Improvements in and in connection with Injectors or Apparatus for Burning Liquid Fuel.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec.,
1899
PROVISIONAL DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Injectors or Apparatus for
Burning Liquid Fuel.
We, JAMES HOLDEN, of Hermon Hill, Wanstead, in the County of Essex,
Engineer, ARTHUR MORTON BELL, of 28, Pembury Road, Clapton, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, and JOHN CHARLES TAITE, of 63, Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference inter alia to improvements in and in connection
with injectors or apparatus of the kind described in the Specifications of former
Letters Patent Nos. 6059 and 7755 of 1886 and No. 1815 of 1891, for burning
liquid fuel.
With injectors of the kind referred to as heretofore constructed, liquid fuel
is sprayed by a jet of steam or compressed air from a fixed main nozzle of
predetermined shape, the issuing steam of liquid fuel being further acted
upon and atomized by jets of steam issuing from an external steam ring arranged
concentrically around the forward part of the main nozzle of the injector,
the said jets of steam also serving to induce a considerable quantity of atmos-
pheric air to become mixed with the sprayed liquid fuel for ensuring its
complete combustion.
Although it has been found in practice that whilst a burner of moderate
size constructed on the principles above set forth produces sufficient spray and
flame for ordinary furnaces fired under comparatively moderate conditions, it
is difficult to pass, effectually spray, and mix with the necessary air, sufficient
liquid fuel to promote the rapid and intense combustion necessary for modern
high speed or express boilers, especially those of the water tube type where
the rate of evaporation is required to be very rapid, any attempt to do this
by increasing the size of the injector, necessitating a much greater expenditure
of steam for spraying.
Now an object of this invention is to enable a larger quantity of liquid fuel
than usual to be effectually sprayed, mixed with sufficient air, and completely
burnt by an injector of ordinary or given size than has heretofore been usual
without increasing, or materially increasing, the quantity of steam used for
spraying such liquid fuel.
For this purpose the injector is constructed with two or more supply ports
or passages for liquid fuel, the outlet ends of the ports or passages being so
arranged as to deliver liquid fuel at two or more points along the injector
so that the mixture of liquid fuel and steam or other spraying fluid after
passing the first outlet will come into contact with and spray the liquid fuel
entering by the other outlet or outlets, whereby a larger quantity of fuel
or other spraying
can be effectually sprayed with a given quantity of steam
fluid than would be the case if all the liquid fuel was mixed with the
spraying fluid at one point, as heretofore. Also, in order to more effectually
diffuse the issuing stream of sprayed fuel and to cause more effective admix-
ture therewith of the air induced to flow through the external steam ring by

page_text: the said jets, the external steam ring is arranged eccentrically to the main
nozzle of the-injector, the centie of the ring being below the centre of the
nozzle and the orifices for exit of steam from such ring being wholly or mainly
below the centre of the said nozzle. We sometimes arrange to give a spiral
direction to these jets.
In one construction of liquid fuel injector according to this invention there
is screwed into the rear end of the outer or main conical nozzle an inner
conical nozzle provided with an inlet for steam or other Huid under pressure
and into the rear parallel end of which is screwed a central tube that serves
for admission of air and for the insertion of a cleaning tool, the arrange-
ment being such as to form at the rearward part of the injector, an outer
annular conical passage for liquid fuel, an intermediate
conical passage
for steami or other nuid under pressure, the outlet end of the latter
passage being in proximity to the outlet end of the liquid fuel passage,
and a central air passage that may be open at its rear end. The main nozzle
is. formed at its upper side with a hollow extension formed with two ports
or passages one of which communicates with the annular conical liquid fuel
passage within the injector and the other with a supplementary pipe or passage
extending along the top of the main nozzle and terminating above the front
end thereof, the two ports or passages being controlled by a valve or valves
adapted to be operated from the exterior of the injector. The valve, according
to one construction, is formed with a conical face adapted to bear against a
seat on or in the hollow extension and with a cylindrical projecting part
arranged to slide in the hollow extension and formed with two passages one of
which communicates with the port or passage leading to the annular conical
liquid fuel passage within the injector and the other with the supplementary
pipe or passage extending along the top of the main nozzle and both of which
communicate, when the conical valve is raised sufficiently, with a liquid fuel
supply chamber attached to the hollow extension. The compound or duplex
valve is or may be operated by a screw spindle extending outward through a
stuffing box and provided with a hand wheel. The arrangement is such that
by raising the valve to a certain extent liquid fuel can be admitted only to
the liquid fuel passage within the injector and by raising it to a further extent
liquid fuel can also be admitted to the supplementary passage, that admitted to
the first passage being carried forward by the steam or other spraying fluid
and caused to strike against and carry forward and spray the liquid fuel
falling across the mouth of the main nozzle from the supplementary passage.
