IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING AND IN AR- RANGEMENTS FOR FIRING ALKALI-MARERS' REVOLVING FURNACES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Weldon, of Rede Hall, Burstow, in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING AND IN AR-
RANGEMENTS FOR FIRING ALKALI-MARERS' REVOLVING FURNACES." A
communication from abroad by Dr. Pauli, of the Chemische Fabrik, Rheinau,
Mannheim, Germany.
Sealed the 5th March 1880, and Dated the 23rd September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Weldon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1879.
WALTER WELDON, of Rede Hall, Burstow, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRING, AND IN ARRANGEMENTS FOR FIRING ALKALI-MAKERS'
REVOLVING FURNACES." A communication from abroad by Dr. Pauli, of the
Chemische Fabrik Rheinau, Mannheim, Germany.
"
This Invention relates to a method of effecting a very important economy of the
fuel employed for heating what are known to alkali-makers as "revolving furnaces
or "revolvers." These so-called furnaces are horizontal cylinders of iron lined
with fire-brick and open at each end. They are heated by the flame and products
of combustion from a fire-place distinct from the revolver itself, and not in contact
with it. Between the fire-place and the revolver is suspended an annular ring of
flre-brick bound with iron. Through this ring, which is in contact neither with
the revolver nor with the fire-place, the flame and products of combustion from the
fire-place pass into the revolver. Air enters the fire-place through the spaces
between the fire-bars, and also through the longitudinal slits in the sides of the
fire-place through which the ends of the fire-bars project. With the products of
combustion from the fire-place a further quantity of air enters the revolver by the
space between the end of the revolver and the annular, ring suspended between
the revolver and the fire-place. The total quantity of air entering the revolver is
thus enormously in excess of the quantity required for the complete combustion
of the fuel burnt in the fire-place. The temperature of the interior of the revolver
is thus kept much lower than it might otherwise be, and a very large proportion of
the total heat generated in the fire-place escapes by the chimney with the un-
necessarily diluted products of combustion. It has been found by Dr. Pauli, who

page_text: has communicated to me the present Invention, that if no more air be admitted
into the fire-place than is necessary to convert the carbon of the fuel into carbonic
oxide, air enough to burn the gaseous fuel so produced will enter the revolver, or
may readily be caused to enter it, by the space between the end of the revolver
and the suspended annular ring. The final combustion then takes place, not in
the fire-place, but in the revolver itself. The heat attained in the revolver is in
such case very much higher than can be obtained when the combustion of the fuel is
completed in the fire-place; and as the volume of the products of combustion is at the
same time considerably diminished, this higher temperature is obtained by a much
smaller consumption of fuel than the lower temperatures obtained by the present
method of firing. The present Invention accordingly consists in reducing the
supply of air to the fire-places of alkali-makers' revolving furnaces so far that a
considerable part of the fuel shall be converted in the fire-place only into com-
bustible gas, and in then burning this combustible gas after it has left the fire-place
by means of air entering by the space between the end of the revolver and the
suspended annular ring, or by the space between the suspended ring and
the fire-place. To apply this method of firing to existing revolvers one need not
necessarily change the existing fire-places. It will be sufficient to provide the ash-
pits of the existing fire-places, and the longitudinal openings through which the
ends of the fire-bars project, with doors, wings, or shutters, by the partial closing
of which the supply of air can be regulated and reduced at will to the required
degree. To regulate the quantity of air entering the revolver to burn the com-
bustible gas from the fire-place, the width of the spaces between the suspended
annular ring and the revolver, and between the suspended annular ring and the
fire-place, must be regulated, as will be well understood, in accordance with the
speed of the current produced by the chimney, and the quantity of fuel to be
burned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter Weldon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th March
1880.
WALTER WELDON, of Rede Hall, Burstow, in the County of Surrey. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRING, AND IN, ARRANGEMENTS FOR FIRING ALKALI-MAKERS'
REVOLVING FURNACES." A communication from abroad by Dr. Pauli, of the
Chemische Fabrik, Rheinau, Mannheim, Germany.
This Invention relates to a method of effecting a very important economy of the
fuel employed for heating what are known to alkali-makers as "revolving-furnaces,”
or "revolvers." These so-called furnaces are horizontal cylinders of iron lined
with fire-brick and open at each end. They are heated by the flame and products
of combustion from a fire-place distinct from the revolver itself, and not in contact
with it. Between the fire-place and the revolver is suspended an annular ring of
fire-brick bound with iron. Through this ring, which is in contact neither with
the revolver nor with the fire-place, the flame and products of combustion from the
fire-place pass into the revolver. Air enters the fire place through the spaces
between the fire-bars, and over the ends of the fire-bars. With the products of
combustion from the fire-place a further quantity of air enters the revolver, by the
space between the end of the revolver and the annular ring suspended between
the revolver and the fire-place. The total quantity of air entering the revolver
is thus enormously in excess of the quantity required for the complete combustion
of the fuel burnt in the fire-place. The temperature of the interior of the revolver
is thus kept much lower than it might otherwise be, and a very large proportion
of the total heat generated in the fire-place escapes by the chimney with the
unnecessarily diluted products of combustion. It has been found by Dr. Pauli,
who has communicated to me the present Invention, that if no more air be
admitted into the fire-place than is necessary to convert the carbon of the fuel
into carbonic oxide, air enough to burn the gaseous fuel so produced will enter
the revolver, or may readily be caused to enter it, by the space between the end
of the revolver and the suspended annular ring. The final combustion then takes
place, not in the fire-place but in the revolver itself. The heat attained in the
revolver is in such case very much higher than can be obtained when the com-
bustion of the fuel takes place, as at present, almost entirely in the fire-place
itself; and as the volume of the products of combustion is at the same time con-
siderably diminished, this higher temperature is obtained by a much smaller
consumption of fuel than is required for the lower temperatures obtained by the
present mode of firing. The present Invention accordingly consists in reducing
the supply of air to the fire-places of alkali-makers' revolving furnaces so far that
a considerable part of the fuel shall be converted in the fire-place only into
combustible gas,
and in then burning this combustible gas after it has left the
fire-place by means of air entering by the space between the end of the revolver
and the suspended annular ring, or by the space between the annular ring and
the fire-place. To apply this method of firing to existing revolvers, one need not
necessarily change the existing fire-places; it will be sufficient to provide the
ash-pit with doors, wings, or shutters, by the partial closing of which the supply
of air can be regulated and reduced at will to the required degree, at the same
time providing any convenient efficient means of closing at will the openings for
working the fire-bars. The fire-place should of course be provided also with well-
fitting fire-doors. To regulate the quantity of air entering the revolver to burn the
combustible gas from the fire-place, the width of the spaces between the suspended
annular ring and the revolver, and between the suspended annular ring and the
fire-place, must be regulated, as will be well understood, in accordance with the
speed of the current produced by the chimney, and the quantity of fuel to be
burned.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to claim as
the Invention' to be secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent, burning the fuel used to heat alkali-makers' revolving furnaces chiefly in
combustible gas in the fire-place, and then completing the combustion of this gas
in the revolver itself chiefly by means of air entering the revolver by the space
between the end of the revolver and the ring between it and the fire-place,
and in arrangements for accomplishing these objects, substantially as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Weldon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.