Energy saving fuel oil atomizer

Abstract

A high efficiency liquid fuel atomizing nozzle for use in conjunction with industrial furnaces is described which employs a pressurized gas such as steam for supplying the atomizing energy. The nozzle typically has a plurality of discharge ports and defines, on its interior, a pressurized fuel compartment and a pressurized steam chamber. A core stream of steam is flowed from the steam chamber along an axis obliquely inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle to each port. Liquid fuel from the fuel compartment is flowed towards each core stream and divided substantially equally into a number of fuel branch flows which equals the number of core streams. Each branch flow is then brought generally tangentially into contact with the associated core stream so as to form a substantially homogenous, annular fuel stream which surrounds the core stream. As the fuel comes into contact with the core stream, it is atomized so that the annular fuel flow is a flow of small droplets which surrounds the core flow. A secondary, annular stream of steam is formed for each core stream at a point downstream of the point at which the fuel stream is combined with the core stream and envelopes the combined stream. The three streams are then discharged from the associated port into the furnace for combustion of the fuel therein.