Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-10-20
PROCESSOF MAKING
COM MERCIAL GAS
VERY INTERESTING

CONTINUED from Page One)
this main constant level of water is
maintained and here the first of the
cleaning processes takes place.
In passing along this hydraulic
main partly filled with water a good
deal of the tarry substance, which
has come up the perpendicular pipes
TO the main, is collected on the water
and passes out at an escape pipe to
the tar-well outside the building. The
gas, which bubbles through the water
to liberate the tar, passes through the
large main to its next place of puri-
flying, which is called a tar extract
or. At this point the gas exhauster
or rather pump, which forces it
through hte tar extractor and also
keeps up the pressure that forces it
through the other stages and later in
to the large holders outside.
The tar extractor is provided,
among other things, with an automa-
tic screen, controlled by weights,
which opens and closes as the amount
of the gas increases or decreases, with
consequent increase or decrease of
tar. After leaving the tar extractor,
the gas in manufacture is conducted
to the water condenser. This ma
chine is a long upright tank on the
inside of which is water at the top
and bottom. Running from end to
end in the tank is series of pipes.
The gas enters one series of pipes
and passes down through them to the
bottom of the tank, where it is liber-
ated in the water and after bubbling
up through the water finds its escape
through the second series of pipes.
This process leaves part Of the tar
and ammonia, which the heated gas
has carried, behind and the excess
runs off through traps to the tar well
outside.
Leaving the water condenser the
gas goes to the scrubber. The scrub
Der is tank similar in shape and
size to the condenser except it is
filled with several different eleva-
tons with coke. This coke being very
absorbent takes up the ammonia and
and tar which are already extracted.
The coke is replaced about every two
months, the old being used to fire the
coking ovens or retorts at the begin
ming of the gas manufacture. The
gas on its journey goes to the purify
ing boxes. These are large boxes each
holding about two hundred bushels. In
the boxes is placed mixture of wood
shavings and iron sponge, which is
really iron filings and borings. The
gas enters the box from below and the
iron, which is oXidiZed, is too heavy to
allow the free passage through the
it. This accounts for the shavings.
As the gas passes through the puri-
fer it is freed of sulphurated hy-
drogen, which is highly detrimental to
the mixers and burners in the stoves.
The sulphur would clog the holes.
Liberated from the purifier the gas
goes into the station meter, which
records all gas manufactured and
from thence into the large holder out
side. The holder is familiar object
to everyone. The holder consists Of a
large tank filled with water. Invert-
ed in this is a second tank, similar to
a cup being inverted in water with air
inside. This large inverted tank holds
the gas, it being water sealed. The
weight of the tank inverted on the
gas inside gives the gas pressure in
the mains all over the city. To in
crease the pressure it is necessary
to increase the weight of the tank.
As for coke, a by-product of the gas
works, il is made as follows. When
the coal is placed in the coking ovens
or retorts, about three hundred
pounds in each retort, it is left there
about four hours. During this time
it is under a white heat constantly.
At the expiration of this time the
material left after the tar and gas
have escaped is pure carbon and
most valuable fuel. 1t is drawn out
in white hot mass. A small stream
of water is thrown onto it as it is
taken out to cool it without allowing
the valuable properties still contain
cd in it from escaping. Read the
advertisement Of the Bedding Coal q
Ice company this week about the saw
ing and convenience Of coke for fuel.