Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-01-07
XA|ER PROCESS GAS
Interesting Interview on the Manu-
facture

A very interesting interview on the
manufacture of water gas was given
the writer by Mr.. X. B. Wagner, engi-
neer and secretary Of the Gratiot Co.
Gas Co.
The gas supplied by the local com
pany is water gas which is the equal
of coal gas more commonly used. but
is obtained by much more difficult
and complicated process.
Coal gas is made from the fumes Of
coal which are collected, scrubbed and
purified and the by-product that re-
mains is called coke which is simply
coal with the volatile matter taken
out. Coke is quite commonly used for
fuel, giving fully as much heat as coal.
The plant which is located here is
very large and excellently equip
ped with large boilers, tanks, com
pressors and various other machinery
which will help to produce water gas.
The coke is placed in the bottom of
large generator and also in an upper
boiler Of a large tank called a super
heater. 1t is then heated to a temper
ature of~1400 degrees and the space
between the two boilers is used for
consuming the gases. The fumes that
arise from the coke are called carbon
dioxide and carbon monoxide. These
gases are obtained when the coke
breaks up. The heat from the gases
makes steam and the steam breaks up
into hydrogen and oxygen, which are
necessary for the composition Of water
gas. Oil passes from large tanks into
the superheater and when mixed with
the other fumes forms a hydro carbon
gas. The materials necessary for the
manufacture 6f this gas are oil, steam
and coke.
The gas is taken from the super
heater to the hydraulic scrubber where
it is thoroughly cleaned and after this
process it goes to the storage tanks.
An immense tank which holds 5000
cubic feet of uncompressed gas and the
tank is so built that its size may be
adjusted by the amount of the gas in
the tank.
The gas from the storage tank
passes through another process where
all of the sulphur is removed from the
gas. This is done by having the gas
come in contact with iron oxide which
removes all of the sulphur and forms
iron sulphide.
From the purifier to the compressor
is the next process and this is done
merely SO that the gas can be stored
in smaller volume. SO thoroughly is
this done that 5000 cubic feet of un-
compressed gas will fill tank which
ordinarily will hold 10000 cubic feet of
compressed gas. The compression
takes all of the moisture out of the
gas. This is quite necessary because
if gas was sent from the tanks through
the pipes direct to the homes it would
be necessary TO lay the pipes below
the frost line.
The gas that is stored in the tanks
contains a pressure of 80 pounds which
is greatly reduced before it is put into
actual use. 1t is easier to store gas
containing a high pressure than gas
low because the increase
squeezes ell of the moisture out.
The gas then passes through what is
called a governor where the pressure
is reduced from eighty pounds to ten
pounds and then through another gov
ernor where it is reduced to two
pounds. From this last instrument it
is sent by pipes direct to the homes
where it is reduced from a pressure
of two pounds to two ounces. This
reduction is very essential as it would
be very dangerous to use gas if the
pressure was over two ounces.
The gas for st. Louis all goes out
under high pressure and the decreas-
ing of the pressure is done there. The
company expects to have lines run
ming to Ithaca in very short time.
Winter Clothing French dry-cleaned.