Blast furnace gas, as implied by its name, is a by-product from the blast furnace of the iron industry. This gasification of the solid fuel in a blast furnace results, 1st, through combustion by the oxygen of the blast; 2nd, through contact with the incandescent ore (Fe2O3 + C = 2 FeO + CO and FeO + C = Fe + CO); and 3rd, through the agency of CO2 either formed in the process of reduction or driven from the carbonates charged either as ore or flux.
Approximately 90 per cent of the fuel consumed in all of the blast furnaces of the United States is coke. The consumption of coke per ton of iron made varies from 1600 to 3600 pounds per ton of 2240 pounds of iron. This consumption depends upon the quality of the coal, the nature of the ore, the quality of the pig iron produced and the equipment and management of the plant. The average consumption, and one which is approximately correct for ordinary conditions, is 2000 pounds of coke per gross ton (2240 pounds) of pig iron. The gas produced in a gas furnace per ton of pig iron is obtained from the weight of fixed carbon gasified, the weight of the oxygen combined with the material of charge reduced, the weight of the gaseous constituents of the flux and the weight of air delivered by the blowing engine and the weight of volatile combustible contained in the coke. Ordinarily, this weight of gas will be found to be approximately five times the weight of the coke burned, or 10,000 pounds per ton of pig iron produced.
With the exception of the small amount of carbon in combination with hydrogen as methane, and a very small percentage of free hydrogen, ordinarily less than 0.1 per cent, the calorific value of blast furnace gas is due to the CO content which when united with sufficient oxygen when burned under a boiler, burns further to CO2. The heat value of such gas will vary in most cases from 85 to 100 B. t. u. per cubic foot under standard conditions. In modern practice, where the blast is heated by hot blast stoves, approximately 15 per cent of the total amount of gas is used for this purpose, leaving 85 per cent of the total for use under boilers or in gas engines, that is, approximately 8500 pounds of gas per ton of pig iron produced. In a modern blast furnace plant, the gas serves ordinarily as the only fuel required. [Table 49] gives the analyses of several samples of blast furnace gas.
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Until recently, the important consideration in the burning of blast furnace gas has been the capacity that can be developed with practically no attention given to the aspect of efficiency. This phase of the question is now drawing attention and furnaces especially designed for good efficiency with this class of fuel are demanded. The essential feature is ample combustion space, in which the combustion of gases may be practically completed before striking the heating surfaces. The gases have the power of burning out completely after striking the heating surfaces, provided the initial temperature is sufficiently high, but where the combustion is completed before such time, the results secured are more satisfactory. A furnace volume of approximately 1 to 1.5 cubic feet per rated boiler horse power will give a combustion space that is ample.
Where there is the possibility of a failure of the gas supply, or where steam is required when the blast furnace is shut down, coal fired grates of sufficient size to get the required capacity should be installed. Where grates of full size are not required, ignition grates should be installed, which need be only large enough to carry a fire for igniting the gas or for generating a small quantity of steam when the blast furnace is shut down. The area of such grates has no direct bearing on the size of the boiler. The grates may be placed directly under the gas burners in a standard position or may be placed between two bridge walls back of the gas furnace and fired from the side of the boiler. An advantage is claimed for the standard grate position that it minimizes the danger of explosion on the re-ignition of gas after a temporary stoppage of the supply and also that a considerable amount of dirt, of which there is a good deal with this class of fuel and which is difficult to remove, deposits on the fire and is taken out when the fires are cleaned. In any event, regardless of the location of the grates, ample provision should be made for removing this dust, not only from the furnace but from the setting as a whole.
Blast furnace gas burners are of two general types: Those in which the air for combustion is admitted around the burner proper, and those in which this air is admitted through the burner. Whatever the design of burner, provision should be made for the regulation of both the air and the gas supply independently. A gas opening of .8 square inch per rated horse power will enable a boiler to develop its nominal rating with a gas pressure in the main of about 2 inches. This pressure is ordinarily from 6 to 8 inches and in this way openings of the above size will be good for ordinary overloads. The air openings should be from .75 to .85 square inch per rated horse power. Good results are secured by inclining the gas burners slightly downward toward the rear of the furnace. Where the burners are introduced over coal fired grates, they should be set high enough to give headroom for hand firing.
Ordinarily, individual stacks of 130 feet high with diameters as given in [Kent’s table] for corresponding horse power are large enough for this class of work. Such a stack will give a draft sufficient to allow a boiler to be operated at 175 per cent of its rated capacity, and beyond this point the capacity will not increase proportionately with the draft. When more than one boiler is connected with a stack, the draft available at the damper should be equivalent to that which an individual stack of 130 feet high would give. The draft from such a stack is necessary to maintain a suction under all conditions throughout all parts of the setting. If the draft is increased above that which such a stack will give, difficulties arise from excess air for combustion with consequent loss in efficiency.