Triple Action Apparatus for the Recovery of Benzols or other Products Contained in Certain]Gases.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Triple Action Apparatus for the Recovery of Benzols or other
Products Contained in Certain]Gases.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer (a communication from abroad
by La Compagnie pour la Fabrication Des Compteurs et Materiels d'Usines a
Gaz, of l'aris, France) 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 apparatus for the recovery of benzols from furnace
gases or coke ovens and it is also applicable for the extraction of any products
contained in gases capable of solution in suitable liquids.
The invention consists of an arrangement of chambers in communication with
one another containing revolving drums so arranged and constructed that the
gases to be operated upon come into contact with the solvent liquid in three distinct
ways and thus render the solution of the product required rapid and complete.
One mode of carrying the invention into effect is illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings in which,
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the apparatus with a portion removed
so as to allow the interior mechanism to be seen.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the liner of Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents on a larger scale a similar transverse section of a portion
of the revolving drum shown on Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section on the line y z of Figure 3.
Figure 5 represents a similar transverse section to that shown on Figure 2 but
with a different arrangement of drum.
Figure 6 is a section through Figure 5 on the line M N.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the apparatus there shown consists of a series
of chambers A and division panels B, bolted together by suitable flanges and
having a drum shaft 1 driven by suitable gearing and running through the
entire set of chambers. The said division panels B are each provided at their
centre with a large opening K through which the horizontal drum shaft I passes
and on which the drums bosses T are keyed, one drum to each chamber A; these
lrum bosses T being open to each opening K in the division panels B but closed
at the opposite side so that any gas passing from one chamber A to another can
only do so by way of the opening K in the panel and in the drum boss. Each
Irum boss T has a certain number of sectors C exactly alike fixed upon it and they
consist of two perforated plates of sheet iron 1) held between external cheeks E E³,
he perforations of the said sheet iron plates being intended to carry a certain
umber of buckets H the section of which has the form of a U and the length of
which is equivalent to the length between the outer plates or cheeks E E (see
Figures 1 to 4).
The sectors when the shaft I revolves the drums, are dipped one after the other
eneath the liquid in the bottom portions of the chambers A which in the case of
urnace gases being treated is tar or other heavy oil having the property of

page_text: absorbing the benzols. This liquid enters the chambers A by the funnel G
situated on the side opposite the port P by which the gas to be treated enters and
the gas thus courses through the drums and chambers in an opposite direction to
the oil, producing a regular action.
It will be remarked (Figure 1) that in proportion as the oil makes toward the
exit its level is lowered in the successive chambers A through which it travels.
That is due to the orifices being made in each panel B at a different height
and sealed by a small partition & which forms a water or hydraulic seal and
prevents the passage of the gas.
The exit of the oil impregnated with benzol which it has absorbed is effected
by a double siphon S. This collected oil is afterwards distilled in the ordinary
manner in order to extract the benzol.
The working of this apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:-
The drum shaft I being put in motion, the gas proceeding from the coking
furnaces enters by any suitable connecting pipe in at the port P to the apparatus ;
traverses the opening K of the first division panel B, then through the opening t
of the drum boss T, up into and through the sectors C and buckets H and finally
out into the upper portion of the compartment and similarly through each of the
compartments in succession until the gas exhausted of its benzol makes its exit
by a suitable port R.
The particular operation of each individual drum is as follows; as the drum is
revolved by the shaft I in the direction indicated by the arrows (Figures 2 and 3)
the buckets I filled with gas plunge in turn underneath the liquid which com-
mences to dissolve or combine with the benzol present in the gas and that so much
the better as the interior sides of each bucket were already coated with oil by the
preceding revolution. As soon as each bucket reaches the horizontal position
in the oil the gas ascends in the shape of bubbles which produces a boiling or
convection of a very intense mechanical nature. The rotation of the shaft H
continuing, each bucket travels beyond the horizontal, abandons its gas under-
neath the liquid and the oil or liquid takes its place, so that upon still further
rotation of the shaft I an upper point is reached where the buckets H will throw
the oil on these adjoining and underneath. Now, the buckets being disposed in
layers and alternately a liquid cascade or rain is produced which augments the
effect produced by the convection or boiling in as much as this rain partly
obstructs the intervals of the buckets and passes down presenting a large surface
to the upward current of the gas causing further benzol to be taken up from it.
Finally the cheeks E, the perforated sheet iron plates 1), and the buckets H,
being constantly soaked with oil present a surface acting by contact on the passage
of the gas upwards and further absorb benzol.
The apparatus thus acts by surface, by convection bubbles or boiling and by
aspersion, and it has really therefore a triple action.
The first chamber A only extracts a part of the benzol and this is why the
apparatus is arranged with several chambers the complete action of which causes
the gas on its arrival at the exit R to be completely cleared of the benzol which
has all been dissolved in the oil.
Figures 5 and 6 represent a system of modified drums which may be employed
instead of those herein before described and illustrated on Figures 1 2 3 and 4.
In these modified drums the bucket sectors C are replaced by a single sheet
of perforated sheet iron on which are soldered or rivetted the buckets H exactly
like those shewn in Figures 1 to 4. These new buckets H having a length equal
to the breadth of the sheet iron are disposed parallel to one another with their
sides open in the same direction, the sheet iron being afterwards rolled up spirally
as shown on Figure 5. The buckets H thus form distance pieces giving a uniform
spacing to the spiral formed by the perforated sheet iron V.
The drum mounted on the shaft I being revolved in the direction of the arrow,
the bucket H filled with gas plunges into the liquid where partial solution takes
place. As soon as each bucket reaches the horizontal position in the oil, the gas

page_text: ascends in streams of bubbles which traverse the perforations of the sheet iron V
presenting large surface to the action of the oil.
The movement continuing the buckets which discharge their gas and are filled
with oil ascend into the upper part of the chamber A reaching a point where they
discharge on to the helix immediately underneath of the sheet iron spiral V, flowing
like a cascade through the perforations of the sheet iron, thus by aspersion attacking
the upward current of gas and also by presenting a large moist surface.
This apparatus by its operation effects the collection of large quantities of gas
the subdividing of it and plunging it into a dissolving or absorbing liquid by the
aid of buckets. These buckets can be plunged into the liquid by a rotative move-
ment as herein before described though other means may be used without departing
from the essential features of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. An apparatus for the recovery of benzol or other gaseous by products in which
a series of revolving drums are provided within a series of chambers partly filled
with a suitable absorbent or solvent liquid cause the gas to be dispersed
throughout the oil so as to present a large surface for attack and also cause the gas
to pursue a tortuous course through each drum and chamber alternately
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for the recovery of benzol or other gaseous by products the
triple action of the solvent liquid or the gas under treatment as secured by the
passing of the gas through a revolving drum and buckets or their equivalents
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
3. The apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to
Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of April 1807
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.