US3832121A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fuel injector for blast furnace
Assignee: Arcelor Luxembourg SA
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Filing: 1973-01-29
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Granted: 1974-08-27
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Expires: 1993-01-29
Abstract
Abstract An injector for a combustible mixture, to be discharged across the tuyeres of a blast furnace, has an inner tube for the passage of a stream of liquid fuel and an outer tube traversed by a flow of oxidizing gas (air or oxygen) under pressure, the fuel stream passing through an obliquely perforated insert which directs it along helicoidal paths onto the peripheral tube wall to form a layer progressing toward the discharge end of the injector. Between that discharge end and the insert, the fuel layer is subjected to radially outwardly acting pressure from a gas, which may be branched off the surrounding flow of oxidizing gas, admitted generally tangentially into the inner tube through a set of nozzles extending skew to the tube axis, thereby reducing the thickness of the fuel layer. The surrounding gas flow, also set in swirling motion by passing through a fluted or perforated ring, impinges upon this thinned fuel layer at the discharge end and atomizes it. The exit speed of the fuel stream may be increased by disposing an inwardly pointing axial cone in the discharge end of the inner tube, leaving a narrow annular channel through which the fuel and its entraining gas pass into contact with the surrounding gas flow exiting through a narrow gap between the tubes.
Inventors
- 👤 P Metz
- 👤 V Koch
- 👤 R Schockmel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:12
CPC Classifications
C; C21; C21B; C21B7/00; C21B7/16; C21B5/00; C21B5/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a rotating peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end opening into said tube at a location inward of the inner boundary of said layer for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means terminating at said discharge end for training a second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a rotating peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end opening into said tube at a location inward of the inner boundary of said layer for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means terminating at said discharge end for training a second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit means forms an annular gap, converging on the tube axis, around said discharge end for training said second flow of gas at an acute angle onto the exiting fuel/gas stream.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 2 wherein said conduit means forms a jacket around said tube, said second flow of gas passing through an annular duct between said tube and said jacket to said gap.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 3 wherein said feed means comprises a set of nozzles traversing said tube wall and communicating with said annular duct, said first flow of gas being branched off said second flow of gas by said nozzles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 3, further comprising flow-guiding means in said space for imparting a swirling motion to said second flow of gas ahead of said gap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 3 wherein said tube and said jacket are relatively axially adjustable for varying the effective width of said gap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 3, further comprising an axially inwardly pointing cone at said discharge end for dEfining with said tube a constricted exit channel for said fuel/gas stream in the vicinity of said gap.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
213 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; a set of nozzles traversing said tube wall between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of the second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training a second flow of gas at an acute angle upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith, said nozzles communicating with said annular duct for branching said first flow of gas off said second flow of gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
213 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; a set of nozzles traversing said tube wall between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of the second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training a second flow of gas at an acute angle upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith, said nozzles communicating with said annular duct for branching said first flow of gas off said second flow of gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 8 wherein said nozzles are skew to the tube axis for imparting a generally helicoidal motion to said first flow of gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
203 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of a second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training said second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith; and flow-guiding means in said space for imparting a swirling motion to said second flow of gas ahead of said gap.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
203 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of a second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training said second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith; and flow-guiding means in said space for imparting a swirling motion to said second flow of gas ahead of said gap.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 10 wherein said guide means comprises an insert in said tube with perforations skew to the tube axis for imparting a generally helicoidal motion codirectional with said swirling motion to said layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
200 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of a second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training said second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith, said tube and Said jacket being relatively axially adjustable for varying the effective width of said gap.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
200 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of a second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training said second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith, said tube and Said jacket being relatively axially adjustable for varying the effective width of said gap.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
215 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of a second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training said second flow of gas at an acute angle upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith; and an axially inwardly pointing cone at said discharge end for defining with said tube a constricted exit channel for said fuel/gas stream in the vicinity of said tap.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
215 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; guide means in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end; feed means between said guide means and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; conduit means forming a jacket around said tube and defining therewith an annular duct for the conveyance of a second flow of gas to said discharge end, said jacket forming around said discharge end an annular gap converging on the tube axis for training said second flow of gas at an acute angle upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith; and an axially inwardly pointing cone at said discharge end for defining with said tube a constricted exit channel for said fuel/gas stream in the vicinity of said tap.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 13 wherein said cone is connected with said tube by radial ribs inclined to help set said fuel/gas stream in rotation about the tube axis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
A fuel injector as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises an insert in said tube with a flat, smooth upstream face confronting the entering fuel stream and with a set of perforations skew to the tube axis for imparting a generally helicoidal motion to said layer.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of generating a combustible mixture for injection into a blast furnace, comprising the steps of: feeding a stream of liquid fuel through a tube; distributing said stream as a rotating peripheral layer on the inner wall surface of said tube; flattening said layer by admitting a first gas flow into said tube at a location inward of the inner boundary of said layer with a radially outward pressure component and with a velocity component directed toward an exit end of the tube for entrainment of said layer toward same; and admixing an oxidizing second gas flow at said exit end with the resulting fuel/gas stream for dispersing the fuel in the accompanying gas.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of generating a combustible mixture for injection into a blast furnace, comprising the steps of: feeding a stream of liquid fuel through a tube; distributing said stream as a rotating peripheral layer on the inner wall surface of said tube; flattening said layer by admitting a first gas flow into said tube at a location inward of the inner boundary of said layer with a radially outward pressure component and with a velocity component directed toward an exit end of the tube for entrainment of said layer toward same; and admixing an oxidizing second gas flow at said exit end with the resulting fuel/gas stream for dispersing the fuel in the accompanying gas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 16 wherein said first and second gas flows are under a pressure on the order of several atmospheres gauge.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 16 wherein said first and second gas flows are of the same composition.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as defined in claim 16 wherein said liquid fuel is preheated before entering said tube.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
182 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; an insert in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end, said insert being provided with a flat, smooth upstream face confronting the entering fuel stream and with a set of perforations skew to the tube axis for imparting a generally helicoidal motion to said layer; feed means between said insert and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means terminating at said discharge end for training a second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
182 words
A fuel injector for a blast furnace, comprising: a tube provided with a discharge end and connected at its opposite end to a supply of liquid fuel to be atomized; an insert in said tube directing an entering stream of said fuel toward the tube wall as a peripheral layer progressing toward said discharge end, said insert being provided with a flat, smooth upstream face confronting the entering fuel stream and with a set of perforations skew to the tube axis for imparting a generally helicoidal motion to said layer; feed means between said insert and said discharge end for admitting into said tube a first flow of gas with a velocity component toward said discharge end and with exertion of radially outward pressure upon said layer to reduce the thickness thereof; and conduit means terminating at said discharge end for training a second flow of gas upon the fuel layer entrained by said first flow and exiting from said inner tube, at least said second flow of gas being of oxidizing character, thereby dispersing the fuel in the gas admixed therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-26 | 1978-02-25 | 1978-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-26 | 1982-02-25 | 1982-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-26 | 1986-02-25 | 1986-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |