Improvements relating to the Combustion of Hydrocarbon Oils for Heating Purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct.,
1899
Date of Application, on Dec., Toyo
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Combustion of Hydrocarbon Oils for
Heating Purposes.
I, THOMAS TOMLINSON, of Ballywaltrim Cottage, Bray, in the County of Wick-
low, Ireland, Civil and Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to effect the production of heat from the com-
bustion of heavy mineral and like oils, or oil refuse, without the noise which
accompanies such production when the oil is atomized by jets of air or steam;
and without the production of tarry or other deleterious products, and the
objectionable odours which result from imperfect vaporization thereof, and
generally to effect the improvements hereinafter indicated.
According to my invention I provide by pump, blower or otherwise-air
under pressure, which air on its way to the apparatus I subdivide, by means of
suitable orifices, into two parts. The first I call the vaporizing part; the second
I call the main air feed. I subdivide the former of the said two parts into
three portions. Of these latter portions one is heated by its passing through a
coil preferably heated, when the apparatus is in action, by the heat of the
apparatus, but on starting by a separate lamp. The remaining portions may
be heated for the sake of economy by any waste heat available, especially the
second part of the vaporizing air.
The oil is similarly divided into two parts; the first I shall again call the
vaporizing part, for a reason to be presently set forth, and the second I shall
call the main oil supply. Where the oil to be used is very heavy, or is refuse,
then a lighter oil (or spirit) may be used for the first or vaporizing part. The
oil, or oils, is or are fed to the apparatus by a pump or pumps, or are drawn
from a reservoir or reservoirs as in the common scent sprayer, in such a manner
that the supply is proportional to the air feed so as to ensure perfect combustion..
Assuming for illustration that the object is to supply a boiler furnace and
that two oils are used and that these oils are drawn as in the scent sprayer from
reservoirs, and that the air is supplied by a blower (as in ordinary forced draught
combustion), then the action would be as follows:-The whole air feed, under
pressure of a few inches of water, would pass by pipes suitably placed into a
tube (preferably firebrick lined) closed at one end and opening at the other
into the furnace or firebox. The small specially-heated portion of vaporizing
air passes in at the back end through a contracted orifice and draws up, sprays,
and vaporizes a suitable portion from the first oil reservoir. It then meets the
second portion sufficient for the combustion of the oil drawn up and is ignited
(by incandescent tube, electrically or by an applied light at first, afterwards by
heated internal surfaces, or r by a combination of these); thence the heated
vapours passing on meet the third portion of the vaporizing air which is thus
heated to such a temperature as will vaporize (without burning or forming
tarry or other deleterious matters) the main oil feed. The main oil feed is drawn

page_text: from the second reservoir in a similar manner as in the first case (the heated
air passing through a constricted opening over the orifice at the end of the oil
pipe); the heated air charged with oil vapour passes on and meets the main
air feed sufficient for the combustion of the oil and this mixture is ignited as
before giving the required flame. Suitable cones or annular openings may be
provided to ensure the thorough admixture of entering air with that already
passing in the apparatus.
It is obvious that the second flame could be used to heat a larger quantity of
air which again should vaporize a larger quantity of oil but in general it would
probably be preferable, where a very large quantity of heat is required; to use
a number of those as originally described in parallel rather than one huge one
made up in series.
The oil should preferably be heated also, but care should be taken in this
case to keep its temperature below that at which tars or other deleterious sub-
stances are formed. This is best insured by using water as the medium for
transferring the heat, since the steam pressure is then a gauge. This is easily
arranged where the furnace heats a boiler.
It is obvious that I may in certain cases employ an ordinary lamp in a closed
chamber (such as is used to heat the incandescent tube of a gas engine) instead
of the first oil supply and first portion of the vaporizing air supplying means
for re-igniting after short stops-or for continuing a sufficiency of air to keep
up ignition during these stops.
Dated this 5th day of Dreamhom 1000
A. F. SPOONER,
323, High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Combustion of Hydrocarbon Oils for
Heating Purposes.
I, THOMAS TOMLINSON, of Ballywaltrim Cottage, Bray, in the County of Wick-
low, Ireland, Civil and Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to effect the production of heat from the com-
bustion of heavy mineral and like oils, or oil refuse, without the noise which
accompanies such production when the oil is atomized by jets of air or steam;
and without the production of tarry or other deleterious products, and the
objectionable odours which result from imperfect vaporization thereof, and
generally to effect the improvements hereinafter indicated.
