Improvements in the Methods and Appliances for Obtaining and Cleansing Gas from Coal.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1886.
Complète Left, 24th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 25th Mar., 1887.
Improvements in the Methods and Appliances for Obtaining and
Cleansing Gas from Coal.
1 THOMAS NICHOLSON of Pensarn, Abergele in the County of Denbigh North Wales
out of business do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHODS AND APPLIANCES FOR OBTAINING, AND CLEANSING, GAS FROM COAL to
be as follows:-
:-
In order to hasten the process of gasification, and also to increase the quantity of
gas evolved, I pass dried steam and condensed gas through the charge-and, to
cleanse the gas, without the usual costly scrubber, cause it to pass through small
chambers divided into three compartments the top one having a perforated floor
through which water or other liquid can be made to trickle on to the gas passing
through the centre compartment, the third, or bottom; compartment being for the
tar and liquor from which the gas is so cleansed. These chambers I place in the flues
or pipes by which the gas passes from the retorts, or gasifying furnaces, and before it
enters the condensers or scrubbers for extracting the more volatile tarry matter, and
to counteract the back pressure I insert a steam jet into these flues or pipes to blow
the gas in the direction it has to travel.
The dried steam and condensed gas are forced through the charge from the flues
underneath the retorts or gas producers, and for that purpose I make the flues air
tight which has never been done before.
THOS. NICHOLSON,

page_text: Cleansing Gas from Coal.
I THOMAS NICHOLSON of Pensarn, Abergele in the County of Denbigh, Gentleman
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
In order to hasten the process of gasification and also to increase the quantity of 5
gas evolved, I pass dried steam through the charge; and to cleanse the gas without
the usual costly scrubber I cause it to pass through small chambers divided into three
compartments, the top one having a perforated floor through which water or other
liquids can be made to trickle on to the gas passing through the centre compartment,-
the third, or bottom, compartment being for the tar and liquor from which the gas is 1
so cleansed. These chambers I place in the flues or pipes by which the gas passes
from the retorts, or gasifying furnaces, and before it enters the condensers or scrubbers
for extracting the more volatile tarry matter; and, to counteract the back pressure,
I insert a steam jet into these flues or pipes to blow the gas in the direction it has to
travel. The dried steam is forced through the charge from the flues underneath the 1
retorts or gas producers, and for that purpose I make the flues air tight, which bas
nover been done before.
The accompanying drawings will show how the invention is to be worked. A is a
retort having openings in the floor,-B the flues underneath,-C. D. and E. the usual
gas, steam and-air pipes, F a pipe for supplying dry steam,-G a plate (or it may be
brick work) for closing up the flues so as to make them air tight,-H is the exit pipe
or flue, S the pipe for supplying steam to assist the issuing gas,-K is the cleansing
chamber, L is the compartment with a perforated bottom,-M the compartment
with a perforated top,-N the pipe to supply liquid to L,-O the overflow pipe and V
the valves. A having been charged and started to work in the usual way I turn dried
steam through F into the flues B which I have made air tight. This steam being
under pressure acts as a blast and forces its way through the charge, increasing the
heat and driving the gas out rapidly, which then makes its exit by H assisted by an
injection of steam through S. The gas then passes through the cleansing chamber K
to be used where required. To the cleansing chamber I supply liquid (preferably
ammoniacal liquor) through N which keeps L partly full and causes a shower to fall
upon the gas as it passes through the centre compartment of K and to carry tar and
ammonia from it into M whence they pass and are collected for sale by means of the

page_text: pipe O. The retort and cleansing chamber can be isolated, for the purpose of
repair &c, by means of the valves V. The valves and pipes need not be placed in
exactly the position shown, so long as they carry out the objects described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-