Patent GB-506776-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for generating gas from a liquid hydrocarbon
IPC: C10G9/00
Filed: 1938-01-12
Abstract: 506,776. Oil - gas generation. BURGESS, A. F. (Foreign Patent Rights, Inc.) Jan. 12, 1938, No. 1037. [Class 55 (ii)] [Also in Group XXVII] An oil-gas generator comprises a chamber housing a moving absorbent means to carry the oil into a combustion space for partial combustion with a controlled mixture of air and steam, together with a chamber containing metallic or non-metallic discs having a catalysing action to which the gases and vapours from the combustion space are admitted and issue therefrom as a fixed gas. The temperature of the gases in the combustion space ranges from 1800-2800‹ F. and this temperature is reduced to less than one-third after passage through the catalysing chamber. Air is admitted from a compartment 14 through ports 16, together with steam from a vaporizer 26 through ports 29, to the combustion chamber 2 of the generator which houses a rotatable drum 5 carrying a peripheral wick 7 dipping in a fuel bowl 4 for supplying liquid fuel to the combustion space. After preliminary ignition by means of a sparking plug 84, the partial combustion of the oil, air and steam proceeds and the gases are fixed by passage through a reaction chamber 3 containing rotating discs 8, of carborundum, nickel steel or steel known under the registered Trade Mark as "Invar," spaced apart on horizontal shafts 36, the fixed gas issuing through an offtake 9. The shafts 36 and the shaft 6 of the drum are rotated by means of a pinion 40 engaging gear wheels 35, 39 attached respectively thereto, the shaft 41 of the pinion 40 being driven through gearing 51, 50 by means of a shaft (not shown) coupled to a driving motor. The latter shaft through belting 57 operates an impeller pump 54 which circulates cooling liquid to a jacket 13 arranged beneath the fuel bowl 4 to prevent the fluid therein from boiling. The base of the fuel oil container communicates through an opening 70 with a sludge ejector device comprising an endless chain 67 driven from the shaft 6, provided with pivoted blades 72 for lifting the sludge to an outlet 71. Oil is fed to the bowl 4 from a container 74 to which the oil is supplied through a float operated valve. A similarly controlled fuel container 87 supplies fuel oil to a perforated tube 85 extending parallel to the drum for starting the gas generation, a prolonged spark for this purpose being produced by pulling a lever 91 which closes contacts 94, 95 in the electric circuit containing the plug 84. A plunger 92 simultaneously jerks some oil to the perforated tube. Intermittent sparking of the plug is also produced during gas generation by means of breaker mechanism which includes contacts 97, 98 periodically caused to disengage by a lug on the arm carrying the latter contact which engages with the sides of the shaft 41 the end of which is of square section. The suction produced during working causes a spring-pressed valve 18 to open to admit air to the compartment 14 and also draws in steam from the water vaporizer 26. The latter comprises tortuous passages arranged at the rear of the generator and is supplied with a controlled quantity of water from a vessel 106. The latter is connected to a float controlled supply vessel from which water is intermittently transferred in small quantities by means of a paddle 109 which is periodically swung by means of pivoted levers 110-112, the last of which is intermittently lifted by a pawl 115 and ratchet 114 mounted on the uppermost shaft 36. The proportion of steam and air admitted to the combustion space may be varied respectively by slides each having openings registering more or less as desired with the ports 29, 16, the slides being externally adjustable.