Improvements in Coke Ovens and Method of Operating the same.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug.. 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coke Ovens and Method of Operating the same.
I, FREDERIC WILLIAM CHARLES SCILNIEWIND, of 609, Broadway, Everett, in the
County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Chemist,
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:--
My invention relates to the construction and mode of operation of closed exter-
nally heated coke ovens, having for its purpose the separate collection of the
gases of varying richness and value given off at different stages of the coking
operation, the drawing off of the gases at different stages of the operation by
sucking or exhausting devices working at different pressures, the quenching of
the coke while still in the oven and with utilisation of its heat for the manufacture
of water gas, and the carbureting of that portion of the water gas which is, on
generation, of sufficient heat to crack hydrocarbon oils.
In the destructive distillation of coal in closed externally heated coking ovens
the gases and vapors driven off during the first period of treatment are very high
in hydrocarbons, after an energetic generation of such gases ensues a second
period of treatment during which the volume of gas is considerably diminished,
and following this is a third period characterized by a pronounced rise in the
temperature of the coal in the oven, and the production of large volumes of gas
characterized by a high percentage of hydrogen and a small percentage of hydro-
carbons.
Owing to the rapid changes of temperature to which the walls of the coking
ovens are subjected, as well as to the great pressure exerted upon them by the
coking coal, the oven walls are usually not gastight, and consequently there is
apt to be either a flow of the gases, used for heating the ovens externally, into
the ovens, which takes place when the pressure within the oven is less than the
pressure in the heating chambers surrounding it, or the flow of gases from the
oven into the surrounding chambers which takes place when the pressure in the
oven exceeds the pressure in the surrounding chambers. In either contingency
there is apt to be a loss in value either by the adulteration of the rich gases
generated in the oven by the poor gases used for heating the oven, or by the loss
of rich gases escaping from the oven into the heating flues. Again the delivery of
ll gases generated in the coking ovens into the same take-off mains results in the
roduction of a gas having the average percentage of hydrocarbons of all the gases
enerated during the coking operation and this mixed gas is low in hydrocarbons
or use as an illuminating gas, and rich in hydrocarbons for use as a heating
My improved method of operating the ovens has-in view the overcoming
f the above mentioned defects of the usual process and consists in drawing off
e gases generated in the oven at different stages of the coking operation through
ifferent gas mains and by means of exhausting devices working at different
ressures whereby the pressure in the ovens may be maintained approximately
nstant and approximately equal to the pressure in the surroundi...
as.
D

page_text: flues. In this way it will be obvious that not only will the poor and rich gases
be collected separately, but the loss of oven gas or its admixture with heating
flue gas, practically prevented.
It is usual in the operation of the closed externally heated coke ovens to with-
draw the coke when the coking operation is complete and quench it outside of
the oven.
This is accomplished by two drawbacks, first, the loss of the heat of
the incandescent coke, and, second, the fact that it leaves the walls of the oven
at practically their maximum temperature, as a result of which the dumping of
a new charge of coal into the retort results in a rapid and destructive chilling
of the retort walls, and at the same time in the evolution of a large quantity of
rich gas which issues freely through the charging opening, and is not only wasted
but is very troublesome to the workmen. These losses and objectionable features
of the usual practice I have overcome by introducing steam into the retort after
the coking operation is complete and before the ovens are opened, thereby
gradually quenching and cooling the coke and the oven walls and utilising the
heat of the incandescent coke for the manufacture of water gas which is drawn
off in one of the gas mains connected with the oven and at an appropriate pressure.
For the best results, I introduce, not only steam, but hydrocarbon oil or oil vapor
into the retort while the coke is still sufficiently hot to crack the oil, thus making,
at the same time, water gas and oil gas which carburets and enriches the water
gas. I discontinue the injection of oil when the temperature falls below the point
at which a permanent gas would be formed, continuing however the introduction
of steam until the temperature falls to a point too low for the production of water
gas.
Reference being now had to the drawings, which illustrate an apparatus adapted
for use in accordance with my newly invented method and embodying the struc-
tural features which I have also invented, and in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a bank of coke ovens provided
with my new appliances, and
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line - of Fig. 1.
A A A indicate individual coke ovens, B, tunnels situated below the ovens,
and in which I have shown the gas supply pipes D D from which the individual
burner pipes D₁ lead to the combustion chambers C which in turn communicate
with the heating chambers C situated between each adjacent pair of coke ovens.
EE etc., indicate the vertical passages leading into the tops of the coke ovens
by which they may be charged and through which the gases escape. As shown,
they communicate with conduits F', closed at the top by plates H, and from which
lead branches GG communicating through passages G¹, with the gas mains I
and I respectively, H' H' indicating valves by which either of the gas mains I
or I can be placed in communication with the conduit F at pleasure. J and J
indicate exhaust fans connected respectively with the conduits I and I' and which,
as before described, should be run at different speeds. KK etc., indicate steam
pipes leading into the coke ovens A. LL etc., pipes for the introduction of hydro-
carbon oils or oil vapors, also leading into the ovens A.
In operation the coke ovens are charged in the usual or any convenient way and
are heated by the combustion of gas in the flues C. One of the gas mains, I'
for instance, is placed in communication with the oven, by a proper manipulation
of the valves H¹, and the rich gases drawn off at an appropriate pressure, regulated
by the exhaust fans J¹; as the gas becomes poor in hydrocarbons the main I' is
disconnected with the ovens and the main I placed in connection with them, the
exhaust fan J, being run at a speed proportionate to the evolution of
gas, will
maintain an appropriate pressure in the ovens and, of course, the desired separa-
tion of the rich and poor gas is effected at the same time. I have shown but
two mains and two exhaust devices, but obviously more can be employed with
advantage where it is desired to effect a still greater separation of gas of different
quality or to more nicely regulate the pressure in the coke ovens, and this matter
of pressure can also be regulated by varying the action of the exhaust device,

