Improvements in the Combustion of Carbonaceous Fuel.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1892-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Combustion of Carbonaceous Fuel.
I, EMIL AUGUST ERB, of 688 Harris Street Appleton, in the County of
Outagamie, and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 an improvement in the combustion of carbonaceous fuel
of various descriptions and it has for its object to provide for an approximately
perfect combustion of the fuel, and the production of a high temperature for various
purposes as more fully hereinafter explained.
Combustion is usually effected in furnaces by the admission of atmospheric air
below the fuel which has been ignited, the combustion being kept up by the
continuous admission of air throughout the process.
The oxygen of the air which combines with the carbon of the fuel and supports
combustion, results in the formation of carbonic-acid gas and other products of
combustion which are carried off by high chimneys which create the necessary
draft.
The carbonic acid being a non-supporter of combustion, has a tendency to dampen
the process of the combustion while being drawn up through the fuel, interfering
with the perfect combustion thereof, and reducing the intensity of the heat which
might otherwise be produced.
As the carbonic acid is much heavier than air I take advantage of its specific
gravity to clear the fuel of the same and assist the escape of the gas by the exhaust
fan, pump, or other exhaust devices.
When the bituminous coals are employed they are liable to run together at high
temperatures and obstruct the passage of the carbonic acid gas and same obstruction
occurs in the use of anthracite or harder coals when they are small or are employed
in the form of breeze or coal dust, the particles of which back together and prevent
the passage of the gases.
To obviate this I employ in connection with the fuel, cubical blocks of iron
which are perforated from side to side and which are mixed with the fuel in any
quantities desired, or short tubes of iron may be used instead. These afford free
passage of the gas through the fuel so that it may sink by gravity and be drawn off
from below.
In the fuel chamber steam is injected whenever the iron cubes are red hot, to
augment the heat at will.
By the decomposition of water (in the steam) hydrogen is formed with its intense
heat and oxygen in the iron by hydrogen composition (Fe° Fe°) (formed at the
same time) is disengaged and by its (oxygen) combustion to some extent the total
combustion of coal is accomplished even to the exclusion (of the oxygen) of the air.
Any furnace in which the products of combustion of the fuel may be drawn off
from below may be employed, but in practice I prefer the following, in which
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a portion of a furnace with parts broken
in order to more clearly show the interior.
away,
Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the furnace.
Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical section of the lower part of the furnace.
Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of one of the perforated cubical blocks, and
Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line x-x of
Fig. 3.
Referring to the drawings:
a indicates the walls of a rectangular furnace 6, the ash-pit, and ƒ, the ash-pan

page_text: thereof. The letter c, indicates the fuel chamber and d, the grate thereof. The
letter c¹ indicates the doors of the fuel chamber, and a¹ the doors of the ash-pit.
Into the fuel chamber at a proper distance above the grate extends a steam
supply pipe d and from the ash-pit extends a pipe g, which connects with an
exhaust fan e, by means of which the escape of the products of combustion of the
fuel may be assisted, the course being shown by the arrows.
The letter, indicates a cubical block of iron provided with apertures p'. A
number of these blocks are intended to be distributed throughout the fuel in the
furnace to offer free passage for the gas.
It will be seen that by my process the carbonic acid gas naturally passes off
below and if necessary is assisted thus leaving the fuel free to combine with fresh
oxygen throughout the whole process, resulting in almost perfect combustion and
the generation of a high degree of heat.
It will be observed from the foregoing description, that a total combustion of the
fuel is promoted, by the downward draught, whereby it will be seen that the
necessity of a chimney for creating an upward draught is obviated.
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 improvement herein described in the combustion of carbonaceous fuel,
the same consisting in drawing off the carbonic acid gas resulting from combustion
by its own gravity, substantially as specified.
2. The improvement herein described in the combustion of fuel, the same con-
sisting in running off the generated carbonic acid gas by its own gravity, assisted by
an exhaust fan or other exhaust pump device, substantially ss specified.
3. The improvement herein described in the combustion of carbonaceous fuel,
the same consisting in running off the generated carbonic acid gas by its own gravity
assisted by an exhaust fan or other exhaust pump device, and further assisted by
feeding fuel mixed with perforated iron cubes or other forms of perforated iron,
substantially as specified.
4. The improvement herein described in the combustion of carbonaceous fuel, the
same consisting in running off the generated carbonic acid gas by its own gravity,
assisted by an exhaust fan or other exhaust pump device, and further assisted by
feeding the fuel mixed with perforated iron cubes or other forms of perforated iron
and further assisted by injecting steam in the fuel chainber, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 12th day of July 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.