An oil-water emulsifier comprises a Venturi member having an inlet for receiving oil, an oil-water emulsion outlet and an opening extending therethrough from the inlet to the outlet. The opening of the Venturi member comprises a diameter-reducing portion which connects to a throat portion having a substantially smaller diameter than the inlet, the throat portion being connected to an expanding portion extending from the throat to the outlet, the diameter of the outlet of the opening being substantially greater than that of the throat portion. A plurality of water injection holes extend from the outer periphery of the Venturi member to the throat portion so as to be in communication with the oil flowing through the throat portion, the injection holes being preferably substantially perpendicular to the direction of oil flow through the throat portion. Also disclosed is an oil-burner boiler system incorporating the above-described oil-water emulsifier.

Water-in-oil emulsifier and oil-burner boiler system incorporating such emulsifier

A system is provided for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxides produced by conventional gas-fired boilers, water heaters, or other heat transfer devices by diluting the fuel gas with an inert gas. The system includes a mixing unit or region for diluting fuel gas with an inert gas before the fuel gas is supplied to a burner assembly of a combustion device. Flue gas from the combustion chamber of the combustion device may be used to dilute the fuel gas.

Flue gas recirculation system

A gas-fired burner 10 incorporating a mixing chamber for mixing air, fuel, and recirculated flue gas with reduced heat loss from the recirculated flue gas is disclosed. The burner is configured for the staged introduction of combustion air to provide a fuel-rich combustion zone and a fuel-lean combustion zone. Internal recirculating flue gas channels 80 deliver cooled flue gas to the primary fuel-rich combustion zone. A valve assembly 150 may be provided to control the flow of flue gas. Secondary air passages 40 concentrically arranged within the recirculating flue gas channels 80 deliver superheated, staged air to the secondary fuel-lean combustion zone. Heat is transferred from the hot flue gas to the counterflowing cooler secondary air. The burner achieves reduced NO x emission levels in high temperature applications which use preheated combustion air with no or minimal loss in thermal efficiency from flue gas recirculation.

Staged air, low NOx burner with internal recuperative flue gas recirculation

This invention is directed to improved spraying apparatus for coating substrates with a coating material and supercritical fluid which apparatus is provided with various features, either alone or in combination, to prevent undesirable premature cooling of the coating mixture which might detrimentally affect the final coating on the substrate; to prevent undesirable depressurization of supercritical fluid contained in the coating mixture which remains in the spray gun after spraying has been stopped; and/or to desirably provide the ability to mix the components of the coating mixture directly in the spray gun. Methods for utilizing these features in the spraying apparatus of the present invention are also disclosed.

Apparatus and methods for application of coatings with supercritical fluids as diluents by spraying from an orifice

A process and apparatus for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent from the combustion of a fuel is presented. The process and apparatus enables injection of an effluent treatment fluid at independently variable droplet sizes and distance of injection to a wide variety of distribution patterns within an effluent passage. An atomization conduit, positioned coaxially around a treatment fluid conduit, extends into the effluent and supplies an atomization fluid. The supply conduit is axially slidable with respect to the atomization conduit and supplying a treatment fluid through the supply conduit. The relative axial position of supply conduit and the atomization conduit is adjusted and the rate of flow of the atomization fluid is selected to inject droplets of a size effective to a desired distance within the passage.

Process for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent

A flame is produced in a combustion chamber with a burner supplied with fuel and less than the amount of air for complete combustion. The remainder of the air required for complete combustion is injected separately. Stack gas containing substantial carbon dioxide is mixed selectively with the gaseous combustion products. By well known reactions the carbon dioxide reacts with carbon in the combustion products to produce carbon monoxide which is later oxidized to carbon dioxide under conditions which do not promote production of noxious nitrogen oxides. The principles of the invention are applicable to a variety of fuel burners.

Pollutant reduction with selective gas stack recirculation

of the Disclosure An energy conserving process furnace has a recuperator to utilize heat derived from exhaust gases in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption of the furnace. Elongated, enhanced surface ceramic heat exchanger tubas are used in the recuperator to recover heat energy from the exhaust gas. A preferred sealing arrangement is used between the metal and ceramic tubes to con-tain the combustion air. Heat is added by the recuperator to combustion air used in a fluid fuel burner. The ceramic tubes are provided with vibration protective mechanisms to prolong use-ful life under severe mechanical vibration encountered in some applications. In a method of operating a slot furnace exhaust gas is exhausted from a side of the furnace through the slot or a passageway having an elongated horizontal cross section. In the preferred arrangement a second passage or air curtain passageway is positioned adjacent the first passageway to permit proper gas flow through a recuperator. The recuperator is designed to recoup heat from exhaust gas in the first passage-way and provide such heat as energy to heat combustion air used in the furnace. The second passageway by-passes the recuperator to avoid passing colder room air through the recuperator and to protect the operator from high temperature exhaust gas. The heat exchange ceramic tubes are designed to operate at temperatures of 1300°F and above without damage and with good sealing properties between elements. The system preferably includes a recirculating burner means which acts to reduce the combustion air requirements and to provide a combustion zone low in oxygen so as to prevent scale formation and oxidation of metals being treated in the furnace area. The recirculating burner has a flame front outside of the burner in the combustion chamber.

Energy conserving process furnace system and components thereof

A method and apparatus for finely atomizing a fluid such as oil or the like includes producing an emulsion of the oil with a secondary fluid pressurizing and heating the emulsion to a level below the vaporizing point of the secondary fluid and the constituents of the primary fluid, and releasing the resulting heated and pressurized emulsion to a lower pressure to vaporize the secondary fluid and the light ends of the primary fluid thereby subdividing the primary fluid or all into fine or small drops. When used to atomize fuel oils for combustions, the subdivided oil may be premixed with air or a mixture of air, CO.sub.2 and other gases permitting a substantial reduction in the emission of particulate matter and noxious products.

Atomizing method and apparatus

A primary combustion chamber is located above a secondary combustion chamber with a support grate between the two for supporting particulate solid waste fuel to be burned efficiently. Primary air is introduced to the primary combustion chamber with secondary air introduced below the grate into a combustion gas flow to cause complete burning in the secondary combustion chamber. A brick wall screen means of high temperature, corrosion-resistant brick forms the secondary combustion chamber to allow exhaust gaseous product to exit therethrough while screening out ash which can be removed from the combustion area. The gaseous product passed through the screen is then passed to a heat exchanger to utilize part of the heat produced for heating primary and secondary air used in the combustor. The exhaust gas from the heat exchanger can then be put to use in a boiler or other energy producing device.

Solid fuel combustor and method of burning

A bellows arrangement for forming a gas leakage resistant pressure seal between ceramic heat exchange tubes has an elongated metallic bellows defining a central passageway with first and second ends. A metallic tube passes through the bellows and freely moves with respect to the second end of the bellows while defining a gas chamber between the tube and bellows. Axial expansion of the bellows under the influence of the internal pressure when such pressure is higher than the external pressure which may be the atmosphere acts to apply a force at the interface between the bellows assembly and the ceramic heat exchange tube which is proportional to the internal pressure of the heat exchange tube, thereby accommodating movement of the heat exchange tube and providing a pressure seal that is leak resistant.

Paul G. Lahaye

Papers

Pollutant reduction with selective gas stack recirculation

Energy conserving process furnace system and components thereof

Atomizing method and apparatus

Solid fuel combustor and method of burning

Bellows sealing arrangement