IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CONDENSIBLE MATTERS FROM BLAST-FURNACE AND OTHER COMBUSTIBLE GASES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Alexander and Andrew Kirkwood McCosh, of
Cartsherrie Iron Works, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CONDENSIBLE
MATTERS FROM BLAST-FURNACE AND OTHER COMBUSTIBLE GASES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Alexander and
Andrew Kirkwood McCosh at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 8th April 1880.
JOHN ALEXANDER and ANDREW KIRKWOOD M°Сosп, of Cartsherrio Iron Works,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
SEPARATING CONDENSIBLE MATTERS FROM BLAST-FURNACE AND OTHER COMBUSTIBLE
GASES."
This Invention has for its object the construction of improved apparatus to be
used in carrying out the process for utilising. blast-furnace gases described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present applicants, and dated
11 October 1879 (No. 4117), the said apparatus being also applicable for treating
other combustible gases.
The improved apparatus is designed for dealing with large quantities of blast-
furnace gases, and it is made in sections, the number of which may be made
greater or less according to the requirements of different cases. A horizontal main,
which extends along past a series of blast furnaces, from which it collects the
gases, has connected to it, by preference at a part where it is continued beyond the
series of furnaces, a sufficient number of lateral branch pipes, each of which
terminates in a vertical pipe or trunk connected with several subsections con-
stituting one main section of the separating apparatus. Each main section consists
of a rectangular casing or structure of iron, divided into subsections by horizontal
partitions. In each subsection there are placed transversely, as regards the
general direction of the gas, a number of vertical metal boxes, which extend quite
across the subsection, but are narrow as measured the other way. These boxes are
not of the full depth of the subsection, and they are fixed so as to be alternately
in contact with the top and bottom of the subsection, so that the gas in passing
through the subsection proceeds alternately over and under the boxes, and alter-
[Price Gd.1

page_text: nately up and down the spaces between them. The boxes are connected to each
other by as many small pipes as may be found necessary, these connecting pipes
being alternately at the upper and lower parts. The gases enter the subsections
by short branch pipes from the vertical trunks, and these branch pipes, and the
spaces in the subsections through which the gases flow, are made of such number
and size that the movement of the gas is comparatively slow so as to promote the
deposition of condensible matters. Cold water is passed through the boxes and
pipes connecting them, being made to flow through in directions generally opposite
to those of the gases. Suitable outlet pipes are provided for collecting and
drawing off the deposited matters; and the gases pass from the several subsections
to a vertical trunk, and thence to the bottom of one or more scrubbing columns
fitted with perforated diaphragms of wood or metal, and arranged with openings
alternately at opposite-sides-for-the-upward passage of the gas. Water cooled by
uncans of any suitable known kind of refrigerating apparatus, whenever, owing to
the season, its natural temperature is too high, is supplied to the tops of the
scrubbing columns, and dipping down through the diaphragms absorbs ammonia
and other soluble volatile matters from the ascending gases, which are next led to
the fan or gas propelling apparatus and to the distributing main.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Alexander and Andrew Kirkwood McCosh in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 5th October 1880.
JOHN ALEXANDER and ANDREW KIRKWOOD MCCOSH, of Gartsherrie Iron Works,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
SEPARATING CONDENSIBLE MATTERS FROM BLAST-FURNACE AND OTHER COMBUSTIBLE
GASES."
Our said Invention has for its object the construction of improved apparatus to
be used in carrying out the process for utilising blast-furnace gases described in
the Specification' of Letters Patent granted to us, and dated 11 October 1879
(No. 4117), the said apparatus being also applicable for treating other combustible
gases.
Our improved apparatus is designed for dealing with large quantities of blast-
furnace gases, and it is made in sections, the number of which may be mado
greater or less according to the requirements of different cases. A horizontal
main, which extends along past a series of blast furnaces, from which it collects the
gases, has connected to it, by preference at a part where it is continued beyond the
series of furnaces, a sufficient number of lateral branch pipes, each of which
terminates in a vertical pipe or trunk connected with several subsections con-
stituting one main section of the separating apparatus. Each main section consists
of a rectangular casing or structure of iron, divided into subsections by horizontal
partitions, and in each subsection hollow boxes or partitions, having cold water
passing through them, are placed so as to cause the gases to pass by indirect and
circuitous courses through them. Suitable outlet pipes are provided for collecting
and drawing off the matters deposited from the gases, and the gases pass from the
several subsections to a vertical trunk,, and thence to the bottom of one or more
scrubbing columns, from the top of which the purified gases are finally led to the
fan or gas propelling apparatus, and to the distributing main.
And in order that our said Invention, and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, wo hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, to be hereinafter referred to, and representing our improved separating
apparatus.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a horizontal section of the separating
apparatus, and Figure 2 is a vertical section corresponding to a part of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is partly an elevation, and partly a vertical section, the section showing
the interior of one of the scrubbing columns. In these Drawings the same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
In Figure 1 two main sections of the separating apparatus are shown, these
receiving the gases from the collecting main 4 by branch pipes and vertical trunks 5,
which last communicate by short horizontal branch pipes 6, with each subsection.
Each main section consists of a rectangular casing or structure 7, 8, of iron, and is
divided into subsections by horizontal partitions 9. In each subsection there are
placed transversely as regards the general direction of the gases which is from
the left hand towards the right hand in the Figures, a number of vertical metal
boxes 10, 11, which extend quite across the subsection, but are narrow as measured
the other way. These boxes 10, 11, are not of the full depth of the subsection,
and they are fixed so as to be alternately in contact with the top and bottom of the
subsection, so that the gases in passing through the subsection proceed alternately
under boxes 10 and over boxes 11, and alternately up and down the spaces between
the boxes 10, 11. The boxes 10, 11, are connected to each other by as many small
pipes 12 as may be found necessary, these connecting pipes 12 being alternately at
the upper and lower parts. Water is supplied to the boxes 10, 11, from horizontal
pipes 13, having branch pipes 14 fitted with regulating stop cocks, such supply

page_text: pipes 13 being at that end of the separating apparatus at which the gases leave it,
and after flowing through the boxes 10, 11, the water is led away by pipes 15 at
the other end of the apparatus. The gases enter the subsections by the branch
pipes 6, and these branch pipes and the spaces in the subsections through which
the gases flow are made of such number and size relatively to the quantity of the
gases dealt with, as that the movement of the gases is comparatively slow so as to
promote the deposition of condensible matters. The directions of flow of the
water through the boxes 10, 11, and of the gases through the spaces between those
boxes are generally opposite to each other, so that as the gases become partially
cooled, they are acted on by the cooler water. The main sections 7, 8, when two
or more are required are conveniently arranged in pairs like the pair shown, and
along each outer side of a main section manhole doors 17 are provided for giving
access to the interior. To the same sides also outlet branch pipes 18 are connected
for receiving the liquid deposited matters, these branch pipes 18 communicating
with larger slightly inclined pipes 19, which communicates with a vertical pipe-20-
for each main section of the apparatus.
The gases leave the several subsections of the separating apparatus by short
horizontal branch pipes 21 communicating with vertical trunk pipes 22, of which
there is one for each main section. From the bottom of each trunk 22 the gases
proceed by a pipe 23 to the bottom of a scrubbing column 24, which is a cylindrical
iron structure fitted with perforated diaphragms 25 of wood or metal. These
diaphragms 25 are arranged with openings alternately at opposite sides for the
upward passage of the gases. Water cooled by means of any suitable known kind
of refrigerating apparatus, whenever owing to the season its natural temperature
is too high, is supplied to the top of the scrubbing column 24 by means of a set of
perforated pipes 26 radiating from the centre, and this water dripping down through
the diaphragms 25 absorbs ammonia and other soluble volatile inatters from the
ascending gases. The gases are led away from the tops of the scrubbing columns 24
by pipes 27. The diaphragms 25 of the scrubbing columns 24 are by preference
inclined, as shown in vertical section in Figure 3, and doors 28 are provided in the
sides of the structure to give convenient access for cleaning the diaphragms, the
inclined positions of which facilitate the cleaning operations.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel
and original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of apparatus for separating
condensible matters from blast furnace and other combustible gases, substantially
in the improved manner hereinbefore described, and as shown on the accompanying
Drawings.
2. The construction of separating apparatus having rectangular main sections
and subsections fitted with transverse boxes or hollow partitions with passages
for the gases between them, and alternately above and below them, and with
connecting pipes for the passage of water through them, all substantially as
herein before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Alexander and Andrew Kirkwood
McCosh, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day of