Improvements in Oil Heating, Vaporizing, and Steam Superheating Devices for Gas Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
Improvements in Oil Heating, Vaporizing, and Steam Superheating
Devices for Gas Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM HENRY PEARSON the younger Gas Engineer of 46 King Street
West in the City of Toronto in the County of York of the Province of Ontario of
the Dominion of Canada, 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 :—
My invention relates generally to apparatus for the production of carburetted
water gas, and more particularly to certain improvements in means and devices for
heating and vaporizing oil or liquid hydro-carbons and superheating steam before
converting them into carburetted water gas.
The principal objects of my invention are:-
1st. To utilize the heat from the hydrogen or water gas for heating and
vaporizing the oil or hydrocarbons and also for superheating the steam before
using it in the generator, thereby obviating the waste of oil or liquid hydro-carbons
and fuel and obtaining a more perfect carburation of the water gas than has
hitherto been possible;
2nd. To provide a simple, durable, efficient and comparatively inexpensive device
for economically heating and vaporizing oil or liquid hydro-carbons and super-
heating steam before being made into carburetted water gas; and
3rd. To construct and arrange the device so that there will be no danger from
leakage and that it can be readily detached and repaired and subsequently
assembled for use.
The invention consists of constructions and combinations all as hereinafter set
forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which ;-
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a generator, superheater and fixing chamber;
Figure 2 a cross section on line 2-2 Figure 1;
Figure 3 a cross section on line 3-3 Figure 1;
Figure 4 a detail view of the coils in elevation with part of the outer coil broken
away; and
Figure 5 an elevation partly in section of two generators showing plan of
connecting the same.
A represents a generator of the usual construction and A' a superheater or fixing
chamber having a flue A' and passage way A³. The flue A has no connection at
its top with the superheater but is connected at its lower end with the lower part
of the superheater by a flue a shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, and connected at
its upper end with the upper part of the generator by a flue a¹ having a valve a²
for closing the same.
The passage way A³ is connected at its lower end with the superheater,
preferably by a horizontal branch a³ that connects with the bottom of Hue A² as
shown in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3. This passage way is connected with the
generator by an upper gas exit flue at having a valve a' and leading from the upper
part of the generator, and a lower gas exit flue as having a valve a' and leading
from the lower part of the generator. The lower valve a' is closed, as is also
valve a² when the upper valve as is open and the gas passes down through the
passage way A into the bottom of the superheater. When the valves a² and a³
are closed the gas passes into the lower part of passage way A³ and then into the
bottom of the superheater and at the same time fills the passage way A³ with the

page_text: heated gas. It is in this passage way A³ I prefer to place my oil or liquid hydro-
carbon heater or vaporizer and steam superheater B, as the oil and steam can be
heated by the hydrogen or water gas before the latter comes in contact with the
oil or liquid carbon and thereby the deposition of any carbon upon the pipe or
pipes forming the combined vaporizer and superheater B is prevented. This is
accomplished by placing the said part B at some point between the place where
the water gas is made and before it reaches the superheater or fixing chamber.
The point shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is that preferred, but it may be placed in
various other positions, for example in the gas flue that connects two generators as
shown in Figure 5.
Separate pipes are used for the oil and steam, and they are preferably of different
diameters so that one may be enclosed in the other. In the device shown the oil
pipe b is enclosed in the steam pipe, and both are coiled to get the greatest
heating surface in the least space. The combined device is supported in the
passage way in any suitable manner, and the ends project preferably outside the
walls of the superheater A', so that the pipes may be properly branched. The oil
pipe b is connected with an oil supply pipe 2 having suitable cocks (not shown) for
regulating the flow thereto, and passes upward through pipe b' until it projects
outside of the superheater and is connected with pipe which supplies hydro-
carbons to the superheater A¹ in a gaseous form owing to the heating they have
received in their passage through part B. By thus heating and vaporizing the oil,
a vapor instead of oil is projected into the path of the heated water gas which will
more readily absorb the vapor and thereby prevent the waste of oil as is the case
when the liquid hydro-carbons are projected into the superheater.
The steam pipe is connected with a steam supply pipe 6 having suitable
regulating cocks (not shown). The steam passes upward through the coil 6' and
is taken from the latter by a pipe leading from the superheater A¹ to the
generator A. Pipe & terminates in two branches and leading respectively to
the top and bottom of the generator into which they enter. These pipes are
provided with suitable cocks 8 and 6 for cutting off the supply of steam to the top
and bottom of the generator, so that when steam is passed into the top and bottom
of the generator the pipe leading to the opposite end can be and is closed against
the passage of steam.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:-Fuel is introduced into the
generator, valves a³ and a being closed and a² being opened, a blast of air is then
introduced at the bottom of the generator and forced up through it. The producer
gas thus formed is allowed to pass through flues a', A2 and a into the superheater
and fixing chamber A¹, where air is again introduced preferably at two different
points DD', and combustion is effected, heating up the superheater and fixing
chamber in the ordinary way. When the fuel in the generator is sufficiently
ignited and the refractory material in the superheater and fixing chamber is
sufficiently heated all the air blasts are shut off and valve a² closed. Valve a³ is
then opened, steam is introduced through pipe 6 into the coil of pipe b in passage
way A³ and passing up through it to pipes and 7, and to the generator, where it
enters the same underneath the body of fuel. Passing up through the fuel the gas
thus formed enters gas exit flue a and passage way A³, where it comes in contact
with coil 6 which contains the steam, thereby highly superheating the same.
Oil or
liquid hydro-carbons are at the same time introduced into coil & through pipe
and pass up through said coil and enter the superheater or fixing chamber through
pipe 63, where they are instantly vaporized and diffused with the highly superheated
water gas. Both gases then pass on through the superheater and fixing chamber
and out through pipe R to the washers, scrubbers, condensers and purifiers.
When the heat in the generator ceases to decompose the steam, the oil or liquid
hydrocarbons and steam are then shut off, and the valve a' closed and valve a
opened. The air blasts are then turned on again and the temperatures are raised
as before described, and when the heat is sufficiently increased to again decompose
the steam, the air blasts are shut off, valve a² closed, and valve a' opened. Steam

