US2403446A - Heat generating apparatus and process - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 12946. E. J. "LAMPORT HEAT GENERATING APPARATUS Ami PROCESS Original Filed July 2 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENVENTQR 5 Tim/4P0 J/A/IPo/a 7- ATTORNEYS Patented July 9, 1946 ZAGBAit HEAT GENERATING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Edward J. Lamport, iVashington, D. 0., assignor to Lamport Hydro-Oil Furnace Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application my 2, 1935, Serial No. 29,499 Renewed November 10, 1938 7 Claims.

This invention relates to heat generators, and more particularly to furnaces which utilize as a fuel decomposition products of oil and water.

The invention has application in heat generating plants for various industrial purposes such as steam boilers, metallurgic furnaces, gas generators, domestic furnaces, and other plants requiring high and uniform heat.

It is an object of the invention to produce an eflicient and durable heating unit which gives a uniform heat output and is subject to effective control of fuel input and mixtures of the fuel. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for efficiently consuming hydrocarbon fuels in conjunction with the disintegration productsof water. (An object, also, is to provide improved means for carbureting fuel oils and water decomposition products to. obtain practically complete mixture of these fuels. A further object is to provide a combination of structure wherein both water and oil are decomposed separately and reunited in a common hot combustion chamber in such manner as to secure practically complete combustion of the fuel.)

Other objects of the invention contemplate the employment of improved means for generating and decomposing steam, for making possible the use of extremely high heats in the combustion chamber and steam generator, and for maintaining the steam generator at a uniform high temperature.

Additional objects consist in the provision of an oil-gas furnace which operates at relatively low pressures; which secures a thorough cracking of the oils; which assures a high temperature of the nozzle gases; and which secures combustion of heavy or light oils, such as crude oil, sludge, or alcohol without formation of asphaltum or other residues.

An object of importance, also, in the treatment of steel pipe to make possible its use at temperatures exceeding 2,000 F. and approaching the melting point of steel while maintaining internal pressures exceeding 15 pounds per square inch.

Further objects will become apparent on consideration of the'following description of an embodiment of my invention and of the accompanying' drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section of a furnace fire box, boiler, and associated heat generating unit;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fire box showing the heat generating unit;

Fig, 3 is a vertical section through the oil heater, on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is another section of the oil heater taken at from the section of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the fuel nozzle;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the steam generator inlet connection and nozzle; and

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the steam generator coil.

As an embodiment of my invention which may be preferred I have shown my invention in Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to a steam boiler Ill which is supported on the furnace wall by the brick wall H. The fire box I 2 is lined by fire brick I3 on the sides and base M, the base supporting an upper base 15 checkered to form inlet openings It for air from the arched air channel ll. Supply of air is provided by the inlet duct is controlled by damper I9.

The furnace box rear consists of the fire bridge 20 over which heated gases of combustion pass to the boiler tubes or other apparatus to be heated.

Mounted on the upper base It? by means of welded attachment to the four standards 2| is the steam heater coil 22 of steel tubing. In the embodiment shown I employ 1" pipe having a length of 200 feet or over and I utilize a 5 foot inlet pipe 23 between the coil 22 and fire brick wall I3 as a preheater for the water supply.

The coil 22 is enclosed by a C-shaped checkerwork wal1 24 of fire brick, the wall opening 25 being toward the furnace front 26 and opposite to the fire bridge 20 so as to permit ready entrance of burning fuel, as will appear hereinafter. Within the steam coil 22 is a second checkerwork structure 21 of fire brick substantially filling the coil interior. Between the coil 22 and furnace box front 26 on the base l5 there is a refractory area 28 formed of fire brick andsand which assists in directing the burning gases into the base of the checkerwork and coil unit.

The inlet section 23 of the steam coil 22, as shown in Fig. 2, is connected. externally of the front furnace wall 26 to the water inlet pipe 30 andair inlet pipe 3|. These two inlet pipes are each provided with appropriate control Valves 32 and strainers 33. The valves are shown as manual but it is understood that automatic valves controlled, for example, by the pressure of the generated steam or by the temperature of the fir box, could be substituted.

As shown in Fig. 6, the inlet section 23 of the steam coil 22 is provided with a small jet 34 about 1 in length having a flared inner end 35 connected to a constricted outer opening. 35 having an approximate diameter of s". This jet has screw threaded engagement with the interior of the monel metal jet pipe 37 which is of sufficient length to permit substantial pre-heating of the incoming water before reaching the jet 34 but not so long as to change the Water to steam. At the jet the water temperature may be around 208 F.

