US2216116A - Contrivance for charging solid fuel into water-gas producers - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 1, 1940. H KoppEgs 2,216,116

CONTRIVANCE FOR CHARGING SOLID FUEL INTO WATER-GAS PRODUCERS Filed Feb. ,,6,- 1939 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 PATENT I OFFICE FUEL INTO WATERfGAS PRODUCERS Heinrich Koppers, Essen, Germany, assignor to Heinrich Koppers Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Essen, Germany Application February 6, 1939, Serial No. 254,917

' In Germany February 9, 1938 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to means for distributing the fuel into gas producers or other apparatus which are charged with solid fuel and other material of varying grain size.

It is difficult to distribute a solid" fuel of varying grain size uniformly in water gas producers. The ordinary revolving distributors used in lean gas producers cannot be used in water gas producers since the temperature in the top of the .water gas producer ranges considerably higher. In most cases only a closable opening is provided in the roof of the water gas producer through which the fuel is charged into the shaft. This method of fuel feeding is, however, unfavourable. The fuel falls from a considerable height onto the fuel charge and this effects an undesired crushing especially of the larger fuel pieces. Also a separation with regard to the grain size of the charging material may take place.

According to the present invention a considerable improvement is arrived at in connection with water-gas producers in that the charging opening of the water gas producer is connected 'with a closable fuel charging chamber in which is movably feeding pipe being designed so as to be lowered into the producer shaft and to form a lower extension of said fuel charging chamber, the lower opening of said fuel feeding chamber and said feeding pipe being controlled by a conicalsealing member which is movable coaxially to said feeding pipe. In the closed position of the conical sealing member the feeding pipe lies fully within the feeding chamber. When lowering the sealing member the feeding cylinder follows the downward movement of the sealing member until the feeding. pipe reaches its lower end position. A further lowering of the sealing member causes an annular opening between the sealing member and the lower edge of the feeding pipe so'that the fuel contained in the feeding pipe may discharge into the producer shaft. After the discharge of the fuel the sealing member is lifted and thereby the pipe is moved upwards into the charging chamber.

The fuel feeding means according to the present invention offers the great advantage that tl drop height of the fuel within the gas producer can be reduced to the same extent which for in- O stance has proved not dangerous in connection with standard lean gas producers. An undesirable crushing of the fuel caused by the free drop from the fuel inlet onto the upper side of the gas producer charge is thereby avoided. On the other hand the individual parts of the fuel distributor are out of contact with the hot gases in the top of the water gas'producer as soon as the sealing cone is in closed position. During the short interval when the fuel feeding pipe does reach into the gas producer shaft the pipe is filled with the arranged a vertical feeding pipe, said cold fuel and thus can only be heated to a small degree.

Another feature of the present invention is to arrange an open water seal outside the charging hopper or chamber so as to cool the metal parts of the fuel feeder which reach into the opening of the producer roof.

Finally my invention consists in that the actuating rod of the sealing member is of such a length that the sealing cone can be lowered down to the surface of the fuel so as to control the level of the charge in the gas producer.

With'the above and other objects and features ofmy present invention in view, I will now describe a preferred embodiment thereof on the lines of the accompanying drawing which shows a vertical section through the fuel distributor constructed according to the present invention.

The roof of the water gas producer is marked 7 I on the drawing. In the middle of this roof is arranged an opening 2. Outside the opening 2 is fixed a charging chamber or hopper 3 on the top of which is arranged a cylindrical body 4 of a somewhat narrower cross section. The charging hopper 3 and the extension 4 are closed by a removable cover 5. An opening 6 is provided on one side of the cover 5 through which the fuel is charged. The opening 6 is suitably connected with an ordinary measuring apparatus in order to be able to regulate the quantity of fuel to be charged into the chamber.

'In the middle of the cover 5 is suitably arranged an opening I built like a stuffing box through which extends a rod 8. The rod 8 carries at its lower end the conical sealing member 9,

the bottom I0-of which is provided with an inwardly extending outer projection I I. The outer projection II .is lined with refractory material- Inside the feeding chamber is placed a pipelike body I3 open at both ends. The body I3 is fitted with an annular projection I4 which is movable within the range of the lower charging hopper 13.1 The lower edge of the cylinder I3 rests uponthesealing member 9 when the feeder:

is closed.

As soon'as the'sealing' member 9 is lowered by means of the rod8 the cylinder I3 also sinks down to such'an extent that its annular projection I4 rests upon the stop surface I5 on the in-' her sideof the charging hopper 3. This lower final positionof the cylinder I3 is shown by dot and dash lines at I6 on thedrawing. As may be seen frorrrthe drawing the cylinder I3 reaches rather deeply into the gas producer shaft.

The, cylindrical feeding member I3 is del signed with substantially the same height as the -feedingchamber formed by parts 3 and 4 as shown on the drawing. The fuel charged into the feeding chamber lies therefore entirely in the range of said feeding pipe I3. If the feeding pipe I3 moves downwards by lowering the sealing cone 9, then the fuel charged into the chamber is moved downwards without leaving the feeding pipe l3. If now the sealing cone 9 is further lowered after the cylinder I3 has reached its final lowered position as shown for instance at IS in dot and dash lines on the drawing, then a ring like slot is formed between the sealing member and the cylinder l3 through which the fuel contained in the charging hopper may slide downwards.

