Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Carburetted Water Gas.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Carburetted
Water Gas.
We, THE ECONOMICAL GAS APPARATUS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED,
of Suffolk House, Cannon Street in the City of London Carburetted Water Gas
Engineers and LEONARD LANCASTER MERRIFIELD of Franklin, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of carburetted water gas, and
its objects are chiefly to construct an apparatus in which soft or bituminous coals
and Canadian, Russian or other heavy oils can be used without wasting the coal
gas from the soft coal, and to so arrange the connections between the different
parts of the apparatus that by merely varying the positions of the valves in the
said connections the generators, two of which are employed, can be run in a
multiplicity of ways, and either singly or together according to requirement, or be
readily "blown” or readily revived.
The invention consists of a particular construction and arrangement of retort
above each generator, of a special arrangement of the connections and valves
between the generators, retorts and superheaters, of a special disposition of valve
between each fixing chamber and the corresponding oil heater, and of various
other combinations and arrangements, the nature of which will be understood from
the description hereinafter given.
The apparatus comprises as its main parts two generators, two retorts built upon
the top of the two generators respectively, two superheaters in connection with the
two generators respectively, two fixing chambers connected with the two super-
heaters respectively, two valve boxes, two oil heaters, two scrubbers and two
condensers; the apparatus is in fact a double apparatus, each half comprising a
generator, a retort, a superheater a fixing chamber, a valve box, an oil heater, a
scrubber and a condenser. For convenience of description the parts of one half
are hereinafter referred to as generator No. 1, retort No. 1 &c., and the parts of
the other half as generator No. 2, retort No. 2 &c.
1
Each generator is provided with the usual grate to support the fuel, an air
blast pipe at its lower part, a steam pipe at its lower part, a gas conduit fitted with
a valve leading from its lower part to the corresponding superheater, an ash door,
stoking holes above the grate, and other stoking holes at the upper part of the
generator, all these devices being known in connection with generators for the
manufacture of carburetted water gas. There is a conduit fitted with a valve
between the two generators at their lower parts.
The retort built above each generator is in free communication therewith and
has an opening at top fitted with a feed bopper. This hopper has a cover at top and
is fitted at bottom with a valve worked by means of a lever. Between the retort
and the surrounding brickwork is a space forming a communication between the
top of the generator and a conduit leading to a flue which communicates with the
corresponding superheater; the said conduit is fitted with a valve. The two
retorts are connected together by a conduit fitted with a valve. There are one or
more air inlets to the space between the retort and the surrounding brickwork and
a steam inlet at the upper part of the retort.
The superheaters,. fixing chambers, oil heaters, scrubbers and condensers are

page_text: of any suitable and ordinary construction, a pipe from each oil heater being
arranged to deliver heated oil between the corresponding superheater and fixing
chamber.
Between each fixing chamber and the oil heater through which the fixed gas
passes on its way to the corresponding scrubber a valve, hereinafter called the seal
valve, is arranged in a liquid seal box through which the gas has to pass; a pipe
leading from the upper part of the fixing chamber has its lower end immersed in
the liquid while the open upper end of the oil heater is above the liquid level so
that the gas that flows down the pipe from the upper part of the fixing chamber
must pass through the liquid. It is to the lower end of this pipe that the seal
valve is fitted for the purpose of shutting off communication at this part when
required for particular "runs as hereinafter described. At the top of each fixing
chamber is a stack valve as usual.
"
"
Having described the construction of the apparatus and the connections and
valves between the various parts we will proceed to describe some of the "runs
that can be effected in the apparatus, either with the two generators together or
with either of them singly.
Firstly, in order to "blow-up" both apparatus, both stack valves are open, the
seal valves may be either open or closed, or one may be open and the other closed,
the valves between the two retorts are closed, the valves between the lower parts
of the two generators are closed, the valves between the lower parts of the
generators and the superheaters are closed; and the valves between the tops of the
generators and the flues leading to the superheaters are open. Air being admitted
to the lower part of each generator, the flow is up through the generator, then
through the space outside the retort, then through the conduit leading to the flue
that communicates with the superheater, any gases evolved from the fuel in the
retort passing to the bottom of the retort and mixing with the gases from the
generator. The gases pass from the superheater to the fixing chamber and then
out through the stack valve.
