Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Gas and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct,, 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Gas and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, MARCELLUS A. MORSE, of 162 East Washington Street in the City of Chicago,
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer,
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 a dry, well-decomposed, but rich
producer gas suitable for use as fuel or for motive power. The object of the inven-
tion is to provide for converting the tarry vapors generated from bituminous coal or
slack into fixed gas by conducting them through a suitable body or bed of incandescent
or highly heated fuel. In carrying out my invention I reduce to coke one or more
bodies of bituminous coal or slack of such coal, at the same time distilling the
hydro-carbon vapors and gas therefrom at a low temperature and by a smothered
combustion, and then discharge the coke thus produced into the fuel chambers below
where it is maintained at a high temperature, utilizing such hot coke for superheating
and fixing the producer gas and combined tarry vapors passing off from the fresher
bodies of coal or slack in the chambers above. I also mingle a hydro-carbon vapor
or liquid, preferably crude petroleum, with the hot producer gas and vapors distilled
from the fresh bodies of coal and pass the resulting carbureted mixture through
bodies of highly heated coke for converting all into a fixed gas. In this way I
generate a producer gas of high calorific value, which is practically dry and free
from condensable matter, so that it may be distributed through mains and stored in
a holder without any danger of condensation. The particular matter constituting
my invention will be defined in the claims.
My improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which
represents a vertical section of a pair of cupola generating furnaces and suitable
connecting pipes. I preferably use a pair of double or two-chambered cupolas
having suitable connecting pipes so that gas may be passed from both of the upper
coking and distilling chambers down through either of the lower fixing chambers.
The furnaces 1 and 2, are built of brick, having a lining of fire brick and covered
with tight iron jackets in the usual manner. They are divided by arches and m, at
about half their height into chambers A, A', and B, B'. The coking and distilling
chambers A and B are provided with fuel openings & and t, having tightly closing
lids a and b. The fixing chambers A and B have formed in their arches and m,
passages or fuel openings stand t¹, closed by tightly fitting lids a¹ and 6. Chambers A
and A' are provided with ash-pits U and UI and grate bars and a¹. Such ash-
pits are provided with doors and ¹. Chambers B and B are provided with
ash-pits W and W', having grates to and w¹, and doors y, y¹. The coking and
distilling chambers A and B are provided at points from one quarter to one third of
their height above the grates with openings N and O, closed by suitable caps for the
insertion of false or extra grate bars for supporting the upper portions of the bodies
of fuel while the lower coked or partly coked portions are dropped down. Recesses n
and o are formed in the walls opposite openings N and O for receiving and supporting
the inner ends of the false grate bars. Air inlet pipes C and (, having valves c
and c', connect with the ash-pits U and U' of cupola No. 1, and air inlet pipes D
and D', having valves d and di, connect with the ash-pits W, WI, "of cupola No. 2. A
main steam supply pipe E, having valve e is provided with branches E¹, and E",
leading by suitable connections into both cupola generators. A branch steam supply
pipe F, having valve, leads into air pipe Cand branch pipe F¹, having a valve",
I D

page_text: leads into the air pipe C¹. Branch steam pipe G, having valve g, leads into air
pipe D, and branch steam pipe G¹, having valve g¹, leads into air pipe D¹. The steam
supply pipes preferably terminate in the air pipes with inwardly extending injector
nozzles so as to act as injectors for forcing air into the fuel chambers or ash-pits.
These injectors, however, may be omitted and exhausters connected with the gas
take-off pipes so as to draw air into the bodies of fuel as the gas is drawn off. In such
case, however, steam supply pipes should still be connected with the fuel chambers.
The coking and distilling chambers A and B, are provided at the top with gas take-
off pipes H and H', connecting with the large downwardly extending pipe K; and
the fixing chambers A and B are provided with gas take-off pipes I and I, also
connecting with the large pipe K, so that a free communication is provided between
all the chambers of cupolas Nos. 1 and 2. An oil supply pipe P, having a valve p,
connects at any suitable point with pipe K, for spraying oil into the hot gas passing
from the coking and distilling chambers A and B into one of the lower fixing
chambers A or B₁. The oil may be supplied from an elevated reservoir or may be
forced by a pump into pipe K. Oil vapors from a still or other generator may also
be supplied to pipe K, and mingled with the bot producer gas. The oil might also
discharged directly upon the tops of the bodies of fuel in the coking and distilling
chambers A and B, and the vapors passed off with the gaseous products from such
chambers. The gas take-off pipes Land M lead respectively from ash-pits U and WI
to the holder, or to the place of immediate use, such as metallurgic or steam boiler
furnaces. A device consisting of a lever mounted on a wheel may be used for
elevating the lids a and b and removing them from the ash-pits U and W, when
hot coke is to be discharged into chambers A¹ and B¹.
