Generator for the Distillation of Mineral Oils and the Combustion at a Distance of a Part or the Whole of the Products of the Distillation, applicable to apparatuses for Lighting and Heating.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar.,
1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Gas Generator for the Distillation of Mineral Oils and the Combustion
at a Distance of a Part or the Whole of the Products of the
Distillation, applicable to apparatuses for Lighting and Heating.
I, LOUIS SEPULCHIRE, of Herstat, near Liège, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturer, 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 :—
This invention relates to a gas generator for the distillation of mineral oils and
the combustion at a distance of a part or the whole of the products of distillation,-
applicable to apparatuses for lighting and heating.
The arrangements I am about to describe realising the same effects as gas
generators in the distillation of coal, that is to say the distillation of gas and,
further, their combustion at a distance from the focus of distillation, has led me to
give to these arrangements the name of Mineral Oil Gasogene.
Upon the accompanying drawing
Figures 1 to 10 illustrate in sectional elevations various constructions and
arrangements embodying my invention.
Referring to Figure 1. M is the wick of any kind of burner round or flat;
C the portion of the wick exposed to distillation and having three faces; the
lateral face D ignited and serving as focus of distillation; the lateral face A.
which cannot ignite because it is protected in its entire height by the tube T
extended above the tube t, of the wick-case or holder; finally, the upper horizontal
section S by which escape the gases distilled in the thickness of the part C of the
wick.
In every case, the wick, respectively the wick-case, is always between two
ascending currents of air O and O¹ having a suitable speed.
Let us examine what takes place when igniting the wick M soaked with mineral
oil and only two sides of which D and S are exposed. The side D exposed
directly to contact with the current O ignites and constitutes the focus of distilla-
tion for the oil contained in the part C of the wick.
The gases which escape by the side D are burnt by the current of air O in a
flame E, while the gases G, which escape by the section S, move parallelly to the
flame E and to the current of air O' without being penetrated by this latter; they
remain therefore unkindled or ignited only to a very slight depth, and are reserved
for an ulterior combustion at a distance from the burner. The combustion of these
pure gases G (hydrocarburets) takes place at more or less distance from the
burner, according to the object to be attained (lighting or heating) by means of
ordinary pieces (deflectors and distributors of the currents of air), which promote
the intimate admixture of the hydro carburets and the currents of air.
To save the wick M, or make it serve, for example, to distil heavy oils unsuitable
for lamps, we cover (see Figure 2) the uncovered portion of the wick M with a
special wick L fed with lamp oil, serving as focus for the distillation of the oils
contained in the wick M.
1 may also (see Figure 3) re-establish the side or division between these two
wicks Land M, so that the distilled gases do not mix; the body C then receives
heat through the metallic side of the wick-case. I may also arrange a wick L on
each side of the wick M.
The hydro-carburet gases G which disengage by the section S, may not only
pass to the atmosphere (see Figures 2 and 3) and be burnt at more or less distance
above the wick, but further they may be collected in a conduit R, R' (see
Figure 4) to be burnt at a great distance. This conduit for the gases G is

page_text: composed of a tube R, R¹ fitting on to the wick-case T t, above the end S of the
wick M (Figure 4); it may also (see Figure 5) be the wick-case T t, extended,
with opening on one or two sides for the ignition of the wick, or further with or
without solution of continuity and with one or more special outer wicks L as at
Figures 2 and 3.
As we have just seen, the burner with wick soaked with petroleum is transformed
into a distilling apparatus, and only a small portion of the gases is consumed on the
spot, that is to say as it issues from the wick; the hydro-carburet gases which
escape by the section S of the wick are carried to a distance from the wick and
burnt, at will, at more or less distance from the focus of distillation.
In what follows, I will describe the method of utilising the hydro-carburets, which
escape from the section S of the wick and are carried pure in a jet G, to obtain at
will a heating or an illuminating flame.
To obtain at will this heating or lighting flame, I make use of the apparatuses
habitually employed:-deflectors, distributors of currents of air, diaphragms bends
or varied sections in chimneys etc.; these apparatuses are represented in the drawing
by P and P.
At Figure 6 the deflectors P P₁ of the currents of air O and O' are arranged
at a short distance above the wick and nearly at the same level, so that the currents
of air O and O', are, at this point thrown back into the gas jets E and G.
The gas jets E and G are flattened between the currents O and O' and briskly
penetrated by these latter. The gases G as they issue from the section S, are
penetrated by the current of cold air O¹ and cooled so that their ignition cannot
take place excepting at E', at a very great height above the deflector P¹, and
when, during a somewhat long journey the gases and the air have been able to
intimately mix.
As to the flame E, on the other side, it is also cooled by the penetration of the
current projected upon it by the deflector P, and is kept at a somewhat low
temperature to continue to burn to a considerable height with a blue flame. This
flame in skirting the mixture of gases G and the current O' heats this mixture
and, when it has acquired a sufficient temperature, the flame E¹ takes birth in a
blue iridescent swelling which, soon, combines with the flame E and therewith
produces a flame F slightly yellow, nearly transparent, of small lighting power, but
of very considerable heating power.
It is the heating flame analogous to the flame of the "Bunsen " burner, for the
major part blue.
If the deflector P is arranged at a higher level than that of the deflector P¹, the
heating flame is also obtained. But the more the deflector P is raised above the
deflector P¹ the more the portion F of the flame becomes white and spread in
relation to the lower blue part (see Figure 7). In fact the flame E, not cooled,
burns with a yellow flame to a great height, more powerfully heats the mixture of
the gases G with the current O₁ and this mixtures kindles at a less distance above
the wick.
If on the contrary, as shown Figure 8, the deflector P¹ of the current O' on the
gases G is arranged higher than the deflector P, the jet E G is less closely
Hattened than in Figure 6 and, consequently, less cooled; the penetration of the
air here takes place successively at different levels. The jet of gas G springs from
the wick at a high temperature, but unkindled; as it is not immediately cooled by
the current O¹, it kindles in a blue flame at the point where the jet G is pushed against
the current O' by the deflector P. On the other hand, the flame E is cooled
enough by the current O and sufficiently penetrated by this latter to continue to
burn in a blue flame above the deflector P. The flame E' also remains blue up to
the point where the deflector P₁ completes the mixture of the currents of air and
of gas. Below the deflector P¹ the flame is blue and absolutely transparent.
From this point P¹ only, the flame spreads into a sheet F of brilliant whiteness
up to its end and without redness or smoke. It is the special lighting flame, which
is clearly defined only at the level of the deflector P¹.

