A High Temperature Furnace or Destructor for the purpose of Burning House and Town Refuse, and other Combustible Substances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov:, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A High Temperature Furnace or Destructor for the purpose of
Burning House and Town Refuse, and other Combustible
Substances.
WILLIAM SAINT, Kersal Bank, Higher Broughton, Manchester, one of Her Majesty's
Inspectors of Mines, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A destructor usually consists of a closed chamber fitted with a fire-grate, & is
provided with a charge hole at one end to admit the refuse, and at the other end
with a door to allow of the levelling of the charge and the removal of clinker from
time to tine. Provision is also made for admitting a forced draught of atmospheric
air; either by steam, centrifugal fan or other mechanical means, beneath the
firegrate. The products of combustion are either conducted direct into the main
flue leading to the chimney or into a separate combustion chamber where the
gases are more or less perfectly consumed before entering the main flue.
According to my invention, which is applicable to two or more furnace or
destructor cells built together in a block, each cell is provided with a charge hole
for the introduction of the refuse or other combustible matter to be consumed;
and also with the usual firegrate, plates, fire door; and also with suitable means
for effecting a forced draught of air through the fire bars; or the draught may be
induced by means of a fan or steam jet, arranged in connection with the main flue
near the outlet.
In connection with each cell I provide two common flues connected with the
interior of the cells by short. passages which can be opened or closed by means of
regulators, dampers or valves. These common flues may be constructed in any
convenient position, but I prefer them on the top so that the respective connections
may be short and conveniently arranged at opposite ends, or sides of the cells. I
also provide side flues communicating with the cells and one or other, or both of
the cominon flues as may be found desirable.
One of the common flues, which may be termed the distributing flue has not
necessarily any other outlet, except through the short connecting passages and side
flues, or through a cell or cells whose products of combustion are passing at the
time into the other common flue which may be termed the main flue and which
terminates in a chimney.
I also provide, where necessary, passages directly communicating between one
cell, and the next, and so on, either through the side walls or through the crowns
of the cells; a regulator, damper, or valve being arranged between the respective
cells.
I also provide for the admission of air to the side flues, to each cell, and to each
common flue so as to effect thorough combustion of any imperfectly burnt gases
that may be present.
The combustion in a newly charged cell may be imperfect and for the purpose
of ensuring complete combustion I propose to convey the products thereof into the
listributing fluo and thence through one or more cells having a high temperature

page_text: & exhausting into the main flue. It will thus be understood that by judiciously
manipulating the regulators, dampers, or valves, one cell may be made to act as a
high temperature cell for the purpose of thoroughly burning the products of
combustion from another cell which have been imperfectly consumed; and that
when the heat of the latter has become sufficiently intensified; the former be
recharged; and by rearranging the regulators, dampers, or valves the current may
be reversed. In this manner the watery vapour, and gases arising from the
process of drying, heating and consumption of the refuse or other material may
be thoroughly consumed and rendered innocuous.
may
In a series of combustion cells provided with two common flues and their
connections as described; any single cell can be heated before being charged, and,
afterwards, the combustion may be assisted or intensified by means of highly heated
gases, conducted into the cell and traversing it from end to end, or from side to
side as the case may be, and when the process of combustion is advanced the
direction of the escaping gases may be reversed by closing the passages
communicating with one common flue and opening an outlet elsewhere.
Dated this 19th day of November 1897
A High Temperature Furnace or Destructor for the purpose of
other
Burning House and Town Refuse, and
Combustible
Substances.
I, WILLIAM SAINT, of Kersal Bank, Higher Broughton, Manchester, one of Her
Majesty's Iuspectors of Mines, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
A destructor usually consists of a closed chamber fitted with a firegrate and
provided with a charge hole at one end to admit the refuse, and at the other end
with a door to allow of the levelling of the charge and the removal of clinker from
time to time. Provision is also made for admitting a forced draught of atmo-
spheric air, either by steam, centrifugal fan, or other mechanical means beneath the
fire-grate. The products of combustion are either conducted direct into the main
flue leading to the chimney, or into a separate or special combustion chamber
where the gases are more or less perfectly consumed before entering the main
flue.
my
According to invention which is applicable to two or more furnaces or
destructor cells built together in a block each cell is provided with a charge hole
for the introduction of the refuse or other combustible matter to be consumed, and
also with the usual firegrate, plates, fire-door, and also with suitable means for
effecting a forced draught of air through the fire bars, or the draught may be
induced by means of a fan or steam jet arranged in connection with the main flue
near the outlet.
In connection with each cell I provide two common flues connected with the
interior of the cells by short passages which can be opened or closed by means of
regulators, dampers or valves. These cominon flues may be constructed in any
convenient position but I prefer then on the top or above the level of the cells so
that the respective connections may be short and conveniently arranged at
opposite ends or sides of the cells. I also provide side flues communicating with
the cells, and one or other or both of the common flues as may be found
desirable.

