An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production and Purification of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production and
Purification of Acetylene Gas.
I, HENRY WALKER, Chemist and Druggist, of 33, Arran Quay, Dublin, Ireland,
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:.
My invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for the simultaneous
production of acetylene and carbonic acid gases and for the purification thereof,
and the objects are to simplify the apparatus employed, to reduce the cost of
production and to render the process safer. In carrying my invention into effect,
I proceed in or in about the following manner, making reference to the accompany-
ing drawing which represents a longitudinal section. I provide a (preferably)
vertical and lead-lined generating cylinder a having within it a bucket 6 and in the
bucket a mixer or agitator of any suitable kind, such as a vertical rod or spindle c
having paddles & thereon. The spindle c is provided with a clutch at e in order
that the lid may be more easily removed without discommoding the spindle and
paddles. The cylinder a is provided with a suitable cover f screwed or otherwise
fastened down and through which passes the spindle c of the mixing arrangement.
Provision is made at g for rotating the spindle c either by hand or other power.
At the bottom of a is a suitable outlet h for emptying the cylinder as and when
required. Near the upper end of a and on the opposite sides thereof are pipes,
one i, for conveying into a the water to be used in the process of making the gas
(and also for flushing when required), and the other 2, for the exit of the gas to the
purifier k. These pipes are provided with suitable check valves near the
cylinder a to prevent the gas flowing back. The pipe leading to the purifier k
enters it (k) near the bottom. The purifier consists essentially of a (preferably)
vertical cylinder containing water m at the bottom. About one third up is a
ledge n on which is a rubber or other suitable ring o to prevent the gas from
passing up the sides of the purifier. On the ring o rests a copper bucket p con-
taining upstanding perforated copper tubes q sealed at the top. These tubes arc
surrounded with sulphate of iron or any other suitable crystal r. At the top of the
bucket is another rubber rings, by which arrangement the gas is compelled to pass
Between a
through the tubes 9 and come in contact with the purifying crystals r.
and I provide a suitable pressure gauge t. From the upper part of k leads off the
pipe u conveying the gas to a cylinder containing water w, and thence by pipe
to the gasometer. The tops of k and are closed by a suitable screw down or other
covers y.
At the bottoms of % and v are suitable outlets h¹² for running off any
residues or substances to be removed, and at the top are inlet pipes for conveying
water to k and respectively, check valves being provided at 11 and 12 and cocks

page_text: at z, z, z. Packing rings or washers may be provided between covers f,y,y &
chambers a, k, v.
The apparatus is charged as follows:-
In the generating cylinder a I place in proper proportions calcium carbide,
chalk or equivalents and a suitable dry acid, (such as oxalic acid), or calcium
carbide and a dry acid only. I pack the purifier k with sulphate of iron (commonly
known as green vitriol) r or any other suitable material, or with a mixture of
sulphate of iron and copper filings. On turning on water to the generator a the
gas will be produced and passes to the purifier ½ and then into the cylinder »
containing the water w which may or may not be impregnated with any substance
for the better purification of the gas.
Several of these apparatus may be combined in any suitable manner for the con-
tinuous or more rapid production of the gases. By the use of a generator and
purifier only, I reduce the cost of the apparatus required. By the use of sulphate
of iron, a great reduction in cost of material and production is obtained and by the
use of a dry acid instead of a fluid one like vitriol or a steel cylinder containing
compressed carbonic acid gas, there is less danger of injury to those using the
apparatus. Further, by having in the cylinder all the ingredients required for
the generation of the gases and needing only the application of plain water the
process is very much simplified.
I do not confine myself to the precise shapes, or relative proportions or dis-
positions of the various parts shown in the drawing, as any or all of them may be
considerably varied without departure from the spirit of 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:
CLAIMS.
1. The improved process for the manufacture and purification of acetylene gas,
the said process consisting essentially in the agitation in a suitable closed vessel,
of water, carbide of calcium, chalk or equivalent and a suitable dry acid, the gas
so evolved passing into a vessel containing at the bottom water, above which is
supported a vessel (preferably of copper) containing sulphate of iron or sulphate
of iron and copper filings, through which the gas passes and from thence is con-
veyed to a chamber containing water, after passing through which it is conveyed
to the gasometer, the whole substantially as described in the above specification
and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
2. In the manufacture of acetylene gas by the process which is the subject matter
of the above Claim 1, the use of a lead lined generator containing a copper bucket
in which is placed water, carbide of calcium or chalk and a dry acid, provision being
made for agitating these ingredients by any suitable means such as a rotating
spindle carrying paddles, the whole substantially as described in the above specifi-
cation and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
3. In the manufacture of acetylene gas by the process which is the subject matter
of the above Claim 1, the use of a purifying chamber containing water above which
is supported a copper bucket upstanding from the bottom of which are a number of 4
perforated copper pipes closed at the top, the said pipes being surrounded by
crystals of sulphate of iron with or without the addition of copper filings, the whole
substantially as described in the above specification and exemplified in the accom-
panying drawings.
4. In the generation of acetylene gas the use of a dry acid instead of a fluid one
substantially as described in the above specification.
5
5. In the purification of acetylene gas the use substantially as described of
sulphate of iron or sulphate of iron and copper filings.
6. Generating acetylene gas by placing in a suitable vessel the necessary ingre-
dients and adding water thereto substantially as described.
5

page_text: 7. In the manufacture of acetylene gas the simultaneous generation therewith
of carbonic acid gas by the addition of water to a mixture of calcium carbide,
chalk and a dry acid contained in a suitable generator, substantially as described
in the above specification.
Dated this 14th day of February 1898
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.