Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production and Treatment of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production and Treatment
of Acetylene Gas.
I, HERMANNUS ELLENS OVING, Engineer, of 31 Geldersche Kade, Rotterdam
in the Kingdom of Holland, Member of Royal Institute of Dutch Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention has for its object to prepare acetylene gas in such a manner
as to enable its whole amount of carbon to be perfectly consumed, whereby it is
rendered capable of being burnt, for the purposes of lighting, in a quiet and ex-
ceedingly luminous flame in any suitable burner, without producing any deposit
of tar, smoke, or soot, in short completely avoiding all the drawbacks inherent to
this gas when it is used in a pure or undiluted state, the said preparation or treat-
ment also enabling it to be used for heating purposes.
The improved preparation of acetylene gas is easily effected by the process and
apparatus forming the object of the present invention, which consists in mixing
acetylene-gas with oxygen and nitrogen in the form of atmospheric air, in the
necessary proportion, such mixing being obtained by means of apparatus,of
special construction which will be hereinafter described."
As in this method of preparing acetylene gas so as to enable the whole of its
carbon to be completely consumed, the chief object is to mix the said acetylene
gas with atmospheric air in a certain determined proportion in order to obtain
a gas, the amount of carbon in which gas corresponds exactly to the amount re-
quired for the purpose for which it is to be used, it is found that the best plan is
to interpose the device. for regulating the proportion of mixture in the apparatus
for the production of the acetylene gas, and that this device may be of any con-
struction adapted for this purpose, but it is also obvious that the construction
of the regulating device and the arrangement of the whole plant in which it is
interposed, may be more or less perfect and complete.
It must be pointed out that the most practical method is that of continuous
mixing, and that in order to obtain this the most suitable regulating device would
be one having moving parts. These movements might be caused by any suitable
mechanical driving device, such for instance as clockwork; but such additional
mechanism would complicate the plant, and it is advisable to avoid that as far
as possible.

page_text: All the requirements for producing a perfect apparatus are fulfilled by the con-
struction of a device for regulating the mixing of air and gas, as herein described
whereby the device is operated by a rotary self-regulating movement, caused by
the said device being interposed in the apparatus in such a manner as to receive
its rotary movement from the flow of the acetylene gas itself which actuates the
mixture-regulating device, under a constant pressure.
I will now describe the details of the plant and the various parts of which it
consists as follows:-
The generator of acetylene gas consists of an external tank or casing on which is
mounted a funnel regulated by a cock. Under the funnel a cup or receptacle
is placed containing calcium carbide on which-automatically or otherwise-fall
drops of water from the funnel and so generate the gas which escapes through a
tube and passes through a syphon provided with a drain cock in which the first
condensation of steam or water vapour takes place, coming chiefly from a coil
placed in the water space of the gas holder which cools the gas entering its bell,
which is so balanced or weighted as to exercise on the gas a constant pressure,
under which it escapes by a pipe and enters the apparatus for mixing air with the
gas, which apparatus at the same time regulates the proportions of the mixture.
This device consists of an outer tank or chamber in the horizontal axis of which
is arranged a shaft supported on pivots and carrying two or more inner drums
of sheet-zinc or other metal or material, dipping partly into water and provided
inside with helical blades. A nozzle enters each of the drums in front of the first
blade, one of which nozzles serves for introducing acetylene gas and the other for
introducing atmospheric air, which thus determine the proportion in which air
and gas are mixed, which mixing takes place on the escape of each of these elements
from its drum into the free space of the tank in accordance with the effect to be
attained.
The operation of the mixing device can be easily understood from the preceding.
The acetylene gas arriving at the mixing chamber under a uniform pressure
forms the bell of the gas holder, strikes against the first blade of the drum and
under this pressure it causes the drums and shaft to rotate on the pivots of the
shaft or spindle. In consequence of the rotation of the drums air is sucked into
it through its pipe so that gas and air enter, in predetermined quantities and in
a continuous manner into the free space in the tank where they are thoroughly
mixed.
The gas thus rendered suitable for complete combustion of the whole carbon
contained in it is led by a pipe into a purifier.
This latter consists of a metal tank or chamber in which are arranged one over
the other several perforated sheet metal plates or trays containing pumice-stone,
or washed coke, saturated with a solution of lead salts through which the gases
pass successively and become dried and freed from their sulphurous combinations,
and enter into another chamber to ensure complete drying of the gas, which
chamber is provided for this purpose with superposed layers of some suitable
hygroscopic substances to which the gas gives up its last traces of water before
being led into the conduits and to the burners, in an absolutely dry state in which
burners it may then be burned under the hereinbefore specified conditions, that
is to say, without any deposits of tar and without soot or smoke, giving a quiet
flame of extraordinary luminous intensity and lighting power.
From the preceding it will be clear that if it is desired to use acetylene gas
for heating purposes, it is sufficient to add on to the conduit of the gas holder a
second regulating device which mixes the gas with a quantity of air suitable for
such purpose.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1800
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: "
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production and Treatment
of Acetylene Gas.
I, HERMANNUS ELLENS OVING, Engineer, of 31 Geldersche Kade, Rotterdam,
in the Kingdom of Holland, Member of Royal Institute of Dutch Engineers,
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 present invention has for its object to prepare acetylene gas in such a manner
as to enable its whole amount of carbon to be perfectly consumed, whereby it is
rendered capable of being burnt, for the purposes of lighting, in a quiet and ex-
ceedingly luminous flame in any suitable burner, without producing any deposit
of tar, smoke, or soot, in short completely avoiding all the drawbacks inherent to
this gas when it is used in a pure or undiluted state, the said preparation or treat-
ment also enabling it to be used for heating purposes.
The improved preparation of acetylene gas is easily effected by the process and
apparatus forming the object of the present invention which consists in mixing
acetylene-gas with oxygen and nitrogen in the form of atmospheric air, in the
necessary proportion, such mixing being obtained by means of apparatus of
special construction which will be hereinafter described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shows in side elevation, partly in section, a complete plant for the new
process.
Figure 2 and 3 show the device for regulating the proportion in which the air
and gas is mixed, in elevation and on a larger scale than Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a burner suitable for use in the combustion of acetylene gas.
As in this method of preparing acetylene gas so as to enable the whole of its
carbon to be completely consumed, the chief object is to mix the said acetylene
gas with atmospheric air in a certain determined proportion in order to obtain
a gas, the amount of carbon in which gas corresponds exactly to the amount re-
quired for the purpose for which it is to be used, it is found that the best plan is
to interpose the device, for regulating the proportion of mixture, in the apparatus
for the production of the acetylene gas, and that this device may be of any con-
struction adapted for this process, but it is also obvious that the construction
of the regulating device and the arrangement of the whole plant, in which it is
interposed, may be more or less perfect and complete.
It must be pointed out that the most practical method is that of continuous
mixing, and that in order to obtain this, the most suitable regulating device would
be one having moving parts. These movements might be caused by any suitable
mechanical driving device, such for instance as clockwork; but such additional
mechanism would complicate the plant, and it is advisable to avoid that as far
as possible.
All the requirements for producing a perfect apparatus are fulfilled by the con-
struction of a device for regulating the mixing of air and gas, as herein described
whereby the device is operated by a rotary self-regulating movement, caused by
the said device being interposed in the apparatus in such a manner as to receive
its rotary movement from the flow of the acetylene gas itself which actuates the
mixture-regulating device under a constant pressure.
I will now describe the details of the plant and the various parts of which it
consists as follows: reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus,

page_text: Figure 3 a plan view of the same, and
Figure 4 a detail.
gas
A is the generator of acetylene gas, consisting of an external tank or casing a
on which is mounted a funnel a regulated by a cock. Under the funnel a cup
or receptacle b is placed containing calcium carbide on which-automatically, or
otherwise fall drops of water from the funnel, and so generate the
which
escapes through the tube e and passes through a syphon a' provided with a drain cock g
in which the first condensation of steam or water vapour takes place, coming chiefly
from a coil i placed in the water space of the gas holder B which cools the gas
entering its bell h which is so balanced or weighted as to exercise on the gas a
constant pressure, under which it escapes by a pipe and enters the apparatus
for mixing air with the gas which apparatus at the same time regulates the pro-
portions of the mixture.
This device consists of an outer tank or chamber T in the horizontal axis of
which is arranged a shaft W supported on pivots and carrying two or more inner
drums H and Ŏ of sheet-zine or other metal or material dipping partly into water
and provided inside with helical blades o. A nozzle enters each of the drums in
front of the first blade one of which nozzles & serves for introducing acetylene gas
and the other y for introducing atmospheric air, which thus determine the pro-
portion in which air and gas are mixed, which mixing takes place on the escape
of each of these elements from its drum into the free space of the tank T in
accordance with the effect to be attained.
The operation of the mixing device can be easily understood from the preceding.
The acetylene gas arriving at the mixing chamber under a uniform pressure
formis the bell h of the gas holder strikes against the first blade of the drum H and
under this pressure it causes the drums and shaft to rotate on the pivots of the
shaft or spindle W. In consequence of the rotation of the drums O air is sucked
into it through its pipe y so that gas and air enter, in predetermined quantities
and in a continuous manner, into the free space in the tank T where they are
thoroughly mixed.
The gas thus rendered suitable for complete combustion of the whole carbon
contained in it is led by a pipe r into a purifier D.
This latter consists of a metal tank or chamber in which are arranged one over
the other several perforated sheet metal plates or trays m containing pumice-stone
or washed coke saturated with a solution of lead salts through which the gases
pass successively and become dried and freed from their sulphurous combinations,
and enter by pipe ? into another chamber E to ensure complete drying of the gas,
which chamber E is provided for this purpose with superposed layers of some suit-
able hygroscopic substances to which the gas gives up its last traces of water before
being led into the conduits and to the burners in an absolutely dry state in which
burners it may then be burned under the hereinbefore specified conditions, that
is to say without any deposits of tar and without soot or smoke, giving a quiet flame
of extraordinary luminous intensity and lighting power.
From the preceding it will be clear that if it is desired to use acetylene gas
for heating purposes, it is sufficient to add on to the conduit of the gas holder a
second regulating device which mixes the gas with a quantity of air suitable for
such purpose.
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. A process for the preparation of acetylene gas characterised by the gas from,
the generator being mixed with a suitable quantity of a supporter of combustion,
such as atmospheric air, in order to change the nature of said gas and finally
purified and dried, substantially as described.
2. In carrying out the process claimed in claim 1 the addition in the plant for

page_text: the generation and treatment of acetylene gas, on apparatus for mixing air with the
gas said apparatus forming also a device for regulating the proportion of the
mixture in such a manner as to attain a continuous mixing and a predetermined
proportion of air and gas substantially as described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for the generation and treatment of acetylene gas substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of June 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.