US3115924A

US3115924A - Burner

Info

Publication number: US3115924A
Application number: US6506A
Authority: US
Inventors: Massier John
Original assignee: Selas Corp of America
Current assignee: Selas Corp of America
Priority date: 1960-02-03
Filing date: 1960-02-03
Publication date: 1963-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-31

Description

J. MASSIER BURNER Filed Feb. 3, 1960 Dec. 31, 1963 odocoo

INVENTOR. JOHN MASSIER ATTORNEY.

FIG.

United States Patent 7 3,115,924 BURNER John Massier, Oreland, Pa., assignor to Selas Corporation of America, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 6,506 Claims. (Cl. 158-73) The present invention relates to industrial burners, and more particularly to a burner that can use oil, gas, or oil and gas as a fuel, and one which is used to heat a cupshaped surface of a burner block to incandescence to direct radiant heat into "a furnace.

The majority of burners in use today which use oil or oil and gas as a fuel are characterized by producing a relatively long, luminous flame. Such burners require a large furnace chamber so that the work can be placed where it will not be contacted by the flame. This type of construction makes it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain precise heating of various portions of a furnace cham. her or object.

It is :an object of the invention to provide a burner that will operate with a short, practically invisible flame when using either oil or gas as a fuel. It is a further object of the invention to aprovide an oil burning radiant cup burner. An additional object of the invention is to provide a burner which will operate on oil, gas, or oil and gas withmo appreciable difference in burning characteristics or flame appearance.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a means for supplying a radially expanding sheet of air across a cup-shaped depression in a burner block. A supply of fuel which, if oil, is in atomized form, is discharged centrally of the air, and is drawn by the air radially outward to mix with it and burn. The burning takes place substantially instantaneously to heat the surface of the depression to incandescence.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages and specific objects attained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in section of one form of the burner in which fuel and air are both supplied under pressure,

'FIG. "2 is a View of the burner tip looking from the right in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a view in section of a form of the burner in which the combustion air is supplied through an inspirator.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a furnace wall including refractory 1 that faces the interior of the furnace, which is backed up in the usual fashion by sheet metal 2 with a layer of insulating material 3 between the refractory and the metal. A burner block 4 is placed in the furnace lining, leaving an opening through which the burner cup block and the burner itself are inserted. The cup block is shown as a refractory block 5 that is cemented to a cup base 6, which in turn is fastened to a cup base casting 7. The

parts

5, 6 and 7 are moved into position as a unit in the furnace wall, with a shoulder on burner block 4 limiting the position of the cup block.

The cup block 5 is provided on its face with a cupshaped depression 8, the innermost portion of which is formed by a surface 9 which is at a smaller angle to the axisof the block than is the outer portion of the cup. The base of the depression is provided with an opening 11 that extends back through

parts

6 and 7, and in which 3,115,924 Patented Dec'. 31, 1963 is inserted the fuel distributing portion 12 of the burner which is tubular and is generally known as a distributing member.

This burner includes an outer tube 13 that is provided with a flange 14 by means of which it can be attached to casting 7. The right or inner end of tube 13 is closed by means of a part forming a swirl chamber 15. This part is provided with an outwardly extending flange 16 by means of which it is attached to the end of tube 13 and with an inwardly extending flange :17. The inner flange has a circular \opening in it, the edge of which is fastened to one end of a tube 18 that is concentric with tube 13 and extends back away from the block through an opening in the closed left end of tube 13 to which it is attached. Between

tubes

13 and 18 is a third, concentric tube 19, the right end of which is attached to flange. 17, and the left end of which is closed by a flange 21. These three tubes in concentric relation form an outer annular space 22 that is supplied with air through a connection 23, and a middle annular space 24 that is supplied with gas through a connection 25. The annular space between tube 13 and the axial wall of swirl chamber 15 can be considered as an annular air chamber or space 28 that is open at one end. The axial wall of swirl chamber '15 is provided with a plurality of rows of tangential openings 26 through which air is introduced into the swirl chamber from air chamber 28 with a rotary motion. The axis of openings 26, shown at a in FIG. 2, is perpendicular to a plane b containing the axis of chamber 15. Flange 17 is provided with a ring of axially disposed openings 27 through which gas can be discharged from space 24 into the swirl chamber. An atomizer 29 for oil is received in the central opening of flange 17 in telescoped relation with the inner tube 18. .Oilis supplied to atomizer 29 through a tube 31 tributing member 12 is moved to the right through the central opening 11 of the burner cup block to a position in which its right end projects slightly beyond the base of the inclined portion 9 of the cup as shown. A series of gaskets 34 can be inserted between the back of casting 7 and flange 14 in order properly to locate the distributor portion in the cup block. In most cases, it will be desirable to manufacture the parts so that they will fit correctly when flange 14 abuts the back of casting 7. In any event, the distributor portion 12 is bolted in place to the casting when it is properly located.

