Improvements in or relating to the Purification of Smoke, and Recovery of Soot from the Products of Furnaces.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Purification of Smoke, and
Recovery of Soot from the Products of Furnaces.
I GIOVANNI MUGNA, Engineer of Budrio in the Kingdom of Italy do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to purify the smoke and recover the soot from
the products of furnaces, more especially from boiler furnaces and locomotive
engines.
The apparatus consists of a ventilator the box of which surrounds the base of
the smoke stack or chimney to which it is firmly fastened.
Where the chimney is surrounded by the ventilator chamber it has two apertures
diametrically opposite, the sum of the area of which apertures is equal to the area
of the cross section of the chimney and through which the smoke is sucked when
the mouth of the chimney is hermetically closed.
The closing of the mouth of the chimney is performed by means of a heavy cast
iron disk provided inwardly with a layer of asbestos, whereas the cover of the smoke
box is provided with a flat ring of asbestos in combination with red lead, this ring
going around the circumference of said cover.
The ventilator fan acts with its full force on the capacity of the fire grate of the
boiler and leads away the flames and the products of combustion through the flues
and the other heating spaces.
The casing of the ventilator is made of solid iron plates secured with bolts which
allow of its being taken apart for the purpose of cleaning its interior.
On each side are two boxes of sheet iron which also correspond with the two
apertures arranged in the chimney; these boxes carry the products of combustion
to the ventilator fan.
The ventilator fan is provided with paddle boards, according to its size. These
paddle boards may be bent or flat, but they are conveniently inclined.
The ventilator, the steel shaft of which has an extension arm turning in bushes,
is provided with a wheel of small diameter (in comparison with that of the fan) and
by means of an endless strap which surrounds a fly-wheel, receives rotary movement
from a steam cylinder and piston provided with a steam valve. The steam passes
from the boiler through a valve cock by opening which more or less the ventilator
fan works at a different speed, according to the required draught.
The products sucked in by the ventilator are passed outside through a vertical
pipe the lower end of which terminates about 2 centimeters above the surface of
the water that fills a vessel.
These products, forced at a high speed aided by the action of gravity on the
surface of the water, are modified in a manner as follows.
The adherent soot penetrates and mixes with the water, and a quantity of
carbonic acid and of steam passes out of the vessel. In consequence of the action
of the ventilator the water level in the vessel will fall but said level keeps at an
about constant distance from the mouth of the pipe, for the vessel floats in a second
vessel and rises up, and in proportion as the evaporation is compensated by the
weight of the soot.
The vessel is kept vertical by means of three rings which slide on three sliding
bolts fastened on to three sides of the vessel which latter is supported from the
two axles the first of which is attached to the boiler.

page_text: If the water in the outer vessel, provided with a water gauge, begins to fail, it is
renewed by means of a pipe in connection with a cock which draws the water from
the tender or otherwise.
When the vessel rises sufficiently (which is the case after a few hours) it is
substituted by a second one and the soot is gathered and can conveniently be
treated and dried to be again burned.
A water vessel which gives excellent results for absorbing is that described
below.
This box when attached to locomotives, is always suspended by means of a
- strap. It consists of two parts flanged together; the lower part contains the water
and is provided with a water gauge; the upper part is traversed by the smoke
pipe which passes through an opening of the cover with a diameter slightly
exceeding that of the pipe.
For stationary engines the pipe closes this opening under slight friction. Two
wire gauzes with about 2 millimeters space between the meshes are fitted in the
upper part of the vessel. When necessary, spiral metallic springs may support the
vessel so as to always keep the level of the water at nearly constant distance from
the tube.
The apparatus is applicable to steam boats by adding the soot to the water and
so freeing the deck of the boat from the smoke; for war vessels it will prove an
advantage for it is especially the smoke that betrays them to the enemy from the
distance.
Dated this 20th day of March 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Purification of Smoke, and
Recovery of Soot from the Products of Furnaces.
I, GIOVANNI MUGNA, Engineer, of 5 Baratti Street, Forli, Italy, formerly of
Padua, Italy, 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 relates to apparatus for the purification or washing of smoke from
steam boiler or other furnaces and recovery of soot therefrom. It is particularly
applicable to locomotive boilers and for the sake of example I will describe same
adapted to such purpose.
A centrifugal fan is suitably mounted close by the chimney (advantageously in
front of same) and draws its supply from said chimney and discharges into a closed
or partially closed-in tank containing water partly immersed in which are revolving
vanes or agitators which revolving at a proper speed create, a vortex into which the
smoke is drawn as well as forced by the aforesaid fan-i.e. the smoke is sucked into
the water in addition to being driven from above onto same-and thoroughly
washed before being discharged into the atmosphere through holes in the top of
said closed tank.
The revolving vanes are mounted on a suitable vertical spindle driven-through
suitable connections-by a small motor which also drives the aforesaid fan. The
motor may be placed in any convenient position advantageously on the boiler
behind the chimney.
A suitably cone-shaped piece is arranged in the chimney which when in position
closes the smoke exit to the atmosphere but leaves a clear passage for the waste or
exhaust steam direct to atmosphere without mixing with the smoke.
The cone piece is moved by any suitable means-for instance two or three small

page_text: cylinders for hydraulic or steam pressure placed round the chimney with their
pistons connected to said cone piece may be used but I do not bind myself to this
particular form of gear. A small steam pipe is advantageously placed in the
passage between the fan and washing tank for use if the smoke is very heavy i.e. to
assist in forcing the smoke into the water. A damper is placed in the passage
between chimney and fan to cut off apparatus when not at work.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will proceed aided by
the accompanying drawings to fully describe a suitable apparatus for carrying out
the objects of my invention.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation.
Fig. 2 an end view of an apparatus suitably arranged for washing or purifying
the smoke from steam boilers in accordance with my invention.
The apparatus consists of a centrifugal fan A mounted as shown (or in any
P
advantageous manner) drawing its supply from the chimney through the passage
and discharging the smoke downwards on to the surface of water in tank Z wherein
The smoke after
the revolving vanes G are placed partly immersed in the water.
being washed passes through the holes y in the water tank and holes f to the
atmosphere.
The cone-shaped piece DDE is hollow and while the top edge D D closes exit
for smoke the lower end E engages the exhaust pipe so keeping the steam and the
smoke separate.
The gallery R carries the cylinders or other means for lifting the cone
clear of the exhaust (when required) by means of the rods or other
suitable gear.
H is pulley revolved by the motor I for revolving the fan A by means of a belt
thereon passing round a pulley on the shaft carrying the said fan A.
His second pulley (revolved by said motor I) and a second belt thereon operates
the vanes G by revolving a small pulley on the horizontal spindle g which latter by
means of bevel toothed wheels g¹g revolves the vertical spindle of the vanes G-
see Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a boiler or other furnace of the herein-described
apparatus for purifying or washing the smoke and recovery of the soot from the
products of combustion passed through said apparatus substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 14th day of December 1895.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.