The operation of the apparatus for generating producer gas is as follows:-
After
Fires are first kindled in the fixing chambers A and B and supplied with coke or
other suitable fuel, till deep bodies of incandescent fuel are formed, the lids a¹ and b
and the ash-pit doors and y being open. Fires are also kindled in the coking and
distilling chambers A and B, and they are at first fed with coke which is allowed to
burn by natural draft until it is well ignited, the lids a and b being left open.
the bodies of fuel are well ignited and heated to incandescence, the coking and
distilling chambers A and B are well charged with a low grade of bituminous coal
or slack such as generally used in gas producers, and the lids and ash-pit doors of
all chambers are closed. The air inlet pipes C, D, D are now opened and the steam
injectors started into operation while the valve of air pipe C₁ and that of steam
pipe F are closed, and the valve of gas take-off pipe L is opened. The currents of
air and steam are now passed up through the bodies of fuel in chambers A, B, and B',
resulting in the generation of producer gas, and also coking and distilling the coal
in chambers A and B. The producer gas containing oily and tarry vapors passes
from chambers A and B into pipe K, and thence into the top of fixing chamber A¹
and down through the body of incandescent or highly heated coke contained therein,
whereby the hydro-carbon vapors and any free steam are converted into fixed
producer gas and water gas, and whereby any carbonic acid in the producer gas is
changed to carbonic oxide. The resulting fixed or dry producer gas passes off
through pipe L to the holder or any furnace for immediate use.
After running in
this manner for from five to ten minutes, the air and steam are shut off from
chamber B, the valve of the gas take-off pipe M is opened, and the valve of gas
take-off pipe L is closed; valves and care opened so as to inject steam and air
into the fuel in chamber A' where combustion takes place, the resulting products
of which pass out through pipe I and mingle with the gases and vapors from the
coking and distilling chambers A and B; these mixed gases and vapors then pass
down through the body of incandescent or highly heated fuel in chamber B¹, where
they are converted into fixed gas which is conducted off from the base of ash-pit by
pipe M. At the end of from five to ten minutes the valves are again reversed and
the gases and vapors are passed through the body of fuel in chamber A', where they
fixed and conducted off as before explained.
are

page_text: The distilling and coking chambers A, B, are maintained at a comparatively low
temperature; and the coal therein is coked and distilled by a smothered or low
combustion, by admitting a limited and controlled amount of air. It is important
to conduct the coking and distilling operation at a low temperature so as to prevent
the bituminous coal or slack from melting and running together into coherent cakes
or crusts, which greatly interfere with the operation and practically prevent the
formation of coke which can be fed down and discharged into the fixing chambers
below.
The fixing chambers A' and B' on the contrary are heated to a comparatively high
temperature in order to properly fix the vapors and gases from the coking and
distilling chambers. By feeding the hot coke from the coking and distilling chambers
to the fixing chambers I not only utilize the heat of such coke but am able to blast
it with air and beat it to a high temperature without caking or crusting as would be
the case with bituminous coal.
By my process I am able to use cheap bituminous coal and convert it all into fixed
commercial gas by first coking and distilling the coal with a smothered combustion
at a low temperature and then converting the oily and tarry vapors and other products
into fixed gas by passage through the coke first produced and heated to a high
temperature in a separate chamber.
After making gas for about two hours the operation is suspended and the false
grate bars are inserted through opening N in chamber A, so as to support the body
of fuel above; ash-pit door X is opened and, after removing the ashes, the lid a' is
removed and grate U is let down so as to dump the superincumbent coke below the
false grate bars into ash-pit U, and into chamber A¹. All the coke dumped into ash-
pit U is discharged into chamber A². Then the lid a' is replaced, grate U secured
in position, ash-pit door X is closed and the false bars are withdrawn through opening N,
permitting the fuel above to descend upon the grate U. Fresh fuel, such as low
grade bituminous or slack coal is now fed into chamber A, and it is closed and the
generation of gas is continued as above explained. At the end of about two hours
more or other suitable period when the coal is suitably coked in chamber B, and when
chamber B needs to be replenished with fuel, false grate bars are inserted through
opening O, door Y is opened, the ashes are removed and lid is lifted, and the
coked coal below the false grate bars is allowed to drop into the ash-pit W, from
which it is fed into chamber B. Fresh bituminous coal or slack is fed into chamber B;
then the doors, lids, and grate bars are adjusted as before explained, and the operation
of generating gas is resumed. Chambers A and B may be supplied with fresh fuel
at any time without suspending the operation of making gas. At the time the
manufacture of gas is suspended ashes and clinkers may be removed from the bases
of chambers A and B, and their ash-pits cleaned.
During the operation of generating producer gas, a hydro-carbon liquid, such as
crude petroleum, may be admitted by pipe P or Pinto large gas pipe K and
mingled with the hot producer gas and passed with such gas down through one of
the bodies of incandescent fuel in chamber A or B and be thus converted into fixed
gas, adding a large percentage of carbureted hydrogen to the producer gas, thus
greatly increasing its calorific value. This gas is well suited for heating purposes in
metallurgic or glass furnaces, in pottery kilns, also for domestic heating and cooking
and for running gas engines, etc.
An exhauster may be connected with the gas take-off pipes leading from the
ash-pits of chambers A' and B' and air be thereby drawn into the chambers of the
cupolas and the gas drawn off therefrom. In case exhausters are used instead of steam
injectors for supplying the chambers with air, steam supply pipes are connected with
the fuel chamber so as to admit a small proportion of steam with air for making some
water gas.
The air may also be supplied to the ash-pits or other portions of the generating or
fuel chambers by suitable blowers in the well known manner.

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 manufacturing gas, which consists in charging bituminous
coal or slack upon a body of heated fuel, causing smothered combustion and
distillation thereof, by admitting a limited supply of air, or air and steam and
converting it into coke, at suitable intervals discharging the hot coke into a fixing
chamber and highly heating it, and passing the gascous vapors produced in the
coking chamber through the body of highly heated coke in the fixing chamber for
converting them into dry fixed gas.
2. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in charging bituminous coal
or slack upon a body of heated fuel, causing smothered combustion and distillation
thereof by admitting a limited supply of air, or air and steam, and converting it
into coke, at suitable intervals discharging the hot coke into a fixing chamber and
highly heating it, enriching or carburetting the gaseous vapours produced in the
coking chamber with hydro-carbon oil or vapor, and passing the mixture through the
body of highly heated coke in the fixing chamber for converting it into dry fixed
gas.
3. A cupola generator divided into upper and lower fuel chambers, each having
air and steam supply pipes, the dividing partition being provided with an opening
and tight fitting lid in combination with the gas conducting pipe leading from the
gas take-off
top of the upper chamber into the top of the lower chamber, and the
pipe leading from the lower chamber for the purpose described.
4. A gas generating cupola divided by partition L, having a passage and tight
closing lid into upper and lower fuel chambers A, A, each provided with an ash-pit
and grate, and each having an air and steam supply pipo connecting with its ash-pit,
and chamber A having openings above its grate for the insertion of false bars in
combination with gas conducting pipe leading from chamber A to chamber A', and
the gas take-off pipe leading from chamber A', as and for the purpose described.
5. Two cupola gas generators divided by horizontal partitions, the arches having
openings and lids, into upper and lower fuel chambers in combination with gas
connecting pipes leading from the top of each of the upper chambers, and each pipe
connecting to a flue which leads into each of the lower chambers, and means for
supplying all of the chambers with air and steam, whereby producer gas and vapors
generated in two of the upper chambers and either of the lower chambers may be
passed through the body of fuel in the other of the lower chambers for producing a
fixed gas:
6. Two cupola gas generators divided into upper and lower fuel chambers as
described in combination with gas conducting pipes leading from the tops of the
four chambers and connecting with a vertical pipe having connected with it an oil
supply pipe, a gas take-off pipe leading from each of the lower fuel chambers, and
supply pipes for air or steam connecting with the chambers, as and for the purpose
described.
1
1609
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.