In some cases the supply of liquid fuel to the several passages may be
controlled by separate valves
The
Arranged eccentrically around the main nozzle is a steam ring connected at
the rear by an inlet passage and a bent pipe to a steam supply branch connected
to the steam cone of the injector and provided with a regulating screw.
upper portion of the steam ring is arranged near to the top of the main nozzle
so that most of the air induced to flow through the ring by the jets of steam
issuing from its lower forward portion will pass between the lower portion of
the ring and main nozzle and thus be caused to rise upward through and become
intimately mixed with the sprayed fuel issuing from the main nozzle.
The main nozzle may conveniently be made in two parts screwed together,
the forward part being formed with one or more lateral fuel exits in addition
to the axial exit, when desired, and in one with part of the steam ring the
remaining forward portion of which may be made separate therefrom and
afterwards screwed thereto.
In operating liquid fuel injectors by means of steam, there is of course a
considerable loss of water from the boiler from which the steam is supplied.
In the case of marine boilers this is a very serious disadvantage, owing to
the water thus lost having to be made good by fresh distilled water.
To obviate this disadvantage, the injector may, according to this invention,

page_text: be worked by combustible gas or vapour supplied under pressure to the
injector, in lieu of steam as heretofore. For this purpose a light oil, for
example petroleum, is forced by a pump through a coil or other. gas generating
device arranged to be heated by waste gases or otherwise so that the oil will
be heated and delivered in a gaseous or vaporous state and under pressure
into the injector so as to spray the main supply of liquid fuel, consisting of
heavy hydrocarbon, into the furnace. In an arrangement of this kind the
feed pump is arranged to deliver light hydrocarbon oil from a tank to a coil
or other gas generator arranged at the base of the uptake of the boiler to which
the injector apparatus is applied and connected to one or more injectors by a
pipe provided with an escape valve whereby excess of light oil can, when desired,
be returned through a condenser to the tank, a separate tank containing heavy
hydrocarbon, such as tar, being separately connected to the injectors. In some
cases the injector or each injector may be worked partly by hydrocarbon gas
or vapour under pressure as set forth, and partly by steam; the injector being
then constructed with separate annular conical and concentric passages for the
gas or vapour and steam. The heavy hydrocarbon may be delivered under
pressure if desired.
Improvements in and in connection with Injectors or Apparatus for
Burning Liquid Fuel,
We, JAMES HOLDEN, of Hermon Hill, Wanstead, in the County of Essex,
Engineer, ARTHUR MORTON BELL, of 28, Pembury Road, Clapton, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, and JOHN CHARLES TAITE, of 63, Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London, 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:-
-
This invention has reference inter alia to improvements in and in connection
with injectors or apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent No. 6059 and 7755 of 1886, and No. 1815 of 1891 for burning
liquid fuel, relates to apparatus of the kind.
With injectors of the kind referred to as heretofore constructed, liquid fuel
is sprayed by a jet of steam, or compressed air, from a fixed main nozzle of
predetermined shape, the issuing stream of liquid fuel being further acted
upon and atomized by additional jets of steam issuing from an external steam
ring arranged concentrically around the forward part of the main nozzle of
the injector, the said additional jets of steam also serving to induce a con-
siderable quantity of atmospheric air to become mixed with the sprayed liquid
fuel for ensuring its complete combustion.
