Improvements in Methods for Effecting the Operations Involved in the Production of the Gas technically known as Water Gas, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 30th May. 1890-Accepted. 2nd Aug., 1890
A
PRUVDIUNAL DILUITIVATION.
Improvements in Methods for Effecting the Operations Involved in
the Production of the Gas technically known as Water Gas, and
in Apparatus therefor.
I BENJAMIN HOWARTH THWAITE of 37 Victoria Street Liverpool Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention principally relates to a method of automatically controlling the
periods of air blast or steam and air supply to fuel (for revivifying the combustion
of the fuel) and steain per se supply to produce what is technically known as
water gas
I automatically effect the reversal of the valves to turn off air or air and steam and
turn on or off steam per se supply in the following manner-
I use a holder into which the water gas is forced the latter consequently raises
such holder.
When the holder has risen a specific height, representing the production of so much
combustible gas, the valves controlling the flow of air and steam are automatically
reversed by any well known and easily devised mechanical means but preferably
effected in the following manner.
On the side of holder I attach a projecting piece which when the holder has
risen a certain height comes into contact with a weighted lever which is thrown over
the vertical centre and, in falling down opens the air valves, closes the gas escape
valve and reverses the steam supply so that the latter either sets in motion a Roots
blower or is turned into an aspirator, or injects air into and through the fuel
When the holder has descended a certain distance it commences to close the
air valve and afterwards opens the steam valve and gas valve, and water gas is again
produced filling and raising the holder once more until it ascends to such a height as
to reverse the valves.
In descending, a chain (passing around pulleys and attached at one end to holder,
and at the other to a weighted lever) raises the latter or weighted lever again, and
and opens the air supply valve and also reverses the steam supply valve and closes the
gas valve
In order to simplify the valvular arrangements I may provide a seal or governor
escape valve, which will allow the water gas to escape when a sufficient pressure is
established, when the pressure is off, as for instance when the valve is open to allow
the air to flow in or be aspirated through generator, the seal or governor prevents the
return or escape of the water gas-so that to effect the reversal or control of the water
gas production or revivification the aspirator valves and air valves alone require
reversing or changing.
When I use air injected by steam for revivifying the fuel I prefer to superheat the air
by means of a special form of tubular superheater, heated by the combustion of gas
produced during the revivifying period, and drawn or forced through said tubulous
superheater or it may be a steam generator
provide air inlet arrangements to support combustion in base of said superheater
and introduce the combustible gas in such a way as to fill the superheater around the
air or water tubes, as the case may be with flame.
I may when using the superheated air system, place the air aspirator between the
superheater and the chimney so that the air is drawn first through the tubes of
superheater, then through the cupola of gas generator, then around superheater tubes,
when I inject air by a steam injector I may more or less completely separate the
steam from the air by passing it the air and steain through a condenser of any well
known form The air thus separated from the steam I prefer to pass through the
superheater before described prior to introducing it into base of fuel.
CD

page_text: When using steam for the injector or aspirator of air, for revivifying fuel purposes,
I superheat such steam in the following manner-I employ coils of steam pipes to
enlarge base of generator-and to form an annular cavity to increase, the area of
distribution of air blast to fuel, and means of clinkering
Through the coil of pipes, which becomes highly heated in contact with
incandescent fuel I maintain a constant flow of steam which in its passage becomes
highly superheated To overcome the difficulty resulting from the oxidation of the
internal surface of the coil pipes, I connect them with a gas or oil supply by which
the oxide is reduced to a metallic condition. I utilise the superheated steam for any
of the purposes hereinbefore described.
1000
Improvements in Methods for Effecting the Operations Involved in
the Production of the Gas technically known as Water Gas, and
in Apparatus therefor
BENJAMIN HOWARTH THWAITE 37 Victoria Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Civil 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 principally relates to a method of automatically controlling the
periods of air blast or steam and air supply to fuel (for revivifying the fuel)
and steam per se supply, to produce what is technically known as water gas
I automatically effect the reversal of the valves so as to turn off air or air and steam
and turn on or off steam per se supply in the following manner.
I use a holder into which the water gas is forced, and which consequently raises or
elevates such holder. When the holder has risen a specific height, representing the
production of so much gas, the valves controlling the flow of air and steain are
automatically reversed, by any mechanical means, but preferably effected in the
following manner.
On the side of the holder, I attach a projecting piece, which, when the holder has
risen or been elevated to a certain height, comnes into contact with a weighted lever,
which is thrown over the centre, and in falling down opens the air valves, closes the
gas escape valve, and reverses the steam supply, so that the latter either sets in
inotion à Root's blower, or a fan, or is turned into an aspirator, or injects the air into
and through the fuel. When the holder has ascended a certain distance, it commences
to close the air valve, and afterward opens the steam valve, and gas valve, and water
gas is again produced filling and raising the holder once more until it ascends to such
a height as to reverse the valve
In descending, a chain passing round the pulleys, and attached at one end to a
holder, and at the other to a weighted lever, raises the latter again, and opens the air
and also reverses the steam supply and closes the
gas valve
In order to simplify the valvular arrangements, I may provide a seal or governor,
escape valve which will allow the water gas to escape, when a sufficient pressure is
established When the pressure is off, as for instance, when the valve is open to allow
the air to flow in, or be aspirated through the generator, the seal or governor prevents
the return or escape of the water gas, so that to effect the reversal or control of the
periods of water gas production and fuel revivification the aspirator valves and air
valves require reversing or changing.
When I use air injected by steam for revivifying the fuel, I prefer to superheat the
air by means of a special form of tubular superheater heated by the combustion of gas
produced during the revivifying period, and drawn or forced through said tubulous
superheater or it may be a steam generator.
I provide air inlet arrangements to support combustion in base of said superheater,

page_text: and introduce combustible gas in such a way as to fill the superheater around the air
or water tubes, as the case may be, with flaine.
may, when using the superheated air system, place the air aspirator between the
superheater and the chimney, so that the air is drawn first through the tubes of the
superheater, then through the cupola gas generator, and finally the gas resulting is
drawn around superheater tubes.
When I inject air by means of a steam injector, I may more or less completely
separate the steam from the air, by passing the air and steam through a condenser.
The air thus separated from steam I prefer to pass through the superheater before-
described, before introducing it into base of fuel.
When using steam for injection, or aspiration of air, for revivifying fuel purposes,
I superheat such steam in the following manner.
I employ coils of steam pipes around the inside of casing of lower part of gas
generator vessel and by which I may enlarge base of generator, and also forin
an annular cavity for distributing air blast to fuel and provide means of clinkering.
Through this coil of pipes which becomes highly heated, in contact with the
incandescent fuel 1 maintain a constant flow of steam, which in its passage becomes
highly superheated, to overcome the difficulty resulting from the oxidation of the
internal surface of coil of pipes, I connect them with a gas supply, by which the oxide
is reduced to a netallic condition, I utilize the superheated steam for any of the
purposes, herein before described.
Referring to Sheet 1 of drawings.
Figure 1 shows a general arrangement of my invention.
A is the gas generator, B is the air and steain heating superheater vessel, C is the
arrangement for condensing the steam contained in the air injected by the steam jet
blower D
The cycle of operations is explained as follows-Assuming the gas generator
chamber A is filled with carbonaceous fuel. Air is injected by the special form of
blower, provided with closing off valve arrangement for closing The air injected by
the blower passes into the condenser vessel C, in which a circulation of water provided
from the storage vessel F is established. The air permeating through the condenser,
is freed from the steam which condenses, and the heated water can be repumped into
the boiler. The pure air is forced and flows forward, into the air and steam super-
heater B through the pipes G, the air is distributed to the various superheater pipes,
in traversing which, it is compelled to take a circuitous route, by means of the spiral
bars I placed in the pipes which are flanged pipes; the flanges being so arranged as
to allow the pipes to be placed in close proximity to each other.
