FURNACE

Abstract

A furnace includes: a furnace housing defining a combustion chamber therein, the combustion chamber having a round cross-section, the furnace housing being formed with at least two air inlets that are in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and that are angularly displaced from each other; and an air pipeline including at least two branch pipes, each of which is connected to a respective one of the air inlets of the furnace housing and each of which extends in a tangential direction relative to the cross-section of the combustion chamber.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a furnace, more particularly to a furnace including an air pipeline having branch pipes that extend in tangential directions relative to the cross-section of a combustion chamber.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional furnace normally includes: a furnace housing defining a combustion chamber; a feed blower; a feed pipeline connected to the furnace housing and the feed blower for delivering a particulate raw material into the combustion chamber; an air blower; and an air pipeline connected to the air blower and the furnace housing for delivering air into the combustion chamber during combustion of the particulate raw material.

In operation, the particulate raw material is fed into the combustion chamber with assistance from an airflow generated by the feed blower. Although distribution and retention time of the particulate raw material in the combustion chamber can be improved by another airflow generated by the air blower, such enhancement is still insufficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a furnace that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

According to the present invention, a furnace comprises: a furnace housing defining a combustion chamber therein, the combustion chamber having a round cross-section, the furnace housing being formed with at least two air inlets that are in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and that are angularly displaced from each other; and an air pipeline including at least two branch pipes, each of which is connected to a respective one of the air inlets of the furnace housing and each of which extends in a tangential direction relative to the cross-section of the combustion chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary partly sectional front view of the preferred embodiment of a furnace according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partly sectional side view of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary partly sectional top view of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate the preferred embodiment of a furnace 2 according to this invention for burning a raw material, such as hull and shell waste of agricultural crops.

The furnace 2 includes: a furnace housing 21 defining a combustion chamber 211 therein, the combustion chamber 211 having a round cross-section, the furnace housing 21 being formed with at least two air inlets 321 that are in fluid communication with the combustion chamber 211 and that are angularly displaced from each other; and an air pipeline 3 including at least two branch pipes 32, each of which is connected to a respective one of the air inlets 321 of the furnace housing 21 and each of which extends in a tangential direction relative to the cross-section of the combustion chamber 211.

In this embodiment, the furnace housing 21 is formed with two pairs of the air inlets 321 and the air pipeline 3 includes two pairs of the branch pipes 32. Each pair of the air inlets 321 of the furnace housing 21 are diametrically displaced from each other relative to the cross-section of the combustion chamber 211.

The furnace housing 21 further has top and bottom ends 212, 213. Each pair of the air inlets 321 of the furnace housing 21 are disposed between the top and bottom ends 212, 213 of the furnace housing 21 and are different in height.

The furnace housing 21 is further formed with a feed inlet 221 that is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber 211 and that is angularly displaced from one of the two pairs of the air inlets 321. The furnace 2 further includes a feed pipe 22 that is connected to the feed inlet 221 of the furnace housing 21 and that extends in a tangential direction relative to the cross-section of the combustion chamber 211.

The feed inlet 221 has a height less than that of one of the air inlets 321 in one of the two pairs and greater than that of the other of the air inlets 321 in one of the two pairs. A feed blower (not shown) is connected to the feed pipe 22 for delivering the raw material into the combustion chamber 211.

An air blower 4 is connected to the air pipeline 3 for delivering airflows into the combustion chamber 211 through the branch pipes 32 of the air pipeline 3 and the air inlets 321. By virtue of the arrangement of the air inlets 321 and the branch pipes 32, each airflow enters the combustion chamber 211 in the respective tangential direction and travels along a helical flow path in the combustion chamber 211, which can improve considerably the retention time as well as distribution of the particulate raw material suspended in the combustion chamber 211 as compared to the aforesaid conventional furnace.

With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A furnace comprising:

a furnace housing defining a combustion chamber therein, said combustion chamber having a round cross-section, said furnace housing being formed with at least two air inlets that are in fluid communication with said combustion chamber and that are angularly displaced from each other; and

an air pipeline including at least two branch pipes, each of which is connected to a respective one of said air inlets of said furnace housing and each of which extends in a tangential direction relative to the cross-section of said combustion chamber.

2. The furnace of claim 1, wherein said air inlets of said furnace housing are diametrically displaced from each other relative to the cross-section of said combustion chamber.

3. The furnace of claim 2, wherein said furnace housing has top and bottom ends, said air inlets of said furnace housing being disposed between said top and bottom ends of said furnace housing and being different in height.

4. The furnace of claim 3, wherein said furnace housing is further formed with a feed inlet that is in fluid communication with said combustion chamber and that is angularly displaced from said air inlets, said furnace further comprising a feed pipe that is connected to said feed inlet of said furnace housing and that extends in a tangential direction relative to the cross-section of said combustion chamber.

5. The furnace of claim 4, wherein said feed inlet has a height less than that of one of said air inlets and greater than that of another of said air inlets.