Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas from Garbage and other Refuse.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas from Garbage and other
Refuse.
I, LOUIS GIBSON HARRIS, of No. 55, Maitland Street, Toronto, in the Province
of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to utilize garbage and other refuse in the manu-
facture of a gas which is suitable for fuel and illuminating purposes.
In practising my invention I mix the garbage or other refuse with a liquid
composed largely of a suitable liquid hydro-carbon, for instance that known as
gas oil, and then distil the mixture in a suitable retort.
According to the best manner known to me for practising the said invention I
proceed as follows:-
I dissolve in a suitable solvent for instance water or alcohol, four pounds of
caustic alkali, for instance caustic soda, eight pounds of chloride of lime and three
quarters of a pound of ground or powdered soap bark. I prefer alcohol as the
solvent because the ingredients dissolve in the same more quickly than in water.
I then mix this solution with one hundred gallons of a suitable liquid hydro-
carbon preferably. that known as gas oil. The total quantity of liquid so pro-
duced is sufficient for admixture with sixteen thousand pounds of garbage or
other refuse. These quantities or proportions are given only approximately and
as illustrative and may be varied more or less as the particular nature of the
material operated upon may require.
The garbage or other refuse is thoroughly mixed with this liquid, preferably
by passing the garbage in its wet state, as it is collected, through a mixing
machine provided with an agitator and having a spraying device by which the
liquid is sprayed upon the garbage.
The mixture is then distilled in a retort of any suitable construction and the
gas so produced is preferably subjected to the action of a superheater on its way
from the retort to the gasometer.
The caustic alkali and the.chloride of lime prevent the liquid hydro-carbon from
being distilled off at once but maintain such a connection of the same with the
garbage or other refuse that all the ingredients of the mixture are gradually and
simultaneously distilled off, thereby effecting a complete distillation of the garbage
and, a continuous and copious flow of gas while the. distillation continues.
The gas which is so produced is purified in any suitable manner and is suitable
for illuminating purposes as well as for fuel purposes and. is generated by this
process in relatively large quantities and at very low cost.
In addition to garbage, other refuse materials, for instance saw dust, manure,
peat and the like can be utilized in the same way..
D L 1
001
100x

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas from Garbage and other
Refuse.
I, LOUIS GIBSON HARRIS, of No. 55, Maitland Street, Toronto, in the Province
of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Manufacturer, 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:-
--
This invention has reference principally to the utilization of kitchen garbage
for producing, by distillation, a gas which is suitable for fuel and illuminating
purposes, the said invention however is also applicable to the utilization of night
soil, manure, sawdust and similar materials.
According to the best manner known to me for practising my invention I add
to the garbage or other gas producing material, before distilling the same, a com-
position of matter which renders the distillation nearly uniform, facilitates and
expedites the production of gas, increases the yield or volume of gas, produces
a comparatively pure and rich gas and enables the gas to be distilled off at a low
- temperature in the retorts. This composition of matter is best prepared as
follows:
I prepare a liquid mixture containing caustic alkali, for instance caustic soda,
chloride of lime and ground or powdered soap bark. I prefer alcohol as the
liquid ingredient of the mixture because it absorbs the solid ingredient more
quickly than water, but water may be used. I prefer to use the ingredients in
about the proportion of two quarts of alcohol, four pounds of caustic alkali, eight
pounds of chloride of lime and three quarters of a pound of powdered soap bark.
When water is used instead of alcohol about two gallons of water may be used.
If desired alcohol and water may both be used in the mixture.
I then add this mixture to about one hundred gallons of a suitable liquid
hydrocarbon, preferably petroleum or a light petroleum derivative. I prefer for
this purpose the light petroleum product known as gas oil. The total quantity
of liquid so produced is sufficient for admixture with sixteen thousand pounds
of garbage or other gas producing material. These quantities and proportions
are given only approximately and as illustrative and may be varied more or less
as circumstances or the nature of the materials may require, but I have found
that the above stated proportion of this liquid to the garbage or other gas pro-
ducing material, which is about as one to twenty, gives very good results.
The garbage or other gas producing material is thoroughly mixed with this
liquid, preferably by passing the garbage in its wet state, as it is collected,
through a mixing machine which is provided with an agitator and with a spray-
ing device by which the liquid is sprayed upon the garbage.
The mixture is then distilled in retorts of any suitable construction and the
gas so produced is preferably subjected to the action of a superheater on its way
from the retort to the gasometer and purified in any well known or suitable way.
The above named ingredients which are added to the liquid hydrocarbon pre-
vent the latter from being distilled off at once but maintain such a connection
of the same with the garbage or other gas producing material that the various
ingredients of the mixture, of which this liquid forms but a small part, are
gradually and simultaneously distilled, thereby equalizing the distillation and
effecting a complete distillation of the material and a continuous and copious flow
of gas while the distillation continues. These ingredients also cause the produc-
tion of a gas which is comparatively pure and of high illuminating power and
shorten the period of distillation and enable the distillation to be carried on at a
comparatively low temperature.

page_text: While I prefer to employ in the distilling composition all of the ingredients
mentioned, as they produce by their joint effect the best results, some may be
omitted when a less perfect result is sufficient. For instance, fairly good results
can be obtained by omitting the soap bark and the chloride of lime.
•
The gas which is produced by my invention is very satisfactory for illuminating
and heating purposes, and is produced at very low cost, while the garbage or
other refuse which is employed is disposed of in a sanitary and profitable manner.
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. The herein described process of manufacturing a combustible gas from gar-
bage by distilling the same.
2. The herein described process of manufacturing gas from garbage and other
materials, which consist in mixing with such material a composition of matter
consisting of a liquid hydrocarbon and one or more equalizing ingredients, sub-
stantially as specified, and then distilling the mixture.
3. A composition of matter for admixture with garbage and other materials
consisting of a liquid hydrocarbon and one or more equalizing ingredients, sub-
stantially as specified, whereby the hydrocarbon is prevented from being pre-
maturely driven off and the action is equalized and amplified.
4. A composition of matter for admixture with garbage and other materials,
consisting of a liquid hydrocarbon, alkali, chloride of lime and soap bark.
this 97th day of May 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.