Improved Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating or Fuel Gas.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating
or Fuel Gas.
I, BURDETT LOOMIS of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of Amerca, Gas
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of a high grade fuel or heating gas,
at comparatively small cost,-particularly adapted for manufacturing purposes, such
as firing steam boilers, heating glass furnaces, pottery kilns, forges, metallurgic and
other furnaces, stoves, etc.
By means of my new process, and suitable apparatus for carrying out the same,
I make two kinds of heating gas; first, generator or producer gas, resulting from
combustion of coal, or other fuel with air; second, water-gas, resulting from decom-
posing steam in contact with the incandescent fuel.
Heretofore, in generating heating gas, the air has been forced into the bottom of
the furnace, and up through the fuel, by some kind of air-blowing machine, resulting
in much trouble, on account of the formation of clinker, and much waste of valuable
hydrocarbons, on account of condensation of the oily and tarry vapours, which escape
with the gas at the top of the furnace, By my invention, these difficulties are
overcome, and numerous advantageous results secured.
In carrying out my invention, I reverse the direction of the air and gas currents
through the generator, and instead of forcing the air into the fuel, I draw it in by
an exhauster connected with the base of the generating furnace, which is preferably
made of a circular form, with a central coal distributor. This coal distributor
consists of a horizontally divided hollow cone, its fixed portion being secured in
position below the fuel opening, the upper part being removable and adjustable.
The central opening in the roof of the furnace is fitted with a cover, which admits
air to the furnace, or cuts it off at pleasure.
By the operation of the exhauster, air is drawn into the furnace at the top, and
down into the ignited fuel, and the resulting gases are drawn off at the bottom of
the furnace, whereby a number of advantageous results are produced, as follows:-
first, dust and ashes are blown or drawn into the ash-pit, and the formation of
clinker is almost entirely prevented; second, the oily and tarry vapours distilled from
the top layers of freshly charged coal are caused to pass down into the heated coal
below, and are thereby converted into valuable fixed carbureted hydrogen gas, instead
of passing off at the top and condensing into tar of little or no value; third, cheap,
low-grade fuel, such as bituminous coal slack, or mixture of bituminous and anthracite
slack or coke dust, etc., can be advantageously used, and more rapidly and uniformly
gasified; fourth, the furnace can be much more readily charged and the fresh fuel
so placed as to prevent the formation of holes or channels through the bed of fuel,
since the attendant can readily work over the top of the furnace and inspect its
interior through the fuel opening, by reason of the smoke and gases being drawn
away from the top opening and down through the charge by the exhauster.
I pass the highly heated producer gases from the base of the generating furnace
through a tubular or other cooler, and utilize their heat for heating water or air, and
thus cool the gases to such a degree that they will not injure the exhauster in passing
through it.
One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide for economically
manufacturing water gas by use of bituminous or soft coal or slack, and I successfully
accomplish this object, partly by reason of the down draft used (with the advantageous
results above mentioned) in heating the coal to incandescence, preparatory to decom-
posing steam, and partly by reason of passing the hot water-gas out of the bed of fuel

page_text: at a considerable distance below its surface, and then out of the furnace, whereby the
injurious melting and caking of the fresh layers of coal at the top are prevented, and
the oily and tarry vapours evolved from such fresh coal are caused to pass downward
into the hot fuel below, where they are converted into fixed rich hydrocarbon gas,
which mixes with the water-gas as it passes into a circular flue and out of the furnace.
When the highly-heated water-gas is passed up entirely through the bed of soft coal
or slack, it causes much trouble by melting the fresh coal, and causing it to run into
cakes or crusts. By my method of passing the hot gas off below the top of the fuel
bed, such difficulties are overcome, and improved results produced.
Another object is to evenly distribute the fuel around the side walls of the furnace,
and prevent the formation of channels and the passage of air, steam, and gases
through such channels along the walls. I provide for drawing the air and gases
away from the side walls, by constructing a solid hearth or floor next to the walls at
the bottom of the fuel chamber, and form a contracted grate opening at or about the
central portion of such hearth.
