IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HYDROGEN GAS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt of Sutton in the County of Surrey for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HYDROGEN GAS"
communicated to him from abroad by Erazm. J. Jerzmanowski of City
County and State of New York Citizen of United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th December 1883.
"
SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF HYDROGEN GAS communicated to me from abroad by Erazm
J. Jerzmanowski of City County and State of New York Citizen of United States
of America
This Invention relates especially to improvements in the manufacture of
hydrogen gas.
For this purpose liquid hydrocarbon and steam been injected into hot lime.
The result of the action of the lime upon the injected material was to convert
steam and hydro-carbon into a mixture of hydrogen and carbonic acid.
In order to make illuminating gas this carbonic acid was afterwards absorbed.
The Invention is described to me by my foreign correspondent as follows.
By my improvement instead of absorbing the carbonic acid I convert the same
into carbonic oxide.
This mixture of hydrogen and carbonic oxide may be afterwards carburetted if
desired.
My Invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings in
which similar fetters refer to similar parts.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of my apparatus partly in section.
Figure 2 a plan of the same.
A represents a gas generating chamber containing lime. B the chamber in which
the carbonic oxide is formed containing preferably anthracite coal.
The chamber A.is supplied with the inlet pipe L for charging in the steam, and

page_text: the naphtha supply pipe K. The chambers A and B communicate with two pipes
D and E as shown. The pipe E being used in the process when gas is being
produced, and the pipe D when the parts are being heated
M is a pipe communicating with the washer C by means of which the gas passes
to the holder or other apparatus.
The steam pipe H and naptha pipe J communicate with the lower part of the
chamber B as shown.
The pipes are provided with suitable valves the operation of which will be
readily understood by the gas engineer and which are not fully here described.
My apparatus is operated as follows.
The chambers being suitably charged, air and naptha are injected by the
pipes J. H. into the bottom of the chamber B to which may be added a small
amount of steam if desired.
Naptha having been lighted within the chamber B and the valve having been
closed in the pipe E, and opened in the pipe D, the burning naptha heats the
anthracite coal in the chamber B and the products of combustion passing
through the pipe D pass downward through the lime chamber A and thence
through pipe E into the escape pipe F, the valve of which is then opened. After
the coal and lime have been thoroughly heated the valves in the pipes G and H
are closed, as also the valves in pipes D and F, and the valve in pipe E being
opened steam and naptha are injected by the pipes L and K and coming in
contact with the lime in chamber A are converted into hydrogen and carbonic acid.
Thence passing through pipe E they pass downward through the hot anthracite
in chamber B and the carbonic acid is there converted into carbonic oxide and the
mixture escapes by pipe M and washer C to the holder or other suitable apparatus.
By the pipe P an additional amount of air can be injected into the chamber A to
ensure the perfect combustion of the products passing through the pipe D in
process of heating the apparatus.
Instead of producing the hydrogen and carbonic acid in the manner just
described, I may produce the same without lime, and at the same time save the
heat usually wasted by an arrangement of cupolas connected with a single heating
apparatus. By this arrangement the water gas is produced by the decomposition
of steam in the presence of hot anthracite coal. It has been usually customary in
practice to heat this coal by its own combustion, and subsequently to inject steam,
thereby decomposing the steam, although it has been suggested that the coal
might be heated by heat obtained from a separate combustion. When, however,
steam is being injected into the cupola, it is obvious that the independent fire
which has been used for heating the cupola will not be effectively employed; and,
therefore, the heat which it is then generating will be lost. I have devised
therefore, a continuous process of producing water gas by several cupolas heated
from a single heat supply; and by this arrangement I am enabled to prevent the
waste of heat which would otherwise occur. That which I believe to be new in
my apparatus is specified in the claims hereto annexed. In my drawings
similar letters refer to similar parts,
Figure 3 is a vertical view partly in section showing my furnace for supplying
heat to air superheaters or regenerators, and two cupolas, and some of the
connections.
Figure 4 is a plan showing the general arrangement of my contrivance.
"
B represents a furnace, as shown, of the kind known as "Siemen's furnace
adapted to supply heat to four cupolas A¹. The Siemens furnace is shown as
centrally located with reference to them; but another form might be employed
beside that one shown. The connections of the two upper furnaces are shown in
detail; the lower ones are supposed to be similarly connected.
The operation of the two lower ones will be precisely the same as the operation
of the upper ones, and, therefore, will not be explained in detail. The furnace B¹
communicates with the cupolas A' A" by pipes D' d' d". A connection is
likewise made at the point where the products of combustion and hot gases from

page_text: the furnace enter the cupolas to allow of the injection of hot air. This air passes
to the furnace by pipes E¹ el el. Pipe E' communicates with the upper parts of
the double regenerator or air heater R¹. Air is arranged to be delivered into the
bottom of this regenerator by pipes G₁ ¹¹. The upper part of the cupolas A¹
are connected by pipes 61 611 to the pipe F¹ which communicates with the upper
part of the regenerator by pipes g₁g The pipe E¹ connects likewise with the
upper part of the regenerators, and delivers to the pipes e¹ ell as described. The
upper part of the cupolas connects likewise through the washers W¹ and pipes /¹ h¹¹
to the main gas pipe H¹.
The bottom of the regenerators connect with the chimney C¹ by the pipes c¹ c¹¹.
Suitable valves are provided to close these various connections as will be readily
seen. Steam pipes S are provided for injecting the steam into the cupolas.
The operation of my apparatus can now be readily understood.
The hot gases coming from the furnace B¹ pass by pipe D' d¹ to the cupola A¹.
There they are met by a current of hot air delivered by the pipe e¹ from the
regenerator R. This air is forced into the regenerator by the pipe G¹ and
ascending through the regenerator becomes heated, and is thence delivered through
pipe Ee to complete the combustion of the gases in the cupola A¹. Passing
upward thence the products of combustion escape from the cupola by the pipe 61
and passing down pipe F¹ enter through pipe g11, the upper part of the
regenerator R, and thence escape by pipe c¹¹ and chimney C¹. By this operation
the coal in A¹ has been thoroughly heated, as also the brick or fire-clay or other
suitable material which is located in the regenerator R¹. The valves then having
been properly manipulated, the hot gases from the furnace B¹ pass through the
pipes D¹ to the cupola A", thence by pipe 61 to pipe F¹, through pipe g¹,
regenerator R¹, pipe c¹, and finally escape through chimney C¹, thereby heating the
regenerator R¹. Meanwhile the regenerator R₁ which has been previously heated
is brought into requisition to supply heated air to the cupola A" in the manner
previously described; and steam having been admitted by the pipe S¹ to the
cupola A¹, water gas is produced, which passes upward through the washer W¹ and
pipe h¹ to the main gas pipe H' and to holder.
A corresponding operation can be meanwhile carried on in the lower cupolas
A¹ A¹¹.
It will be understood that the hot air and gases from the furnace are to be
ignited, in the generators.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
First. The process of producing hydrogen and carbonic oxide which consists in
causing a jet of liquid hydro-carbon and steam to pass through a chamber
containing heated lime and then through a chamber containing hot anthracite or
its equivalent thereby converting the carbonic acid produced in the first chamber
into carbonic oxide, substantially as described.
Second. The process of producing hydrogen and carbonic oxide which consists
in causing a jet of liquid hydrocarbon and steam to pass through a chamber
containing heated lime and then through a chamber containing hot anthracite or
its equivalent thereby converting the carbonic acid produced in the first chamber
into carbonic oxide, and when the lime and coal have been so far cooled as to
render their further use in that condition undersirable, of causing a jet of naptha
and air to be burned in one of said chambers, and in causing the products of
combustion to pass through the other chamber for the purpose of again heating the
lime and coal substantially as described.
Third. The process of producing water gas continuously, herein described, which
consists in heating anthracite coal, or its equivalent, in a generating cupola by hot
gases produced in an independent furnace, of then causing said hot gases to heat
another generator, while steam is injected and water gas produced in the first
generator, and then reversing the operation in the second generator whereby the
hot gases produced in the furnace are continuously used in heating the generators
and water gas is continuously produced, substantially as described.

page_text: Fourth. The combination of a single heating furnace and two water gas
generators, whereby the products of combustion may be carried alternately to said
generators, and steam alternately introduced for the purpose of producing water
gas continuously, substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of a heating furnace, a water gas generator, and an air
heater or generator, and the connection shown, whereby the products of combustion
may be used to heat both the water gas generator and the air heater, substantially
as described.
Sixth. The combination of a heating furnace, two water gas generators, and
two air heaters, and the connection shown, whereby hot air may be continuously
supplied to the hot gases from the furnace for the purpose of heating the water
gas generators, and water gas may be continuously produced substantially as
described.
Seventh. The combination of a heating furnace, a connection connecting said
heating furnace with a water gas generator, for the purpose of conveying the hot
gases from said furnace to the water gas generator, and a connection from said
generator to an independent air heater, whereby the products of combustion, after
heating the water-gas generator, are caused to pass through said air heater and
thence escape, substantially as described.
Eighth. The combination of a single heating furnace with four water gas
generators and two or more air-heaters and the connection shown, whereby two
generators may be continuously heated by the hot gases from the furnace,
consumed together with hot air from the air heaters in said two generators, while
the other two generators are producing water gas, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Sydney Pitt have hereunto set my hand and
seal this sixteenth day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.