US609744A

US609744A - hennig

Info

Publication number: US609744A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1915-08-23

Description

No. 609,744. 7 Patented Aug. 23, I898. C. T. HENNIG.

MEANS FOR UTILIZING FUEL.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Z WITNESSES: J INVENTOR Z0 21 BY hm? No. 609,744. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

C. T. HENNIG.

MEANS FOR UTILIZING FUEL.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Magda- W hw S MANOR???- m: mums Pn'ws cc. PMOTO-LITHO wAsuls-cnom vc.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THEODORE HENNIG, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES R. HATMAKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

7 MEANS FOR UTILIZING FUEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,744, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed December 2,1897. Serial No. 660,557. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES THEODORE IIENNIG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of and Means for Utilizing Fuel,of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to a method and means for supplying fuel to furnaces for all purposes, so as to obtain perfect combustion thereof, and also to amethod and means for utilizing the high temperature of perfect and rapid combustion in boilers and furnaces without injury thereto, and, thirdly, in its more specific aspect my invention includes means for adapting the above to the purposes of railwaywork.

My invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a section of one form of tender for locomotives suitable to the application of my invention to railway-work. Fig. 2 is a section of a portion of the feed apparatus which may be used in tenders or elsewhere, showing a modification of the form shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of one form of locomotive as fitted out with an example of constructions coming within my invention. Fig. 4: is a section of a portion of the fuel-feed apparatus, shown on a larger scale than in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modification of my invention contemplating induction by the use of a stream of steam.

It is to be understood that although the accompanying drawings illustrate the applicationof my invention to boiler purposes the same is applicable to any furnace for any purpose and that I am not limited to the application of my invention to locomotive or other single specific purposes. The illustrations herewith given are rendered necessary for the exposition of the more specific features of my invention whereby it is adapted to locomotiveboilers; and the invention bein g thus exemplified in'one form,illustrations of other applications thereof are rendered unnecessary, as theyinvolve changes obvious to those skilled in the art.

My invention, taken from the point of View of a novel method of feeding fuel for all purposes, involves the pulverizing of solid fuel and the forcing thereof into the furnace by submitting the same to the pressure of an elastic fiuid, such as steam, gas, or air.

I have found that where solid fuel, such as soft coal, is pulverized to great fineness it may be forced out of a containing vessel through a comparatively small opening by the pressure of an elastic fluid behind it. Where the fuel-feed is periodically interrupted, I prefer to supplement the action of the pressure behind the fuel bya stream of air, steam, or gas, so directed as to cooperate by induction to drive the fuel through the deliverypipe in the manner shown in the drawings. This feature will be understood to be applicable, of course, in those cases where the feed is not interrupted.

Whether fed in connection with the use of the induction-pipe or not, the fuel should be mingled with a proper proportion of air for complete combustion.

One means for carrying out my process in connection with locomotive-engines is shown in the drawings, wherein the magazine for storage of fuel in a pulverized state is shown in the usual tender at 1. The dotted line indicates the level of the fuel when at its highest.

The floor of this storage-magazine should be so shaped'as to promote movement of the particles of fuel toward the opening 2. The curves indicated in the drawings at 3 will be found appropriate for this purpose. In the practice of my method of fuel-feed the pulverized fuel is driven out of the opening or pipe 2 by means of air-pressure within the space above the dotted line in Fig. 1. This pressure should be supplied from a proper air-storage tank, which I have shown at 4 under the tender, although it will be understood that the position of this tank is not essential to my invention. The main object of the tank 4 is to make provision for starting up a cold engine. Proper pressure should always be maintained in this tank when the engine is allowed to grow cold, as it is necessary to have such pressure for the purpose of fuel-feed. In the case of a locomotive the storage-tank can be supplied from the same system that supplies the air-brakes, as

through the pipe 5, (see Fig. 1,) and this arrangement is shown in the drawings by the connection of the pipe 5 with the air-pump 6 on the engine. (See Fig. 3.) Of course the pump that supplies the fuel-feed pressure may be separate from the air-brake system altogether, if so desired.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification wherein the induction is produced by blowing live steam directly from the boiler through a pipe,

such as 6*, into the fuel-supply pipe. This may in some cases be preferred to the use of the compressed air.

