Vertical firetube waste heat boiler

Abstract

A vertical firetube boiler in which the upper tube sheet has a dished formation to coact with an annular baffle spaced down from the peripheral portion of the upper tube sheet, to cause the circulating steam-water mixture in the boiler to flow radially outward along the underside of the upper tube sheet to a circular row or belt of holes that open to an annular steam collecting chamber.

The invention is defined by the following claims: 
     
       1. A boiler having vertical firetubes, upper and lower .Iadd.tube .Iaddend.sheets to which the opposite ends of the firetubes are connected, an upright substantially cylindrical shell surrounding the firetubes in radially spaced relation to all of them and joined to the peripheral edges of the tube sheets to coact with the tube sheets in defining an upright closed vessel, and means including a downcomer outside the vessel for communicating the top and bottom of the vessel so that during operation of the boiler the vessel contents flow upwardly, said boiler being characterized by: A. the upper tube sheet having its peripheral edge at a level substantially above its central portion, and being upwardly inclined outwardly from its central portion along every radius to induce radially outward flow of the vessel contents along the underside of the upper tube sheet;   B. an annular baffle projecting radially inward from the shell at a level below the junction of the shell with the upper tube sheet to direct the upwardly flowing vessel contents towards the axis of the vessel and against the center of the upper tube sheet to assure a positive radially outward flow of the vessel contents across the underside of the upper tube sheet that wipes away any steam bubbles in contact therewith; and   .[.C. the shell having circumferentially spaced holes closely adjacent to and below the peripheral edge of the upper tube sheet through which the steam-water mixture constituting the contents of the vessel leaves the same..]. .Iadd.   C. outlet means at the upper end portion of the shell adjacent to its junction with the peripheral edge of the upper tube sheet through which the steam-water mixture constituting the contents of the vessel leaves the same. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       2. The boiler of claim 1 further characterized by means forming circumferentially spaced vents through the radially outer edge portion of the baffle to prevent the accumulation of steam under the baffle. 
     
     
       3. The boiler of claim 1, .[.further characterized by:.]. .[.D. means cooperating with and encircling the upper portion of the shell to define an annular chamber into which said holes open..]. .Iadd.   wherein said outlet means includes structure defining an annular chamber, and wherein said outlet means further comprises a plurality of holes through the wall of the shell at circumferentially spaced locations, communicating said annular chamber with the interior of the shell. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       4. The boiler of claim 3 wherein a portion of the shell projects above the level of the upper tube sheet and defines a wall of said annular chamber, and further characterized by: a lining of refractory material over the radially inner surface of said portion of the shell and over the upper surface of the tube sheet, said lining holes aligned with the upper ends of the firetubes through which hot gases are admitted to the firetubes for downward flow therethrough.   
     
     
       5. The boiler of claim 3 wherein .[.at least two releaser nozzles open from said annular chamber, at symmetrically placed circumferentially spaced locations around the same, through which the contents of the annular chamber leave, and further characterized by:.]. .[.said holes in the shell being of such sizes and so spaced from one another circumferentially around said annular chamber that those of said holes which are closest to the releaser nozzles offer greater resistance to the flow of the vessel contents into said annular chamber than those that are farthest from the releaser nozzles..]. .Iadd.   said outlet means further comprises at least two releaser nozzles opening from said annular chamber, at symmetrically placed circumferentially spaced locations around the same, through which the contents of the annular chamber leave, and further characterized by: said holes being arranged in a circle and being of such sizes and so spaced from one another that those of said holes which are closest to the releaser nozzles offer greater resistance to the flow of the discharging vessel contents into said annular chamber than those that are farthest from the releaser nozzles.