US2630412A - Artificial fog generator - Google Patents

Description

W. J. BESLER ARTIFICIAL FOG GENERATOR March 3, 1953 Filed Nov. 12, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WILLIAM .J. 5:51.52.

INVENTOR.

BY rr 5 A {for/My March 3, 1953 w. J. BESLER 2,630,412

ARTIFICIAL FOG GENERATOR Filed Nov. 12, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 76 7.4? WILL/RM 55.54am

INVENTOR.

By ALMA,

Alfarnoy March 3, 1953 w. J. BESLER ARTIFICIAL FOG GENERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 12, 1947 WILL/M .1 but.

INVENTOR.

Afforncy m H MM 0 m mm 3 s 6 0w W k. a a u m 1. n 2 a M a 2 m J m v J M llwil. III, 11 4 I w 9 l M M 4 1 u 1 6 I R W W W N m u 7 A 4' I 7 ,lh E m a 5 B m 7% H B F j a, W L m f 5 k 7 w I 6 7 :1 H 8 IO o H T 6 4 wan fi f i v 1 7 M Z 1 6 4 r 1 March 3, 1953 Flled Nov 12, 1947 Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL FOG GENERATOR William J. Besler, Piedmont, Calif.

Application November 12, 1947, Serial No.- 785,351

3 Claims. 1

an obscuring fog which may be breathed by humans and animals without toxic effects or respiratory depression.

Another object is to provide a portable, fast acting means for generating a maximum volume of fog in the minimum of time while at the same time requiring a minimum of effort and attention by the operator.

The invention has peacetime uses as well and it is an object to provide a device which can be operated, as an insecticide disseminator or as an artificial aerosol for the protection of crops of all kinds.

Another object is. the coordination of the fuel supply to the engine and the generator, and the utilization of the products of combustion of both in a most efiicient manner;

It is also an object of the invention to provide thermostatic means which may be set at amaximum operating temperature as indicated by the temperature adjacent the outlet of the generator and to automatically cut off the fuel to the burner when the temperature reaches the predetermined setting and restoring fuel and fire when the temperature drops below the setting.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy and ease of assembly and disassembly and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as are inherently possessed by the device and invention described herein.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodimnt it is to be understood that the same is i1lus trative oi the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and other uses and comprehends other details of construction without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the four sheets of drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fog or aerosol generator constructed in accordance with this invention showing the fluid flow systems, the motor unit being omitted.

2 Figure 2 is a plan view from above, of the assembled device.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same from the blower side.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the systems end of the same.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the thermostatic fuel supply control.

In detail the structure shown in Figure 1 comprises the base preferably in the form of a rectangular tank having a central partition 1 dividing it into the fuel tank 2 having the capped fill- For portability-the base tank is provided at its four corners with the handles 6 and I slidable in brackets such as 8, welded to the four corners of the base tank. For protection the base tank is provided with the skids 9 and H3 secured along the longitudinal marginal edges. For anchoring the device in any given location, as to the deck of a ship, the bed of a truck or the like, brackets l I are fixed to the four corners of the base tank adjacent the bottom. The hooks I2, adapted to be engaged in eyes or clips (not shown), are adjustable within said brackets II. There are several other conventional means for securing the device to a surface and any of these may be used.

lower edge welded, bolted, or secured by any other suitable means to the top l4 ofthe base tank. The meeting edges or housing l3 and the cover I 5 are flanged outwardly and held together by the tension girth [6, the ends of which are drawn together by the turnbuckle ll. The cover has the top outlets. It and IQ for the escape of the products of combustion with a minimum of glow. The housing I3 is insulated as, at 19a and its interior wall and bottom form combustion air space 20 (see Figure 3) between the insulated housing I3 and the inner cylindrical combustion chamber wall 2|. This wall 2| is supported at its top by outwardly directed annular flange 22 interposed between the flanges of the housing It and cover. 55 and secured by the single tension ring l6. The floor 23 of the combustion chamber proper 2m.

has an outturned peripheral flange secured to the lower edge of wall 2L. Depending from the floor 23 of the combustion chamber proper Zla and about the central opening 211) in said floor, is the preliminary combustion and mixing chamber 2 4, closed at the bottom by plate 24a and having louver openings 26" in the circular wall 26.

The burner means comprises the fueloil burner 25: secured to a burner pIate'- attached to the The cylindrical generator housing l3 has its outside of the casing or housing It. The burner produces a torch-like flame in the preliminary combustion chamber 24 that is open at the top 2 lb to the combustion chamber proper 2 in above. The products of combustion fiow upwardly through the chamber and out through the top openings l8 and H). The fuel atomized into the burner 25 is ignited by the spark plug 25.

