Improved Method and Apparatus for Burning Liquid Fuel.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improved Method and Apparatus for Burning Liquid Fuel.
'I, FRITZ ALTMANN, of 34, Sebastianstrasse, Berlin, S., Germany, 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:-
The production of a blue flame that is to say, a hot smokeless flame-from highly
hydrocarbonaceous fuels, especially from petroleum, has heretofore been effected
imperfectly and only under special circumstances, even with the use of the Bunsen
burner, so that the use of petroleum for incandescence lighting, for instance, has up.
to now been impossible, because the flame has choked up the incandescence body with
soot and consequently rendered it useless.
My invention has for its object to remedy these drawbacks, to which end a certain
percentage of water is evaporated together with the burning-liquid,, so as to produce a
mixture which then produces the flame in the burner. As will be obvious, the water
vapour conveys a considerable amount of oxygen to the flame, with the result that the
hydrocarbon is entirely burned. There is thus produced a hot, blue, and absolutely
smokeless flame of the kind that is absolutely necessary for incandescence lighting
and which, from its above mentioned properties, is also suitable for cooking, heating,
soldering, and other industrial purposes including ignition of the combustible charges
in gas and like motor engines.
The accompanying drawings illustrate two constructions of apparatus suitable for
carrying out the method above referred to.
Figs. 1 and 2 representing one construction in sectional and horizontal section
respectively, and
Figs. 3 and 4 similarly representing the other construction.
The arrangement represented by Figs. 1 and 2 essentially comprises a vessel
divided into two chambers a and b and arranged inside a lamp-body . One of the
two chambers serves for the reception of petroleum or other suitable liquid fuel, and
the other chamber serves for the reception of water. Each of these chainbers is
provided with an extension c and the admission of the liquids into each extension is
suitably regulated by a valve m, as hereinafter described. From the extensions the
liquids pass into pipes d, in which they are evaporated by means of a flame g.
g. The
vapours thence pass through small pipes e to a collecting pipe f, in which the two
vapours arising from the liquids are vapourized. The gaseous mixture passes from
the pipe f directly to the burner, where it is burned.
The regulation of the admission of liquid to the two extensions c is effected
simply by means of the small valves mi, which are provided with spindles h that
extend up through the vessel to the closing-devices of the charging-apertures and

page_text: are of such dimensions that on screwing-in the plugs the valves m will be
correspondingly pressed down and the liquids will be: free to pass out. When the
plugs are removed for the purpose of introducing more liquid, springs o, which are
arranged between the bottom of the vessel and collars provided on the valve-
spindles, enter into operation and draw up the valves so as to close the outlet-
apertures.
The arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4 comprises also the vessel arranged in
the lamp-body and divided into two chambers a and b of which one is designed
as above stated, to hold the burning-liquid, and the other to hold the water. In
this case, however, the gasification is effected in a gasifying-chamber vinto which
the two liquids are led by the use of wicks t, which rise up out of the chambers a and b
and pass through pipes 8 into the chamber v. In order to prevent vapour from being
generated too energetically, the wicks carbonized prematurely, and the gasifying-
chamber is lined with a coating of clay or similar material. The, operation of the
lamp in this case is similar to that of the first-mentioned arrangement. The liquids
led to the gasifying-chamber are gasified by menus of the heating-flame g. The
vapours produced become mixed together in the gasifying-cliamber and then pass
through an exit-pipe f to the burner h, where they serve to form the flame.
The vessel is in this case shown as mounted' on a lamp-stand 2.
It will of course, be understood that the above-described method for the production
of a blue flame-which consists essentially in simultaneously evaporating water and
vaporising a fuel and the apparatus above described for carrying out the said
method; are not limited to the production of a blue flame from highly carbonaceous
liquids, but are applicable also to the use of less highly carbonaceous liquids.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I do
nut claim is generally the + The hereinbefore-described method for producing a
blue flame from petroleum and other carbonaceous fuels, consisting in simultaneously
evaporating a suitable quantity of water and vaporizing 'the fuel and then mixing
and burning the vapours produced, as that is not novel but what I do claim is
12. For carrying.out the method specified in-the-preceding-claim-t; an apparatus
comprising two separate chambers and b which are intended to hold the petroleum
or other fuel and water respectively, and the liquids from which, after vaporization in
the pipes d, are led to a mixing-chamber f, the arrangement being such that the
mixture is formed direct and immediately after the vaporization of the several
liquids, and passes from the chamber to a burner h, substantially as described.
23. For carrying out the method specified in claim, a modification of the
apparatus referred to in the claim 1, in which the liquids are led from the
chambers a and b by means of wicks to a gasifier v which is lined with a coating.
of clay or similar material, the arrangement being such that the mixture is produced
direct after the vaporization of the two liquids in the gasifier v, and is led from thence
to a burner for the purpose of forming the flame substantially as described..
34. My improved apparatus for burning liquid fuels constructed, arranged, and
operating as herein before described. with reference respectively to and-shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, and in Figs. 3 and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of December 1896.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.