Boiler

Claim 2

In a boiler in which hot gases are generated by combustion within a liquid carrying drum, the hot gases being directed over the outside of the drum transversely in directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, the improvement comprising a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the drum, each of said fins extending around the entire circumference of the drum so as to form substantially a circle and comprising an elongated element of substantially uniform cross section mounted so as to be substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the drum and having at least one flat edge in contact with the outer surface of the drum over substantially the entire length of the fin.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 above, wherein the fins comprise a strip which is helically disposed on the outside of the drum.

Claim 4

In a boiler in which hot gases are generated by combustion within a liquid carrying drum, the hot gases being directed onto the outside of the drum, the improvement comprising a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the drum, each of said fins extending around the entire circumference of the drum, and baffle means having at least one curved element mounted on the outside of the fins at one end thereof and spaced apart from the fins at the other end thereof to cause the hot gases to converge on the fins and the outside of the drum.

Claim 5

In a boiler in which hot gases are generated by combustion within a liquid carrying drum, the hot gases being directed onto the outside of the drum, the improvement comprising a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the drum, each of said fins extending around the entire circumference of the drum, and baffle means having at least one curved element mounted on the outside of the fins at one end thereof and spaced apart from the fins at the other end thereof to cause the hot gases to converge on the fins and the outside of the drum.

Claim 6

A boiler comprising the combination of a generally cylindrical vessel having opposite enclosed ends and including means for receiving a liquid to be heated therein and means for allowing vapors formed within to pass out of the vessel, means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel so as to flow over the outside surface of the vessel in directions generally normal to the direction of elongation of the vessel, and a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the vessel, each fin encircling substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical vessel so as to facilitate heat transfer between the hot gases and the inside of the vessel and comprising an elongated strip of uniform rectangular cross section defined by a pair of opposite broad surfaces and a pair of opposite narrow surfaces, each fin being mounted on the vessel so that the broad surfaces are perpendicular to the outside surface of the vessel and one of the narrow surfaces is in contact with the outside surface of the vessel over substantially the entire length of the fin.

Claim 7

A boiler comprising the combination of a generally cylindrical vessel having opposite enclosed ends and including means for receiving a liquid to be heated therein and means for allowing vapors formed within to pass out of the vessel, means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel so as to flow over the outside surface of the vessel in directions generally normal to the direction of elongation of the vessel, and a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the vessel, each fin encircling substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical vessel so as to facilitate heat transfer between the hot gases and the inside of the vessel and comprising an elongated strip of uniform rectangular cross section defined by a pair of opposite broad surfaces and a pair of opposite narrow surfaces, each fin being mounted on the vessel so that the broad surfaces are perpendicular to the outside surface of the vessel and one of the narrow surfaces is in contact with the outside surface of the vessel over substantially the entire length of the fin.

Claim 8

A boiler comprising the combinatIon of a generally cylindrical vessel having opposite enclosed ends and including means for receiving a liquid to be heated therein and means for allowing vapors formed within to pass out of the vessel, means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel, a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the vessel, each fin encircling substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical vessel so as to facilitate heat transfer between the hot gases and the inside of the vessel, and at least one baffle comprising a flat element being curved so as to converge on the fins from locations spaced outwardly from the fins.

Claim 9

A boiler comprising the combinatIon of a generally cylindrical vessel having opposite enclosed ends and including means for receiving a liquid to be heated therein and means for allowing vapors formed within to pass out of the vessel, means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel, a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the vessel, each fin encircling substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical vessel so as to facilitate heat transfer between the hot gases and the inside of the vessel, and at least one baffle comprising a flat element being curved so as to converge on the fins from locations spaced outwardly from the fins.

Claim 10

A boiler comprising the combination of a generally cylindrical vessel having opposite enclosed ends and including means for receiving a liquid to be heated therein and means for allowing vapors formed within to pass out of the vessel, means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel, a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the vessel, each fin encircling substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical vessel so as to facilitate heat transfer between the hot gases and the inside of the vessel, and means for directing the hot gases onto the outside of the vessel in at least two substantially opposite directions.

Claim 11

A boiler comprising the combination of a generally cylindrical vessel having opposite enclosed ends and including means for receiving a liquid to be heated therein and means for allowing vapors formed within to pass out of the vessel, means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel, a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the vessel, each fin encircling substantially the entire circumference of the generally cylindrical vessel so as to facilitate heat transfer between the hot gases and the inside of the vessel, and means for directing the hot gases onto the outside of the vessel in at least two substantially opposite directions.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 6 above, wherein each of the at least two substantially opposite directions is generally normal to the axis of elongation of the generally cylindrical vessel.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 7 above, wherein the means for directing hot gases onto the outside of the vessel includes tube means disposed within the vessel for generating the hot gases from combustion therein and means coupled to the tube means for directing the hot gases onto the outside of the vessel in a first direction generally normal to the axis of elongation of the generally cylindrical vessel, and the means for directing the hot gases onto the outside of the vessel in at least two substantially opposite directions includes means for directing the hot gases onto the outside of the vessel in a second direction opposite the first direction and generally normal to the axis of elongation of the generally cylindrical vessel and means for directing the hot gases onto the outside of the vessel in a third direction the same as the first direction and generally normal to the axis of elongation of the generally cylindrical vessel.

