Improvements in Gas Combustion Chambers for Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Combustion Chambers for Steam Boiler and
other Furnaces.
We, BABCOCK & WILCOX, LIMITED, of 147, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Steam Boiler Manufacturers, and JOSEPII HUTCHINSON HARRISON,
Engineer, of 2, Exchange Buildings, Middlesborough, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:,--
This invention which relates to steam boiler and other furnaces has for its
object to provide an improved gas combustion chamber so constructed that the
air necessary for the complete combustion of any gas is suitably heated and
thorough mixing of the heated air with the gas to be consumed is obtained
during combustion. The arrangement is applicable for use with any kind of
combustible gas, but more especially that from blast furnaces, gas producers,
and the like.
The air necessary for combustion is caused to pass through passages formed
in the side walls and front wall of the furnace or combustion chamber, such
passages terminating in a number of ports or openings in the front of the com-
bustion chamber, so arranged that the heated air issuing from these ports is
split up into a number of streams arranged closely adjacent to a number of streams
of the combustible gas, which are brought into the combustion chamber by
similar ports from a gas supply box or pipe. Owing to the lightness of the
gas, the gas ports are preferably arranged underneath the air ports so that by
the rising of the gases a better admixture is obtained.
In carrying out this invention as applied, for instance, to the firing of the
well-known Babcock & Wilcox type of water tube boiler, we construct a
chamber preferably of firebrick with a hollow space or passage in the interior
of both side walls and the front wall, suitable bonding bricks being provided
for tying together the inside and outside of the wall. Preferably a course of
these bonding bricks is built in horizontally in order to divide the passage into
two chambers which communicate with each other at the end furthest from the
furnace mouth, thus causing the air to pass twice along the length of each side
wall before reaching the furnace front. If desired the arrangement of bonding
bricks can be such that the air traverses three or more times along each side wall.
Preferably, suitable doors are provided for regulating the amount of air tra-
versing the passages in the side walls.
In the upper portion of the furnace front a hollow chamber is also formed
which communicates with the passages in the side walls, the air, after traversing
the side walls, entering into this passage. The chamber in the front wall is

page_text: provided with apertures through which the air flows to the combustion chamber
proper.
The supply of combustible gas is brought to the furnace through pipes in the
ordinary manner, a damper being preferably provided for regulating the supply
of gas and a hinged door to open in case of an explosion.
The distribution of gas at the furnace front is effected by means of a gas box
or receiver provided with a number of outlets for allowing the gas to pass into
the interior of the furnace, these outlets being placed so as to be in close
proximity to the air outlets above mentioned, thus ensuring a thorough admix-
ture of air and gas over the width of the furnace. The brickwork of the furnace
front is cut away to allow of this gas passage.
Preferably sight hole doors are provided opposite each of the gas inlet ports.
An ordinary coal burning fire grate or furnace with suitable fire and ash doors
may be provided, if desired, in addition to the above gas burning arrangement,
and situated within or under the gas combustion chamber, in order that auxiliary
hand firing can be used, if desired, for firing the boiler, either when no supply
of gas is available or when the supply of gas is restricted or the gas is of poor
quality.
The gas box above referred to can be kept in position by suitable cast or
wrought iron supports in which may also be incorporated the damper gear for
regulating the air supply through the side walls. In order to prevent the undue
deterioration of the brickwork of the furnace, due to the strains of expansion
and contraction, it is desirable to tie the whole of the brickwork together by
means of a suitable arrangement of ironwork.
Dated this let dox of Databou '1908
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
t Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicants
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Combustion Chambers for Steam Boiler and
other Furnaces.
We, BABCOCK & WILCOX, LIMITED, of 147, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Steam Boiler Manufacturers, and JOSEPII HUTCHINSON HARRISON,
Engineer, of 2, Exchange Buildings, Middlesborough, 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:
-
This invention which relates to steam boiler and other furnaces has for its
object to provide an improved gas combustion chamber so constructed that the
air necessary for the complete combustion of any gas is suitably heated and
thorough mixing of the heated air with the gas to be consumed is obtained
during combustion. The arrangement is applicable for use with any kind of
combustible gas, but more especially that from blast furnaces, gas producer,
and the like.
The air necessary for combustion is caused to pass through passages formed
in the side walls and front wall of the furnace or combustion chamber, such
passages terminating in a number of ports or openings in the front of the com-

page_text: bustion chamber, so arranged that the heated air issuing from these ports is
split up into a number of streams closely adjacent to a number of streams
of the combustible gas, which are brought into the combustion chamber by
similar ports from a gas supply box or pipe. Owing to the lightness of the
gas, the gas ports are preferably arranged underneath the air ports so that by
the rising of the gases a better admixture is obtained.
The invention as applied, for instance, to the firing of the well-known Babcock
& Wilcox type of water tube boiler, is illustrated by the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 being a longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 2 an end elevation, and Fig. 3
a horizontal section on two different planes as at the lines - and y-y,
Fig. 1, of the forward portion of such a boiler. A chamber A preferably of
firebrick is constructed with a hollow space or passage B in the interior of both
side walls C and the front wall D, suitable bonding bricks E being provided
for tying together the inside and outside of the wall C. Preferably a course of
these bonding bricks E is built in horizontally in order to divide the passage
into two chambers which communicate with each other at the end furthest from
the furnace mouth F, thus causing the air to pass twice along the length of each
side wall C before reaching the furnace front D. If desired the arrangement
of bonding bricks E can be such that the air traverses three or more times along
each side wall.
Preferably, suitable doors G are provided for regulating the amount of air
traversing the passages B in the side walls C.
In the upper portion of the furnace front D a hollow chamber H is also
formed which communicates with the passages B in the side walls, the air, after
traversing the side walls C, entering into this chamber H. The chamber H in
the front wall is provided with apertures I through which the air flows to the
combustion chamber A.
The supply of combustible gas is brought to the furnace through pipes J in
the ordinary manner, a damper K being preferably provided for regulating the
supply of gas and a hinged door L to open in case of an explosion.
The distribution of gas at the furnace front F is effected by means of a gas
box or receiver M provided with a number of outlets N for allowing the gas
to pass into the interior of the furnace A, these outlets being placed so as to
be in close proximity to the air outlets I above mentioned, thus ensuring a
thorough admixture of air and gas over the width of the furnace. The brick-
work of the furnace front is cut away to allow of this gas passage.
Preferably sight hole doors are provided opposite each of the gas inlet
ports N.
An ordinary coal burning fire grate P or furnace with suitable fire and ash
doors Q, R, may be provided, if desired, in addition to the above gas burning
arrangement, and situated within or under the gas combustion chamber A, in
order that auxiliary hand firing can be used, if desired, for firing the boiler,
either when no supply of gas is available or when the supply of gas is restricted
or the gas is of poor quality.
The gas box M above referred to can be kept in position by suitable cast or
wrought iron supports S in which may also be incorporated the damper gear G
for regulating the air supply through the side walls C. In order to prevent the
undue deterioration of the brickwork of the furnace, due to the strains of expan-
sion and contraction, it is desirable to tie the whole of the brickwork together
by means of a suitable arrangement of ironwork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A gas combustion chamber for steam boilers and other furnaces constructed
and arranged, substantially as described.
2. In gas combustion chambers of boiler and other furnaces, the combination

page_text: A
of air heating passages formed in the side, walls of the furnace,, and having
outlets to the interior of the furnace at the front end thereof, with gas outlets
situated underneath or in proximity to the air outlet so that thorough admixture
of the air and gas is obtained across the entire width of the furnace front, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 1st day 01 July 1999.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
C2, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicants.