IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM COAL, CANNEL, SHALE, AND LIKE MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cleland, of Linacre, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager of Gas Works, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND
APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM COAL, CANNEL, SHALE,
AND LIKE MATERIALS."
Sealed the 30th January 1880, and dated the 8th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cleland at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th August 1879.
WILLIAM CLELAND, of Linacre, in the County of Lancaster, Manager of Gas
Works. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GAS FROM COAL, CANNEL, SHALE, AND LIKE MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to improvements in and connected with such condensing
and purifying apparatus as is described in the Specifications of Inventions for which
I obtained Her Majesty's Letters Patent, dated 28th May 1870, No. 1560, and
26th October 1875, No. 3704, and consists,-
First. In causing the gas, as it passes through or issues from the vertical pipes or
columns of such condensing and purifying apparatus, so to mix with, pass, or bubble
through or over the aqueous and hydro-carbon fluids which have been separated from
the gas that the said gas is enriched and more effectually purified. I carry the
above part of my Invention into practice by increasing, where necessary, the depth
of the lower receiving main or box at the bottom of the columns, and retaining
sufficient depth of liquors therein to allow of separation of the said liquors by specific
gravity, the heavier tar tending to the bottom, and the lighter hydro-carbons and
water to the top. The vertical pipes or columns are prolonged downwards (or pieces
may be connected thereto of any desired shape), so that they dip, or nearly dip, into
the fluid. A regulating screw-pipe or other convenient means is used, whereby the
surface of the liquid and depth of dip may be altered at pleasure.
Second, The elongation pieces of the vertical pipes or columns dipping into the
receiving main (mentioned under the first head) terminate in flanges which are
furnished with knobs, projections, corrugations, or perforations so placed as to more
effectually break the gas as it passes through or over the fluid, thereby assisting the
purifying or enriching action or both.
Third. In supplying or re-supplying to the above named condensing and purifying
apparatus any desired portion or portions of the fluids already separated from the
gas, or fluids similar thereto, either cold, hot, or in a state of vapour, for the purpose
of still further enriching or purifying the gas. This I do either by passing the fluid
or fluids into the top distributing main or box, so that such fluid or fluids shall
descend the vertical pipes in contact with the gas to the receiving main beneath, or
pass the said fluid or fluids direct into the said receiving main to be acted on by
the gas as above described.
[

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Cleland in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
February 1880.
WILLLIAM CLELAND, of Linacre, in the County of Lancaster, Manager of Gas
Works. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
of Gas From COAL, CANNEL, Shale, and like MATERIAL."
This Invention relates to improvements in and connected with such condensing
and purifying apparatus as is described in the Specifications of Inventions for which
I obtained Her Majesty's Letters Patent dated 28th May 1870, No. 1560, and
26th October 1875, No. 3704, and consists,-
First. In carrying the gas, as it passes through or issues from the vertical pipes
or columns of such condensing and purifying apparatus, so to mix with, pass, or
bubble through or over the aqueous and hydro-carbon fluids which have been sepa-
rated from the gas that the said gas is enriched and more effectually purified. I
carry the above part of my Invention into practice by increasing, where necessary,
the depth of the lower receiving main or box at the bottom of the columns, and
retaining sufficient depth of liquors therein to allow of separation of the said liquids
by specific gravity, the heavier tar tending to the bottom, and the lighter hydro-
carbons and water to the top. The vertical pipes or columns are prolonged down-
wards (or pieces may be connected thereto of any desired shape), so that they dip,
or nearly dip, into the fluid. A regulating screw pipe or other convenient means
is used, whereby the surface of the liquid and depth of dip may be altered at
pleasure.
Second. The elongated pieces of the vertical pipes or columns dipping into the
receiving main (mentioned under the first head) terminate in flanges which are
furnished with knobs, projections, corrugations, or perforations so placed as to more
effectually break the gas as it passes through or over the fluid, thereby assisting the
purifying or enriching action, or both.
Third. In supplying or re-supplying to the above named condensing and purifying
apparatus any desired portion or portions of the fluids already separated from the
gas, or fluids similar thereto, either cold, hot, or in a state of vapour, for the purpose
of still further enriching or purifying the gas. This I do either by passing the fluid
or fluids into the top distributing main or box, so that such fluid or fluids shall
descend the vertical pipes in contact with the gas to the receiving main beneath, or
pass the said fluid or fluids direct into the said receiving main to be acted on by'
the gas as above described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a transverse section of condensing and
suniliviar annaratue illustrative of the first town nowto of my Invention. Wir 2 is a
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a transverse section of condensing and
purifying apparatus illustrative of the first two parts of my Invention; Fig 3 is a
plan view of the lower receiving main; Fig. 4, a sectional view of valve box; a is
the lower receiving main or box described in the Specifications to British Patents
No. 1560, 70, and 3704, 75, and is here of greater depth, for the purpose of more com-
pletely separating the light and heavy liquids condensed in and received from the
vertical columns b.
Under the first part.-The lower ends of the columns b are prolonged downwards,
so as to dip into the hydro-carbon or other liquid in the main a, either by employing
a longer column as at b5 and 66, or by connecting to the said columns pieces called
dip pipes, as shown at b, b', 62, 63, 6. The surface of the liquors indicated by the
dotted lines is raised and lowered, when it is desired to increase, reduce, or abolish
the dip, by raising and lowering the sluice or valve c, over the upper edge of which
the liquors flow away; d hand wheel and screw for operating c. In order to detain
the light hydro-carbon liquids in the receiving main a diaphragm-or division plato

page_text: e is placed in it in front of the sluice or valve c. The said diaphragm or division,
plate closes the main with the exception of the opening e¹ at the bottom. It will
be obvious that the tar, ammonia, water, naptha, and other liquor will flow through
the opening e', leaving the lighter liquids at the top.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view, and Fig. 6 a detail view of a modified coostruction of
apparatus for regulating the overflow e diaphragm or division plate; overflow pipe,
over which is screwed the regulating pipe f¹. Rotary motion is given to the pipe
f' by means of the rod and hand wheel g, thereby raising and lowering the top of
the said regulating pipe f' over which the liquids enter the pipe and flow away.
The receiving main a and overflow boxes b, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, are connected
together by means of the pipe i for the purpose of maintaining the pressure or
vacuum on the surface of the liquids in a and h, and retaining the liquids at the
desired level; j is a cock which is closed when it is desired to open the over flow
box h.
An arrangement of parts for varying the heighth of the dip pipes is shewn in Fig. 1,
where k is a free slide pipe adapted to be moved by the rod e¹ and screw gear k².
Second part. is a trumpet shaped dip pipe with a suitably shaped flange, prefer-
ably round at the lower end, for the purpose of dispersing the issuing gases laterally
and causing them to be longer in contact with the lighter hydro-carbons or purifying
liquids. The dispersing and mixing effect is increased by constructing such flange
with knobs or projections as shown in the enlarged view Fig. 7, or with corrugations
as shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11. The corrugations in Fig. 8 and 9 being circular
and angular, and those in Figs. 10 and 11 radial, I prefer that the knobs, projections,
and corrugations should be of angular construction, although they may be curved or
otherwise shaped. The said knobs, projections, and corrugations may be increased
in number or depth, or spikes, preferably of angle section of wire, may be used with
good effect for the above purposes. m is a plain flanged dip pipe; n is a dip pipe
with a serrated lower edge containing an inner perforated pipe N', through the per-
forations in which the gas must pass before issuing from the said pipe n.
The object
is to free the gas as much as possible from heavy tar, should any be present before
it passes through the liquid bydro-carbons. o is a dip pipe with two internal per-
forated pipes o, 02; the action is similar to that described in relation to m & n. pis a
dip pipe, the flange of which is constructed with, perforations, shown enlarged in
Fig. 12. These perforations may be of any desired size or distance apart, but it is
desirable that they should not be so small as to be frequently choked. Avoiding
this, the smaller they are and the more numerous the better for the more minute
division of the gas and its more intimate mixture with the contiguous liquids.
Figs. 13 and 14 show a dip pipe in which wire gauze q, or perforated sheets or plates
of metal or other material, is substituted for the perforated flanged dip pipe p. The
arrangement shewn in Figs. 13 and 14 is not always suitable for use in: the con-
densing and purifying apparatus set forth in my above mentioned previous Patents,
when such apparatus is used as a primary condenser, in which the meshes or small
perforations might be liable to choking by tar salts or other matters. In the con-
densing and purifying apparatus, in which the. steam from the jet exhausters is
condensed as described in the Specification to the former Patent of the two, namely,
No. 1560, 70, the above may advantageously be used.
▸
In all the above described arrangements of dip pipes, and in modifications thereof
which may be adapted, it is desirable that the lower flanges or extremities of the
columns or dip pipes should be level in themselves and with each other, so as to
allow of uniform distribution and dispersion of the gas.
Third head. Under this head sufficiently light hydro-carbon liquids, such as
benzole, are caused to be taken up by the gas, as bereafter set forth, for the purpose
of increasing its illuminating power, If in a liquid condition they should be used
at a temperature of 80° F. or thereabouts, so as to aid absorbtion by & permanent
union with the gas. Sulphuric or other suitable acids, as also alkalies, may be used
in either the receiving or distributing main to purify the gas. I prefer to keep the

page_text: columns and the receiving mains at a temperature not lower than 65° F. at all
times.
For introducing these enriching & purifying agents into the distributing main a,
or into the receiving main r, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the ordinary means of boilers, pumps,
or other convenient apparatus are used.
When the ordinary condensed liquors from the gas, generally containing more or
less heavy tar, are supplied to the receiving box or main r the water and light
hydro-carbons alone are desired to flow into the vertical columns or pipes b. The
said columns or pipes b are therefore carried up into the distributing main, so as to
form spaces & which serve as a whole as a trap or settling place for the heavy tar,
should any be present. t, stop cock, through which the tar is run off from time to
time as desired. This arrangement may also be used in the ordinary working of the
apparatus when employed either as a condenser or as a steam scrubber.
I prefer that the upward projections of the columns should be in separate pieces
u, turned true on the upper end, and set perfectly level in themselves and with each
other, for the purpose of more equally distributing the liquors into the various
columns. The equal distribution, when the apparatus is used as a primary con-
denser, is liable to be obstructed by deposits of pasty or solid matter on the top of
the projections or lengthening pieces; it is therefore desirable to clean them from
time to time. To do this without opening the apparatus or interfering with the
work I employ a scraper v, Figs. 1 and 15, resting on the faced surface and operated
by the spindle w passing through the stuffing box x.
Having now described and illustrated my said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,-
First. Causing gas, as it issues from the vertical condensing and purifying pipes
c, to pass a bubble through or over acqueous and hydro-carbon and other fluids,
substantially as set forth.
Second. Maintaining the required relative levels of liquids and dip pipes, or
elongation pieces, or either of them, for the purposes set forth.
Third. Dip pipes or elongation pieces, with knobs, projections, corrugations,
perforations, or other equivalents for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. Supplying and utilizing fluids which purify and enrich the gas to
apparatus constructed under the first and second parts, substantially in the manner
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cleland, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight