improvements in Coke Ovens.
Year: 1894

page_text: improvements in Coke Ovens.
I, ALBERT DICKINSON SHREWSBURY of Charleston, Kanawha County, West
Virginia, United States of America, Lawyer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
The main object of my invention is to provide for an even and uniform distribution
of the air over the surface of the coal, in a coke oven, and, at the same time to
beat the air before introducing it to the surface of the coal.
For carrying out the first part of my invention I provide a second dome forming
thereby an intermediate chamber, communication with the oven itself or coking
chamber being brought about by holes at certain and equal distances apart, and
uniformly distributed in the second or inner dome. This chamber is divided in
such a manner to allow the air to be admitted, necessary for combustion, into one
half of the chamber and from the second half of this intermediate chamber, leads
a branch pipe which is connected with the main conduit into which the gases
formed during combustion, are drawn off by an exhauster and condensed, forming
thereby the several by-products which exist in the manufacture of coke.
My invention also includes the use of steam jet pipes so placed as to introduce
steam into and through the bed of coal. Further it includes electro positive and
electro negative elements placed within the combustion chamber and above the bed
of coal and also within the gas conduit for purifying the gas, and finally it includes
means for cooling and condensing the gases in the conduit thereby forming the
by-products.
The oven may be of any desired form, either round, rectangular or square, and
has an upper or outside dome and a lower or inner dome, forming a suction chamber
between them.
In order to charge the oven the central opening is carried down through the
suction chamber and into the oven and similarly lined with fire bricks as is the
oven itself. The usual means for charging the oven and stopping up the door may
be employed.
The inner dome is perforated throughout its extent with holes at regular distances
apart, and so arranged that through all of them a uniform draft can be obtained, at
one and the same time. This intermediate chamber is divided equally into two
parts by a central wall in line with the central charging opening.
The air is
admitted and is then drawn down through the holes, into the combustion chamber
and there mixes with the gases and is drawn off through holes in the other half of
the dome into the other half of the intermediate chamber and out by a branch
pipe controlled by a damper into the main gas flue, connected with the exhauster
from which the flue leads to a condensation plant of auy desired form. The air
passing through the intermediate chamber and into the oven as described becomes
heated before entering the combustion chamber and by this means the oven does.
ot become cooled down by cold air entering. It is of great importance that the
utlet branch pipe should be of a larger diameter than the inlet to allow for the
xpansion of gases.
By this arrangement the suction draft is uniform throughout the entire area of

page_text: the coal bed, and the coal being coked, gives the gas from one part of the oven an
equal opportunity to escape as from any other part. This results in a uniform
action throughout the oven during the entire process of the conversion of the coal
into coke, and brings about a uniform grade of coke, in color, weight and density,
and prevents the oven from becoming hotter in one part than it is in another. It
is a well accepted fact that through the inability to obtain a uniform heat in ovens
now in use, coal is imperfectly coked and when an oven is drawn, a portion of the
coke may come out black, showing a want of regular heat throughout the oven.
This black coke or badly coked coal must be thrown on one side, and becomes so
much loss, for it can all be used only when the coking process is perfect, and the
coke is drawn from the oven all alike. The process of coking cannot be continued
beyond a certain length of time in order to make up for this imperfectly coked
coal, but must be drawn out to produce a certain grade of coke, for if this
continuation be allowed, that which is already coked would begin to burn away,
the carbon being consumed; hence the necessity of a uniform heat for the process
of coking and which in my invention I am able to bring about.
The form of oven may be modified and also the intermediate chamber.
The intermediate chamber between the domes in one modification is omitted on
the inlet side, and the air is admitted directly by the induction pipe, to the oven.
This intermediate chamber on the exhaust side allows the exit of the gases in a
distributed and gradual manner, so that the air is still diffused all over the surface
of the coal, but it is not heated before its entrance, and I prefer the double
intermediate chamber. The intermediate chambers instead of extending entirely
across the dome may be extended only partially over the same. I may use a
supplemental chamber above the intermediate chamber to still further equalize the
draft.
A double supplemental dome may be used above an intermediate chamber which
is not divided and in this form also the perfect diffusion of the air over the body of
the coal is secured.
Steam pipes lead to the bottom of the oven and these have nozzles for introducing
steam jets into and through the coal bed. All bituminous coals contain more or
less sulphur in the form of sulphide of iron, or iron pyrites, and this moistening of
the coal by steam, eliminates more readily the sulphur, and forming thereby
sulphuretted bydrogen gas, and practically produces a coke free of sulphur.
Within the oven I arrange electro positive and electro negative elements connected
with suitable circuit wires. The purpose of these elements is to secure a galvanic
action within the oven to so act on the gases that they may be purified in such a
manner that the chemical combination, arising from the decomposition of the
various elements during the process of coking, may be brought about more readily,
increasing the amount of ammonia. Other electro positive and electro negative
elements are arranged in the maiu flue near the cooling device where all the gases
pass after leaving the oven and a further extraction of the by products takes place,
uniting in a chemical action gases that might have passed out of the oven in a free
state and so on into the main conduit.
I have provided means for cooling the gas in the main flue just before it reaches
the exhauster in order to condense the ammonia and tar contained therein.
This cooling means consists of a coil or series of ammonia or brine pipes
intersecting the main gas flue in front of the exhauster and any suitable form of
trap may be used, or catch pan arranged for collecting any of the by-products
drawn from the gas.
I do not wish to limit myself to any particular coil of pipes nor to any particular
series or form of trap, the essential principle being that the cooling device be
arranged at a point in front of the exhauster. Two sets of cooling and condensing
apparatus and traps may be employed so that one may be cleaned while the other
is in operation. For this purpose the conduit is divided and each branch has a
separate cooling coil and separate exhauster both branches reunite to the pipe
leading to the condensation plant.

