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CA1082586A - Fuel conditioning apparatus and method - Google Patents

Fuel conditioning apparatus and method

Info

Publication number
CA1082586A
CA1082586A CA270,421A CA270421A CA1082586A CA 1082586 A CA1082586 A CA 1082586A CA 270421 A CA270421 A CA 270421A CA 1082586 A CA1082586 A CA 1082586A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
water
vapor
fuel
fluid
hydrocarbon
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA270,421A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Camille J. Berthiaume
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Columbia Chase Corp
Original Assignee
Columbia Chase Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US05/735,635 external-priority patent/US4116610A/en
Application filed by Columbia Chase Corp filed Critical Columbia Chase Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1082586A publication Critical patent/CA1082586A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23KFEEDING FUEL TO COMBUSTION APPARATUS
    • F23K5/00Feeding or distributing other fuel to combustion apparatus
    • F23K5/02Liquid fuel
    • F23K5/08Preparation of fuel
    • F23K5/10Mixing with other fluids
    • F23K5/12Preparing emulsions
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23DBURNERS
    • F23D11/00Burners using a direct spraying action of liquid droplets or vaporised liquid into the combustion space

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Spray-Type Burners (AREA)
  • Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)
  • Wick-Type Burners And Burners With Porous Materials (AREA)

Abstract

Canadian Patent Application S.N. 270,421 Columbia Chase Corporation Abstract of the Invention An improved process for utilizing water to obtain an efficient combustion of hydrocarbon. The process composing steps of premixing some water and oil in the presence of a gas, such as steam, and thereupon sending, under pressure to the burner head, the resultant emulsion of water, oil and gas.

Description

`-` 10~2586 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

The use of water, in various quantities and forms, as an additive to provide improved combustion of hydrocarbon fuels and waste gases is old.
Such processes have been proposed for various purposes: e.g.
avoiding unsightly smoke from refinery waste-gas flares and improving the economics of home-type oil burner systems. These processes have included adding the water to the combustible as liquid, or as vapor, and in a very broad range of percentages.
Among the U.S. patents illustrative of such processes are those `-which utili~e very high levels of water (U.S.Patent 3,104,311) and very low levels of water ~U.S. Patent 3,862,819). Some patents disclose mixing of the water with the oil (Patent 3,706,942) and some use the water in the form of a vapor catalyst - often injecting the water as vapor. While some of the processes suggested in the art are probably of little value because they use too little or too much water, it may be safely assumed that, when operating at equilibrium, a substantial advantage in some combustion charac-teristics is achieved with many of the processes described in the art.

. . . .
. . :,. .. , ~ : . `. ' r -` 101~2586 . .

1 Nevertheless, substantial problems remain in implementing such processes commercially. The high combustion eff~iciencies to be realized are accompanied by the use of less secondary air, This means that more water of combustion is in a given volume of stack gas and undesirably high dew points are experienced.
Simultaneously, the efficient higll-temperature process in the furnace results in a highly efficient heat transfer in a properly designed furnace. I'his Eurther decreases the amount of waste heat and also tends ~o increase the probability that a stack gas temperature will fall below its dew point.
Even when the dew point is generally maintained at a minimum practical level, any temporary f uctucation in draft conditions can cause serious condensation prob]ems in the heat transfer and stack-gas handling portions of a heating system.
What is required is a dependable, stable means to operate a water-catalyzed combustion process at something approaching a steady state. Problems relating to flame stability, to re-ignition, and even to the usual changes in draft air or in heating loads within a furnace, must be minimized. ~11 this is ideally achieved Witllout sacriEicing any oE the substantial combustion efficiency, which is attainable with H20-promoted combustion.

