AN IMPROVED HORIZONTAL ROTARY SCRUBBER WASHER
Year: 1884

page_text: We HENRY LYON Mechanical and Gas Engineer of Norwood, Northendon Road,
Sale in the county of Chester and JOHN HENRY LYON Lessee of Gas Works of
Hope Cottage, Cosham in the county of Hants do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention for AN IMPROVED HORIZONTAL ROTARY SCRUBBER WASHER to be
as follows:-
The object of our invention is to construct a scrubber washer that shall be very
effective in washing gas and freeing the same from impurities and shall be
applicable not only in gas works for scrubbing coal gas but also in chemical and
other works for washing any gases produced or used therein that may require such
treatment. Our invention also is especially applicable in small works as it is
automatic in its action that is the gas as it passes through this our scrubber washer
causes and effects the required and necessary rotation of the scrubbing parts of the
apparatus whereby the usual driving engine is dispensed with.
To carry out this object we construct a chamber of a suitable size and shape and
inside this chamber is mounted an horizontal axle. On this axle and preferably at
or about the middle thereof is secured a screw somewhat similar to the drum of a
wet gas meter and also on the axle on one or both sides of the said screw are
secured a number of perforated cones one inside the other with a suitable space
between them each of which has preferably a solid apex and an open base towards
the said screw or a series of concentric perforated rings also with a suitable space
between them or several vertical perforated or other discs also with a suitable space
between them or other similar and suitable appliances all of which made be made
of or by or fitted with metal or canvas or cloth or sponge or fibrous or other
suitable material. A suitable partition or division plate is secured to the upper
side of the chamber which fits and engages a ring or other appliance formed
therefor on the outside of the periphery of the screw or drum. Water or other
liquid is admitted to and drawn off from and passed through the chamber in any
convenient and suitable manner and is kept at a level therein a little above the
horizontal axle.
The gas enters the chamber at one end and passing through the cones or rings
or discs or other appliances comes in contact with the vanes or blades of the screw
above the water level but cannot pass outside the screw or drum because of the
•

page_text: partition or division plate. The gas therefore is compelled to press against the
vanes or blades of the screw whereby the said screw with its axle is revolved and
the cones or rings or discs or other appliances are also revolved therewith and the
said gas in passing through this apparatus comes in contact with all these revolving
and therefore wetted surfaces whereby when the said gas passes out of the other
end of this chamber all the impurities therein that have an affinity for the water
or other liquid in the said chamber have been eliminated and are left behind in
the said chamber.
It is obvious that this revolving screw or drum can be also made by the inter-
vention of light gearing applied to the axle thereof to rotate existing washers and
scrubbers and also the water distributors of scrubbers as may be desireḍ.
We HENRY LYON Mechanical and Gas Engineer of Norwood Northendon Road
Sale in the county of Chester and JOHN HENRY LYON Lessee of Gas Works of
Hope Cottage Cosham in the county of Hants do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention for AN IMPROVED HORIZONTAL ROTARY SCRUBBER WASHER and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The object of our invention is to construct a scrubber washer that shall be very
effective in washing gas and in freeing the same from impurities and that shall be
applicable not only in gas works for scrubbing and washing coal gas but also for
carburetting air for enriching poor gas for purifying carburetted hydrogen gas
and in chemical and other works for washing or otherwise treating any gasos
produced or used therein that may require treatment. Our invention also is
especially applicable in small works as it is or can be made entirely automatic in
its action that is to say the gas or air or vapour as it passes through this our
scrubber washer causes and effects the required and necessary rotation of the
scrubbing parts of the apparatus whereby the usual driving engine or other
appliance is or can be dispensed with.
To carry out this object we construct a chamber of a suitable size and shape and
inside this chamber is mounted an horizontal axle. On the axle and preferably
at or about the middle thereof is secured a screw or drum similar to the drum of a
wet gas meter and also on the axle and on one or both sides of the said screw or
drum are secured a number of cones one inside the other with a suitable space

page_text: between them or a series of concentric rings or. cylinders also with a suitable space
between them or several vertical discs also with a suitable space between them
which said cones or rings or cylinders or discs may be made of or by or fitted
with metal or canvas or cloth or other closely woven fabric or wood or sponge or
fibrous or other suitable material while the said screw or drum is preferably made
as is usual of charcoal annealed tinned plates or tinned steel plates. The whole
apparatus is enclosed in a suitable cylindrical or other casing with closed ends also
secured on the axle and the internal cones or rings or cylinders or discs aforesaid
may be perforated entirely and completely or throughout their whole surfaces or
the perforations may be only made in certain desired parts of the same. Water
or other liquid is admitted to and drawn off from and passed through the chamber
in any convonient and usual and suitable manner and is kept therein at a level a
little above the horizontal axle. The gas or air or vapour enters the chamber and
is admitted into the closed cylindrical or other casing and passing through or
between the coues or rings or cylinders or discs comes in contact with and impinges
against the vanes or blades of the screw or drum above the level of the water or
liquid and the pressure of the same causes the said screw or drum and therefore.
the axle thereof to revolve and the said cones or rings or cylinders or discs secured
on the said axle are also revolved therewith and the said gas or air or vapour.
in passing through this apparatus comes in contact with or in close proximity to all
these revolving and therefore wetted surfaces whereby when the said gas or air or
vapour passes out of the said closed cylindrical or other casing and thereafter out
of the said chamber all the impurities in the said gas or air or vapour that have
an affinity for the said water or liquid in the said chamber have been eliminated
and are left behind in the said chamber or the said gas or air or vapour has been
otherwise treated as is desired.
We have thus generally stated the nature of this our invention and now the
more clearly to explain the same and in what manner it is to be performed we will
proceed to describe the same particularly and in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawing in which we have shewn one very convenient and suitable
form of this our apparatus.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of our scrubber washer. Figure 2 is
a vertical transverse section of the same the left hand half thereof being taken
at a. b. in Figure 1 and the right hand half thereof being taken at c. d. in.
Figure 1.
.
In the chamber A is mounted the horizontal axle B and in the middle of this
axle B is secured the encased screw or ordinary gas meter drum C. On each side
of the encased screw or drum C are secured the series of concentric cylinders D in
which or through which a number of perforations E are made at the alternate ends
thereof. The encased screw or drum C and the cylinders D are enclosed in the
cylinder F with the closed ends C and H also secured on the axle B. Water or
other liquid is admitted to the chamber A. by the pipe K and can be drawn off from
the same through the pipe L when required and the said water or liquid is kept at
such a desired height above the level of the axle B as to secure a seal for the gas
as shown in the drawing. M is the gas supply pipe over the end of which is made
and arranged the hood N connected with the end G of the cylinder F and P is the
gas outlet pipe.
The action of this apparatus is as follows. The gas enters the hood N through
the pipe M and passing through the apertures or slots R in the end G of the
cylinder F enters the space between the said cylinder F and the largest cylinder D
and at the further end of this space near the casing of the screw or drum C passing
through the perforations E in this the largest cylinder D enters the space between
this cylinder D and the next smaller cylinder D and at the further end of this
space near the end G of the cylinder F passing through the perforations E in this
cylinder D enters the next space and so on as shewn by the arrows in the drawing
until the said gas enters the small chamber or hood which constitutes the inlet to
the encased screw or drum C and the pressure of the said gas on the said screw or

page_text: .
drum C causes the same to revolve. The gas then issues from the encased screw
or drum C and entering the space above the water or liquid inside the smallest
cylinder D passes through the perforations E therein and in a similar manner as
berein before described and as shewn in the drawing by the arrows passes back-
wards and forwards between the series of cylinders D on this the other side of the
encased screw or drum C until the said gas has reached the outer cylinder F when
it passes into the chamber A through the apertures or perforations or slots S either
in the said cylinder F as shewn in the drawing or in the end H thereof and finally
makes its exit from the said chamber A through the pipe P.
When as aforesaid cones or vertical discs are used instead of the rings or
cylinders herein before described and shewn in the drawing the apparatus would be
constructed in a very similar manner the gas being caused to enter the outer
cylinder or casing which may be made of the required shape through a sealed
hood on the end thereof as herein before described and the said gas would then
pass backwards and forwards or upwards and downwards between the said cones
or discs and through apertures or perforations therein both before entering the
⚫encased screw or drum and after leaving the same at the end of which passage the
said gas would enter the chamber and make its exit therefrom as herein before
described.
When as aforesaid the cones or rings or cylinders or discs are perforated entirely
and completely or throughout their whole surfaces instead of only partially or in
certain parts as herein before described and as shewn in the drawing the apparatus
would also be constructed in a very similar manner but the gas after entering the
outer cylinder or casing would pass directly through the perforated cones or rings
or cylinders or discs on its way to the encased screw or drum and on its passage
from the same instead of backwards and forwards or upwards and downwards
between the same as hereinbefore described.
We may sometimes also think it desirable and expedient to place the encased
screw or drum at one end of the chamber and secure the aforesaid cones or rings
or cylinders or discs on one side only of the same.
During the whole period of its passage through this apparatus as hereinbefore
described it is obvious that the gas is in contact with or in close proximity to the
surfaces of the cones or rings or cylinders or discs or other parts of the said
apparatus which surfaces are continually kept wetted by reason of the revolving
action of the said apparatus which revolving action again is effected and caused
by the said passage of the gas and the said gas is thus purified or otherwise
treated as aforesaid by the operation of the water or other liquid in which the said
apparatus so revolves and by which the said surfaces are so wetted.
For ordinary work we consider that such a pressure of gas as will support a
column of water half an inch high in a gas pressure gauge is extremely suitable
for effecting and causing this aforesaid revolution of the apparatus but where it is
necessary or expedient so to do we can prolong the axle through one of the ends
of the chamber or in any other convenient and usual manner we can apply to this
apparatus any outside mechanical means or appliances for assisting the said
revolution and thus lessen or decrease the pressure of the gas required and
expended in effecting and causing the same.
"
It is sufficiently obvious that this our apparatus can be used for a variety of
purposes in addition to the washing of coal gas and in every case such liquid can
be supplied to the chamber as is necessary or desirable to produce the effect
required. For instance in carburetting air or in enriching poor gas we should
charge the chamber with a liquid rich in hydrocarbons. Again when eliminating
the ammonia from carburetted hydrogen gas or other vapour any suitable solution
or liquor would be used and we should preferably require three of these washers
as herein before described the first of which would be charged with a very strong
liquor the second with a weaker liquor and the third with an extremely weak
liquor or even with water and the gas or vapour would be made to pass through
these three washers in succession,

page_text: In conclusion we would state that we consider the shapes and details of con-
struction and arrangement of the various parts of our apparatus as herein before
described and as shewn in the drawing are extremely suitable for carrying out our
object as hereinbefore declared but we would have it clearly understood and indeed
it is sufficiently obvious that we do in no wise limit ourselves thereto for this our
apparatus and the several parts thereof may and can be made of such sizes and
proportions and shapes and such methods and details of construction and arrange-
ment may be observed and followed in the manufacture of the same as may be
necessary or convenient or desirable in each particular case.
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 is
1. In a scrubber washer the combination of the revolving cones or rings or
cylinders or discs and the actuating screw or drum substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and declared.
2. The rotary scrubber washer substantially as hereinbefore described and set
forth.