page_text: By this apparatus the maximum effect is secured both in the production of coke
and in the recovery of the by-products for it will be clear that the uniform draft
secured by the arrangement of the two domes and the suction chamber will secure
au even distribution of the draft and a complete coking operation, while the action
of the electro positive and electro negative elements together with the cooling
apparatus effects the complete recovery of the by products.
I do not wish to limit myself to the two exhausters described as by providing a
suitable valve at the junction of the branches and an exhauster in the pipe leading
to the condensation plant, the gas may be drawn through either branch while the
other is being cleaned.
The exhauster mentioned herein is also a draft controller as by it the draft
through the oven is made more or less.
I, ALBERT DICKINSON SHREWSBURY, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West
Virginia, United States of America, Lawyer, 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:-
The main object of my invention is to provide for an even and uniform distribution
of the air over the surface of the coal, in a coke oven, and, at the same time to heat
the air before introducing it to the surface of the coal.
The other objects and details of construction of all the parts are fully described
hereinafter.
For carrying out the first part of my invention I provide a second dome forming
thereby an intermediate chamber, communication with the oven itself or coking
chamber, being brought about by holes at certain and equal distance apart, and
uniformly distributed in the second, or inner dome. This chamber is divided in
such a manner to allow the air to be admitted, necessary for combustion, into one
half of the chamber, and from the second half of this intermediate chamber, leads
a branch pipe which is connected with the main conduit into which the gases formed
during combustion, are drawn off by an exhauster and condensed, forming thereby
the several by-products which exist in the manufacture of coke.
My invention also includes the use of steam jet pipes so placed as to introduce
steam into and through the bed of coal. Further it includes electro positive and
electro negative elements placed within the combustion chamber and above the bed
of coal and also within the gas conduit for purifying the gas, and finally it includes
means for cooling and condensing the gases in the conduit thereby forming the
by-products.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved coke oven.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show modifications.
Figure 7 is a plan view.
Figure 8, is a view of a detail.
The oven A may be of any desired form, either round, rectangular or square, and
has an upper or outside dome and a lower or inner dome, marked 1, 2, forming &
suction chamber 3 between them.
In order to charge the oven the opening 4 is carried down, the space going
through the suction chamber and into the oven similarly lined with fire bricks as is

page_text: the oven itself. The usual means for charging the oven and stopping up the door
may be employed.
The inner done is perforated throughout its extent and the holes 5 must be at
regular distances apart, and so arranged that through all of them a uniform draft
can be obtained, at one and the same time. This intermediate chamber, in
Figures 1, 3 and 5 is divided equally into two parts 3, 3¹ by a central wall in line
with the openings 4. The air is admitted and is then drawn down through the
holes, indicated by arrows, into the combustion chamber and there mixes with the
gases and is drawn off through holes in the other half of the dome into the other
half of the chamber 31 by an exhauster and passes out by a branch pipe 6 and
thence into the main gas flue 7, connected with the exhauster 8 from which the flue
leads to a condensation plant of any desired form. The air passing through the
intermediate chamber and into the oven as described becomes heated before entering
the combustion chamber and by this means the oven does not become cooled down
by cold air entering. It is of great importance that the outlet branch pipe 6 should
be of a larger diameter than the inlet 9 to allow for the expansion of gases. In this
branch pipe or outlet 6 is placed a damper in order to regulate the draft or to shut
off the draft entirely, thereby not interfering with the exhauster that would be
required for other ovens in blast at the same time.
By this arrangement the suction draft is uniform.throughout the entire area of the
coal bed, and the coal being coked, gives the gas from one part of the oven an equal
opportunity to escape as from any other part. This results in a uniform action
throughout the oven during the entire process of the conversion of the coal into
coke, and brings about a uniform grade of coke, in color, weight and density, and
prevents the oven from becoming hotter in one part than it is in another. It is
a well accepted fact that through the inability to obtain a uniform heat in ovens
now in use, coal is imperfectly coked and when an oven is drawn, a portion of the
coke may come out black, showing a want of regular heat throughout the oven.
This black coke, or badly coked coal must be thrown on one side, and becomes so
much loss, for it can all be used only when the coking process is perfect, and the coke
is drawn from the oven all alike. The process of coking cannot be continued
beyond a certain length of time in order to make up for this imperfectly coked
coal, but must be drawn out to produce a certain grade of coke, for if this
continuation be allowed, that which is already coked would begin to burn away the
carbon being consumed; hence the necessity of a uniform heat for the process of
coking and which in my invention I am able to bring about.
In Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 I have shown modifications of Figure 1.
In Figure 2, the intermediate chamber between the domes is omitted on the inlet
side, and the air is admitted directly by the induction pipe, to the oven.
The
chamber on the exhaust side allows the exit of the gases in a distributed aud
gradual manner, so that the air is still diffused all over the surface of the coal,
but it is not heated before its entrance, and I prefer the double intermediate
chamber.
In Figures 3 and 4, the double and single chamber is shown, but in different
form.
In Figures 5 and 6, I have shown the double chambers between the domes as in
Figure 1, and in addition a supplemental chamber, one in Figure 5 and two in
Figure 6.
In Figure 5, the chambers 3 and 3' are the same as in Figure 1, and the supple-
mental dome or chamber serves the purpose of equalizing the suction and more
uniform distribution.
In Figures 2, 4 and 6 the induction pipes all enter directly. But in Figure 6,
which has the double supplemental domes, the chambers are not divided and
although the air is admitted directly, its ready escape is checked, and as the exit
of the gases is distributed, a perfect diffusion of the air over the body of the coal
is secured.
Steam pipes 10 lead to the bottom of the oven and these have nozzles for

page_text: introducing steam jets into and through the coal bed. All bituminous coals contain.
more or less sulphur in the form of sulphide of iron, or iron pyrites, and this
moistening of the coal by steam, eliminates more readily the sulphur, and forming
thereby sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and practically produces a coke free of sulphur.
Within the oven at the points 11 and 12 1 arrange electro positive and electro
negative elements connected with suitable circuit wires. The purpose of these
elements is to secure galvanic action within the oven to so act on the gases that
they may be purified in such a manner that the chemical combination, arising from the
decomposition of the various elements during the process of coking, may be brought
about more readily, increasing the amount of ammonia. Other electro positive and
electro negative elements are arranged in the main flue as at 13, near the cooling
device where all the gases pass after leaving the oven and a further extraction of
the by-products takes place, uniting in a chemical action gases that might hava
passed out of the oven in a free state and so on into the main conduit.
The exhauster is indicated at 8 and the pipe 16 leading therefrom to the
condensation plant, not shown. I have provided means for cooling the gas in the
main flue just before it reaches the exhauster in order to condense the ammonia and
tar contained.
This cooling means consists of a coil or series of ammonia or brine pipes 17,
intersecting the main gas flue in front of the exhauster and any suitable form of
trap Figure 8, may be used, or catch pan arranged for collecting any of the
by-products drawn from the gas.
I do not wish to limit myself to any particular coil of pipes nor to any particular
series or form of trap, the essential principle being that the cooling device be
arranged at a point in front of the exhauster. Two sets of cooling and condensing
apparatus and traps may be employed so that one may be cleaned while he other
is in operation. For this purpose as shown in Figure 7, the couduit 7 is vided
at 18 and each branch has a separate cooling coil and separate exhauster; oth
branches reunite at 16 to the pipe leading to the condensation plant.
By this apparatus the maximum effect is secured both in production of coke and
in the recovery of the by-products for it will be clear that the uniform draft secured
by the arrangement of the two domes and the suction chamber will secure an even
distribution of the draft and a complete coking operation, while the action of the
electro positive and electro negative elements together with the cooling apparatus
effects the complete recovery of the by-products.
he
I do not wish to limit myself to the two exhausters shown and described as by
providing a suitable valve at 18 and an exhauster in the pipe 16, the gas may
drawn through either branch while the other is being cleaned.
The exhauster mentioned herein is also a draft controller as by it the draft
through the oven is made more or less.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A coke oven having an intermediate chamber in its upper part divided into an
inlet and outlet compartment with inlet and exhaust pipes as illustrated in Figure 1
or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, and having the series of passages from
the oven chamber to the inlet and outlet compartments, the openings of said series
of passages being distributed over the surface of the dome to secure a distributed
inlet and outlet.
2. A coke oven having the inlet leading thereto direct, the outlet compartment
in the upper part of the oven formed by a supplemental dome section, said outlet
compartment being connected with the exhaust pipe and with the oven chamber
by a series of passages distributed over the dome to secure a distributed exhaust
draft as in Figures 2 or 4.
3. A coke oven having the double dome, with the intermediate chamber and the
supplemental chamber above the intermediate chamber connected with the exhaust,

page_text: said chambers having a series of passages leading to the oven chamber as in
Figures 5 and 6, to secure a distributed draft.
Dated this 24th day of May 1895.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.