Improvements in or relating to the Storing and Burning of Hydro- carbon Oils and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1895-Accepted. 7th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL STUITIVATICA
Improvements in or relating to the Storing and Burning of Hydro-
carbon Oils and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, STUART GEORGE HOMAN of 32 Plato Road, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the storing feeding and burning of hydrocarbon oils
and the like.
In carrying out my invention I form the burners in any suitable manner
conveniently in the form of nozzles or troughs as the case may be filled with
asbestos or the like to which the oil is supplied, alternating with receptacles to
contain asbestos or other suitable material or which may also be employed in the
nozzles or troughs either as a wick or merely to carry the oil supplied to it through
any suitable arrangement of pipes; the burners may be disposed wherever required
in the furnace.
The pipe which supplies the burners is taken from a storage tank preferably from
the top, the tank being surrounded by an outer tank or casing so as to leave a
water space between the two a non-return valve in the bottom of the tank allowing
the entrance of the water or other fluid from the casing into the storage tank
under certain conditions. A suitable supply pipe may be provided to introduce
the oil into the storage tank, both supply and the draw-off pipe passing through
the outer casing in the space between the two tanks. A water supply under a
suitable head of pressure communicates with the space between the tanks and a
draw-off may also be provided if required and also a draw-off from the storage
tank communicating with the space between the tanks controlled by a suitable
cock or valve, other cocks or valves being placed where required for the other
pipes. The operation is as follows:-In the first instance the storage tank is filled
and the communication to the burners opened and water admitted to the space
outside the storage tank which fills and the water then finds its way through the
valve in the bottom into the storage tank and expels the oil forcing it along the
pipe to the burners. It will thus be seen that the amount of supply to the burners
can be regulated by the pressure of water or other fluid in the space outside the
storage tank. To start with, this pressure may be obtained by supplying the water
from a suitable height or head of pressure or it may be obtained by hand pump or
by any other suitable manner, but after steam is raised or from the first if steam be
supplied from another boiler the pressure may be obtained by running a suitable
pump which would deliver into the water space.
In order to make the supply to the burners self-regulating so that an excess of
steam would cut off the supply to the burners I connect the water space with a
valve chamber the valve of which is loaded so that until the limit of steam pressure
is reached the full supply of oil is allowed to the burners. When however the
steam limit is passed a small cylinder into which steam from the boiler is constantly
admitted having its power increased above the load of the valve owing to the
increase of pressure of steam acting on a piston lifts the valve against its load thus
allowing the water from the water-space of the storage tank to escape in
consequence of which the pressure in the storage tank either entirely ceases or is

page_text: reduced and the supply to the burners with it. Where economy of water was not
important the water may escape from the valve to waste, but where it is desired to
save the water a suitable circulating arrangement may be provided.
By the above described arrangement it will be seen that a substantially automatic
regulation of the burners can be effected, and if it is desired to increase or decrease
the regular steam pressure this can be effected by varying the load upon the valve
for which purpose a convenient arrangement would be a coiled spring with a nut
and screw arrangement for adjustment though a dead load can be employed if
preferred.
In the case of vessels I prefer to keep the main storage of oil in the bilges or
other suitable tanks about the vessel which may be water-jacketted if desired anl
to pump it up from there to the storage tank which may be provided with a glass
gauge to indicate when it is empty of oil and full of water, the water being then
allowed to run out by the draw-off pipe into the water space or elsewhere as
desired.
I also arrange that the storage tank will indicate automatically when it is
empty of oil as follows ;-1 place in the storage tank two electrical terminals and
as soon as the water rises high enough to meet the two terminals an electric
contact is formed and a bell set ringing as a warning that the tank is empty.
Before filling the tank a commutator is set in motion so that an electric circuit
may be formed by the water in the tank and a bell will ring all the time the bottom
terminal is exposed to the water; as soon as the oil fills the tank the resistance of
the oil to the current will stop the bell ringing and that will be a notice to stop the
supply. The quantity of oil in the storage tank may also be indicated by a series
of pet cocks or a gauge glass or any other suitable contrivance.