-lOl~ZS86 SUM~RY OF THE INVENTION:
According to the present invention there is provided a process forburning liquid hydrocarbons at high temperatures within the confines of a combustion chamber, said process comprising the steps of: (i) emulsifying said hydrocarbon with a dispersing fluid; (ii) passing said emulsified fluid under a higher pressure to a burner head and into a furnace at a lower pressure, causing said fluid to expand and disperse said hydrocarbon and (iii) simultaneously providing a water-vapor-bearing atmosphere within which said fluid is expanded, dispersed and burned.
According to the process of the present invention the dispersing fluid may be air or steam. The water-vapor-bearing atmosphere may comprise 3 to 13 % of water-vapor or steam. The water-vapor-bearing atmosphere may comprise a quantity of hydrocarbon fuel which is insufficient to support combustion.
According to the process of the present invention the emulsifying may include the step of intimately contacting some steam, water and a small portion of said fuel in a conditioning zone, effluent from said conditioning zone is then mi~ed with fuel and the resultant mix supplied to the burner head. The quantity of water fed to the conditioning zone may be equal to about 5% of hydrocarbon fuel burned in the process.
In the emulsification of the hydrocarbon, a substantial a unt of water, 5~ to 15~ by weight based on fuel, may be vigorously agitated with the expansion fluid and the fuel to be burned. This is believed to aid the emulsification of the fuel with the expansion fluid. A substantial amount, typically 5% to 20% by weight, of H20 may be contained in the vapor atmosphere into which the emulsified hydrocarbon is expanded and burned. This vapor-bearing atmosphere may be provided around the burner head OT, provided through the burner head, or provided by mixing air from a source proximate to the burner head with H20 which is contained in the dispensing fluid injected through the burner head. The H20 can include both ,` ~ -3-j_ :
.

~o8z586 ~:

steam and water used in the emulsification step.
The combination of extraordinary dispersal of atomization of the hydrocarbon vapor at the burner head and vaporized water provides an extremely efficient, stable flame.

-3a--` iO82586 .
1 Of particular importance, llowever, is the ability to achieve this flame with little, if any, excess oxygen. Consequently, it is believed that any excessive formation of SO3 can be substantially avoided. Also, as those skilled in the art will realize from reading this disclosure, such a highly efficient combustion will minimize the amount of nitrogen which must be heated, will allow highly efficien~ heat exchal-tJe, primarily thL-ough radiation, and allow greatly reduced stack temperatures and, most importantly, provide a process which allows more stability and consequently a more dependable ratio of the selected stack yas temperature.
It is not known precisely why the process exhibits such extraordinary efficiency and stability. It is thought that the gasesous material, e.g. air or steam, is more efficiently,~emulsified when using the vigorous gas/water/llydrocarbon contact step and that this results in an intimately mixed feed which, upon exiting the burner head, disperses with such rapidity to such small droplets that the rate of combustion of the fuel mass being fed to the furnace is achieved with an unusual combination of rapidity and efficiency. The presence of water vapor in the zone into which this rapid combustion takes place is beleived to provide a stabilizing "brake" on the combustion rate, thereby providing a highly efficient and practical process.

.

- ~082S86 It is usually convenient to utilize excess gas from the con-ditioning tank as an atomizing fluid at the burner head.
Normal:Ly such excess gas, be it air or steam or the like, will have p:icked up some fuel in the conditioning tank.
It has been observed that the flame produced by the most efficient use of the process is a vivid greenish color; this color seems to characterize the quality of the more efficient processes operated according to the invention. However, it should be realized advantage is also achieved at temperatures below those at which the green flame is noticed.
It is desirable to preheat the heavier liquid hydro-carbon fuels. In general, it is not necessary to preheat No. 2 oil, and other such less viscous oils, under most temperature conditions. The preheating can be achieved by mix-ing with a heated fluid, such as steam used as a dispersing fluid, or by any other heating means known to the art.
It is also advantageous, in some situations, to utilize the process of the invention in a mode wherein some hydro-carbon fuel is carried into the zone around the burner head in the .p.~, i~
.,~

- ` 108ZS86 water vapor bearing air. Normally, the amount of such fuel will be less than will allow the air to support combustion by itself. Nevertheless, the smaller quantities of hydrocarbon , seem to enhance the quality and stability of the combustion.

ILLUSTR~TIVE EX~MPL~S OF Tll~ It~V~NTION
-In this appLication and accompanying drawi~gs there is shown and descri~ed a preferred embodiment o~ the invention ,-and suggestcd various alternativcs and modi~ications thereof, but is is to be understood that these are not intended to be 10 ~ exhaustive and that other changes and modifications can be made within the scopc of the invention. l'hese suggestions herein are selected and included for,purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art will more fully ~
understand the invention and the principles tllereof and will be able to modify it and embody i,t in a variety of forms, each as may be best suited in the condition of a particular case. -IN Tll~ DI~WINGS . :"i,,,,,, ' Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the fuel conditioning apparatus of the invention;
20 ~'l Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a residence type oil burner system with tlle apparatus of the invention incorpor-ated therein, parts being broken away and in half section, for clarity;
Figure 3 is an enlarge~ fragmentary si~e elevation view 25 "; of thc firin~ Ullit of thc invcntion;
~iyure ~ is a pl~n view;
Figure 5 i5 a side clevation in ha]~ section of the vapor burne1r tip showll in Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the use oF steam 30 l0 as an emulsifying fluid in the process of tlle invention.
Figure 7 is a side view of the burner nozzle shown in Figure 6, '~ looking towards the nozzle from the left side of Figure 6.

1~8ZS~il6 EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus and method of the invention is incorporated into a typical home heating system 30 of the type having an oil tank 31, usually capable of holding about 200 gallons of liquid oil 32, there being an air vent 33 and a filler pipe 34. A fuel line 35 normally extends to a conventional oil burner 36 having a motorized fuel pump 37, a gun, or barrel, 38, and a burner tip 39. Tip 39 emits atomized fuel 41 in a flame of generally conical configuration, 42, into the combus-tion chamber 43 of the hot air, hot water, steam or other type heating unit 44, upon call of thermostats, all in a well known manner.
A pressure tank 45 is interposed in liquid fuel line 35 by means of valves 46 and 47, so that the portion 48 therebetween may be used, if conventional heat is desired, but portion 48 is bypassed when the supplemen-tary heat of the invention is desired. The line portion 48 is shown in dotted lines for clarity in Figure 2. A pressure gauge 49 indicates the pressure within tank 45, the pressure being relatively low and about 5 psi.
The tank 45 includes a top closure 51 sealed around the peripheral flanges 52, by suitable threaded clamps 53 to the bottom, or base, 54.
Tank 45 includes a liquid fuel inlet 55, connected by conduit 56 to valve 46, for receiving oil from tank 31 and a liquid fuel outlet 57 connected by conduit 58 to valve 47 for delivering oil from tank 45 to the burner 36. Tank 45 also includes a water inlet 59 in the lower portion 61 of the tank and a vapor, or fume, outlet 62 in the upper portian, or vapor chamber, 63 of the tank. An air, or vapor, inlet 64 leads from a motorized air pump 65 for feeding pressurized air into the tank 45 to create the desired vapor pressure and turbulence therein. This air is emulsified in the oil and will act as the dispersing fluid therein.
~ater supply means 66 is provided, including the water pipe 67 connected to a source of water under pressure such as the house main 68 and having a normally closed solenoid valve 69 which is opened to admit water ~0825H6 into the lower portion 61 of tank 45 when a signal is received from suitable level sensing means such as a float 71. A pair of electrodes in a circuit including the coil of valve 69 and a source of llO-volt current. A photo cell or any other suitable means may be used to maintain a predetermined level of water in tank 45 to form a layer of water of predetermined thick-ness, or height therein, all in a known manner.
The liquid fuel supply means 75 of the invention included the oil tank 31, fuel lines 35 and 56, valves 46 and 47, liquid inlet port 55, : :
tank 45, liquid outlet port 57, fuel line 58, liquid fuel pump 37 and the burner tip 39.
Automatic liquid fuel control means 76 is provided in the form of a valve 77 opened and closed by a float 78 riding on the layer of oil 79 in the intermediate portion 81 or tank 45, the layer 79 of oil floating on the layer 82 of water in the lower portion 61 of tank 45.

