Improvements in the Manufacture of Water-gas and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Water-gas and in Apparatus
therefor.
We, SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge, New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer and Ironmaster, and EDWARD BLASs, of 78 Caledonian Road Leeds
in the said County, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of water-gas on the system of
blowing in air at the bottom and steam at the top of a column of live fuel in a
suitable furnace or cupola, and when the fuel becomes sufficiently hot it acts as a
medium for giving out the necessary degree of heat for decomposing the steam and
at the same time for supplying the necessary carbon to produce the carbonic
oxide.
ta
In order to decompose the steam, the fuel has to be brought to a certain
temperature, and for this purpose, a certain quantity of the said fuel has to be
consumed.
To supply this amount of heat or part of it and to minimise the consumption of.
fuel forming the said column we introduce fuel in a finely disintegrated state by the
action of the before mentioned air-blast. This fine fuel is consumed in the interstices
of the column of fuel abovementioned, thus maintaining the beat of such column
without consuming much of it.
In order to effect the proper introduction of the finely disintegrated fuel into the
existing column of fuel we enlarge the generator shaft at the bottom so that the
fuel or that part of the column within this enlarged part may assume a conical
form, a portion of the said fine fuel on its passage into the enlarged part of the
generator shaft being collected or deposited upon the said conical pile of fuel while
the remainder is carried forward by the air-bast into the interstices of the upper part
of the said column.
On the fuel being brought to an incandescent state, steam is admitted and
decomposed thereby and the gas thus produced is passed through a scrubber or purifier.
and thence to a gas holder.
Slag formed by the consumption of the fine and other fuel and which accumulates
upon the surface of or at the base of the conical pile in the enlarged part of the
generator is removed therefrom at suitable doors provided therefor and for the
removal of clinker or other residuum.
The angle formed around the entrance to the shaft of the cupola from the enlarged
part thereof, being subjected to a high temperature is liable to rapid destruction,
to avoid which we form the crown of the enlarged part of a metallic water lined or
cooled ring or trough and upon which the upper portion of the generator is
erected.
Dated this 5th dow of June 1x80
THOS. EDWIN CRAVEN,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Water-gas and in Apparatus
therefor.
We, SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge, New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer and Ironmaster, and EDWARD BLASS, of 78 Caledonian Road, Leeds,
in the said County, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of water-gas on the system of
blowing in air at the bottom and steam at the top of a column of live fuel in a suitable
furnace or cupola, and when the fuel becomes sufficiently hot it acts as a medium
for giving out the necessary degree of heat for decomposing the steam and at the
same time for supplying the necessary carbon to produce the carbonic oxide.
In order to decompose the steam, the fuel has to be brought to a certain tempe-
rature, for this purpose, a certain quantity of the said fuel has to be consumed.
To supply this amount of heat or part of it and to minimise the consumption
of fuel forming the said column we introduce fuel in a finely disintegrated state
by the action of the beforementioned air-blast. This fine fuel is consumed in the
interstices of the column of fuel abovementioned, thus maintaining the heat of such
column without consuming much of it.
In order to effect the proper introduction of the finely disintegrated fuel into the
existing column of fuel we enlarge the generator shaft at the bottom so that the fuel
or that part of the column within this enlarged part may assume a conical form, a
portion of the said fine fuel on its passage into the enlarged part of the generator
shaft being collected or deposited upon the said conical pile of fuel while the remainder
is carried forward by the air-blast into the interstices of the upper part of the said
column.
On the fuel being brought to an incandescent state, steam is admitted and decom-
posed thereby and the gas thus produced is passed through a scrubber or purifier and
thence to a gas holder.
Slag formed by the consumption of the fine and other fuel and which accumulates
upon the surface of
or at the base of the generator, is removed therefrom
at suitable doors provided therefor and for the removal of clinker or other
residuum.
The angle formed around the entrance to the shaft of the cupola from the
enlarged part thereof being subjected to a high temperature is liable to rapid
destruction, to avoid which we form the crown of the enlarged part of a metallic
water cooled ring or trough and upon which the upper portion of the generator is
erected.
1
11
The annexed drawing shews in sectional elevation an apparatus for the manufacture
of water-gas embodying our invention.
a, is the enlarged or bottom part.
b, a water cooled metallic ring or trough (open at 61) forming the crown of the
enlarged part a, and for carrying c, the upper part or shaft of the generator.
c', is a flue (provided with a damper) leading to a chimney.
d, a hopper through which the generator is charged with fuel e.
, is a pipe for an air blast (of which several may be used,) for blowing the fuel to
an incandescent state, and by or through which finely disintegrated fuel is blown
by said blast into the space g, and into the interstices of the fuel e, in the
generator.
h, a branch pipe from, by which the finely disintegrated fuel enters the blast
pipe as indicated by the arrow 1.
i, a pipe for the admission of steam.
j, a stop valve for closing the blast pipe when steam is admitted at i.

page_text: k, a pipe (of which there may be more than one) for conveying the gas produced
to a scrubber or purifier or elsewhere and is provided with a stop valve similar
to j, in the blast pipe f, this being closed when j, is open and contrariwise.
1, one of a series of doors for the removal of slack and spent fuel or other
residuum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In the manufacture of water-gas and in apparatus therefor, the use of finely
disintegrated fuel in the interstices of the column of fuel e, for the purpose herein
set forth.
2. In the manufacture of water-gas and in apparatus therefor, the use of an air-
blast for the introduction of finely disintegrated fuel, referred to in claim 1, into
the interstices of the column of fuel e, substantially as described and shewn
for the purpose specified.
1
"" In L
1000
THOS. EDWIN CRAVEN, Fel. Inst. P A.,
Agent for the Applicants.