WO2003048644A1

WO2003048644A1 - Apparatus for controlling the amounts of fuel and dispersing agent supplied with a burner

Info

Publication number: WO2003048644A1
Application number: PCT/FI2002/000895
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reijo Manninen
Original assignee: Oilon International Oy
Priority date: 2001-11-13
Filing date: 2002-11-12
Publication date: 2003-06-12
Also published as: AU2002338980A8; PL200007B1; DE60227406D1; EP1448931A1; PL368725A1; EP1448931B1; ATE399963T1; FI20012201A0; CN1602402A; AU2002338980A1; WO2003048644A8; CN1287113C

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the amounts of fuel and dispersing agent to be supplied to a burner. The apparatus comprises a first valve (1) for stopping fuel supply between fuel supply elements and the burner, and a second valve (2) for adjusting and stopping dispersing agent supply between dispersing agent supply elements and the burner. The apparatus comprises at least one body part (4a to 4d) containing a fuel channel (5) whereto the fuel supply elements and the burner are connectable, and at least one body part (4a to 4d) containing a dispersing agent channel (8) whereto the dispersing agent supply elements and the burner are connectable.

Description

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AMOUNTS OF FUEL AND DISPERSING AGENT TO BE SUPPLIED WITH A BURNER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the amounts of fuel and dispersing agent to be supplied to a burner or the like, comprising a first valve for stopping fuel supply between fuel supply elements and the burner, and a second valve for adjusting and stopping dispersing agent supply between dispersing agent supply elements and the burner.

[0002] Known apparatuses, in other words valve centres, usually comprise a varying number of valves collected together in one vague entity, or they may even be completely separate from each other. More often than not it is the customer himself or herself who is responsible for assembling the "valve centre" from loose parts and for piping and connecting the parts together case by case. [0003] Oilon Oy has modulated a center which is one well-defined package containing all necessary valves. However, the structure has been based on pipes and on the connection of the pipes and the valves to each other and to a supporting framework. The pipes have also been insulated for steam (dispersing agent) and heavy oil lines. [0004] However, this known solution has the following problems: the pipes in the apparatus are difficult and expensive to insulate, it is impossible to place the apparatus in a small space due to the large size of the apparatus, the apparatus has extensive pipe lengths, the apparatus has a large internal volume, it is difficult to provide the apparatus with electricity, and several dif- ferent sizes of the apparatus are needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the invention is thus to provide an apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] The object of the invention is achieved by an apparatus which is characterized in that the apparatus comprises at least one body part; that it comprises at least one body part containing a fuel channel having a first front end whereto the fuel supply elements are connectable, and a first rear end whereto the burner is connectable; that it comprises at least one body part containing a dispersing agent channel having a second front end whereto the dispersing agent supply elements are connectable, and a second rear end whereto the burner is connectable; that the first valve is arranged in the fuel channel such that flow of the amount of fuel in the fuel channel between the first front end and the first rear end is stoppable by the valve; and that the second valve is arranged in the dispersing agent channel such that flow of the amount of dispersing agent in the dispersing agent channel between the second front end and the second rear end is adjustable and stoppable by the second valve.

[0007] Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. [0008] A purpose of the invention is to serve as a compact valve centre in the vicinity of a burner, and the main function is to stop fuel flow to the burner when necessary. It also comprises stopping a dispersing agent and adjustment operations.

[0009] The body parts have already in advance been provided with channels to provide routes for the fuel and the dispersing agent, i.e. the apparatus necessitates few or even no pipes at all.

[0010] The apparatus of the invention is preferably insulated using an external housing, the interior thereof preferably being provided with insulating paint. [0011] The solution of the invention enables a small apparatus to be built, whereby placement in a small space becomes easy.

[0012] The solution of the invention enables an easy and inexpensive manner of insulation, which is also easy to open and close.

[0013] The solution of the invention enables an apparatus whose in- ternal volume is small compared to known corresponding apparatuses.

[0014] The solution of the invention enables a standard size product to be built in series production. The solution of the invention does, however, also enable case-specific requests to be taken into account.

