US1683577A - Recuperator - Google Patents

Description

sepr.-y v4, 192s.

R. C. HOPKINS RECUPERATOR `Filed N'ov. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 4, 192.8. l 1,683,577

R. c. HOPKINS RECUPERATOR Filed Nov. 21, 1925 SheetS-She'et 2 l l A l l ll Il 7 l I: l1 5 L SRM nur:

CTI

terior ot the recuperator drum,

Patented Sept. 4, 19287.

UNIT En-f STATES Application `tiled. November The invention relates to oil or gas fired steam boilers and more particularly to means for heating an air blastftor the oil or lgas burnerby waste heat `from the boiler;V

The object oi' the invention is to provide a recuperator drum within the smoke box of a boiler having tubes therethrough permitting the waste heat from the boiler to pass through the tubes and around the outside oi:l the drum, air under pressure.beingfforced t-hrough theV drum, around the heated tubes and then to the burner.

An embodiment of theinvention is illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a verticalsteam boiler showing the improved recuperator mounted therein;

Fig. 2, a sectional view ot a portion of a horizontal steam boiler showing the recuperator therein, and

Fig. 3, a plan view of the recuperator.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

The improved recuperator may be applied to either .vertical or horizontal boilers and, as illustrated in the drawings, the boilers are of the re tube type, although the recuperator is equally adapted tor use upon other types of boilers.

In Figure l is illust-rated a conventional form of vertical boiler having the fire box 1 into which is extended a burner 2 which may be of any desired construction.

The flame and products of combustion pass upward through the ire tubes 3 in the usual manner and into the smoke box t which is provided with the usual stack 5.

The recuperator to which the invention pertains is in the form ot a hollow metal drum having the eylindricalfside wall 6 and the upper and lower-heads 7 a plurality of tubes 8, open at'both ends,rbeing located through the drum and connected in any suitable ma-nner to the heads thereof.

An inlet pipe 9 communicates with the inbeing pref-V erably located tangentially to the drum and communicating Vwith the lower portion thereof, this pipe beingv connected with a tan or other suitable apparatus for producing an air blast. y i

An outlet pipel() communicates with the upper portion of the recuperator drum, preferably at a tangent thereto and upon the opposite aile et the Vdrum trein, the inlet pipe,

Bonner c. HOPKINS,

vPATENTiFHE*ril nncurnaafron. i

21, 1925. serial no. 70,546.

thisoutlet pipe leading tothe burnerv2,ito

which oii or similar fuel is conducted asby the supply pipe Il.

Although 1t is preferable toprovide tubes 8, or other means for `furnishing" extra heating surface within the drum, these tubes may, if desired, be dispensed with, the drum being heated entirely from its exterior bv the waste heat passing` upward through the smoke box, from the tire tubes, and around the drum. l Y g By locating the recuperator drum within the smoke box and close to the boiler tubes the maximum waste heat from the boiler Will be utilized in heating the drum, as itpasses around the same and through the tubes.

The air blast which is continuously passing through the drum will be quickly heated by contact with the interior ot the shell of the drum and the .exterior or' the tubes, thus furnishing' a cont-inuous blast of hot airto the burner which will materially assist in the vaporizing and burning of the fuel.

In Fig. 2 the same form ofrecuperator drum is shown applied to ahorzontal boiler, being located within the smoke box 4a thereof and in close proximity to the tubes 3a.

In this case, as well as in the vertical boiler, the tubes 8 of .the recuperator are preferably located substantially in alignment with the fire tubes of the boiler, thus permitting the hot gases to travel in substantially a. straight v i line through the boiler lues andthe tubes of the re-cuperator, and since the recuperator is of considerably less diameter than the boiler or smoke box, a flow of hot gases is also provided entirely around the drum, heating the shell thereof as well as the tubes.

I claim: l

1. In combination with .a boiler having tubes, smoke box at the other end of the tubes, a burner in the fire box, a recuperator drum in the smoke box in proximity with thetubes, said drumhaving tubes in alignment with the boiler tubes, and'means includingv inlet? andoutlet pipes tangentially connected with the `recuperator drum for passing an air blast through the `recuperator drumY to the burner. 2. In combination witha boiler having lire tubes, av lire box at one end of the tubes and a a tire box at one end of the tubes and a Vsmoke box at the other end of the tubes, a burner in the fire box, a recuperator drum in the smoke box, tubes through the recuperator lia inf-Sane including inlet; amt endet pipes-am f gentially connected With the recuperator drum for passing an air blast through the recuperator to the burner.

3. In combination with a boiler having tubes, a fire box at one end of the tubes and a smoke box at the othei end of the tubes, a.

tubes,

4. In combination Witha boiler having a ire box at one end of the tubes and a smoke box at the other end of the tubes, a. burner in the fire box, a recuperator drum in the smoke box, means including inlet and outlet pipes tangentially connected with the recuperator drum for passing an air blast through'the recuperator to the burner, and heating surfaces Within the'dl'uin aligned with the boiler tubes.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBT. C. HOPKINS.

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