In the embodiment shown the jet pipe length is.

about five feet. It is observed that a space 38 is provided on the outer end of the jet for particles of extraneous solid matter. The jet pipe 37 is threaded into the external coupler 39, as shown in Fig. 6.

The outlet section 40 at the top of the steam coil 22 is led through the front wall 25 of the fire box and connected to the oil heater 4 l.

The oil heater 4| is mounted externally to the fire box before the front wall 26 and at sufficient elevation to permit the use of a downwardly inclined straight fuel nozzle. The heater consists of a spherical shell divided into half sections 42 and 43 provided with annular flanges 44 for attachment by means of the bolts 45. A pressure gauge 9 communicates with the heater interior through the pipe 1.

As shown in Fig. 4, through the boss 45 an opening in the section 43 permits entry of the steam pipe 40 which connects through an L- connector 4'! to a hollow spherical gas distributor head 48. As shown, the distributor head 48 is provided with a plurality of apertures 49 all around the central zone of the sphere so that the highly heated gases from the steam generator 22 are forced outwardly in an approximately horizontal direction all around the sphere, these gases contacting with the surrounding oil pip coil and its support.

The fuel oil, which may be of any desired hydrocarbon, is led from the oil reservoir by the pipe line 50, there being provided also the valves 5| and oil strainer 52. The pipe enters the oil heating drum 4| through a boss formed in the drum section 42. As shown in Fig. 3, an appropriate detachable coupler 53 is inserted within the heater wall to connect the copper oil heater tube 54. This oil tube is formed into a long coil adjacent to but not contacting with the inner drum surface and supported and closely wound about a convex spool 55. This spool 55 is provided with end flanges 56 which are adapted to retain the coil 54 in position; it is provided also with lugs 8 which support the spool against the heater interior.

The lower end of the oil pipe coil 54 terminates in a straight nozzle tube 58 Which passes through the boss 59 formed in the section 43 of the oil heater 4|. This tube 58 is led from the oil heater through the front furnace Wall 26 and fire box lining l3 into the fire box interior, the inclination being such as to direct the heater ases toward the base of the fire box adjacent the bottom of the checkerwork 21 and the steam coil 22. Surrounding the nozzle section 58 and attached to the boss 59 is a second nozzle pipe 60 formed of steel tubing and spaced from the oil tube 58 by means of spaced washers 5| apertured to permit free passage of gas. The enclosing pipe 60 is attached in the fire box to a nozzle tip 52 formed of a short cylindrical pipe section having the outer edge turned down as at B3 to form a constricted opening 64 about the oil tube 58, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This nozzle tip is attached on the inner side of one end of a short length of pipe 65 by the annular flange or other appropriate means, and the pipe 65 in turn is secured to the outer nozzle pipe 50 by means of the pin 65, as shown in Fig. 5. The terminal tube 55 extends to a point behind the end of the copper tubing 58.

I also provide a steel pipe enclosure 67 for the copper tubing 58, which enclosure extends from a point adjacent the end of the terminal tube 65 and the end of the copper tubing to a point adjacent the heater coil 54, the purpose of this enclosing pipe being to strengthen the copper and to assist in the conduction of heat away from the copper tubing and thus prevent melting of the same due to extremely high temperatures of the decomposition gases passing through the nozzle.

In the operation of the heat generator the valves 5| are manipulated to permit oil to enter the oil heater pipe 54, and simultaneously air from the air pipe 3| is forced through the steam coil 22 into the gas distributor 48 and into the nozzle. The action of the compressed air is to atomize the fuel and permit the initial combustion in the fire box to bring about a heating of the checker work and steam generator pipe coil 22. When the temperature of the steam coil 22 and checkerwork Within the fire box has been elevated by this means to a temperature of approximately 2,000 F. the air is turned oil" and water which may be at approximately 50 F. is let into the steam generator system through the preheating pipe section 23 where it is quickly raised by the fire box heat to a temperature below boiling point or approximately 208 F. at the jet of the water nozzle. The action of the jet is to convert the water into a mist which is immediately vaporized as steam, and the steam passing upwardly through the coil 22 absorbing heat from the fire box and checkerwork becomes highly heated, the temperature rising to values in excess of 1600 F. and approaching 2400 F., these values, of course, being approximate. At these high temperatures some of the steam is decomposed into its constituent elementary parts forming hydrogen and oxygen gas and is thus transmitted to the gas distributor head 48 at pressures varying from 2 to pounds per square inch or higher. The gases are forced into the interior of the oil heater 4| from the gas distributor head, bringing about an intense heating of the coil of oil pipe 54 and thus causing a cracking and decomposition of the oil to form combustible gases. These combustible and highly heated gases together with the steam and/or its decomposition products are led through the fuel nozzle and into the open area of the fire box, where they are intimately mixed and consumed.

