Improvements in the Production of Illuminating Gas.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Illuminating Gas.
I, JOHN SMITH, Gas Engineer of the Gas Works, Sunbury-on-Thames, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for Improvements in the Production of Illuminating Gas has for
its object to provide an improved means for enriching coal gas by means of oil gas
so that a poor coal can be used in the manufacture of illuminating gas: and
consists essentially in the construction of a retort for converting the oil into a
permanent gas and in the arrangement of the retort either alone or in combination
with the usual coal gas retorts.
The retort for converting the oil into a permanent gas consists of a cast iron
retort provided with one or more longitudinal divisions extending from one end of
the retort to near the other end so as to divide the retort into two or more
chambers communicating with one another so as to form a continuous channel.
The mouth end of the first chamber is connected to the hydraulic main and of the
last chamber to the supply of oil which is injected with superheated steam into this
chamber. The oil retort is used continuously and is arranged alone or in the stack
over the coal retorts, and in the latter case no separate means are required for
heating the retorts. The oil is injected by superheated steam into the first
chamber of the retort at the mouthpiece. Passing down this chamber to the back
of the retort, it enters the second chamber passing beyond the end of the partition
of the retort and so on. In the last chamber it travels to the mouthpiece and up
the ascension pipe to the hydraulic main. By this retort the oil vapours and gases
are made to travel the entire length of the retort twice or more, and escape by the
ascension pipe in the last chamber only as permanent fixed gas..
It can be worked at a much higher temperature than ordinary cast iron gas
retorts, as the partition passing down the centre greatly strengthens the whole
retort and helps to prevent warping and falling in at the top.
Dated this 28th day of July 1893.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Illuminating Gas.
I, JOHN SMITH, Gas Engineer, of the Gas Works, Sunbury-on-Thames, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention for Improvements in the Production of Illuminating Gas has for
its object to provide an improved means for enriching coal gas by means of oil gas
so that a poor coal can be used in the manufacture of illuminating gas; and
consists essentially in the construction of a retort for converting the oil into a
permanent gas and in the arrangement of the retort either alone or in combination
with the usual coal gas retorts.
The retort for converting the oil into a permanent gas consists of a cast iron
retort provided with one or more longitudinal divisions extending from one end

page_text: of the retort to near the other end so as to divide the retort into two or more
chambers communicating with one another to form a continuous channel. The
mouth end of the last chamber is connected to the hydraulic main and of the first
chamber to the supply of oil. The oil retort is used continuously and is arranged
alone or in the stack over the coal retorts, and in the latter case no separate means
are required for heating it. The oil is injected by superheated steam into the first
chamber of the retort at the mouthpiece. Passing down this chamber to the back
of the retort it enters the second chamber passing beyond the end of the partition
of the retort and so on. In the last chamber it travels to the mouthpiece and up
the ascension pipe to the hydraulic main. By this retort the oil vapours and gases
are made to travel the entire length of the retort twice or more and escape by the
ascension pipe in the last chamber only as permanent fixed gas..
It can be worked at a much higher temperature than ordinary cast iron gas
retorts, as the partition down the centre greatly strengthens the whole retort and
helps to prevent warping and falling in at the top.
In the accompanying three sheets of illustrative drawings:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing a retort arranged and constructed according
to this invention over a set of coal gas retorts and for converting oil into a
permanent gas.,
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the oil retort and its connections and Fig. 3 is a
longitudinal vertical section of the same.
Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views to Figs. 2 and 3 showing a modified construction
of retort and
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the modified retort and its cover, and Fig. 7 a cross
section of the retort.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the hydraulic main and Fig. 9 is a cross section
of the same.
The oil gas retort is shown arranged centrally above a double set of coal gas
retorts 2. It consists of a cast iron retort provided with a central longitudinal
partition 3. extending from the front end of the retort to near the back end
so as to form two chambers 4, 5 communicating at their back ends. The mouth
end of the chamber 4 is fitted with an injector 6 supplied with oil through the
regulating cock 7. Oil is supplied from a suitable reservoir through a graduated
cock 9 to the funnel 8 and passes thence by a pipe and through the regulating
cock 7 to the injector 6. The injector is supplied with superheated steam through
the cock 10. It will be seen that by suitably regulating the cocks 7 and 9 a small
percentage of air can be admitted with the oil into the retort. The oil injected
into the cool end of the chamber 4 as a spray is converted into vapour which passes
down the chamber 4 to the back or hottest end whence it passes behind the end of
the partition 3 into the chamber 5 and out by the ascension pipe 11 at the mouth
end of the chamber 5. The front end of the chamber is fitted with a cock 45 to
enable the colour of the oil gas to be observed so as to properly regulate the oil
supply. It should be of a dark brown colour.
In the modified construction of retort shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 an inner
chamber 12 is inserted in the centre of an ordinary cast iron retort 13. The
chamber 12 which is of less length than the retort 13 is supported in the retort 13
by longitudinal webs 14. The retort is shown provided with strengthening ribs 15.
The nozzle 16 of the injector 6 passes through the stuffing box 17 into the
chamber 12. The bolts 18 acting through the cross bar 19 force up the gland of the
stuffing box to make a tight joint and then force the cover against the end of
the retort, there being a space between the ends of the cross bar 19 and the cover.
The action of this retort is similar to that already described, the oil being injected
into the central chamber and passing out at the back and into the retort 13. The
cocks 7, and 10 are adjusted to the desired quality of the gas and then require
little or no attention.
Since filing my Provisional Specification I have found that the gas as manufactured
in the oil gas retort carries with it a large amount of tarry matter into the

page_text: hydraulic main and the condensers and washers are liable to become clogged and
consequently in order to cool the gas and condense the tarry matter as soon as
possible I have found it necessary in practice to admit a stream of cold water with
the gas to the hydraulic main.
The oil gas is led by the ascension pipe 11 to the hydraulic main 20 which is
rather larger than that usually employed for coal gas. The dip pipe 21 of the
hydraulic main is extended upwards. A stream of water is admitted to the top of
the dip pipe 21 by a sealed pipe 22 provided with a funnel 23 at its top which is
supplied with water from the cock 24. This stream of water meets the hot oil gas
from the retort, flows with it into the main 20, helps to condense it and arrests the
tarry matter. The gas passes out of the main by the pipe 25. The excess water
and tar passes out by the overflow 26 leading to the tar well. The main can be
cleaned through the opening 27. The outlet from the hydraulic main is also fitted
with a cock 44 for observing the quality of the oil gas.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A cast iron retort for converting oil into a permanent gas consisting of a retort
divided into two or more chambers communicating alternately at opposite ends,
substantially as described.
2. The cast iron retort for converting oil into a permanent gas substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 of the drawings.
3. The cast iron retort for converting oil into a permanent gas substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement in a single stack of coal gas retorts and an
oil gas retort for producing oil gas for enriching coal gas so as to be heated by a
single furnace substantially as described.
5. The combination with the oil gas retort of the mechanism for injecting
regulated quantities of oil steam and air into the oil gas retort substantially as
described.
6. For the subsequent treatment of gas manufactured in the oil gas retort, an
hydraulic main provided with an arrangement for admitting a continuous stream of
water, substantially as described.
7. The apparatus for producing permanent gas from oil, substantially as described
with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of April 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.