page_text: Tor practical purposes and in view of the fact that each main will, in
practice, be united with a number of ovens it is preferable to run the exhausting
devices at a practically constant speed and pressure.
After the coking of the coal is complete I turn steam into the ovens, through
5 the pipes K, quenching the coke, gradually cooling the flues of the oven, and, by
the decomposition of the steam, forming water gas, which is carried off through
the appropriate gas main and at the proper pressure. Preferably as before stated,
I also inject hydrocarbon oils through the pipes L during the early part of the
quenching operation for the purpose of enriching the water gas and increasing the
O general proportion of rich illuminating gas obtainable from the ovens.
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. The method of manufacturing coke and of likewise recovering separately,
as auxiliary products, gases differing in richness, driven off from the body of
the coking coal, which consists in enclosing successive charges, one at a time,
in a closed oven, subjecting each successive charge to a coking heat applied from
without purely by conduction through the walls of the oven and to all parts of
the charge and distilling off thereby by the volatile hydrocarbon gases, fraction-
ally separating said gases by drawing off and collecting those generated at different
stages of the coking of the charge into separate receptacles and thereby pre-
venting the adulteration of the richer by the poorer gases and finally drawing
the coked charge from the oven preparatory to recharging the same.
2. The method of manufacturing coke and of likewise recovering separately,
as auxiliary products, gases, differing in richness, driven off from the body of
the coking coal, which consists in enclosing the coal charge within a closed oven,
subjecting it to a coking heat by conduction through the walls of the oven from
without and distilling off thereby the volatile hydrocarbon gases, fractionally
separating the said gases by drawing off and collecting them at various stages
of the coking operation into separate receptacle and maintaining during the
various stages of the coking operation a substantial equilibrium of pressure
between the oven gases and the external heating gases thereby preventing the
adulteration of the richer by the poorer gases and harmful variations of pressure
in the oven.
an
3. The method of manufacturing coke and of likewise recovering, as
auxiliary product, gases driven off from the body of the coking coal which consists
in enclosing a coal charge within a closed oven, subjecting it to a coking heat
by conduction through the walls of the oven from without and distilling off
hereby the volatile hydrocarbon gases, then when the coal is substantially coked
uenching the igneous coke in the oven, cooling the walls of said oven and pro-
lucing a further gas generation by injecting steam into the closed oven, then
rithdrawing the quenched coke, recharging the cooled oven with a fresh body
f coking coal and continuing the treatment as above.
an
4. The method of manufacturing coke and of likewise recovering as
uxiliary product gases driven off from the body of the coking coal which consists
enclosing a coal charge within a closed oven,
y conduction through the walls of the oven from without and distilling off
subjecting it to a coking heat
hereby the volatile hydrocarbon gases, then when the coal is substantially coked
enching the igneous coke in the oven, cooling the walls of said oven and pro-
cing a further gas generation by injecting steam and hydrocarbon oil into
e closed oven, then withdrawing the quenched coke, recharging the cooled oven
th a fresh body of coking coal and continuing the treatment as above.
5. The method of manufacturing coke and of likewise recovering as an auxiliary
oduet gases driven off from the body of the coking coal which consists in
closing a coal charge within a closed oven, subjecting it to a coking heat by
aduction through the walls of the oven from without and distilling off thereby

page_text: the volatile hydrocarbon gases, then when the coal is substantially coked quench-
ing the igneous coke in the oven, cooling the walls of said oven and producing
a further gas generation by injecting steam and hydrocarbon oil into the closed
oven, maintaining during the various stages of the coking operation a substantial
equilibrium of pressure between the oven gases and the external heating gases
then withdrawing the quenched coke, recharging the cooled oven with a fresh
body of coking coal and continuing the treatment as above.
6. In combination with a closed externally heated coke oven, separated
gas mains I and I¹ having valves as H¹ H' whereby they can be connected or
disconnected from the oven and each having an independent exhaust device
us J J
7. In combination with a closed externally heated coke oven, separated by
gas mains I and I having valves as H H whereby they can be connected or
disconnected from the oven and each having an independent exhaust device
as JJ, and a steam conduit opening into the oven.
8. In combination with a closed externally heated coke oven, separate gas
mains I and I having valves as H¹ H' whereby they can be connected or discon-
nected from the oven and each having an independent exhaust device as J J¹
and steam and oil conduits opening into the oven.
9. The combination with a bank or plurality of closed exteriorly heated coke
ovens, of separated gas mains I and I¹ communicating with said ovens, said gas
mains having valves HH', whereby any oven can be connected or disconnected
from either main, each of the mains having an exhaust device, as J J.
10. The combination with a bank or plurality of closed exteriorly heated coke
ovens, of separated gas mains I and I communicating with said ovens said gas
mains having valves H' H', whereby any oven can be connected or disconnected
from either main, each of the mains having an exhaust device, as J J¹, and a
steam conduit opening into it.
11. The combination of a bank or plurality of closed exteriorly heated coke
ovens, of separated gas mains I and I communicating with said ovens, said gas
mains having valves HH, whereby any oven can be connected or disconnected
from either. main, each of the mains having an exhaust device, as J J, and steam
and oil conduits opening into it.
Dated this 27th day of June 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.