IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING AND OBTAINING USEFUL PRODUCTS FROM COAL OR OTHER CARBONACEOUS MINERAL AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1885

page_text: I, FREDERICK JOHN ROWAN, of 134 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING AND OBTAINING USEFUL
PRODUCTS FROM COAL OR OTHER CARBONACEOUS MINERAL AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object principally to obtain from coal or carbon-
aceous mineral combustible gas comparatively free from nitrogen and carbonic acid,
and to do so in an economical and satisfactory manner, whilst also securing bye
products.
According to my Invention I combine in one continuously working arrangement
of apparatus a distilling chamber or retort, and a chamber or retort for converting
the coke or fixed carbon with the aid of steam but without air being introduced.
Both portions of the apparatus are heated externally by coal or gas firing or by
waste heat from furnaces, a bright red or higher heat being applied for the final
conversion of the coke in order to minimise and if possible prevent the formation
of carbonic acid in the water gas resulting from decomposition of the steam
introduced. The coal passes continuously, first, into and through the distilling
chamber and subsequently into the second or coke converting chamber without
being withdrawn from the apparatus or cooled. The ash which is all that
remains after treatment of the coal in this way collects at the exit end of the
second chamber and may be removed thence either periodically or continuously
by any suitable known mechanical appliances.
Existing apparatus such as that used in ordinary gas works may be adapted for
carrying out my Invention by having one or more chambers for the conversion of
the coke combined with each group of retorts, the coke being, at suitable periods,
pushed from the retorts into the added chamber or chambers therein to be treated
with steam and the high temperature required for the conversion. The gas pro-
duced in the secondary or coke conversion chambers may be led away separately
from the gas produced by the primary distillation chambers if desired, or the two
portions of gas may be combined,

page_text: One advantage of my improved system consists in the reduced volume and
increased richness of the gas due to the absence of inert diluting nitrogen, which
greatly. facilitates its treatment by condensers and scrubbers for the purpose of
separating condensible hydrocarbons and ammonia.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the apparatus so that there is either a
vertical chamber for distilling the coal combined with a horizontal or an inclined
chamber in which the coke is treated with steam, or I may have the lower portion
of the vertical chamber prolonged so as to form a chamber for the coke which is
vertical also, or I may have two or more inclined chambers or shafts branching
off from the bottom end of the vertical distilling chamber. I may alternatively
construct my chambers so that both are horizontal or both inclined in opposite
directions or that the distilling chamber is either horizontal or inclined at an
angle and the coke chamber is of vertical form and branching from one end
of the distilling chamber. In all cases I apply automatic feeding arrange-
ments, meclianically or otherwise operated, to the distilling chamber and at the
discharging end or ends of the coke chamber I arrange appliances for automatically
removing the ash or refuse material.
These
The operation of the different appliances and of the supply of steam for decom-
position of the coke may be so arranged by speed gearing or otherwise as to work
in unison; and I further combine with the engine or mechanism used for working
theso appliances automatic throttling or speed governing devices for regulating the
rates of feed and discharge in accordance with the production of gas.
throttling or speed governing devices may be actuated either by the pressure of
gas in the main channels or pipes or by the temperature of the issuing gas or by
the temperature in the external heating chambers or passages, or when gas is stored
in holders by the position of the holder. Such regulating devices may also control
the supply of steam used in the decomposition of the coke. The external portions
of the distilling and coke chambers when heated by combustion of gas may have
their temperature maintained at a predetermined point or degree by similar auto-
matic regulating devices operating upon the inlets of gas or of air or of gas and
air used in the combustion; when the beat from waste furnace gases is used
the rate of admission of such waste gases to the heating chambers or passages
surrounding the retorts or gas making chambers externally may be regulated by
such automatic appliances; or when solid fuel is used for heating, the supply of
such fuel and of air or of either may be similarly regulated.
The steam generating or supply pipes may be placed in the combustion spaces or
chambers so as to absorb some of the heat which might be be radiated from the outer
casing of the apparatus and so as to superheat the steam itself. The pipe or pipes
or branches for the egress of the gas may be placed in any convenient position
according as it is desired to preserve the tar given off in distilling or to decompose
it in the producer so that the gas does not need to be freed from it after leaving
the producers.

page_text: therefor.
I, FREDERICK JOHN ROWAN, of 134 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Civil 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 that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object principally to obtain from coal or car-
bonaceous mineral combustible gas comparatively free from nitrogen and carbonic
acid, and to do so in an economical and satisfactory manner, whilst also securing
bye products.
According to my Invention I combine in one continuously working arrangement
of apparatus a distilling chamber or retort, and a chamber or retort for converting
the coke or fixed carbon with the aid of steam but without air being introduced.
Both portions of the apparatus are heated externally by coal or gas firing or by
waste heat from furnaces, a bright red or higher heat being applied for the final
conversion of the coke in order to minimise and if possible prevent the formation
of carbonic acid in the water gas resulting from decomposition of the steam
introduced. The coal passes continuously, first, into and through the distilling
chamber and subsequently into the second or coke converting chamber without
being withdrawn from the apparatus or cooled. The ash which is all that remains
after treatment of the coal in this way collects at the exit end of the second
chamber and may be removed thence either periodically or continuously by any
suitable known mechanical appliances.
Existing apparatus such as that used in ordinary gas works may be adapted for
carrying out my Invention by having one or more chambers for the conversion of
the coke combined with each group of retorts, the coke being, at suitable periods,
pushed from the retorts into the added chamber or chainbers therein to be treated
with steam and the high temperature required for the conversion. The gas
produced in the secondary or coke conversion chambers may be led away separately
from the gas produced by the primary distillation chambers if desired, or the two
portions of gas may be combined.
One advantage of my improved system consists in the reduced volume and
increased richness of the gas due to the absence of inert diluting nitrogen, which
greatly facilitates its treatment by condensers and scrubbers for the purpose of
separating condensible hydrocarbons and ammonia.
And in order that any said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to and comprising section diagrams of some of
the various forms of apparatus which may be used in carrying my improvements
into practical effect In the said drawings the several figures are vertical sections,
but incomplete as regards minor details, which may be of any well known kind;
↓

