Improvements in Smoke Consuming Apparatus Applicable to Steam Generator and other Furnaces and in Fire-bars Used therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Smoke Consuming Apparatus Applicable to Steam
Generator and other Furnaces and in Fire-bars Used therefor.
1, CHARLES WOMACK of 74 Milnrow Road, Rochdale in the county of Lancashire
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 :-
My invention relates to smoke consuming apparatus applicable to furnaces of
steam or other generators, or to other furnaces, and also to the fire-bars used therefor;
and the objects of my present invention are to employ means whereby the entire
fumes or gases climinated from the coal or other fuel during the burning thereof are
supplied with a necessary quantity of heated atmospheric air or oxygen, or other
element or combination of elements for perfect combustion, thereby securing the
whole heat energy of the fuel used, within the furnace or its precincts, and con-
sequently the prevention of smoke leaving the furnace unconsumed; and also to
arrange and construct the fire-bars in a manner to suit my special improvements and
to facilitate their fixing and removal thereby securing economy.
To attain these objects 1 arrange my improved apparatus and construct the
fire-bars in the following manner :
The grate of the furnace is arranged with what are known as hollow fire-bars, but
instead of being constructed in the ordinary way I preferably arrange them in two
sets one fore the other aft, that is to say the said bars are formed in half the usual
lengths, or divided into any two suitable lengths. The front parts of the fore set of
bars I fix or rest upon a bearer or upon or against a suitable box the top part of
which forms the dead-plate in the ordinary way; secured to this box are arranged
any suitable number of vertical or other tubes or passages the top parts of which
have connected thereto a steam pipe which is connected to suitable nozzles or other
devices which point towards and within the furnace.
The aft set of hollow bars have their front ends resting on a centre bearer and
their back portions resting upon the bridge or a bearer secured thereto. The hollow
portions of the aft set of bars communicate with a suitable box which is preferably
built in with the bridge but may be fixed in any other manner, the said box is
arranged with partitions so that a continuous passage is formed from the front hollow
of each aft bar to the back of the bridge, the said box is preferably arranged at a
1DQ71

page_text: suitable inclination for the purpose of conducting the air, or air and steam, or other
elements to the required part of the furnace or its precincts.
Live or other steam or other element is blown through the nozzles at the top of
vertical pipes which are placed in front of the furnace and the necessary supply of
atmospheric air for the better support of combustion is thereby drawn or forced
through the hollow parts of the fore set of bars, passes through the box under dead-
plate ascends the tubes or passages and is injected to the furnace simultaneously with
the live steam or other element under pressure. At the same time the draught within
the furnace and behind the bridge causes the atmospheric air to pass through the
hollow portions of the aft set of bars and upwards through the partitioned box and
into the furnace or its precincts at the back of bridge. By this means the carbon or
other gas which has been eliminated from the fuel of the furnace and is about to pass
therefrom unconsumed is in time supplied with the necessary amount of oxygen or
other element or gas for the support of perfect combustion, by this means the whole
of the heat energy of the fuel used is secured and the smoke is entirely consumed.
Instond of the steam or other element under pressure being blown in at the top of
vertical tubes in front part of furnace it may be blown in through the hollow bars at
the centre of the furnace, or where the said bars are divided, and through the fore
set of bars provious to being injected into the furnace, or it may be blown through aft
set only, or through both sets simultaneously.
The box arranged on or within the bridge may have instead of partitions a series of
tubes or nozzles, or any other suitable means may be employed for conveying the
atmospheric air, steam or other element or combination of elements from the front of
aft set of bars to the furnace or its precincts.
It will be obvious that where preferred the bars may be made in one length with a
suitable opening at their under parts, so that air or steam or both may be conveyed
fore and aft for the purpose herein before described.
I would have it well understood that my improved bars may also be used without
the application of steam, a current of air passing through the bars fore and aft
simultaneously by means of the ordinary draught of the furnace.
In order that my present invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect I hereunto attach drawings of which the following is a description
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation of a steam generator or other furnace showing my
improvements in smoke consuming apparatus and in the fire-bars used therefor.
Fig. 2. is a sectional elevation of a modification of the same and Fig. 3 is also a
sectional elevation of another modification.
Like letters designate similar parts in each view.
The hollow fire-bars are arranged in two sets A, and B, the A, set at the fore part
and the B set at the aft part of the furnace. The front parts of fore bars A, rest upon
a bearer or an ordinary box (, the top part of which forms the dead plate D, in the
usual way, secured to which are arranged two or more ordinary tubes, pipes or
passages I, the top parts of which have connected thereto a steam pipe H, which fits
into a nozzle or other ordinary device J, which points or extends towards the furnace
in the usual way.
The back portions a¹ of said fore bars A, rest upon a centre bearer K, and each bar
is preferably cut away as shown at a¹ and b.
The aft set of hollow bars B have their front ends resting also on the said centre
bearer K and their back portions rest upon the bridge L, or on a bearer fixed thereto
or arranged therein. The hollow portions of the aft set of fire bars B, communicate
with a suitable box M, which is preferably built in with the bridge L but may where
necessary be arranged therein in any other manner, the said hox M, has a suitable
number of partitions m³, by which means a continuous passage is formed from the
front hollow part 6 of each bar B to the back upper portion of the bridge L. The
said box M is also preferably arranged at a suitable inclination as shown, it may
however be varied in shape and design to suit special requirements, and where
preferred the said box may be dispensed with. and the partitions m³, formed in the
bridge, L, itself.