In operation of the burner, air is supplied through connection 23 at a pressure of from 28 to 30 inches of water, and'gas is supplied through connection 25 at the same pressure. The supply of air is controlled by a valve 35 and gas by a valve 36. In normal operation, oil is supplied at from 14 to 18 pounds per square inch, and the atomizing gas at a pressure of 15 pounds per square inch. The pressure of the oil and gas going to the atomizer, however, will vary with the type of atomizer that is used. This atomizer may be of any commercially discharged from space 22 through the tangential ports 26 into swirl chamber 15. This air leaves the swirl chamber and spreads as a sheet radially across the face of the cup. If gas is being used as a fuel, valve 36 will be opened to discharge gas into the swirl chamber through opening 27 where the gas will be picked up by the air and carried across the face of the cup. This mixture can be ignited, and will burn as it flows across the face of the cup to heat the cup to incandescence. The projection of flange 16 into the base of the cup, coupled with the steeper inclination of portion 9 of the cup, appears to set up a low pressure area immediately outside of the distributor tip, which serves to trap some of the combustible mixture. The mixture burning in this low pressure area serves as a pilot to hold the flame on the burner and insure that burning across the face of the cup will continue. If oil is to be used as a fuel,

valves

37 and 38 in the oil and atomizing gas lines will be opened, and oil will be discharged in atomized condition from the front of the atomizer 29. The action of air flowing across the surface of the cup appears to pull the oil radially outward, so that it mixes with the air. In any event, this action takes place so that there is an intimate mixture of the atomized oil and air which burns as its flows across the surface of the cup. This burning action produces a reduced pressure area immediately in front of the burner tip in the manner described in Hess Patent 2,215,079 to pull products of combustion and flaming gases into the center of the cup. The involution pattern of the products of combustion formed in front of the furnace wall also serves in part to move the cone of atomized oil radially outward to help the mixture of the air and oil. As the burner gets hot, the small drops of oil that are discharged from the atomizer will apparently vaporize, so that in effect a gas is being used as a fuel. As far as observation of the burner is concerned, when it is operating, it is difficult, of not impossible, to tell whether gas or oil or both is the fuel.

The various valves can be manipulated so that the burner can use gas or oil, or gas and oil as a fuel. It is only necessary to supply enough air so that substantially stoichiometric proportions of air and fuel are dis charged into the cup.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 3 of the drawing uses an inspirator to supply air to the burner cup instead of having air suplied under a positive pressure as was the air in the embodiment of FIG. 1. Referring to that figure, there is shown an inspirator body 41 that is received in the central opening of the burner cup block. This inspirator has formed in its right end an annular chamber 42, the end of which projects slightly into the steeply inclined portion 9 of the cup, as was the case in FIG. 1. The chamber 42 is provided with a plurality of rows of tangential openings 43 that extend from the chamber to the interior of the ring formed by the chamber. A gas under pressure, which is preferably dry steam, is supplied to the chamber through a passage 44 formed on the exterior of the body and a supply pipe 45.

Atomizer 29 and the oil and atomizing gas lines connected therewith are encased in a tube 46 which extends through a side of the atomizer body and up toward the burner cup, with the atomizer being located within the center of chamber 42 in a position similar to the position it had an chamber in FIG. 1. The atomizer is held in position by means of struts 47.

The rear end 48 of the inspirator body is bell-shaped in the usual manner, and has located therein a shutter 49 which is held in position by a bracket 51. Rotation of the shutter in a conventional manner will adjust the amount of air that is supplied to the burner. The central portion of bracket 51 is formed as a sleeve 52, which holds a spud 53, that is supplied with a fluid under pressure through a pipe 54.