It will be understood that the gases evolved from the fuel in the generator mix
with the air and are consumed in the generator, and carbonic oxide is produced,
which with the gases from the retort and a small excess of air and further air
admitted at the lower part of the retort, heat up the retort, the resulting carbonic
oxide and other gases passing on to the bottom of the superheater; here more air
is admitted and a percentage of the carbonic oxide is converted into carbonic acid,
the heat evolved heating up the "checker bricks" in the superheater. The
remaining gases pass up to the fixing chamber where more air is admitted and the
rest of the carbonic oxide is converted into carbonic acid, the heat evolved heating
up the "checker bricks" in the fixing chamber. The resultant gases pass out
through the stack valve.
Both apparatus having been blown up, the following is one way of running the
two generators together :-Close both stack valves, open seal valve No. 1, close
seal valve No. 2, open communication between superheater No. 1 and the top of
generator No. 1, open communication between the lower parts of the two
generators and between superheater No. 2 and the top of generator No. 2, close
communication between the lower part of the generator No. 1 and superheater No. 1
and between the lower part of generator No. 2 and superheater No. 2, close com-
munication between the two retorts, admit steam at the upper part of fixing
chamber No. 2. The flow or run will then be down fixing chamber No. 2 and
superheater No. 2, then up to the top of generator No. 2, down through this
generator, across to bottom of generator No. 1, up this generator, then to super-
heater No. 1 and to the corresponding fixing chamber, valve box, oil heater,
scrubber and condenser. This flow or run can be reversed by opening seal
valve No. 2, closing seal valve No. 1 and admitting steam to the upper part of
fixing chamber No. 1, the other communications being as before. In either of
these flows or runs the gas evolved from the coal in the retorts will be drawn down
through them, and will mix with the gases from the generator.

page_text: If it be desired to run the two generators singly this can be done either by
admitting steam at the lower part of each generator and running it up, or at the
upper part of each retort and running the generator down; in the former case the
communications between the tops of the generators and the respective superheaters
are open, while the communications between the lower parts of the generators and
their respective superheaters are closed, and so are the communication between the
two generators and the communication between the two retorts; in latter case the
generators are put into communication at their lower parts with the superheaters
while communication between their upper parts and the superheaters is closed.
Another way in which the two generators can be run together is as follows:-
Close both stack valves, open seal valve No. 1, close seal valve No. 2, close the
communications between the tops of the two generators and their respective super-
heaters, open the communications between the bottoms of the two generators and
their respective superheaters, open the communication between the two retorts and
close the communication between the bottoms of the two generators; admit steam
at the top of the fixing chamber No. 2. The flow or run will then be down fixing
chamber No. 2 and superheater No. 2, then to the bottom of generator No. 2, up
through this generator and retort No. 2, then across to retort No. 1, down through
this retort and through generator No. 1, and then to the superheater No. 1 and to
the corresponding fixing chamber, oil heater, scrubber and condenser. This flow
or run can be reversed by simply reversing the positions of the two seal valves, and
admitting the steam to the upper part of fixing chamber No. 1.
If the fire in generator No. 1 is in a bad condition and it is desired to revive it,'
this can be effected as follows:-Close communication between the top of this
generator and its superheater and open communication between the bottom of same
and its superheater, close communication between the two retorts and open that
between the two generators, open communication between the top of generator No. 2
and its superheater and close communication between the bottom of generator No. 2
and its superheater. The steam will thus run across the bottom of generator No. 1
below the grate and this generator will therefore get no steam. Generator No. 2
can be revived in a similar manner.
Another way of reviving generator No. 1 is as follows:-Close communication
between the lower part of this generator and its superheater, open communication
between the top of the generator and its superheater, close communication between
the two generators, open communication between the two retorts, close communi-
cation between the top of generator No. 2 and its superheater and open communi-
cation between the bottom of generator No. 2 and its superheater. The steam
will thus pass across the top of generator No. 1 without going up through it, and
will pass up retort No. 1 taking with it the coal gas evolved in this retort into
retort No. 2. Generator No. 2 can be revived in a similar manner.
If it be required to revive a superheater and fixing chamber, communication
is closed between them and both the top and bottom of the corresponding
generator.
If it be required to revive generator No. 2 and superheater No. 1, this can be
effected by closing communication between this superheater and both the top and
bottom of generator No. 1, opening communication between the two retorts and
between the top of generator No. 2 and superheater No. 2, and closing communication
between the bottom of generator No. 2 and superheater No. 2. Then by admitting
steam at bottom of generator No. 1 the flow will be up through generator No. 1
and retort No. 1, across to retort No. 2 down the retort to top of generator No. 2,
and thence to superheater No. 2 without passing down through generator No. 2.
Or by closing communication between the two retorts, opening communication
between the two generators, closing communication between the top of generator No. 2
and its superheater, opening communication between the bottom of this generator
and its superheater and admitting steam at top of retort No. 1, the flow will be
down this retort, down through generator No. 1, across to bottom of generator No. 2,
across this generator below the grate bars to superheater No. 2. It is obvious

page_text: that generator No. 1 and superheater No. 2 can be revived in a similar
manner.
The heats can be blown up, in either of the ways just described for reviving one
of the generators at the same time as the superheater appropriated to the other
generator by admitting air instead of steam, the air being admitted either at the
lower part of the generator for an up run or at the upper part of the generator for
a down run.
It is to be understood that in the apparatus above described, the soft coal is fed
into the retorts or coking chambers by the hoppers in charges of sufficient
quantities to cause it to give off its gas during one run, that the resultant coke
passes down into the generator to produce water gas, and that when the two
generators are worked or run together, the mixed gases, consisting of the hydro-
carbon gas from the soft coal and the water gas from the coke, pass through the
incandescent fuel in the second generator and thence to the superheater where they
are mixed with oil vapors, being subsequently converted into a fixed or permanent
gas. The fresh charges of soft coal are introduced at the beginning of each run
and are of such regulated quantity as to admit of all the gas being given off in a
run of about 10 to 15 minutes. A compact fire bed free from steam fissures is
secured in each generator, and an even heat is maintained, owing to the large
bodies of incandescent coke.
Although the invention is specially intended to apply to apparatus for using soft
or bituminous coal, the double set of apparatus and the special arrangement of the
connections between the different parts are applicable to apparatus for using hard
coal, gas house or oven coke, such for example as the apparatus for manufacturing
water gas described in the Specifications of Patents No. 8371 of 1893 and
No. 11657 of 1894.
ليمم
1
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Carburetted
Water Gas.
We, THE ECONOMICAL GAS APPARATUS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED
of Suffolk House, Cannon Street in the City of London, Carburetted Water Gas
Engineers and LEONARD LANCASTER MERRIFIELD of Franklin, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Gas Engineer, 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 has reference to the manufacture of carburetted water gas and
its objects are chiefly to construct an apparatus in which soft or bituminous coals
and Canadian, Russian or other heavy oils can be used without wasting the coal
gas from the soft coal and to so arrange the connections between the different
parts of the apparatus that by merely varying the positions of the valves in the
said connections the generators, two of which are employed can be run in a
multiplicity of ways and either singly or together according to requirement, or be
readily "blown or readily revived.
"
The invention consists of a particular construction and arrangement of retort
above each generator, of a special arrangement of the connections and valves
between the generators, retorts and superheaters, of a special disposition of valve
between each fixing chamber and the corresponding oil heater, and of various
other combinations and arrangements the nature of which will be understood from
the description hereinafter given.

page_text: The accompanying drawings represent an apparatus in which the present
invention is embodied. Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section. Figure 2 is a
plan partly in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
The apparatus comprises as its main parts two generators A¹ A³ two retorts B¹ B'
built upon the top of the two generators respectively, two superheaters C¹ C² in
connection with the two generators respectively, two fixing chambers D¹ D'
connected with the two superheaters respectively, two valve boxes E' E², two oil
heaters FF, two scrubbers G' G' and two condensers H' H'; the apparatus is in
fact a double apparatus, each half comprising a generator, a retort, a superheater,
a fixing chamber, a valve box, an oil heater, a scrubber and a condenser.
Each generator is provided with the usual grate a to support the fuel, an air
blast pipe al at its lower part, a steam pipe a² at its lower part, a gas conduit J
fitted with a valve K leading from its lower part to the corresponding superheater,
an ash door L, stoking holes M above the grate a, and other stoking holes M at
the upper part of the generator, all these devices being known in connection with
generators for the manufacture of carburetted water gas. There is a conduit N
fitted with a valve P between the two generators at their lower parts.
The retort built above each generator is in free communication therewith, and
has an opening at top fitted with a feed hopper Q. This hopper has a cover at
top and is fitted at bottom with a valve worked by means of a lever R. Between
the retort and the surrounding brickwork is a space S forming a communication
between the top of the generator and a conduit T leading to a flue U which
communicates with the corresponding superheater; the conduit T is fitted with a
valve V. The two retorts are connected together by a conduit W fitted with a
valve X. There are one or more air inlets a³ to the space between the retort
and the surrounding brickwork and a steam inlet at at the upper part of the
retort.
The superheaters, fixing chambers, oil heaters, scrubbers and condensers are of
any suitable and ordinary construction, a pipe 6 from each oil heater being
arranged to deliver heated oil between the corresponding superheater and fixing
chamber.
Between each fixing chamber and the oil heater through which the fixed gas
passes on its way to the corresponding scrubber a valve Y, hereinafter called the
seal valve, is arranged in a liquid seal box through which the gas has to pass that
is to say in the valve box E or E. A pipe c leading from the upper part of
the fixing chamber has its lower end immersed in the liquid while the upper open
end of the oil heater (see the valve box E¹) is above the liquid level so that the
gas that flows down the pipe c from the upper part of the fixing chamber must
pass through the liquid. It is to the lower end of this pipe that the seal valve Y
is fitted for the purpose of shutting off communication at this part when required
for particular " runs as hereinafter described. At the top of each fixing chamber
is a stack valve Z as usual.
"
Having described the construction of the apparatus and the connections and
valves between the various parts we will proceed to describe the mode of operating
the apparatus, either with the two generators together or with either of them
singly.
Firstly, in order to "blow up" both apparatus, both stack valves Z are open,
the seal valves Y may be either open or closed or one may be open and the other
closed, the valve X between the two retorts is closed, the valve P between the
lower parts of the two generators is closed the valves K K between the lower
parts of the generators and the superheaters are closed, and the valves V V between
the tops of the generators and the flues U leading to the superheaters are open.
Air being admitted to the lower part of each generator the flow is up through the
generator, then through the space S outside the retort, then through the conduit T
leading to the flue U that communicates with the superheater, any gases evolved
from the fuel in the retort passing to the bottom of the retort and mixing with the

page_text: gases from the generator. The gases pass from the superhcater to the fixing
chamber and then out through the stack valve Z.
It will be understood that the carbon evolved from the fuel in the generator
mixes with the air and is converted into carbonic oxide which mixes with the
gases from the retort. Air being admitted to the spaces outside the retort, partial
combustion takes place (and the retort is thereby heated) the carbonic oxide and
other gases passing into the bottom of the superheater; here more air is admitted
at e and a percentage of the carbonic oxide is converted into carbonic acid, the
heat evolved heating up the "checker bricks" in the superheater. The
unconsumed gases and the products of combustion of the consumed gases pass
up to the fixing chamber where more air is admitted at fand the rest of the
carbonic oxide is converted into carbonic acid, the heat evolved heating up the
"checker bricks" in the fixing chamber. The resultant gases pass out through
the stack valve Z.
Both apparatus having been heated up, the following is one way of running the
two generators together:-Close both stack valves Z, open seal valve in box E¹,
close seal valve in box E³, open communication between superheater C₁ and the
top of generator A', open communication between the lower parts of the two
generators and between superheater C' and the top of generator A³, close com-
munication between the lower part of generator A', and superheater C¹ and between
the lower part of generator A* and superheater C, close communication between
the two retorts, admit steam by the pipe g to the upper part of fixing
chamber D. The flow or run then will be down fixing chamber D' and super-
heater C, then up to the top of generator A' down through this generator,
across to bottom of generator A', up this generator, then to superheater C
and to the corresponding fixing chamber D', valve box E', oil heater F, scrubber G
and condenser H. This flow or run can be reversed by opening seal valve in
box E, closing seal valve in box E' and admitting steam at g to the upper part
of fixing chamber D', the other communications being as before. In either of these
flows or runs the gas evolved from the coal in the retorts will be drawn down
through them and will mix with the gases from the generator.
If it be desired to run the two generators singly this can be done either by
admitting steam at the lower part of each generator and running it up, or at the
upper part of each retort and running the generator down; in the former case the
communications between the tops of the generators and the respective superheaters
are open while the communications between the lower parts of the generators and
their respective superbeaters are closed, and so are the communication between the
two generators and the communication between the two retorts; in the latter
case the generators are put into communication at their lower parts with the
superheaters while communication between their upper parts and the superheaters
is closed.
Another way in which the two generators can be run together is as follows:-
Close both stack valves Z Z open seal valve Y in box E' close seal valve in box E'
close the communication between the tops of the two generators and their respective
superheaters, open the communications between the bottoms of the two generators
and their respective superheaters open the communication between the two retorts
and close the communication between the bottoms of the two generators; admit
steam at the top of fixing chamber D'. The flow or run will then be down fixing
chamber D' and superheater C³ then to bottom of generator A³, up through this
generator and retort B then across to retort B¹ down through this retort and
through generator A' and then to the superheater C¹ and to the corresponding
fixing chamber D', oil heater F¹, scrubber G', and condenser H¹. This flow or
run can be reversed by simply reversing the positions of the two seal valves and
admitting the steam to the upper part of fixing chamber D¹.
If the fire in generator A' is in a bad condition and it is desired to revive it,
this can be effected as follows:-Close communication between the top of this

page_text: generator and its superheater and open communication between the bottom of
same and its superheater, close communication between the two retorts and open
that between the two generators, open communication between the top of
generator A and its superheater and close communication between the bottom of.
generator A and its superheater. The steam will tbus run across the bottom
of generator A¹ below the grate and this generator will therefore get no steam..
Generator A' can be revived in a similar manner.
Another way of reviving generator A' is as follows:-Close communication
between the lower part of this generator and its superheater, open communication
between the top of the generator and its superheater, close communication between
the two generators, open communication between the two retorts, close communi-
cation between the top of generator A' and its superheater and open communication
between the bottom of generator A2 and its superheater. The steam will thus
pass across the top of generator A¹ without going up through it, and will pass.up
retort B taking with it the coal gas evolved in this retort B. Generator A³ can
be revived in a similar manner.
If it be required to revive a superheater and fixing chamber, communication
is closed between them and both the top and bottom of the corresponding
generator.
If it be required to revive generator A* and superheater C¹ this can be
effected by closing communication between this superheater and both the top and
bottom of generator A¹ opening communication between the two retorts and
between the top of generator A³ and superheater C³ and closing communication.
between the bottom of generator A* and superheater C². Then by admitting
steam at bottom of generator A¹ the flow will be up through generator A' and
retort B¹ across to retort B' down the retort to top of generator A³ and thence to.
superheater C without passing down through generator A. Or by closing com-
munication between the two retorts, opening cominunication between the two
generators, closing communication between the top of generator A' and its
superheater, opening communication between the bottom of this generator and its
superheater and admitting steam at top of retort B', the flow will be down this.
retort, down through generator A¹ across to bottom of generator A³, across this
generator below the grate bars to superheaters C. It is obvious that generator A
and superheater C³ can be revived in a similar manner.
The heats can be blown up in either of the ways just described for reviving one
of the generators at the same time as the superheater appropriated to the other
generator, by admitting air instead of steam the air being admitted either at the
lower part of the generator for an up run or at the upper part of the generator for
a down run.
It is to be understood that in the apparatus above described the soft coal is fed
into the retorts or coking chambers B' B' by the hoppers Q in charges of
sufficient quantities to cause it to give off its gas during one run, that the resultant
coke passes down into the generators to produce water gas and that when the two
generators are worked or run together the mixed gases consisting of the hydro
carbon gas from the soft coal and the water gas from the coke pass through the
incandescent fuel in the second generator and thence to the superheater where
they are mixed with oil vapors being subsequently converted into a fixed or
permanent gas. The fresh charges of soft coal are introduced at the beginning of
each run and are of such regulated quantity as to admit of all the gas being given
off in a run of about 10 to 15 minutes. A compact fire bed free from steam fissures
is secured in each generator and an even heat is maintained owing to the large
bodies of incandescent coke.
Although the invention is specially intended to apply to apparatus for using soft
or bituminous coal the double set of apparatus and the special arrangement of the
connections between the different parts are applicable to apparatus for using
hard coal, gas house or oven coke, such for example as the apparatus for

page_text: manufacturing water gas described in the Specifications of Patents No. 8371 of
1893 and 11657 of 1894.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim in respect of apparatus for the manufacture of carburetted water
gas is :-
11
1. The construction and arrangement of the retorts above the generators in
such manner that the coal gas evolved from soft coal supplied to a retort becomes
mixed with the water gas from the generator below the same whilst the coke
produced in the retort passes down into the generator, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
"
2. The general arrangement of the connections between the generators, retorts
and superheaters, substantially as hereinbefore described whereby various " ruus
such as those herein before specified can be effected for the purposes set forth.
3. The placing of valves between the fixing chambers and the corresponding
oil heaters whereby communication for the fixed gas between either of the fixing
chambers and the corresponding oil heater can be shut off when required for
particular runs, substantially as herein before described.
4. The improved apparatus for the manufacture of carburetted water gas
constructed and operating substantially as herein before described and represented
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of May 1896.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.