IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBUSTION AND PREVENTION OF SMOKE AND IN INCREASING THE HEATING POWER OF FUEL
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Désiré Marchal, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
COMBUSTION AND PREVENTION OF SMOKE AND IN INCREASING THE HEATING
POWER OF FUEL."
Sealed the 8th February 1867, and dated the 13th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Désiré Marchal at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th August 1866..
I, DÉSIRÉ MARCHAL, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engi-
neer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE COMBUSTION AND PREVENTION OF SMOKE AND IN INCREASING THE HEATING
POWER OF FUEL," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the employment of certain improved processes
which are applicable to every description of furnace, oven, or grate in which
fuel is employed for heating purposes, and whereby the smoke and gaseous
products evolved during combustion are effectually and economically con-
sumed. These results are obtained by introducing through apertures, con-
structed in the sides or other convenient parts of the furnace, oven, or grate,
currents or jets of heated air or superheated steam, the latter when used

page_text: having been previously carburated as herein-after mentioned. The heated air
or superheated and carburated steam is conducted from the reservoir in which
the same is contained to the before-mentioned apertures by means of tubes,
and issuing through the apertures in the furnace, oven, or grate operates upon
the incandescent fuel, to which it imparts great additional heat and mingles
with the smoke and gaseous products evolved therefrom, the latter being com-
pletely consumed and utilized. The carburization of the heated air and super-
heated steam may be effected by any of the well-known methods, but one of
the most simple modes is to cause the air or steam to pass through or be
placed in communication with suitable receivers or vessels containing volatile
bydrocarbon fluids or substances such as petroleum oil, bituminous schist, or
the oil obtained therefrom, naphtha, tar, or essence of turpentine, or any
analogous and suitable substance, such substances, or any or either of them,
being employed singly or in combination with each other. The heated air or
superheated steam thus brought into contact with the before-mentioned
substances, or whichever of them are or is so employed, raises the same rapidly
to the like temperature, and causes the same to be converted into gas. or.
vapour, a portion whereof becomes. mixed with the heated air or superheated
steam, which together with the remainder of the gas evolved enters the furnace,
oven, or grate, where the same become instantly inflamed, and combine with
and consume the smoke and other products resulting from the combustion of
the fuel. A jet of hydrogen gas, either alone or used in combination with hot
air or superheated steam, carburated as before mentioned, may also be
employed with similar results. In some cases in which this Invention may
be applied to furnaces, ovens, or grates of peculiar construction some
variations of the mechanism and arrangements employed for the introduction
of the heated air or superheated steam may be necessary; but inasmuch as they
do not affect the principles of this Invention, and will be manifest to any
person conversant with such operations, they need not be particularly
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed,
by the said Désiré Marchal in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DÉSIRÉ
MARCHAL, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer, send s
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs. and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Désiré Marchal, Her special licence that I, the said Désiré
Marchal, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Désiré Marchal, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully night make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and.
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE COMBUSTION AND PREVENTION OF SMOKE AND IN INCREASING THE.
HEATING POWER OF FUEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Désiré Marchal, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Désiré Marchal, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment (that is to say) :-
:
My said Invention, which is applicable to every description of furnace, oven,
or grate, consists of certain improved precesses by the use of which the smoke
and gaseous products of combustion are economically consumed. This result
is obtained by the introduction into the grate or furnace, by means of tubes or
through small lateral openings, of a current of hot air or the vapour of water
previously carburetted; such current is previously passed through very fine
metallic wire gauze which has the effect of finely dividing the molecules of the
said current before it penetrates into the furnace in which they combine with
the atmospheric air contained therein and the products of the substances in
course of combustion, whereby the steam is decomposed and hydrogen gas
evolved, which in conjunction with the hydrocarbon employed as herein-after
mentioned becomes instantly a sheet of flame covering the surface of the
combustible fuel, and through which flame the sınoke and gases seeking to
escape towards the chimney must pass and are necessarily consumed. The
carburization of the hot air or vapour of water may be effected by any of the
ordinary methods, one of the most simple of which is that of placing the

page_text: current of air or jet of steam in communication with a reservoir or receptacle
of any convenient and suitable form containing volatile hydrocarbons capable
of being converted into gas, such as petroleum oils, bituminous schist, naphtha,
tar, or essence of turpentine, or any other analogous substance or substances
either singly or in combination. The current of air or steam is turned into
the reservoir or receptacle so as rapidly to raise a portion of the hydrocarbon
contained therein to the temperature at which it is volatilised, the current
of air or steam is thereby saturated with the vapour of the hydrocarbon and
is admitted into the furnace or grate as before described, the reservoir.or
receptacle containing the hydrocarbon may form part of the furnace or grate,
or be placed separately, provided that it be kept at the same temperature as
the hot air or steam which is to be the vehicle to convey the hydrocarbon to
the furnace.
As another method of effecting the combustion of the gases given off by
combustible substances, I use a current of hydrogen gas obtained by any of
the well-known processes either alone or in combination with hydrocarbons.
Experience has demonstrated that hydrogen gas procured by the decomposition
of water is preferable to that procured by any other means, it is cheaply
obtained, and imparts to the combustible matter with which it combines a
great increase of heating power and consumes the smoke and gases emitted
therefrom. The use of hydrogen gas is more especially desirable as assisting
the combustion of non-bituminous coal and substances used as fuel, such as.
peat, lignite, and others, to which it imparts a heating power far superior to
that which they possess when burned alone. As regards the better descriptions
of bituminous coal which emit a great deal of smoke and gas when in com-
bustion, hydrogen gas acts as a powerful auxiliary by instantaneously
becoming inflamed when admitted into the furnace, and forming on the
surface of the combustible matter therein a sheet of flame which consumies, as
before mentioned, the smoke and gases, and thereby considerably increases the
amount of heat evolved therefrom.
In some cases in which it is desired to apply my said Invention to furnaces,
ovens, or grates of peculiar construction, some modifications of the mode of
procedure may be desirable, and which it is unnecessary for me to describe,
inasmuch as they do not affect the principles of my Invention, and will be
readily understood by persons acquainted with such operations.
Having thus fully declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting
the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent is, the methods of effecting the combustion and prevention of smoke,
and in increasing the heating power of fuel, substantially herein-before set
forth and described, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Désiré Marchal, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
DÉSIRÉ MARCHAL. (L.S.)