IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Mann, of Stepney, in the County of
Middlesex, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL
39
Sealed the 22nd February 1854, and dated the 23rd August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Mann
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd August 1858.
I, WILLIAM MANN, of Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, Gas
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF
THE MATERIAL USED IN SUCH PURIFICATION," to be as follows:-
The first of these improvements consists in making ammonia to
combine with a certain portion of the water with which the lime is
slaked to prepare it for what is called dry lime purifying.
The mode adopted for the above purpose is to cause common atmo-
spheric air, warm or otherwise, or any other suitable vehicle, to pass
P
Spe

page_text: through a vessel or vessels in which ammonia is generated or exhaled,
and from thence into the purifier, which has just received a fresh
charge of lime, the water in which will take up the ammonia, and the
air, now free from the ammonia with which it was loaded on entering
the purifier, may be allowed to escape into the atmosphere; or I pass
the air or other fluid through a vessel or vessels in which coal gas has
heen wholly or partly condensed for the purpose of bearing ammonia
to the water, which is mixed with the lime in the purifier.
When the water will take up no more of the ammonia contained in
the air (which may be ascertained by any of the known tests for
ammonia) the purifier is ready for purifying purposes, and the vessel
or vessels through which the air was passed may be used for condensing
purposes; the number of such vessels would be regulated by the
number of sets of purifiers.
When gas containing sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid is
passed through a vessel or vessels containing hydrate of lime and
liquid ammonia the carbonic acid will be converted into carbonate of
ammonia, and the lime having only the sulphuretted hydrogen to take
out will purify a much larger quantity of gas than usual. If the gas,
after passing the purifiers, be passed through a water scrubber, all the
ammonia compounds will be removed.
When the lime has become foul, to prevent any noxious vapours
escaping into the atmosphere 1 cause carbonic acid, or carbonic acid
and common air in about equal proportions, or, what is better, the
products of combustion of carbon, such as coke or charcoal, to pass
through the foul lime, either in or out of the purifiers; to bring off that
quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen which would escape if the lime
was exposed to the air in the usual way; and to prevent the sul-
phuretted hydrogen escaping into the chimney, where the products of
combustion or other gases which may be used to deodourize or ventilato
the foul lime are returned, I cause the deodourizing or ventilating
medium-to pass through any of the materials known to take up sul-
phuretted hydrogen, and which will not give it off again when exposed.
to-the air.
The deodourizing or ventilating medium will also bring the ammonia.

page_text: that is left in the purifier away with it; which can be taken out by a
small scrubber, so that the products of combustion or other gases used
to deodourize or ventilate the foul-lime will take no impurities to the
atmosphere, and the lime when taken from the. pnrifier will be free
from noxious vapours.
All danger of explosion is avoided in consequence of the small
quantity of oxygen present in the deodourizing or ventilating medium,
even when atinospheric air is in part used..
If the products of combustion, or atmospheric air and carbonic acid,
or atmospheric air and the products of combustion of carbon, be used
to deodourize or ventilate the foul lime, and the oxyde of iron used
to take up the sulphuretted hydrogen, the vessel will not require
opening often, as there will be oxygen present, and which will to a.
certain extent restore it
or atmospheric air and the products of combustion of carbon, be used
to deodourize or ventilate the foul lime, and the oxyde of iron used
to take up the sulphuretted hydrogen, the vessel will not require
opening often, as there will be oxygen present, and which will to a.
certain extent restore it.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent.
filed by the said William Mann in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM MANN, of Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, Gas Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand, eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Mann, Her special licence that
I, the said William Mann, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Mann, my.executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, tlie Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF GAS,
AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL USED IN SUCH PURIFICATION," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Mann, by an

page_text: instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Mann, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:.
The first of my improvements consists in making ammonia to combine
with a certain portion of the water with which the lime is slaked to
prepare it for what is called dry lime purifying.
The mode I adopt for the above purpose is to cause common atmo
spheric air, warni or otherwise, or any other suitable vehicle, to pass
through a vessel or vessels in which ammonia is generated or exhaled.
and from thence to the purifier, which has just received a fresh charge.
of lime, the water in which will take up the ammonia, and the air, now
free from the ammonia with which it was loaded on entering the
purifier, may be allowed to escape into the atmosphere;. or I pass
the air or other fluid through a vessel or vessels in which coal gas has
been wholly or partly condensed for the purpose of bearing ammonia to
the water, which is mixed with the lime in the purifier.
.
.
When the water will take up no more of the ammonia contained in
the air, which may be ascertained by any of the known tests for am-
monia, the purifier is ready for purifying purposes, and the vessel or
vessels through which the air was passed may be used for condensing
purposes; the number of such vessels would be regulated by the
number of sets of purifiers.
When gas containing sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid is
passed through a vessol or vessels containing hydrate of lime and
liquid ammonia the carbonic acid will be converted into carbonate of
ammonia, and the lime having only the sulphuretted hydrogen to take
out will purify a much larger quantity of gas than usual. If the gas,
after passing the purifiers, be passed through a water scrubber, all the
ammonia compounds will be removed.

page_text: When the lime has become foul, to prevent any noxious vapours
cscaping into the atmosphere I cause carbonicc acid, or carbonic acid
and common air in about equal proportions, or, what is better, the
products of combustion of carbon, such as coke or charcoal, to pass
through the foul lime, either in or out of the purifiers; but to bring
off that quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen which would escape if the
linic was exposed to the air in the usual way, and to prevent the
sulphuretted hydrogen escaping into the chimney where the products
of combustion or other gases which may be used to deodourise or
ventilate the foul lime are returned, I cause the lendourising or
ventilating medium to pass through any of the materials known to
take up sulphuretted hydrogen, and which will not give it off' again when
exposed to the air.
The deodourising or ventilating medium will also bring the ammo-
nia that is left in the purifiers away with it, which can be taken out by
a small scrubber, so that the products of combustion or other gases
used to codourise or ventilate the foul lime will take no impurities
to the atmosphere, and the lime when taken from the purifiers will
be free from noxious vapours.
All danger of explosion is avoided in consequence of the small
quantity of oxygen present in the deodourising or ventilating medium,
even when atmospheric air is in part used.
If the products of combustion, or atmospheric air and carbonic acid,
or atmospheric air and the products of combustion of carbon, be used to
deodourise or ventilate the foul lime, and the oxide of iron (or any other
material known to take up sulphuretted hydrogen) be used to take up
the sulphuretted hydrogen, the vessel will not require opening often, as
there will be oxygen present, and which will to a certain extent restore
or revivify it.
As my improvements do not extend to any apparatus or machinery
used in the above process it will be understood that wherever any men-
tion is made of vessels it refers to those generally used or employed in
the manufacture and purification of gas.
Having now to the best of my ability described and ascertained the
nature of this my said Invention, I claim,-

page_text: Firstly, the purifying of gas for the purposes of illumination aniil heat
from carbonic acid by ammonia in combination with the water which
is mixed with the lime- to prepare it for dry lime purifying..
Secondly, the means of ventilating or deodourising tlic foul lime,
as herein described, so that no noxious vapours can escape into the
ratmosphere.
Thirdly, the using a deodourising or ventilating medium which
cannot form an explosive mixture with coal gas.:
In witness whereof, I, the said William Mann, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
WILLIAM (S.) MANN.