IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GASES AND FUMES
Year: 1872

page_text: •
LETTERS PATENT to Brereton Todd, of No. 8, Victoria Square,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF GASES AND FUMES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Brereton Todd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
5th July 1872.
I, BRERETON TODD, of No. 8, Victoria Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TREATMENT OF GASES AND FUMES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the treatment of
gases and fumes.
1st. The improvement consists in the treatment of the gases of com-
bustion generated during the burning of hydrogen gas, carbonic oxide
gas, coal gas, coal, coke, charcoal, or any carbonaceous substance, or
hydrocarbons in any state.

page_text: The object of the Invention is, after. the heat generated by the com-
bustion has been employed or utilized, to convert the above gases of
combustion into inflammable gases for reburning. This I accomplish
by passing the gaseous products of combustion through coal, coke,
charcoal, or other carbonaceous substance heated by the waste heat from
the combustion of the fuel which escapes with the products of com-
bustion from the furnace in which the heat is employed, and when the
waste heat is not enough for the absorption and transformation of the
gases I increase it by the heat developed from the combustion of some
of the carbon through which the gases pass, by allowing a certain
quantity of air to enter. The carbonic acid gas in the gases is converted
into carbonic oxide gas, forming inflammable gases for burning again.
2nd. The improvement in the treatment of the gases arising from the
manufacture of coke from coal, which have hitherto been wasted,
consists in treating them in the same way as that described above for
the treatment of the gaseous products of combustion, by which process
the
gases are obtained in an inflammable state for burning,
3rd. The improvement consists in the treatment of the acids and
fumes arising from the calcining or roasting of sulphides and sulphates,
and consists in the deoxidation of the said acids and fumes by passing
them through coal, coke, charcoal, or other carbonaceous matter, heated
by the waste heat from the furnace, assisted when required by the
combustion of a certain quantity of the carbonaceous matter through
which they pass, the deoxidized fumes are then to be conveyed through
flues, chambers, or condensers, in order to condense the sulphur contained
in them. The gases of combustion, after the sulphur is condensed, will
be fit for reburning.
4th. The improvement in treating the fumes arising from the smelting
of the sulphides, sulphates, or arsenides, in a blast furnace, consists,
instead of allowing air to enter at the charging or other places as is
usual, and thus causing the formation of oxides, acids, sulphates, and
so on, I prevent any air entering by charging through a hopper or other
1
0

page_text: 5th. The improvement consists in the treatment of the fumes arising
from the reducing or smelting of oxides, by the deoxidation of such oxides
contained in them as are reduced to metal at the temperature obtained
by the process, which I accomplish by passing them through a carbon-
aceous substance, as above described, for the fumes arising from the
calcining or roasting of sulphides or sulphates, by which process I obtain
the carbon consumed in their reduction in the state of carbonic oxide.
mixed with the transformed gases of combustion for reburning.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Brereton Todd in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRERETON
TODD, of No. 8, Victoria Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Brereton Todd, Her special license that I, the
said Brereton Todd, my executors," administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Brereton Todd, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GASES
AND FOMES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Brereton Todd, 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 YẸ, that I, the said Brereton Todd, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the treatment of
gas and fumes.
The improvements relate to the treatment of the gases of combustion
generated during the burning of coal, coke, charcoal, or any carbon-
aceous substance, or hydrocarbon in any state, or carbonic oxide and
hydrogen gases, or coal gas.
The object of the Invention is, after the heat generated by the com-
bustion has been employed or utilized to convert the gaseous products
of combustion whilst still highly heated into inflammable gases for
reburning. This I accomplish by passing the gaseous products of com-
bustion through coal, coke, charcoal, or other carbonaceous substance,
heated by the waste heat from the combustion of the fuel which escapes
with the products of combustion from the furnace in which the heat is
employed, and when the waste heat is not enough for the absorption and
transformation of the gases I increase it by the heat developed from the
combustion of some of the carbon through which the gases pass, by
allowing a certain quantity of air to enter.
The carbonic acid in the gases is converted into carbonic oxide,
forming an inflammable gas ready for burning again. I prefer to
conduct the process in the following manner:-I cause the gases and
fumes to pass through what I call a transformer, which may be described
as follows:- -It is a space or chamber containing carbonaceous matter
placed close over or by the side or end of a furnace, or oven; its size,
form, and height, may vary according to the quantity of gases and fumes
to be transformed, and the nature of the furnace or oven to which it is
attached.
When a reverberatory furnace is employed I prefer having it the
length of the inside end of such furnace, one foot to one foot six inches
wide, and about 6 feet high, with sufficient openings left in the bottom
where it joins the furnace to allow the gases and fumes to pass through.
From the top or upper part of the sides it is connected with a flue,
which leads away the transformed gases to to gas furnace to where they
are required for burning. A few openings should also be left as near
the bottom of the transformer as possible for stirring, taking out clinkers,

page_text: and admitting air where a certain amount of combustion is required to
be kept up in the transformer, but from the upper part of the trans-
former air is carefully excluded. When not in use the openings near
the bottom of the transformer may be closed with a door or by other
means. Enough carbonaceous matter is put into the transformer to
ensure that when the apparatus is at work there shall be about thirty
inches of red hot fuel for the gases to pass through; the quantity required
will vary to some extent according to the size of the pieces, its solidity,
and also according to the power of the draught passing through the
transformer.
The transformer may be made with any material that will stand the
heat and allow of its being made air-tight above the fuel. No air, or as
little as possible, must be allowed to mix with the transformed gases,
therefore the fuel required from time to time to replace that consumed
in it should be introduced through one or more hoppers, placed either
on the top or sides of the transformer.
When the furnace to which the transformer is attached is heated
with coal, coke, or charcoal, on first lighting the fire, I do not pass
products of combustion through the transformer, but through a separate
heating-up flue, and this I continue until the furnace is red hot. I
then close this flue with a damper and cause the gases to pass through
the transformer. When inflammable gases are used for heating the
furnace I pass the gases arising from the combustion through the
transformer at once.
When the fuel in the transformer becomes red hot, the gases passing
through it will be transformed and in a state for reburning. The carbon
absorbed in the transformer during the transformation of the carbonio
acid in the gases produces double the quantity of carbonic oxide to
what it would if burnt directly into carbonic oxide.
Any carbonic acid arising from the combustion of carbon promoted by
admitting air into the bottom of the transformer will be converted in
passing through it into carbonic oxide.
The products of combustion from a boiler or retort furnace I pass
through a converter in a similar manner, and so prepare them to be
used as gaseous fuel. I proportion the size of the transformer to that
of the furnace from which it receives the products of combustion, so that
the velocity of the gases in their passage through the transformer may

page_text: be, if possibly, somewhat less than it is in the flue leading away from
the transformer.
When coal is used for heating the furnace a certain portion of the
gases of combustion consists of vapour of water from the air and that
formed by the hydrogen in the coal.
When coke is used for heating the furnace they will contain the
vapour of water from the air and the water which was contained in the
coke. In passing the gases through the transformer this vapour is
decomposed into hydrogen and carbonic oxide. The carbonic acid is
converted into double its volume of carbonic oxide, and the gases are
enriched by the hydrogen driven off from the coal consumed in the
transformer when coal is used in it.
The gas furnace in which the transformed gases are burnt as fuel is
placed at any convenient distance from the transformer, and so that the
workmen may have free access to it on all sides.
The improvements also relate to the treatment of the gases arising
from the manufacture of coke from coal, which have hitherto been
wasted, and consists in treating them in the same way as that described
above for the treatment of the gaseous products of combustion, by
which process the gases are obtained in an inflammable state for a
burning.
When the transformer is attached to coke ovens I prefer having them
so placed that in a set of four an opening in the corner of each shall
meet in the centre of the block, over which I place the transformer so
that the gases from all may pass through it, and the charging of the 2
ovens is so arranged that two or three of them may be at a red heat
during the drawing of one charge and putting in of another. A large
quantity of inflammable gases are driven off from coke ovens with the
products of combustion; by transforming the latter we obtain all in an
inflammable state.
In all cases where the fuel used in the transformer is too compact to
allow of sufficient draught through it, I create sufficient by drawing
away the gases from the ends of the flues or condensers by the use of an
exhauster, by which means the inflammable gases may be forced in any
direction for burning.
The improvements also relate to the treatment of the acids and fumes
arising from the calcining or smelting of sulphides and sulphates, and
3

page_text: consists in the deoxidation of the said acids and fumes by passing them
through coal, coke, charcoal, or other carbonaceous matter heated by
the waste heat from the furnace, assisted, when required, by the com-
bustion of a certain quantity of the carbonaceous matter through which
they pass. The deoxidized fumes are then to be conveyed through flue
chambers or condensers in order to condense the sulphur and any sul-
phides contained in them. The transformed gases of combustion,-after
the sulphur and any sulphides are condensed, will be fit for re-burning.
In conducting this process I pass the gases and fumes generated in the
furnace through the transformer, and then convey the transformed gases
and sulphur and other vapour through large flues or condensing
chambers until the latter is condenser, when the inflammable gases will
be fit for burning; or I pass them through a condenser packed with
brick, coke, or some such material, with water falling down it to wash
out the sulphur and any sulphides that may be present, and allow the
water to run into a receptacle for the sulphur and other condensed
matter to settle, when the water may be used again.
Sulphur and arsenic (when it is present) is contained in the gases of
combustion, as sulphurous or sulphuric acid and arsenious acid, and when
deoxodised obtained as sulphur or the sulphide of arsenic.
The improvements also relate to the treatment of the fumes arising
form the smelting of the sulphides, sulphates, or arsenides in a blast
furnace. Instead of allowing air to enter at the charging or other places
as is usual, and thus causing the formation of oxides, acids, sulphates,
and so on, I prevent any air entering by charging through a hopper or
other equivalent means, and thus prevent the oxidation of the fumes, and
obtain an atmosphere of carbonic oxide and nitrogen in the flues, con-
densing chambers, or condensers through which I pass the fumes in
order to condense the sulphur and arsenic, after which the gases will be
fit for burning.
When a door is used for charging it is not possible to maintain an
atmosphere of carbonic oxide and nitrogen in the flues, chambers, or
condensers, for as soon as the door is opened the carbonic oxide and
nitrogen are driven out of the condensers and lost, being replaced by air
which oxidizes a portion of the fumes.
The improvements also relate to the treatment of the fumes arising
from the reducing or smelting of oxides, such as those of lead, tin,

page_text: antimony, copper, or zinc by the deoxidation of such oxides contained in
them as are reduced to metal at the temperature obtained by the process,
which I accomplish by passing them through a carbonaceous substance,
as above described, for the fumes arising from the calcining or smelting
of sulphides or sulphates, by which process I obtain the carbon con- 5
sumed in their reduction in the state of carbonic oxide mixed with the
transformed gases of combustion for reburning.
When a furnace to which a transformer is attached is used for reducing
or smelting oxides, the transformed products of combustion will be
enriched by the carbonic oxide formed with the oxygen given off during 1
the process of reducing or smelting the oxides. Any oxides in the fumes
reducible at a red heat will be deoxidized, and those not so reducible
will be retained among the fuel in the transformer, and found in the
ashes.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the 1
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I am
aware that it is not new to generate carbonic acid gas by the combustion
of fuel, and then by passing such gas through a further quantity of
highly heated fuel to convert it into carbonic oxide gas, I do not therefore
claim the same; but what I do claim is,-
2
1st. The application of the products of combustion of fuel, first to heat
a furnace in which metals, ores, or other materials in process of manu-
facture may be treated and worked as the nature of the manufacture
may require, or in which a boiler or retorts are set, then causing such
products of combustion to pass through and heat a" transformer," and 2
afterwards collecting the transformed gases, taking care to avoid admix-
ture of air, and conveying them away by flues to a gas furnace placed at
a convenient distance from the transformer, and there burning them as
the fuel of such furnace.
2nd. The treatment of the products of combustion and gases from a
coke oven by passing them, whilst still highly heated, through a trans-
former" in such manner that the products of combustion escaping from
the coke oven may be converted (in part) into carbonic oxide and
hydrogen, which, with the other gases, are suitable for use as the fuel of
a gas furnace.
3rd. The treatment of furnace fumes containing sulphurous acid,
sulphuric acid, or arsenious acid mixed with products of combustion by
3

page_text: passing them, whilst still highly heated, through a "transformer" which
they heat, then passing the transformed gases and vapours through a
condensing apparatus in which sulphur and arsenic are condensed (either
alone, or in combination) and recovered for use, whilst the gases leave
the condensers in a state suitable for use as the fuel of a gas furnace.
4th. The treatment of the gases and fumes from a blast furnace in
which sulphides or arsenides are smelted, and which is so charged as to
prevent air entering at the charging openings, by passing such gases and
fumes through a condensing apparatus in which sulphur and arsenic are
condensed in an atmosphere of carbonic oxide and nitrogen, and recovered
for use whilst the gases leave the condenser in a state suitable for use as
the fuel of a gas furnace, or for other purposes.
5th. The treatment of the gases and fumes from a furnace in which
metallic oxides are reduced or smelted by passing such fumes through a
transformer and then through condensing flues or chambers, by which
any metallic vapour passing off with the products of combustion is
reduced, condensed, and retained whilst the gases leaving the condenser
are in a state suitable for use as the fuel of a gas furnace.
In witness whereof, I, the said Brereton Todd, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
BRERETON TODD (7.01