According to my invention I provide-by pump, blower or otherwise-air
under pressure, which air on its way to the apparatus I subdivide, by means of
suitable orifices, into two parts. The first I call the vaporizing part; the second
I call the main air feed. I subdivide the former of the said two parts into
three portions. Of these latter portions one is heated by its passing through a
coil preferably heated, when the apparatus is in action, by the heat of the
apparatus, but on starting by a separate lamp. The remaining portions may
be heated for the sake of economy by any waste heat available, especially the
second part of the vaporizing air.
The oil is similarly divided into two parts; the first I shall again call the

page_text: vaporizing part, for a reason to be presently set forth, and the second I shall
call the main oil supply. Where the oil to be used is very heavy, or is refuse,
then a lighter oil (or spirit) may be used for the first or vaporizing part. The
oil, or oils, is or are fed to the apparatus by a pump or pumps, or are drawn
from a reservoir or reservoirs as in the common scent sprayer, in such a manner
that the supply is proportional to the air feed so as to ensure perfect combustion.
Assuming for illustration that the object is to supply a boiler furnace and
that two oils are used and that these oils are drawn as in the scent sprayer from
reservoirs, and that the air is supplied by a blower (as in ordinary forced draught
combustion), then the action would be as follows:-The whole air feed, under
pressure of a few inches of water, would pass by pipes suitably placed into a
tube (preferably firebrick lined) closed at one end and opening at the other
into the furnace or firebox. The small specially-heated portion of vaporizing
air passes in at the back and through a contracted orifice and draws up, sprays
and vaporizes a suitable portion from the first oil reservoir. It then meets the
second portion sufficient for the combustion of the oil drawn up and is ignited
(by incandescent tube, electrically or by an applied light at first, afterwards by
heated internal surfaces or by a combination of these) thence the heated
vapours passing on meet the third portion of the vaporizing air which is thus
heated to such a temperature as will vaporize (without burning or forming
tarry or other deleterious matters) the main oil feed. The main oil feed is drawn
from the second reservoir in a similar manner as in the first case (the heated
air passing through a constricted opening over the orifice at the end of the oil
pipe); the heated air charged with oil vapour passes on and meets the main
air feed sufficient for the combustion of the oil and this mixture is ignited as
before giving the required flame. Suitable cones or annular openings may be
provided to ensure the thorough admixture of entering air with that already
passing in the apparatus.
It is obvious that the second flame could be used to heat a larger quantity of
air which again should vaporize a larger quantity of oil but in general it would
probably be preferable, where a very large quantity of heat is required, to use
a number of those as originally described in parallel rather than one huge one
made up in series.
The oil should preferably be heated also, but care should be taken in this
case to keep its temperature below that at which tars or other deleterious sub-
stances are formed. This is best insured by using water as the medium for
transferring the heat since the steam pressure is then a gauge. This is easily
arranged where the furnace heats a boiler.
It is obvious that I may in certain cases employ an ordinary lamp in a closed
chamber (such as is used to heat the incandescent tube of a gas engine) instead
of the first oil supply and first portion of the vaporizing air supplying means
for re-igniting after short stops--or for continuing a sufficiency of air to keep
up ignition during these stops.
I will now proceed to describe my invention more particularly with reference
to the accompanying drawing which illustrates its application to the production
of heat in à furnace or other chamber.
The drawing being diagrammatic, it has been assumed, for the sake of simpli-
city, that the oil is drawn up in proper quantity by the heated air upon the
well known "scent spray" method; but it is to be understood that any method
by which the oil is delivered in proper quantity proportional to the air supply
at the points where it is vaporized is available. It has also been assumed that
oils of different qualities are used at the first and second points of delivery;
this is to cover the case where, on account of using after the first ignition an
oil (or refuse) which is vaporizable with difficulty, it may be necessary or desir
able to use (at least at starting) a more easily vaporized oil at the first point.
It has also been assumed that electric ignition is used, but any form of ignition
is available; and in particular, where the action of the apparatus is continuous,

page_text: ignition by heated surfaces will be available after the inner surfaces, or parts
of them specially prepared, have reached the requisite temperature.
In the diagram, the reservoirs from which the oils are drawn are shown at h
and j. Tubes h¹ and j' serve for conveying the oils from the reservoirs to the
orifices at the nozzles g, g. The ignition points are shown at x and y and the
electric circuit is indicated by z. The admission orifices b, c, and d are illus-
trated as being formed by the superposed conical parts or castings 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, and 13 the interstices being filled with refractory material v.