Although it has been found in practice that whilst a burner of moderate
size constructed on the principles above set forth produces sufficient spray and
flame for ordinary furnaces fired under comparatively moderate conditions, it
is difficult to pass, effectually spray, and mix with the necessary air, sufficient
liquid fuel to promote the rapid and intense combustion necessary for modern
high speed or "express" boilers, especially those of the water tube type. where
the rate of evaporation' is required to be very rapid, any attempt to do this

page_text: by increasing the size of the injector, necessitating a much greater expenditure
of steam for spraying.
Now an object of this invention is to enable a larger quantity of liquid fuel
than usual to be effectually sprayed, mixed with sufficient air, and completely
burnt by an injector of ordinary or given size than has heretofore been usual,
without increasing, or materially increasing, the quantity of steam used for
spraying such liquid fuel.
For this purpose the injector is constructed with two or more supply ports
or passages for liquid fuel, the outlet ends of the ports or passages being so
arranged as to deliver liquid fuel at two or more points along the injector,
so that the mixture of liquid fuel and steam, or other spraying fluid, after
passing the first outlet will come into contact with and spray the liquid fuel
flowing through the other outlet or outlets, whereby a larger quantity of fuel
can be effectually sprayed with a given quantity of steam, or other spraying
fluid, than would be the case if all the liquid fuel were mixed with the
spraying fluid at one point, as heretofore. Also, in order to more effectually
diffuse the issuing stream of sprayed fuel, and to cause more effective admix-
ture therewith of the air induced to flow through the external steam ring by
the said jets, the external steam ring is arranged eccentrically to the main
nozzle of the injector, the centre of the ring being below the centre of the
nozzle and the orifices for exit of steam from such ring being wholly or mainly
below the centre of the said nozzle. In some cases the orifices are so arranged
as to give a spiral direction to these jets.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a
rear end elevation, Fig. 3 is a front end elevation, and Fig. 4 a central longi-
tudinal section, showing an injector constructed according to this invention
and suitable for various kinds of steam boiler and other furnaces. Figs. 5
and 6 are sections on the lines A-B and C-D) respectively of Fig. 4, and
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views of the ring blower and nozzle shown to a larger
scale than the other figures.
In the construction of liquid fuel injector shown in these figures, there is
screwed into the rear end of the outer or main conical nozzle or casing 1 an
inner conical nozzle 2 formed with apertures 2 for the admission of steam
or other fluid under pressure from an inlet 3. Into the rear parallel end of
the nozzle 2 is screwed a central tube 4 that serves for admission of air and for
the insertion of a cleaning tool. As will be seen, the arrangement of the said
parts is such as to form at the rearward part of the injector, an outer annular
conical passage 5 for liquid fuel, an intermediate conical passage 6 for steam
or other fluid under pressure which enters from the inlet 3 and passes through
the apertures 2 in the nozzle 2. the outlet end of the passage 6 being arranged
in proximity to the outlet end of the liquid fuel passage, and a central air
passage that may, as shown, be open at its rear end. The main nozzle I
is formed at its upper side with a hollow extension 8 having two ports or
passages 9 and 10 one of which, viz. 9, communicates with the annular liquid
fuel passage 5 within the injector, and the other, riz. 10, communicates with
a supplementary pipe or passage 11 that extends along the top of the main
nozzle and terminates above the front end thereof. These two ports or
passages 9 and 10 are controlled by a valve 12 operated from the exterior of
the injector. This valve, according to the construction now being described,
is formed with a conical face 13 adapted to bear against a seat 14 on or in
the hollow extension 8, and with a cylindrical projecting part 15 that is
arranged to slide in the hollow extension 8 and is formed with a passage 16,
and a recessed part 17. The passage 16 communicates with the port or
passage 9 leading to the liquid fuel passage 5 within the injector, and the
recessed part 17 communicates with the supplementary pine or passage 11
extending along the top of the main nozzle. and both of which communicate,
when the conical valve 12 is raised sufficiently, with a liquid fuel supply

page_text: chamber 18 which is attached to the hollow extension 8 and is provided with
a liquid fuel supply pipe 18ª. The compound or duplex valve 12-15 is
