Claims
- 1. Apparatus for separately treating the components of a gaseous fuel mixture prior to their mixing for use in a metallurgical melting furnace to yield a gaseous mixture having a predetermined and constant mass ratio of its component gases, comprising:
- means for supplying a first gaseous fuel component having a characteristic temperature and pressure, said first component being an oxygen containing fluid;
- means for supplying a second gaseous fuel component having a characteristic temperature and pressure, said second component being a hydrocarbon containing fluid;
- means for substantially equalizing the temperatures of said first and second components without intermixing said components;
- means for equalizing the pressures of said first and second components without intermixing said components; and
- means for mixing said first and second components in a predetermined volume ratio, whereby the resulting gaseous fuel mixture has a predetermined and constant mass ratio of said component gases due to their previously equalized temperature and pressure.
- 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said temperature equalizing means comprises heat exchanger means for exchanging heat between said first and second components without mixing them and so as to yield an outlet temperature of each component which is at least within 10.degree. F. of each other.
- 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure equalizing means comprises a pressure regulator in the supply means of the higher pressure component, having pressure sensing means, which communicates with the supply means of the one of said components having the lower pressure, for regulating the downstream pressure of said higher pressure component so as to provide the components at substantially the same pressure for subsequent mixing.
- 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first component is air, further including means for drying said air to a constant, low moisture content, said drying means being located upstream of said temperature and pressure equalizing means.
- 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second component is a liquefied fuel; further including means for vaporizing said liquefied fuel, said vaporizing means being located upstream of said temperature and pressure equalizing means.
- 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including means for burning said gaseous fuel mixture in a metallurgical furnace, means for analyzing the burning of said gaseous fuel mixture to determine any deviation from said predetermined mass ratio, and means for adjusting the volume mixing means to eliminate said deviation.
- 7. In a metallurgical melting furnace wherein a gaseous fuel mixture is combusted to yield both heat, for melting metal therein, and the required atmosphere, for protecting said metal, of the type including means for supplying a premixed gas fuel mixture to burner means from a mixing means for combining fuel and air on a volumetric basis while having a fuel-air volume ratio which is preselected to yield the proper furnace atmosphere, the improvement comprising:
- heat exchanger means for substantially equalizing the temperature of the air and fuel components prior to mixing; and
- means for equalizing the pressure of said air and fuel components after equalizing their temperature but prior to mixing; whereby the resulting gaseous fuel mixture has a predetermined and constant mass ratio of its component gases when mixed on a volume basis.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including means for drying said air to a consistent, low moisture content, said drying means being located prior to said temperature and pressure equalizing means.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7 further including means for vaporizing a liquefied fuel, said means being located prior to said temperature and pressure equalizing means.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of our copending application Ser. No. 879,034 filed Feb. 21, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,555.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3059913 |
Sands |
Oct 1962 |
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
879034 |
Feb 1978 |
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