page_text: Live or other steam or other element under pressure passes down or along the pipe H
and escapes into the furnace through the nozzles J, by which means a necessary
supply of atmospheric air or oxygen is drawn or pressed through the hollow portions a,
of the fore set of bars A and passes through the box Cup the tubes E and is forced
into the furnace through the nozzles J, simultaneously with the live steam or other
element in the ordinary manner. At the same time a current of atmospheric air or
oxygen is caused to travel from the hollow ends of aft bars B along the inside b, of
said bars and through the box M, and out thereof up into the furnace at the back
part of bridge where it admixes with the carbon or other gas about to leave the
furnace or its precincts unconsumed, thereby supplying the same with the required
amount of heated atmospheric air, oxygen or other necessary element for the further
support of combustion, by this means it will therefore be very clearly comprehended
that the whole of the heat energy of the fuel is conducted or raidiated to the walls
or sides of the furnace and that the smoke is thereby entirely consumed.
It is obvious that the apparatus may be worked where preferred without the
application of steam or other element under pressure, and that the natural draught
within the furnace will cause a circulation of air through the bars A. and B, the air
through the A, bars being conducted to the front part of fire in any suitable manner,
and the air through the B, bars conducted simultaneously to the back part of fire in
the manner hereinbefore described.
The bars A and B may also where preferred be made in more than two sets, and
openings may be increased accordingly for the admission of air, or other element or
elements as will be well understood.
Referring to Fig. 2. Instead of the steam being blown in at the top of the vertical
tubes E, in front of furnace it is blown in at a as shown, by this means the said
steam or other element under pressure passes together with the oxygen or air through
the bars A, up the passages E and out of the openings J. into the Furnace. The
air is drawn up through the bars B and escapes at the top part of bridge into the
furnace, and supports combustion in the manner herein before described with reference
to fig. 1.
Referring to Fig. 3, the steam or other element under pressure is allowed to
escape from both sides of a pipe H' simultaneously and forces the air through each set
of bars.
The fore set A supply the heated air and steam to the front part of fire, and the
aft bars B, supply the air and steam to the back part of fire.
The box M instead of having partitions as hereinbefore described is arranged with
a series of nozzles n, which conduct the air or air and steam or other elements to the
required part of the furnace or its precincts for the purpose of combining with the
gases eliminated, for perfect combustion so that no fumes can leave the furnace or its
precincts unconsumed.
The bars A, may where preferred be shorter than the bars B, or vice-versa, or the
said bars A, and B, may be made in one and the openings a' and 6' at any suitable
position, either nearer the front or nearer the back of furnace as desired, or when
required the air may be conducted to the openings a¹ and 61 by means of a pipe or
passage or a searies thereof leading from the front of furnace as will be well
understood.
The improved hollow bars being arranged and fixed as described and illustrated
may be easily removed when worn, and fresh ones replaced, and being preferably
made in two lengths or sets they are found more economical both as regards
manufacture and wear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is.
1. In smoke consuming apparatus the use of sets of hollow fire-bars A, and B,
substantially as described and set forth at figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings or any mere modification thereof.

page_text: 2. In smoke consuming apparatus the arrangement of hollow fire-bars, so that air,
or steam or other element may pass from their centres to each end of furnace
substantially as described.
3. The combination of sets of hollow fire-bars arranged fore, and aft of a furnace,
in connection with a box M, and apparatus, substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.
4. The construction of hollow fire-bars with openings a¹ and 6¹ for the purpose of
allowing air to travel to the fore and aft part of a furnace simultaneously, substantially
as described.
5. The combination of hollow fire-bars having openings a¹ and 6¹, with a box M,
having passages, partitions or tubes, substantially as described or any mere modification
thereof.
6. The application in combination with hollow fire-bars A, and B, of a steam
pipe H, for the purpose of forcing air in at a' of bars A substantially as described
and illustrated at Fig. 2.
7. The application in combination with hollow fire-bars A and B, of a steam
pipe H which conveys, steam, or other element under pressure for the purpose of
forcing air through the hollow bars to the fore and aft part of a furnace simultaneously,
substantially as described and illustrated at fig. 3, or any mere modification thereof.
Dated this 14th day of November 1888.
H. F. BOUGHTON,
Barnsley, Agent.