[0015] The appearance of the apparatus of the invention is consid- erably more appealing than that of the known solution.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The invention is now described in closer detail in connection with the preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which [0017] Figure 1 shows an apparatus of the invention in a state wherein a housing has been opened, and

[0018] Figure 2 shows the apparatus of the invention in a state wherein the housing has been closed.

5 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Figure 1 shows an apparatus for controlling the amounts of fuel and dispersing agent to be supplied to a burner (not shown in the figures) or the like. In this connection, controlling refers to both controlling the amount and stopping the supply.

10 [0020] A burner is e.g. an oil burner. Fuel (not shown in the figures) is e.g. liquid fuel, such as oil. A dispersing agent (not shown in the figures) is e.g. steam or pressurized air.

[0021] The apparatus comprises a first valve 1 for stopping fuel (not shown in the figures) supply between fuel supply elements (not shown in the

15 figures) and the burner. The apparatus also comprises a second valve 2 for adjusting and stopping dispersing agent supply between dispersing agent elements and the burner.

[0022] The apparatus shown in the figures comprises two first valves 1. Two first valves 1 are provided since thus prescribed e.g. by the Fin-

20 nish legislation.

[0023] The apparatus shown in the figures also comprises a first manual stop valve 3a to enable fuel supply to the apparatus to be stopped, and a second manual stop valve 3b to enable dispersing agent supply to the apparatus to be stopped.

25 [0024] A first valve 2 is preferably, but not necessarily, a pressurized air/spring operated quick-closing valve arranged to close quickly in a situation wherein e.g. a flame becomes extinguished. A second valve 3 is preferably, but not necessarily, a pressurized air/spring operated or a pressurized air/pressurized air operated quick-closing valve arranged to close quickly in a

^"3D^" situation wherein e.g. a flame becomes extinguished. If the fuel, e.g. oil, gets to flow in such a situation, a danger of explosion may appear. In such a case, a flame detector (not shown in the figures), for example, automatically issues a command through a control device (not shown in the figures) or the like to stop the oil flow by the first valves 1.

35 [0025] The apparatus comprises at least one body part 4a to 4d. [0026] At least one body part 4a to 4d is provided with a fuel channel 5 having a first front end 6 whereto fuel supply elements are connectable, and a first rear end 7 whereto the burner is connectable.

[0027] At least one body part 4a to 4d is provided with a dispersing agent channel 8 having a second front end 9 whereto the dispersing agent supply elements are connectable, and a second rear end 10 whereto the burner is connectable.

[0028] The fuel channel 5 and the dispersing agent channel 8 are preferably machined to the body part or body parts 4a to 4d. It is also possible that the fuel channel 5 and the dispersing agent channel 8 are cast to the body part or body parts 4a to 4d. The above-disclosed manufacturing methods are also possible. Other manufacturing methods are also possible. Since the fuel and the dispersing agent travel in the apparatus in the fuel channel 5 and in the dispersing agent channel 8, the apparatus comprises no pipes, or only few pipes are necessary.

[0029] The first valve 1 is arranged in the fuel channel 5 such that flow of the amount of fuel in the fuel channel 5 between the first front end 6 and the first rear end 7 is stoppable with the first valve 1.

[0030] The second valve 2 is arranged in the dispersing agent channel 8 such that flow of the amount of dispersing agent in the dispersing agent channel 8 between the second front end 9 and the second rear end 10 is adjustable and stoppable by the second valve 2.

[0031] The figures show a fuel inlet pipe 11 arranged in the first front end 6 of the fuel channel 5, a fuel outlet pipe 12 arranged in the first rear end 7 of the fuel channel 5, a dispersing agent inlet pipe 13 arranged in the second front end 9 of the dispersing agent channel 8, and a dispersing agent outlet pipe 14 arranged in the second rear end 10 of the dispersing agent channel 8.

