Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating Gas.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating Gas.
I, ARTHUR KITSON, of 1409 Chesnut Street, in the City of Philadelphia, County of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, 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 relates to a gas generating furnace adapted more particularly for
manufacturing non-luminous heating gas continuously, by the injection of steam air
and oil into a body of incandescent fuel, the air serving to promote combustion, whilst
The
the steam is decomposed and converted into hydrogen and carbonic oxide.
resulting gas is well suited for use in the industrial arts, such as heating and melting
metals, driving gas engines, domestic heating and cooking and other purposes.
The object of my invention is to provide a compact and conveniently operated
generator capable of rapidly generating gas with a small amount of fuel so arranged
in two bodies as to more perfectly convert deleterious carbonic acid, which is first
produced, into combustible carbonic oxide, thereby increasing the heating value of the
product; and a more special object is to provide for effectively heating the air and
superheating the steam, which are injected into the bodies of fuel, by the hot gas, in
its passage from one fuel chamber to the other in the base of the generator, whereby
the heat of the fuel is better ninintained and greater economy in operation is effected.
In my improved generator I provide two fuel chambers and a connecting base
chamber, having arranged in it suitable steain superheating coils and air heating pipes,
in the path of the hot gas which flows from one fuel chamber to the other, and I
extend the steam and air pipes up through the division wall separating the fuel
chambers, and connect them with the injectors, one opening into the top of each fuel
chamber. I also connect a chimney pipe and a gas take-off pipe with the top of each
fuel chamber. A single gas take-off pipe may lead from the connecting base chamber,
and in that case steam, air and oil, or tar may be passed down through one of the fuel
chambers for decomposition. I also provide other details of construction which
increase the effectiveness of my apparatus, as will be fully described with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which :-
:-
Figure 1, represents a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus, showing
both fuel chambers. Figure 2, represents a vertical transverse section on à plane at
right angles to that of figure 1.
The iron shell A, of the generator has secured to it, top plate a, and bottom plate a',
and is suitably lined with fire-brick or other refractory material, and divided by the
central vertical transverse partition C, into two fuel chambers B, B. These chambers
are mounted upon the base D, which forms a chamber connecting their lower ends and
serves as an ash-pit. The grates b, b¹ are preferably mounted about three inches below
the bottoms of chambers B, B', so that coils m, may be arranged between them. The
grates are supported at their rear edges upon brackets e, e, which are bolted to the rear
wall of base D, and at their front edges upon removable pins t, which may be readily
withdrawn for letting down the grates when it is desired to remove the cinder and
ashes. Ash-doors d, having suitable fastening devices, are applied to the front wall of
base D. A. fuel supply hopper H, having bottom valve h, with a connected weighted
lever, is fitted to the top of each fuel chamber. Air inlet pipes E, project slightly
through the walls of base D, and connect with vertical pipe F, which passes up through
division wall C, and at the top connects by branch pipes f, with injectors G, G¹,
which open downward into chambers B, B¹. One or more supply pipes I, for steam
or water, pass through the wall of chamber D, and connect with the coils K, arranged

page_text: in the middle portion of base D. The horizontal coils m, arranged between the outer
edges of the grates and the lower ends of the fuel chambers, connect with coils K, and
are provided with branches k, kextending through the walls to injectors S, S¹.
Valves s, s, control the supply of steam to the injectors. The air ports of the injectors
may be opened or closed by registers. A pipe L. extends from coil K, up through
wall C, and connects by branches I, with injectors G, G¹. Valves g, g¹ regulate the
volume of steam flowing through the nozzels of the injectors. Pipe L, may have one
or more coils within wall C, for extending the heating surface. Gas take-off
pipes N, N lead from the tops of chambers B, B and extend into the hydraulic seal
boxes M, M³, as shown in figure 2. A single seal box might be used instead of two,
here shown:
Pipes R, R conduct gas to the purifier or place of immediate use. Valves n, 721
are provided in the take-off pipes. Chimney pipes P, P¹, having valves p, p rise.
from pipes N, NI, and are used for the escape of smoke when required. A door 24, IS
provided in each seal box to permit of its being cleaned. An opening, closed by
stopper o, is provided in the top plate, for insertion of a bar to stir the fire.
The generator is operated as follows:-
The chimney valves p, p' and ash-pit doors d, being open, fires are kindled on the
grates, and coal gradually fed in till well ignited by natural draft. Water is admitted
to the coil by pipe I, and is quickly converted into steam by circulation in the
coils m, above the grates. As soon as steam, at the desired pressure, is formed, the
doors d, are closed and steam is admitted to the injectors S, S¹ by which blasts of air
and steam are driven into the fuel and the generation of gas commenced. When gas
of the desired quality is generated, the chimney valves are closed, and valves, a in
the gas take-off pipes opened. When bodies of fuel of sufficient depth are well ignited,
the valves of injector S, S' are closed, valve n¹ is closed and the valve g¹ of injector G
is opened and a current of highly heated steam and air admitted into the top of
chamber B; they pass down into the body of highly heated fuel, where decomposition
is effected, and the resulting hot gas passes down into base chamber D, in contact with
the steam and air pipes, imparting to them a high heat, and then pass up into the
body of fuel in chamber B, where any carbonic acid which may be present is converted
into carbonic oxide and a fixed high-grade heating gas produced, which escapes from
the top of chamber B and passes by take-off pipe N, to the seal box, from which it is
conducted to the scrubber, holder, or place of immediate use.
After a suitable time, as will be' indicated by the condition of the fires, the direction
of the blast of air and steam and of the course of the gas is reversed by opening
valve nl, closing valve n, opening valve of injector G, and closing valve of injector G³,
when gas is generated as before, but is taken off from the top of chamber B' instead
of chamber B. By reversing the direction of the blasts and gas currents, the bodies
of fuel are consumed more evenly, the heat is more uniformly distributed, and gas of
better quality produced. Whenever found desirable, the fires may be blasted from
the bottom to make them more lively, by opening the valves of injectors S, S'. Since
two bodies of fuel are used the steam is subjected to a greater depth thereof, resulting
in better decomposition and a better quality of gas. The two bodies of fuel can also
be more quickly heated up than the same quantity of fuel in one body. By means of
the down blasts I am enabled to successfully use a cheaper grade of fuel, and the
ashes are driven into the ash chamber.
When a gas take-off pipe is connected with the base chamber I preferably inject
blasts of steam and air simultaneously down through both the bodies of heated fuel
and conduct the resulting gas away from the base chamber D.
oil or tarry matter may connect with one or both of the injectors G, G¹, so that gas
A supply pipe for
containing a larger per-centage of hydrocarbon or carbureted hydrogen and of greater
heating power may be generated by passing a small proportion of oil or tar with the
stoam and air down through one of the bodies of fuel at a time. When the bodies of
fuel are of sufficient depth the steam and oil will be decomposed by passage down
through one body only. After the heat of the fuel has become too much reduced for

page_text: decomposing steam or steam and oil, the injectors G, G₁ are closed, chimney valves
are opened and the fires are revived by a natural or forced draft until again in
condition for generating 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 gas generator divided by a vertical partition into two fuel chambers and having
a. connecting base chamber in combination with a steam and air injector connecting
with the top of each fuel chamber, an air heating pipe arranged in the generator and
connecting with such injectors, and a gas take-off pipe also leading from the top of
each chamber for the purpose described.
2. In combination with a gas generator containing two fuel chambers and a
connecting base chamber, the steam generating and superheating coils located in the
base clamber between the grates of the fuel chambers, and pipes connecting such coils
with steam and air injectors, one for each fuel chamber, as and for the purpose
described.
3. The gas generator divided by a vertical partition of refractory material into two
fuel chambers, and having a connecting base chamber in combination with an air
heating pipe, and a steam superheating pipe extending through the dividing partition,
and connecting with injectors discharging into the tops of the furnaces, as and for the
purpose described.
4. In combination with a gas generating furnace, the steam and air heating pipes or
coils located in the ash chamber and wall of the generator, and both connecting with
a blast injector, arranged to discharge into the fuel of the generator, as and for the
purpose described.
5. In combination with the two-chambered generator and a connecting base chamber,
the steam and air blast injector connecting with such base chamber, and a steam and
air blast injector connecting with the top of each fuel chamber of the generator,
whereby the fuel may be blasted either up or down, and the current passed from one
chamber to the other in either direction, for uniformly heating and consuming the
fuel, and a mixed gas simultaneously generated from air and steam.
6. The process of producing fuel gas consisting in injecting a mixture of highly
heated air and superheated steam down through two separate and independent bodies
of incandescent fuel, the heating of the air and the generation and superheating of steam
being performed by the same body or bodies of incandescent fuel in which the gas is
generated.
7. The process of producing gas consisting in injecting a mixture of hot air and
superheated steam through a body of incandescent fuel, and a misture of air, steam,
and oil, or similar hydrocarbon down through a separate body of fuel, and mixing the
resulting products, the generation and superheating of steam and heating of air
being performed by the same body or bodies of incandescent fuel in which the gas is
generated.
11: 50th
tahan 1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.