Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture or Production of Carbonic Acid Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
Date of Application, 4In June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture or
Production of Carbonic Acid Gas.
We, HERMAN STEINEM, of 9, Thistlewaite Road, Clapton, in the County of
London, Manufacturer, and KENNETH SUTHERLAND MURRAY, of 10, Chelsea
Gardens, in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows: :-
In the manufacture or production of carbonic acid gas on a commercial scale
by the utilisation of the ordinary gases due to the combustion of carbonaceous
matter the matter best suited to the purpose is coke..
According to the ordinary process these gases are drawn from a specially con-
structed brick-furnace by means of a powerful exhauster, which delivers the gases
first through a washer and then through an absorbing tower or successively
through absorbing towers, wherein the ascending gases are met by a descending
solution of carbonate of potash by which the carbonic acid gas is absorbed and
when this solution becomes sufficiently charged with carbonic acid gas it is boiled
so that the carbonic acid gas is given off and can be conducted to a suitable
receiver, or gasometer. It has however been found that although a solution of
carbonate of potash of sufficient strength should theoretically absorb about twelve
times its volume of carbonic acid gas, in practice not one half this quantity has
been absorbed and only part of this is given off in the subsequent boiling.
Moreover in washing furnace gases with cold water part of the sulphurous
gases remain mixed with the carbonic acid gas and pass into the solution of
potash, thereby forming sulphate of potash, and neutralizing the absorbing power
of the solution and necessitating frequent and costly renewals thereof.
According to our invention we utilize the waste gases from the furnace or
furnaces by which the boiler or boilers in which the solution of bicarbonate is
boiled is or are heated.
We also cause the outgoing carbonate of potash solution from the boilers to
heat the incoming bicarbonate solution and to itself be cooled, thereby thus
obviating the use of steam and its attendant disadvantages as it is found in
practice that through the notion of the solution itself and the expansion and
contraction due to variable heat, the superheaters in which steam is used are
Liable to leak so that carbonates are carried away with the steam.
We prefer to boil the carbonate solution in two stages after it leaves the pre-
liminary heater and we provide a special method of interchanging carbonate and
bicarbonate solutions and otherwise conduct the process and arrange the apparatus
for the purpose that we effect a better absorption of carbonic acid gas by the
solution of carbonate of potash and secure greater efficiency in the separation of
the potash solution and carbonic acid gas, than has hitherto been obtained in
practice.
For convenience in describing our invention we will refer to the potash solution
as "ley" whether it be in the carbonate, bicarbonate, or proto-carbonate condition.
In the process according to our invention the waste gases or part of the waste

page_text: gases from the furnace of furnaces which heats or heat the ley are drawn by
means of an exhauster, or exhaustors, through a vertical washer, or washers,
consisting of chambers containing suitable material such as marble chips or
fragments of hard limestone, the gases being drawn upwards through the said
washer or washers. Hot water, taken entirely or in part from the carbonic acid
gas coolers, hereinafter described, is admitted at the top of the washer or washers
and allowed to drip through the interstices of the material contained therein thus
meeting tho furnace gases as they pass upwards therethrough. By means of the
hot water such impurities as sulphuretted hydrogen are more readily and effectually
abstracted from the furnace gases than they would be by means of cold water.
From this washer, or these washors, the gases pass through another washer, or
other washers, which may be similar to that, or those, used for the hot water
treatment, but in which cold water is employed by means of which the cooling
of the gases and the final washing out of the impurities effected.
The gases, and the water in this washer, or these washers, also pass in reverse
directions.
The exhausters which draw the gases through the aforesaid washers are prefer-
ably actuated by an independent engine, which can be regulated at will, and
deliver the furnace gases into the bottom of absorbing towers, each absorbing
tower being fed by a separate exhauster.
These absorbing towers (of which there may be any convenient number, say
three) are charged with a material, such as broken coke, which presents a large
surface for the intimate contact of the furnace gases and the ley. The coke is
charged into these chambers from the top.
Manholes may be provided at the sides of the said towers for the removal and
replacing of coke when necessary.
Above the said absorbing towers is a luuk kept filled with ley by means of a
pump so as to insure an uninterrupted flow of ley through each absorbing tower.
The ley is pumped from a tank (which may be placed underground) capable of
holding the entire quantity of ley employed in the continuous working of the
process.