[0032] The fuel and dispersing agent supply elements are connect- able to the fuel inlet pipe 11 and the dispersing agent inlet pipe 13 such that the fuel and the dispersing agent are conveyable from the fuel supply elements and the dispersing agent supply elements, respectively, to the apparatus. The burner is connectable to the fuel outlet pipe 12 and the dispersing agent outlet pipe 14 such that the fuel and dispersing agent are conveyable from the appa- ratus to the burner. [0033] Figure 1 shows an apparatus which comprises a plurality of body parts 4a to 4d and wherein a fuel channel 5 and a dispersing agent channel 8 have been formed in both separate and collective body parts 4a to 4d. The fuel channel 5 the apparatus shown in Figure 1 has been formed in several body parts 4a to 4c, in other words it travels through several body parts 4a to 4c. The dispersing agent cannel 8 of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 has, correspondingly, been formed in several body parts 4c to 4d. The body parts 4a to 4d are interlocked by screws 15. It is, however, possible that all the fuel channels 5 and the dispersing agent channels 8 of the apparatus reside in one and the same body part 4a to 4d.

[0034] The first valve 1 is arranged in the fuel channel 5 such that the flow of the amount of fuel in the fuel channel 5 is stoppable by the first valve 1 , and the second valve.2 is arranged in the dispersing agent channel 8 such that the flow of the amount of dispersing agent in the dispersing agent channel 8 is adjustable and stoppable by the second valve 2.

[0035] The first valves 1 , the second valve 2 and a blow-through valve 19 to be shown below may be arranged in separate body parts 4a to 4d. [0036] In the figures, the first valves 1 and the second valve 2 as well as the blow-through valve 19 to be shown below are arranged between two body parts 4a to 4d. The body parts 4a to 4d and the first valves 1 and the second valve 2 as well as the blow-through valve 19 to be shown below are interlocked by screws 15. The apparatus may further comprise such first valves 1 , second valves 2 and blow-through valves 19 that reside in the actual body part 4a to 4d, i.e. they have been integrated into the body part 4a to 4d. [0037] Preferably, but not necessarily, the apparatus comprises a housing 16 within which at least one body part 4a to 4d is at least partly located. The figures show an apparatus which comprises several of body parts 4a to 4d that completely reside within the housing 16. The housing 16 preferably comprises an insulator (not shown in the figures). [0038] The apparatus preferably comprises connectors to enable a pressure gauge and/or a thermometer to be arranged therein such that pressure and/or temperature in the fuel channel 5 and/or in the dispersing agent channel 8 is/are measurable.

[0039] The fuel channel 5 preferably comprises a first measurement fitting 17 to enable a pressure measuring device and/or a thermometer to be connected thereto. [0040] The fuel channel 5 preferably comprises a pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor (not shown in the figures) and a transmitter (not shown in the figures) connected to the sensor. The fuel channel 5 is preferably provided with an opening, a recess or the like (not shown in the figures) for the sensor and/or the transmitter.

[0041] The dispersing agent channel 8 preferably comprises a second measurement fitting 18 to enable a pressure measuring device and/or a thermometer to be connected thereto.

[0042] The dispersing agent channel 8 preferably comprises a pres- sure sensor and/or a temperature sensor (not shown in the figures) and a transmitter (not shown in the figures) connected to the sensor. The dispersing agent channel 8 is preferably provided with an opening, a recess or the like

(not shown in the figures) for the sensor and/or the transmitter.

[0043] The fuel channel 5 and/or the dispersing agent channel 8 preferably comprise(s) a heating cartridge or a corresponding heating device

(not shown in the figures). The fuel channel 5 and/or the dispersing agent channel 8 is/are preferably provided with an opening, a recess or the like (not shown in the figures) for the heating cartridge or corresponding heating device.

[0044] The travel of fuel and a dispersing agent through the appara- tus shown in the figure will be described in the following.

[0045] Fuel is first conveyed through a first manual stop valve 3a to a fuel channel 5 in a body part 4a, and next from the fuel channel 5 through a first valve 1 to a fuel channel 5 in a next body part 4c, and next from the fuel channel 5 through a next first valve 1 to a fuel channel 5 in a next body part 4b and further via a fuel outlet pipe 12 to a burner.

