AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR ELIMINATING THE SOLUBLE PRINCIPLES CON- TAINED IN GASES AND VAPORS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR ELIMINATING THE SOLUBLE PRINCIPLES CON-
TAINED IN GASES AND VAPORS."-A communication from abroad by
Eugène Philippe Pelouze and Marie Eugène Paul Audouin, both of
Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 24th January 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare' the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR ELIMINATING THE SOLUBLE PRINCIPLES
CONTAINED IN GASES AND VAPORS," to be as follows:
-
This Invention relates to an improved method of eliminating the
soluble principles contained in gases or vapors by the reaction of liquid

page_text: solvents put in suspension therein in a vesicular or molecular form. The
greater number of the soluble gaseous principles existing in a free state
or mixed with inert gases may be eliminated without difficulty when
operating in the laboratory and on small quantities only, but it is
entirely different in practice when it is required to operate on large
volumes of gaseous matter ordinarily containing but a very small pro-
portion of the principles to be eliminated. Moreover there is a liability
in certain cases of the dissolvent acting prejudicially and deteriorating
the illuminating power of the gas if employed in too large a proportion
on certain principles which it is essential not to separate.
The apparatus now employed for producing the reaction of a liquid
dissolvent on the gases to be purified may be classed under two heads,
viz, 1st. Those in which the gas under the form of jets or thin streams is
brought in contact with the liquid dissolvent contained in a specially
arranged series of vessels, such as Mallet's washing apparatus, archimedian
screw apparatus, Colladon's apparatus, and others which are well
known. 2ndly. Those in which the gaseous mixture is caused to act on
thin films of liquid distributed over solid surfaces arranged in a tortuous
or labyrinthine manner, such as coke or furze columns or scrubbers and
others.
Many ingenious arrangements have also been proposed for uniformly
distributing the liquid employed as a dissolvent, and which have in
certain cases produced good results, but they all occupy considerable
space, and besides being very expensive to work necessitate the employ-
ment of an amount of liquid entirely out of proportion to the results
obtained.
By the present Invention a very efficient action is obtained under
conditions which ensure absolute regularity.
The liquid to be employed for reacting on the gases or gaseous
mixtures is introduced in the form of a fine spray which is carried away
by the gaseous current, the intimate contact obtained under these
conditions taking effect while the gas is passing through the pipes.
In certain cases the reaction may be brought about by retaining the
gases in chambers of suitable capacity. This mist formed of fine
impalpable spray could however only be eliminated again after a very
lengthened traverse (which in many cases would be a serious objection)

page_text: except by the aid of the condensing apparatus shown in the Drawing,
which apparatus unites the liquefiable globules in fine streams, and so
effects their condensation. The use of this condensing apparatus has
the twofold advantage; 1st, of rendering the reaction more complete by
more intimately mixing the liquids put in suspension in a vesicular
form, and the soluble principles contained in the gases or vapors; and
2ndly, of rendering the said gases or vapors perfectly dry and free from
the liquid particles.
It should be added that by the improved process of this Invention an
intimate contact between the molecules being obtained no more liquid
is employed than is absolutely required to produce the result desired, the
liquid being carried along by the gases or vapors themselves.
In the accompanying Drawing is illustrated one arrangement of
apparatus especially adapted for use in gas works.
A is the condensing apparatus (before referred to) for eliminating the
tarry matters carried along with the gas before it enters the chamber B,
in which the soluble principles are dissolved by the intimate contact of
the gases or vapors with the liquid reduced to fine spray. The number
of the jets will vary according to the size of the works, one jet being
sufficient to produce a permanent column of mist of from 24 to 32
inches in diameter, and from 10 to 13 feet in height at the rate per hour
of about 2 gallons of liquid, mixing with 35 cubic feet of gas introduced
under pressure. C, condensing apparatus similar to A for retaining the
liquid dissolvents (water, ammoniacal saline, or other liquor) employed
carried along with the gas in a globular form; D, reservoir of the liquid
made to react on the gas water, ammoniacal or other liquor supplied by
a pipe a. It is also supplied with gas, which passes thence by pipe b to
the nozzles or spray producers. The gas being under a pressure of about
3 or 4 atmospheres acts at the same time on the liquid passing to the
nozzles by pipe c; E shows a section of the nozzles or spray producers
on a larger scale; g, gas inlet; 7, liquid inlet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, tho said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR ELIMINATING THE SOLUBLE PRINCIPLES CONTAINED IN
GASES AND VAPOURS," a communication to me from abroad by Eugène
Phillipe Pelouze and Marie Eugène Paul Audouin, both of Paris,
France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say)—
This Invention relates to an improved method of eliminating the

page_text: soluble principles contained in gases or vapours by the reaction of liquid
solvents put in suspension therein in a vesicular or molecular form. The
greater number of the soluble gaseous principles existing in a free state
or mixed with inert gases may be eliminated without difficulty when
operating in the laboratory and on small quantities only, but it is
entirely different in practice when it is required to operate on large
volumes of gaseous matters ordinarily containing but a very small pro-
portion of the principles to be eliminated. Moreover there is a liability
in certain cases of the dissolvent acting prejudicially (if employed in too
large a proportion) on certain principles, which it is. essential not to
separate, deteriorating the illuminating power of the gas by the dis-
solution of the bi-carburetted hydrogen.
The apparatus now employed for producing the reaction of a liquid
dissolvent on gases to be purified may be classed under two heads,
viz., 1st. Those in which the gas under the form of jets or thin streams
is brought into contact with the liquid dissolvent contained in a specially
arranged series of vessels, such as Mallet's washing apparatus, archimedian
screw apparatus, Colladon's apparatus, and others which are well known.
2ndly. Those on which the gaseous mixture is caused to ac on thin
films of liquid distributed over solid surfaces arranged in a tortuous or
labyrinthine manner, such as coke or furze columns or scrubbers and
others.
Many ingenious arrangements have also been proposed for uniformly
distributing the liquid employed as a solvent (such as a jet projected
against a fixed surface, a chemical cascade, a rose, a Barker's mill, and
others), and which have in certain cases produced good results, but they
all occupy considerable space, and besides being very expensive to work
necessitate the employment of an amount of liquid entirely out of
proportion to the results obtained.
By the present Invention a very efficient action is obtained under
conditions which ensure absolute regularity.
The liquid to be employed for reacting on the gases and gaseous
mixtures is introduced in the form of fine spray which is carried away
by the gaseous current, the intimate contact obtained under these
conditions taking effect while the gas is passing through the pipes.
In certain cases the reaction may be brought about by retaining the
gases in chambers of suitable capacity. This mist formed of fine

page_text: impalpable spray would however only be eliminated again after a very
lengthened traverse (which in many cases would be a serious objection,
except by the aid of the condensing apparatus forming the subject of
Letters Patent granted to me and bearing date January 10th 1873,
No. 109, which apparatus unites the liquefiable globules in fine streams,
and so effects their condensation. The use of this condensing apparatus
has the twofold advantage; 1st, of rendering the reaction more complete
by more intimately mixing the liquids put in suspension in a vesicular
form, and the soluble principles contained in the gases or vapours; and
2nly, of rendering the said gases or vapours perfectly dry and free
from the liquid particles.
It should be added that by the improved process of this Invention an
intimate contact between the molecules being obtained no more liquid is
employed than is absolutely required to produce the result desired, the
liquid being carried along by the gases or vapours themselves.
The scrubber cylinders of gas works may be utilized for carrying out
this improved process, in which case it would be necessary for them to
be superposed in order to obtain a column of from 40 to 50 feet in
height.
Under these conditions, and when the gas has to traverse a con-
siderable length of pipe before reaching the purifiers, it is not absolutely
necessary to place at the outlet a condenser of the kind before alluded to,
since the major part of the water which falls in the form of spray will
be retained during the traverse through the pipes.
In the accompanying Drawings is illustrated one arrangement of
apparatus especially adapted for use in gas works.
A is the condensing apparatus (before referred to, as being the subject
of a former Patent) for eliminating the tarry matters carried along with
the gas before it enters the chamber B, in which the soluble principles
are dissolved by the intimate contact of the gases or vapours with the
liquid reduced to fine spray. The number of the jets will vary according
to the size of the works, one jet being sufficient to produce a permanent
column of mist of from 24 to 32 inches in diameter, and from 10 to
13 feet in height at the rate per hour of two gallons of liquid, mixing
with 35 cubic feet of gas introduced under pressure. C, second con-
densing apparatus similar to A for retaining the liquid dissolvents
(water, ammoniacal, saline, or other liquor employed), and which is

page_text: carried along in a globular form with the gas. D, reservoir containing
the liquid dissolvent filled by a pipe a. It is also supplied with gas,
which passes thence by pipe 6 to the nozzles or spray producers. The
gas being under a pressure of about 3 or 4 atmospheres acts at the same
time on the liquid in the reservoir, and which is conveyed to the nozzles
by pipe c. E shows a section of the nozzles or spray producers on a
larger scale; 9, gas inlet; 1, liquid inlet.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The employment of liquid dissolvents put in suspension in a
vesicular or molecular form in gases or vapours for combining with the
soluble principles contained in the latter, as herein described.
2ndly. I claim the employment of the said condensing apparatus
(described in the former Letters Patent as herein-before mentioned for
eliminating the soluble principles of the gases or vapours by condensing
the liquid dissolvents, which previously put in a vesicular or molecular
form have become charged with such principles as herein-before set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.