SOLID FUEL BURNERS

Abstract: A method and apparatus for igniting a bed of fuel in a solid fuel burner, for example a burner of the type comprising a retort (10) with an underfeed stoker (14), in which jets of hot air (or gas) are directed into the bed from a location below the upper surface of the bed, for example from slots (18) in a hollow body (17) incorporated in the side wall of the retort and connected to a hot air blower (21, 24), to ignite the bed of fuel at a location within the bed and at or adjacent to the centre of the bed.

Description: Title: " Solid Fuel Burners" Description of Invention This invention relates to solid fuel burners and in particular is concerned with a method and means for igniting a bed of fuel in such a burner. The invention has been developed in relation to solid fuel burners which are incorporated in boilers for heating water for central heating installations or to provide a supply of hot water or steam, such burners usually burning coal or coke, and the following description will therefore be confined to this application of the invention. However, it is to be understood that there is no limitation in this regard since the invention is also applicable to solid fuel burners used for other purposes, for example burners incorporated in furnaces, and which may burn coal or coke or other fuels such as straw or wood chippings. The object of the invention is to provide a quick and effective method of igniting the fuel in a solid fuel burner and a simple form of ignition means capable of acting quickly and effectively to ignite the fuel in such a burner. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of igniting a bed of fuel in a solid fuel burner, which comprises directing hot air or gas against fuel in the bed from a location below the upper surface of the bed and within or adjacent to the bed. Preferably the hot air or gas is directed against the fuel in the form of jets. To enhance the speed and effectiveness of the ignition the jets are preferably directed towards a common location within the bed of fuel beneath its upper surface" preferably at or adjacent the centre of the bed. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a solid fuel burner having ignition means for igniting a bed of fuel in the burner, said means being arranged to direct hot air or gas against fuel in the bed from a location below the upper surface of the bed and within or adjacent to the bed. Manifestly, the air or gas is at a temperature higher than the ignition temperature of the fuel so that it causes the fuel to ignite. One known form of ignition means for a solid fuel burner functions by directing hot air against a bed of fuel from a location above, and at a spacing from the upper surface of the bed. The present invention achieves a quicker and more effective ignition by directing hot air or gas against fuel in the bed from a location below the upper surface of the bed so that ignition of the fuel starts inside the bed instead of at the upper surface as in the known arrangement. Moreover, the present invention enables a bed of fuel which contains ashes and/or some incombustible material, to be ignited. Thus, a bed of fuel which has been partially burnt and then extinguished, can be relit. The known arrangement does not have this facility and can be used only for igniting a bed of fresh fuel. The facility for rapid ignition is particularly advantageous in solid fuel-fired boilers of central heating installations since the boiler can be shut down at the end of each day and easily and quickly re-started next day, thereby saving fuel. It is not necessary to maintain the boiler in a slow burning state overnight. The ignition means of'the invention has been devised primarily for a solid fuel burner of the type comprising a retort, i.e. an open-topped chamber, for holding a bed of fuel, and an underfeed stoker, for example a feed screw, for supplying fuel to the underside of the bed. In a burner of this type, the ignition means is preferably arranged to direct the hot air or gas into the bed of fuel through one or more openings provided in the side wall of the retort. The ignition means may also be used in other types of burner, for example a burner of the type having a chain grate stoker comprising an endless chain which runs around two direction reversing wheels spaced apart horizontally and which, along its upper run, conveys fuel supported thereon through a combustion zone. In this example, the ignition means is arranged to direct hot air or gas into the bed of fuel which lies on the stoker when the latter is stationary. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one type of solid fuel burner equipped with one form of ignition means embodying the invention, FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through the retort of the burner, FIGURE 3 is a cross-section taken on the line A-A in Figure 1, and FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective view corresponding to Figure 1 showing a modification of the ignition means. The solid fuel burner illustrated in the drawings is of the type comprising a retort 10 of rectangular shape in plan and having a continuous side wall formed by tuyere blocks 11. The tuyere blocks are of cast iron and hollow as seen in Figure 2 so that there is a continuous passageway 12 through the side wall which communicates with the interior of the retort through the tuyeres 16 in the tuyere blocks. The bottom of the retort curves downwardly as shown in Figure 2 towards a fuel inlet 13 which contains an underfeed stoker in the form of a feed screw 14 arranged to deliver fuel from a bunker (not shown) to the retort. The side wall of the retort projects above a refractory surround 15, and the retort and the surround together form the bottom of a combustion chamber having a boiler (not shown) mounted above the retort. The boiler is arranged to supply hot water or steam to, for example, a central heating installation in a school, factory or office block, and the hot gases from the combustion chamber, after heating the water in the boiler, are carried away through a flue (not shown). In use, the feed screw 14 is operated to maintain a bed of fuel, for example coal, in the retort to a level such that it almost spills over the side wall of the retort, the operation of the feed screw being controlled by means sensing the temperature of the water in the boiler so that this temperature can be maintained at the required level by controlling the rate of feed of fuel to the retort and hence the rate at which fuel is burnt in the retort. Air at a relatively low pressure is supplied to the passageway 12 in the side wall of the retort by a blower (not shown) so that streams of air issue from the tuyeres 16 in the tuyere blocks 11 and thereby produce a forced underdraught to promote burning of the bed of fuel in the retort. The burner is equipped with ignition means which are operative to ignite the bed of fuel which is either left in the retort after shutting down of the boiler or, if the retort is initially empty, is provided by operation of the feed screw for a short time. The ignition means shown in Figures 1 to 3 includes an air jet block 17 which is incorporated in the side wall of the retort in place of a conventional tuyere block. The air jet block is disposed at the centre of one of the long sides of the retort so that it is as near as possible to the centre of the fuel bed (although it could be mounted in one of the shorter sides). The air jet block 17 is a hollow cast iron body, the inner wall of which is formed with a number of air jet slots 18 and the outer wall of which is formed with an inlet 31 which receives one end of a pipe 19 connected to means operable to supply hot air at a relatively high pressure through the pipe to the cavity in the block 17, whereby jets of hot air issue from the air jet slots 18 into the fuel bed to ignite the latter. The block 17 has side walls which abut the adjacent tuyere blocks 11 so that the cavity in the block 17 is shut off from the passageway in the side wall of the retort and no pressurised hot air from the pipe 19 can therefore enter the passageway. The means for supplying hot air at a relatively high pressure to the air jet block 17 comprises a blower 21 connected by a branch pipe 22 to a main pipe 23 which is connected at one end through an electric heater 24 to the pipe 19. The main pipe is connected at its other end to the blower which supplies air at a relatively low pressure to the passageway 12 in the side wall of the retort to produce the forced underdraught. The two blowers are driven by electric motors. As shown in Figure 3, the cavity in the air jet block 17 tapers in a direction from the pipe 19 towards the slots 18 and the slots are angled towards a common location below the upper surface of the bed of fuel and at or adjacent the centre of the bed so that the jets of hot air issuing from the slots are directed to the location at which ignition is required to take place, which enhances the speed and effectiveness of the ignition. The inlet 31 in the outer wall of the air jet block 17 which receives the pipe 19 is slightly larger in diameter than the pipe and the cross-sectional area of the mouth of the pipe is smaller than the area between the mouth of the pipe and the surrounding portion of the housing of the block. This, coupled with the provision of two ports 20 in the outer wall of the block, ensures that no smoke from the burning fuel passes into the pipe 19, which could damage the heating elements of the air heater 24. The boiler is ignited and operated in the following manner. With a bed of fuel in the retort, the blower 21 and the heater 24 are switched on. The blower draws air from the atmosphere and blows it through the heater. When. the fuel has been ignited by the jets of hot air at a relatively high pressure which as a result issue from the air jet slots 18 into the bed, the blower and heater are switched off and the other blower is switched on and the feed screw 14 started. This other blower blows air at a relatively low pressure into the passageway 12 in the side wall of the