[0046] A dispersing agent is first conveyed through a second manual stop valve 3b to a dispersing agent channel 8 in a body part 4d, and next from the dispersing agent channel 8 through a second valve 2 and further to a dispersing agent channel 8 in a next body part 4c and still further via a dispers- ing agent outlet pipe 14 to a burner.

[0047] The apparatus shown in the figure further comprises a cleaning channel (not shown in the figures) in the body parts 4c to 4d to enable the dispersing agent to be conveyed from the dispersing agent channel 8 to the fuel channel 5. The cleaning channel is connected to the fuel channel 5 on the side of the first stop valve 1 facing the burner such that the dispersing agent is suppliable to the fuel channel 5 in order to empty the fuel channel 5 of fuel when the first stop valve 1 is closed.

[0048] The apparatus shown in the figures comprises a blow- through valve 19 for controlling and stopping the dispersing agent supply and for adjusting the amount of dispersing agent between the dispersing agent supply elements and the cleaning channel. The blow-through valve 19 preferably comprises both an adjusting valve (not designated with reference number) and a stop valve (not designated with reference number).

[0049] A need to empty the fuel channel 5 of fuel occurs e.g. in a situation wherein burning has been completed and fuel supply has been stopped. In this case, the cleaning channel 19 is opened and the fuel channel 5 is blown empty towards the burner to ensure that no fuel remains in the fuel channel 5 to dry up and/or otherwise drop. The cleaning valve 19 may e.g. be arranged to open automatically when burning has been completed and fuel supply has been stopped.

[0050] It is obvious to one skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the above- described examples but can be varied within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the amounts of fuel and dispersing agent to be supplied to a burner or the like, comprising a first valve (1) for stopping fuel supply between fuel supply ele- ments and the burner, and a second valve (2) for adjusting and stopping dispersing agent supply between dispersing agent supply elements and the burner, characterized in that the apparatus comprises at least one body part (4a to 4d); it comprises at least one body part (4a to 4d) containing a fuel channel (5) having a first front end (6) whereto the fuel supply elements are connectable, and a first rear end (6) whereto the burner is connectable; it comprises at least one body part (4a to 4d) containing a dispersing agent channel (8) having a second front end (9) whereto the dispersing agent supply elements are connectable, and a second rear end (10) whereto the burner is connectable; the first valve (1) is arranged in the fuel channel (5) such that flow of the amount of fuel in the fuel channel (5) between the first front end (6) and the first rear end (7) is stoppable by the first valve (1); and the second valve (2) is arranged in the dispersing agent channel (8) such that flow of the amount of dispersing agent in the dispersing agent channel (8) between the second front end (9) and the second rear end (10) is adjustable and stoppable by the second valve (2).

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim ^characterized in that it comprises a plurality of body parts (4a to 4d), the fuel channel (5) and the dispersing agent channel (8) are formed in separate body parts (4a to 4d).

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fuel channel (5) is formed in several body parts (4a to 4c).

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the first valve (1) is arranged between two body parts (4a to 4c).

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, character i z e d in that the dispersing agent channel (8) is formed in several body parts (4c to 4d).

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the second valve is arranged between two body parts (4c to 4d).

7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, character i z e d in that it comprises a housing (16), and that at least one body part (4a to 4d) is at least partly located within the housing (16).

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, character i z e d in that it comprises an insulator.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, character i z e d in that it comprises a cleaning channel to enable the dispersing agent to be conveyed to the fuel channel (5), the cleaning channel is connected to the fuel channel (5) on the side of the first valve (1) facing the burner such that the dispersing agent is suppli- able to the fuel channel (5) in order to empty the fuel channel (5) of fuel when the first valve (1) is closed, and it comprises a blow-through valve (19) for controlling dispersing agent supply between the dispersing agent supply members and the cleaning channel.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, c aracterized in that the fuel channel (5) and/or the dispersing agent channel (8) comprise(s) elements for connecting a measuring device thereto.