Settings and other Furnaces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Settings and other Furnaces.
We, ROBERT GEORGE SHADBOLT, of The Gas Works, Grantham, Lincolnshire,
Gas Engineer, and JOHN WILSON BROADHEAD, of the Firm of Robert Dempster
and Sons, Limited, of Elland, Yorkshire, Gas Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to a new means or method of utilizing the residual heat
and gases arising from the use of gaseous fuel, and has reference to the utilization
of what are at present looked upon as waste heat or gases, and are accordingly
allowed to escape into the atmosphere by way of chimney &c.
Our invention applies to all systems of gases firing where the fuel gases are
derived from an incandescent or glowing body of carbonaceous material as coke,
anthracite coal &c., and consists essentially of passing a mixture of waste gases
and atmospheric air through any other producer than that originally used whereby
the waste gases are re-used instead of allowing them to escape into the air. The
result of this is that a considerable saving of fuel is effected in the producers
supplied with this mixture of waste gases and air, as compared with a supply of
air alone. The method of application may be varied in a diversity of ways, but the
fundamental action is, that of the waste gases, in conjunction with the admixture
of air, upon the incandescent material.
A great proportion of these waste gases consist of carbonic acid (CO₂) which, in
passing through the body of glowing fuel becomes converted into carbonic
oxide (CO) according to the following equation
2 CO₂ + C₂ = 4 00.
The proportion of atmospheric air admitted to the producer in conjunction with
the waste gases is simply the quantity requisite to maintain the solid fuel in such
a condition as will enable it to re-convert the carbonic acid gas to carbonic oxide.
The carbonic oxide thus formed is again converted into carbonic acid gas on
coming into contact with the requisite secondary air supply; and this recuperative
arrangement may be carried on until the waste gases finally become inert through
the continually increasing proportion of nitrogen, &c.
We wish it to be understood that whilst we have specified the application of
our invention to gaseous furnaces, it can with equal advantage be applied to direct
fired systems of heating retorts and other furnaces such as steam boilers, bakers
ovens, brick and other kilns and the like.
Dated thin 20th doxe of Anril 1897
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Patent Agents.

page_text: A New Method of Utilizing the Waste Gases arising from Retort
Settings and other Furnaces.
We, ROBERT GEORGE SHADBOLT, of The Gas Works, Grantham, Lincolnshire,
Gas Engineer, and JOHN WILSON BROADHEAD, of the Firm of Robert Dempster
and Sons, Limited, of Elland, Yorkshire, Gas Engineers, 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 a new means or method of utilizing the residual heat
and gases arising from the use of gaseous fuel, and has reference to the utilization
of what are at present being looked upon as waste heat and gases, and are accord-
ingly allowed to escape into the atmosphere by way of chimney &c.
Our invention applies to all systems of firing where the fuel, gases or heat are
derived from an incandescent or glowing body of carbonaceous material as coke,
anthracite coal, &c. and consists essentially of passing waste gases and atmospheric
air through any other furnaces or producers than that from which the waste gases
and heat originated, whereby the waste gases and heat are re-used and consumed,
instead of being allowed to escape directly into the atmosphere. The result of this
arrangement is, that a considerable saving of fuel is effected in the producers or
furnaces supplied with waste gases and air, as compared with a supply of air
alone. The principal action-apart from conserving the heat of the waste gases
is that of the waste gases in conjunction with the supply of air upon the incan-
descent material forming the fire.
A great proportion of waste furnace gases consist of carbonic acid gas (CO2) which
in passing through the body of glowing fuel is converted into carbonic oxide
cosas now the following equation
2 CO₂+ C₂ = 4 CO.
The proportion of atmospheric air admitted to the furnaces or producers in con-
junction with waste gases is simply the quantity requisite to maintain the solid
fuel in the condition best suited to reconvert the carbonic acid gas into carbonic
oxide gas.
We find in practical working, that the waste gases issuing from one bed of gas
retorts (as an example) are sufficient to supply two or more furnaces or producers
according to their construction, working conditions, &c., and the method of intro-
ducing the waste gases into their producers &c. must be varied to meet separate and
individual requirements but the action and result is fundamentally the same. For
example, in one instance it will be found expedient to admit an admixture of
waste gases and atmospheric air at the bottom of the furnace or producer; in
another instance it will be of advantage to admit the requisite air supply alone at
the bottom, and the waste gases at a point some little distance up the furnace,
either at the front, back, or sides, or part at each; and yet again it will be found
advisable in some instances to admit the air at the bottom and the waste gases at
the top of the fuel; the gas outlet being in such cases lower than the top of the
fuel.
In many cases as in settings of gas retorts, kilns, and similar brick constructions
it is sometimes undesirable to work the secondary furnaces or producers (i.e. those
dealing with waste gases) under too great a vacuum, as the amount of air drawn in
through innumerable cracks and crevices quickly reduces the internal heat; and
to avoid this we introduce fans or blowers as occasion requires to accelerate the
draught between what we term the primary and secondary furnaces, &c., and are
thus enabled to reduce the chimney pull on the secondary furnace, which would
otherwise be unavoidable. And in other instances where the chimney pull is

page_text: deficient, and the construction of the furnaces &c. renders them practically air tight
we accelerate the draught either by the above means or by an artificially induced
draught in the chimney, or other similar arrangement.
But whatever variation may be necessary in applying this principle owing to
local peculiarities, structural defects, &c. &c. the principle itself remains the same
i.e. the reconvertion of waste gases chiefly carbonic acid gas, to combustible gases,
mainly carbonic oxide; which thus formed are again converted into waste gases
upon coming into contact with the air supply requisite for combustion.
This recuperative arrangement may be carried on until the waste gases finally
become inert through the continually increasing proportions of nitrogen sulphurous
oxides, &c.
We wish specifically to state that whilst we have more particularly specified the
application of our invention to gaseous furnaces, it can also be applied to advan-
tage with direct fired system of heating gas retorts, steam boilers, ovens, kilns
and similar plant and apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
The means or method of utilizing the waste gas arising from retort settings and
other furnaces.
Dated this 26th day of January 1898.