The air in tortuously flowing through the pipes becomes highly heated by the
combustion of gaseous fuel, in the chamber J, in which the pipes are placed
The chamber J is filled with flame, by the gaseous fuel combustion arrangement
adopted, which consists as follows. The gas enters into an annular chainber K
at the base of the superheater, across this annular chamber K. air pipes are fixed,
and the air and gas inix at the point M. The gas flows through the annular
spaces N, formed by the air pipes entoring into the openings O, which are evenly
distributed round the inner wall of the annular gas flue.
Secondary supplies of air are provided by the provision of small air holes arranged
at different levels in the superheater, so that the flame can be made to fill the
superheater chamber, and transmit heat uniformly the whole length of the pipes.
Continuing the description of the cycle of operations, the heated air (as it leaves the
superheater, which is maintained at a temperature below that necessary for the
chemical action of oxidation of the iron to take place,) is now conveyed by the pipe
into an annular space, the air enters the fuel through well distributed openings or it
enters under the grate Q.
The action of the air through the fuel induces and supports partial combustion, and
the resultant produces escape through valve R which is a deadweight safety valve,
and is actuated by a chain S, which can be pulled or drawn at a position near
the other valves, that require to be reversed and regulated. The gas, resulting from

page_text: the action of combustion set up by the flow of air through the fuel, can be led away
and consumed, or be allowed to escape into the open air
When the carbonaceous fuel is raised to the full heat of incandescence, the air inlet
to the blower D, is closed, the safety valve R and other valves T are closed, and the
steam is turned directly into superbeater B at U, by means of the valves and pipes,
and traversing the superheater, the steam becomes highly heated, and is quite ready
for chemical decomposition, which occurs when the steain is brought into contact with
the incandescent fuel in the gas generator, a series of well known chemical actions
occur, culminating in the production of the gas technically terined water gas, which
escapes by pipe V at a considerable pressure, the gas forcing its way through
the hydraulic mercury or metallic seal in vessel W
The absorption of thermal units in the action of decomposition gradually reduces
the temperature of the fuel; and the action of revivification has to be recommenced,
this is effected by turning off the steam from the superheater, turning the steam on to
the air injector or blower and opening the safety valve R.
The revivification rapidly takes place, and when the temperature of incan-
descence suitable for the introduction of the steam is attained the reversal of
the valves is effected, and the gas known as water gas is again produced, escaping
as before through the metallic or hydraulic seal. Referring to Sheet 2 and 3 of
drawings-
The same cycle of operations is effected without the intervention of the air valve or
superheater 1 The air from the blower is introduced directly into the fuel. The
cycle of operations already described, excepting the superheating apparatus, is equally
applicable to this arrangement and shewn in sheet 2 and 3 of drawings.
In order to automatically effect the reversal of the valves intervening between the
periods of revivification of the fuel, and the application of the steam thereto, I employ
the arrangement shown in figure 6 on Sheet 4 of Drawings.
Assuming that the water gas is being produced, tho gas entering the holder 1 induces
the ascension thereof, by which the chain 2 is extended or pulled-drawing upwards
the weight 3, which, when the holder has ascended, the full height, comes into contact
with and lifts the lever 4, by which the reversal of the reversing valves is effected:
and the fuel in generator 5 is blown up, or revivified with air, whilst the water gas
stored in holder is being used, the holder falls, and when it has fallen to a certain
height, the weight 6 comes into contact with a lever 4, and reverses the valves again
by which water gas is again produced and the holder is raised to a height that by the
contact of the weight 3 with the lever, and steam valves of the latter, the reversal
valves are again reversed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I
claim is as follows.-
1st. The method and arrangement by which the reversing valves or the valves
for directing the direction of flow or arrestation of flow of air, steam, and gases are
automatically effected
2nd The arrangement of apparatus and valves, substantially as herein shewn,
and described for the production of the gas technically known as water gas.
3rd. The general arrangement and construction of the superheating or air
heating apparatus and the combustion arrangements for the purpose of this
invention.
4th The combination of a safety and reversal valve arrangement adapted for the
purpose of this invention.