IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING COAL GAS FROM BISULPHIDE OF CARBON AND OTHER SULPHUR COMPOUNDS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius von Quaglio, Chief Engineer at the Gas Works of
Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PURIFYING COAL GAS FROM BISULPHIDE OF CARBON AND OTHER SULPHUR
COMPOUNDS."
Sealed the 26th February 1878, and dated the 27th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius von Quaglio at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1877.
JULIUS VON QUAGLIO, Chief Engineer at the Gas Works of Stockholm, in the
Kingdom of Sweden. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING COAL GAS FROM BISULPHIDE
OF CARBON AND OTHER SULPHUR COMPOUNDS."
As an essential for the removal of bisulphide of carbon and other sulphur com-
pounds in the coal gas, and eventually to transform such sulphur compounds
into another compound, which can be easily separated from the coal gas, it is
necessary to decompose them. For this purpose I use metals having a catalytic
influence or action for decomposing the bisulphide of carbon and other sulphur
compounds in the coal gas, and converting them into sulphuretted hydrogen.
The metals and their compounds or other materials are as follows:--Platinum,
either as coherent metal or spongy platinum, or platinum mohr, iridium, ruthenium,
rhodium, also metallic nickel and metallic iron in fine powder. Clay balls may be
also used if drenched with a solution of the chlorides of platinum, of iridium, or the
other metals. One principal agent in effecting such decomposition is the metal
platinum in either of the forms before mentioned; and for the accomplishment of this,
one of the metals or compounds, thus acting, is laid in pipes or other suitable vessels
connected with a heating apparatus, and in such way that they can be used
alternately if one were to be regenerated. The effect of the metal or chemical
compound depends upon inducing the hydrogen in the coal gas to combine with the
sulphur in the bisulphide of carbon or other sulphur compounds in the gas, so that
sulphuretted hydrogen results, which can then easily be separated from the coal
gas in any of the common known and used methods."
;

page_text: The apparatus can be placed either before the purifiers, when the sulphuretted
hydrogen resulting from the bisulphide of carbon and the other sulphur compounds
are separated at the same time as the sulphuretted hydrogen coming from the
retorts; or it can be placed after the first purifiers, and the newly formed sul-
phuretted hydrogen may be separated by means of further purification.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Julius von Quaglio in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd March
.1878..
"6
JULIUS VON QUAGLIO, Chief Engineer at the Gas Works of Stockholm, in the
Kingdom of Sweden. IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING COAL GAS FROM BISULPHIDE
OF CARBON AND OTHER SULPHUR COMPOUNDS."
As an essential for the removal of bisulphide of carbon and other sulphur com-
pounds in coal gas, and eventually to transform such sulphur compounds into
another compound, which can be easily separated from the coal gas, it is necessary
to decompose them. For this purpose I use metals having a catalytic influence or
action for decomposing the bisulphide of carbon and other sulphur compounds in the
coal gas, and converting them into sulphuretted hydrogen.
The metals and their compounds, or other materials, are as follows:-Platinum,
either as coherent metal or spongy platinum, or platinum mohr, iridium, palladium,
ruthenium, rhodium, also metallic nickel and metallic iron in fine powder. Clay
balls may be also used if drenched with a solution of the chlorides of platinum, of
iridium, or the other metals. One principal agent in effecting such decomposition is
the metal platinum in either of the forms before mentioned; and for the accomplish-
ment of this, one of the metals or compounds, thus acting, is laid in pipes or other
suitable vessels connected with a heating apparatus, and in such way that they can
be used alternately when the cleansing of one becomes necessary.
The form of the apparatus is not important, but it is preferred to make it in
duplicate of cast-iron pipes, with three-way valves at each end, connecting it, to the
inlet and outlet pipes, so that when one of the purifying apparatus becomes foul,
the valves may be turned, and the unpurified gas caused to pass through the other.
The cleansing of the metal or metallic compound within the apparatus is effected
by causing a current of air to pass through the pipes while the metal or metallic
compound is in a heated state, and until the surfaces of the said metal or metallic
compound is freed from any deposit.
The contents of the apparatus may be heated by fire fed with ordinary fuel or
gas, or by hot air, or superheated water or steam. If either of these modes of
heating is adopted, it is intended that the purifying metal should be inserted in the
pipes in the form of numerous rolls or folds of foil, so that a large surface of metal
may be presented to the gas. It is however preferred to insert a great length of
platinum or other metallic wire insulated from the pipe, and rolled, coiled, or
twisted into a zig-zag form, and to heat such wire by electricity generated by one

page_text: or more galvanic batteries, or by a magneto-electric engine or engines. The effect of
the metal or chemical compound depends upon inducing the hydrogen in the coal
gas to combine with the sulphur in the bisulphide of carbon or other sulphur com-
pounds in the gas, so that sulphuretted hydrogen results, which can then easily be
separated from the coal gas in any of the common known and used methods.
The apparatus can be placed either before the purifiers, when the sulphuretted
hydrogen resulting from the bisulphide of carbon and the other sulphur compounds
are separated at the same time as the sulphuretted hydrogen coming from the
retorts; or it can be placed after the first purifiers, and the newly formed sul-
phuretted hydrogen may be separated by means of further purification.; One of the
results of the above process is that the carbonic acid is decreased, and as a con-
sequence the illuminating power of the gas is increased.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details
or arrangements which I have described or referred to, as variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention,
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the removal of
bisulphide of carbon and other sulphur compounds from coal gas by the application
of metals or metallic compounds herein named, and in the manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius von Quaglio, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JULIUS VON QUAGLIO. (L.S.)