The fog generating means comprises the assembly of flat horizontally spiraled or pancake coils 21 to 32 inclusive, interconnected to form a continuous tubular generator. The uppermost coil 21 is the inlet for the vapor forming components which successively flow downwardly through the series of coils to the lowest coil 32 nearest the flame in the combustion chamber 2w. 7 The lowest coil 32 discharges at 33 into the horizontal run of tubing containing the thermostatic tube 34. From thence it goes to the vertical portion 35 passing upwardly substantially on the axis of the series of coils, and outwardly above coil 21 through the cover 15, to the arcuate and perforated vapor jet 35 through which the generated vapor is ejected and expands into a fog in surrounding atmosphere, all as more fully explained hereinafter.

The motive unit, preferably a relatively small internal combustion motor 31, is mounted upon a platform on the top M of the base tank. The motor shaft is coupled to and directly drives the suction fan (notshown) mounted within the fan casing 38. This casing discharges tangentially and directly through the insulated casing 13 and into the air space 20 thence through the louvers 26 in the wall 26 of the preliminary combustion chamber 24, causing a whirling turbulence and distribution of the air. The engine exhaust is delivered to the burner 25 in the combustion chamber 24 which heats the burner and insures ignition in cold weather. Combustion takes place in combustion chamber 24 and continues in combustion chamber 2 la where burning is completed. The products of combustion within the generat-or then pass upwardly around the spaced vaporizing coils 21 to 32, which absorb the heat from the products of combustion, and are dissipated to atmosphere through outlets I8 and I9 in cover IS.

The shaft of the motor 31 projecting on the r side opposite from the blower, has a sprocket thereon for driving the sprocket chain 39 encircling the sprocket 40 on the countershaft 4! extending between the fog oil pump 42 and water pump 43 mounted upon the base fuel tank 2.

The conventional pulsating diaphragm servomotor fuel pump 44 is a part of and driven by the motor 31. It lifts fuel from the tank 2, through the pipe 45 and the strainer 45 and discharges it into the feed line 41 supplying the motor carburetor 48, having a regulating float valve therein as usual. Since in the device shown, gasoline is the fuel for the generator, 3., statically controlled valve 49 is providedin the line 41 (see Figure 1) before it reaches the manually controlled burner valve 50. From 50 the fuel flows through the T fitting 5| to the pipe 52 that discharges into the burner tube 25 through a restricted orifice, where it is warmed and vaporized by the exhaust gases flowing from the motor to the burner through the exhaust pipe 53 and mixed with the swirling combustion air entering through louvers 26. The fitting 5| has the riser 54 extending upwardly into the fuel levelchamber 55 which functions as an overflow, leading back to the fuel tank 2 through return line 56. Chamber 55 has the duct 51 leading from the blower casing 33 for maintaining a plus atmospheric pressure in the chamber 55 to overcome the air pressure in the burner tube which would tend to prevent gasoline from entering the burner. The above fuel system supplies the motor 31 and the burner 25 with both an automatically and manually regulated flow of combustible fuel.

The fog oil system comprises a pump 42, which is here shown as a rotary or gear pump although any suitable type may be used, having the inlet pipe 58 connected with the flexible inlet hose 59, which in turn is provided with a nozzle pipe 50 for introduction into the source of fog oil supply, which may be a separate drum of fog oil.

When not in operation the hose 59 rests in the bracket 6| on the side of the generator easing IS. A fog oil filter 52 is interposed in the intake line 58 ahead of the fog oil ump 42.

The pump 42 discharges through the pipe 63 '(see Figure 1) through the three-way valve 64 and into the generator inlet pipe 65 leading to the topmost coil 27 in the heating chamber 21 through the check valve 55. The three-way valve 64 has the handle 61 for opening or closin the discharge from the pump 42. has the bypass 68 leading back to the inlet side of the pump, for balancing the pump pressure while idling, with the handle 6'! in the vertical or "off position shown.

' The water pump 43 here shown preferably as .a plunger pump is driven by the shaft 4! and lifts water from the water tank 4 (see Figure 1) through the pipe 10, the strainer H, the pipe 12 into the pump through the check valve 13, and discharges through the check valve 14 into the pipe 15. This pipe feeds the water through the check valve 16 into the generator inlet pipe 65 where it mixes with the fog oil flowing therethrough from the pump 42 as previously described. The volume of water supplied is constant at a given engine speed and mixed with the fog oil in line 65 before entering the generator in proportion to the fog oil being pumped at the same engine speed. Normally the water to fog oil ratio is approximately 10:90.

The water and fog oil mixture enters the up-l permost coil 2! of the generator. As it passes through the coils 2'! to 32 the temperature is raised to around 900 F. thus vaporizing some result is an immediate, dense, persistent cover- 2 ing fog which is neither inflammable nor injurious to respiraticn. The water supplied not only produces the vehicle, superheated steam, for the dispersion of the fog oil particles but performs several other functions. Its presence helps prevent the cracking of the fog oil and reduces the deposition of solids, particularly carbon, within the tubes. The relatively large vol- This' valve.

stee s-ta ume of steam helps to scour the tubing and provide efllcient heat transfer. 7

The fog oils used are usually a highly refined lubricating oil or any other type of oil conform- Referring to Figure the thermostatic valve 49' is introduced to control the supply of fuel to the burner 25- in order to automatically maintain the proper vaporizing temperature in the combustion chamber 2 l e.

The fuel valve 49" has the fuel inlet 11 and outlet T8 closed by the diaphragmto' under spring pressure on the valve head 19- above the outlet 18. The valve head has its stem 8'! in contact with the" bell crank 82 which is pivoted at 83" and depressed by the spring 84' attached to the bottom of the surrounding case 85. The entire fuel valve assembly is mounted at the end of the expansion tube 34 outside the casing. The arm 85 of hell crank 82* bears against the thermal sensitive rod 87* composed of quartz or the like which extends through and isflsecured' in the tube 34. It is apparent that by adjusting the length of the stem 8| the closing of the fuel valve can be accomplished for the. temperature required. As the temperature approaches the setting only enough fuel willpass through the valve 49 to maintain thev temperature of the setting.

The. invention operates substantially as follows: The. motor 3.! is. started first and run for a. few moments. so. that the exhaust gases will preheat the. burner 25 before the. fuel manually turned on at 5.0. As soon as the motor 31 starts, then all of. the elements driven by it also begin to operate. The water pump driven by the motor delivers water to. the. inlet of the generating coils 21-32 before the burner is ignited. The pumping of water to the generator can be checked by opening drain cock 88. The blower is started and air is supplied to the generator. The motor fuel pump 44 forces gasoline fuel through the fuel control valve 49 to the fuel valve 50. Within a few seconds after the motor is started the valve 50 can be opened and the vapor burner ignited by switching on the spark plug 25 in the motor ignition system.

When the burner fuel valve 5!] is opened the fire will start and in a few seconds will automatically diminish to low fire. The device is then ready for the admission of the fog oil. The fog oil handle 6'! is moved downwardly to the horizontal or on position. When the valve 64 is open or in the on position the pump 42 pumps the fog oil through the intake pipe or nozzle 80 through the flexible hose 59 and through the strainer 62. It is delivered by the pump to line 63 through check valve 66 where it is mixed with water from line in line 65 just prior to entry into the generator. By the time the motor is started and the fog oil handle is moved to the on position the fog oil pump 42 is in operation pumping fog oil from the source of the supply through the strainer 62 to the shut-off valve 64. When the handle 61 is in the off position the fog oil is diverted back to the pump through by-pass line 68.

The mixture of fog oil and water as it enters the first coil 21 passes in substantially a counterflow path with respect to the products of com- 6;; bustion, from: the com 1' ion chamber titan-and the waste. products of combustion pass. out through the deflected: path at openings I18 and ti.

The unit. comes: up. to temperature very quickly and as the. tube 34; expands with. the heat: it. will expand more. rapidly than: the thermostatic. els ment 31: secured at its outer end tsee Figure 5). The: expansion oi this tube. moves the arm: 06. away from the end of the element 31 increasin the tension of the spring 80. on. the stem. 81;, thus reducing the. flowof fuel. through the valve 48- to the. burner. in tum decreases; the tomb peratmze within the combustion chamber 2 I a and further automatic control, is maintained. For fogging purposes thethermostat control is set for approximately 900 F. which means that the valve 43 will be open to permit just enough pas sage of. fuel to maintain the. temperature at the setting. If the temperature goes higher the ex-'- pansion of tube 34 will increase causing the thermostatic: control to close.- the diaphragm valve on its seat.

As: shown above water is supplied to the device by a positive displacement pump 43- which supplies enough water to theiog. oil. to accomplish the purpose. required. It ia to be understood that it a different proportion or ratio requireda different water pump may be placed in. its stead or its operation' speeded up so as to deliver the in.- creased. amount. In addition to. the other drives on the motor. 31, it. also drives a small. magneto which. furnishes the energy, to. the. spark plug 25 in the burner assembly 25... It will also. be. 1

observed that the. gasoline fed to. the. burner 25;

. is under a. constant head from the gasoline. level.-

eration in connection with the. making of fog with aerosols having a particle size of from .1 to .03 micron radius, it has been. discovered that the size of the particle released is directly proportionate to the operating temperature of the device. Thus, aerosols having a particle size of from 2 to 10 microns radius for example, are obtained by operating the device at temperatures from 450 to 500 F.

