Improvements in Apparatus for Extracting Tar and Ammonia from Gas.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Extracting Tar and Ammonia
from Gas.
I, ALEXANDER Alfred Lister, of 35 Burchell Road, Queen's Road, Peckham,
in the County of Surrey, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
6
Such
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of
washers," or apparatus for removing the tar and ammonia from gas.
apparatus is more particularly intended for use in the manufacture of illuminating,
or coal gas, the gas passing through the said apparatus after leaving the condensers,
and before entering the purifiers.
My improved washer consists of a circular drum or casing, standing vertically,
and containing two wooden perforated discs, nearly fitting the interior of the casing,
and arranged to revolve in opposite directions. A series of two, three, four, or
more of these washers is employed, according to the volume of gas to be dealt with,
or the degree of purity required. The washers are arranged in line, one behind
another on a foundation built in ascending steps. Clean water flows into the
highest washer and leaves it by an overflow syphon pipe at about the centre, so that
the casing is always about half full of water, from thence it flows to the next
washer, and so on in succession, emerging from the last, or lowest one of the series,
charged with the tar and ammonia removed from the gas.
The gas flows through the washers in the opposite direction, entering at the
lowest one and leaving at the highest.
The perforated wooden discs aforesaid, carry up the water and by reason of their
revolving in contrary directions in each casing, cause the gas thoroughly to mix
with the water and effectually remove the tar and ammonia. Partitions, may, with
advantage, be placed in the casings to more completely bring the gas in contact
with the wet perforations and surfaces of the discs.
Each disc is mounted on a short horizontal shaft entering the side of the casing,
the inner ends of the said shafts being supported in bearings carried on a central
standard or cross-bar. A pulley is fitted on the outer end of each shaft and a series
of pulleys to correspond is fixed on an overhed shaft, revolution of the discs in
contrary directions being conveniently obtained by means of open and crossed
belts.
The wooden discs and their perforations are preferably left quite rough, in order
more effectually to carry up the water.
-
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S. W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Extracting Tar and Ammonia
from Gas.
I, ALEXANDER ALFRED LISTER, of 35 Burchell Road, Queen's Road, Peckham,
in the County of Surrey, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of
Such
washers, or apparatus for removing the tar and ammonia from gas.

page_text: apparatus is more particularly intended for use in the manufacture of illuminating
or coal gas, the gas passing through the said apparatus after leaving the condensers
and before entering the purifiers.
My improved washer consists of a circular drum or casing standing vertically and
containing two wooden perforated discs nearly filling the interior of the casing and
arranged to revolve in opposite directions. A series of two, three, four, or more of
these washers is employed according to the volume of gas to be dealt with or the
degree of purity required. The washers are arranged in line one behind another
on a foundation built in ascending steps. Clean water flows into the highest
washer, and leaves it by an overflow syphon pipe at about the centre, so that the
casing is always about half full of water, from thence it flows to the next washer,
and so on in succession, emerging from the last or lowest one of the series, charged
with the tar and ammonia removed from the gas.
The gas flows through the washers in the reverse direction, entering at the lowest
one, and leaving at the highest.
The perforated wooden discs aforesaid carry up the water and by reason of their
revolving in contrary directions in each casing cause the gas thoroughly to mix
with the water and effectually remove the tar and ammonia. Partitions may with
advantage be placed in the casings to more completely bring the gas in contact
with the wet perforations and surfaces of the discs.
Each disc is mounted on a short horizontal shaft entering the side of the casing,
the inner ends of the said shafts being supported in bearings carried on a central
standard or cross bar. A pulley is fitted on the outer end of each shaft and a
series of pulleys to correspond is fixed on an overhead shaft, revolution of the discs
in contrary directions being conveniently obtained by means of open and crossed
belts.
The wooden discs and their perforations are preferably left quite rough in order
more effectually to carry up the water.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings.;
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a series of my improved washers, the first one being
shewn in section through A A in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a washer through B.B in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of a washer through C C in Fig. 1.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout. the drawings.
