rather than straight as is the case of the passageway 37 of the uppermost pair of plates.

The third pair of

plates

51 and 52 positioned below the second pair is circular rather than annular, there being a gap 53 around the periphery of the third pair of plates between the periphery and the inside of the casing 11 so that the gases which pass through the hole 43 in the center of the second pair of plates are directed around the outside of the third pair of plates. The third pair of plates has an inner collector ring 54 which is connected by means of pipes 56 to the inner ring 47 of the second pair of plates. The third pair of plates'likewise has an outer collector ring 57 and the inner and outer rings are connected by a thin passageway 58 between the two

plllates

51 and 52 which, if desired, may be corrugated in s ape.

The fourth pair of plates resembles the

second pair

41 and 42 in shape and function, and the fifth pair resembles the third 51 and 52, alternate pairs of plates being substantially the same.

The lowermost pair of

plates

51 and 52 is connected directly to the steam outlet 59 by means of pipe 61 connected to ring 57.

From the foregoing description of the pairs of plates which are disposed inside the cylindrical casing 11, it will be observed that the flow of hot gases from the combusion chamber 22 down to the outlet fiue 23 is circuitous in that the gases pass around the outside of the first pair of

plates

31 and 32 and then through the hole 43 in the center of the second pair of

plates

41 and 42 and thence outwardly through the gap 53 at the periphery of the third pair of

plates

51 and 52, and alternately thereafter around the periphery and through the center of the various pairs of plates. At the same time the flow of vapor and steam is also downwardly in a circuitous path. The vapor entering through the riser 33 is deflected outwardly toward the periphery of the first pair of

plates

31 and 32, then toward the center of the second pair of

plates

41 and 42, then toward the outside of the third pair of plates, finally downwardly through the various pairs of plates to the steam outlet 59. The circuitous path of hot gases and vapor insures the heating of the vapor and steam to an extremely high temperature which produces a superheated steam at the steam outlet.

Further, to increase the etficiency of the steam transfer, a series of diffusers 66 which are frusto-conical and downwardly pointed depend from the first, third and fifth pairs of plates toward the circular hole 43 of the evennumbered pairs of plates. Diffusers 66 are held in position by rivets 65 attaching same to the odd-numbered plates. These diffusers help to deflect the gases in their proper path and also are heated thereby, the diffusers being welded to the lowermost of the oddmumbered pairs of plates, the heat absorbed by the diifusers being transmitted to the plates and hence assist in heating the vapor and steam in the water passageway.

An additional feature is the employment of long rivets 67 which pass through the pairs of plates, the shanks 68 extending beyond the bottom of the lower plate of each pair. These rivets also are heated by the passage of hot gases and the heat is transmitted to the vapor and steam in the passageways between the pairs of plates. The heads of the rivets 67 are welded to the top of the uppermost plate and the shanks 68 of the rivets are welded at their midpoints to the underside of the lowermost plate of the various pairs of plates so that steam will not, escape through the rivet holes.

Further, to prevent escape of steam from the passageways between the pairs of plates, it will be noted that the joints 71 where the plates are joined are welded, the meeting edges of the adjacent plates being grooved in a V-groove and filled by the weld.

Water vapor is injected in the inlet riser 33 through nozzle 34. The nozzle comprises a cylindrical housing 76 the lower end of which is threaded into the upper 1 end of the riser 33. The housing is partially closed off at the bottom by orifice plate 77 having a small-diameter circular hole 78 in the center. A needle 79 having a conical point 81 is disposed inside the housing 76 and held in position by guide 82, the needle being biased i downwardly by spring 83, the tension of which is adjusted by screw 84, so that the point 81 is biased to close off the orifice 78. The middle of the shank of the needle is surrounded by a sleeve 86, there being a cylindrical annular passageway 87 between the outer diameter of the sleeve 86 and the inner diameter of the housing 76, and the water inlet pipe 88 is connected into said annular cylindrical passageway. The water in pipe 88 is forced by means of a high-pressure pump 91 which may be a direct-action multiple reciprocating pump or gear pump. Adjustment screw 84 is regulative to hold the needle 79 closed until pressure of a predetermined amount builds up in the chamber 89 at the lower end of the housing. When such pressure builds up sufliciently, the needle 79 rises against resistance of the spring 83 to the position shown in Fig. 1 and water is discharged through the orifice 78 in the bottom of the housing, the water passing downwardly through the inlet riser 33 in the vapor state. As soon as the pressure in chamber 89 falls below the predetermined amount set by the adjustment of screw 84, the valve closes. The operation of the nozzle is thus such that the water is injected under a high pressure which causes the water to break up into a fine fog of vapor. The vapor of water is more efficiently heated than would be a stream or jet of water and further, the plates are less likely to be cracked if a fog of vapor is employed.

The control means for the device may be regulated by variations in the temperature of the uppermost pair of

plates

31 and 32, the uppermost pair being the most accurate for such purpose. Accordingly, a pair of radially opposed studs 96 are fitted into sleeves 98 which pass through apertures 97 in the casing. The inner ends of studs 96 are in contact with the top pair of

plates

31 and 32, and said studs project outwardly through apertures 97 in the casing. Sleeve 98 surrounds the studs to prevent flame and hot gases from escaping through the aperture in the casing and insulating material 99 surrounds the stud within the sleeve 98. Exteriorly of the casing is a semi-circular yoke 101 afiixed by bracket 102 to a stationary object. The outer ends of the yoke are pivotally connected by pins 103 to arcuate arms 104. The outer ends of studs 96 bear against said arms 104 close to the pivot pins 193 so that a compound leverage arrangement produces a relatively greater movement of the remote ends of arms 104 for a small expansion or contraction of the studs 96. A control lever 106 is pivotally connected by links 108 to the outer ends of the two arcuate arms 104. The point of connection of pivot pins 109 which connect lever 106 to links 108 is equidistant with respect to pivot pin 107. The efiect of increase in temperature within the generator is to cause expansion of studs 96 which results, as clearly appears from Fig. 2, in a counterclockwise movement of control lever 106, this movement being resisted by spring 111. Conversely, a cooling within the generator results in a clockwise movement of control lever 106. Control lever 106 may be connected by means of a rod 112 which is pivotally connected at its outer end to valve 113 in gas intake line 16. By proper arrangement of leverage, the temperature within the generator may be maintained constant by the governing means heretofore described or other means which will readily occur to one skilled in this art.

Although I have described my invention in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A steam generator comprising a cylindrical casing, a burner in the first end of said casing, means for regulating the heat emitted from said burner, a flue for spent gases at the second end of said casing, a plurality of superposed pairs of plates mounted in said casing between said burner and said flue, each pairof plates being grooved out to provide an enclosed passageway for watervapor and steam, a plurality of pipes providing communication from the passageway in one pair of plates to the passageway in the next pair of plates, said plates and pipes providing a circuitous pathway for water vapor and steam, one pair of plates being annular and its outer edge engaging said casing and the adjacent pair of plates being disk-shaped and its outer edge being spaced inwardly from said casing, conical difiusers projecting down from the bottom of a pair of disk-shaped plates into the hole in the underlying pair of annular plates thereby providing a circuitous pathway for hot gases produced by said burner, means for injecting water vapor in the passage Way in the plates at the first end of said casing, said means including a high-pressure pump and a nozzle and a pipe connecting said pump and nozzle, and a steam discharge line communicating with the passageway in the pair of plates at the second end of said casing.

2. A steam generator comprising a cylindrical casing, a burner in the first end of said casing, means for regulating the heat emitted from said burner, a fiue for spent gases at the second end of said casing, a plurality of coaxial pairs of plates mounted in said casing between said burner and said flue, each pair of plates being grooved out to provide an enclosed passageway for water-vapor and steam, a plurality of pipes providing communication from the passageway in one pair of plates to the passageway in the next pair of plates, said plates and pipes providing a circuitous pathway for water-vapor and steam, said plurality of coaxial pairs of plates being formed with an inner and an outer annular connecting ring and a thin radial connecting passageway, one set of said pipes connecting the outer annular ring of the first pair of plates with the outer annular ring of the second pair of plates, a second set of said pipes connecting the inner annular ring of said second pair of plates with the inner annular ring of the third pair of plates, means for injecting water vapor in the passageway in the plates at the first end of said casing, said means including a high-pressure pump and a nozzle and a pipe connecting said pump and nozzle, and a steam discharge line communicating with the passageway in the pair of plates at the second end of said casing.

3. A steam generator comprising a cylindrical casing, a burner in the first end of said casing, means for regulating the heat emitted from said'burner, a flue for spent gases at the second end of said casing, a plurality of coaxial pairs of plates mounted in said casing between said burner and said flue, each pair of plates being grooved out to provide an enclosed passageway for water-vapor and steam, a plurality of pipes providing communication from the passageway in one pair of plates to the passageway in the next pair of plates, means for injecting water vapor inthe passageway in the plates at the first end of said casing, said last mentioned means including a highpressure pump and a nozzle and a pipe connecting said pump and nozzle, said means for injecting water vapor also comprising a housing, an orifice plate, means for conveying vapor discharged through the orifice in said plate to the nearest pair of plates, a needle, resilient means biasing said needle to close off the orifice in said orifice plate, said housing being provided with a chamber behind said orifice, a sleeve reciprocable in said housing above said chamber and providing a guide for said needle, said sleeve being smaller than said chamber, means for supplying water under pressure into said chamber and a steam discharge line communicating with the passageway in the pair of plates at the second end of said casing.

4. A steam generator comprising a cylindrical casing, a burner in the first end of said casing, means for regu lating the heat emitted from said burner, a flue for spent gases at the second end of said casing, a plurality of coaxial pairs of plates mounted in said casing between said burner and said flue, each pair of plates being grooved out to provide an enclosed passageway for water vapor and steam, a plurality of pipes providing communication from the passageway in one pair of plates to the passageway in the next pair of plates, means for injecting water vapor in the passageway in the plates at the first end of said casing, said means including a high-pressure pump and a nozzle and a pipe connecting said pump and nozzle, a steam discharge line communicating with the passageway in the pair of plates at the second end of said casing, a stud fixed to one of said pairs of plates and projecting out through said casing, a lever, means pivotally mounting said lever, said stud being positioned to engage said lever, resilient means biasing said lever into contact with said stud, whereby thermal changes within said casing cause expansion or contraction of said stud and cause pivotal movement of said lever, and means actuated by said lever for governing said means for regulating the heat emitted from said burner.

5. A steam generator comprising cylindrical casing, a burner in the first end of said casing, means for regulating the heat emitted from said burner, a flue for spent gases at the second end of said casing, a plurality of coaxial pairs of plates mounted in said casing between said burner and said flue, each pair of plates being grooved out to provide an enclosed passageway for water-vapor and steam, a plurality of pipes providing communication from the passageway in one pair of plates to the passageway in the next pair of plates, means for injecting watervapor in the passageway in the plates at the first end of said casing, said means including a high-compression pump and a nozzle and a pipe connecting said pump and nozzle, a steam discharge line communicating with the passageway in the pair of plates at the second end of said casing, a pair of diametrically opposed studs fixed to one of said pairs of plates and projecting out through said casing, in diametrically opposite directions, a yoke curved around half said casing, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on opposite ends of said yoke, said studs being positioned so that one stud engages one lever and the other stud the other lever, means biasing said levers into contact with said studs, whereby thermal changes within said casing cause expansion or contraction of said studs and cause pivotal movement of said levers, and means actuated by said levers for governing said means for regulating the heat emitted from said burner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 187,093 Bradley Feb. s, 1877 518,101 Gillet Apr. 10, 1894 620,994 Teste Mar 14, 1899 683,366 Woerner Sept. 24, 1901 848,476 Loudon Mar. 26, 1907 979,356 Thompson Dec. 20, 1910 1,809,920 Woodward June 16, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,419 Great Britain Dec. 21, 1875