page_text: The nearer this deflector P' is brought to the level of the deflector P, the more
the portion of blue flame will spread by cooling to the detriment of the white
portion and the more transparent this will become.
It is not absolutely necessary to make use of two combined deflectors, the one on
the one side the other on the other side of the gaseous jet. A single one of these
deflectors, suitably placed either on one side (see Figure 9) or on the other
side (see Figure 10) gives analogous results to those described; but on the side
where there is no deflector, the current of air O or O¹ must be sufficiently brisk
or rapid to penetrate, on this side, the gaseous jet curved towards it by the
deflector placed on the other side.
The above described arrangements give the following novel results:-
1. In lamps and stoves in which one of the vertical sides of the wick is cooled
and kept extinct by jets of air or by a rapid current of air, a momentary
suspension of these jets or currents suffices to promote the sudden kindling
of this side and, consequently an instantaneous and enormous production of
smoke.
With my arrangement this inconvenience is absolutely impossible.
2. In these same stoves only a very thin wick can be used, and, consequently
sucking up but a very small quantity of oil. My arrangement, permits the use of
thick wicks sucking up large quantities of mineral oil.
3. In these same stoves, the distillation is not abundant because of the direct
cooling of the very thin wick. In my arrangement, not only is the wick not
limited in its thickness, but further, it is not cooled by penetration of air; the
distillation must therefore be much more abundant.
4. In my arrangement, the focus of distillation is kept as cool as possible and
the intense focus of combustion is transported not only to a distance from the
burner and the wick, but further above the metallic deflectors, Figure 7, and, for
heating flame, even very high above these deflectors, Figure 6; thence arises three
very important results :-
All the metallic parts of the burner and of the reservoir are at a considerable
distance beneath the intense focus F and, consequently absolutely safe against
heating; the petroleum contained in the reservoir does not vaporise; therefore :---
a) complete security, b) constant and uniform feeding of the focus of distillation
insured, c) the wick abstracted from the intense focus of combustion consequently
consuming slowly.
5. The distillation of the gases G requiring the combustion of but a small
quantity of gas, the result is that a very large part of the totality of the gases
distilled, is reserved (almost in a state of purity) for the intense combustion;
whereby very considerable saving of oil per unit of light or of heat, compared
with all other known apparatuses.
6. Absolute suppression of all smell and of all smoke even of all redness at the
extremities of the flame; this result is due to the mixture of pure hydrocarburet
gases and air, which mixture, in the journey between the two distinct focuses,
becomes intimate and is thus under the best possible conditions for a complete
combustion.
7. By the use of the gas conduit R R¹, we may remove the focus of combustion
of the gases to a great distance.
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 gas generator or gasogene for the distillation of mineral oils, consisting in
a burner with wick one of the sides of the case of which rises perceptibly to the
same level as the wick raised for the distillation and thus abstracts, from
combustion, the corresponding vertical side A of the wick, whereas the other
ignited vertical side D serves as focus for the distillation of the oils in the
thickness of the wick and for the production of hydrocarburet gases which escape

page_text: pure, unkindled, either freely, or in a conduit. R R', by the upper section S of the
wick.
2. In combination with the gas generator or gasogene defined the preceding
claim the arrangement of one or of several special wicks L burning in contact
with air and arranged against the side, or sides, exposed or not of the distillation
wick M.
3. The mineral oil gas generator set forth in Claims 1 and 2, eventually in
combination with one or more parts P, P1 (diaphragms, caps, bends or varied
sections of chimney etc.) which deflecting and distributing the currents of
air O and O¹ in the gaseous jets E, G cool them and thus remove the intense focus
of combustion to a distance, proportionate to the activity of these currents and of
the nearness of the parts P P₁ to the wick, to obtain a heating flame, a lighting
flame, or any intermediate flame.
4. Instead of the special wicks L claimed in the second claim, the wick M,
Figure 5, ignited on the exposed part of its vertical sides and distilling in its
thickness, the hydrocarburets which escape pure by the horizontal section S
entered into a tube.
1 th: T.Lik d. f D.hmans 1999