US2938343A

US2938343A - Combustion flask for liquid oxidants and fuels

Info

Publication number: US2938343A
Application number: US568528A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Canfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-12-16
Filing date: 1944-12-16
Publication date: 1960-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 1977-05-31

Description

' R. H. CANFIELD COMBUSTION FLASK FOR LIQUID OXIDANTS AND FUELS Filed Dec. 16, 1944 2 snEts-sneet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT H. CANF/ELD ATTORNEY y 1960 R. H. CANFIELD 2,938,343

COMBUSTION FLASK FOR LIQUID OXIDANTS AND FUELS Filed Dec. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RCBERT H. GANF/ELD BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 r 2,938,343 COMBUSTION FLASK- FOR LIQUID OXIDANTS Robert H. Canfield, Newport, R.I., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the'Navy i Filed Dec". 16, 1944, Se!- No. 568,528

11 Claims. c1; fill-39.46) (Granted under Title 35, U.s. Code 1952), sec. 266) V 100,686, now Patent 2,746,249 file'd jointly with Francis R. Bichowsky under date of September 14, 1936, entitled Combustion Apparatus and Method.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improved combustion flask particularly adapted for use in conjunction withthe combustion cycle disclosed in the aforementioned copending application.

A further object is to provide such an improved com,- bustion flask having its parts so arranged that the comburents are preheated prior to their final admission to the combustion space, and so designed that all parts are effectively protected against the development of temperatures which might damage the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent upon consideration of the present disclosure in its entirety.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a substantially diametric longitudinal sectional view of a combustion flask incorporating the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; and

, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on t the line 33 of-Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, reference character 1 designates the flask body, which may be cast of heatresistant metal or other suitable material in substantially cylindrical form, and which is provided at its outlet end with a domed cover 2. Projecting inwardly from the substantially cylindrical interior surface of the flask body is a continuous helical rib 3 of relatively high pitch which assists in positioning and fits tightly against the outer liner sleeve 5. Sleeve 5 forms a spaced inner wall and is longitudinally held between the cover 2 and the opposite closed end of the body, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement will be seen to provide a helical passageway 4 between the outer wall of flask 1 and the sleeve 5 the interior of which constitutes the combustion chamber C. Communicating with one end of such passageway is an inlet nipple 7 constituting a mixing chamber in which a confluence of a decomposable comburent occurs, threaded into a boss 8, while the other end of the passageway communicates with the interior of sleeve 5 through slots 9, a plurality of which are peripherally provided in the end of the sleeve, as also shown in Fig. l.

Axially positioned within the sleeve 5 is an innerliner or burner tube 10, secured to the inlet endof the flask body 1 by screws 12 extending through the end boss 14.

ice

The flask 1, sleeve 5 and tube10 comprise an assembly of outer, intermediate and inner cylinders. Boss 14 also supports the fuel nozzle 15, projecting therethrough in axial position anddischarginglongitudinally into the assembly in suchmanner as to project the-fuel through the burner tube into the core of the combustion chamber. The burner tube is also exteriorly provided with a helical rib 17 ofa relatively lower pitch than that of the rib 3, which assists in supporting and centering it within the sleeve 5 and provides a passageway 6 constituting a continuation of the passageway 4, with which it communicates through the slots 9 as previously indicated. 7 The helical ribs of two pitches whirl themixture at progressively higher rates, The mouth of the burner tube 10 is belled as indicated at 11, the rim of the bell being of somewhat lesser diameter than the internal diameter of the sleeve 5, to provide an annular passage 13 therearound of restricted cross section.

Formed longitudinally in and for a substantial part of the length of the burnertube near the discharge end thereof are a plurality ofslots 20, cut entirely through its wall, each slot being inclined or non-radial with respect to the axis in such manner as'to lie on or tangent to a spiral described about such axis, as indicated in Fig.

.3, and extending inwardly in the direction of flow through the helical passageG. Each slot is provided with an outer edge 20a disposed relativeyto the direction of flow, indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3,. to serve as a scoop and direct lighter gasified components of the substances flowing through passage 6 into the burner tube through a slot. The restriction at 13 tends'to maintain aback pressure in passagewayd such thatthe expansion therein will assure movement of the gas into the slots 20; while heavier decomponents, which may include anyremaining liquid, are sprayed through passage 13 andinto the form of an envelope of the liquid along the inner. wall of sleeve, 5, entering the combustionwspace C where they are ignited by the burning fuel.

Nipple 7 is provided with two inletportions, one comprising the spray holder 22 threaded into its end and provided with a whirl-type jet assembly 24 to which connection is adapted to be made at the coupling 23 and the other comprising lateral inlet coupling 25, which provides for admission of fluid material in .a manner to insure its intimate admixture with the material entering through jet 24. As disclosedin the aforementioned copending application, one of these materials may be an initially liquid substance such as H 0 adapted to decompose ,to provide oxygen to support combustion. This material may be introduced at 25, oxygen evolving there from as it advances through the

helical passages

4, 6. Another liquid, comprising a catalyst .such as sodium permanganate in a liquid solution adapted to promote the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide, may be introduced through the coupling 23; Such decomposition is also assisted by the heat absorbed from the combustion chamber.

The fuel is preferably also introduced through a whirltype nozzle 30. Provision is made for igniting the fuel in the conventional manner, an igniter holder 33 being provided adjacent the fuel nozzle and communicating interiorly with an annular chamber 34 surrounding such nozzle and also discharging into the interior of the burner tube 10, as shown. The holder 33 is adapted to support an igniter 50 which may be of the usual or any desired form.

In advancing through the

passages

4, 6, the hydrogen peroxide is preheated and largely decomposed, and some or all of the water resulting from such decomposition is vaporized. This results in absorption of large quantities of heat from the walls of the burner tube 10'and other components within the flask imparting a strong cooling r 3 l. r action and tending topreve'rit overheating of any part of the assembly. 7

The products of combustion are delivered to the engine or other propelling means (unshown) through a dry pipe, or'other meansj(also unshown) attached tothedischarge coupling boss 3'5. 1 g V I The invention herein described may bemanufactured and used'by or for' the Government of the UnitedStat'es of America for governmental purposes without thepayment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim: 1 j a l. A combustion device-of the-character described comprising a casing,- burner-means' comprising a tube within the casing, said tube at its'one end abutting .the interior of said casing, and the other .end thereofprojecting and opening into the interior'of the casing; fuel feeding means discharging longitudinally into that'end of said tube which abuts 1 the casing,-;means=for feeding comburent 'material tothe cas'ing, means forming a helical passage cir cumscribing said-timb fonfeeding' such cornburent material longitudinally within the casing while imparting to said material a rotation -substantially about the axis of said tube, andmeans defining inwardly directed'passages innerends of said' passages; opening near the freeend of said tube whereby said comburent material may be'mixed with the fuel and burning may occur in the vicinity of the mouth of said tube. I I

2. A combustiondevi'ce of the. character described comprising a substantially-cylindrical elongated casing, at

least apart-of said casing beihg- -double walled, burner meanscomprising a tube-within said casing, said tube at said double walls ofithe casing, a helically arranged guide wall within said space forminga passageway extending around and longitudinally of but spaced from said tube,

for imparting rotation to suchmaterial while conducting it longitudinally of the casing, additional helically arranged guide wall means between said tube and inner wall forming a continuation of the firstmentioned passage- .Way and connectedlthereto by-openings in said inner wall, the continuation passageway discharging into the interior of the casing adjacent the open end'of said tube.

to which said material is delivered while in rotation, the

3. A combustion device as set forth in claim Zincluding scoop means-carried-by the-tube near itsopen'end,

said scoop means being connected at their outer ends to said continuation passageway and at their inner ends to the space within said tube, whereby lighter components of the; comburent material traveling through said continuation passageway-may be directed into said tube while heavier components-are discharged from the passageway adjacent the mouth of the tube.

4.,A combustion device of the character described comprising an outer flask, burner means'including-a wall spacedly mounted within said flask, means for introduc ing a comburent material into the space between said flask and ,wall, means defining a-generally helical passageway i-mpartingrotation to such material while conducting it lengthwise through said space, means defining a continuation passageway also of-helical form and serially..connectedatothe first menti'oned passageway and extending counter to-and arranged -'within' the same, and burner means including jet-type fuel feeding means discharging-into the space bounded by said last mentioned j passageway and directed longitudinally of i the assembly in the direction of advanc'e of said-last mentioned passageway, said passageway discharging into a zone of combustion ofafuel projected by 'saidfeeding'means and said comburent material beingad'aptedto be preheated insaid passageways.

end of the second mentioned passageway for directing a part of said comburent material into said zone and for simultaneously directing heavier components of said material longitudinally in. the"form of a film surrounding an zone. a

"6. -A motive fluid-generator iiomprising "a flask, means for injecting and igniting a fuel at one end of the flask to 'i-mpelavolume of hot gas tothejother 'end andterminal'of the flask, means. for. producing ,aconfluence into the flask of a mixture of an oxygen-carryingliquid: and a catalyst for the immediate promotionofdecornposition of said liquid, means initially separating said mixture from said volume'of 1 gas butdiverting a light constituent of the decomposition to supportthe combustion of the fuel, and constricted'means through which a heavy constituent of the decomposition is injected into the terminal volume of'gas tocornplete the motive fluid and at the same timemaintain a backpressure to force'the foregoing diversion of said light constituent.

7. A combustion device of the character described comprising-an outer 'flask,'ineans defining a combustion chamber within said flask, burnermeans' including fuel feeding means opening into the combustion chamber,

means for feeding comburent material into said flask, means for imparting rotation to such'materi'alwhile it isp'assing through said outer'flask before it enters said chamber, and means providing communicationbetween said fl ask' and chamber whereby the rotatingcomburent 'materi'al may enter the combustion chamber after passing through said flask, said last named'means including centrifugal separating means arranged to direct lighter components of saidcomburent material inwardly into said combustion chamber and to direct heavier components thereof longitudinally in the form of a film at least partially surrounding said chamber.

' :8. A combustion device of thecharacter described 'and -through andinto said tube near its free end whereby sucharna'terial maycombine'with'the fuel and burning may take place within said casingin' the vicinity of the mount of said tube, and centrifugal separating means connected to said means for feeding additional comburent material, said centrifugal separating means discharging lighter components inwardly in a direction to mix with'the burning fuel, and discharging heavier'components longitudinally in the form of a layer surroundingatileast a part of the burning zone.

-'-9. A- motive fluid generator comprising; a mixing chamber adapted to receive a confluenceof oxygen carrying liquid and a catalyst for promoting decomposition of said liquid, an assembly comprising outer, inner and'in- "termediate substantially concentric cylinders disposed in spaced relation to provide a first annular space between the outer: and intermediate cylinders and a second annular space between the intermediateand-innencylinders, ther pace within the inhencylindeifforming a burneif chamber and communicating at one end-thereof -'with'- a -combustion chamber; wall meanswithin the first annular space forming a first helical: passageway there- '-in,-wall rneans within the second annular "space forming a second helicab passageway therein; means communicating ad acent 'ends'of' the first and second passageways, means [communicating the mixing chamber and first pas- 5 In combination with means as set forth in claim 4', centrifugal separating means appurtenant the disch-argc adapted to discharge fuel into the burner chamber.

10. A motive fluid generator comprising; a mixing chamber adapted to receive a confluence of an oxygen carrying liquid and a catalyst for promoting decomposition of said liquid, means for receiving the confluent mixture and whirling same at progressively higher rates to thereby separate the decomponents, a burner chamber, a combustion chamber communicating with the burner chamber and with the means for whirling the mixture, means for injecting fuel into the burner chamber, and means for delivering separated decomponents respectively into the burner chamber and into an envelope form within the combustion chamber.

11. In a motive fluid generator, an inner cylinder having apertures through the wall thereof, the space within the inner cylinder forming a burner chamber, a concentric outer cylinder disposed in spaced relation around the inner cylinder, means providing a helical passageway between the cylinders, means for delivering oxygen carrying liquid to said passageway, a combustion chamber communicating with one end of the burner chamber, an annular space communicating one end ofthe helical passageway with the combustion chamber constructed to restrict flow of heavier constituents of liquid escaping therethrough and effecting a back pressure within the helical passageway to thereby force lighter constituents inwardly through said apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,325,618 Lyshohn Aug. 3,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS 271,706 Great Britain May 26, 1927 279,197 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1927 539,069 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1941