Improvements in Furnaces for the Generation of Heat or of Heating Gases.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for the Generation of Heat or of
Heating Gases.
I JOHANNES BLUM of Number 34 Pichelsdorfer Strasse, Spandau, in the Empire
of Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the generation of heat and has for its object to obtain
greater useful effect from the fuel employed and to obviate or reduce the production
of smoke or unconsumed carbon. When carrying my invention into effect I charge
the fuel into a gas producer which contains incandescent fuel in its lower part the
upper part containing a reserve of fuel. The gases generated pass through openings
or grids in the lower part of the producer and are conveyed directly into the flues
or fire box or boxes of a steam-generator or into the furnace or the stove or erection
which is to be heated, a suitable draught being employed to draw away the gases
from the producer. At a point or at points above the exit openings I discharge
highly superheated steam into the body of fuel. This steam is de-composed and the
resulting gases are drawn downward through the incandescent fuel the oxygen
uniting with carbon from the fuel the result being a mixture of gases containing
large proportions of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. These gases issue from the
outlet openings in a highly heated state and are by preference led immediately to the
place of consumption as for example if the object is to generate steam I convey
the gases directly into the furnace flues of the steam generator and I convey into
the same flue or flues a suitable proportion of air which I prefer shall be highly
heated. The mixture of air and gases in burning, produces great heat and if the
supply of air is in suitable proportion little or no smoke is formed. I regulate the
supply of steam to suit the character of the fuel employed. The steam may be
superheated by ordinary or suitable means but I prefer to convey water or steam
to be superbeated into a retort or heater charged with fragments of copper and
exposed to the heated gases issuing from the producer. The producer may be
similar in form to a blast furnace the fuel being introduced at the top and the gases
issuing through an opening or through openings in the side or sides of the lower
part or there may be openings at intervals around such part the gases passing into
a gas flue. Access through doors is provided for the purpose of lighting the
fire. The air may be heated in a chamber surrounding the producer or in passages
or chambers formed in the walls of the producer. The ash or residue of combustion
falls into a closed space below the producer.
Dated this 28th dow of An
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for the Generation of Heat or of
Heating Gases.
I JOHANNES BLUM of No. 34 Pichelsdorfer Strasse, Spandau, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawings :-
--
My invention relates to the generation of heat and has for its object to obtain
greater useful effect from the fuel employed and to obviate or reduce the production.
7

page_text: of smoke or unconsumed carbon. When carrying my invention into effect 1 charge
the fuel into a gas producer which contains incandescent fuel in its lower part, the
upper part containing a reserve of fuel. The gases generated pass from the lower
part of the producer and are conveyed directly into the flues or fire box or boxes of
a steam generator or into the furnace or the stove or erection which is to be heated
a suitable draught being employed to draw away the gases from the producer.
At a point or at points above the exit openings I discharge highly superheated
steam into the body of fuel. This steam is de-composed and the resulting gases are
drawn downward through the incandescent fuel the oxygen uniting with carbon
from the fuel the result being a mixture of gases containing large proportions of
hydrogen and carbon monoxide. These gases issue in a highly heated state and are
by preference led immediately to the place of consumption.
In order that the nature of my invention and the manner in which I propose to
carry the same into practical effect may be clearly understood I will describe my
invention more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing which represents
in vertical section so much of combined heat and steam generating apparatus as is
necessary to the sufficient illustration of my invention.
In the said drawing a represents part of a boiler or steam generator of an
ordinary construction and B represents my improved heat generator. This
generator is in the form of a vertical fuel chamber consisting of a metal shell b
having a lining 6¹ of fire brick or refractory material. At the bottom of the
chamber is a grate c through which ashes or scoria may pass into an ash chamber d
containing water. The front wall d' of this chamber extends below the surface of
the water so as to cut off the access of air to the grate. The accumulated ashes
can be removed when desirable through an opening which in the example is closed
by a door e. An opening is formed in the lower part of the generator and is
closed by a door 1. A second opening communicates by means of a flue g with the
internal flue of the steam generator. The flue g is constructed with a double shell
and between the two shells is a space which is divided into two annular chambers i i¹.
There might be two or more gas outlets in place of the flue g or opening into the
same. The chamber i is made steam tight and is filled with pieces of matter capable
of rapidly transmitting heat and not greatly liable to oxidation in the presence of
steam. For this purpose I find fragments of copper to be very suitable. Steam is
passed into the chamber through a pipe j. A range of piping / connects the
chamber with tuyeres which are arranged in two sets one higher than the other.
Suitable valves or cocks are provided to enable the steam to be turned on to one
set of tuyeres alone or to both sets as desired but such valves do not appear in the
drawing. Each tuyere is inclined so that it will deliver a jet of steam in a down-
ward direction into the fuel chamber. The end of each tuyere is introduced into
a passage formed in a block m which extends through the lining of the chainber the
said passage being a little larger than the end of the tuyere so that there is space
for the inlet of a current of air induced by the action of the steam jet. The
intention is that the chamber shall be closed so as to exclude the inlet of air to any
great extent otherwise than through the passages in the blocks m. The upper end
of the chamber is therefore closed by means of a removable cover n which is sus-
pended by means of a chain whereby the cover can be lifted off when it is desired
to supply the chamber with fuel. This cover is made saucer shaped so that it will
hold a quantity of water to check overheating of the cover. The cover might be
lined with refractory substance or be otherwise shaped or constructed as considered
to be most suitable. It is intended that the furnace shall be supplied with fuel
through the top opening during the ordinary working of the apparatus.
When the furnace is set to work a fire is lit upon the grate and is supplied with
fuel through the opening f. During this first stage the door f' may remain open or
partly open and the ash pit may be free or nearly free from water. Fuel is added
to the fire through the opening until a large fire is obtained when the further
supply is introduced through the top opening. During this time the products
of combustion will pass through the flue h into the flue of the steam generator.

page_text: When a hot incandescent fire has been obtained, and when a supply of steam
is available the door f¹ is closed and the cover n is lowered to close the top opening,
the ash pit being supplied with water. After or just before this closing of the
openings steam is admitted into the chamber i and in passing through this chamber
becomes highly superheated more especially after the apparatus has attained its
ordinary working heat.
I have found that when steam is brought into contact with a highly heated
substance which is a good conductor of heat but is very little liable to oxidation a
molecular change in the steam takes place. The steam is not split up into its
component gases or does not part with its oxygen as would be the case if the
substance were favourable to oxidation but the steam is rendered capable of being
more readily split up when subjected to conditions favourable to the parting with
its oxygen. The copper in the superheating chamber has this effect upon the
steam so that when the steam is blown into the body of fuel in the furnace along
with a small quantity of air it becomes a supporter of combustion. The jets
of steam carry with them by induction a proportion of air and this mixture of
steam and air on meeting the incandescent fuel takes up carbon and is converted
into a mixture consisting principally of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which
passes in a highly heated state through the flue. The supply of steam is regulated
according to the kind of fuel used, more steam being used with a fuel rich in
carbon than for bitumenous fuel. When the apparatus has thus been got into
working order the furnace chamber may be filled up to the top or nearly so, the
injection of steam being continued and fuel being supplied at suitable intervals.
The highly heated gases when passing through the fuel g heat the chamber i and
its contents and also the chamber . This latter chamber is used to heat air
which enters through perforations at and issues into the flue h as indicated by the
arrows, this heated air mingling with the hot gases from the furnaces and promoting
their combustion so that little or no smoke is produced. I fill the chamber i¹ with
a heat conducting material which will expose a large surface to the air. For the
purpose I have found metal gauze or netting to be suitable. This air heating
chamber might be dispensed with and the air be heated by other suitable means.
In such a case the whole of the space might be used as a steam space. The
flue g might be inclined or partly inclined, or partly vertical in some cases, and if
found to be desirable might be lined or partly lined with refractory material.
such a case the shell of the chamber i might be made of copper. The superheater
might be of any suitable construction and be heated either by the gases passing
from the producer or be otherwise suitably heated as for example a coil or com-
bination of copper pipes might be used for the purpose. In cases wherein a supply
of steam would not otherwise be available, water might be supplied to the
superheater and be therein converted into steam. The gases issuing from the
apparatus B may be used for purposes other than the generation of steam.
In
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The furnace constructed and adapted to be used substantially as set forth and
indicated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The furnace for the generation of heating gases consisting of a vertical furnace
chamber adapted to be closed and to be fed with fuel at or near the top the gases
passing out from the lower part of the furnace jets of highly superheated steam
being blown in along with induced air at points above the gas exit or exits
substantially as set forth and indicated.
3. The apparatus for the generation of heating gases consisting of a vertical
chamber to hold fuel supplied from above having a gas outlet or gas outlets below
the part intended to be occupied by fuel undergoing distillation and having steam
and air inlets above the gas outlet or outlets in combination with apparatus for

page_text: superheating the required steam by contact with heated copper or with a heat
conducting substance not much liable to oxidation substantially as set forth.
4. The use of heated copper fragments bodies or surfaces for superheating steam
for use along with air in gas producing furnaces.
Dated this 24th day of February 1893.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.