The said tank is divided into two compartments, one of which is say about
one quarter the capacity of the other.
The partition dividing the tank into these two compartments is carried up to
within a short distance (say three inches) from the top of the tank..
Pipes are connected to the bottom of each compartment of the said tank, those
connected with the larger compartment being in communication, one through
the pump with the aforesaid tank over the absorbing towers and the other with
the cooler or coolers, hereinafter described whilst of those connected with the
smaller compartment there is one in communication with the bottom of each of
the absorbing towers and another through a pump, with the aforesaid preliminary
heater.
The ley poor in carbonio acid gas is pumped from the larger compartment of
the said tank to the tank above the absorbing towers and passes thence in at the
top of the said absorbing towers. This ley in descending through the said towers
meets the ascending furnace gases from which it abstracts the carbonic acid gas.
The said ley then passes from the said towers into the bottom of the smaller com-
partment of the first mentioned tank, being now rich in carbonic acid gas. It
is then pumped into the preliminary heater on its way to the boilers. The pumps
which respectively pump the ley from the larger and smaller compartments of the
said tank are of such relative size, or are so worked that the excess of ley passed
through the pump of the larger compartment overflows from the smaller com-
partment into the larger compartment, thereby enriching the ley, which is on its
way to the top of the absorbing towers. The pumps can be regulated at will, so
that the circulation can be maintained at the highest possible speed, and an
absolute absorption of the carbonic acid gas be obtained.
The enriched ley from the smaller compartment of the tank is as already stated,

page_text: pumped into the preliminary heater, through which the outgoing, or poor, and
boiling, ley, and the ingoing, or rich, and cold, ley, are so passed that before the
latter passes into the boilers it has taken up a considerable quantity of heat. The
outgoing ley having thus parted with much of its heat is allowed either to pass
direct into the larger compartment of the aforesaid tank, or it may, if necessary,
be first passed through further water coolers.
For the purpose of boiling the ley we prefer to use two or more boilers, the
Cornish type of boiler being preferred. The capacity of each boiler up to the usual
water level should be about equal to the maximum quantity of ley it is intended
to pass through the boiler per hour. Thus, if it be desired to pass a maximum
quantity of 1000 gallons of ley through the boiler per hour the boiler capacity up
to the usual water level should be about 1000 gallons. The ley is introduced
near the bottom at one end of the first boiler, and overflows at the other end (either
back to the preliminary heater in case where a single boiler only is used or to the
next boiler or boilers where two or more are used). By employing two, or more,
boilers in rotation, and by introducing and discharging the ley from one to the
other so as to get a proper circulation, we obtain a more perfect decomposition
and separation of carbonic acid gas, than has hitherto been obtained in practice.
The boiler, or boilers, are worked as simple boiling pans, or vessels, and are
not under pressure, the outlets for the carbonic acid gas from each boiler to the
gasometer being connected to one outlet pipe of sufficient cross sectional area to
insure an unrestricted passage for the gas under all conditions of boiling. The
carbonic acid gas on its way to the gasometer should be passed through a cooler,
the water of which may be in whole, or in part, used in the hot washer herein-
before described, and then the gas is passed into a separator, where any ley carried
over from the boiler, or boilers, and condensed in the carbonic acid gas is collected
and returned to the larger compartment of the aforesaid tank.
The furnace, or furnaces, of the boiler, or boilers, may be provided with any
suitable means for regulating the supply of air and with fire bars by which the
fuel can be equally distributed.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacturé or
Production of Carbonic Acid Gas.
Wo, HERMAN STEINEM, of 9, Thistlewaite Road, Clapton, in the County of
London, Manufacturer, and KENNETH SUTHERLAND MURRAY, of 10, Chelsea
Gardens, in the County of London, 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: —
_
In the manufacture, or production, of carbonic acid gas, on a commercial scale,
by the utilization of the ordinary gases due to the combustion of carbonaceous
matter, the matter best suited to the purpose is coke.
These gases are generally drawn from a specially constructed brick-furnace by
means of a powerful exhauster which delivers the gases first through a washer,
and then through an absorbing tower, or successively through absorbing towers,
wherein the ascending gases are met by a descending solution of carbonate of
potash, by which the carbonic acid gas is absorbed, and when this solution becomes

page_text: sufficiently charged with carbonic acid gas, it is boiled so that the carbonic acid
gas is given off and can be conducted to a suitable receiver, or gasometer.
It has, however, been found that although a solution of carbonate of potash of
sufficient strength should theoretically absorb about twelve times its volume of
carbonic acid gas, in practice not one half this quantity has been absorbed, and
only part of this is given off in the subsequent boiling.
Moreover, in washing furnace gases with cold water part of the sulphurous gases
remains mixed with the carbonic acid gas and passes into the solution of potash,
thereby forming sulphate of potash, and neutralizing the absorbing power of the
solution and necessitating frequent and costly renewals thereof.
Instead of employing a specially constructed furnace we utilise the waste gases
from the furnace, or furnaces, by which the boiler, or boilers, in which the solution
of bicarbonate is boiled is, or are, heated.
We also cause the outgoing carbonate of potash solution from the boilers to
heat the incoming bicarbonate solution and to itself be cooled, thereby thus
obviating the use of steam and its attendant disadvantages, as it is found in
practice that, through the action of the solution itself and the expansion and
contraction due to variable heat, the superhealers, in which steam is used, are
liable to leak, so that carbonates are carried away with the steam.
We prefer to boil the carbonate solution in two stages after it leaves the prelimi-
nary heater, and we provide a special method of interchanging carbonate and
bicarbonate solutions, and otherwise conduct the process, and arrange the apparatus
for the purpose, that we effect a better absorption of carbonic acid gas by the
solution of carbonate of potash, and secure greater efficiency in the separation
of the potash solution and carbonic acid gas than has hitherto been obtained in
practice.
We will describe the manner in which our invention can be performed with
reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 showing, in elevation, and
Figure 2 in plan, an arrangement of apparatus for the purpose.
For convenience in describing our invention we will refer to the potash solution
asley" whether it be in the carbonate, bicarbonate, or proto-carbonate condition.
In the process according to our invention the gases or part of the gases, from the
boiler furnace or furnaces, (two are shewn in the drawings at A A) which heats,
or heat, the ley, are, or is, drawn, by means of an exhauster, or exhausters,
(situated at CCC), through a vertical washer, or washers, (two are shewn in
the drawings at B B), consisting of chambers containing suitable material, such
as marble chips, or fragments of hard limestone, the gases being drawn upwards
through the said washer, or washers. Hot liquid taken entirely, or in part, from
the carbonic acid gas cooler D), (or coolers), hereinafter described, is admitted at
the top of the hot water washer, or washers, (B in the case illustrated) and allowed
to drip through the interstices of the material contained therein, thus meeting
the furnace gases as they pass upwards therethrough, the said water passing away
by a suitably trapped drain. By means of this hot water, such impurities as
sulphuretted hydrogen, are more readily and effcotually abstracted from the
furnace gases than they would be by means of cold water.
From this hot water washer, or washers, the gases pass through another washer,
or other washers, (Ba in the case illustrated), which may be similar to the washer B,
used for the hot water treatment, but in the washer B cold water is employed,
by means of which the cooling of the gases and the final washing out of the
impurities is effected. The cold water may be supplied from any suitable source
of supply and passes away by a suitably trapped drain.
The gases, and the water in the cold water washer, or washers, also pass in
reverse directions.
The exhausters C, C, C³, which cause the gases to pass through the aforesaid
washers, are preferably actuated by a special engine, which can be regulated at
will, and deliver the furnace gases into the bottom of absorbing towers E Es,
cach absorbing tower being fed by a separate exhauster, by the pipes b b 85,

page_text: leading from the cold water washer B³, to the respective absorbing towers. By
this arrangement a proper proportion of the furnace gases can be passed through
each absorbing tower, and the speed of the gases there-through can be reduced,
or increased, at will.
These absorbing towers E, E, E (of which there may be three as shewn, or any
other convenient number), are charged with a material, such as brokon coke,
(supported on perforated, or reticulated, trays), which presents a large surface for
the intimate contact of the furnace gases and the ley. The coke can be charged
into these chambers from the top, and manholes be provided at the sides of the
said towers for the removal and replacing of coke when necessary.
Above the said absorbing towers is a tank F, kept filled with ley by means of
a pump, so as to insure an uninterrupted flow of ley through each absorbing
tower.
Thio ley is pumped from a tank G, (which may be placed underground) capable
of holding the entire quantity of ley employed in the continuous working of the
process.
The said tank is shewn in section in Figure 1, and is divided into two compart-
mants one of which (9) is, say, about one quarter the capacity of the other g².
The partition dividing the tank into these two compartments is carried up to
within a short distance, (say three inches), from the top of the tank.
Pipes are led to near the bottom of each compartment of the said tank G, those
connected with the larger compartment 9, being in communication one (i),
through the pump I, with the aforesaid tank F over the absorbing towers, and the
other, with the cooler, or coolers, D, whilst, of those connected with the smaller
compartment there is one e, in communication with the bottom of each of the
absorbing towers and another (j) in communication through the pump J, with
the preliminary heater H.
The ley, poor in carbonic acid gus, is pumped from the larger compartment ³
of the said tank G to the tank F, above the absorbing towers E E E³, and passes
thence in at the top of the said absorbing towers. This ley in descending through
the said towers meets the ascending furnace gases from which it abstracts the
carbonic acid gas. The said ley then passes from the said towers into the bottom
of the smaller compartment 7 of the tank G, being now rich in carbonic acid gas.
The furnace gases from which the carbonic acid gas has been abstracted, escape
by the pipes e. These pipes ea are for the sake of clearness omitted from Figure 2.
The enriched ley is then pumped by the pump J into the preliminary heater H,
on its way to the boilers AA. The pumps I and J which respectively pump the
ley from the larger and smaller compartments of the said tank, are of such relative
size, or may be so worked, that an excess of ley, passed through the pump of the
larger compartment, overflows from the smaller compartment into the larger
compartment, thereby enriching the ley, which is on its way to the top of the
absorbing towers.
The enriched ley from the smaller compartment g of the tank G is as already
stated, pumped into the preliminary heater II, through which the outgoing, or
poor, and boiling ley and the ingoing or rich and cold, ley, are so passed that
before the latter passes into the boiler, or boilers, it has taken up a considerable
quantity of heat. The outgoing ley having thus parted with much of its heat,
is allowed either to pass direct into the larger compartment of the aforesaid
tank G, or it may, if necessary, be first passed through any suitable further
coolers.
For the purpose of boiling the ley we prefer to use two, or more boilers, the
Cornish type of boiler being preferred. The capacity of cach boiler up to the
usual water level should be about equal to the maximum quantity of ley it is
intended to pass through the boiler por hour. Thus if it be desired to pass a
maximum quantity of 1000 gallons of ley through the boiler per hour the boiler
capacity up to the usual water level should be about 1000 gallons. The ley is
introduced near the bottom at one end of the first boiler and overflows from the

page_text: working level at the other end (either back to the preliminary heater in case
where a single boiler only is used, or to the next boiler, or boilers, where two or
more are used). By employing two or more boilers in succession, and by intro-
ducing and discharging the ley from one to the other so as to get a proper circula-
tion, we obtain a more perfect decomposition and separation of carbonic aoid gas,
than has hitherto been obtained in practice.
The outleta d for the carbonic acid gas from each boiler to the gasometer, are
connected to the one outlet pipe of sufficient cross sectional area to ensure an
unrestricted passage for the gas under all conditions of boiling.
The carbonic acid gas after it has passed through the cooler D passes to the
gasometer K by the pipe any condensed liquor in the carbonic acid gas, being
trapped and returned, by the pipe, to the larger compartment 9 of the aforesaid
tank G.
The furnace, or furnaces, of the boiler, or boilers, may be provided with any
suitable means for regulating the supply of air, and with fire bars by which the
fuel can be equally distributed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is: :―
1. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus for use
in the manufacture or production of carbonic acid gas substantially as herein-
before described.
2. In apparatus for the purpose described, the employment of two or more
boilers working in succession, substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before
described.
3. In apparatus for the aforesaid purpose, means, substantially as hereinbefore
described for effecting the interchange of carbonate and bi-carbonate of potash.
4. In apparatus for the purpose described the combination with the washers
and the absorbing towers, of separate exhausters for each absorbing tower; as
herein before explained.
5. In apparatus for the purpose described, the combination of hot and cold
washers for washing and removing impurities from the furnace gases; substantially
as herein before described.
6. In apparatus for the purpose described the combination of a heat interchanger
(such as H) for the purpose described.
Dated this 4th day of March 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.