It will of course be understood that the? magazine for fuel-storage is tightly closed,

the fuel being introduced, preferably, by chutes through the door or other opening v7. :Iprefer to make this door swing upon ahinge, as indicated by thedotted lines in the figure,

and to weight it so that it may act as a safetyvalve in the case of accidental production of dangerous pressure within the fuel-magazine by any cause. Those parts of the tender not occupied by the fuel or compressed air serve for storage of water, as in the present system. The valve 8 servesto confine the air within its tank when not in use.

I prefer to use, in connection with my fuelmagazine and elastic fluid under pressure, as 5 above described, a pipe for producing an induced current of air and fuel at the point of delivery from the magazine. This is particuin character.

larly desirable where the magazine is stationary and where the supply is intermittent One'form of pipe for this purpose .is shown in Fig. 1at9.

This pipe 'opens at the .topj into the air-space above the fuel and is thus} fed from the same mass of air as produces% the initial pushing power for the feed. The;

delivery end of this pipe is placed just at the outlet of the magazine, in such a position and i so pointed that it will tend to find an outlet;

with .the fuel.

The rush of air or gas through this pipe 9, acting by induction upon the surrounding fuel, will aid in the delivery-of the;

fuel through the pipe 2. applies as well to the pipe 6*.

This description (shown for 1' the proper proportion of .fuel and air.

valve, such as a slide 11, may be used 'to ento be interrupted for any reason.

As shown in Fig. 2, the induction-pipe'need tirely close the opening 2 when the supply is not necessarily lead from the chamber above 1 the fuel where the compressed air is used.= For instance, the pipe 12 may be used underthe magazine or tender, leading directly from 1 the storage-tank 4 .or from any other desired portion of the compressed air or gas system.

As above stated, the current of fuel and 'bythe small arrows.

air driven from the opening 2 is preferably so treated after delivery as to bring into operation an added volume of air. This is done in order that the driving or feed of the fuel may be accomplished with less compressed airthan that necessary to accomplish per- .fectcombust'ion. This step in the process of feeding the fuel is'therefore best adapted to that modification of my system wherein com- .pressed air is the driving agent, although it is also more or less appropriate to other modifications. I prefer to carry out this step in the feeding process by means of the apparatus shown on alarge scale in Fig. 4. Here the delivery end of the pipe 2 through which the fuel is fed, projects into an entrance-flue 13, provided with perforations, as indicated at 14, through which theair moves, as shown Air is also sucked into this .flue by the annular space between it and the pipe 2 and becomes .mixed with the air and fuel delivered. The wall of the furnace thus supplied is indicated at 15 in Fig. 4, and I prefer to give the flue 13 a flaring shape within the furnace, as shown at 15.

I have thus far described my invention broadly in its application to any form of furnace for any purpose, and .I have limited my description to that aspect of my invention which has relation simplyto the novel method or process for supplying fuel by pulverizing the same and driving it through the feedway by means of a mass of compressed elastic fluid. Where perfect combustion of fuel is I rapidly produced, however, as is the case with the apparatus used as above described, avery intense heat is generated, and the tempera- .ture is carried so highas to have a rapidlydestructive effect upon all but the most refractory materials,.and even'when used for 1 heating water a furnace fed as above described and in which complete combustion iscarried on must be provided with proper means forpreventing the burning of the material of the boiler.

The construction which '1 have devised for the purpose .of thus safely using fuel with all the economy incident to rapid and perfect combustionis described'hereinafter and is capable of use with any system wherein the fuel used is mixed with the necessary supporter of combustion and projected into the furnace to be burnedas fast as fed. I may therefore use oil or gas or any hydrocarbon vapor or liquid in connection with my improved form of furnace about to be described. It will be understood that the use of .a driving fluidpressure such as I have described above will be unnecessary with liquid or gaseous fuels, although mylinvention is broad enough to cover such use when desired.

