US1519830A - Method of atomizing fuel oils - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1924. 1,519,83G

o. c. GOERIZ METHOD OF ATOMIZING FUEL OILS Filed March 25, 1921 army Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD OF ATOMIZIN G FUEL OILS.

Application filed March 25, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR G. GoERIz, a citizen of the German Republic, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Atomizin Fuel Oils, of which the followingis a speci cation.

This invention relates to an improved method of atomizing fuel oils, and has for its primary object to rovide a simple, inexpensive and highly e cient method for securing complete atomization of relatively heavy fuel oils without liability of premature decomposition or carburization and which will produce a smokeless flame of substantially constant and unvarying character.

It is the purpose of my present invention to provide a method of atomizing fuel oils wherein there is no steam loss whatever and in which the oil is atomized only at the instant of its egress from the burner tip and not prior thereto. In attaining this result instead of using steam from the engine boiler, I supply to the fuel oil, water under pressure which is superheated above 212 F. and becomes thoroughly mixed with the oil. The oil is also heated above 212 F. so as to facilitate its atomization. By the maintenanqe of relatively hi h pressure in the oil and water pipe lines, t e vaporization of the water is prevented and it remains in a superheated fluid condition intimately admixed with the oil. When the mixture of oil and superheated water issues from the burner, its sudden eduction to atmospheric pressure causes the instant conversion of the superheated water into steam. This steam being in intimate association with the oil, in expanding breaks up the oil and effects the perfect atomization thereof. Such perfect atomization results in easy ignition and complete combustion of the fuel.

It is further the object and purpose of my invention to provide a method of atomizing heavy fuel oils as above characterized which may readily be adapted at nominal cost for use in steamship boiler furnaces, industrial p furnace installations and for various other analogous purposes. My improved method is particularly advanta eous in those cases where the water availa hle for the production of the atomized steam is not chemically pure.

With the above and other objects in view,-

the present invention consists in the un- Serial No. 455,551.

'detail and hereinafter particularly defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated several types of apparatus by means of which the present method may be successfully practiced:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one embodiment of apparatus for effecting the atomization of fuel oils;

Figure 2 is a similar View showing another form of apparatus which may be employed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through .one of the burner nozzles illustrating the manner in which the fuel oil is vaporized.

Referring in detail to the drawing and more particularly to Fig.1 thereof, 5 designates an oil tank which may be of any required capacity and from which the oil is supplied by the pump 6 through the pipe line 7 to the burners 8, of which any desired number may be provided in accordance with the requirements of the particular case. In the pipe line 7 a heater 9 of any suitable form is interposed and serves to heat the fuel oil in its passage to the burner nozzles so that its atomization or vaporization will be facilitated. The pipe line 7 is also provided with a thermometer-10 whereby the temperature of the oil may be ascertained and controlled by the proper regulation of heater 9.

From a tank 11 water is delivered under pressure through the medium of a pump 12 into the pipe line 13. This water is heated by a heater indicated at 14., and the temperature of the water may be ascertained from the thermometer 15. The branch pipe lines 16 extending from the main pipe line 13 are connected tothe branch pipes from the oil pipe line 7, in advance of the burner tips 8. Each of the burners is provided with a valve 17 so that thesupply of oil can be regulated and controlled and the water pipe hnes 16 are also providedwith the valves *18 so that the supp y of heated water to the burner ipes can likewise be regulated.

The water which may be more or less pure, as for instance sea-water, is heated in its passage through the pipe 13 to a temperature above 212, F. or the boiling point. The water however being under pressure greater than atmospheric will not vaporize or be converted into steam. This superheated water is supplied in proper regulated quantities to the burners and becomes intimately admixed with the heated fuel oil. The burners 8 may be of any approved mechanical construction which will result in an intimate mixture of the oil and water before it issues from the burner tip. It is also not essential that the water pressure shall be constant, as it may vary between certain limits. However, the water pressure is maintained preferably reater than the oil pressure, the lat ter belng controlled or throttled by the valve 17 or by a suitable form of needle valve which may constitute part of the burner. Automatic valves of various types might also be provided for this purpose. The variation in the water pressure doesnot result in any perce tible alteration in the character of the ame and this pressure can be easily con-trolled by the proper op.- eration of the pump. Theoil pipe line and the water pipe line are each provided with a pressure gauge, indicated at 25 and 26 .respectively so that the requisite pressures in these ipe lines may be maintained.

