US3375081A

US3375081A - Grease incinerator

Info

Publication number: US3375081A
Application number: US464638A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander M Papp; Jr Louis P Hine
Original assignee: American Gas Association Inc
Current assignee: American Gas Association Inc
Priority date: 1965-06-17
Filing date: 1965-06-17
Publication date: 1968-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-26
Also published as: GB1091509A

Description

March 26, 1968 A. M. PAPP ETAL GREASE INCINERATOR Filed Jime 17, 1965 T5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l NVENTORS Alexander M. Popp 8 Louis P Hine,Jr.

BY M FM ATTORNEY March 26, 1968 Filed June 17, 1965 A. M- PAPP ETAL GREASE INCINERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 26, 1968 vp pp T GREASE INCINERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 17, 1965 United States Patent 3,375,081 GREASE INCINERATOR Alexander M. Papp, Lorain, and Louis P. Hine, Jr.,

Elyria, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

American Gas Association, Inc., New York, N.Y., a

corporation of New York Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,638 6 Claims. (Cl. 23277) The present invention relates to grease incinerator apparatus for'the harmless disposal of grease vapors as may be produced in cooking and is an improvement on the apparatus disclosed by U.S. Patent 3,164,445, assigned to the American Gas Association.

-It is well known that the accumulation of the grease that is plated out on vent surfaces or on disposable vent filter structures as used in the cooking areas of restaurants or the like is not only a considerable nuisance, but a definite fire hazard and is one of the principal causes of restaurant .fires. As disclosed by the above-mentioned patent, it has been discovered that a heated surface interposed in the path of flow of grease vapors being vented from the cooking area, will incinerate and vaporize the grease particles impinging thereon to form a harmless nongreasy vapor and thus the plating of grease on the subsequent vent surfaces is prevented.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved grease incinerator arrangement with which the grease vapors are caused to flow in a particular manner about a cylindrical heated surface to assure the incineration of substantially all of the grease particles in the vapor before the vapor is passed to and through the subsequent ventilation ducts.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved grease incinerator structure having means to positively 'move the grease vapors to be caused to flow into contact with a cylindrical heated incineration surface before being vented.

In accordance with the invention, a housing formed of sheet metal or the like is provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Baffie and duct means are provided to convey grease vapors through the housing from the inlet to the outlet and to form a toroidal chamber within the housing through which the grease vapors must pass.

from the inlet to the outlet. The toroidal chamber is preferably positioned below the inlet so that greasy vapors are directed first downwardly into the toroidal chamber and then with a circular motion upwardly and again downwardly within the toroidal chamber before being passed to the outlet opening. The inner wall of the toroidal chamber is a cylindrical member providing a heated cylindrical surface coaxially positioned within the toroidal chamber so that grease particles in the vapor passing through the toroidal chamber will impinge and be incinerated on the heated surface, the products of this incinerator being thereafter passed through the outlet opening in a harmless nongreasy form. A cylindrical gas burner surface is positioned within the cylindrical member to thereby heat its cylindrical surface and one or more suitable vent holes are provided in the heated cylindrical surface to allow the combustion products from the gas burner to escape into and mix with the flow containing the products of incineration of the grease vapors. A power fan or blower is provided in the housing, preferably adjacent the outlet opening, to cause a positive flow of grease vapors and combustion products through the toroidal chamber in a manner due to the chamber geometry to impinge on the heated surface within the toroidal chamber.

Further objects, features and the attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings in which:

3,375fi8l Patented Mar. 26, 1968 FIG. 1 is a front elevational view partly in section and partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II-II of FIG. 1 leaving the fan, motor and supporting bracket in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the gas burner and related structure partly in elevation and partly broken away to show successive elements in elevation; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the grease incinerator apparatus of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the grease incineratorapparatus is contained within the closed housing generally designated 10 in FIG. 4 and consisting of suitably and conventionally interconnected and supported imperforate wall panels of sheet metal or other appropriate material. Upper front wall 11 and a lower front wall 12 have the inlet opening 13 disposed somewhat to the left thereof as viewed in FIG. 4.

Side walls

14 and 15 are attached to front walls 11 and 12. As seen in FIG. 2 bottom wall 16 is connected to

side walls

14 and 15 and front wall 12, an upper wall 17 is connected to

side walls

14 and 15 and front wall 11 (FIG. 2), and a closed back wall 18 is connected to the

walls

14, 15, 16 and 17. The upper Wall 17 is provided with an outlet opening 19 and a screened opening 20 which will be later referred to in more detail.

The interior of the housing 10 is divided by various wall and partition members extending between and supported on outside wall 15 and interior partition wall 25a into baffle and duct means defining a path for the flow of grease vapors from the inlet 13 to, the outlet 19 in the manner shown by the arrows of FIG; 2 of the drawings. A lower curved'wall 21 forms the lower wall of the duct from the inlet opening to the toroidal chamber generally shown at 22. It will be noted that the rearward portion of the lower wall member 21 is curved at 23 and 24 to redirect the grease vapors upwardly and then again downwardly within the toroidal chamber 22. An upper curved baffle member 25 forms the upper wall of the duct from the inlet opening 13 to the toroidal chamber 22 and serves to direct the initial flow of grease vapors downwardly toward the toroidal chamber 22 from the inlet 13. The side wall 15 and an inner partition wall 25a form the side walls of the ducts and the toroidal chamber 22. The upper wall or baflle member 25 is removable from the rest of the sheet metal housing as shown by the dotted line position of FIG. 2 and is slidably received in the supporting

groove structures

26 and 27 when inserted in place in the housing. By removing the slidable upper wall member 25 from the housing, it may be easily cleaned and access may be obtained to the interior of the inlet duct to clean the lower wall surface 21. It will be noted that therear end of the upper wall member 25 is shaped as shown at 28 to contact the heated cylindrical surface 30 within the toroidal chamber 22 and thus cause the grease vapors to flow with a circular counterclockwise motion in the direction of the arrows around the heated cylindrical surface 30.

The heated cylindrical surface 30 is substantially coaxially positioned within the toroidal chamber 22 and as more clearly shown by FIG. 3 of the drawings, is provided with an interior burner assembly which has a gas burner assembly comprising coaxial burner structure having cylindrical metallic components including an outer fine mesh screen 31, an inner coarse screen 32 and a central perforated support cylinder 33. A venturi tube 34 conveys a mixture of gas and air from the gas nozzle 35 and the air inlet opening 36 to. the interior of the burner screen from which the combustion gases escape through the perforations of the support cylinder 33 to be burned on the surfaces of

foraminous screens

31 and 32. A spark ignition wire 37 is mounted on an insulated bushing 38 and extends through the aperture 39 of the heated cylindrical surface 30 into close proximity with the burner assembly which is electrically grounded. When it is desired to ignite the burner, a pulse of electric current is fed to the spark electrode 37 to produce a spark between its spark tip 40 and the adjacent cylindrical burner assembly thus igniting the gaseous fuel. One or more openings as shown at 45 to 51 are provided on the heated cylindrical surface 30 to permit the products of combustion to escape into the flow of grease vapors within the toroidal :chamber 22 to be passed therefrom to the housing outlet as will be later described in more detail.

It should be understood that various conventional control arrangements may be provided to supply the pulse of electrical energy to the ignition wire for igniting the burner and to control the flow of gas to the gas nozzle 35. Also such control arrangements may include thermocouple controlled switches and other safety devices in arrangements that will be obvious to those skilled in the art and, since they form no part of the present invention, these control circuits and arrangements will not be described.

Interior walls

55 and 56 form a duct extending from the toroidal chamber 22 to connect with the opening 57 in a lateral partition wall 58. The opening 57 communicates with the duct 59 formed by the side wall of fan housing 60 to the inlet opening 60a of the scroll 61 for the blower housing in which the blower fan or impeller 62 is rotatably positioned to be driven by the electric motor 63. The housing outlet 19 connects with the outlet of the scroll of the blower fan 62 so that when the blowers motor 63 is energized and the fan or impeller member 62 is being driven, the grease vapors and products of incineration will be drawn in through the inlet 13 and through the toroidal chamber 22 to the outlet 19. The electric motor 63 for the fan will also be energized by any suitable control circuit and is of course, preferably operative only when the cylindrical surface 30' within the toroidal chamber 22 is heated.

Air for cooling the motor 63 within the compartment 64 is passed in through the screen 20 and some of this air passes through the aperture 65 (see FIG. 1) in the interior wall 58 to be drawn into the venturi air inlet 36 for mixing with gas from the gas nozzle 35 to form the combustible fuel for burning on the

bumer screens

31 and 32.

It is believed that the operation of the grease incinerator apparatus should now be obvious to anyone skilled in the art. It will be noted that the grease vapors entering the inlet 13 are preferably caused to flow downwardly first in the direction of the arrows of FIG. 2 of the drawings to the toroidal chamber 22 where they are then redirected again upwardly and again downwardly to impinge upon the heated cylindrical surface 30. The products of combustion escaping through the vent holes such as the aperture 51 together with the burned residue of the grease vapors then pass from the toroidalchamber 22 in the direction of the arrows through the opening 57 and the compartment 59 to the inlet opening 60 in the scroll of the blower 62 and from there are blown out through the outlet opening 19. It has been found that the provision of the blower to positively move the grease vapors in the directions shown by the arrows through the toroidal chamber 22 assures the impingement and incineration of all of the grease particles in the grease vapor on the heated surface 30 to thus reduce the grease particles to a harmless incinerated non-combustible form which is primarily gaseous or vaporous and which is then drawn by the blower through the outlet opening 19 to the subsequent ventilation ducts.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, other forms of blowers or fans may be provided, it being understood however, that the preferred arrangement would position the fan adjacent the outlet 19 so that the fan blades are not exposed to the grease vapors prior to their incineration.

We claim as our invention:

1. A grease vapor incinerator comprising, a housing through which grease vapors are to be passed and having an inlet opening and an exhaust opening, bafile and duct means in said housing defining a toroidal chamber between said inlet opening and said outlet opening for imparting a circular motion to grease vapors passing from said inlet opening to said exhaust opening, power fan means in said duct means on the downstream side of said toroidal chamber for positively moving grease vapors from said inlet opening through said toroidal chamber towards said exhaust opening, a member having a cylindrical surface positioned substantially cocoaxially within said toroidal chamber, means comprising a foraminous burner surface coaxially mounted within said member, means to convey combustible fuel to said foraminous surface, the surface of said member being provided with at least one opening therethrough for the passage of products of combustion from said burner surface contained therein whereby grease particles in the vapor passing through said toroidal chamber are directed by the walls of said chamber toward the heated generally cylindrical surface and impinging on the heated surface of said member are caused to be incinerated.

2. A grease vapor incinerator comprising, a housing through which grease vapors are to be passed and having an inlet opening and an exhaust opening, baffle and duct means in said housing defining a toroidal chamber between said inlet opening and said outlet opening for directing grease vapors from said inlet first in a downward direction and then with a circular motion upward and again downward and then to said exhaust opening, power fan means in said duct means on the downstream side of said toroidal chamber for positively moving grease vapors from said inlet opening through said toroidal chamber to- Wards said exhaust opening, a member having a cylindrical surface positioned substantially coaxially within said toroidal chamber, means comprising a foraminous burner surface coaxially mounted within said member, means to convey combustible fuel to said foraminous surface, the surface of said member being provided with at least one opening through its surface for the passage of products of combustion from said burner surface contained therein whereby grease particles in the vapor passing through said toroidal chamber are directed by the walls of said chamber toward the heated generally cylindrical surface and impinging on the heated surface of said member are caused to be incinerated.

3. The invention of claim 2 in which said baffie and duct means includes a bafile surface removably secured in said housing above said inlet surface and having a downward curved surface adapted to be positioned within said housing behind said inlet opening to direct grease vapors downward to said toroidal chamber when said baffle surface is secured in said housing.

4. A grease vapor incinerator comprising, a housing through which grease vapors are to be passed and having an inlet opening and an exhaust opening, baffle and duct means in said housing defining a toroidal chamber between said inlet opening and said outlet opening for directing grease vapors from said inlet first in a downward direction and then with a circular motion upward and again downward and then to said exhaust opening, power fan means in said duct means adjacent said exhaust opening for positively moving grease vapors from said inlet opening through said toroidal chamber towards said exhaust opening, a member having a cylindrical surface positioned substantially coaxially within said toroidal chamber, means comprising a foraminous burner surface coaxially mounted within said member, means to convey combustible fuel to said foraminous surface, the surface of said member being provided with at least one opening through its surface for the passage of products of combustion from said burner surface contained therein where by grease particles in the vapor passing through said toroidal chamber are directed by the walls of said chamber toward the heated generally cylindrical surface and impinging on the heated surface of said member are caused to be incinerated.

5. The invention of claim 4 in which said baffle and duct means includes a baffle surface removably secured in said housing above said inlet surface and having a downward curved surface adapted to be positioned within said housing behind said inlet opening to direct grease vapors downward to said toroidal chamber when said bafiie surface is secured in said housing.

6. A grease vapor incinerator comprising, a housing through which grease vapors are to be passed and having an inlet opening and an exhaust opening, baffle and duct means in said housing defining a toroidal chamber between said inlet opening and said outlet opening for imparting a circular motion to grease vapors passing from said inlet opening to said exhaust opening, power fan means in said duct means on the downstream side of said toroidal chamber for positively moving grease vapors from said inlet opening through said toroidal chamber towards said exhaust opening, a member having a generally cylindrical surface positioned Within said toroidal chamber, means comprising a burner mounted within said member, means to convey combustible fuel to said burner, whereby grease particles in the vapor passing through said toroidal chamber are directed by the walls of said chamber toward the heated generally cylindrical surface and impinging on the heated surface of said member are caused to be incinerated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JAMES H. TAYMAN, 111., Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A GREASE VAPOR INCINERATOR COMPRISING, A HOUSING THROUGH WHICH GREASE VAPORS ARE TO BE PASSED AND HAVING AN INLET OPENING AND AN EXHAUST OPENING, BAFFLE AND DUCT MEANS IN SAID HOUSING DEFINING A TOROIDAL CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID INLET OPENING AND SAID OUTLET OPENING FOR IMPARTING A CIRCULAR MOTION TO GREASE VAPORS PASSING FROM SAID INLET OPENING TO SAID EXHAUST OPENING, POWER FAN MEANS IN SAID DUCT MEANS ON THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF SAID TOROIDAL CHAMBER FOR POSITIVELY MOVING GREASE VAPORS FROM SAID INLET OPENING THROUGH SAID TOROIDAL CHAMBER TOWARDS SAID EXHAUST OPENING, A MEMBER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SURFACE POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY COCOAXIALLY WITHIN SAID TOROIDAL CHAMBER, MEANS COMPRISING A FORAMINOUS BURNER SURFACE COAXIALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID MEMBER, MEANS TO CONVEY COMBUSTIBLE FUEL TO SAID FORAMINOUS SURFACE, THE SURFACE OF SAID MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE OPENING THERETHROUGH FOR THE PASSAGE OF PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION FROM SAID BURNER SURFACE CONTAINED THEREIN WHEREBY GREASE PARTICLES IN THE VAPOR PASSING THROUGH SAID TOROIDAL CHAMBER ARE DIRECTED BY THE WALLS OF SAID CHAMBER TOWARD THE HEATED GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SURFACE AND IMPINGING ON THE HEATED SURFACE OF SAID MEMBER ARE CAUSED TO BE INCINERATED.