In the operation of this form of the invention, a gas,

which is preferably dry steam under pressure, is supplied through line 45 to chamber 42. The steam is exhausted from this chamber through openings 43, and passes as a radially expanding sheet into and across the surface of cup 8. Oil is supplied through atomizer 29 in a manner similar to that described above, and is drawn against the surface of the cup by the steam. In this case, either air under pressure or steam is supplied through pipe 54 and spud 53 to the inspirator body. This gas under pressure aspirates air in the proper amount for combustion into the inspirator body. As the air flowing through this body reaches the openings 43, it is picked up by the gas flowing through these openings and carried with it and the oil along the surface of the cup to form a combustible mixture which burns with a short, clear flame. If the burner is to be used with fuel gas as the fuel, fuel gas will be supplied through pipe 54 and spud 53 to aspirate the air necessary for combustion. This combustible mixture will be mixed with the gas flowing through passages 43 and forced against the surface of the cup to be burned as it is flowing across the cup. Fuel gas can also be used to aspirate air for combustion when oil is being supplied through atomizer 29, so that burning of both fuel gas and oil simultaneously can take place.

Ordinarily, the burners in either of the embodiments described above will use either fuel gas or oil as a fuel. At times, however, for reasons of economy or supply of fuel, it is necessary to use both fuels simultaneously. Also, when changing from one fuel to the other, it would be desirable, gradually, to increase the supply of oil, for example, while the supply of fuel gas is being decreased. Because of the burning characteristics of the burner, there is no apparent difference from inspection when in operation whether fuel gas or oil, or a combination of the two, is being used as a supply of fuel.

The invention disclosed herein has provisions for moving the combustion air across the face of the cup, and by natural forces, due to pressure variations in the cup, of drawing fuel into the air so that combustion will take place. The burner is readily inserted into and removed from a furnace, and is easily fabricated from readily available material.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims, and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. In an industrial burner, the combination of a refractor block having a face adapted to form a portion of a furnace wall, said face being provided with a substantially conical depression having its sides flaring at a predetermined angle, said block being provided with an opening extending substantially perpendicular to said face from the apex of said depression through said block, a distributor member having a substantially cylindrical portion and an end, said portion being received in said opening with said end substantially flush with said depression, said end being provided with a re-entrant portion forming an axially extending cylindrical chamber open at said end and smaller in diameter than said end, said chamber having an axial wall and a radial wall, said axial wall being provided with a plurality of openings each of which has an axis perpendicular to a plane containing the axis of the chamber and terminating substantially tangential to the inner surface of said wall, means to supply air to said member to flow through said openings into said chamber and spread outwardly along the surface of said depression, an oil atomizer, means extending through said member and said rear wall to support said atomizer in said chamber with said atomizer being located adjacent to said end, said atomizer being of the type to discharge oil in a conical pattern with an angle less than said predetermined angle, and means to supply oil to said atomizer to be discharged directly into said depression.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said radial wall is provided with a plurality of axially extending passages surrounding said supporting means, and means to supply fuel gas to said passages to be discharged into said chamber.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the portion of said conical depression adjacent to the apex thereof has a smaller angle to the axis thereof than the portion of said conical depression adjacent to the face of said block.

4. In an industrial burner, the combination of a refractory block having a face adapted to form a portion of a furnace wall, said face being provided with a cup-shaped depression, said block being provided with an opening extending from the base of the depression through the block, a tubular distributing member having an end received in said opening with its end substantially flush with the base of said depression, said end being provided with a re-entrant chamber having a tubular axial wall and a radial wall displaced from said end, said axial wall being provided with a plurality of passages each of which has an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane containing the axis of said chamber and tangentially to its inner surface, means to force air into said member and into said chamber to flow outwardly across the face of said depression, an atomizer having an angle of discharge smaller than the included angle of said depression, means extending through said radial wall to support said atomizer in said chamber with said atomizer located adjacent to said end of said distributor, and means to supply oil to said atomizer to be discharged directly into said depression.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said radial wall is provided with a plurality of axially extending openings around said means supporting said atomizer, and means to supply fuel gas through said openings to said chamber to be discharged with the air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,537 Gwynn Sept. 8, 1903 1,290,607 Lovekin Jan. 7, 1919 1,339,580 Runyan May 11, 1920 1,451,063 Anthony Apr. 10, 1923 1,914,355 Argyle et a1 June 20, 1933 2,156,121 Macrae Apr. 25, 1939 2,242,787 Lieberherr May 20, 1941 2,452,779 McCollum Nov. 2, 1948 2,561,795 Hess et al. July 24, 1951 2,904,417 TeNuyl Sept. 15, 1959 2,969,833 Bloom et al. Jan. 31, 1961 3,000,435 Bloom et a1. Sept. 19, 1961 3,022,815 Bloom et a1 Feb. 27, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,035,124 France Apr. 15, 1953