IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING GAS FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER OLEAGINOUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Prince at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
February 1870.-A communication from abroad by Augustin Irel
Ambler, of the City of Washington, District of Columbia, United
States of America.
I, ALEXANDER PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, No. 4, Trafalgar
Square, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING GAS
FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER OLEAGINOUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO
BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from abroad by Augustin
Irel Ambler, of the City of Washington, District of Columbia, United
States of America, to be as follows:
-
The first part of this Invention relates to the production of gas or
vapor from petroleum and other oleaginous substances for heating
purposes by means of the ordinary steam in use for general purposes,
introduced into a suitable vessel-containing-a-certain-quantity-of-
petroleum or other oil, which may be perfectly cold, and leaving in the
vessel a certain spaco-or room-for steam vapour-and-gas-Heated oil is
not necessary by this process other than the heat incident to the stcam
-

page_text: admitted therein, that is to say, no auxiliary heating surface in the oil
or about the same whatever is needed or required. Suitable conducting
pipes having suitable valves convey the gas or vapor to a perforated tube
or pipes in the fire-box for use.
The second part of the Invention relates to the production of gas or
vapor substantially in the same way for illuminating purposes, but with
the addition of a certain amount of heating surface to rarify the gas
after it leaves the vessel in which it is generated, and by enriching the
same in its passage to the heating chamber or fire-box as may be found
desirable in practical use. For these purposes I uso suitable vessels for
holding and mixing the oil and steam and generating the gas. These
vessels should be constructed of iron or any suitable material with a
diameter of about one-quarter or one-fifth of their length, but other
proportions may be equally practical. Suitable pipes or tubes are used,
with valves and stop-cocks for the induction of steam therein and the
eduction of gas or vapor therefrom; also pipes, valves, and force pumps
for the induction and supply of oil, with oil tanks and their appendages
as a reservoir for continual use, combining therewith a fire-box and boiler
and burners for the utilization of the gas and the generating of the steam.
An auxiliary boiler may be employed for the gas generating apparatus,
or the steam from the boiler may be used by tapping the same.
The apparatus consists of a common upright boiler with its ordinary
attachments, tubes, and water space, and of two vessels in com-
munication therewith, which are the carbureters; an enriching tank is
applied between the boiler and carbureters for enriching the gas passing 2
through it from the carbureter to a coil in the fire-box, or this tank may
be used for deodorizing or empoverishing the gas or vapour passing
through it, as in practical use may be desirable for illuminating or
heating purposes. The vapor enters the tank and passes out by the
eduction pipe, and is thus conveyed from the carbureter to the spiral coil 3
pipe in the fire-box to the gasometer and the burners or a perforated
pipe for light and heat. The gasometer is placed at the side of the boiler,
and below the gasometer is a rotary or other force pump for supplying
air to the fire-box, or by reversing it to pump hot air into the gasometer.
Guages are applied for indicating the pressure and for shewing the 3
contents of the carbureters and enriching tank, and glass tubes shew the
current of gas from the carbureters to the firc-box or furnace and the
burners. A steam pipe conveys steam from the high steam of the boiler

page_text: to the carbureter. The induction pipes for the supply of oil should
descend from the top to near the bottom of the carbureters and through
the gas and oil space, or when supplied through the gas and oil, the
oil remains at the bottom of the vessel and the steam ascends through
the oil, and the gas or vapour generated in the steam passing through it
remains at the top and is then ready for use. The perforated pipe in
the fire-box may be of any form or size, the perforations being directed
inwardly; a pipe runs outside the boiler to the eduction pipe joining the
perforated pipe thereto. The spiral coil pipe within the perforated pipe
supplies a moderate heating surface to the gas in its passage through the
same to the gasometer or burners; it rests below the flame or grate bars,
through which there is a free current of air which prevents them from
burning, and the carbonization of the gas passing through them; an
outside pipe conveys the gas outside the boiler and the flame of the flues
from the carbureter to the spiral coil. Proper exhaust pipes, stop-cocks,
and valves should also be used. Steam being first made in the boiler by
any suitable means is let on to the carbureters previously supplied with
oil. The valves are arranged and the gas gradually produced from cold
petrolcum with less than ten pounds. pressure of steam in about one
minute and a half. There is no metallic heating surface in or about the
oil by this process as auxiliary means of heating the. oil whatever, and
no such heating of the oil is required where steam is used as indicated.
The steam must be continued as long as the gas and flame
are desired,
for as soon as the steam is shut.off the gas will almost immediately ceasc
to flow. For making gas for illuminating purposes the steam is also let
on to the carbureters, but in the coil pipe there are no holes or per-
forations for the escape of gas in the fire-box, and the gas consequently
continues on through the spiral coil pipe to the gasometer or auxiliary
pipe for use. The connection with the fire-box may be made by running
the connecting pipes conveying gas from the carbureter outside of the
flues and boiler altogether. There is also a pipe connecting the gaso-
meter with the perforated pipe so as to supply the burners in the fire-box
until steam is got up to a pressure in the boiler sufficient to commence
the generating of gas in the carbureters, and thus by means of the supply
in the gasometer keep up the operation without other fuel or auxiliary
means. The steam in passing through the oil generates or liberates the
gas and carries with it that portion for which it has an affinity, and the
clements of hydrogen and carbon are combined and pass out on the
opening of the valves to and through the pipes and burners for usc.

page_text: High heat applied by any metallic surface to the petroleum direct is
injurious and tends to carbonization and the saturation of the gas. As
soon as the steam passes through the oil and rises above it, the oil cannot
again pass the steam or ascend above it, so if tho steam is let on at the
bottom and the gas is taken out at the top of the vessel, the gas or
vapour must flow in the quality substantially of the combination aforesaid,
producing a fine flame and an intense heat, and filling the furnace and
flues of the boiler in usc. The steam is not materially condensed in
passing through the petroleum and thus forms a perfect packing above
it, and prevents it from rising into the dome and passing into the tubes,
and this feature is made available in solving the problem of generating
gas practically and safely from petroleum. The steam parts with a
portion of its heat as long as the oil is capable of receiving and retaining
the same and rises above it, and there remains till other causes combino
to produce a gradual condensation, when as water it will descend to the
bottom, and the oil being lighter in specific gravity will ascend to the top,
the steam by its expansive force keeping it down previously to con-
densation as indicated.