IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS For the UtilizATION OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER FLUIDS, FOR PROMOTING COMBUSTION IN AND INCREASING THE HEATING EFFECT OF FURNACES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS For the UtilizATION
OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER FLUIDS, FOR PROMOTING COMBUSTION IN AND
INCREASING THE HEATING EFFECT OF FURNACES." A communication from
abroad by Harvey Thomas Litchfield, of Hull, Merchant, and David Renshaw,
of Cohasset, Mechanician, both in the State of Massachusetts, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS
FOR THE UTILIZATION OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER FLUIDS, FOR PROMOTING COM-
BUSTION IN AND INCREASING THE HEATING EFFECT OF FURNACES." [A commu-
nication from abroad by Harvey Thomas Litchfield, of Hull, Merchant, and David
Renshaw, of Cohasset, Mechanician, both in the State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.]
This Invention relates chiefly to improvements in methods of and apparatus for
burning hydrocarbon fluids, to eliminate from the same the greatest possible
amount of heat, and deliver the resulting gases along or across the furnace.
According to the said Invention I mix such fluids with steam or air, or both, and
then force the same through a rotating or revolving perforated pipe or pipes into
a combustion chamber, where they are ignited and used separately or in connection
with an ordinary furnace; or I mix hydrocarbons with steam or steam and air in
a suitable chamber, and force the same through a stationary nozzle into a combus-
tion chamber, the said nozzle being so constructed as to deliver the said steam and
air when mixed with the bydro-carbon in a whirling and converging stream, in.
order that their atoms may be focalized and forced against and into each other in
such a manner as to ensure their thorough mixture and complete combustion.
FD

page_text: In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a furnace having a com-
-bustion chamber, a grate, and an ash-pit. A perforated pipe, of which one or
more may be used, extends across or along the combustion chamber, and is fitted
with a fast and loose pulley, and provided with journals in the walls of the furnace
on each side. This pipe is connected with a fixed pipe by a ground joint, or an
ordinary stuffing box may be used, as preferred. The said perforated pipe when
used with steam and petroleum is provided with semi-spherical perforated projec-
tions on the inside over the holes, thus acting in the nature of a retort. The said
fixed pipe, which connects with a boiler, may be fitted with other pipes of any
desired number for the introduction of steam, air, and hydro-carbons, each pipe
being provided with suitable cocks for the admission and regulation of the several
jets.
I prefer to use super heated steam in the distribution of steam alone above th
ordinary fire grate in this construction. When petroleum or other hydrocarbons
are introduced through a pipe which is provided for the purpose any subsidiary fire
becomes unnecessary, the apparatus then constituting a hydro-carbon furnace in
which the evil effects of the blow pipe system are obviated by the even delivery
throughout the furnace of gases by means of the jets issuing from the rotating
pipe.
As the perforated pipe becomes heated it acquires the condition of a retort, and
it may then be advisable to mix with the superheated steam ordinary steam or air,
or saturated steam, to protect the pipe from injury..
In another form of my apparatus steam is passed through a fixed pipe which
extends some distance within the perforated pipe, and delivered into the latter, the
end of which is open, so causing air to be drawn into the perforated rotating pipe and
delivered throughout the furnace by means of the jets from the said pipe, thus
producing a thorough mixture of steam and air with the products of combustion
arising from the furnace. The proportions of steam and air mixed with the said
products are regulated by a valve.
In some cases I connect to the pipe which enters the furnace a nozzle, which
consists of a tube having a main cylindrical portion, and a tapering delivery end and
is connected at its rear end to a steam pipe. A pipe for the introduction of hydro-
carbons enters and is surrounded by the said steam pipe. The steam in passing
through this pipe draws with it the hydrocarbons. Its delivering end is connected
with the rotating pipe that passes through the combustion chamber. Two pipes
are connected to the rear end of the nozzle for the introduction of air or other
fluids as required, which fluids are also drawn in by the steam in the steam pipe,
the several fluids being mixed in the nozzle, from which they are forced through
the spiral grooves in the front end of the nozzle into the rotating pipe and to the
combustion chamber. The front end of the nozzle is fitted with a plug of frusto-
conical form, and having a conical end projecting into the nozzle. The frusto-
conical end is provided with spiral grooves on its surface. The steam and other
fluids in passing through the nozzle are divided by the conical end of the plug, and
passing through the spiral grooves receive a whirling motion, the tapering end
causing them to focalize at a short distance from the end of the nozzle.
In a modification. the nozzle without a plug, but the inner sides of the tapering
end are grooved spirally, so that the mixed fluids in passing out are caused to
receive a. whirling motion, and also focalize at a short distance from the end of the
nozzle. A plug may be made without grooves, and be inserted in the grooved end
of the nozzle if desirable.
These focalized whirling streams of mixed hydrocarbons and steam present the
requisite conditions to produce complete.combustion and generate intense heat, and
the steam may or may not be superheated, and may or may not be mixed with air,
according to the nature of the hydrocarbons employed, and the degree of heat
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th February 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. “IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS
FOR THE UTILIZATION OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER FLUIDS, FOR PROMOTING COM-
BUSTION IN AND INCREASING THE HEATING EFFECT OF FURNACES." A commu-
nication from abroad by Harvey Thomas Litchfield, of Hull, Merchant, and David
Renshaw, of Cohasset, Mechanician, both in the State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
This Invention relates chiefly to improvements in the methods of and apparatus
for burning hydrocarbon fluids, to eliminate from the same the greatest possible.
amount of heat, and thoroughly distribute the resulting gases along or across the
furnace. It also relates to apparatus for admitting or forcing steam or steam and
air into ordinary furnaces above the fuel for the purposes of promoting - the
combustion in and increasing the heating effect of such furnaces.
According to the said Invention I mix hydrocarbon fluids with steam or air, or
both, and then force the same through a rotating or revolving perforated pipe or
pipes into a combustion chamber, where they are ignited and used either alone
or in connection with an ordinary fire of coal or other fuel; or I mix hydrocarbons
with steam or steam and air in a suitable chamber, and force the same through a
stationary nozzle into a combustion chamber, the said nozzle being so constructed
as to deliver the said steam and air, when mixed with the hydro-carbon, in a whirling
and converging stream, in order that their atoms may be focalized and forced
against and into each other in such a manner as to ensure their thorough mixture
and complete combustion.
·
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a partial section of a furnace, in which either steam alone is used
over an ordinary fire of coal or other fuel, or petroleum may be introduced, thus
forming a hydrocarbon furnace.
Figure 2 is also a partial section of a furnace, in which steam and air are
delivered above the fire for the purpose of thoroughly mixing with the products of
combustion. The remaining Figures are hereinafter described.
A, A, represent the walls; B, the combustion chamber; C, the grate; and D, the
ash-pit; E is a perforated pipe, of which one or more may be used, extending across
or along the combustion chamber B, and fitted with a fast and loose pulley b, b²,
and provided with journals a, a, in the walls of the furnace on each side. The
pipe E, Figure 1, is connected with a fixed pipe d by a ground joint c, or an ordinary
stuffing box may be used, as preferred.
The pipe E, when used with steam and petroleum, is provided with semi-spherical
perforated projections on the inside over the holes, thus acting in the nature of a.
retort.
The pipe d, which connects with the boiler, may be fitted with other pipes of
any desired number, for the introduction of steam, air, and hydrocarbons, each pipe
being provided with suitable cocks for the admission and regulation of the several
jets. I prefer to use superheated steam in the distribution of steam alone above an
ordinary fire of coal or other fuel. When petroleum or other hydrocarbons are
introduced through a pipe g, then any additional or subsidiary fire becomes
unnecessary, the apparatus then constituting a hydrocarbon furnace, in which the

