Improved Process and Apparatus for Producing Gas or Vapour from Air and Liquid Hydrocarbons.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for Producing Gas or Vapour from
Air and Liquid Hydrocarbons.
I, ADOLPHE ISIDORE VAN VRIESLAND of 78 Sarphatistraat, Amsterdam in
the Kingdom of Holland, Merchant, 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:-
T
This invention has for its object a process for producing gas or vapour from air
and such liquid hydrocarbons as have a specific gravity up to 78, as well as a
suitable apparatus for carrying out this process.
The process consists essentially in forcing atmospheric air under pressure to
penétrate in a finely subdivided condition hydrocarbons of the kind described or
fabrics saturated therewith, in order to becoine saturated, and escape as a com-
bustible gas to the place of consumption or to: a storage reservoir, a suitable
apparatus for carrying out this process is shown in the accompanying drawings, in.
which,
'
.:
Figure 1 is a vertical section; and
Figure 2 a modified form of construction.
The arrangement of the apparatus is as follows:
A closed vessel a is provided in its interior with a bell divided into two
concentric chambers d and e by means of a perforated partition c. The chamber d
of the bell b is closed at the bottom by a thick fabric for the like made of any
suitable organic or inorganic material. The vessel a is provided with a filling
device g capable of being closed by any suitable means and having a draw off
tap h.
If the vessel a be filled with a liquid. hydrocarbon or with cloths saturated with
the same up to about the level indicated by ii, and compressed air be caused to
flow into the chamber e of the bell b through the pipe k-which may also be made
capable of being closed, said air escapes simultaneously through the openings in
the partition c into the chamber d. The partition c has merely the object of
regulating the flow of air to the chamber d and may if desired be dispensed with.
From the chamber d the air passes through the fabric f in a finely distributed
condition into the liquid, or passes through the cloths saturated with the same,
becomes thereby saturated with the hydrocarbon, and rises upwards in order to be
conveyed to the place of consumption as a combustible compound. The perforated
cover prevents the liquid spurting out of the opened tap in the case of too strong
an air pressure.
The fabric has for its object on the one hand to cause as fine a distribution of
the air as possible and on the other hand, to assist in the evaporation of hydro-
carbons of heavy specific gravity by means of the heat caused by the air in its
efforts to pass through the fabric.
A modified form of construction of the apparatus is shown in Figure 2 which in
practice is to be preferred to that before described, as it renders it possible to
evaporate the hydrocarbon to the last drop.
In order to attain this end, an inverted cone or funnel b is inserted in the vessel a
to form an air chamber d to which air is conveyed through the pipe k. The cone
or funnel 6 is provided in its lower part up to a certain height with openings or
5 perforations and covered at this part with a fabric f. If the vessel a be then filled

page_text: with heavy hydrocarbon or a material saturated with the same and air be conveyed
to the chamber d, tbis air has a tendency to escape through the holes or perforations
at the lower end of the cone or funnel b; and thereby to penetrate the pores of the
fabric f. It then enters the lower part of the hydrocarbon in a finely distributed
condition and at a somewhat higher temperature in consequence of the resistance
experienced in the fabric f and rising upwards becomes saturated and escapes as
combustible gas or vapour.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A process for producing gas or vapour from air and liquid hydrocarbons,
which consists in forcing atmospheric air at a suitable pressure in a finely sub-
divided condition to penetrate liquid hydrocarbons or fabrics saturated therewith
in order to become charged therein and to escape as combustible gas.
2. An apparatus for carrying out the herein described process of producing gas
or vapour from air and liquid hydrocarbons, characterised by the vessel (a) which
serves to contain the hydrocarbon being provided in its interior with an air bell (b)
formed of two concentric chambers (de) having its lower part shut off from said
hydrocarbon vessel (a) by means of a close fabric (f) in such a way that the air
entering the central chamber (e) of the air bell (6) passes through perforations in
the partition (c) into the second air chamber (d) of the bell for the purpose of
equalising fluctuations of pressure and then penetrating the said close fabric (f)
becomes saturated with the hydrocarbon substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. A modified form of construction of the herein described apparatus for
producing gas or vapour from air and liquid hydrocarbons, characterised by the
air bell, composed of two concentric chambers being replaced by another in the
form of an inverted cone or funnel, provided at its lower end with perforations
covered with a close fabric (f) with the object of compelling the air to penetrate
the whole of the hydrocarbon, thereby rendering possible an entire consumption
of the latter substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 12th day of November 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.