Improvements in Apparatus for the Fractional Scrubbing and Wash- ing of Gases also applicable to the Fractional Distillation of Liquids and Condensation of Vapours.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1900-Accepted, 7th July, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Fractional Scrubbing and Wash-
ing of Gases also applicable to the Fractional Distillation of Liquids
and Condensation of Vapours.
WILLIAM YOUNG, Priorsford, Peebles, Chemical Engineer, SAMUEL GLOVER,
Hill Crest, St Helens, Gas Engineer, THOMAS GLOVER, Shirley, West Bromwich,
Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the fractional scrub-
bing and washing of gases more particularly illuminating gases obtained from
coal, oil, or other hydrocarbon substances, but is also applicable to the fractional
distillation of liquids and the condensation of vapours
The invention consists in improvements upon the form of apparatus described
in Specification of the Patent granted to one of the present applicants dated
12th April 1881 and numbered 1587 for the fractional treatment of ammoniacal
liquor, consisting of vessels composed of a series of compartments placed over
each other, the bottoms of these compartments having a large number of shoit
tubular openings, or short vertical pipes which are covered by than metal caps
held in position by means of a wue or rod fixed to the centies of the caps, and
hanging into the tubular openings The caps are corrugated serated, or pet-
forated round the margins so as to break up into minute streams the gases or
vapours as
they bubble through the liquid into which the edge of the cap dips
Experience in the use of that form of apparatus has shewn it to be subject
to certain defects, inasmuch as the caps are liable to be blown out of position
by any sudden rush of gas or vapour, and to rise irregularly, tilting to the one
side, allowing the whole of the gas or vapour to escape on that side without
being properly treated, mechanically suspended matters carried forward in the
ourrent of gas or vapours 18 also liable to collect on the top of the caps and on
these getting loaded they fall and remain out of action
In
The object of this invention is to remedy those defects, and it consists
connecting the movable caps or covers in such a manner that they must to a
large extent move as a whole, any one cap tending to raise those around or over
it. That object is effected by linking the caps to each other and may be accom-
plished in various ways A convenient method is to form an eve on the top of
the central wire o iod through which are passed cross wies connecting all
the caps to each other, and to prevent the caps being blown out and also to cause
the caps in one compartment to actuate those in the compartment above it, the
central wires or rods are made of such a length that the lower ends of the one
set of rods will nearly touch the tops of the caps immediately beneath them
so that the caps covering the one set of tubular openings cannot rise without
raising those immediately above.
In order to lessen the quantity or prevent mechanically suspended matters
being carried forward in the current of gas or vapours the oufices on the top
of the tubular openings are made smallei in proportion to the area of the caps
80 that the gas will pass through the openings under pressure, and impact

page_text: against the bottoms of the caps the suspended matters and cause them to be
precipitated out of the gas
'WM. YOUNG,
SAMUEL GLOVER,
THOMAS
GLOVER,
Improvements in Apparatus for the Fractional Scrubbing and Wash-
ing of Gases also applicable to the Fractional Distillation of Liquids
and Condensation of Vapours
We, WILLIAM YOUNG, of Phosford, Peebles, Chemical Engineer, SAMUEL
GLOVER, Hill Chest, St Helens, Gas Engineer, and THOMAS GLOVER, Shirley,
West Bromwich, Gas Engineer, 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 apparatus of the type described in the Specification
of Letters l'atent granted to William Young, No 1587, dated the 12th day
of April 1881, and which apparatus is employed for washing, scrubbing or
similarly treating a gas such as illuminating gas obtained from coal, oil or
the like.
Such an apparatus constructed as described in the specification already herein
referred to consists of a number of superimposed compartments divided by
horizontal partitions, or of a number of vessels provided or formed with hori-
zontal bottoms These partitions or horizontal bottoms are provided with a large
number of upwardly projecting tubular extensions which permit the passage
of a gas from the under side of a partition to the upper side Each of these
tubular extensions is sui mounted by a flanged cap, the flange of which surrounds
the extension and projects downwards to a certain extent into the liquid con-
tained upon the partition or houzontal bottom The edges of the flanges of the
caps are corrugated, serrated or perforated A gas passing upwards through
a tubular extension displaces the cap vertically to a slight extent, passes down-
wards, and bubbles through the liquid, being broken into fine streams by the
serrations or the like upon the flanges The caps are, to some extent held in
place in the tubular extensions by means of downwardly projecting pins which
fit loosely into the gas passages
The apparatus as thus constructed possessed some disadvantages the chief of
which was that a sudden rush of gas was hable to blow one or more of the caps
out of position or cause it or them to rise irregularly and tilt to one side, the
gas thus escaping or passing through without being properly treated. Another
defect or disadvantage was that any matters which were in mechanical suspen-
sion in the gas and were carried forward by it, were liable to become deposited
upon the tops of the caps and thus load them to such an extent that they became
too heavy to rise and permit the free passage of the gas
The object of this invention is to so construct the apparatus that these dis-
advantages are obviated in a simple, cheap and efficient manner
In carrving these improvements into effect and to prevent the caps having
any considerable independent or individual motion, we form each of them with
a wire stem which projects loosely downwards through its tubular extension
and is of a length to almost come in contact with the cap immediately below
it on the next lower horizontal partition or bottom. Each cap is also provided

page_text: with an eye fixed centrally upon the top of it, which eye may be an extension
of the stem By means of these eyes and suitable connecting wires the caps are
flexibly connected in a single group in each bottom or layer, o1 in two or more
groups in each layer. By these means, the upward movement of any individual
cap is communicated to its neighbours and is resisted by their weight. Moie-
over, should the upward movement of any cap become excessive, it encounters
the bottom of the spindle of the cap vertically above it, and is thereby prevented
from rising further or has its upward movement resisted by the united weight
of the group of caps above it
In a modification the stems of the caps need not be long enough to nearly
reach the caps in the next lower partition In this event the caps of each
partition or bottom would use and fall without affecting those in the next
higher partition.
In order to precipitate the mechanically suspended matters out of the gas
without depositing them upon the tops of the caps, we form the openings though
the tubulai extensions with a wide diameter at the bottom than at the top.
The velocity of the gas is thus increased so that it impinges with increased
force against the undersides of the caps The suspended matteis ale thus
arrested or precipitated and fall downwards
If desired, the improved interconnected caps may be used in combination with
the tubular and parallel projections described in the specification herein before
referred to
The improved apparatus or devices 18 or are equally applicable to other and
similar treatment of gases and vapours, such as condensation
Having now articularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same 1 to be performed, we declare that
what we claim 18
1 In apparatus of the type set forth for washing, scrubbing or similaily
treating gases or vapours, the combination and aliangement with the upwardly
projecting tubular extensions formed in the horizontal partitions, of caps which
are connected together so as to participate in each others movement, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herembefore described
2. In apparatus of the type set forth for washing, scrubbing or similarly
treating gases or vapours, the construction and arrangement of the horizontal
partitions with conoidal vertical passages, and the combination therewith of
connected caps having stems passing downwards through the passages, substan-
tially as and for the purpose described
3 In apparatus of the type set forth for washing, scrubbing or similaily
treating gases or vapours, caps connected together in a single group or in a
plurality of groups substantially as herein before described
Total L J
n 1000
WE HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicants