Cyclone combustion apparatus

Claim 2

A cyclone combustion apparatus comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical wall having an inner surface; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith, for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of said inner surface; means for supplying fuel into said combustion chamber, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into said combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot gases for combustion within said chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; and heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of said combustion chamber.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selected angle is from about 20° to about 60°.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the air inlet of the air plenum chamber is substantially tangential to said plenum chamber and the annular air supply opening has an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the inner surface of the combustion chamber wall.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a substantially cylindrical cooling chamber extending axially beyond the exit throat from the rear end of the combustion chamber and substantially longitudinally aligned with the combustion chamber.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber, the exit throat and the annular air supply opening are dimensioned and configured to effect a cyclonic flow pattern in the combustion chamber having a Swirl number of at least 0.6 and a Reynolds number of at least 18,000.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange means is operative to provide a flame temperature in the combustion chamber that is less than about 2000° F.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a secondary tangential air inlet in the wall of the combustion chamber intermediate its ends for supplying secondary air into said combustion chamber.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for supplying steam into the combustion chamber for reducing the concentration of NO x .

Claim 10

A cyclone combustion apparatus for a firetube boiler, comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending wall having an inner surface, the combustion chamber comprising a portion of the boiler firetube; means for supplying fuel into the combustion chamber from the front end thereof, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into the combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot gases for combustion within said chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner surface of the chamber wall; and heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of the combustion chamber and for absorbing heat from the hot gases exhausted from said exit throat, the heat exchange means including an outer shell surrounding said combustion chamber, a plurality of spaced gas tubes disposed between said outer shell and the combustion chamber for conducting hot gases from the combustion chamber and a space within the shell exterior of the gas tubes and the combustion chamber for containing a cooling fluid.

Claim 11

A cyclone combustion apparatus for a firetube boiler, comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending wall having an inner surface, the combustion chamber comprising a portion of the boiler firetube; means for supplying fuel into the combustion chamber from the front end thereof, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into the combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot gases for combustion within said chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner surface of the chamber wall; and heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of the combustion chamber and for absorbing heat from the hot gases exhausted from said exit throat, the heat exchange means including an outer shell surrounding said combustion chamber, a plurality of spaced gas tubes disposed between said outer shell and the combustion chamber for conducting hot gases from the combustion chamber and a space within the shell exterior of the gas tubes and the combustion chamber for containing a cooling fluid.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 including a substantially cylindrical cooling chamber extending axially beyond the exit throat from the rear of the combustion chamber and substantially longitudinally aligned with the combustion chamber, said exhaust portion also being surrounded by said outer shell, said plurality of spaced gas tubes and said space for containing cooling fluid.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of gas tubes includes a first and second plurality of gas tubes extending parallel to the axis of said combustion chamber, said first plurality of gas tubes being in communication at one end with an end of the exhaust portion and at the opposite end with one end of the second plurality of tubes, said second plurality being in communication at the other end with an exhaust flue for exhausting the gases within the tubes.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality of gas tubes extend parallel to the axis of said combustion chamber, said plurality of gas tubes being in communication at one end with an end of the cooling chamber and at the other end with an exhaust flue for exhausting the gases within the tubes.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the heat exchange means includes means for directing the flow of hot gases from the cylindrical cooling chamber through the gas tubes.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the gas tubes of the heat exchange means longitudinally extend parallel to the axes of the combustion chamber and the substantially cylindrical cooling chamber.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for supplying steam into the combustion chamber for reducing the concentration of NO x .

Claim 18

A cyclone combustion apparatus for a water tube boiler comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending wall having an inner surface, said combustion chamber comprising a portion of the boiler water tube; means for supplying fuel into said combustion chamber from the front end thereof, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into said combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot games for combustion within said combustion chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner surface of the combustion chamber wall; heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of the combustion chamber, the heat exchange means including a steam drum longitudinally extending parallel to and above said combustion chamber, a header longitudinally extending parallel to and below said combustion chamber, a plurality of tubes connecting said header and steam drum, said tubes being integral with said combustion chamber wall along the length of said combustion chamber on opposite sides of said chamber, said tubes filled with cooling fluid for absorbing heat from said chamber to produce steam that is exhausted from said steam drum.

Claim 19

A cyclone combustion apparatus for a water tube boiler comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending wall having an inner surface, said combustion chamber comprising a portion of the boiler water tube; means for supplying fuel into said combustion chamber from the front end thereof, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into said combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot games for combustion within said combustion chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner surface of the combustion chamber wall; heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of the combustion chamber, the heat exchange means including a steam drum longitudinally extending parallel to and above said combustion chamber, a header longitudinally extending parallel to and below said combustion chamber, a plurality of tubes connecting said header and steam drum, said tubes being integral with said combustion chamber wall along the length of said combustion chamber on opposite sides of said chamber, said tubes filled with cooling fluid for absorbing heat from said chamber to produce steam that is exhausted from said steam drum.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 including a substantially cylindrical cooling chamber extending from the rear of the combustion chamber and substantially longitudinally aligned with the combustion chamber.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the steam drum, the header and the plurality of connecting tubes extend throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber and the substantially aligned cylindrical cooling chamber, and said tubes contiguously form the walls of said combustion chamber and of said substantially cylindrical cooling chamber for absorbing heat from said combustion chamber and cooling chamber.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the steam drum, the header and the plurality of semicircular connecting tubes extend throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber and the substantially aligned cylindrical cooling chamber, and the tubes are spaced from or close to each other and integral with the combustion chamber wall and cooling chamber wall for absorbing heat therefrom.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a plurality of spaced gas tubes extending in an interior portion of the steam drum along the axial length of the steam drum for conducting hot gases from the exhaust portion, said gas tubes being surrounded by cooling fluid and steam in said steam drum, said gas tubes each having a first end in communication with an end of the exhaust portion and having an opposite second end in communication with an exhaust flue for exhausting the gases within the gas tubes.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a secondary air inlet in the wall of said combustion chamber intermediate said front and rear ends for supplying secondary air to said combustion chamber.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for supplying steam into the combustion chamber for reducing the concentration of NO x .

Claim 26

A cyclone combustion apparatus for a boiler comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending wall having an inner and an outer surface, said combustion chamber comprising a portion of the boiler; means for supplying fuel into said combustion chamber from the front end thereof, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into said combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot gases for combustion within said combustion chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner surface of the combustion chamber wall; heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of the combustion chamber, the heat exchange means including a steam drum longitudinally extending parallel to and above said combustion chamber, a jacket spaced from and surrounding said combustion chamber wall, said jacket and combustion chamber wall defining an annular cooling chamber filled with cooling fluid for absorbing heat from said chamber, a plurality of connecting pipes connecting said steam drum with said annular cooling chamber, said connecting pipes spaced from each other above and along the axial length of said combustion chamber, and a plurality of recirculating pipes connecting said steam drum with said annular cooling chamber at said combustion chamber bottom.

Claim 27

A cyclone combustion apparatus for a boiler comprising: a combustion chamber having a front end, a rear end and a substantially cylindrical longitudinally extending wall having an inner and an outer surface, said combustion chamber comprising a portion of the boiler; means for supplying fuel into said combustion chamber from the front end thereof, said fuel supplying means including a fuel plenum chamber having a fuel inlet and a plurality of radially spaced fuel holes; means for supplying air into said combustion chamber and for forming a cyclonic flow pattern of hot gases for combustion within said combustion chamber, said air supplying means including an air plenum chamber fixed on the front end of the combustion chamber, said air plenum chamber having an air inlet and an annular air supply opening in communication with and coaxial with the combustion chamber, said annular air supply opening having spaced radial vanes tilted at a selected angle from the axis of said combustion chamber to effect cyclonic air swirling in the combustion chamber, the fuel holes supplying fuel in the annular air supply opening between the spaced radial vanes; a substantially cylindrical exit throat at the rear end of the combustion chamber and aligned substantially concentrically therewith for exhausting hot gases from the combustion chamber, the exit throat having a diameter less than the diameter of the inner surface of the combustion chamber wall; heat exchange means surrounding and extending substantially throughout the axial length of the combustion chamber for cooling the wall of the combustion chamber, the heat exchange means including a steam drum longitudinally extending parallel to and above said combustion chamber, a jacket spaced from and surrounding said combustion chamber wall, said jacket and combustion chamber wall defining an annular cooling chamber filled with cooling fluid for absorbing heat from said chamber, a plurality of connecting pipes connecting said steam drum with said annular cooling chamber, said connecting pipes spaced from each other above and along the axial length of said combustion chamber, and a plurality of recirculating pipes connecting said steam drum with said annular cooling chamber at said combustion chamber bottom.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 23 including a substantially cylindrical cooling chamber extending from the rear of the combustion chamber and substantially longitudinally aligned with the combustion chamber.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said steam drum, said jacket and said connecting pipes extend throughout the axial length of said combustion chamber and said substantially aligned cylindrical cooling chamber for absorbing heat therefrom.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising a tangential air inlet in said exit throat for supplying secondary air to said exit throat.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising a secondary air inlet in the wall of said combustion chamber intermediate said front and rear ends for supplying secondary air to said combustion chamber.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising means for supplying steam into the combustion chamber for reducing the concentration of NO x .