As has been explained before the function of the water supplied to this system in the operation of the device is primarily to secure enough water for the generation of steam which is the vehicle for the dissemination of the particles. Obviously, if the fluid put through the device is an insecticide, for example, which contains water in proper portion, then it is not necessary to operate the water system on the device and the same may either be disconnected or removed without altering the function or operation of the device. any event steam is produced which is the vehicle for securing an aerosol or fog which, if fog is used, will result in a dense, persistent covering fog, or if an insecticide is used will result in a penetrating thick fog which carries the lethal material to trees or crops or whatever may be the object of the treatment. Obviously the nozzle 36 may be adjusted by any well known means to any direction desired.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 523,292, filed February 21,

1944, now Patent No. 2,432,372 issued December 9, 1947.

I claim:

1. Fog generating apparatus comprising a coil having an inlet end and an outlet end, heating '2: means comprising a combustion chamber and a burner therefor arranged to heat said coil by combustion :gases countercurrently to the flow of fluid through'thecoil from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof, a fog oil pump and a water pump, means communicating each pump with the inlet end of said coil to deliver fog oil and Water thereto in a predetermined ratio, an internal combustion engine for operating said fog oil pump and water pump, a fuel pump operated by said engine, means communicating said fuel pump with said engine tozsupply fuel thereto,-

means communicating said'fuel pump with said burner to supply liquid fuel thereto by gravity,

preheating means for preheating the fuel thus delivered to said burner by'heat exchange with the hot combustion gases from said engine,

thermostatically controlled valve means control-.

ling the amount of liquid fuel delivered to said burner, said thermostatic means being in heat exchanging relation-to the fluid in the outlet of said coil and being responsive to the temperature.

thereofto control the amount of fuel delivered to said burner thereby maintaining said fluid'at a predetermined temperature.

2. Aportable self contained fog generating apparatus having a heat exchange unit and auxiliaries, said, heat exchange unit comprising in combination a coil having an inlet end and outlet end, heating means comprising a combustion chamber and a burner therein located relatively to saidcoil so that combustion gases from said burner will flow countercurrently to fluid flowing fmm the inlet end-to the outlet end of said 8. exchange unit and within said coil adjacent its outlet end operativelyconnected to said fuel feed means to control the flow of fuel to said burner thereby continuously maintaining said fluid in said coil at a predetermined temperature.

3. Fog generating apparatus having a' heat exchange unit and auxiliaries, said heat exchange unit comprising in combination a coil having an inlet end and an outlet end, heating means comprising a combustion chamber and a burner therefor adapted to burn gasoline and arranged to heat said coil by combustion gases therefrom, said auxiliaries comprising in combination pump means for pumping a mixed fluid to the inlet end -of said coil, a gasoline engine for operating said REFERENCES CITED 7 The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent: e UNITED sTATEs PATENTS I Date Number Name 1,827,950 Mulligan Oct. 20', 1931 1,925,643 Ofeldt Sept. 5, 1933 2,128,263 Ofeldt Aug. 30, 1938 2,426,846 Roselund Sept. 2, 1947 2,428,580 Pennow Oct. 7, 1947 2,432,372 Besler Dec. 9, 1947 Davis Oct. 12, 1948

Claims (1)

1. FOG GENERATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A COIL HAVING AN INLET END AND AN OUTLET END, HEATING MEANS COMPRISING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND A BURNER THEREFOR ARRANGED TO HEAT SAID COIL BY COMBUSTION GASES COUNTERCURRENTLY TO THE FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THE COIL FROM THE INLET END TO THE OUTLET END THEREOF, A FOG OIL PUMP AND A WATER PUMP, MEANS COMMUNICATING EACH PUMP WITH THE INLET END OF SAID COIL TO DELIVER FOG OIL AND WATER THERETO IN A PREDETERMINED RATIO, AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR OPERATING SAID FOG OIL PUMP AND WATER PUMP, A FUEL PUMP OPERATED BY SAID ENGINE, MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID FUEL PUMP WITH SAID ENGINE TO SUPPLY FUEL THERETO, MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID FUEL PUMP WITH SAID BURNER TO SUPPLY LIQUID FUEL THERETO BY GRAVITY, PREHEATING MEANS FOR PREHEATING THE FUEL THUS DELIVERED TO SAID BURNER BY HEAT EXCHANGE WITH THE HOT COMBUSTION GASES FROM SAID ENGINE, THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE MEANS CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF LIQUID FUEL DELIVERED TO SAID BURNER, SAID THERMOSTATIC MEANS BEING IN HEAT EXCHANGING RELATION TO THE FLUID IN THE OUTLET OF SAID COIL AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE TEMPERATURE THEREOF TO CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF FUEL DELIVERED TO SAID BURNER THEREBY MAINTAINING SAID FLUID AT A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE.

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