Patent GB-190408827-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the Manufacture of Producer Gas and in the Apparatus used therein.
Inventor: TONKIN WALTER WILLIAM
Filed: 1904-04-16
Granted: 1905-02-16
Abstract: 8827. Tonkin, W. W., and Puplett, S. April 16. Gas - producers ; ashpits; blast apparatus ; charges, agitating ; charging; flues, cleaning; kindling; ashes, preventing lodgment of; waste heat, utilizing. - In manufacturing producer gas from bituminous coal, the volatile products first passing off are caused to pass through the zone of active combustion, and thereby are converted into permanent gases ; the heat-exchanger for utilizing the waste heat in the gas to heat the incoming air is improved upon the form described in Specification No. 15,498, A.D. 1902 ; the construction and working of the steam generator in combination with the gas-producer and also that of the combined scrubber and saturator are also improvements on the invention described in the prior Specification. The supplying of the fuel, the removal of the ashes, the supplying of steam, and the construction of the ports or passages for various gases to prevent lodgment of condensed vapours or ashes are also improved. In one form of producer, Fig. 9, the cold air enters through an inlet F, and passes through the heatexchanger passages F<1>, shown in the horizontal section, Fig. 2, of a similar producer. Part may then pass through pipes D<1> to the upper supply ports E', E', and the rest down the central channel D to the lower ports E. Most of the air passes through the incandescent fuel to the outlet port G, being converted on the way into carbon monoxide. Some passes upwards through the newlysupplied coal in the top, driving off most of the volatile, tarry products, which are passed down a pipe J by an injector H or other means, and blown into the charge at L<1>, from which they must pass up through the hot active zone near the nozzles E, on their way to the outlet G, and are thus completely converted into permanent gases. A small quantity of air is passed down a pipe M to support combustion below the ports L<1>, and revaporize any condensed steam or tar coming from the ports L<i>. All the ports slope towards the inside of the producer, to prevent lodgment of ashes, condensed tar, water, &c. The gases pass from the passage G down the flues G<1> in the heat-exchanger, and out by the port G<2>. In some forms of producer, the upper ports E', E<2> are omitted, and an inner iron retort passed part of the way down the producer. In other cases, the ports E are omitted as well as the channel D, the lower ports L', and pipes J, and a small quantity of hot gas from the passage G is blown by an injector downwards through the raw fuel, volatilizing the tarry products, and carrying them past the active zone near the ports E<2>, E<1>. When the producer is required to work for some time, a hopper B<1> for fresh coal is provided, and also feeding-rolls N with an oscillating distributing- plate N'. Pokers, preferably passing through spherical stuffing-boxes at the base of the hopper B<1>, may also be provided to break up the caking bituminous fuel. To prevent the ashes in the water seal from caking, a block P, reciprocated by hand or mechanically, is used to push the ashes from the centre, and, if desirable, to supply them to conveyers. The ports L, L<1> &c. may be so shaped and provided with doors that cleaning is facilitated. In order to facilitate starting, a combined scrubber V<1> and saturator V<2>, Fig. 13, is employed. Cold water is sprinkled in the scrubber V<1>, and thence passes through a pipe V<5> to be sprinkled in the saturator V<2>, mixed with more cold water from a cock V<4>, if desired. Air is forced through the saturator V<2> by an injector T, which also charges the air with moisture. Most of this moisture is condensed, in the starting of the apparatus, by the cold sprinkled water, and the air passes out by the pipe V<3> comparatively dry, to the inlet F. As, however, the gas passing into the scrubber V<1> gradually gets hotter, the water supplied to the saturator is gradually heated, and condenses less of the vapour, so that more moisture is automatically supplied to the producer. The boiler, Fig. 10, is used in combination with the producer, to generate the steam required. The tubes Q are open to each other at both the top and bottom, and are fed with water through a pipe Q<2>, from the top of a reservoir R, into the bottom of which cold water is pumped. In some cases the position of the piston R<1>, determined by a screw R', controls the quantity of water in the boiler. In other cases the quantity of water is automatically controlled by a relief valve R<3>, under the control of the gas governor, as described in the prior Specification, in conjunction with a non- return valve R<4>, which prevents any excess of hot water from passing below the piston. With thn arrangement, the piston R<1> is sometimes omitted, and the vessel R is so shaped as to cause as little mixture of the hot and cold water as possible.