Claims (9)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A process for burning liquid hydrocarbons at high temperatures within the confines of a combustion chamber, said process comprising the steps of:
(i) emulsifying said hydrocarbon with a dispersing fluid;
(ii) passing said emulsified fluid under a higher pressure to a burner head and into a furnace at a lower pressure, causing said fluid to expand and disperse said hydrocarbon; and (iii) simultaneously providing a water-vapor-bearing atmosphere within which said fluid is expanded, dispersed and burned.
2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said dispersing fluid is air.
3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said water vapor-bearing atmosphere comprises three to 13% of water vapor or steam.
4. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said water-vapor-bearing atmosphere comprises a quantity of hydrocarbon fuel which is insufficient to support combustion.
5. A process as defined in claim 3 wherein said water-vapor-bearing atmosphere comprises a quantity of hydrocarbon fuel which is insufficient to support combustion.
6. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said dispersing fluid is steam.
7. A process as defined in claim 6 wherein said water-vapor-bearing atmosphere comprises a quantity of hydrocarbon fuel which is insufficient to support combustion.
8. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said emulsifying includes the step of intimately contacting some steam, water and a small portion of said fuel in a conditioning zone, mixing effluent from said conditioning zone with fuel, and supplying the resultant mix to said burner head.
9. A process as defined in claim 8 wherein said process is operated with a quantity of water fed into said conditioning zone which is equal to about 5% of hydrocarbon fuel burned in said process.
CA270,421A 1976-10-26 1977-01-25 Fuel conditioning apparatus and method Expired CA1082586A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US05/735,635 US4116610A (en) 1975-09-10 1976-10-26 Combustion process
US735,635 1976-10-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1082586A true CA1082586A (en) 1980-07-29

Family

ID=24956592

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA270,421A Expired CA1082586A (en) 1976-10-26 1977-01-25 Fuel conditioning apparatus and method

Country Status (14)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS6046323B2 (en)
AR (1) AR216460A1 (en)
BE (1) BE851393A (en)
BR (1) BR7701012A (en)
CA (1) CA1082586A (en)
CH (1) CH612744A5 (en)
DE (1) DE2706037C2 (en)
ES (1) ES455893A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2369503A1 (en)
GB (1) GB1564081A (en)
IT (1) IT1073258B (en)
MX (1) MX5179E (en)
NL (1) NL7701524A (en)
SE (1) SE433775B (en)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3305162A1 (en) * 1983-02-15 1984-08-16 Wolfgang 8080 Emmering Rußland Process for heat generation
US4475483A (en) * 1983-04-15 1984-10-09 Robinson Barnett J Catalyst delivery system
GB2482863A (en) * 2010-08-16 2012-02-22 Keven Chappell Method And Apparatus For Atomising Oils Or Liquid Fats
CN103395580B (en) * 2013-07-19 2015-08-05 上海嘉麟杰纺织品股份有限公司 A kind of antifreeze bunkerage of intelligentized control method of acetic acid storage drum
CN107327842A (en) * 2017-08-11 2017-11-07 郭汉荣 A kind of intelligent fuel vaporization safe combustion system and fuel gasification combustion method

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE550974A (en) *
US2033010A (en) * 1930-02-04 1936-03-03 Gas Fuel Corp Process of burning emulsified compounds
US3104311A (en) * 1957-03-29 1963-09-17 Julie Res Lab Inc Precision resistance apparatus and methods of making
US3706942A (en) * 1970-07-17 1972-12-19 United Aircraft Corp Pulsed hydrogen fluoride laser
JPS5049741A (en) * 1973-09-03 1975-05-02
JPS5058638A (en) * 1973-09-27 1975-05-21
AR208304A1 (en) * 1974-01-02 1976-12-20 Wentworth F A METHOD FOR ADDING WATER VAPOR TO THE COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE IN A COMBUSTION APPARATUS THAT HAS FORCED AIR INTAKE AND A APPARATUS TO CARRY OUT THE METHOD
US3958915A (en) * 1974-02-15 1976-05-25 The Toyo Rubber Industry Co., Ltd. Method of burning emulsion oils

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2369503B1 (en) 1983-09-23
SE7701078L (en) 1978-04-27
NL7701524A (en) 1978-04-28
DE2706037C2 (en) 1984-11-29
ES455893A1 (en) 1978-09-01
IT1073258B (en) 1985-04-13
BE851393A (en) 1977-08-16
DE2706037A1 (en) 1978-04-27
MX5179E (en) 1983-04-21
JPS6046323B2 (en) 1985-10-15
GB1564081A (en) 1980-04-02
JPS5384233A (en) 1978-07-25
FR2369503A1 (en) 1978-05-26
SE433775B (en) 1984-06-12
BR7701012A (en) 1978-05-02
AR216460A1 (en) 1979-12-28
CH612744A5 (en) 1979-08-15

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