An annular recess I9 is suitably provided on the sealing member 9. This recess l9 serves to deflect the fuel sliding downwards over the inclined sealing face of the cone which must fit against the lower edge of the charging hopper 3 so as to ensure a gas-tight sealing.

Outside the charging hopper is provided a channel 20 filled with a suitable cooling liquid' for instance water. This cooling channel serves to lead off the heat from the metal parts of the closure which reach into the shaft of the water gas producer where there exists rather a high temperature so that any dangerous superheating, especially at the sealing faces of the charging hopper and of the sealing member, is avoidedv The rod 8 is preferably of such a length that it may be lowered into the gas producer shaft down to the fuel charge. If suitable marks or other means are provided on the outside for the rod 8, it is easily possible to determine from the outside the exact position of the surface of the fuel charge in the gas producer.

The rod 8 is fitted with a suitable drive for instance a screw drive by means of which it may be lowered or lifted manually or mechanically.

- I have now above described my present invention on the lines of a preferred embodiment thereof but my invention is not limited in all its aspects to the mode of carrying it out as described and shown, since the invention may be variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Closure means for water-gas producers or the like having a top fuel charging opening in its top, comprising: a fuel charging chamber arranged outside the producer top over the top fuel charging opening; a vertical feeding cylinder arranged for vertical movement within the fuel chamber; a conical sealing valve movable vertically relative to the fuel chamber into the producer; said feeding cyinder being carried by the conical sealing valve so that it is raised into and lowered outof the fuel charging chamber through the producer opening by the raising and lowering of the valve; said valve closing the feeding cylinder at its bottom when in the fuel chamber and when moved downwards into the producer, until the cylinder reaches its final position for opening, whence the cylinder is opened for fuel discharge by further downward movement of the valve, said conical sealing valve being also adapted, in its raised closed position, to seal the fuel charging chamber off at its lower opening from the interior of the producer, to close off the fuel chamber, with the feeding cylinder therein, from contact with hot gases in the producer.

2. Closure means for water-gas producers or the like having a top fuel charging opening in its top, comprising: a fuel charging chamber arranged outside the producer top over the top fuel charging opening; a vertical feeding cylinder arranged for vertical movement within the fuel chamber; a sealing valve movable vertically relative to the fuel chamber into the producer; said feeding cylinder being carried by the sealing valve so that it is raised into and lowered out of the fuel charging chamber through the producer opening by the raising and lowering of the valve; said valve closing the feeding cylinder at its bottom when in the fuel chamber and when moved downwards into the producer whence the cylinder is opened for fuel discharge by movement of the valve, said sealing valve being also adapted, in its raised closed position, to seal the fuel charging chamber off at its lower opening from the interior of the producer, to close Off the fuel chamber, with the feeding cylinder therein, from contact with hot gases in the producer.

3. Closure means for water-gas producers or the like having a top fuel charging opening in its top, comprising: a fuel charging chamber arranged outside the producer top over the top fuel charging opening; a vertical feeding cylinder arranged for vertical movement within the fuel chamber; a sealing valve movable vertically relative to the fuel chamber into the producer; said feeding cyinder being carried by the sealing valve so that it is raised into and lowered out of the fuel charging chamber through the producer opening by the raising and lowering of the valve; said valve closing thefeeding cylinder at its bottom when in the fuel chamber and when moved downwards into the producer whence the cylinder is opened for fuel discharge by movement of the valve, said sealing valve being also adapted, in its raised closed position, to seal the fuel charging chamber off at its lower opening from the interior of the producer, to close off the fuel chamber, with the, feeding cylinder therein, from contact with hot gases in the producer; and water-cooling means for water cooling the fuel chamber on its outside.

4. Closure means for water-gas producers or the like having a top fuel charging opening in its top, comprising: a fuel charging chamber arranged outside the producer top over the top fuel charging opening; a vertical feeding cylinder arranged for vertical movement within the fuel chamber; a conical sealing valve movable vertically relative to the fuel chamber into the producer; said feeding cyinder being carried by the conical sealing valve so that it is raised into and lowered out of the fuel charging chamber through the producer opening by the raising and lowering of the valve; said valve closing the feeding cylinder at its bottom when in the fuel chamber and when moved downwards into the producer, until the cylinder reaches its final position for opening, whence the cylinder is opened for fuel discharge by further downward movement of the valve, said conical sealing valve being also adapted, in its raised closed position, to seal the fuel charging chamber off at its lower opening from the interior of the producer, to close off the fuel chamber, with the feeding cylinder therein, from contact with hot gases in'the producer, a vertical rod for actuating said conical sealing valve, said rod projecting through the feeding cylinder and extending through the fuel charging chamber to outside the same, for actuation, and said rod being designed of the. length required for lowering the sealing member down to the level for the surface of the fuel charge of the water-gas producer. I I,

- =I-IEINRICH KOPPERS.

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