page_text: One of the common flues which may be termed the distributing flue has not
necessarily any other outlet except through the short connecting passages and side
flues or through a cell or cells whose products of combustion are passing at the
time into the other common flue which may be termed the main flue & which
terminates in a chimney. I also provide where necessary passages directly com-
municating between one cell and the next and so on either through the side walls or
through the crowns of the cells, a regulator, damper or valve being arranged
between the respective cells. I also provide for the admission of air to the side
flues, to each cell and to each common flue so as to effect thorough combustion of
any imperfectly burnt gases that may be present. The combustion in a newly
charged cell may be imperfect & for the purpose of insuring complete combustion,
I propose to convey the products thereof into the distributing flue and thence
through one or more cells having a high temperature & exhausting into the main
flue. It will thus be understood that by judiciously manipulating the regulators,
dampers or valves, one cell may be made to act as a high temperature cell for the
purpose of thoroughly burning the products of combustion from another cell which
have been imperfectly consumed and that when the heat of the latter has become
sufficiently intensified the former may be recharged & by rearranging the
regulators, dampers or valves, the current may be reversed. In this manner the
watery vapours & gases arising from the process of drying, heating &
consumption of the refuse or other material may be thoroughly consumed &
rendered innocuous.
In a series of combustion cells provided with two common flues & their
connections as described any single cell can be heated before being charged &
and afterwards the combustion may be assisted & intensified by means of highly
heated gases conducted into the cell & traversing it from end to end, or from side
to side, as the case may be, & when the process of combustion is advanced the
direction of the escaping gases may be reversed by closing the passages communi-
cating with one common flue & opening an outlet elsewhere.
And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood & carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings illustrative
thereof and will now proceed to describe the same with the aid of the figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a part front and part sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan (part
exterior and part sectional) of a refuse destructor comprising six cells or furnaces,
arranged back to back, in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 3 is a side or tranverse section-and the planes on which the several
sections are taken are indicated below each view.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate transverse and longitudinal sections of a modified
construction of refuse destructor with the cells or furnaces arranged in a row, or
side by side.
The scale is inch to the foot.
(A) designates one of the furnaces or destructor cells of which, in the example
given there are six, (three front and three back) but of which there may be more or
less as required. Between such cells or furnaces, and above, or partly above, the
level of the fire-bars (B) is a flue (C) common to all the cells and communicating
therewith by short passages (D) controlled by dampers (E).
The said flue has not of necessity any other outlet except through the said
passages (D).
At, and above, the front end of each cell (A) is another flue (F) common to all the
cells in the row and communicating therewith by passages (G) under control of
dampers (H), and said flue leads to the ordinary chimney or other outlet desired. Each
cell has its feed-hopper (I) through which the refuse, etc., is introduced, and
opening (J) for removing the clinker.
Assuming one of two adjoining furnaces is being charged and all the other cells are
working, the dampers (E) of all the cells will remain lowered except that of the cell
to be charged, and that of the adjoining one, and consequently as the unconsumed

page_text: or partly consumed gases are given off by the newly introduced refuse they make
their exit through passage (D) of such cell, into the common or distributing
flue (C), from which (by reason of having no other available outlet) they pass through
the passage (D) of the said adjoining cell, and traversing such cell pass over the
incandescent mass of burning refuse, and by contact therewith become completely
consumed, and any residue or resulting gaseous product then leaves such cell at the
front end, passes through openings (G) into flue (F) from whence it escapes into
the chimney or other outlet.
It will be obvious that instead of passing into the adjoining cell the unconsumed
gases may pass into any other of the cells, and in opposite directions, alternately or
otherwise, by a judicious manipulation of the dampers (E) or (H).
In addition to the flues (C) and (F) I also provide the side flues (K),
communicating with two adjoining cells through passages (L) controlled by
dampers (M), and with the distributing flue (C), through passage (N) controlled by
damper (O), the use and purpose of such side flues being chiefly for the direct
communication between adjoining furnaces when required, or for allowing the
products of combustion to pass through when the passage (D) is closed.
Such side flues may also communicate with the flue (F) if required and in such a
connection I would observe that one of the important features of my invention is
that any one furnace may be stopped for repairs without necessarily interfering with
the other parts of the destructor.
To promote the complete combustion of the refuse I provide air ducts or
openings (01) for delivering air into each cell and I provide a fan for forcing or
introducing air through opening (P) beneath the fire-bars (B), and a steam or other
jet (Q) at the front and closed end of the ash pit.
In refuse destructors with the furnaces or cells side by side only I arrange the
flues (C) and (F) in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5, with, or without the side
flue, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention may also be
applied to other groupings of furnaces and that the essential feature of my invention
being the alternating of the currents of unconsumed gases in the manner shown,
may be variously applied.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In refuse destructors, the construction of furnaces or cells back-to-back, side
by side, or otherwise, communicating with a common distributing flue at the rear
end and with a further flue at the forward end under the control of dampers or
valves, and by the manipulation of the latter, serving to cause the unconsumed
gases or the like of one furnace to pass into any one of the other furnaces, and from
thence pass into the flue at the front end of such cell before escaping into the
chimney, as set forth.
2. In refuse destructors the use in combination, of furnaces (A), flues (C), (F)
and (K), and their dampers, and all constructed, arranged and utilized in the
manner, and for the purposes set forth.
3. The general arrangement and construction of refuse destructors, comprising
flues, passages, air inlets, and jet devices, as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of August. One thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight