Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Carburetted Water Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Carburetted
Water Gas.
We, THE ECONOMICAL GAS APPARATUS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
LIMITED, of Suffolk House, Cannon Street in the City of London, Carburetted
Water Gas Engineers and LEONARD LANCASTER MERRIFIELD, of Franklin,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for the manufacture of carburetted
water gas and its chief objects are to effect a more complete decomposition of the
steam, to reduce the percentage of carbonic acid in the gas produced, to reduce the
amount of oil required for a given quantity of gas for a given candle power, to
obtain a greater production of gas with a given size of plant, to make the clinkering
of the fires more convenient, to more perfectly disintegrate the clinkers and make
them easier to remove, to lengthen the period available for cleaning out the
generator, to lessen the consumption of coal or coke, and to effect the reversal of
the steam alternately through two generators.
For the purpose of our invention we employ two generators and one superheater
and fixing chamber. The two generators are both connected at the upper part to
the superheater by a conduit common to both, and they are both connected at the
lower part to the superheater by separate or independent conduits. All the
conduits are preferably lined with refractory material and each of them is fitted
with a valve. The superheating and fixing chamber are filled with refractory
material preferably superposed on a beehive arch so as to obtain equal distribution
of heat to the absorbing bricks.
The generators have air blast inlets under the grate bars and there are air
blast inlets to the superheater, the air mains being fitted with dead weight..
safety valves. There are also steam inlets to the generators at the upper and
lower parts. The fixing chamber is provided with a gas outlet leading to the
washer &c. and having a dead weight valve, and there is also a smoke stack.
The fuel in the generators rests on the grates which are supported by the walls
of the generators and the bottoms of the generators are cone shaped and have
openings fitted with self-sealing dead weight valves. The accumulated clinker and
ash can thus be readily removed by, merely opening these valves so as to allow the
clinker and ash to fall through into a pit or trolley.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
Assuming that the fires have been kindled in both generators and the valve to
the gas outlet of the fixing chamber is open, fuel (bituminous coal, anthracite, coke
or charcoal) is introduced through hoppers into the generators up to within from
about 9 to 18 inches of the upper conduit. Air is then admitted under the grate
bars; the fuel is thus raised to incandescence and the air is converted into carbon
monoxide. The gas which forms flows through the upper conduit to the lower part
of the superheater, to which more air is supplied; the combustion gases are thus
partially inflamed. The flame and unburnt gas pass up through the checker.
brickwork of the superheater, where more air is admitted. This completes the
combustion of the inflammable gases. The flame passes on through the upper
checker brickwork, which is brought to a state of incandescence, and the products

page_text: of complete combustion finally escape to the smoke stack at the top of the super-
heater and fixing chamber.
When the fuel in the generators and the brickwork in the superheater and fixing
chamber have been heated to the requisite temperature the production of
carburetted water gas can be commenced. The air inlets should now be closed
and steam admitted to one or both of the generators and oil to the superheater and
fixing chamber. The conduit between the lower part of one of the generators
(which we will call generator No. 1) and the superheater should be closed, the
conduit between generator No. 2 and the heater should be open, and the conduit
between the top of the generators and the superheater and fixing chamber should
be closed. Fuel is now supplied to the generators from the top so as to fall on the
hot coke, and steam is admitted to the bottom of generator No. 1. The steam
flows up, into and through the incandescent fuel and is converted into water gas
carrying with it some water vapor and carbonic acid. When it reaches the top of
the layer of coal it carries forward the gas distilled from the soft coal through the
conduit between the upper part of the two generators into the space above the fuel
in generator No. 2. Here the gases mix with the gas and vapor from the soft coal
previously introduced into generator No. 2. The coal gas and vapor, along with
the water gas, flow down through the fuel in this generator. The water vapor and
the carbonic acid resulting from incomplete decomposition in generator No. 1 are
converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and the vapor from the coal gas is
converted into permanent gas in descending through the incandescent fuel. The
final gases flow from the lower part of generator No. 2 through the conduit leading
therefrom to the lower part of the superheater and fixing chamber. Here the
gases become fixed and highly superheated; they are then mixed with hydrocarbon
oil which is sprayed or injected into them; the oil instantly vaporizes and its vapor
is taken up and mixed with the hot water. gas and becomes fixed, and the mixed
permanent carburetted water gas escapes by the outlet at the top of the fixing
chamber to pass to the washer and other complementary apparatus.
The stack valve at the top of the fixing chamber should be closed as soon as the
carbonic acid in the superheater and fixing chamber has been displaced.
From time to time the order of action of the two generators should be reversed,
so that No. 2 alternately becomes the first generator, the gases therefrom passing
to the top of No. 1, then down through No. 1 and thence to the lower part of the
superheater.
If preferred, the steam can be admitted to the bottom of both generators at
once, so that the two become practically one generator from which the gases will
pass by the upper conduit to a valve-fitted conduit leading to the lower part of the
superheater. Or steam can be admitted to the top of both generators at once, the
gases therefrom passing through the lower conduits direct to the superheater.
Dated this 27th day of May 1896.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Carburetted
Water Gas.
We, THE ECONOMICAL GAS APPARATUS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
LIMITED of Suffolk House, Cannon Street in the City of London, Carburetted
Water Gas Engineers and LEONARD LANCASTER MERRIFIELD of Franklin,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the 5

page_text: nature of the said 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 has reference to apparatus for the manufacture of carburetted
water gas, and its chief objects are to effect a more complete decomposition of the
steam, to reduce the percentage of carbonic acid in the gas produced, to reduce the
amount of oil required for a given quantity of gas for a given candle power, to
obtain a greater production of gas with a given size of plant, to make the clinkering
of the fires more convenient, to more perfectly disintegrate the clinkers and make
them easier to remove, to lengthen the period available for cleaning out the
generator, to lessen the consumption of coal or coke and to effect the reversal of
the steam alternately through two generators.
For the purpose of our invention we employ two generators and one superheater
and fixing chamber. The two generators are both connected at the upper part to
the superheater by a conduit common to both, and they are both connected at the
lower part to the superheater by separate or independent conduits. All the
conduits are preferably lined with refractory material and each of them is fitted
with a valve. The superheater and fixing chamber are filled with refractory
material preferably superposed on a beehive arch so as to obtain equal distribution
of heat to the absorbing bricks.
The generators have air blast inlets under the grate bars, and there are air blast
inlets to the superheater, the air mains being fitted with dead-weight safety valves.
There are also steam inlets to the generators at the upper and lower parts. The
fixing chamber is provided with a gas outlet leading to the washer &c, and having
a dead weight valve, and there is alsó a smoke stack.
The fuel in the generators rests on the grates which are supported by the walls
of the generators, and the bottoms of the generators are coue-shaped and have
openings fitted with self-sealing deadweight valves. The accumulated clinker and
ash can thus be readily removed by merely opening these valves so as to allow the
clinker and ash to fall through into a pit or trolley.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan and
Figure 3 a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, illustrating a carburetted water
gas apparatus constructed according to our present invention.
In these drawings A¹ and A2 represent the two generators and B and B the
single superheater and corresponding fixing chamber above it. C is a conduit
common to both the generators and connecting them at their upper part to the
superheater B. D and D2 are conduits which respectively connect the two
generators at their lower parts separately or independently to the superheater.
As bas been already stated all the conduits are preferably lined with refractory
material and each of them is fitted with a valve. E is the valve of the upper
conduit C and F1 F2 are the valves of the lower conduits D' D' respectively.
These valves may be of the construction usually adopted in carburetted water gas
apparatus and be operated in the usual manner. The superheater and fixing
chamber B B are filled as already stated with refractory material preferably
superposed on a beehive arch in the well-known manner so as to obtain equal
distribution of heat to the absorbing bricks.
GG represent the grate bars of the generators. H H are air blast inlets under
the bars. J J are air blast inlets to the superheater and fixing chamber. The
air mains are fitted with dead weight safety valves (not shown in the drawings).
K K' are steam inlets to the generators at the upper and lower parts respectively.
L is the gas outlet to the fixing chamber leading to the washer and having a dead
weight safety valve (not shown). A smoke stack (not shown) of ordinary
construction is also provided. M M are the cone-shaped lower parts of the
generators; they have as has already been stated openings fitted with self-sealing
dead weight valves (not shown). N N are the fire doors and P P the stoke holes.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
Assuming that the fires have been kindled in both generators A' A² and the

page_text: valve to the gas outlet L of the fixing chamber B is open, fuel (bituminous coal,
anthracite, coke or charcoal) is introduced through hoppers into the generators up
to within from about 9 to 18 inches of the upper conduit C. Air is then admitted by
the inlets H H under the grate bars G G; the fuel is thus raised to incandescence
and the air is converted into carbon monoxide. The gas which forms flows through
the upper conduit C to the lower part of the superheater B, to which more air is
supplied by the inlet J; the combustion gases are thus partially inflamed. The
flame and unburnt gas pass up through the checker brickwork of the
superheater where tnore air is admitted by the inlet J'. This completes the
combustion of the inflammable gases. The flame passes on through the upper
checker brick work, which is brought to a state of incandescence, and the products
of complete combustion finally esenpe to the smoke stack at the top of the
superheater and fixing chamber.
'When the fuel in the generators and the brickwork in the superheater and fixing
chamber have been heated to the requisite temperature the production of
carburetted water gas can be commenced. The air inlets J J and H H should
now be closed and steam admitted at K to one of the generators (say the
generator A') and oil to the superheater and fixing chamber in the usual manner.
The conduit between the lower part of one of the generators (say the conduit D
appertaining to the generator A) and the superheater should be closed, the
conduit D between the generator A and the superheater should be open, and the
conduit C between the top of the generators and the superheater and fixing
chamber should be closed, the opening and closing being effected by operating the
valves E, F F2. Coal is now supplied to the generators from the top so as to fall
on the hot coke, and steam is admitted to the bottom of generator A¹ by the
inlet K. The steam flows up, into and through the incandescent fuel and is
converted into water gas carrying with it some water vapor and carbonic acid.
When it reaches the top of the layer of coal it carries forward the gas distilled
from the soft coal through the conduit Cinto the space above the fuel in
generator A. Here the gases mix with the gas and vapor from the soft coal
previously introduced in to the generator A. The coal gas and vapor along with
the water gas flow down through the fuel in this generator. The water vapor and
the carbonic acid resulting from incomplete decomposition in generator 'A' is
converted into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and the vapors from the coal gas
are converted into permanent gas in descending through the incandescent fuel.
The final gases flow from the lower part of generator A through the conduit D'
leading therefrom to the lower part of the superheater and fixing chamber. Here
the gases become fixed and highly superheated; they are then mixed with hydro-
carbon oil which is sprayed or injected into them; the oil instantly vaporizes, and
its vapor is taken up and mixed with the hot water gas and becomes fixed during
its passage through the fixing chamber, and the mixed permanent carburetted
water gas escapes by the outlet L at the top of the fixing chamber to pass to the
washer and other complementary apparatus. If authracite coal or coke is used,
and not soft coal as above described there will be no gases due to distillation to be
carried forward.
The stack valve at the top of the fixing chamber should be closed as soon as the
carbonic acid in the superheater and fixing chamber has been displaced.
From time to time the order of action of the two generators should be reversed,
so that A' alternately becomes the first generator, the gases therefrom passing to
the top of A', then down through A and thence by conduit D' to the lower part
of the superheater.
If preferred, the steam can be admitted to the bottom of both generators at once
by the inlets K so that the two become practically one generator, from which the
gases will pass by the upper conduit C to the valve-fitted conduit leading to the
lower part of the superheater. Or steam can be admitted to the top of both
generators at once by the inlets K, the gases therefrom passing through the lower
conduits D D direct to the superheater.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In apparatus for the manufacture of carburetted water gas, the combination
of two generators and one superheater and fixing chamber connected with the said
generators substantially as herein before described, so that the gases and vapors
from the top of either generator can be conducted to the top of the other generator,
and after passing down through the fuel therein, are conducted to the superheater,
the order of action of the generators being capable of being reversed, as
set forth.
2. The combination or arrangement of parts operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and constituting improved
apparatus for the manufacture of carburetted water gas.
Dated this 24th dovr of Falvu 1807
J. C. MEW BURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.