In the arrangement illustrated, compressed air is supplied by a rotary blower t,
through the pipes or openings 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6; the orifices a, b, c and d being
of such dimensions that suitable quantities of the air supply flow through the
pipes or openings 1, 2, 3, 4 and G. That portion of the air which flows through
the pipe 1 is heated by passing it through the coil surrounding the flame of
the lamp fand in its passage over the nozzle g it draws up, sprays, and vaporizes
a suitable portion of oil from the reservoir h. Passing onwards, this mixture
of heated air and vapour of oil meets the portion of the vaporizing air which
flows through the pipe or opening 2, and issues from the annular opening b.
This is sufficient to supply the extra air necessary for the combustion of the oil
vapour present. The resulting mixture of vaporized oil and the air necessary
for its combustion is ignited by the spark . The products of combustion,
caused by the ignition, at an extremely high temperature, still passing onwards,
meet the third portion of the vaporizing air which flows through the pipe 3
and issues from the annular opening c. This is sufficient in quantity and will
be heated to a sufficiently high temperature when mixed with and heated by
the products of combustion, to efficiently vaporize the principal oil supply
(which it draws from the reservoir ) without the formation of deleterious pro-
ducts. The mixture of products of combustion, air, and vaporized oil still flow-
ing onwards meets the main air supply which flows through the pipe 4 and
issues from the annular orifice d, and which is sufficient to supply the extra
oxygen required for the combustion of the oil supply taken up by the vaporiz-
ing air.
The mixed products of combustion, air and vaporized oil are ignited
at the point y and pass direct into the furnace, chamber, or the like indicated at s.
P, P represent a possible arrangement of valves for the purpose of modifying
the air-flow through the system. The pipe 6 leading to the chamber 7 sur-
rounding the flame ignited at y forms a bye-pass line of supply for the purpose
of heating the air, flowing through the orifice a, without the aid of an external
lamp as f, after starting and when, and so long as, the apparatus remains in
action. Of course the pipe leading from the chamber to the orifice a must be
efficiently covered to prevent loss of heat by radiation.
The line of pipes is for the purpose of placing the oil reservoirs under the
general air pressure of the system.
It is obvious that the cycle of vaporization, ignition, and addition of air
described with reference to the diagram may be progressively repeated until
the resultant heated products of combustion pass into the furnace, chamber, or
the like.
It will also be obvious that the exact order in which the division and sub-
division of the air is effected may be varied without departing from the spirit
of my invention.
Other modifications may likewise be made. For example, oil vapour might
be used instead of heated oil for the first oil supply the vaporizing air being
then divided into two parts only.
It is also obvious that, while for the purpose of explanation the quantities of
air feed flowing through the pipes 1, 2, 3, 4 are taken as those just necessary
for the particular purposes required at the various stages, there is no necessity
in practice for strict adherence to such division. In particular it is desirable
(for the sake of keeping the temperature at all points of the apparatus as low
as possible) that the quantities supplied for combustion (as through pipes 2

page_text: and 4) should be much larger than the quantities actually necessary at these
points the quantity supplied for cooling (as through pipe 3) being correspond-
ingly reduced or possibly suppressed-care being taken that the ignitions (as
at and y) are not thereby made uncertain.
Further it is obvious that an induced draught-as of a chimney, steam jet,
or fan-may be employed instead of a forced draught.
Experiment has shown that the first flame may, with advantage, be produced
by a lamp of the "Aetna" type--that is in which oil under pressure is vaporized
by being passed through coils surrounding the flame and emerges as vapour
from a nozzle-the flame being regulated by varying the pressure.
Again, experiment has shown that it conduces to effective vaporization to
spread the oil in as thin a layer and over as large an area as possible and to
pass the heated air over it in as close contact as possible, that is through an
orifice broad and shallow.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for the vaporization and combustion of hydrocarbon oil for
heating purposes, the combination, with an initial or one vaporization, of means
serving respectively (a) to ignite the initial or one mixture, (b) to admit thereto
a portion of the vaporizing air for the purpose of vaporizing a second or follow-
ing part of the oil supply, (c) to admit the main air supply and (d) to ignite the
resultant mixture which is utilized in the furnace, chamber, or the like sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. The construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting the
improved apparatus for the vaporization and combustion of hydrocarbon oil for
heating purposes substantially as set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
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UHIS
on day 1 September 19
A. F. SPOONER,
323, High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicant.