IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS PRODUCERS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of. Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS PRODUCERS
to be as follows:-
A
This invention relates to that description of Gas Producers wherein combustible
gases are generated by the passage of a limited supply of air through incandescent
fuel, such as coal, wood etc., from which hydrocarbon gases as well as carbonic oxide
are evolved. In such Gas Producers, as at present constructed, the hydrocarbon
gases evolved from the one part of the layer of fuel pass off along with the carbonic
oxide and other gases evolved from the carbonaceous matter in another part so that
the tar, ammonia and other substances evolved along with the hydrocarbons, can
only be separated by treating the whole of the gases produced, the total volume of
which very largely exceeds that of the hydrocarbon, and accompanying gases.
Owing to the inferior quality of fuel usually employed in gas producers and to
other causes, the tar obtained is frequently inferior to that obtained at gas works
where retort furnaces are used for the distillation of coal, so that instead of
extracting tar from producer gases, in some cases it may be found preferable to
convert the tarry vapours, or most of them, into permanent gases for purposes of
illumination or heating.
For the production of gas from some, kinds of fuel, particularly small coal, air
should be injected into the incandescent mass in order to promote combustion: In
the Specification of Patents N° 2374 of 1880, N° 3792 of 1881 and No 663 of 1883
granted to the late Sir William Siemens are shewn various forms of Gas Producers
possessing the following general features. The fuel is introduced centrally at the
top of a Gas Producer, and rests partly upon the floor and partly upon raised
supports, with or without grate bars; and air is injected at the lower part into
the incandescent fuel by means of a nozzle extending some distance within the
mass of fuel, the foot of the producer being open to the atmosphere for the with-
drawal of ashes and clinkers also for admission of a farther supply of air; In some
D
..

page_text: •
cases the fuel is introduced at one side of the producer as shewn by Figure 2 of the
drawings annexed to the Specification N° 663 of 1883. Here the ashpit is closed
and air is injected at the foot of the producer under the mass of fuel which in this
case is either supported by a solid bed or a grate.
The present invention relates partly to means for withdrawing the hydrocarbon
and their accompanying gases and vapours separately from the carbonic oxide
and other gases in order that the former gases may be treated for the extraction of
tar, ammonia and other substances, after which treatment these gases will remain
available for purposes of heating or illumination. The invention also relates to
means for converting wholly or partly into permanent gases the heavy hydrocarbon
vapors with or without treating the hydrocarbon products for extraction of
ammonia or other ingredients such as tar, which, in consequence of the treatment.
adopted, appears in comparatively small quantity. The invention further relates
to improved forms of Gas Producers provided with air injectors, these Producers
being so arranged that the raised support for the fuel may be partly or entirely
dispensed with, while the foot is always open to the atmosphere.
For the first two purposes mentioned I so arrange the Gas Producer as to*
constitute compartments therein, which approximately separate the zone where
the hydrocarbons are liberated from the rest of the fuel, and (more or less shut
off this zone from the carbonic oxide zone in another part of the Producer.
From the compartiment where mostly Hydrocarbons are liberated I lead them away
to be treated in the usual manner for extraction of Tar, ammonia or other products."
But where it is not desired to separate all the tar from the hydrocarbon products,
I lead these by a pipe or pipes through the body of incandescent fuel in the
Producer or through the outlets, of carbonic oxide gas so as to convert by heat the
heavy hydrocarbons, or some of them, into permanent gases. Instead of employing
pipes for this purpose or in addition thereto, the hydrocarbon products may be
passed through channels formed in the partition or partitions or walls of the
producer so as to be subjected to the heat of the..combustion or the outflowing
'carbonic oxide. When the hydrocarbon products have been treated for extraction
of the bye products desired, they may be used for illumination or for heating, or
they may be directed into the channel from the producer so as to mix with .and
enrich the carbonic oxide and other gases produced.
When it is not desired to separate the bye products, the producer may still be
divided into compartments for separating the hydrocarbons from the other gases,
and the hydrocarbon products may be led by a pipe or pipes through the incan-
descent fuel, or through channels in the partition, or partitions or walls of the
Producer into the main gas flue, the beat to which they are subjected in those
-passages-converting-the-heavy-hydrocarbon-products-into-permanent gases.-This-
conversion may be promoted by causing the gases as they flow from the passage
outlets to impinge upon the incandescent fuel in the Producer or to pass through a
conduit formed therein for that purpose. Such a conduit in the incandescent fuel
may be made by providing across the Producer a support on and about which the
fuel will gather so as to leave a more or less' free space under it for the passage of
gas, and several such conduits may be provided in the Producer.
Instead of employing part of the heat of the Gas Producer for converting the
heavy hydrocarbon products into permanent gases, this may be done by a separate
furnace through which the hydrocarbons are led.-
In a gas producer where the fuel is introduced centrally at the top, the air
injection being at the foot, the air nozzle may be made in a structure of bricks
extended laterally so as partly to fill up the space at the bottom, the lateral support
for the fuel being correspondingly reduced in width or entirely dispensed-with.
The nozzle projecting into the mass of incandescent fuel may be partly closed by
means of a plug inserted therein provided with openings through which the
injected air may pass up vertically or diagonally into the fuel; or for the same
purpose the nozzle may be provided with a cover having suitable openings made

page_text: therein. When the fuel is introduced at the side of the Producer, the air injector
is placed at a sufficient elevation above the floor to prevent the gas from being
blown out at the bottom orifices which will thus always remain accessible to the
attendant, and open for the entrance of air for the complete combustion of any
fuel which may have passed, without being fully consumed, the zone of active com-
bustion under the influence of the air injector. In these Producers several openings
for charging fuel may be provided at the top, and several injectors may also be
provided below actuated by compressed air or by steam jets. These producers may
also be made of various shapes in plan, such as round, oval, rectangular, triangular,
or of other shapes, with their openings for charging fuel and nozzles for air supply
suitably arranged..

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
county of Middlesex Consulting Engineer and Patent, Agent do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS PRODUCERS" and in what
manner, the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that description of Gas Producers, wherein combustible
gases are generated by the passage of a limited supply of air through incandescent
fuel, such as coal, wood etc., from which hydrocarbon gases, as well as carbonic
oxide are evolved. In such Gas Producers as at present constructed, the hydro-
carbon gases evolved from the one part of the layer of fuel pass off along with
the carbonic oxide and other gases evolved from the carbonaceous matter in another
part, so that the tar, ammonia and other substances evolved along with the
hydrocarbons, can only be separated by treating the whole of the gases produced,
the total volume of which very largely exceeds that of the hydrocarbon,. and
accompanying gases.
Owing to the inferior quality of fuel usually employed in gas producers and to
other causes the tar obtained is frequently inferior to that obtained at gas
works where retort furnaces are used for the distillation of coal, so that instead of
extracting tar from producer gases, in some cases it may be found preferable to
convert the tarry vapors or most of them, into permanent gases for the purposes of
illumination or heating.
For the production of gas from some kinds of fuel, particularly small coal, air
should be injected into the incandescent mass in order to promote combustion. In
the Specifications of Patents N° 2374 of 1880, No 3792 of 1881 and No.663 of_
1883, granted to the Late Sir William Siemens are shewn various forms of gas
-producers possessing the following general features. The fuel is introdroduced
centrally at the top of a Gas Producer, and rests partly upon the floor and partly upon
raised supports, with or without grate bars; and air is injected at the lower part
into the incandescent fuel by means of a nozzle extending some distance within
the mass of fuel, the foot of the producer being open to the atmosphere for the 3
withdrawal of ashes and clinkers, also for admission of a farther supply of air.
In some cases, the fuel is introduced at one side of the producer as shewn by fig. 2
of the drawings annexed to the Specification No 663 of 1883. Here the ashpit is
closed and air is injected at the foot of the producer under the-mass of fuel which
in this case is either supported by a solid bed or a grate.
3
The present invention relates partly to means for withdrawing the hydrocarbons
and their accompanying gases and vapors separately from the carbonic oxide and
other gases in order that the former gases may be treated for the extraction of tar,
ammonia and other substances after which treatment these gases will remain
available for purposes of heating or illumination. The invention also relates to 4
means for converting. wholly or partly into permanent gases the heavy hydrocarbon
vapors with or without treating the hydrocarbon products for extraction of
ammonia or other ingredients such as tar, which, in consequence of the treatment

page_text: adopted appears in comparatively small quantity. The invention further relates to
improved forms of Gas Producers provided with air injectors, these producers being
so arranged that the raised support for the fuel may be partly or entirely dispensed
with while the foot is always open to the atmosphere.
For the first two purposes mentioned I so arrange the gas producer as to
constitute compartments therein, which approximately separate the zone where the
hydrocarbons are liberated from the rest of the fuel, and more or less shut off this
zone from the carbonic oxide zone in another part of the producer. From the
compartment where mostly bydrocarbons are liberated, I lead them away to be
treated in the usual manner for extraction of tar ammonia or other products.. But
where it is not desired to separate all the tar from the hydrocarbon products, I
lead these by a pipe or pipes through the body of incandescent fuel in the producer
or through the outlets of carbonic oxide gas so as to convert by heat the heavy
bydrocarbons, or some of them into permanent gases. Instead of employing pipes
for this purpose, or in addition thereto, the hydrocarbon products may be passed
through channels formed in the partition or partitions or walls of the producer so
as to be subjected to the heat of the combustion or the outflowing carbonic oxide.
When the hydrocarbon products have been treated for extraction of the bye
products desired, they may be used for illumination or for heating or they may be
directed into the channel from the producer so as to mix with and enrich the
carbonic oxide and other gases produced.
When it is not desired to separate the bye products, the producer may still be
divided into compartments for separating the hydrocarbons from the other gases,
and the hydrocarbon products may be led by a pipe or pipes through the
incandescent fuel, or through channels in the partition or partitions or walls of
the producer into the main gas flue, the heat to which they are subjected in those
passages converting the heavy hydrodrocarbon products into permanent gases.
This conversion may be promoted by causing the gases as they flow from the
passage outlets to impinge upon the incandescent fuel in the producer or to pass
through a conduit formed therein for that purpose. Such a conduit in the
incandescent fuel, may be made by providing across the producer a support on
and about which the fuel will gather, so as to leave a more or less free space
under it for the passage of gas, and several such conduits may be provided in the
producer.
Instead of employing part of the heat of the gas producer for converting the
heavy hydrocarbon products into permanent gases, this may be done by a separate
furnace through which the hydrocarbons are led.
In a gas producer where the fuel is introduced centrally at the top, the air
injection being at the foot, the air nozzle may be made in a structure of bricks
extended laterally so as partly to fill up the space at the bottom, the lateral
support for the fuel being correspondingly reduced in width or entirely dispensed
with.
The nozzle projecting into the mass of incandescent fuel may be partly closed by
means of a plug inserted therein provided with openings through which the
injected air may pass up vertically or diagonally into the fuel; or for the same
purpose, the nozzle may be provided with a cover having suitable openings made
therein. When the fuel is introduced at the side of the producer, the air injector
is placed at a sufficient elevation above the floor or grate to prevent the gas from
being blown out at the bottom orifices which will thus always remain accessible to
the attendant and open for the entrance of air for the complete combustion of any
fuel which may have passed, without being fully consumed, the zone of active
combustion under the influence of the air injector. In these producers several
openings for charging fuel may be provided at the top and several injectors may also
be provided below actuated by compressed air or by steam jets. These producers
may also be made of various shapes in plan, such as round, oval, rectangular,
triangular, or of other shapes, with their openings for charging fuel and nozzles, for
air supply suitably arranged.

page_text: '
"
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of a gas producer of
the well known Siemens form modified according to this invention. Its upper
ipart is divided into two compartments by a partition A, extending down so as to
separate nearly the zone B where mostly carbonic oxide is produced from the
zone C where mostly hydrocarbon products are given öff. These hydrocarbon
products may be conducted away by a pipe or channel D to be treated for
separation of animonia, tar or other by products. In this producer, the bottom is
a grating E open for removal of ash and clinkers and for adinission of air. When
increased action is desired, air is also admitted to the body of the fuel by 'a'nozzle F
or several such nozzles formed in the brickwork, the supply current being main-
tained to each by a steam injector G. The nozzle and injector are so situated and
directed as to provide against blowing flame or gases down through the grating E.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section and fig. 3 a section on X X of a gas producer, which
is also divided into two compartments by a partition A. In this case, tubular
channels. H are employed for conveying the hydrocarbon products from the zone C
either to mix with the carbonic oxide from the zone B or, if desired, to be carried
off separately by upward extensions of the channels H as indicated by the dotted
lines H. The channels H open at their lower bends into pockets I whence dust
or other deposited matter can be raked when required. In passing through the
channels H which are heated by the fire hydrocarbon vapors are converted by the
heat into permanent gases.
In the vertical section fig. 4; and the section on Z Z fig. 5, channels J formed in
the partition A, conduct and heat the hydrocarbon products from the zone C and
direct them down on the incandescent fuel in the zone B, whereby they are farther
heated for conversion of vapors into gases. In this, as in fig. 2 'air is admitted at
the bottom by a grate or as shewn by openings E and E¹ and there may be an
additional air supply by nozzles, and jets as indicated in dotted lines at F and G,
fig. 4!
When the gas producer is of the form shewn in figs. 6 and 7 which are vertical
sections taken on planes at right angles to each other, with a central fuel feed K
and air supply nozzles L projecting up from the bottom, the hydrocarbons liberated
at the zone C descend a flue M pass through a retort channel N subject to the heat
of the fire and either ascend a flue O along with the carbonic oxide, or may be led
away separately by a channel indicated by the dotted lines 0. In this case the
heat given by passage along the retort channel N, figs. 6 and 7 as in passage
through the tubes H in figs. 2 and 3, converts vapors into permanent gases.
In the two vertical sections at right angles to one another shewn by figs. 8 and 9
there is an arch P, thrown across the producer so that this and the sloping sides of
the fuel below form a channel Qalong which the hydrocarbon products from the
zone C pass and are heated on their way from the descending flue M to the
ascending flue O for conversion of vapors into permanent gases. The air nozzles L
are here shewn cased with brickwork R and provided with plugs S affording
lateral passages for the air current which is thus distributed through the fuel.
In fig. 10 which is a vertical section of the lower part of a producer, the air
supply nozzle L is formed in brickwork partly forming the support for the fuel as
shewn at U, or a grate is provided as shewn at V. There is a distributing plug or
cover S on the top of the nozzle. In all these producers there is a supply of water
by pipes such as T to the ashpits in the usual way.
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 I make
no general claim to taking off from a gas producer hydrocarbons separate from its
other products, that having been previously proposed to be done as described in the
Speification to Letters Patent granted on the 18th April 1863 N° 972, to the Late
Sir William Siemens and to F Šiemens, the communicator of the present invention,
but I declare that what I claim is
1, Dividing a gas producer into two compartments by a partition approximately
mone whom maskania avida is mostly produced from the zone where

page_text: hydrocarbons are mostly liberated, substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth with reference to figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
2, In a gas producer, providing a passage for hydrocarbon products subject to
the heat of the fire in the producer substantially as described with reference to
figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
3, Arranging the upright air supply nozzle of a gas producer in a structure of
fire bricks with a plug or cover having distributing passages for the air sub-
stantially as described with reference to figs 8, 9 and 10.
4, In gas producers made with open ashpits, arranging, the lateral air supply
nozzles and injectors in such positions and directions as to avoid blowing gases
through the bottom openings, substantially as described with. reference to figs. 1
and 4.