IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING COAL GASES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Specht at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th August 1880. A communication
by Paul Bischoff, of Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany.
ALEXANDER SPECHT, of Hamburg, Civil Engineer, of the Firm of Specht,
Ziese, & Co., Patent Agents, of Hamburg, Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CARBURETTING COAL GASES." [A communication by Paul Bischoff,
of Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany.]
The object of the Invention is to increase the illuminating power of low
illuminating powered coal gases by carburetting them with benzole, ether of
petroleum, or similar other volatile hydrocarbons.
The oversaturation of the gas with hydrocarbon vapours and the condensation of
the latter in the pipes is avoided, and therefore this apparatus may be employed
with advantage on a large scale.
In the Drawings accompanying this Provisional Specification, Sheet 1 shews an
apparatus in which the evaporation of the hydrocarbon is aided by hot water,
the temperature of which may be regulated by a selfacting contrivance.
Sheet 2 shows a similar apparatus but without means of raising or lowering
the temperature. In the apparatus shown in Sheet 1 the coal gas coming
from a through a valve b enters a floating chamber c, made of vulcanized rubber,
and flows through small pipes e, e¹, e, inclined downwards upon the volatile
hydrocarbon. A thorough mixture of the vapours is effected by these means, and
the saturated gas passes through d into the main and is conducted to the burners.
The apparatus may be inserted into the main at any convenient place. The filling
in of benzole and other hydrocarbons may be done without danger during the
working of the apparatus. The pipe f, generally closed by the screw g, serves for
this purpose and extends below the surface of the fluid, so that any escape of
vapour is prevented. By means of a glass the height of the fluid inside the
apparatus may be observed.
It is easily conceivable that by means of the floating chamber arranged in the
manner as shown, the mixture of the gas with the hydrocarbon vapour will be
equally good at any height of the fluid, and therefore an equal illuminating power
will be given to the mixture.
The space above the fluid serves as a sort of receiver; the outflow of the gas
therefore will be steady, and all burners will give a uniform and steady burning
light

page_text: During strong frosts the evaporation of the hydrocarbon may be aided by a
vessel filled with hot water arranged below the apparatus and heated by a
flame of a gas lamp 7 to any temperature desired.
The temperature is regulated by a rod v fixed on k composed of two different
metals, the different expansion of which acts in such a manner that an increase of
temperature of the water tends to close the gas cock m of the lamp ; a decrease
tends to open the cock.
The apparatus shown on Sheet 2 consists of two separated chambers A and B.
A serves as a receiver for the volatile hydrocarbon, and B is the chamber where
the mixture of the hydrocarbon vapours with the coal gas is effected. The thorough
mixture of the two gases is effected in the following manner :-
The gas coming from a flows through a series of small holes u, u, u², and passes
between strips of felt and flannel p, p, p, which are saturated with benzole or
cther of petroleum. The outlet passages o, o', o², are very small, and the gas has
time to mix thoroughly with the volatile vapours of the hydrocarbons. Theso
latter penetrating the fine texture of the felt strips fill the receiver B and flow
through the fine perforated piper into the chamber A.
The carburetted gas passes through b into the main. The valve g serves to
regulate the degree of saturation of the gas. The supply of hydrocarbon gases
to the strips of flannel, etc., inay be adjusted by it. A glass h' and pipe f¹ serve
the purpose of inspection and controlling the addition to the fluid in A. By means
of the small pipe s the pressure in chamber A and B is equalized.