Dated this 7th day of March 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Storing and Burning of Hydro-
carbon Oils and the like, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, STUART GEORGE HOMAN, of 32 Plato Road, Brixton in the County of
Surrey, 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 :-
This invention relates to the storing, feeding, and burning of hydrocarbon oils
and the like and will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which ;-
Figure 1 is a section of apparatus for storing and controlling the supply of
hydrocarbon oil or the like constructed according to this invention, and
Figure 2 is a section of portion of one of my improved burners or sets of
burners.
The apparatus shown in Figure 1 comprises a storage tank A enclosed within
an outer tank or casing B a space or chamber C being left between the two tanks
for containing water or other fluid as hereinafter described; the two tanks A
and B are connected together by stays or equivalent C₁ to give the necessary
rigidity.
At the bottom of the tank A. I provide a valve D which, under certain conditions,
as hereinafter explained, allows fluid to pass from the chamber C into the tank A
but does not at any time admit of the fluid passing from the tank A into the

page_text: chamber C; any suitable construction of non-return valve may be used for this
purpose.
To the upper part of the tank A. I connect an inlet pipe A' and an outlet pipe A².
both of which extend across the chamber C and are surrounded at a distance by
other pipes B¹ B* respectively, the annular channels C² formed between the
pipes A and B', and A2 and B2 being if desired in communication with the
chamber C as shown; or these channels C' may be independent of the chamber C
if desired and supplied with water or other fluid from a different source.
At the lower part of the tank A. I provide an outlet pipe E which may pass to
the exterior of the casing B and be there provided with a cock E' and connected
with the casing B all as shown in Figure 1; or, as will be obvious instead of this
arrangement, a cock or valve may be directly attached to the tank A within the
chamber C and only the stem or spindle thereof extend to the outside of the
casing B.
A water supply under a suitable head or pressure communicates through say the
ripe C with the chamber C which latter through, say the pipe C is also in
communication with a conveniently-power-operated pump or other injecting device
not shown in the drawing.
The pipe C³ may be provided with a valve or cock C³ as may also others
of the various pipes.
If desired the tank A may have one or more draw-off devices in addition to
the outlet or equivalent E.
The before-described outlet pipe A² is connected with the burner which is
preferably though not necessarily constructed in the manner represented in
Figure 2 where it is shown to comprise a series of pipes F all of which may be
connected directly with a continuation of the pipe A³. These pipes F are
perforated and located each in a trough F' which preferably tapers towards its
upper part where it may present a long narrow slit or a series of openings at
or above which the flame burns. Alternating with the troughs F1 are a series
of say V-shaped troughs F2 which are connected with the troughs F' by short
pipes or passages F3 at a convenient height above the level of the perforated
pipes F, the adjacent troughs F1 F2 being at a distance apart so as to provide
intervening channels F4 through which passes the air necessary for the combustion
of the hydrocarbon fuel.
The space within the troughs F¹ around the pipes F therein may be filled
with asbestos or equivalent to serve as wicks, and for a similar purpose the
troughs F may be filled with the same material.
The troughs F F may either be arranged in the same horizontal plane to form
a flat burner or arranged so as to form a curved burner according to the shape
of the surface upon which the flame from the burner is to act.
To a suitable part of the casing B is connected a pipe G which communicates
with a chamber H formed conveniently in a casing or vessel H in which is
provided a second chamber H2 separated from the chamber H by a diaphragm H³.
This diaphragm is provided with a seat H' on which fits a valve I secured on a
rod 1. This rod 1 is guided in suitable bearings H in which it is capable of
moving in the direction of its length. To the upper end of the rod 11 is pivotted
onc end of a link J whose other end is similarly connected to a lever K itself
Livoted at K conveniently to a fixed bracket or standard H. To the free end of
the lever K is connected one end of a spring L whose other end is adjustably
secured say by a nut L¹ to a bracket arm H' extending outwards from and connected
to the casing or vessel H'; by means of the nut L' the spring may be adjusted to
exert any desired pressure on the valve I. H' is an outlet pipe leading from the
chamber H2 either to a drain or equivalent or if it be desired to use the water over
again, to a tank or equivalent from which the water may be pumped to be
re-introduced into the chamber C.