raised and lowered by a screw spindle 19 that extends outward through a
stuffing box 20 and is provided with a hand wheel 21, the said valve being
prevented from turning by means of a screw 15ª (Fig. 6) which passes through
the wall of the extension 8. and enters a groove 15b in the cylindrical part 15
of the valve. As will be seen, the arrangement is such that by raising the
valve 12-15 to a small extent, liquid fuel will be allowed to pass only to the
liquid fuel passage 5 within the injector, and by raising it to a further and
sufficient extent, liquid fuel will also be allowed to pass to the supplementary
passage 11, the liquid fuel admitted to the passage 5 being carried forward
by the steam or other spraying fluid coming from the conical passage 6
and caused to strike against and carry forward and spray the liquid
fuel falling across the mouth of the main nozzle 1 from the sup-
plementary passage 11. In this way a large quantity of liquid fuel can be
sprayed with a comparatively small quantity of steam or other spraying fluid.
When the compound valve is being closed, the supply of liquid fuel will be
cut off in succession from the passages 11 and 5. If desired the supply of
liquid fuel to the several passages may be controlled by separate valves.
Arranged around the main nozzle 1 is a steam ring 22 that is connected
by an inlet
a
passage 23 and bent pipe 24 to a steam supply
branch 25 which is in connection with the annular steam supply
space 2b of the steam cone 2 and is provided with a regulating cock and
handle 26 (Fig. 2). The steam ring 22 is arranged eccentrically to the main
nozzle with its upper portion arranged near to the top of the said main nozzle
so that most of the air induced to flow through the ring by the jets of steam
issuing from the orifices 27 in its lower forward portion will pass between
the lower portion of the ring and main nozzle and thus be caused to rise
upward through and become intimately mixed with the sprayed fuel issuing
from the main nozzle.
The main nozzle 1 may, as shown, conveniently be made in two parts screwed
together as at 1, the forward part when desired being formed with one or
more lateral fuel exits 1b in addition to the central or axial exit, as shown
in Fig. 9. The steam ring 22 may conveniently be made in two parts screwed
together, and carried by arms 22" from a hollow boss 22b by which it is
mounted on the main nozzle 1.
Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show respectively in side, front and rear elevation
another arrangement of injector according to this invention and especially
adapted for use with. locomotives.
In this case the injector proper is similar in' construction to that shown and
described in the said former Specification No. 1815 of 1891 but to the inlet
branch 8 for liquid fuel is secured a valve casing 12ª provided with two ports
or passages 9" and 10" one of which viz. 9" communicates with an annular
conical liquid fuel passage within the injector, and the other, viz. 10° com-
municates with the supplementary pipe 11. The two ports or passages 9*
and 10 are controlled by a valve spindle 15" which is hollow for a
portion of its length and can be partly rotated, and raised and lowered by
known means. 16 and 17 are holes formed in the hollow part of the valve
spindle 15. The arrangement is such that when the spindle 15 is rotated
through a quarter of a revolution, the hole 16 will be brought into line with
the port or passage 9" and allow a small stream of liquid fuel to flow to the
annular passage within the injector, at starting, or when only a small flame
is required after starting, or when a larger flame is required, the valve
spindle 15 is raised until it is level with the top of the passage 9 so as to
allow a full supply of liquid fuel to flow to the interior of the injector, but
no liquid fuel will be supplied to the supplementary passage 11. through the
passage 10 as the orifice 17 is so arranged in the valve spindle 15 that the

page_text: passage 10 will at this time be closed. When it is desired to burn a still
further quantity of liquid fuel, the spindle 15" is raised to a further extent
sufficient to bring the orifice 17" opposite the passage 10%, whereupon liquid
fuel will be supplied to the supplementary pipe 11 from the outlet end of
which it will be sprayed as herein before described by the jet of steam and
liquid fuel escaping from the front end of the injector. In this way it will
be seen that a full supply of liquid fuel will be fed to the injector proper before
any is supplied to the supplementary passage 11. When the valve spindle 15
is lowered, the supply of liquid fuel will be cut off, first from the supple-
mentary passage 11, and afterwards the main supply will be cut off from the
injector, the final supply only being cut off by partial rotation of the spindle
in a backward direction. The steam ring 22 is or may be constructed and
arranged in the manner herein before described.
In operating liquid fuel injectors by means of steam, there is of course a
loss of water from the boiler from which the steam is supplied. In the case
of marine boilers, this may be a disadvantage, owing to the water thus lost
having to be made good by fresh distilled water.
To obviate this disadvantage the injector instead of being worked by steam
as heretofore, is worked by combustible gas or vapour supplied under pressure.
For this purpose a light oil, for example petroleum or its distillates, is forced
by a pump through a coil or other gas generating device, arranged to be heated
by waste hot gascs, or otherwise, so that the oil will be heated and delivered
in a gaseous or vaporous state, and under pressure into the injector so as to
spray the main supply of liquid fuel, consisting of heavy hydrocarbon, into the
furnace. Fig. 13 shows, diagrammatically, an arrangement of this kind wherein
a feed pump 28 is arranged to deliver light hydrocarbon oil from a tank 29
through a pipe 29ª to a coil 30 or other gas generator arranged at the base of
the uptake 31 of the boiler to which the injector apparatus is applied and
connected to one or more injectors at a by a pipe 32 that is provided with an
escape valve at 33 so that excess of light oil can, when desired, be returned
through a condenser 32ª and pipe 32b to the tank 29, a separate tank 34 con-
taining heavy hydrocarbon, such as tar, being separately connected to the
injectors at a for supplying liquid fuel thereto. In some cases the injector,
or each injector, may be worked partly by hydrocarbon gas or vapour under
pressure as set forth, and partly by steam, the gas or vapour being supplied
to the central passage only of the injector through the passage (Fig. 1) and
steam to the surrounding ring 22. The heavy hydrocarbon may be delivered
under pressure if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. A liquid fuel injector having two or more liquid fuel supply ports or
passages, the outlet ends of which are so arranged as to deliver the liquid fuel
at two or more points along the injector the arrangement being such that
the mixture of liquid fuel and steam" or other spraying fluid after passing the
first outlet will come into contact with and spray the liquid fuel flowing
through the other outlet or outlets, whereby a larger quantity of liquid fuel
than usual can be effectually sprayed with a given quantity of spraying fluid,
substantially as described.
2. A liquid fuel injector of the kind specified in the preceding claim wherein
there are two liquid fuel supply ports and passages 5 and 11 controlled by
a compound or duplex valve so formed and arranged that upon opening the
valve, liquid fuel will be admitted first to the passage 5 and afterwards to the
passage 11, and upon closing the valve the supply of liquid fuel will be first
cut off from the passage 11 and afterwards from the passage 5, as set forth.
3. A liquid fuel injector having an external steam ring arranged excen-

page_text: trically around the main nozzle of the injector, the centre of the said ring and
the orifices for the exit of steam from such ring being arranged below the
centre of the said nozzle so that most of the air induced to flow through the
ring by the jets of steam issuing from its lower forward portion will pass
between the lower portion of the ring and the main nozzle and thus be caused
to rise upward through and become intimately mixed with the sprayed fuel
issuing from the main nozzle, as set forth.
4. A liquid fuel injector constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive,
and in Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive, of the drawings annexed.
5. Working a liquid fuel injector by means of combustible gas or vapour
supplied under pressure, substantially in the manner and by the means herein-
before described with reference to Fig. 13 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 9th day of November 1899.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.