One form of safety-furnace for boilers is indicated in Fig. 3, which illustrates one wellknown form of fire-box for locomotives,wherein the fire-space is surrounded by a water- IIC with aboiler I line the furnace with firebrick, closing all entrances to the box save that at the flue 13.

The iron parts of the boiler are completely shielded from the flame, which is projected into a combustion-space 18, directly in front of the flue 13. This is the first of a series of fines and chambers built up of fire-brick on the principle of the regenerative furnace, wherein the products of combustion are forced through winding passages,so1newhat as shown in Fig. 3. As these hot gases are thus led among the bricks they give up their heat to the latter, raising them to a high heat, and finally reach the beginning of the boiler-flues at such a temperature as is not injurious to the iron. They then pass through the flues in the ordinary Way, it being understood, however, that the usual forced draft employed in locomotives will not be essential where my invention is employed.

The result of the use of the construction thus described is the production of a flame of extremely-high temperature and corresponding economy from a relatively small amount of fuel. This high temperature is confined to the center of the brick-flue system,in which is located the combustion-chamber. From this center of maximum temperature the heat is transmitted outwardly to the protected sides of the fire-box and reaches the iron of the boiler in the form of heat at a relatively low and quite harmless temperature. The fuel should be fed with a due regard to the average temperature of the fire-brick within the furnace, and when this temperature becomes too high, instead of opening doors over a fire, as is done in the present form of boiler firebox, the engineer simply shuts off the fuelsupply and relies upon the heat already stored in the bricks to run the engine until it becomes necessary to again turn on the stream of fuel. The reignition of the fuel as it enters is accomplished by the heat of the fire-box itself.

In starting the fire it will be found best to raise the whole interior of the fire-box to a sufflciently high temperature to ignite the mingled coal and air when they are turned on, which may be accomplished in many ways known in the art, such as by burning various forms of fuel within the furnace.

It will be found best to leave a space beneath the entrance-point of the fuel, where my pulverized-coal system is used, for the reception of the small amount of ash which is liberated. This is shown at in the draw ings.

The pipe 2 is a continuation of the pipe 2 in Fig. l, as is shown by the coupling 21 in Figs. 1 and 3. This coupling is of course a detail incident to locomotive-work.

It is to be understood that the details of construction above described in connection with the fire-box are merely those which I prefer in the ordinary form of locomotive firebox as known at the present time, but that said construction is susceptible of many variations without departing from my invention.

For instance, the furnace maybe more or less forms and shapes shown and described hereinbefore are purely examples of those coming within the terms of my claims.

What I claim is 1. As a means for delivering pulverized fuel for combustion, a storage-magazine having an out-let for the fuel, means for producing gaseous pressure 011 that side of the fuel away from said outlet, and a pipe leading through the body of said fuel, from the pressure-chamber to said outlet, substantially as described.

2.. In a m cans for delivering pulverized fuel for combustion, a flaring flue in the furnacewall, and a pipe for fuel delivery of smaller diameter than said flue, directed into the same.

3. In a means for delivering pulverized fuel for combustion, a flaring flue in the furnacewall having perforations in that part which is outside the wall, and a pipe for fuel delivery of smaller diameter than said flue, entering said perforated, portion of the flue.

4. A boiler, a fire-box therefor, and means for delivering pulverized fuel and air to said box, in combination with a lining of refractory material for said fire-box, and passages formed of refractory material and offering large radiating-surfaces to the burning fuel, within said box.

5. In a locomotive-tender, a substantially air-tight chamber for storing fuel, having a delivery-outlet, and a feed-door; a storagetank for compressed air connected to theupper part of said fuel-chamber bya pipe; and an induction-pipe and connected source of gaseous pressure, said pipe leading to said outlet-opening.

6. As a means for fuel feed on railwaytrains provided with an air-brake system, a substantially air-tight closed tender for fine fuel or its equivalent, a connection with the air-brake system leading to the top of said tender, an outlet for said fuel leading to the locomotive, an induction-pipe discharging at said outlet and means for supplying a fluid under pressure thereto.

CHARLES THEODORE HENNIG. I

\Vitnesses:

AUGUSTUS MAonowELL, WILSON E. MACY.