' As 5 own in Figure 3' of the drawings, immediately upon the discharge of the mixture of oil and water from the burner tip, owing to the reduction to atmospheric pressure, the superheated water will be converted into steam. This steam expanding breaks up and finely atomizes the heated fuel oil and perfect atomization occurs instantaneously at the burner tip. It will be understood that owing to the maintained pressure upon the water and oil, there is no gasification of the oil within the body of the burner so that decomposition and carburization cannot 0ccur therein. Due to the complete and perfect atomization of the fuelv oil, all combustible products will 'b'completely consumed,

therefore resulting in an entire absence of smoke which it. has heretofore been extremely. diflicult to eliminate in those oil firing systems which depend upon the atomization ofthe oil by mechanical means. Further, by means of my present invention, any igpe of burner may be employed and a flat ame can be roduced in contradistinction to the conical ame of the burner having mechanical atomizing means.

In Figure 2 of the drawings I have shown. a slightly modified form of apparatus'wherein the outlet pipe 20 from the water tank 19 extends through the body of oil contained in the tank 21. This pipe is equipped with a suitable control valve 22 and the end or nozzle thereof extends into the intake pipe 23 of the oil pump 24 which is connected to the tank-21. Thus in this construction it is seen that a single pump is used for lacing the oil and water under pressure. maining arts of the, apparatus are similar to those a ve describe It is quite immaterial at what point in the system the water be apparent that various other types of apparatus might be utilized for carrying out my improved method than those above referred to. While the water used in carrying out the method above described is preferably as pure as possible, a certain degree of salinity, as in sea-water, or of alkalinity; as in water obtained from wells in oil fields, is not objectionable, and will not prevent the advantageous use of the present invention.

In Figure 3 of the drawings I have shown the burner tip having one or more outlet orifices 8'. In the burner chamber as indicated at A, the mixture of oil' and water is under a pressure greater than atmospheric and is in.

fluid condition, no gas forming in this chamber, although the temperature is above 212 F. When, however, the mixture issues from the orifices 8 and the pressure is reduced to atmospheric, the superheated water is instantly vaporized and converted into steam as indicated at B. This steam ex- -However, if, the water is heated to a relatively high degree, say 230 or 240 F., then the oil need not be heated above the boiling point.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, my improved method of atomizing fuel oils and the several described embodiments of ap aratus for performing the method will be c early understood. 7 In view of the simplicity of the required apparatus it is apparent that this method can be advantageously utilized in connection with steam boiler furnaces of various types employed for industrial or other purposes. It may likewise be used in 'connectlon with furnaces other than boiler furnaces and in. numerous analogous installations where high temperatures are required with econ.- omy in fuel consumption.

While I have herein referred to a satisfactory and practical embodiment of my invention, it will nevertheless be understood that the same is susceptible of many modifications and I accordingly reserve the privile'ge of adopting such legitimate changes as ma be fairly embodied within the spirit an and scope of the invention as claimed.

, I claim:

The method of atomizing fuel oils which consists in mixing to ether oil and water heated to .substantia y the boiling point of water within a closed container under pressure greater than that of the atmosphere, discharging to the atmosphere the mixture of oil and heated water While under a pressure higher than that of the atmosphere, and converting, as it is discharged into theatmosphere, the heated water into steam by the diflerence of pressures between it and that of the atmosphere, whereby explosive effects produced by the expansion of 10 the heated Water into steam, atomlzes the oil in intimate association with the heated Water.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name here- 15 under.

0S0 G. GOERIZ.

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