page_text: evil effects of the blow-pipe system are obviated by the even delivery of the gases
throughout the furnace by means of the jets issuing from the rotating pipe.
As the pipe E in Figure 1 becomes heated it acquires the condition of a retort,
and it may then be advisable to mix with the superheated steam, steam as it comes
from the boiler, or air or saturated steam to protect the pipe from injury.
In Figure 2 steam is passed through the pipe d', and delivered into the pipe E,
the end of which is open, as shewn at E', so causing air to be drawn into the
pipe E and delivered throughout the furnace by means of the jets from the rotating
pipe, thus producing a thorough mixture of steam and air with the products of
combustion arising from the furnace. The proportions of steam and air mixed with
the said products are regulated by the valve e.
In Figure 3, which is a partial section of a furnace, is shown, connected to the
pipe which enters the furnace, a nozzle I, which is represented enlarged in central
section in Figures 4 and 5. The nozzle I consists of a tube having a main
cylindrical portion O and a tapering delivery end P, and is connected at its rear
end to a steam pipe G. A pipe H for the introduction of hydrocarbons enters and
is surrounded by the steam pipe G. The steam in passing through the pipo G
draws with it the hydrocarbons. Its delivery end is connected with the pipe E,
which passes through the combustion chamber, as shown in Figure 3. M'and N
are pipes connected to the rear end of the nozzle I for the introduction of air or
other fluids as required, which fluids are also drawn in by the steam in the pipe G,
the several fluids being mixed in the nozzle I, from which they are forced through
the spiral grooves in the front end of the nozzle into the rotating pipe E to the
combustion chamber B. In Figure 4 the front end of the nozzle I is shewn as
fitted with a plug of frusto-conical form at K, and having a conical end J projecting
into the nozzle. The frusto-conical end K is provided with spiral grooves on its
surface. The steam and other fluids in passing through the nozzle are divided by
the conical end J of the plug, and passing through the spiral grooves receive a
whirling motion, the tapering end causing them to focalize at a short distance from
the end of the nozzle.
In Figure 5 the nozzle is shewn without a plug, but the inner sides of the
tapering end are grooved spirally, so that the mixed fluids in passing out are caused
to receive a whirling motion, and to focalize at a short distance from the end of the
nozzle. A plug similar to J, K, may be made without grooves, and be inserted in
the grooved end of the nozzle, Figure 5, if desirable.
These focalized whirling streams of mixed hydrocarbons and steam present the
requisite conditions to produce complete combustion and generate intense heat,
and the steam may or may not be superheated, and may or may not be mixed with
air, according to the nature of the hydrocarbons employed and the degree of heat
required.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. In the combustion chamber of a furnace, and extending across the same, a
rotating perforated pipe or pipes to be supplied with steam, air, or steam and air,
or steam and hydrocarbons, separately or together, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Second. The admixture of hydrocarbon fluids with steam, air, or steam and air
in a perforated rotating tube extending along or across the combustion chamber of
a furnace, the said mixture being forced into the combustion chamber, substantially
as specified.
Third. The combination of the steam pipe G, hydrocarbon pipe H with the
nozzle I and pipes M, N, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the steam pipe G, hydrocarbon pipe H, nozzle I, and
plug J, K, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the rotating perforated pipe E of the nozzle I and
the steam pipe G, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

page_text: Sixth. A device for combining, mixing, and focalizing fluids, consisting of a
tapering nozzle provided with a grooved plug or its equivalent, substantially as set
forth.
. In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
114
BAS