Improvements in Apparatus for Utilizing Liquid Fuel in Steam- boiler and other Furnaces.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Utilizing Liquid Fuel in Steam-
boiler and other Furnaces.
I, CLEMENT R. HOOPES, of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING LIQUID FUEL IN STEAM-BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES
33
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to oil burners; and consists in certain improvements
all of which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the
accompanying drawings which form part thereof.
Heretofore it has been customary to force oil into a furnace under pressure so as to
spray it forming a fine sub-division, which was burned in conjunction with super-
heated steam, and air supplied under natural draught; hot air has been used to spray
the oil into the furnace by blowing it in simultaneously with the oil; but this method
has only imperfectly accomplished its object on account of the weight of the oil, a
large percentage of which falls to the bottom of the furnace before it has been
consumed. It has also been proposed to burn subdivided oil in an atmosphere of
water gas. Oil burners have also been constructed to vaporize the oil by direct
application of the flame produced by the burner. All of these are more or less
objectionable in that they cause carbonaceous deposits in the pipes, are difficult to
regulate, are complicated in construction, are wasteful of combustible material, and as
a rule the temperatures attainable are inadequate to the requirement.
The object of my invention is to overcome in a great measure the above objections
by providing an apparatus of simple construction, and yet capable of producing a
most intense heat from a minimum quantity of oil.
In carrying out my invention I provide the furnace with a suitable oil supply pipe
leading from an oil reservoir or tank and furnished with a regulating valve to control
its flow. The supply pipe is led through a hot air chamber which is provided with a
blast nozzle arranged close to or connecting with the oil nozzle of the oil supply.
The furnace is provided with heater pipes for the air through which air is forced
under pressure by a pressure blower. The air is heated to several hundred degrees,
ID: 077

page_text: and is forcibly passed through the hot air chamber and out at the blast nozzle. This
highly heated air while in the hot air chamber surrounds the oil supply pipe and
thereby imparts to the oil also a highly heated condition, causing it to be reduced to
a more or less vaporized state or one easily convertible into a gas.
The back pressure on the oil prevents its expansion from forcing it backward,
hence it emerges from the nozzle in a forced blast and is then met with the hot
current of air which instantly consumes it. If any oil emerges from the nozzle in
the liquid condition the hot blast instantly dissipates it, thoroughly consuming it to
the last degree. If desired a regulated blast of hot air may be forced into the oil
supply pipes prior to emerging from the nozzles to insure a more perfect combustion.
There is little or no deposition in the furnace, and practice has shown that the pipes
remain clear from deposits.
In practice I prefer to use two sets of nozzles but with one hot air chamber
enclosing the two oil supply pipes.
The parts are provided with suitable means for internal examination to keep the
parts in order.
It is evident that the air may be heated by an external source of heat, but I prefer
to heat it in the same furnace to which the burner supplies its flame.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a front sectional elevation of a furnace with my improved oil burner
connected thereto on line z z. .
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of same on line xx.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the burner on line y y.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the burner.
Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of same, and
Fig. 6 is an elevation diagram showing the relative connection of the various parts
making up the burner exclusive of the furnace.
A is the furnace and B is the floor thereof. C is the burner which enters tho
furnace at one end. D D are two blocks against which the flame or the matters
held in suspension and ejected from the burner are caused to strike and thereby be
directed at right angles into the body of the furnace. These blocks also act to spray
any liquid substances which may be projected against them from the burners. are
the outlets from the furnace for the products of combustion. This form of heating
furnace with the exception of the two blocks D D is substantially that which is
commonly used for forging purposes. H is an oil tank or reservoir from which the
oil is fed by a pipe I provided with a regulating valve J. This pipe I branches at K
and each branch M is provided with a valve L to independently control the passage
of the liquid oil into either of the said branch supply pipes M which supply heated
oil in a liquid or vaporized condition to the oil nozzles N. These pipes Mare
surrounded by a hot air chamber F which may be of any suitable construction and
preferably of sufficiently large diameter or cross section that the hot air passing
through it may completely, surround the supply pipes M. This chamber F is made
essentially of two sections united together forming the horizontal tubular part F1
at the bottom. The pipes M are arranged near the sides of the chamber F and extend
horizontally through the nozzle end of the tubular portion F¹.
The horizontal part of the hot air chamber is provided with two blast nozzles G.
arranged around the oil pipes M and extending out in line with the oil nozzle N so as
to supply the necessary heated air right at the place where the hot oil or vapor
emerges, and thereby thoroughly consume every particle thereof. The oil pipe M
terminates in a nozzle N and comes close to the upper part of the blast nozzle G,
whereby any oil which may be dropped or tend to. drop from the nozzlo will be
immediately acted upon by a strong blast of hot air which immediately, dissipates and
vaporizes the said oil placing it in such a condition that it is readily and quickly
consumed. The blast nozzle G with their enclosed oil nozzles N are preferably
arranged in the same horizontal plane, but separated: a distance sufficient to allow the
insertion of a removable plug or cleaning cap between them which forms. an.
entrance to the part F of the air, chamber. The other end of this air, chamber. is also