A series of three washers only is shewn in Fig. 1 as being sufficient to illustrate
my invention, but it will be understood that the series may consist of any number
of washers that may be found necessary, or desirable.
Each washer consists of a circular metal drum or casing, formed for convenience
of opening in three or more pieces D D' D² united by bolts through their flanges.
The ends are closed by circular covers D3 D4 bolted on through the flanges, the
bolts are omitted in the drawings.
Any other suitable way of constructing the said casing may however be employed
if preferred.
The casing rests upon supports E E¹ bolted to the foundation F.
H H are two wooden perforated discs nearly fitting the interior of the casing
and each mounted on short horizontal shafts J J'. These shafts pass through and
work in stuffing boxes K K¹ in the covers D³, D, their inner ends being journalled
in bearings carried by the standard L. M is a lubricator communicating with the
said bearings by the pipes 'M' M². Pulleys N N' are fitted on the shafts J, J',
the pulley N being driven by an open belt P, and the pulley N¹ by a crossed
belt P from the shaft Q. By this means the discs H H' are caused to revolve in
opposite directions.
The washers are placed in line one behind another, the foundations F being
arranged in ascending steps to cause the water used for washing the gas to flow
more readily through them. The said water enters the highest washer through the
pipe R, from thence it passes to the next washer through the overflow pipe R', and
to the next by a similar pipe R². It leaves the last washer charged with tar and

page_text: ammonia by a pipe R³ syphoned in a suitable overflow vessel S. The said pipes
are all syphoned to prevent the exit of gas through them and are so arranged that
the level of water in each washer is maintained at a little below the centre,
as shewn.
"
A regulating tap T is provided in each pipe.
The gas passes in the opposite direction to the water, entering the lowest washer
through the pipe V and passing from washer to washer through the connecting
pipes V, V, V³.
The perforated discs H H¹ carry up the water and by reason of their revolving
in contrary directions cause the gas thoroughly to mix with the water and effectually
to remove the tar and ammonia therefrom. I sometimes place a partition W in the
casing to bring the gas more completely in contact with the wet perforations and
surfaces of the discs. Strips X X may also be fixed in the casing against the discs
to hinder the gas from passing over their edges.
The discs H H and their perforations are preferably left rough in order more
effectually to carry up the water. Although described as of wood any other
suitable material may be employed in their construction. In addition to the disc
mounted upon each shaft J J', I may employ a second disc mounted upon a sleeve
surrounding the shaft provided with a pulley so that it can be rotated by a belt
from the shaft Q.
If
If the belt driving the short shaft is an open belt the one driving the sleeve will
be crossed or vice versú so that the discs shall rotate in opposite directions.
desired this system may be extended by adding additional sleeves with pulleys, so
that three or more discs may be placed in each side of the casing, the length of the
said casing being increased in proportion. In all cases the belts are so arranged
that no two adjacent discs revolve in the same direction.
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 what
I claim is
1. A gas washer consisting of a casing with water flowing through in one
direction and gas in the opposite direction, and containing two perforated discs H H¹
partially submerged in the water, and mounted on horizontal shafts J J', so arranged
that they revolve in contrary directions substantially as set forth.
2. In a gas washer, as described in the preceding claim the combination with the
discs H H of similar additional perforated discs mounted on sleeves on the
shafts JJ, and so arranged that each disc rotates in an opposite direction to
the adjacent disc or discs, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of a series of gas washers, constructed as described in either
of the preceding claims, and arranged in ascending steps, water entering at the
highest and emerging at the lowest washer, and the gas entering at the lowest and
emerging at the highest washer, substantially as set forth.
4. A gas washer, or series of gas washers, having perforated discs, as described,
rotated in opposite directions by crossed and open belts from a shaft Q, substantially
as set forth.
5. In a gas washer, as described, partitions W, and curved strips X X, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Santember 1891
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.