Another object is to provide for the better combustion and gasification of soft coal
or slack, by means of a down draft and exhauster, as above set forth.
It will be understood that the water-gas is generated intermittently, one period
being used for heating the fuel by the air draft, during which time a large volume
of valuable producer gas is given off, while the next period is used for decomposing
steam in contact with the incandescent coal for the production of water-gas com-
posed of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and carbureted hydrogen. It is thus seen that
the water-gas is partly carbureted or enriched with carbureted hydrogen distilled
from the coal, and is therefore a more valuable heating gas than water-gas made
in the ordinary way.
The steam employed for the production of the water-gas, whether obtained from the
gas cooler or otherwise, is led through the flue which leads the producer gas from the
furnace to the gas cooler, which is in direct connection with the exhauster.-This flue
is provided with heat absorbing division walls, for the purpose of superheating the
steam before it passes from the flue to the ash pit of the gas generator, and thence
into the incandescent fuel. Before this part of the process is started, the exhauster is
thrown out of action, and the pipe which conducts from the exhauster to the gas-
holder is sealed by admitting steam to a closed water box, and thereby forcing up
water into the gas-conducting pipe.
Dated this 5th day of November 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating
or Fuel Gas.
I, BURDETT LOOMIS of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, Gas
Engineer, 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 relates to the manufacture of high-grade fuel or heating gas at
comparatively small cost, particularly adapted for manufacturing purposes, such as
firing steam boilers, heating glass furnaces, pottery kilns, forges, metallurgic and
other furnaces, stoves, etc.
By means of my new process and apparatus, I make two kinds of beating gas;-
first generator or producer gas, resulting from the combustion of coal or other fuel
with air; second, water-gas, resulting from decomposing steam in contact with the
incandescent fuel.
Heretofore, in generating heating gas, the air has generally been forced into the
bottom of the furnace, and up through the fuel, by some kind of air-blowing machine,

page_text: resulting in much trouble, on account of the formation of clinker, and much waste of
valuable hydrocarbons, on account of the condensation of the oily and tarry vapours,
which escape with the gas at the top of the furnace. It has also been proposed to
force air, either alone, or together with steam, down into a body of fuel for generating
gas (as set forth in British Patent No. 4469, dated March 30th 1886, granted to me),
bnt such methods have failed to give satisfactory results in practice, one serious
difficulty having arisen from the tendency of air and gas to accumulate above the
body of fuel under pressure, and burn, causing undue combustion of the fresh
bituminous coal, and the formation of hard crusts at the top, before proper coking
could take place. Other difficulties have also arisen in the attempt, by others, to
generate gas by forcing or injecting steam and air down into and through the
body of fuel, resulting in the production of a poor quality of gas, containing a large
per cent, of carbonic acid.
By my Invention, these difficulties are overcome, and numerous advantageous
results secured. In carrying out my invention, I reverse the usual direction of the
air and gas currents through the generator, and instead of forcing the air into the
fuel, I draw it in by an exhauster connected with the base of the generating furnace,
thus causing a down flow of air, which is distributed through the mass of fuel, and
passes out, as producer gas, at the bottom of the generator.
The producer gases I pass from the base of the generating furnace through a cooler,
and utilize their heat for heating water or air, and thus cool the gases to such a degree
that they will not injure the exhauster in passing through it.
In order to produce the water-gas, I first stop the down-flow of air, and then
admit to the furnace, from below the incandescent fuel, superheated steam, which
entering the mass of the fuel, becomes decomposed, and is led off at a level below
the surface of the fuel. By this means, the melting and caking of the fresh layers
of coal at the top are prevented, and any oily and tarry vapors evolved from fresh
coal, are caused to pass downward into the hot fuel below, where they are converted
into fixed rich hydrocarbon gas, which mixes with the water-gas as it passes into
a circular flue and out of the furnace.