retort, thereby to provide the forced underdraught promoting burning of the fuel in the retort. Air from the other blower also flows through the pipes 23 and 19 into the cavity in'the'air jet block 17 and this assists in preventing smoke passing into the pipe 19 and damaging the heating elements of the heater 24. Instead of two separate blowers, the burner may have a single two-speed blower operable at a high speed to supply air at a relatively high pressure to the air jet block 17 for ignition of the fuel and at a low speed to supply air at a relatively low pressure to both the tuyere blocks 11 and the air jet block to produce the forced underdraught and to prevent smoke entering the pipe 19. In a modification, the pipe 22 from the blower 21 may be connected directly to the heater 24 and the pipe 23 from the other blower may be connected to any desired point along the pipe 19. In the modification shown in Figure 4 the ignition means includes an air jet block 25 which is incorporated in the side wall of the retort 10 in the same way as the air jet block 17 in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. The air jet block 25 is identical to the block 17 except that it has no side walls so that the cavity therein is in communication with, and in fact forms part of the passageway 12 in the side wall of the retort. The air jet block 25 has air jet slots ?6 in its inner wall and the pipe 19 extends into an inlet in its outer wall. The main pipe 23 of the blower 21 is omitted in this case and the branch pipe 22 is connected directly to the electric heater 24. When a bed of fuel in the retort is required to be ignited, the blower 21 and the heater 24 are switched on and hot air at a relatively high pressure is therefore supplied to the cavity in the air jet block 25. As a result, jets of hot air tissue from the air jet slots 26 in the block and impinge on fuel at or near the centre of the bed and beneath its upper surface whereby the fuel is ignited. Since the pipe 19 is disposed opposite and in line with the air jet slots and the air is at a relatively high pressure, no air, or only a small amount of air, flows into the passageway 12 in the side wall of the retort. When ignition has taken place, the heater and the blower are switched off and the other blower is brought into operation to supply air at a relatively low pressure to the passageway in the side wall of the retort (this air entering the passageway at a location along one of the short sides of the retort). The resultant streams of air from the tuyeres 16 produce a forced underdraught in the retort which promotes burning of the fuel, the fuel being maintained at the required level in the retort by operation of the feed screw at appropriate times. The air at a relatively low pressure introduced into the passageway in the side wall of the retort, flows through the cavity in the air jet block and across the mouth of the pipe 19 therein, and this assists in preventing smoke from the burning fuel entering the pipe and damaging the heating elements of the heater 24. In both embodiments shown in the drawings, the hot air which is directed into the bed of fuel to ignite it, is at a temperature higher than the ignition temperature of the fuel. Where the fuel is coal, it is first dried by the hot air, then as the temperature increases, it begins to decompose. Gases are evolved into the combustion chamber above the fuel, while the solid residue is converted first into "semi-coke" anp then into coke. As decomposition of the coal by carbonisation proceeds, the proportions of tarry vapours, hydrocarbons and hydrogen in the gases will rise to a maximum and then decrease as more coal becomes converted to coke. To obtain the ignition temperature in the fuel bed, it is necessary to generate sufficient heat to compensate for all losses including the heat absorbed in chemical reactions. If the bed is left to cool, a layer of ashes will cover the stratas of coke, semi-coke and fresh coal in the retort. If the feed screw is switched on for a short period before the hot air is applied, these layers of material rise and mix together above the following fresh coal. When the hot air is applied, some of its heat is lost in raising the temperature of the ash but less is absorbed in chemical reactions as much of the material is in the form of coke. To light the fuel bed therefore, there must be sufficient heat in the air to raise the fuel to ' its ignition temperature and to compensate for the following losses : - (a) Excess hot air passing through the fuel bed and out of the flue; (b) The heat required to dry the fuel; (c) The heat needed to raise the temperature of any ashes present; (d) The heat absorbed in chemical reactions. In addition, account has to be taken of losses which occur as the air travels from the heater to the fuel bed. There are three conditions in which fuel may require to be ignited:- t (a) After a fire has been allowed to cool for a few hours, say -overnight, but the ashes and coal are still quite warm; (b) When a fire has been left to cool for a long period of time, say a weekend, and the ashes are cold; (c) When the retort has been cleaned and charged with fresh coal. In the first circumstance, the fire can be readily relit by raising the level of the warm material in the retort by means of the feed screw while air is supplied by the underdraught blower. The ignition means does not have to be employed if the rate of cooling of the fire is known and the period for self-igniting determined. The ignition means has to be used in the second and third circumstances. When a fire is permitted to cool, its level will fall below the air jet block. The feed screw must be operated, therefore, for a few minutes to raise the level of the fuel bed to the top of the retort. Control means may be provided for automatically controlling the ignition and operation of the burner. In a specific example, where the fuel is coal, the blower 21 operates at a delivery rate of 1200 litres per minute and a pressure of 31 inches water gauge, and the heater heats the air to a temperature of 6000C. Operation of the blower and heater for a pre-set period of about five minutes should be sufficient to ignite the coal. The material in the béd may not ignite in this preset period due to abnormal conditions. It will be necessary therefore to include a thermostat in the flue to detect when this happens and cause the ignition cycle to be repeated.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A method of igniting a bed of fuel in a solid fuel burner, which comprises directing hot air or gas against fuel in the bed from a lotion below the upper surface of the bed and within or adjacent to the bed. 2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the hot air or gas is directed against the fuel in the form of jets. 3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the jets of hot air or gas are directed towards a common location within the bed of fuel beneath its upper surface. 4. A solid fuel burner having ignition means for igniting a bed of fuel in the burner, said means being arranged to direct hot air or gas against fuel in the bed from a location below the upper surface of the bed and within or adjacent to the bed. 5. A burner as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the ignition means are arranged to direct the hot air or gas against the fuel in the form of jets. 6. A burner as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the ignition means are arranged to direct the jets of hot air or gas towards a common location within the bed of fuel beneath its upper surface. 7. A burner as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6 which is of the type comprising a retort for holding a bed of fuel, and an underfeed stoker for supplying fuel to the under-. side of the bed, the ignition means being arranged to direct the hot air or gas into the bed through one or more openings provided in the side wall of the retort. 8. A burner as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the ignition means includes a hollow body incorporated in the side wall of the retort, the said opening or openings being provided in the inner wall of the body facing inwardly of the retort, and the cavity defined by the hollow body being connected to means for supplying hot air or gas at a relatively high pressure. 9. A burner as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the hollow body is provided with a plurality of said openings arranged to direct the jets of hot air or gas which issue from the openings towards a common location within the bed of fuel beneath its upper surface. 10. A burner as claimed in Claim 8 or 9 wherein the means for supplying hot air or gas is connected to an inlet provided in the outer wall of the hollow body opposite the said opening or openings, the cavity in the body tapering in a direction from the inlet towards the opening or openings. 11. A burner as claimed in Claim ö, 9 or 10 wherein the side wall of the retort has an internal passageway which is connected to means for supplying air or gas at a relatively low pressure and is provided with a plurality of outlets opening inwardly of the retort and arranged to direct streams of air or gas into the retort to promote burning of the fuel, the cavity in the hollow body of the ignition means being shut off from the passageway and also being connected to the means for supplying air or gas at a relatively low pressure. 12. A burner as claimed in'Claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein the side wall of the retort has an internal passageway which is connected to means for supplying air or gas at a relatively low pressure and is provided with a plurality of outlets opening inwardly of the retort and arranged to direct streams of air or gas into the retort to promote burning of the fuel, the cavity in the hollow body of the ignition means being in communication with, and forming part of, the said passageway.

Inventors: HITCHMAN, ALAN FRANK, OLIVER, RONALD WALTER
Applicants: JOSHUA BIGWOOD & SON LIMITED
Application year: 1981
Main classification: F23L1
IPC codes: F23L15, F23C1, F23K3