The thorough inter-mixing of the gases (in the fire box) is an important feature of my invention and is due largely to the fact that the oil gas emerges in a turbulent cloud followed by immediate expansion of the same in the combustion chamber. The constricted opening of the Steel pipe 60 limits the rate of movement of the steam gases and also causes a rolling action at the nozzle end tending to bring about a close interaction of the oil and steam gases at the nozzle end. This inter-mixing of these gases, however, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, occurs only after the ases have completely left the nozzle end, thus distinguishing over types of nozzles wherein the mixing occurs before egress of the mixed gases from the terminal of the nozzle. These highly heated gases which enter the fire box at temperatures in excess of 1600 F., i. e. at a temperature approaching fire box temperatures, burn with a colourless flame, and due to the pressure,

are carried out in a downwardly descending arc which penetrates the spaces about the base of the coil 22 and the checkerwork adjacent and passes upwardly through the generator system and out of the fire box. I

A novel feature of my invention. resides in the employment of improved means for bringing about the decomposition of the steam at lower than normal decomposition temperatures. Steam, under ordinary conditions, decomposes at a temperature-of approximately 2500 C. In my steam decomposition system, however, I am able to bring about practically complete decomposition of the steam at temperatures materially below this value. utilizing an excessive length of pipe in my steam generator combined with the formation of a deposit layer on the interior of the pipe which seems to have an action similar to that of a catalyst in inducing a breakdown of the water vapor. This layer, which is indicated by the numeral in Fig. 7. begins to form in the generator pipe as soon as the steam begins to iiow and increases in thickness with time until after a period of about 100 hours it reaches its maximum thickness, after which the size slightly decreases with time until it acquires a final thickness permanently retained. For a /4" pipe the layer may be as thick as The substance of the layer appears to be in the form of an oxide containing iron and possibly carbon or other impurities from the steel. This viewpoint is supported by the fact that the thick-- ness of the layer varies directly as the thickness of the pipe wall and consequently as the amount of impurities in the steel. Further, for the same thickness of pipe the thickness of the layer is greater for wrought iron pipe than for steel pipe, due, apparently, to the greater amount of impurities in the wrought iron. The fact that the layer increases in thickness to a limiting value also suggests derivation of constituents from the pipe body. Also, an analysis of the decomposition gases from the steam pipe while the layer is in process of formation shows ever 99% hydrogen, indicating absorption of oxygen in the layer formation. The layer material is highly refractory, being unaffected by heat at temperatures exceeding 2900 F. The layer material. is also harder than ordinary cutting steels. The use of this iron oxide lining makes possible the use of unusually high temperatures in the steam generator without any detrimental results, and this, coupled with the greatly increased length of pipe, which in the case of a 2" pipe having an approximate inner diameter of 1" amounts to 200 feet or over, produces a cumulative effect which insures an almost complete decomposition of the steam.

A feature of the invention, also, resides in an extended length of copper tubing for the oil heater pipe 54, the length of this tubing extending to or in excess of 60 feet for ordinary uses. The application of the high temperatures in excess of 1,000 E, due to the distributed gases from the gas head 48 and perforations 43 causes a cracking or breakdown of the liquid hydrocarbon in such form that no residues of asphaltum and the like form within the ipe, and hence there is no necessity for cleaning, as is ordinarily the requirement in prior apparatus.

It is pointed out, also, that the oil heater casing 4| is subject to ready disassembling in that a. half section may easily be removed and either the coil 54 or the steam head 48 removed and re- I accomplish. this result by I placed by new parts. Similarly, the nozzle parts 62' and 65 of the fuel nozzle, as well as the jet 34 or jet pipe 31, are subject to easy removal and replacement. Due to the extremely high temperatures involved, as wellas the complete gaseous nature of the decomposition products of the water and oil, a smokeless flame is produced which consumes all of the fuel substance. Further, the decomposition products of the oil are such that sufficient oxygen is supplied to form combustion products with the hydrogen of the water, so that a minimum amount of air is necessary to support complete combustion within the fire box. With proper balancing of fuels it is possible to completely or almost completely eliminate the air intake. In order to' secure a proper balancing of the oil and water decomposition products the ratio may be maintained either mechanically or automatically in accordance with the output requirement of the generator.

A feature of the invention is the employment of relatively low pressures to produce the efiicient results noted, pressures of from 2 to 40 pounds being within ordinary working ranges, although much higher pressures are possible. An average working pressure of 15 pounds is found to give excellent results.

The length of the pipe of the steam generator, as previously mentioned, is of importance inasmuch as unless the length is adequate it is impossible to get satisfactory results. It appears that the length of the pipe necessary for efiicient results varies directly with the inner diameter of the pipe.

I have found that any type of fuel may be used in this generator, even including such fuels as alcohol, various types of crude oil, or even crude oil mixed with salt water. This is made possible b th complete decomposition of the substances employed arising from the high temperatures and the cumulative efiect of the pipe length.

Modifications of the apparatus and process other than that shown and described in this application may, of course, be made and therefore I do not desire to be limited except as is required by the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A heat generator comprising a combustion chamber, a nozzle for directing combustible fuel into said chamber, a fuel oil supply line connected to said nozzle, a cracking coil inserted in said oil supply line, a water supply, a steam generator within said chamber, a gas dispersion device within the cracking coil supplying heated gases directly to said coil, connecting conduits between the water supply, steam generator and gas dispersion device, and an enclosing imperforate casing without the coil, said device comprising a perforated casing within said coil.

2. Apparatus for generating heat from a hydrocarbon oil and steam, comprising means for maintaining a flowing stream of steam at least at a temperature corresponding to red hot steel, means for eifecting indirect thermal contact between said so heated steam and a stream of a hydrocarbon oil, under such conditions of indirect thermal contact, that the said hydrocarbon oil becomes heated to approximately the said temperature of said steam, and means for separately conducting said steam and said oil after the said thermal contact, at substantially the temperatures resulting from said thermal contact, into a fire box.

3. Process for generating heat from a hydrocarbon oil and steam which comprises establishing a stream of steam at least at a temperature corresponding to red hot steel, efiecting indirect thermal contact between said so heated steam and a stream of hydrocarbon oil thereby heating the said hydrocarbon oil approximately to the temperature of the said steam, separately introducing the hydrocarbon and steam into a fire box and mixing the said so heated streams of oil and steam in the said fire box and thereby, with air, maintaining combustion in said fire box.

4. Process for generating heat from a hydrocarbon oil and steam, which comprises establishing a stream of steam and a separate stream of a hydrocarbon oil, each at least at a. temperature corresponding to red hot steel, and separately introducing said streams into a fire box and mixing said streams in said fire box and thereby, with air, maintaining combustion in said fire box.

5. Process for generating heat from a hydrocarbon oil and steam which comprises passing steam through a tube of ferrous metal in at least a bright red hot condition to heat the said steam to a temperature at least corresponding to a red hot condition, bringing said so heated steam in indirect thermal contact with a stream of hydrocarbon oil to heat the latter to at least a temperature corresponding to red hot steel, separately introducing said streams into a fire box and mixing said so heated steam and oil in said fire box and thereby, with air, maintaining combustion in said fire box.

6. Process for generating heat from a hydrocarbon oil and steam which comprises passing steam through a tube of ferrous metal in at least a bright red hot condition to heat the said steam to a temperature at least corresponding to a red hot condition, bringing said so heated steam in indirect thermal contact with a stream of hydrocarbon oil flowing through a copper tube to heat the said oil to at least a temperature corresponding to red hot steel, separatel delivering said streams into a fire box and mixing said so heated steam and oil in said fire box and thereby, with air, maintaining combustion in said fire box.

7. Process for generating heat from a hydrocarbon oil and steam which comprises passing steam through a pipe of ferrous metal which is heated sufliciently to raise the steam passing from said pipe to a temperature of at least 1,600 E, bringing said so heated steam in indirect thermal contact with a stream of hydrocarbon oil flowing through a copper tube to heat the said oil to a temperature in excess of 1,000 E, separately introducing said superheated steam and oil vapor into a fire box and mixing said so heated steam and oil in said fire box and thereby, with air, maintaining combustion in said fire box.

EDWARD J. LAMPORT.

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