It will be understood that the water-gas is generated intermittently, one period
being used for heating the fuel by the air draft, during which time a large volume of
valuable producer gas is given off, while the next period is used for decomposing
steam in contact with the incandescent coal for the production of water-gas, composed
of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and carburetted hydrogen.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the construction and arrangement of
apparatus which I employ in carrying out the object of my invention.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of the fuel-gas generating apparatus.
Figures 1 and 1 represent sectional detail views, showing the conical coal-
distributor applied at the top of the furnace.
Fig. 2 represents a general top plan view of the generating apparatus, with the
addition of gas-holders, forges, and a furnace for heating ingots, to illustrate the
application of both the producer gas and the water-gas.
The generating furnace A is built preferably of firebrick, and covered in the usual
closed
way with an outer iron jacket. It is provided at the top with a fuel opening a,
by lid a. When a conical coal distributor is used, the passage a is shaped like a
frustrum of a cone, as shewn in Fig. 1.-The lower part of the conical coal
distributor is hollow, and secured by bolts a short distance below passage a, and the
upper removable part C of the distributor is seated on part C, when lid x is opened,
and, it is desired to feed coal into the furnace. This distributor directs the coal to the
side wall of the furnace, where it is apt to burn away the fastest, so that the fuel will
lie (at the top) in a dish-shaped form. Passages a¹ and doors are provided at the
bottom of the fuel chamber above the grate. An inclined hearth or floor w. extends
inward from the walls, and is formed with a central opening, into which is set the
grate b.-The ash-pit P is of about the same horizontal dimensions as the grate
opening, and has a brick or tile floor B, which is supported upon parallel division

page_text: n,
walls built in the wide outlet flue F in the base of the furnace.-A passage-way f
leads from the ash-pit into flue F. The take-off pipe F1, having valve, connects
flue with box, at the base of the tubular gas cooler and water heater H.
Passages, and having doors e. and el, are provided for removing dust and
ashes. The hot gases, in passing off through flue F, heat the brick division
walls which are set a short distance apart for the passage of gas, and the heat thus
stored is subsequently utilized for superheating steam, which is admitted into the base
of the generator when making water-gas.
In the wall of the generator, near its top, is formed an annular flue D, which is
connected by ports or tuyers d. with the interior of the generator. An air supply
pipe M, having valve me, connects with the flue D, and air may be supplied to the fuel
through such flue and pipe, but in practice these are not generally required, as
satisfactory results are produced by simply opening lid .e, and admitting are to the
fuel through passage a. Fuel can be fed to the generator at the same time that the
air is admitted.
A short distance above the middle portion of the fuel chamber, an annular Hue E,
and connecting ports or tuyers e, are formed in the wall, so as to take off gas below
the top of the coal. A steam supply pipe S, which may lead from drum H', or other
source, connects by branch s, having valve t, with a gas-pipe El, by branch pipes s',
having valves ', with the lower portion of the fuel chamber above the grate, and by
branch pipe, having valve, with pipe F¹ and flue F below the ash pit. By
means of these pipes, steam is admitted either at bottom or top of the generator,
and is passed either up or down through the fuel. During the admission of the air
draft and generation of producer gas, a limited supply of steam may be admitted
through flue E and ports e, and passed down through the fuel for conversion into
water-gas, which adds to the value and heating power of the producer gas.
The
eduction pipe E' for water-gas connects with flue E. and extends down into seal
box G, where its lower end, which dips into the liquid, is provided with a conical cup
valve g, which is operated by a rod extending up through the sealed tube g. Pipe E"
conducts gas from box G to the holder or place of use. In the plan view, Fig. 2,
pipe E is shewn extending from the opposite side of the generator to the holder 1
for water-gas.
The vertical tubular gas cooler H is provided, in the usual way, with boxes h. h
respectively, at bottom and top thereof, and with tubes k, extending between such
boxes. An air supply pipe may connect with box h. Water or air may be
circulated through the cylinder H, and around tubes k, for cooling the gas. or, by
controlling the supply of water, steam may be generated, and passed up into drum H¹.
A smoke stack Y, having ball valve y, connects with box ³, for escape of gas or
smoke by natural draft when the exhauster is not running,
Pipe I for taking off producer gas connects box with the rotary exhauster T, and,
beyond the exhauster, pipe 1 connects with the U-shaped trap or seal I', from which
pipe leads down to main X, which connects with holder 2, and directly with a
heating furnace 4.-A branch pipe J', having valve j, connects with a burner in
steam boiler furnace K.-The fluid seal chamber has at the bottom a liquid
drain and supply pipe i, having valve ¿', and extending down into box I"-A steam
pipe S, having valve f, connects with the top of box 11. By such pipe, steam is
forced into box I", and serves to force the liquid from the box up through pipe into
the U-shaped seal chamber I', for stopping the flow of gas in pipe 1.-The liquid
having been forced up into seal chamber I', valve may be closed, so as to retain the
liquid, without the continued use of steam pressure. Compressed air may be used
instead of steam, for forcing liquid up into the seal chamber. Other forms of seal
or stop valve may be used.
A vent pipe 0, having valve o, is applied to pipe I.-The exhauster is driven by
engine Z.
As shown in Fig. 2, water gas is conducted by a main from holder 1, and supplied
by valved pipes to the forges 3.-Air is forced by blower N through pipe N', and

page_text: valved branch pipes n', into the gas burners of the forges, for causing perfect com-
bustion and an intense heat.-Suitable mains for producer gas lead from the
generator, and from holder 2, to the furnace 4, for heating ingots, or for other
purpose, and gas is supplied to such furnace by pipes L and l.
Only moderately sized holders are required to store the excess of gas generated at
one time, or to supply any deficiency that may occur at another time; they also
serve to regulate the flow of gas to the furnaces.
In order to operate the apparatus, a fire is kindled on the grate of the generating
furnace A, Fig. 1, and supplied with fuel till a deep bed of ignited fuel is formed.-
When a sufficient body of fuel is ignited, the exhauster is started, drawing air down
into the fuel, and the resulting producer gas is conducted to holder 2, or to a furnace,
where it is burned. Bituminous coal, in lump or slack form, is gradually fed in,
till it nearly fills the furnace, and the exhauster is kept running as long as it is
desired to make producer gas. After the fuel becomes highly heated, a limited
supply of steam is admitted by pipe s, through flue E and port e, into the fuel, where
it is decomposed, to form water-gas, which mixes with the producer gas resulting
from the combustion of the coal with air admitted through passage a, or flue D.-
Fresh coal is added at the top, as required, and the oily and tarry vapours distilled
therefrom are drawn by the exhauster down through the hot fuel below, and con-
verted into fixed carburetted hydrogen gas, which greatly adds to the heating power
of the producer gas, and prevents condensation and waste in the mains &c.-The
hot gas going off from the base of the generator, highly heats the brickwork in
the ash pit, and the brick division walls n in flue F.-It is cooled in passing through
tubular cooler H, so that it will not only not injure the exhauster in passing through
it, but will enable the exhauster, without its speed of rotation being increased, to
work efficiently in maintaining the down flow of air through the generator.-While
generating producer gas, lid a, and valve f, are open, and the liquid is run out of
seal chamber I', and stack valve y and valve g', in box G, are closed.
When it is desired to mako water gas alone, and a deep body of incandescent coal
is formed, valve g' is opened, lid and valve fare closed, seal chamber I is closed,
and the exhauster is stopped. Steam is now admitted by pipe sinto flue F, where
it is superheated by the hot brick-work, and then passes up into the incandescent fuel,
where it is decomposed into hydrogen and carbonic oxide, commonly known as
water-gas. This gas passes out through ports e, and flue E, into outlet pipe E.-
Hydrocarbon vapors distilled from the fresh coal, above ports e, pass down into the
more highly heated fuel below, and are converted into fixed carburetted hydrogen,
which passes off with the water-gas, and adds largely to its beating power.-This
enriched water gas is stored in holder 1, or conducted directly to a place of use. It
is especially adapied for use in fine work, where a high heat is required, and in
practice gives excellent results.
Steam may be admitted to the furnace by pipe's or s', when desired, instead of pipe s".
When the heat of the fuel becomes too low to properly decompose steam, the
supply of steam is shut off.-The valves are now re-adjusted, the lid opened for the
readmission of air, and the exhauster is started, for again heating the fuel to
incandescence, and renewing the manufacture of producer gas.-After an interval of
say, ten minutes, the manufacture of water-gas is resumed in the manner above
described.
.
While the exhauster is in operation, fresh coal is fed to the furnace as required.―
When water gas is passed up entirely through the bed of soft coal or slack, it causes
much trouble, by melting the fresh coal, and causing it to run into cakes or crusts,
but by passing the hot gas off below the top of the fuel bed, as above explained, such
difficulties are overcome, and improved results produced. In practice, a number of
generators may be used, so that both kinds of heating gas can be continuously
generated and used.
Producer and water-gas made as above described, may be mixed together in the
inain or holder, or at the place of use in a heating furnace, for producing a higher
heat than could be obtained from the producer gas alone.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The process of generating heating gas, which consists in drawing intermittently,
and also together, air and steam down into and through a body of ignited fuel,
thereby effecting combustion of the fuel, and decomposition of the steam, and causing
vapors distilled from the upper layers of coal, to pass into the heated fuel below,
for conversion into fixed gas, and drawing the resulting gases down through the
fuel and out at the bottom of the generator, and through a cooler, by an exhauster,
as and for the purpose above set forth.
2. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in heating a body of fuel to
incandescence by drafts of air drawn downward into the fuel, and drawing off the
resulting gaseous products by an exhauster, whereby the fuel may be better fed,
inspected, and arranged in the furnace during the operation of heating up; then
shutting off the air, and decomposing steam, by passing it in contact with the
incandescent fuel, thereby producing water-gas, which is passed out below the top of
the fuel, and may be stored and used separately as described.
3. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in superheating steam, then
decomposing it in contact with a body of incandescent fuel, and at the same time
distilling bituminous coal on top of, and in contact with the body of incandescent
fuel, and causing the resulting gas and vapors to pass downward through the
distilling coal, into contact with the heated fuel below, for converting them into
fixed gas; and finally conducting off the coal gas and the water-gas together some
distance below the surface of the distilling coal, and above the bed of incandescent
fuel, whereby fresh charges of bituminous coal are successfully coked, and the
hydro-carbons distilled therefrom converted into fixed gas, without destructive decom-
position.
4. A gas generator having an air supply pipe or opening at its top above the
fuel, and an outlet pipe leading from its bottom, in combination with a cooler con-
necting with such outlet pipe, and an exhauster connecting with the cooler, for drawing
air down into the fuel, and the resulting gases out from the bottom of the generator
and through the cooler, as described.
5. In combination with a generating chamber, the air supply pipe or opening
connecting with the top thereof, an outlet pipe for producer gas leading from the
bottom thereof, and connecting with an exhauster, and an outlet pipe for water-gas
leading from the upper portion thereof, but below the level at which the charge of
fuel is maintained, such generating chamber being furnished with steam inlet pipes,
as and for the purpose described.
6. A down-draft generator, having an air supply pipe connecting with its top, a
closed circumferential hearth having a central opening and ash-pit in combination
with the exhauster connecting with such central ash-pit, whereby the air draft and
gaseous products are drawn away from the side walls of the furnace, and more
evenly through the body of fuel, for the purpose described.
7. In combination with the ash pit of a furnace, the wide central flue placed below
it, and division walls constructed in such flue, for supporting the floor of the ash-pit
and forming a steam superheater.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant