Abstract:
Apparatus for aeration of water for reduction of the biological oxygen demand, which comprises a cylindrical vessel with vertical axis of selected cross-sectional area and height. A horizontal dividing wall is positioned near the bottom of the vessel. Water enters into the space below the dividing wall and passes upwardly through a plurality of narrow slots spaced equally from each other. An air manifold is provided including a plurality of small diameter pipes, or arms, each of which is positioned over one of the slots in the dividing wall. A plurality of small diameter orifices are drilled on the underside of the arms, divided substantially equally on each side of the center line, so that as the water rises it is immediately contacted by the air bubbles, which issue through these orifices. The air bubbles and liquid would rise in a column above the arms. Near the top of the chamber is a horizontal baffle plate, which has an annular space between its outer circumference and the inner wall of the tank. The air and water flow through the annular space, and radially inwardly, where the air disengages from the liquid, and flows upwardly through an axial pipe, while the liquid flows downwardly through an axial pipe.
Abstract:
A system for creating an alarm whenever the pressure inside of a combustion furnace is higher than atmospheric pressure. The system uses a pressure reference comprising a chamber which is designed to average out momentary wind-induced fluctuations of pressure in the atmosphere and to provide a substantial volume of air inside the chamber which is maintained at an average value of atmospheric pressure. A conduit is passed through the wall of the furnace to the point under the furnace arch where the pressure is to be measured. This conduit is connected by a tubing to the chamber. A temperature sensing means is inserted in the conduit so as to measure the temperature of gas flowing through the tubing from, or to, the furnace. Normally, because of the draft in the furnace, air will flow from the chamber to the furnace. Whenever the pressure in the furnace is greater than atmospheric, hot furnace gases will flow in the reverse direction and the temperature sensor will indicate this flow and cause an appropriate alarm or alarms.
Abstract:
An improved burner head for a flare stack for the smokeless combustion of waste combustible gases which comprises an outer and an inner cylindrical conduit, a burner comprising a multiplicity of radial arms attached to the inner cylinder, which is closed off at the top. Means are provided for producing an upward flow of primary combustion air at substantial velocity to flow up the annular space between the inner and outer cylinders and between the radial arms of the burner. Means are provided for conducting the combustible gases upwardly through the inner cylinder and through ports arranged along the radial arms to provide jets of gas directed upwardly and laterally from the arms, so that the jets of gas will turbulently mix with the primary combustion air. A plurality of triangular baffles are positioned symmetrically between each pair of radial arms. The baffles are attached as by welding to the inner top edge of the outer cylinder, leaving a plurality of narrow spaces between the edges of the baffles and the arms for the flow of primary air. The upward flow of primary air is at high velocity, causing an induction of secondary air along the edges of the narrow spaces between the arms, the baffles, and the outer cylinder.
Abstract:
A flare for the burning of waste gases which is designed to provide a minimum of noise and smoke pollution, comprising a vertical stack having a shroud in the form of a cylinder surrounding, and spaced outwardly from, the top portion of the stack, and extending above the top of the stack. The space between the shroud and the stack is closed off by an annular plate which serves to support the shroud from the stack. At the top of the shroud is a steam manifold which carries a plurality of steam nozzles spaced angularly around the inner face of the manifold, so as to direct high velocity steam jets inwardly and upwardly toward the axis of the stack. The nozzles are placed on the inner face of the manifold so as to be substantially below and inside of the outer contour of the manifold and the shroud. The outer circumference of the shroud near its bottom end is perforated with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings through which air can pass to the annular space between the shroud and the stack. The upwardly moving air mixes with the gas flowing up the stack, and burns in the wind-protected zone above the top of the stack, and below the top of the steam manifold. Above the top of the steam manifold the jets of steam driving into the rising column of burning gas carry in combustion air and throughly agitate and mix the combustion air, the steam, and the burning gas.
Abstract:
An air powered flare in which the blower or fan which provides the primary combustion air, is driven by a steam turbine, and the exhaust steam from the turbine is inserted into the stack to be mixed with the compressed primary air moving upwardly to a burner at the top of the flare stack. The mixture of low pressure steam and condensate in the exhaust from the turbine with the primary air serves to chemically improve the combustion of the fuel issuing from the burner, so as to facilitate its complete and smokeless combustion. Alternatively, it is possible to inject live steam into the column of primary combustion air in addition to or in place of the exhaust steam. Further, the live steam, and/or the exhaust steam can be ejected from nozzles surrounding the top of the flare stack and injected directly into the flame above the burner at the top of the flare stack.
Abstract:
This invention describes a furnace system for the reduction of nitrogen oxide containing gases which utilizes a two-chambered refractory lined furnace. Fuel gas and stoichiometric air is introduced into the first chamber to provide an ambient temperature sufficient for the reaction of steam and hydrocarbon gases which are introduced into the first chamber to provide a reducing atmosphere. The nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.x) containing gases are also introduced into the first chamber where the NO.sub.x is reduced. The gases then pass into the second chamber where they are rapidly cooled to a temperature below that at which there is thermo-regeneration of nitrogen oxides. Additional air is supplied to the second chamber for the combustion of combustible gases remaining therein after reduction, care being taken that the temperature never rises above the temperature at which there is substantial regeneration of nitrogen oxides.
Abstract:
Apparatus to burn liquid fuels in a gaseous fuel burner, which includes preparatory apparatus for the atomization of liquid fuel oil preferably by steam, and the heating of the fuel droplets and steam so as to completely vaporize the liquid fuel. If atomization is by other means, steam is added prior to vaporization heating. The resulting oil vapor-steam mixture then goes to a burner which utilizes the central orifice of a conventional gas burner, plus an annular orifice concentric with the gas orifice, through which steam is supplied. Primary air is induced into the burner tube due to the high velocity jets of steam and of oil vapor-steam. The steam protects the hot vapor from the air until the combination issues from the end of the burner tube. For the use of gaseous fuel, the same burner is utilized except that the steam flow is turned off since the steam is not needed for the induction of the primary air, due to the higher velocity of the jets of gas.
Abstract:
Apparatus for improved recovery of heat from combustion gases in the convection section of a furnace by improved radiant heat transfer. Thin strips of selected metals are arrayed and supported on the fluid carrying pipes in the furnace, in such a way that interference to the vertical flow of combustion gases is held to a minimum. The metal strips are heated by flow parallel to their surfaces of the combustion gases. Heat is radiated from the metal strips to the pipes with a consequent increase of heat transfer to the fluid within the pipes.
Abstract:
A flame arrester having a rectangular housing of internal width W, length L and heighth H filled with a plurality of contiguous convoluted planar laminae. Each lamina is comprised of a thin sheet of metal formed with a plurality of spaced parallel shallow channels of selected depth D. As the laminae are placed in the housing in parallel contiguous contact to fill the cross-section of the housing, there will be a great plurality of narrow slots of width D through which the gas will pass to the flame area. Means may be provided in the form of shallow protrusions of heighth D pressed into the metal in the flat areas of the sheet in order to insure that the spacing between sheets at all points is close to the value D.