page_text: and in the several figures the same reference numerals are used to mark the same
or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the apparatus so that there is, as
shown in figures, 1, and 2, on sheet 1, of the accompanying drawings either a
vertical.chamber, 10, for distilling the coal combined with one or more horizontal
or inclined chambers, 11, in which the coke is treated with steam; or I may have
the lower portion of the vertical chamber, 10, prolonged so as to form a chamber, 11,
for the coke which is vertical also as shown in figure, 3, on sheet, 2. I may,
alternatively, construct my chambers, 10, 11, so that both are horizontal as shown in
figure, 6, on sheet, 3, or both inclined in opposite directions or so that the distilling
chamber, 10, is either horizontal or inclined at an angle and the coke chamber, 11,
is of vertical form and branching from one end of the distilling chamber as shown
in figure, 4, on sheet, 2. In all cases I apply automatic feeding arrangements, 12,
mechanically or otherwise operated, to the distilling chamber, 10, and at the
discharging end or ends of the coke chamber I arrange appliances, 13, for
automatically removing the ash or refuse material.
The operation of the different appliances and of the supply of steam for
decomposition of the coke may be so arranged by speed gearing or otherwise as to
work in unison and I further combine with the engine or mechanism used for
working these appliances automatic throttling or speed governing devices for
regulating the rates of feed and discharge in accordance with the production of
gas. These throttling or speed governing devices may be actuated either by the
pressure of gas in the main channels or pipes or by the temperature of the issuing
gas or by the temperature in the external heating chambers or passages or when
gas is stored in holders by the position of the holder. Such regulating devices may
also control the supply of steam used in the decomposition of the coke. The
external portions of the distilling and coke chambers, 10, 11, when heated by
combustion of gas may have their temperature maintained at a predetermined
point or degree by similar automatic regulating devices operating upon the inlets
of gas or of air or of gas and air used in the combustion. When the heat from
waste furnace gases is used the rate of admission of such waste gases to the heating
chambers or passages, 14, surrounding the retorts or gas making chambers, 10, 11,
externally may be regulated by such automatic appliances; or when solid fuel is
used for heating the supply of such fuel and of air or of either may be similarly
regulated.
The steam generating or supply pipes, 15, may be placed in the combustion
spaces or chambers, 14, so as to absorb some of the heat which might be radiated
from the outer casing of the apparatus and so as to superheat the steam itself. The
pipe or pipes or branches, 16, 17, for the egress of the gas may be placed in any
convenient position according as it is desired to preserve the tar given off in
distilling or to decompose it in the producer so that the gas does not need to be
freed from it after leaving the producer.
Figure, 5, shows a single vertical coke retort or chamber, 11, serving for dealing
with the coke from several horizontal distilling retorts, 10, the section of the figure
being taken through the coke chamber, 11, and through an enlargement at the top
of it for receiving the coke from the distilling retorts, 10, the ends of which just
enter the space at the top of the coke chamber, 11.
The apparatus, 12, for feeding the coal or carbonaceous mineral to the retorts or
distilling chambers is represented in most of the modifications as consisting of a
hopper with a kind of rotating hollow valve which becomes filled in one position
and then empties itself into the retort when turned half round; any other suitable
known kind of feeding apparatus may be used. The apparatus, 13, for discharging
ashes or residues, shown in figure, 1, consists of an oscillating pan with a plate on
its inner side to close the discharge opening when the pan is moved outwards to be
emptied; or rotating apparatus with two or more compartiments or pans may be
substituted for the single oscillating pan. In figure, 2, the discharge opening of
each coke chamber, 11, is provided with a dish to be filled with water, and having

page_text: in it a bar which is made to oscillate by à crank on a rotating shaft and which
pushes the ashes alternately over opposite edges of the disb. In figure, 3, the
discharge apparatus, 13, shown is like that shown in figure, 2. In figure, 4, the
discharge apparatus consists of a dish or tank filled with water and fitted with a
screw which pushes the ashes up an incline and over the edge of the tank. The
discharge apparatus, 13, shown in figure, 5, is similar to that shown in figure, 4;
and the discharge apparatus shown in figure, 6, is also similar excepting that an
endless chain of buckets is provided for lifting the ashes out of the tank.
When either the distilling chamber, 10, or the coke chamber, 11, is horizontal a
screw may be applied inside for moving the materials continuously or intermittently
along it; or the transference of the materials along either chamber; or from one to
the other or to the discharge outlet may be simply effected by pushing instruments
worked from either end in any convenient way.
I do not make any separate claim respecting any of the feeding, transferring, or
discharging devices herein before referred to, having merely described them as
applicable in carrying out my 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.-Distilling and obtaining useful products from coal or other carbonaceous
mineral in the improved manner and by means of the improved apparatus
herein before described.
2. Combining in one continuously working arrangement of apparatus a distilling
chamber or retort, and a chamber or retort for converting the coke or fixed
carbon with the aid of steam but without air being introduced, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. The several arrangements of combined apparatus herein before described when
applied substantially as hereinbefore indicated for carrying out my Invention.
Dated this twenty-sixth day of November 1885.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.