page_text: is then introduced through pipe 64 into the coil of pipe 3' in passage way A³ and
passes out through pipe 65 and pipe 66 to the generator and passing through the fuel is
converted into water gas. The water gas passes from the generator through the
gas flue a into the bottom of the superheater and fixing chamber and fills the
passage way A³ with the same. Oil or liquid hydro-carbons are then introduced as
before described, where they are instantly vaporized and diffused with the highly
superheated water gas. Both gases then pass on through the superheater and
fixing chamber and pass out through the pipe R into the washers, scrubbers,
condensers and purifiers.
I do not limit the apparatus to be always operated in the exact way in which I
have described it; the changes may be varied as may be found most convenient,
at the discretion and judgment of the operator. The coils may also either be one
contained inside of the other or they may be both exposed to the heated gases, and
when found desirable only one may be used for the oil or vice versa for the steam
and the points where the oil or liquid hydro-carbons and steam enter the coils may
be changed to any other position where it may be found most convenient.
Figure 5 shows an elevation of two generators both being coupled together by
pipe or flue P. Contained in this pipe is a coil or coils similar to the one previously
described. In working two sets of apparatus together when making water gas,
steam is alternately passed down through one generator and up through the other,
and passes on through the superheater and fixing chamber, as before described.
Oil or liquid hydro-carbons and steam being passed through these coils in the same
manner as before described. These coils of pipe may be used in other kinds of
water gas apparatus in the pipe or flue connecting between the generator and
superheater and fixing chamber, also between a generator and carburetter.
I do not limit the application of this invention to any one style of water gas
apparatus, but it may be attached to apparatus having an outer connection or flue
between the generator and superheater and fixing chamber, or generator and
carburetter.
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. In an apparatus for making water gas, an oil or liquid hydro-carbon heater or
vaporizer and steam superheater acted upon by the gas after the hydrogen or water
gas has been made and before the said gas reaches the superheater and fixing
chamber or chambers or comes in contact with the oil or liquid hydro-carbons,
substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for making water gas, the heater or vaporizer and a steam
superheater, either one to be placed inside the other or independently, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
3. In an apparatus for making water gas, the combination of a generator; a
superheater; a water gas flue leading from the generator and connected with the
superheater; and an oil heater or vaporizer and steam superheater heated by the
water gas passing through the said flue, substantially as set forth.
4. In an apparatus for making gas, the combination of a generator having a gas
exit flue ; a superheater having a water gas inlet and a passage way or flue
connected with the said gas exit flue and the said water gas inlet; and an oil
heater or vaporizer and steam superheater in the said passage way or flue,
substantially as set forth.
5. In an apparatus for making gas, the combination of a generator having an
upper and lower gas exit flue; a superheater having a water gas inlet and a passage
way or flue connected with the said gas exit flues; and an oil heater or vaporizer
and steam superheater in the said passage way or flue substantially as set
forth..
6. In an apparatus for making gas, the combination of a generator; a super-
heater; a water gas flue leading from the generator to the superheater; an oil

page_text: heater or vaporizer and steam superheater in the said flue; an outlet pipe from
the said oil heater connected with the superheater or fixing chamber, and an outlet
pipe from the said steam superheater connected with the upper and lower part of
the said generator, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of August 1894.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.