page_text: provided with a screw plug or removable cap, whereby a clear passage may be made
entirely through the chamber for cleaning purposes.
The upper end of the chamber F between the branching pipes M may also be
provided with similar screw plug or cap for cleaning purposes.
E is a heater of any suitable construction preferably formed of a series of coiled
pipes arranged in the upper part of the furnace A and through which air is forced by
a pressure blower e. The air in passing through the coi! E is intensely heated, and
is then conveyed by a pipe E' into the upper part of the chamber F, and after
circulating around the oil pipes M it finds egress through the nozzles G. By this
means it is seen that the hot air performs the double duty of heating the oil and then
burning the same in a hot atmosphere of air.
It is evident that any number of pairs of nozzles may be used in place of the two
shown, or if desired a single pair of nozzles N and G may be used. It is also evident
that the heater E may be of any suitable construction provided it will impart the
requisite temperature to the air, and it might be heated by an external fire as far as
the invention is concerned. I therefore do not limit myself to the details here shown
as they may be modified in various ways without departing from my invention.
The oil pipes may have suitable removable plugs k at the ends of the bends
whereby the interior of said pipe may be cleansed from time to time if so desired.
The heated or vaporized oil in the pipes M may be mixed with more or less hot air
prior to emerging from nozzle N to more perfectly insure the combustion of the oil,
and to do this I provide the pipes P which communicate with the hot air chamber F
and extend down and unite with the pipes M in the rear of the nozzles, and these
pipes P are provided with valves p to regulate the supply of hot air. By opening the
valves p fully the nozzles N may be blown clear of any collections in the way of dirt
or accumulations if such should accidentally occur. The various pipes may be
straight or bent as desired or circumstances require.
It is desirable that the entrance to the furnace about the nozzles or burner should
be made air tight to prevent disturbing influences by the natural draught of air
which would result. The only desired air supply should be through the nozzles..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber through
which the supply pipe passes, means to forco hot air through the chamber to heat the
oil, and a heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber.
2nd. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber through
which the supply pipe passes, means to force hot air through the chamber to heat the
oil, a blast nozzle for hot air opening from the chamber close to the oil nozzle, and a
heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber.
3rd. The combination of an oil supply pipe, a hot air chamber surrounding the said
pipe, a heater for the air connecting with said hot air chamber, a blast nozzle opening
from said chamber, and an oil nozzle connecting with the oil supply pipe and
extending through the blast nozzle and located in the upper part thereof.
4th. The combination of an oil supply pipe, a hot air chamber surrounding the said
pipe, a heater for the air connecting with said hot air chamber, a pressure blower to
force the hot air through the hot air chamber, a blast nozzle oponing from said
chamber, and an oil nozzle connecting with the oil supply pipe and extending through
the blast nozzle and located in the upper part thereof.
5th. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber
through which the supply pipe passes, means to force hot air through the chamber to
heat the oil a heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber, and a pressure
blower to force the hot air through the hot air chamber and out of the nozzle.

page_text: 6th. The combination of an oil supply tank or vessel, branching supply pipes
leading therefrom, a hot air chamber surrounding said branching pipes, an oil nozzle
opening from the end of said branching oil pipes, hot blast nozzles opening from the
hot air chamber in close proximity to the oil nozzles, independent valves to regulate
the flow of the oil to each of the branch pipes, a heater to heat the air prior to passing
through the heater, and a blower to cause a forced circulation of hot air.
7th. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber through
which the supply pipe passes, means to force hot air through the chamber to heat the
oil, a heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber, removable plugs or
covers to the oil supply pipe and hot air chamber for cleaning purposes.
8th. The combination of the hot air chamber F F having the nozzle G at one end,
oil supply pipe M having valve L and nozzle N opening through the air nozzle G,
and hot blast supply pipe E opening into the hot air chamber at the other end from
nozzles G.
9th. The combination of an oil supply tank or vessel branching supply pipes
leading therefrom, a hot air chamber surrounding said branching pipes, an oil nozzle
opening from the end of said branching oil pipes, hot blast nozzles opening from the
hot air chamber in close proximity to the oil nozzles, independent valves to regulate
the flow of the oil to each of the branch pipes, a heater to heat the air prior to passing
through the heater, a blower to cause a forced circulation of hot air, a furnace A
having the blocks D D against which the flames impinges and acting as the support
for the heater for the air.
10th. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber through
which the supply pipe passes, means to force hot air through the chamber to heat the
oil, a heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber, and a hot air pipe to
supply hot air to the oil prior to passing out of the nozzle.
11. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber through
which the supply pipe passes, means to force hot air through the chamber to heat the
oil, and a heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber, a hot air pipe to
supply hot air to the oil prior to passing out of the nozzle, and a valve to regulate the
supply of air to the oil.
12th. In an oil burner the combination of an oil supply pipe terminating in a nozzle,
a valve to regulate the supply of oil to said pipe, an enclosing hot air chamber through
which the supply pipe passes, means to force hot air through the chamber to heat the
oil, a heater to heat the air prior to its entering the chamber, a pressure blower to
force the hot air through the hot air chamber and out of the nozzle, a hot air pipe to
supply hot air to the oil prior to passing out of the nozzle, and a valve to regulate the
supply of air to the oil.
13th. The combination of an oil nozzle, a pipe to supply hot air under pressure to
the oil before passing through the nozzle, and a hot blast nozzlo exterior to but
arranged close to the oil nozzle.
Dated th: 19th
T
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