IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRODUCER GAS FURNACES, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO RETORT FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of No 28 Southampton Buildings
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex for an invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRODUCER GAS FURNACES, MORE PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO
RETORT FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS. Communicated to him
from abroad by the Stettiner Chamotte Fabrik Actien-Gesellschaft vormals
Didier of Stettin in the German Empire.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCER GAS FURNACES, MORE
PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO RETORT FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
"
Communicated to me from abroad by the "Stettiner Chamotte Fabrik-Actien-
Gesselschaft vormals Didier of Stettin in the German Empire.
These improvements relate to furnaces worked by the combustion of producer
gas, more particularly to retort furnaces for the manufacture of illuminating and
heating gas; they have for their object to obviate the many disadvantages that are
attendant on the ordinary method of heating directly by combustion of solid fuel
on a grate, and to obtain several advantages consisting in the economical employ-
ment of the fuel, the greater durability of the retorts and furnace, an increased
production of gas, and the lightening of the work of the firemen employed
By means of the improved construction employed, even in the most inferior
descriptions of coke can be entirely utilised for the production of carbonic oxide gas;
the peculiar features consist, firstly in entirely dispensing with a firegrate in the
gas producer, the requisite air for the combustion of the coke being supplied through
slits or channels of small height in the bottom of the producer. The disadvantages
of the burning away of the firegrate, the unequal discharge of slag, the inconvenient
frequent alagging, the falling through and consequent loss of the fuel are by this
means obviated. Secondly-a much less radiation of heat is obtained. Thirdly,
all detonations when adding the coke supplies are absolutely prevented by the form
of the producer, and by the position and distance of the gas passages relatively to
the slit in the bottom of the producer and to the furnace itself. Fourthly. The
construction of the regenerator can be effected in a very simple and easy manner,
even with old furnaces. Fifthly, the regulating contrivance provided in front of
the air channels only allows of the entrance of the air to the extent required, and
Price BdI

page_text: at the same time effects the heating of such air. Sixthly: the regulation of the
draught dampers for the escape flues and also that of the air supply for the
combustion of the carbonic oxide gas can be effected in a convenient manner,
Seventhly: The accurately determined dimensions, form and position of the several
openings relatively to each other through which the carbonic oxide and air are led
beneath the retorts, have the effect of producing complete combustion and conse-
quently complete development of heat at once in the lower part of .the furnace
directly over the inlet openings. Eighthly. the construction of the flues through
which the products of combustion pass to the chimney and through which the air
required for combustion, with the carbonic oxide enters the furnace, is such that
the waste heat passing away is utilised to the greatest possible extent, while the
air is heated so considerably that a very considerable saving of fuel is effected
thereby.
The accompanying drawings shew a Fig: 1 a longitudinal section of the
producer and retort furnace on the line G H, Fig 4. Fig: 2 is a similar section on
the line NO, Fig: 4. Fig 3 shews a front view of the producer, Fig 4. shews two
cross sections of the retort furnace on the lines A B and C D of Fig: 1. Fig 5
shews a similar section through the producer on line E F Fig. 1. Figs: 6 and 7
shew two horizontal sections on lines I K and L M Fig. 4. Fig 8 shews a front
view of the retort furnace with rising gas pipe and hydraulic main, the heads of
the retorts being in section.
One of the sight holes m is shewn in section at Fig: 8*, Fig 9 shews the arrange-
ment of the retorts and rising gas pipes in side view, with the hydraulic main in
section and Fig. 10 shews a plan of the retort furnace. The other Figures shew
details to a larger scale, Fig. 11 shewing a section of the closing of the feed hopper
to the producer, Fig. 12 a section of the hydraulic main with its covers. Figs. 13,
14 and 15 shew the arrangements for closing the hydraulic main, and the rising
pipe and dip pipe.
The gas producer A is, as shewn on the drawings arranged at a lower level than,
and in front of the retort furnace, so that the top thereof is on the same level as
the floor line of the retort house. The depth of the producer is about 9 feet. The
upper edge of the opening a for the carbonic oxide gas produced is situated about
3 feet above the lower edge of the air channel . The producer is first supplied
with a layer of incandescent coke on its bed and is then filled up to the lid b with
coke; this supply must be renewed before the fuel has sunk down to the level of
the gas opening a. The supply hopper of the producer is closed by means of a
cover b fitting therein with spherically turned surfaces, so as to effect a perfect
closure, and over this is placed a plate i to cover the hopper, level with the floor.
The coke burns in the lower part of the producer and the incandescent layer of
fuel reaching up to the top of the opening a causes the combination of oxygen
produced in the form of carbonic acid at the bottom of the layer to be converted
into carbonic oxide before passing into the furnace. From the opening a this
gas passes into the passage a' situated immediately below the furnace, in the
middle thereof, and extending its entire length, and from this passage the gas
passes through two rows of openings of accurately determined size in the upper
part thereof into the furnace. On each side of these inlet openings for the gas are
arranged openings for the inlet of heated atmospheric air, communicating with air
passages oc situated on each side of the furnace, so that the heated air entering
through these openings impinges in jets directly upon the rising gas jets and effects
the perfect combustion thereof.
The resulting flame and hot gases are then led through the furnace and escape
through flues on their way to the chimney flue, and in being thus made to pass
in contact with the flues c through which the air supply passes, they heat the walls
thereof to a red heat, which is consequently imparted to the air supply; this is
regulated by means of the slides g, while the slides h serve to regulate the chimney
draught. The several slides being correctly adjusted in the first instance, the
temperature of the furnace will always remain the same, and the slides will not

page_text: require to be re-adjusted so long as the furnace continues in regular working. The
supply of coke to the producer only requires to be renewed twice or three times
in 24 hours and the fireman's work only consists in occasionally stoking at the air
channel so as to remove the non-combustible residues or ashes.
The side
A series of water channels & formed in the air channel & serve mainly for the
production of steam which prevents the formation of slag and also protects the
side walls from burning away and also serves for quenching the ashes.
walls of the producer are formed with angular projections k at the lower part
whereby the walls are prevented from becoming so deteriorated by the heat as is
ordinarily the case.
A single producer may also be used for heating two retort furnaces; in this case
a second air channel is provided as shewn at Fig. 3. The producer may further-
more be arranged above the floor level, either in front, or at the side of or behind
the furnace, at any desired distance; it is however preferable to sink it to such a
level that the top of the opening a shall not be higher than the gas passage a¹.
The number of retorts in the furnace is optional, and may vary from one to ten
and even more; the construction of generator is also applicable to other technical
purposes. The form of the sight holes m is shewn at Figa, 8 and 8ª, the seats of
the doors being planed so as to fit as gas tight as possible. On opening the same
they assume a horizontal position and thus allow of convenient inspection of the
furnace.
The hydraulic main n is modified from the ordinary construction; the lateral
branches allow of the ready removal of the accumulated tar while the furnace is at
work. The openings of the branches have self fitting covers ○ of the peculiar new
construction shewn, and the rising and dip pipes are provided with similar covers.
The general construction and arrangement of the gas producer, and furnace with
air and gas passages as also the mode of closing the feed hopper of the producer,
the hydraulic main, rising and dip pipes, and sight holes, will be readily understood
from the accompanying drawing.
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim:
First. The herein described construction of spherically turned feed hopper and
cover b
Second. The herein described arrangement of water channels d in the air
channel for the purposes set forth.
Third. The construction of the side walls with angular projections k for the
purposes set forth.
Fourth. The peculiar construction of the doors m to the sight holes.
Fifth. The construction of the hydraulic main n with branches as described for
allowing the cleansing thereof while in operation.
Sixth. The construction of self closing covers O to the branches of the hydraulic
main as also to the rising and dip pipes.
Seventh. The described arrangement of inlet openings for the combustible gas
and air in combination with the arrangement of passages oo and ff for the air
supply and products of combustion, whereby an intimate mixture of the gas and
air and the perfect combustion thereof is effected.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twelfth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
CHAS. D. ABEL (L.S.)