Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-01-22

carbon than for the hydrogen. and
combines with II. forming carbonic
oxide tor carbon mouoxidc, gas. set
ting the hydrogen free. oxygen and
hydrogen are, however. so closely in
terlocked In water that lin correct AMI
scientific practice) 1t has been found
necessary first to highly superhcat the
steam In superhcaters which permit of
its full and free expansion. and then
pass II through two beds of incan-
descent carbon. in order to insure its
complete and economical conversion
into water gas. A careful analysis of
the gases generated by forcing steam
through but a single bed of incandes-
cent carbon shows that In every run
of gas a portion of the steam passes
through the gas generator undccom-
posed. carrying of and wasting the
heat. thereby causing q serious loss
and waste of fuel.
Cheap bituminous coal can not be
economically used In any of the ap.
paratus previously described. for the
reasons "a that II can not be ecOnomi.
cally raised to the state Of incandes-
cence necessary to thoroughly decom.
pose steam. and (2) II Is soon extin-
grished when steam Is admitted. In
short, numerous tests and experiments
have demonstrated that bituminous
coal must he first reduced to coke he.
fore 1t can he scientifically and eco.
nomically utilized in the manufacture
of water gas. II can he used. of course,
In a limited manner. but only by ex.
cessivc loss and waste of material.
when used I'm its raw state.
The problem to be worked out in eco.
from the cheapest and most plentiful
materials has been as follows:
1. The quicker and more effective
coking of bituninOus coal by direct In.
ternal combustion and radiated heat
without the cost Of constructing. Oper.
ating and continually repairing cxtcr.
nally fired retorts. set In coal benches.
2. The immediate utilization of tn,
resulting coke for the manufacture Of
water gas, while hot and In the same
apparatus.
3. The economical storing of the heat
generated while coking the coal AM
heating up the fuel preparatory e
making gas.
4. The immediate utilization of tn,
heat generated and stored while heat
Ing up. for the experimenting Of steam,
the heating Of air and water. the vapor
izlng of oil and the combining and fix
ing of the mixed gases.
). The construction and operation OF
down draft. steam superhcating. oil VA
porizlng and gas.iiXing chambers. with
no openings In their tops through
which heat may he lost. such outlets
being provided ut the base of the super
heaters.
u. A method of operating the apparn
tis which provides that practically nc
heat. gas or time is lost while cleaning
the apparatus Of ashes aud charging
fresh fuel into the generators.
The records Of the patent offices Of al
the principal nations show that cOntin
ual efforts have been made to solve THU
knOtty problem by many skilled invent
Ors nnd practical gus engineers Of thl'
century. and that the scientific solution
OF the problem hns repeatedly bafiic,
the best Inventive genius Of all cOun
tries.
1t has remained for Henry G. Rev (,
Invent. patent and put into practical Cgl
grafton ON u large commercial scale
what he claims 10 bc the best process
| uul u nna va t,,s ovnv ,.nt sl.,rtsnI f.s tt,
scientific ana economical utilization o
cheap bltuminOus coal. crude oil nn,
water, for the manufacture Of the hIgl,
est quality Of cnrbureted water gns.
\ short history of his lnbors In thI
field may not be unintercsting.
Mr. Rev first became Interested II
improvements In gus manufacture II
the year 1878. He was then an activ
member Of the Chicago Board of Trade
and u partner In the widely known an,
prosperous firm OF ID. w. Irwin Il CG
In the year 1883 Mfter discovering hOy
much remained to be done to bring thi
fascinating art to perfectiOn) he drOl
ped all other matters In order to Civ
his entire time ana talents, ana devOt
his means. to the discovering. design
Ing. patenting and developing Of an M
paratus adapted to use the cheapest m
most plentiful of materials. scientiiical
~ ana economically, In the manufat
ture of the highest grade Of carburete
water gas.
The first few months We're employees
by him IN investigating the state Of I'll
art ut the United States patent otiic
nt Washington, ana In applying fO
patents covering n new line of ideas.
His first practical experiment wa
tried mt the POtrerO station of the Sa
Francisco Gas Light and Coke Con
! pany In 1886. This resulted In the val
liable discovery of the economical M
cesslty of an evenly balanced blast an
; exhaust. both while heating up an
while making gas, thus providing fO
! drawing away the products ana case
: as rapidly rs they We're generated, frOi
the regions where chemical change
; We're taking place, In order to instr
! more economical and perfect chemica
changes, both while admitting air an
: steam. He thereby made an importan
and useful Improvement on the waste
ful forcing method still In general Ms
, In apparatus of the first and secOn
stages. which drive burning gases int
} the open air, whereby their heat Is los