Claim 14

In a boiler in which hot gases are directed onto the outside of an elongated drum to heat liquid contained within the drum, the improvement comprising means for directing the hot gases through successive different passes over the outside of the drum, each of said passes comprising simultaneous flow of the gases around opposite sides of the drum in directions generally perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the drum through substantially the entire transverse dimension of the drum.

Claim 15

In a boiler in which hot gases are directed onto the outside of an elongated drum to heat liquid contained within the drum, the improvement comprising means for directing the hot gases through successive different passes over the outside of the drum, each of said passes comprising simultaneous flow of the gases around opposite sides of the drum in directions generally perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the drum through substantially the entire transverse dimension of the drum.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 9 above, wherein the directions of each successive pair of passes are generally opposite one another.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 9 above, further including a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of and encircling the elongated drum in a generally transverse direction, the fins being generally parallel to the directions of the successive different passes.

Claim 18

The invention defined in claim 9 above, wherein the means for directing includes means for providing a flow path for the hot gases having an area which decreases with each successive different pass.

Claim 19

The invention defined in claim 9 above, wherein the means for directing includes means associated with each pass for decreasing the area of a flow path for the hot gases through the pass.

Claim 20

The invention defined in claim 10 above, further including a housing surrounding and enclosing at least a part of the elongated drum, and partition means extending between the inside of the housing and the outside of the elongated drum to define a plurality of chambers, each Of the chambers being operative to receive and direct hot gases through one of said passes over the outside of the drum.

Claim 21

The invention defined in claim 14 above, wherein the lengths of the chambers decrease with each different succeeding pass contained therein so as to provide a flow path of continually decreasing area for the hot gases.

Claim 22

The invention defined in claim 15 above, further including baffle means disposed within each chamber, said baffle means extending from a location spaced outwardly from the drum and the fins at one end thereof adjacent one end of the associated chamber where hot flue gases enter the chamber to a location adjacent the drum and the fins at the other end thereof to provide a flow path of decreasing area for the hot gases and to cause the hot gases to converge on the outside of the drum.

Claim 23

The invention defined in claim 16 above, wherein the distance between said one end of each baffle means and the drum decreases with each succeeding chamber and the pass contained therein.

Claim 24

A boiler comprising the combination of: an elongated, generally cylindrical drum having opposite closed ends; a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the drum so as to extend around the drum in a circumferential direction, the fins being spaced apart from one another along an axis of elongation of the drum; a housing surrounding and enclosing at least a part of the drum; a furnace tube mounted within and having opposite ends disposed adjacent the opposite closed ends of the drum; burner means coupled to one of the opposite ends of the furnace tube for generating hot gases within the furnace tube, the path of the hot gases through the furnace tube defining a first pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum; and partition means extending between the inside of the housing and the drum to define three separate chambers, a first such chamber receiving the hot gases from the other one of the opposite ends of the furnace tube and directing the hot gases over the outside of the drum in directions normal to the axis of elongation of the drum to define a second pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum, the second such chamber receiving the hot gases from the first chamber and directing them over the outside of the drum in directions normal to the axis of elongation of the drum but opposite the directions of the second pass to define a third pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum, and the third such chamber receiving the hot gases from the second chamber and directing them over the outside of the drum in directions normal to the axis of elongation of the drum and parallel to the directions of the first pass to define a fourth pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum.

Claim 25

A boiler comprising the combination of: an elongated, generally cylindrical drum having opposite closed ends; a plurality of fins mounted on the outside of the drum so as to extend around the drum in a circumferential direction, the fins being spaced apart from one another along an axis of elongation of the drum; a housing surrounding and enclosing at least a part of the drum; a furnace tube mounted within and having opposite ends disposed adjacent the opposite closed ends of the drum; burner means coupled to one of the opposite ends of the furnace tube for generating hot gases within the furnace tube, the path of the hot gases through the furnace tube defining a first pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum; and partition means extending between the inside of the housing and the drum to define three separate chambers, a first such chamber receiving the hot gases from the other one of the opposite ends of the furnace tube and directing the hot gases over the outside of the drum in directions normal to the axis of elongation of the drum to define a second pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum, the second such chamber receiving the hot gases from the first chamber and directing them over the outside of the drum in directions normal to the axis of elongation of the drum but opposite the directions of the second pass to define a third pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum, and the third such chamber receiving the hot gases from the second chamber and directing them over the outside of the drum in directions normal to the axis of elongation of the drum and parallel to the directions of the first pass to define a fourth pass of the hot gases relative to a liquid to be heated within the drum.

Claim 26

The invention defined in claim 18 above, further including baffle means within at least one of the chambers, the baffle means comprising at least one curved element which extends from a location spaced apart from the drum onto the fins.

Claim 27

The invention defined in claim 19 above, wherein the drum is disposed with its axis of elongation generally horizontal, the first and third chambers direct the hot gases upwardly around opposite sides of the drum, the second chamber directs the hot gases downwardly around opposite sides of the drum, the lengths of the first, second and third chambers and included baffle means in the direction of the axis of elongation of the drum are such that the lengths of the first chamber and included baffle means are greater than the lengths of the second chamber and included baffle means which are greater than the lengths of the third chamber and included baffle means, and the distance between the curved element comprising the baffle means and the drum is greater within the first chamber than within the second chamber which is greater than within the third chamber.