US 4,597,342 A · Method and apparatus of gas-coal combustion in steam boilers

Abstract

Various embodiments of apparatus and methods are disclosed for the conversion of steam boilers from being oil fired to coal and natural gas fired without adversely affecting the normal power density of the boilers or the emission pollution therefrom. In some cases even the resultant coal ash can be modified by injecting a powdered catalyst or phosphate slimes into the flame to produce a fertilizer ash having desirable minerals to enhance the economic value thereof. Basically all embodiments include a swirling coal-air mixture directed along a path to form a sheath and a swirling gas-air mixture internally thereof with the swirling of the latter being in the same direction and fortifying the motion of the former. A gas-air mixture, swirling or non-swirling, may be supplied outwardly of such sheath to enhance the more complete burning of the coal-air mixture.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of combustion of coal-fluid mixture with combustible gas-air mixture in a combustion device comprising the sequential steps of:

(A) introducing a hollow sheath of coal-fluid mixture into a chamber in a combustion device while simultaneously spirally swirling the sheath in a predetermined direction and maintaining the sheath in an organic relationship;
and
(B) introducing a spirally swirling and organized combustible gas-air mixture internally within the hollow sheath with the motion of the combustible gas-air mixture being in the same swirling direction as the predetermined direction of the coal-fluid mixture to minimize any general mixing of the combustible gas-air mixture with the coal-fluid mixture and to promote volatilization and enhance the more complete combustion of the coal-fluid mixture by the combustible gas-air mixture to produce a flame by inwardly igniting the gas-air mixture within the hollow sheath of coal-fluid mixture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus of gas-coal combustion in steam boilers

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus of gas-coal combustion in steam boilers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19