Importance

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Abstract

Disclosed is an improved vapor generator of the kind in which a fuel-air mixture is combusted in a chamber through which water is flowed. The water acts as a coolant for the unit and is vaporized or converted to steam in the chamber in the presence of the flame. The steam formed from the feed water, the steam formed as a product of combustion, and the non-condensibles remaining after combustion issue from the chamber as a hot mixture suitable for a variety of uses, such as process steam, comfort-heating steam, and the like. The improvements include means for dividing the air feed into two parts, and means for forming a well-mixed stoichiometric mixture of fuel and the air of one part, which mixture is ignited and burned in a prechamber surrounded by and cooled by the air of the other part. The second part of the air is fed into the mid-region of the so-formed flame in the main chamber to lean it out and insure completeness of combustion, reducing production of carbon monoxide to extremely low levels. The mid-region of the flame is shielded from direct radiative or convective contact with the feed water flowing into the main chamber. The final region of the flame is brought into good direct radiative and convective contact with the feed water to vaporize it.

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First Claim