IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PURIFYING COAL GAS, AND OF OBTAINING, DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THE GAS, A CERTAIN PURIFYING MATERIAL, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN PURIFYING GAS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PURIFYING COAL
GAS, AND OF OBTAINING, DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THE GAS, A CERTAIN
PURIFYING MATERIAL, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN PURIFYING GAS."-A
communication.
Sealed the 30th June 1854, and dated the 10th March 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th March 1854.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PURIFYING COAL'
GAS, AND OF OBTAINING, DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THE GAS, A CERTAIN PURI-
FYING MATERIAL, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN PURIFYING GAS" to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates, 1st, to the purification of gas from its ammonia,
carbonic acid, and sulphuretted hydrogen. To effect this object the quantity..
of ammonia in the gas is increased, so as to render the whole of the two other
named impurities soluble in water; the three impurities are then removed by.
means of water. Or otherwise the quantity of ammonia in the gas is increased.
so as to render all the carbonic acid readily soluble in water; the carbonic acid

page_text: (together with some sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonia) is then removed
by means of water. The gas is afterwards acted upon by sulphurous acid and
water, which fixes the remaining ammonia and decomposes the remaining
sulphuretted hydrogen.
2ndly, to the purifying of the gas from sulphuret of carbon, which impurity
has hitherto remained in the gas. To this end the gas is submitted to the
action of sulphuret of sodium or other substance, capable of combining with
at least one of the elements of sulphuret of carbon.
3rdly, to the obtaining of ammonia or an available compound of that alkali,
for purifying gas by decomposing one or more of the salts of ammonia in the
retorts of the gas works, by means of lime or other compound of the metallic
base of an earth or alkali.
4thly, to an improved apparatus for distributing liquids in purifying vessels.
This consists in the use of a horizontal pierced vessel which is mounted on a
vertical axle, and is provided with a ring of. floats, against which. the liquid .to
be distributed impinges as it leaves, the. discharging pipe, and by this impinging
of the liquid against the floats .the pierced vessel is caused to rotate and
distribute the liquid.
5thly, to the use of a washing vessel constructed on the well-known..prin-
ciple of "Coffey's distillatory apparatus." In operating with this vessel the
gas is admitted at the bottom, and in ascending is caused to pass through
layers of the washing liquid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th September 1854.
I.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent.
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the.
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-.
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF PURIFYING COAL GAS, AND OF OBTAINING, DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THE
GAS, A CERTAIN PURIFYING MATERIAL, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN PURIFYING
Gas," being a communication from abroad; upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instrument in writing under
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
my
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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):-
These improvements consist in purifying coal gas from its carbonic acid
and sulphuretted hydrogen, by means of caustic ammonia added to it in
sufficient quantity for the saturation of those gaseous impurities, and in sub-
sequently washing out the resulting salts with water. Also in purifying
coal gas from its carbonic acid, by means of caustic ammonia conjoined
with the subsequent removal of its free sulphuretted hydrogen by solution:
of sulphurous acid, and with the use of water for removing the soluble
impurities.
i.
The caustic ammonia needed for the purposes of this Invention may be
conveniently made and sent into the impure gas from a mixture of lime with
sulphate or muriate of ammonia, in about equivalent proportions contained in
heated retorts communicating with the hydraulic main or other passage for
the gas.
This Invention is best put into operation by the aid of vessels known to gas
engineers by the name of "scrubbers," filled with coke or other scrubbing
materials, but ordinary wet lime purifiers will answer the purpose, especially if
the gas be impelled onward from the retorts to the gasholder, by means of an'
"exhauster" or "extractor" for overcoming the mechanical resistance opposed
to the onward progress of the gas by the washing liquids.
With regard to the operation for purifying gas from carbonic acid, sulphuretted
hydrogen and water, the following instructions will suffice:-The impure gas is
first to be washed in water, that is, being continually supplied with caustic-
ammonia, either directly or conveyed to it by the gas into which it is then to'
be previously introduced, in such quantity as will suffice to convert all the free
carbonic acid and free sulphuretted hydrogen which the gas contains into

page_text: ammoniacal salts, and in the next place the gas thus charged with ammoniacal
salts is washed with successive portions of water until all the said impurities
are dissolved out.
The part of this Invention for purifying gas by the conjoint action of caustic
ammonia, and sulphurous acid with water is as follows:-The impure gas is
first to be washed with water continually supplied with caustic ammonia, either
in a direct manner or as above described, in such quantity as will change all the
free carbonic acid of the gas into a carbonate of ammonia. The ammoniacal
salts which the gas contains being then removed by washing with water, the
gas is next to be washed with water into which sulphurous acid is constantly
introduced directly or indirectly, in such quantity as to decompose all its
remaining sulphuretted hydrogen, and also to fix whatever ammonia may have
come over with it. Finally, the gas' is to be deprived of the last traces of the
chemical substances above-named by washing with water.
This Invention further consists in an apparatus for distributing the gas to
be purified, either wholly or in part throughout a mass of any purifying liquid.
It consists of one or more horizontal shelves, wholly occupying the area of a
close vessel of any convenient form, diameter, and material, and of suitable
height. If there be more than one shelf they should be placed a few inches
apart. Each shelf should be pierced with small holes for the passage of the
gas upwards, and fitted with a pipe projecting half an inch or so above its
upper surface, and sealed at its lower end by dipping into a cup of liquid.
This pipe serves for the descent of all the washing liquid, which accumulates
on the shelf to a depth greater than necessary, without allowing the gas to
ascend by the same channel. It is preferred to have as many shelves and
layers of washing liquid as the gas can overcome the resistance of, so that it
may pass upward through the small perforations without allowing the liquid to
descend thereby. In using this apparatus the liquid enters in a small con-
tinuous stream at the upper part of the vessel, distributes itself on the shelves,
overflows into the pipes, and descends by them to escape from the vessel
through an inverted syphon at its lower part. On the other hand the gas
enters foul below the undermost shelf, ascends by the small holes through
the washing liquid, and leaves the vessel near its top, being impelled by the
expansion within the retorts or by mechanical means.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into practice, I wish it to be understood, that I neither
restrict myself to any kind of apparatus nor to any particular manner of con-
ducting the washing operations; but I claim,-
First, purifying coal gas generally by introducing into it caustic ammonia

page_text: in sufficient quantity, to saturate its free sulphuretted hydrogen as well as its
free carbonic acid, and then removing from it all the ammoniacal compounds
by washing with water.
Secondly, purifying coal gas by introducing into it caustic ammonia, in
sufficient quantity to convert its free carbonic acid into a salt of ammonia,
washing out the ammoniacal salts in conjunction with the removal of its free
or combined sulphuretted hydrogen by means of sulphurous acid, and finally
washing the gas again with water.
Thirdly, the mode of introducing caustic ammonia into impure gas for its
purification, by eliminating it from any mixture containing sulphate or muriate
of ammonia in retorts connected with the hydraulic main or other passage for
the gas.
Fourthly, the use of the purifying vessel which has been described for
purifying coal gas either wholly or in part.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)