Abstract: An improved air injector for use in feed preparation in the primary reformer of a HABER processor for ammonia synthesis. In the HABER process, process gas is introduced at relatively high velocity downwardly in a process reactor through a vertical conduit. Along the axis of the conduit is an air supply pipe with a fixture which produces a plurality of downwardly and radially outwardly directed pipes attached to a plenum on the bottom of the air pipe. In this invention the number of circumferentially spaced pipes is doubled over the prior art and they are spaced circumferentially into rows directed outwardly at about a 45.degree. angle so as to present, more or less, a continuous plurality of streams of air which block the annular space and force the downflowing process gas to be turbulently mixed with the air and to form a pressurized mass of process gas and air, which is then forced, by the gas pressure, to flow downwardly in, more or less, a uniform manner through a volume of catalyst.

Abstract: Carbonaceous material, preferably coal or like finely divided solids with a mean particle diameter of 30 to 250 microns, is burned to produce steam in a fluid-bed furnace having a lower free space without internal fixtures and provided above this free space with internal cooling surfaces. A secondary-gas inlet introduces the secondary gas so that the volume ratio of fluidizing gas to secondary gas ranges from 1:20 to 2:1 at a location above the fluidizing-gas and fuel inlets but below the internal cooling surfaces, the gas velocity of the several gases being adjusted so that the mean suspension density of the solids above the secondary-gas inlet is 15 to 100 kg/m.sup.3. Approximately stoidiometric conditions are maintained with respect to the oxygen in the gases introduced and the carbonaceous material and solids are recycled to the bed after being separated from the gases emanating therefrom.

Abstract: An exchangeable or removable nozzle arrangement for use in a fluidized bed furnace is movable and in sealing contact with a surrounding sleeve at one end of the nozzle and may be withdrawn from the sleeve through a valve at the other end of the sleeve. An inlet to the space between the sleeve and the nozzle is connected to a source of pressurized fluidizing gas. Upon removal of a nozzle, while the furnace is under load, the bed is maintained in its fluidized state.

Abstract: A nozzle for injecting fuel oil into a fluidized bed combustor has a pair of co-axial tubes, each of which is connected to an air supply and each having internal outlets. The inner co-axial tube projects beyond and has its outlet beyond the outer co-axial tube outlet. The oil is supplied from a further tube within the inner co-axial tube and having its outlet near the outlet of the inner tube. Air passing down the inner tube entrains the oil emerging from the oil supply tube and the oil/air mixture then passes into and is reacted in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: Primary air to the fuel-air mixing chamber of a gas turbine engine is cooled to reduce generation of nitrous oxides. A porous disc separates the fuel-air mixture chamber from the combustion chamber and serves to uniformly mix the fuel and air to reduce the reaction temperature. A catalyst is sprayed on the disc surface in the combustion chamber to speed combustion. A heater embedded in the disc heats the disc and prevents excessive generation of nitrous oxides during the engine start-up. A metering valve can be used to regulate the temperature of the primary air by supplying heated secondary air to the primary air.

Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine is shown having a catalytic reactor element to promote low temperature combustion of the fuel. An air-fuel premix chamber is provided in the upstream end of the combustor arrangement to produce a mixture which is substantially uniform throughout a plane transverse to the direction of flow of the mixture just prior to the catalytic element. The premix chamber comprises a short cylindrical member of less diameter than the shell of the combustor and closed at the upstream end, with the opposite end discharging directly to the catalytic element. The upstream portion of the walls of the cylinder contain apertures so that the air and fuel introduced into the upstream end of the combustor must flow axially into the annular space between the shell and the chamber, then the flow is abruptly changed to a somewhat radial component to enter the apertures and then the flow is again abruptly changed to an axial direction to enter the catalytic reactor.

Abstract: A hot gas is generated by passing the gas to be heated through a fluidized heating bed to fluidize the bed and to receive heat from the bed to which hot bed material is circulated from an adjacent fluidized combustion bed. An intermediate combustion bed may be interposed between the heating and combustion beds to burn any burnt matter prior to its passage to the heating bed thereby avoiding or reducing contamination of the gas to be heated.

Abstract: A flameless catalytic combustion apparatus includes a combustion chamber with a hydrogenous fuel inlet and a mass of catalyst in the chamber between the inlet and an outlet. Preferably the catalyst mass comprises porous pellet bodies supporting varying high and low concentrations of platinum family metals dispersed therein. For spontaneous starting of combustion the fuel is one of the lower alcohols and the high catalyst concentration is at the fuel inlet. The fuel may be in a container pressurized by air, or a lower ether or lower hydrocarbon which is also a fuel. Preferably separate, valved conduits from the fuel container first supply either atomized fuel droplets or air and fuel vapor to the high catalyst concentration for spontaneous ignition of combustion and vaporized fuel for continued combustion throughout the catalyst mass. The catalytic combustion apparatus may include a heat exchanger for fluids such as air, water or personal care foams and creams, or may be used in heating and cooking apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus for carrying out a reaction in a fluidized bed comprises a rotatable drum with a circumferential wall which is permeable to gases. A bed of particles is supported on the circumferential wall of the rotating drum during operation and the reactants are fed into the bed, at least a fluidizing gas through the circumferential wall. A receiver is provided to retain during operation small particles carried from the bed by the fluidizing gas. The small particles are returned to the bed when operation ceases. A reservoir for discharging larger particles into the bed after operation has commenced may be provided.

Abstract: A fluidized bed waste incinerator is operated with a space rate such that essentially the entire reactor chamber is occupied by a dilute fluidized bed. Particulate solids elutriated with the exhaust gases are returned to the reactor chamber to thereby conserve the heat generated in the reactor chamber.

Abstract: A flame-type gas burner, having a burner head adapted to be attached to a source of supply of a fuel gas (specifically hydrogen) and one or more jet burner orifices in the head, has each jet orifice closely covered by sufficient steel wool, preferably stainless steel wool, from a mass of such wool contiguous to the burner head to significantly reduce formation of nitrogen oxides during combustion. Openings are provided in the assembly for flow of atmospheric combustion air through the mass of steel wool during burning of the gas. The gas burner itself may be any one of the many varieties of flame-type burners that are in common use for cooking, space heating and other utility purposes. A novel method of burning fuel gas is involved.

Abstract: A nozzle employed as a burner within a fluidized bed is coaxially enclosed within a tubular shroud that extends beyond the nozzle length into the fluidized bed. The open-ended shroud portion beyond the nozzle end provides an antechamber for mixture and combustion of atomized fuel with an oxygen-containing gas. The arrangement provides improved combustion efficiency and excludes bed particles from the high-velocity, high-temperature portions of the flame to reduce particle attrition.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described for producing hydrogen-rich product gases by mixing a spray of liquid hydrocarbon with a stream of air in a startup procedure and the mixture is ignited for partial oxidation, then the stream of air is heated by the resulting combustion to reach a temperature such that a signal is produced. The signal triggers a two way valve which directs liquid hydrocarbon from a spraying mechanism to a vaporizing mechanism with which a vaporized hydrocarbon is formed. The vaporized hydrocarbon is subsequently mixed with the heated air in the combustion chamber where partial oxidation takes place and hydrogen-rich product gases are produced.

Abstract: A fluidised bed distributor plate has a chamber having a fuel inlet with an air tube passing through the chamber. The interior of the air tube is in communication with the chamber and the upper end of the air tube is terminated in a head adapted to supply a combustible mixture of the fuel and air to the fluidised bed. The air tube has another surrounding tube having an air inlet and outlet. The air outlet is adapted to supply air to a region of the fluidised bed at a level below the fuel supply head.

Abstract: This invention relates to fluidised bed combustion systems and facilitates the maintenance of the depth of the bed. A discharge pipe projects upwardly into the bed so that bed material can flow into its upper end and escape downwardly. The end of the pipe is surrounded by an enclosure and air is discharged into the enclosure so that material will enter the pipe from within the enclosure and have been cooled in the enclosure by the air discharged into it. The walls of the enclosure may themselves be cooled. The invention is illustrated in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A gas burner for industrial furnaces, such as launders, crucible melting furnaces, dry hearth breakdown furnaces, holding furnaces and the like, wherein the burner comprises a relatively narrow elongated strip of porous refractory material through which the gaseous fuel/air mixture passes. The strip is made wide enough to pass the required quantity (heat value) of fuel, but not so wide that the flow of fuel/air mixture through the burner is not great enough to cool the burner sufficiently to maintain the fuel temperature below its flash point. The burner strip is preferably as narrow as possible to expose a minimum degree of surface area to the back radiation and convection heat from the furnace interior.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for quick starting a reformed gas converter. A first fuel nozzle vaporizes fuel supplied thereto and directs the fuel towards a flame tray. An oxygen carrying gas is combined with the vaporized fuel and the mixture is ignited by a suitable ignition device. The hot gases generated permeate through the device to pre-heat a catalytic converting material such as a perforated sintered block. A second fuel nozzle, after the converting material has been pre-heated to a minimum temperature, directs a stream of vaporized liquid fuel against the heated block. The reform gas generated passes into the reform gas generator proper as fuel therefor. By control of the combustion temperature, the hot gases generated by the ignition step when they pass through the sintered block will also be partially converted to reform gas, suitable for fuel for the generator proper, thereby allowing immediate operation of the generator.