M is a cylinder conveniently mounted on the top plate H³ of the vessel H',
and

page_text: M is a piston movable therein and connected through its rod M² with the lever K.
M³ indicates in dotted lines the steam inlet to the cylinder M. The position of the
point at which the rod M² is connected to the lever K is adjustable so as to enable
the valve I, to which the movement of the piston M' is transmitted, to be opened
when any desired predetermined pressure is attained in the boiler heated by the
before-described burner.
N N¹ are two sets of electrical terminals; through the medium of the terminals N'
a signal is automatically given when the tank A is empty of oil and full of water
and through the medium of the terminals N a signal may be given when the tank
is full of oil and empty of water. For this purpose the terminals N' are con-
tinuously in electrical connection with the source of electricity and the signalling
device, and the terminals N by means of a suitable switch are arranged so that
they may be connected with or disconnected from the source of electricity and
signalling device.
The operation of the before-described apparatus is as follows;-
In the first instance the storage tank A is filled with the hydrocarbon oil or the
like and the communication through the pipe A2 to the burner is opened by means
of a suitable cock or valve. The cock C³ is then opened so that water or
equivalent under a suitable head or pressure is admitted to and fills the chamber C
and then passes through the valve D into the tank A where, by reason of its
specific gravity being greater than that of the oil it remains beneath the latter.
The oil is thus subjected to the same pressure as the water and is thereby forced
out through the outlet pipe A2 at the top of the tank A to the burner beneath the
steam generator. Here it is ignited and by the flame acting on the heating surfaces
of the steam generator steam is raised. As soon as the steam attains sufficient
pressure for working the pump the latter is started and the cock C³ is turned off so
that the fluid within the chamber C is then maintained by the pump at the pressure
necessary for effecting the ejection of the hydrocarbon oil from the tank A from
which, as above explained, it passes to the burner by way of the pipe A².
When the pressure of steam in the steam generator reaches the predetermined
limit for which the spring L has previously been adjusted, the steam within the
cylinder M by overcoming the load thus imposed on the relief valve I raises the
piston M which, through the lever K, link J and rod I raises the valve I off
the seat H and thereby allows fluid to escape from the chamber C through the
pipe G, chambers H and H2 and pipe H either to waste or into a suitable
receptacle or tank from which it may subsequently be pumped for re-introduction
into the chamber C. The pressure of the fluid on the oil in the tank A is thus
either entirely removed or is reduced and the oil-supply to the burner with it so
that steam is not produced so quickly in the generator.
When the steam assumes
its normal pressure and is no longer able to support the piston M', the spring L
draws the lever K down so that the valve I is forced on to its seat H and the
pressure is again raised in the chamber C and tank A. by the continued operation
of the pump, and the supply of oil to the burner is thereby resumed as before.
Should it happen that before steam is generated in the boiler, say. by reason of
the controlling cocks or valves not being properly adjusted too great a pressure is
exercised on the oil in the tank A, this pressure also acting on the underside of the
valve I will raise the latter and thereby allow some of the fluid to escape from the
chamber C and consequently reduce the pressure to that for which the spring L had
been previously adjusted.
The before described burner possesses advantages particularly in that its operation
may be controlled in the following manner :-
When it is necessary to generate steam slowly the oil may be supplied to the
burner at a rate such that it will be consumed only at the outlets or jets of the
troughs F; when however it is desired to generate steam quickly the supply of
oil to the burner may be increased so that it cannot all be consumed above the
troughs F¹ the result of which is that the surplus will flow through the pipes F³

page_text: into, and be cousumed above the troughs F2 so that what was formerly a series of
separate flames when the oil burnt only above the troughs F₁ is now converted into
practically a continuous sheet of flame.
Any desired means may be employed for reconciling the rectilinear motion of the
piston rod M2 to the curved or angular motion of the lever K for instance the
cylinder M may be arranged to oscillate or the bracket He may be pivoted.
When the hydrocarbon fuel which is di-electric and cannot therefore electrically
connect either the terminals N or N¹, is nearly all exhausted from the tank A, and
the level of the water reaches the terminals N' the circuit through the latter is
completed and the signalling device included in said circuit is operated and the
fact that more fuel is required in the tank A is thereby automatically made known.
At this juncture the before-mentioned switch is closed so that owing to the
circuit being then otherwise completed by the water between the terminals N the
signalling device in connection with the switch is operated (the switch is opened at
all times except when the tank A is to be filled). The communication between the
pump and chamber C is then closed, after which the chamber is placed in
communication with a suitable outlet and the tank A re-filled with hydrocarbon
fuel the water being ejected as the oil is introduced. The signalling device remains
in operation, during the filling of the tank, as long as the water reaches up to the
terminals N; as soon however as the water falls below these terminals the circuit
is broken so that the signalling device is rendered inoperative thereby indicating
that the supply of hydrocarbon fuel to the tank A is to be stopped. After this the
switch is opened and the pump is again placed into communication with the
chamber C, and the pressure thereby again exercised on the hydrocarbon.
Various means may be employed for supplying the initial pressure to the oil
before steam is generated in the particular boiler to which the burner is applied,
for example a hand pump may be used, or, if such be available, steam from another
source may be used for operating the before-mentioned steam pump, or, if the
apparatus be used on ship-board, the desired pressure may be obtained by means of
a connection with the water beneath the ship.
A gauge-glass or gauge cocks may be provided for indicating the level of the
oil or water in the tank A.
By surrounding the tank A and pipes A' A2 with water in the manner herein-
before described I obtain a practical immunity from danger the hydrocarbon oil
being at all times kept cool and the tank A being exposed to no greater pressure
inside than it is outside.
Various modifications or amplifications may be made in connection with the
before described apparatus without departing from the spirit of this invention for
example if desired I may provide each of the burner pipes F¹ with a valve or cock
whereby the supply to any of said pipes may be wholly or partially cut-off. Again,
in cases where safety is of less consideration than economy the water jacket C may
be dispensed with and the fluid under pressure may be introduced directly into the
lower part of the tank A from any desired source as for example from a second
tank located above the tank A. Further than this, the lever K may be connected
to the valve controlling the supply of steam to the pump so that when the pressure
within the generator exceeds the normal the supply of steam to the pump will be
cut off or reduced and the supply of fuel to the burner correspondingly controlled.
If however it should not be required to control the supply of fuel to the burner
according to the pressure of steam in the generator the cylinder M and its
appurteuances may be dispensed with.
When my invention is employed on ship-board I prefer to keep the main storage
of oil in the bilges or other suitable tanks about the vessel these being water-
jacketted if desired and to pump it up from these receptacles into the storage
tank or tanks A.
By the term jet hereinafter employed in the claims I mean the burner-opening at
which the flame burns whether said opening be in the form of a continuous slit or
of a number of smaller apertures.

page_text: 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. Supplying liquid fuel to a burner or furnace by pressure of a fluid having a
specific gravity differing from that of the fuel.
2. In apparatus such as described supplying the liquid fuel to the burners by the
pressure of fluid entering the reservoir of fuel from the space between the reservoir
and its jacket.
D
3. In apparatus such as described the combination with a tank such as A of a
second tank or casing such as B surrounding it at a distance and a valve for
allowing fluid to pass from the space or chamber C between the two tanks into the
inner tank but not in the reverse direction substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a burner for liquid fuel the combination with a perforated pipe such as F
of a trough such as F to receive the fuel from F substantially as described and
illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a burner for liquid fuel the combination with a trough such as F of a
trough such as F2 at a distance from and connected to it by one or more pipes or
passages such as F³ so as to leave an intervening space for the passage of air
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. In a burner for liquid fuel the combination with one burner or trough of
another burner or trough automatically supplied from the first.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete burner
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanyin
drawings.
8. In apparatus such as described the combination with two tanks such as A
and B and a relief valve such as I of a cylinder such as M and its appurtenances
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
9. The combination with apparatus such as described in which the liquid fuel is
subjected to pressure by a fluid having a specific gravity differing from that of the
fuel of an electric circuit adapted to be completed by the said fluid but not by the
liquid fuel though both come into contact with the terminals of the circuit
substantially as described.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
apparatus for storing and controlling the supply to a burner or furnace of liquid
fuel substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 7th day of January 1895.
STUART GEORGE HOMAN.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.