Document R203K7xpOkapBXZZekZJLaxMk

American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers Guide, 1932 Overfeed Inclined Grate Stokers In general the combustion principle is similar to the flat grate stoker, but this stoker is provided with rocking grates set on an incline to advance the fuel during combustion. Also this type is provided with an ash plate where ash is accumulated and from which it is dumped periodically. This type of stoker is suitable for all types of coking fuels but preferably for those of low volatile content. Its grate action has the tendency to keep the fuel bed well broken up thereby allowing for free passage of air. Because of its agitating effect on the fuel it is not so desirable for badly clinkering coals. Furthermore, it should usually be provided with a front arch to care for the volatile gas. Underfeed Side Gleaning Stokers In this type, the fuel is fed in at the front of the furnace to one or more retorts, is advanced away from the retort as combustion progresses while finally the ash is disposed of at the sides. This type of stoker is suitable for all coking coals while in the smaller sizes it is suitable for small sizes of anthracites. In this type of stoker the fuel is delivered to a retort beneath the fire and is raised into the fire. During this process the volatile gas is released, is mixed with air, and passes through the fire where it is burned. The ash may be continuously discharged as in the small stoker or may be accumulated on a dump plate and periodically discharged. This stoker requires no arch as it automatically provides for the combustion of the volatile gas. Underfeed Rear Cleaning Stokers This type carries on combustion in much the same manner as the side cleaning type, but consists of several retorts placed side by side and filling up the furnace width, while the ash disposal is at the rear. In principle, its operation is the same as the side cleaning underfeed. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USES Stokers may also be classified according to their uses as (1) domestic, (2) small industrial, (3) large industrial, and (4) power. Domestic Stokers This field includes sizes up to 2500 sq ft of radiation. A common type ' of stoker in this class consists of a round retort having tuyeres at the top where all of the air for combustion is admitted. Coal is fed from a storage hopper outside of the boiler by means of a worm into the bottom of this retort and beneath the fire. The equipment includes a blower which is driven by the same motor that drives the stoker. Some domestic stokers are provided with automatic grate shaking mechanism together with screw conveyers for removing the ash from the ashpit and depositing it in an ash receptacle outside the boiler. Certain types, can also be provided with a coal conveyer which takes coal from the storage bin and maintains a full hopper at the stoker. They may feed coal to the furnace either intermittently or with a continuous flow regu lated automatically to suit conditions. Where the boiler is provided with indirect coils for heating the domestic hot water, the stoker may be so 276 >i - Chapter 17--Mechanical STOKEks arranged that it can be used the entire year to maintain a continuous hot water supply. Small Industrial Stokers The sizes included in this field range from 2500 sq ft of radiation to 125 boiler horsepower. This class is used extensively for heating plants in apartments, hotels, etc., and also for small industrial plants such as laundries, bakeries, creameries, etc. The various stokers in this class , differ materially in their design, although the majority are of the under feed type. The principal exception is an overfeed type having step action grates in a horizontal plane and so arranged that they are alter nately moving and stationary, and are designed to advance the fuel during combustion to an ash plate at the rear. ' All of the stokers are provided with a coal hopper outside of the boiler. In the underfeed types, the coal feed from this hopper to the furnace may be accomplished by a continuously revolving worm or by an intermittent plunger. The drive for the coal feed may be an electric motor, or a steam or hydraulic cylinder. With an electric motor, the connection between the driver and the coal feed may be through a variable speed gear train which provides two or more speeds for the coal feed; or it may be through a simple gear train and a variable speed driver for the change in speed of the Coal feed; or a simple gear train with a coal feed having an adjustment for varying the travel of the feeding device. With a steam or hydraulic cylinder, the power piston is connected directly to the coal feeding plunger. The stokers in this class vary also in their retort design. It is customary in the worm-feed type to use a short retort in order that the unsupported length of worm within the retort may not be too weak for continuous service. In this type the retort is placed approximately in the middle of the furnace and is provided with tuyere openings at the top on all sides. In the plunger-feed type the retort extends from the inside of the front wall entirely to the rear wall or to within a short distance of the rear wall. This type of retort has tuyeres on the sides and at the rear. This class of stokers also differs in the grate surface surrounding the retort. In many of the worm-feed stokers this grate is entirely a dead plate on which the fuel rests while combustion is completed. In the deadplate type, all of the air for combustion is furnished by the tuyeres at the retort. Because of this, combustion is well advanced over the retort so that it may easily be completed by the air which percolates through the fuel bed. With the dead-plate type of grate the ash is removed through the fire doors and it is therefore, desirable that the fuel used shall be one in which the ash is readily reduced to a clinker at the furnace temperature, in order that it may be removed with the least disturbance of the fuel bed. In other stokers in this class, the grates outside of the retort are air- admitting and shaking grates. These grates permit a large part of the ash to be shaken into the ash pit beneath, while the clinkers are removed through the fire doors. With this type of grate, the main air chamber extends only under the retort while the side grates receive air by natural draft from the ash pit. . In still other stokers of this class, the main air chamber extends beyond the retort and is covered with fuel-bearing, air-supplying grates. With 277