Improvements in Self-contained Gas-fired Steam Generators.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 24th May, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-contained Gas-fired Steam Generators.
1. GEORGE HENRY TAYLOR, of 5 Marine Terrace, Waterloo, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention, to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in self-contained gas-fired steam generators
of the class described in the specification of my British letters Patent, No. 13733,
dated 17th October 1884, and it has for its object the economy of fuel and abatement
of smoke by a peculiar mode of converting (as hereinafter described) the fuel from
the solid into the gaseous form, for the generation of steam, and for general heating
purposes when the furnace is used separately.
My first improvement lias reference to the construction of the gas producer sur-
rounding the lower part of the furnace, described in the specification of the aforesaid
patent, in which I employed certain openings from the outside for the admission of
the air required to be mixed with the gas proceeding from the inlets situate.l at the
bottom of the gas conduits, in order to promote combustion.
Now, according to my present improvement, I form an air chamber or passage,
by preference annular, in the brickwork of the casing and below the fire grate for
the purpose of conducting the necessary air into the outer furnace or combustion
chauber, to insure perfect combustion, and such chamber or passage may be
provided with suitable blowers for the purpose of injecting such air. I. further
form openings in the top of this annular chamber, and I arrange these openings
concentrically with the combustion chamber, at convenient distances, in order to
supply the combustion chamber .or outer furnace with heated air for the purpose
of igniting the gases and supporting combustion.
My second improvement has for its object to effect a thorough intermixture of the
ascending jets of gas and air proceeding respectively from ducts formed in the
brickwork of the furnace or gas producer, and from the annular chamber before
mentioned, by dividing these jets into thin streams or streamlets. For this purpose
I provide radial sections of fire bricks or blocks, and I arrange the same around
and above the space between the gas producer and the outer casing of the furnace,
whereby the desired object is attained.

page_text: My third improvement has reference to an improved construction of steam generator
which is specially adaptable for use with my improved furnace, but any other suitable
type of steam generator may likewise be used in conjunction with said furnace.
According to this improvement, the steam generator is provided with an iron or
other metallic hood having at top a flat rim sufficiently wide to admit of a number of
relief tnhes, and to this hood is bolted, or otherwise fixed, a flat drum-shaped heat box
which surmounts it. To the latter are fixed the fire tubes, and one extremity of the
water tubes, whose other or free extremities extend well within the said hood, and the
waste gases are led from the first mentioned tubes to an exit tube, for further use,
either for heating the feed water, if desired, or to be reburnt in the combustion
chamber, while the gases, in each case, are regulated and controlled by suitable
valves.
The water surrounding the fire tubes and the water iubes, and enveloped by the
hood, circulates in-the-following manner; it is first subjected to the action of the heat
ascending against the tube plate and upwards through the fire tubes into the heat box,
causing a suitable or sufficient agitation of the water above the tube plate; this tube
plate is thus subjected to the frictional action of the water and steam chiefly owing
to the latter rushing to the mouths of the water tubes, while the contrary action of the
two sets of tubes prevents any sediment forming on the tube plate, and foaming or
priming taking place in the boiler. The object of this arrangement is to keep the
tube plates free from scaly or saline deposit, and to allow of their being readily
cleaned.
My fourth improvement has reference to a modified arrangement wherein the gases
are led off by a central uptake, from the producer portion of such furnace, through
the steam generator from the top of which they are conveyed by means of branch
pipes, passing outside the same, to the combustion chamber or outer portion of tho
furnace. The furnace, in this case, is in a measure rendered independent of the
boiler in as much as I bring the uptake a little way down into the furnace, to the inner
wall of which it is bolted, a ring or block of refractory material forming a joint
between the tube plate and the said furnace. I form_around the furnace proper a
water jacket, or feed water heater, which is supplied with water pumped, or otherwise
conveyed, under pressure, from a suitable tank, by a pipe; from this jacket the Lot
water is discharged through another pipe, or pipes, and conveyed to the boiler, and
the surplus, if any, to a suitable reservoir where it is stored to be again supplied for
feeding purposes. After having reached the combustion chamber the gases are
conducted through the annular chamber, herein before mentioned, and formed in the
lining of the brickwork around the ash pit, so as to circulate around the water jacket
and assist in heating its contents.
The air supplied to the gases for combustion may be heated preparatory to use by
"the waste heat of the products of combustion by various arrangements of air conduits,
so as to economize heat.
Openings are formed in the casing of the furnace for firing, clinkering, ash pit and
other doors which require to be well fitted so as to be air tight when closed.
The herein described forms of gas producer and combustion chamber can, with
obvious modifications, be rendered adaptable to existing steam generators of various
types, such for instance, as horizontal boilers.
Dated this 24th day of Man. 1000
ERNEST DE PASS, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
68, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in Self-contained Gas-fired Steam Generators.
I, GEORGE HENRY TAYLOR, of 5 Marine Terrace, Waterloo, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My invention relates to improvements in self-contained gas-fired steam generators
of the class described in the specification of my British Letters patent No. 13,733,
dated 17th October 1884, and it has for its object the economy of fuel, and abatement
of smoke, by a peculiar mode of converting the fuel from the solid into the gaseous
form, as hereinafter described, for the generation of steam; and for general heating
purposes, when the system of gas producer or furnace, about to be specified, is used
separately.
My invention comprises several modifications. The gas producer may be of various
forms, as hereinafter set forth, as also may the steam generator, and these may be
combined together, those forms being chosen which are most convenient under the
particular circumstances of the case.
My invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Fig. 1, represents vertical half sections of my improved gas-fired steam generator
and self-contained gas producer, taken on the lines A A, and A B, of fig. 2.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent horizontal sections taken on the lines C.C, D D, and
EE, and FF, of Fig. 1, respectively.
In all the figures similar letters refer to similar parts.
My first improvement has reference to the construction of that part of the gas
producer surrounding the lower part of the furnace, described in the specification
of my aforesaid patent, in which I employed certain openings from the outside for
the admission of the air required to be mixed with the gas proceeding from the inlets
situated at the bottom of the gas conduits, in order to promote combustion.
Now, according to my present improvement, I form an air chamber or passage c
(fig. 1) by preference annular, in the brickwork of the casing and adjacent to the fire
grate, as shewn, for the purpose of conveying the necessary air into the outer furnace
or combustion chamber P, to ensure perfect combustion of the gases, and such chamber
or passage may be provided with suitable blowers (steam or air) for the purpose of
injecting such air. I further form openings a in the top of this annular chamber c,
and 1 arrange these openings concentrically with the combustion chamber, at
convenient distances, in order to supply such combustion chamber..or outer furnace
with heated air for the purpose of igniting the gases and supporting combustion in
as thorough a manner as possible.
Another improvement has for its object to effect a thorough intermixture, or
adimixture, of the ascending jets of gas and air proceeding respectively from ducts
formed in the brickwork of the furnace or gas producer, and from the annular

page_text: chamber G, before mentioned, by dividing these jets into thin streams or streamlets.
For this purpose I provide radial sections of fire bricks or blocks a¹ (fig. 3) and
I arrange the same in and around the space between the gas producer and the
outer lining of the same, for about half way down, whereby the desired object is
attained.
Another improvement has reference to a modified arrangement (see fig. 6) wherein
the gases are led off by a central uptake R from the producer portion of the furnace,
through the steam generator, from the upper part of which they are conveyed by
means of an airtight jointed cross-tube S, and branch pipes S' S", or culverts, passing
outside the generator and producer, to the combustion chamber P, or outer portion of
the furnace. The furnace in this case is, in a measure, rendered detachable of the
generator, in as much as the neck of the furnace fits to the lower part of the uptake
or central tube and the joint between the same is covered and protected by a ring t,
of suitable refractory material, thus enabling the boiler to be readily removed for any
purpose required. In this arrangement i form around the furnace or gas producer a
water jacket, or feed water heater T, suitably stayed, which is supplied with water,
pumped, or otherwise conveyed under pressure, from a tank, by a pipe V. From this
jacket the hot water is discharged, by other pipes V1, into the boiler.
After the gases
have reached the combustion chamber they ascend through the tubes of the boiler,
having met and mixed with the heated air introduced through the opening a from the
annular flue c, or through ducts constructed in the outer lining of the combustion
chamber (see figs. 7 and S) hereinafter fully referred to, and which admission of air
through these ducts is regulated by means of suitable air grids, thereby heating the
air in its passage downwards to the required temperature to promote combustion.
The air supplied to the gases for combustion may likewise be heated preparatory to
use, by the waste heat of the products of combustion, by any suitable arrangement
-of air-conduits, so as to economise heat.
Figs. 7 and 8, which are respectively a vertical and horizontal section, refer to a
somewhat modified arrangement of the gas producer shown in figs. 1 and 2, 3 and 6.-
In this modification the gases collected within the inner furnace or gas producer are
conveyed therefrom by ducts b constructed in the refractory brickwork constituting
the walls of the producer. Thence the gases pass underneath and upwards through
suitable passages or culverts, 6' into the combustion chamber P, where they meet with
the heated air from the passages 62, constructed in the outer lining of the brickwork
of the casing, and which is admitted and regulated through air grids b³.
It will be obvious that by the arrangements described above, the gases and air both
become highly heated in their passage through the respective ducts in the refractory
inaterial, and an excellent system of combustion is obtained which is capable of easy
regulation and which enables effective steam generation to be obtained, even from very
low qualities of fuel which, in some places, are regarded as waste. This furnace can
also be adapted for the use of liquid fuel,
Said
This modification of gas producer may likewise be arranged in double or twin form,
as shewn in vertical and horizontal sections figures 9 and 10 respectively, and consists
of two producers placed within one general annular combustion chamber.
producers each have separate charging and clinkering doors, fire-grates, and ash-pits,
and are divided or separated by a double oblong party-wall extending across the area
of the inner furnace and forming a gas duct or downtake b, through which the gases
pass on their way downwards, and thence along the passage 6* upwards through the
ducts b¹ into the general combustion chamber P, to meet the necessary heated air
passing through the passages b', 6', into the brickwork of the combustion chamber, as
hereinbefore described with reference to figs. 7 and 8.
Another improvement has reference to an improved construction of steam
generator, as shown in fig. 1, and specially adapted for use with my improved system
of furnace or gas producer, but any other suitable type of steam generator inay
likewise be used in conjunction with said furnace or gas producer.
According to this improvement the steam generator is provided with a set of
tubes i, connected vertically with a flat cylindrical-shaped drum or waste heat box k

page_text: to which is attached a cylindrical metallic hood g, enveloping the set of tubes i.
This hood, where bolted to the waste heat box, which is below the water level,
is constructed with a flat rim at the top sufficiently wide to admit of a number of
relief tubes h. To the box k are fixed another set of tubes j, and these extend
from the upper plate of the said box through the lower plate, their free ends coming
down into the boiler, but not extending to the lower tube plate thereof, as the ends
are well within the said hood g. The waste gases are led from the tubes i, which are
fire tubes, to an exit pipe !, for further use, for heating the feed, water, air
supply, etc., while the gases in each case, are regulated and controlled by suitable
valves. The water surrounding the fire tubes i, and the water tubes j, and enveloped
by the hoody, circulates in the following manner it is first subjected to the action
of the heat ascending against the tube plate and upwards through the fire tubes i
into the waste heat box, causing a suitable and sufficient agitation of the water above
the tube plate, which tube plate is thus subjected to the frictional action of the water
and steam, chiefly owing to the latter rushing. to the mouths of the water tubes,
while the contrary action of the two sets of tubes prevents Cany sediment forming
on the lower tube plate and foaming or priming, taking place in the boiler. The
object of this arrangement is to keep the tube plates free from scaly or saline deposit
and to allow of their being readily cleaned.
The herein described improvements considerably enhance the practical utility of
this system of self-contained steam generator, while the herein described forms of
gas producer and combustion chamber can, with obvious modifications, be easily
rendered adaptable to existing steam generators of various types, such for instance
as horizontal boilers, constructed in self-contained horizontal form.
The herein described form of steam generator may be readily combined with either
of the modified constructions of gas producer above set forth.
Having now described my Invention and in what manner the same may be
performed, I claim :—
1. The means for supplying heated air into the combustion chamber, and for
utilizing the waste heat from the steam generator, by the arrangement of an annular
air chamber or passage (such as c), surrounding the lower part of the gas producer,
and provided with openings, (such as a) for the passage of such heated air, together
with the arrangement of radial blocks or bricks (such as a¹) of highly refractory
material around and above the space between the producer and the outer casing of
the furnace, substantially as described and as shewn with reference to figs. 1. 2.
and 5 of the drawings.
2. The combination with my improved gas producer, of a water jacket formed
around the central part of the furnace and employed for heating the feed water,
together with the admission and delivery pipes located therein; the central uptake
for the gases, and the jointed cross tubes and branch pipes communicating with the
combustion chamber, substantially as and for the purposes described with reference
to fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The modified construction of gas producer in which the wall of the furnace
is formed with passages (such as b) communicating through ducts (such as b¹)
with the combustion chamber, the wall of which is provided with passages (such
as ) in which the incoming air is heated previous to its admixture with the gas in
the combustion chamber, substantially as herein described and shewn with reference
to figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The modified construction of gas producer in double or twin form wherein the
gases from two furnaces pass through one central passage or flue (such as b)
communicating through other passages (such as 6x), and thence into the combustion
chamber surrounding both furnaces, the incoming air being admitted through
passages (such as b) formed in the walls of the combustion chamber, substantially
as herein described and shewn with reference to figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 5. The improved steam generator consisting of a hood provided with relief tubes
and fire tubes, said bood being surmounted by a heat box furnished with water tubes
extending within the hood, and the combination therewith of any of the forms of
furnace, or gas producers, hereinbefore specified, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth, and as shewn with reference to fig. 1. of the accompanying drawings.
6. The special arrangement and combination of gas-producers and steam
generators as described and shewn with reference to figs. 1 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.