IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST-FURNACES FOR BURNING GASEOUS FUEL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Gatton Melhuish Hardingham, of 191 Fleet
Street, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST-FURNACES
FOR BURNING
GASEOUS FUEL" communicated to him from abroad by Levi D. York, of
Portsmouth, Scioto County in the State of Ohio one of the United States
of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Gatton Melhuish
Hardingham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd
November 1883.
"
GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST
FURNACES FOR BURNING GASEOUS FUEL (a communication to me from abroad
by Levi D. York, of Portsmouth, Scioto County, in the State of Ohio, one of the
United Sates of America)
This invention relates to a method and means for working blast-furnaces whereby
increased efficiency is attained whilst the consumption of fuel is economised. The
furnace is worked by forcing in at the bottom air and gas, both at a high
temperature. A smaller proportion than usual of solid fuel can be used therein,
or it may be entirely dispensed with and the beat produced from the combustion
alone of the gas forced in.
In carrying out this invention, an air-heating stove is employed which performs
the usual functions of such an aj pliance, the products of combustion escaping
from the blast furnace being utilised to impart heat to fresh air which is
subsequently forced by blowing apparatus into the blast furnace near its base.
There is also employed a gas-producing furnace kept supplied with bituminous
coal, or other suitable solid fuel, in lumps of proper size to allow air a tolerably
free passage through the interstices. By means of blowing apparatus, preferably
independent from that before alluded to, air is forced through a heating stove into
the base of the gas-producing furnace, and having traversed the same is conveyed
and supplied to the blast-furnace in a similar manner to the hot air-blast before
alluded to

page_text: The fuel in the gas-producing furnace is maintained at such a depth that the
gases arising therefrom are largely carbonic oxide and hydrocarbon gas, adapted
to produce a high degree of heat by the combustion in the blast-furnace of the
gaseous mixture derived from the two sources of supply. The action which takes
place in the blast-furnace is, speaking generally, of the usual character; except
that the proportion of solid fuel to the ore and flux being reduced, the zone of
preparation is diminished, and may be done away with altogether when sufficient
gas is used to supply heat; under which circumstances only ore and flux would
have to be introduced into the blast-furnace at the top. The relative quantity of
combustible gas and of air may be controlled by working the two sets of blowing
apparatus at varying speeds, or may be regulated by the employment of suitable
valves or by both these means.
According to one modification, instead of forcing the air before it is supplied to
the gas furnace, the blowing apparatus is interposed between the gas-producing
furnace and the blast-furnace. In such an arrangement, before the gas reaches the
blowing apparatus, it is considerably lowered in temperature, either by radiation
from the pipes conveying it or by its passage through pipes exposed to special
cooling influences, so that the gas reaches the blowing apparatus at a temperature
that allows of its being worked. By these means, the gas producing furnace is
relieved from pressure. Where, on the contrary, the gas furnace is worked under
pressure, means are provided, as by an air-lock with duplicate valves, for
introducing the successive charges of fuel without allowing any considerable
quantity of the gas to escape.
The gas-producing furnace or furnaces may be constructed in various forms and
arranged in different ways, it being only essential that a liberal supply of com-
bustible gas be obtained from a gas-producing source and be driven into the base
of the blast-furnace, that a sufficient quantity of fresh air be properly presented
thereto in the blast-furnace, and that the supplies of both gas and air be hot.
The gas and air may be passed into the furnace at the same level; in which
case the tuyeres for the two may have their properly dimensioned openings
arranged at an angle, so as to cause the jet from one gas-tuyere to impinge
upon the jet from an adjacent air-tuyere. Any desired number of tuyeres may
be used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Gatton Melhuish Hardingham in the Patent Office on the
23rd May 1884.
">
GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES FOR
BURNING GASEOUS FUEL (a communication to me from abroad by Levi D. York,
of Portsmouth, Scioto County, in the State of Ohio, one of the United States of
America).
I work the furnace by forcing in at the bottom air and gas, both at a high
temperature. I.can use solid fuel in a less proportion than usual, or I can dispense
with it entirely and produce the heat from the combustion alone of the gas thus
forced in.
The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out
the invention.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, some of the parts being in elevation.
Fig. 2 is an outline showing a different arrangement of the parts. This involves
a somewhat different mode of working.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is a blast-furnace, which may be of ordinary dimensions,.
form and proportions.
'
B is an air-heating stove, performing the usual functions of such device by
absorbing heat from the products of combustion escaping from the blast-furnace
through the pipes 6 and imparting it to fresh air forced by the blowing means C
through the pipe cand thence through tuyeres c¹ into the furnace A at several.
points near the base. The blower C is driven by an engine or other power. (Not
represented.)
It will of course be understood that pipes c and d continue from the blowers to
the tuyeres c¹ and the fire-box E, and that the portions within the stoves B F are
duplicated, provided with return bends, or otherwise adapted to present extensive
surfaces arranged to be bathed by the heated gases which enter into the stoves.
through the pipes b, the said gases thence passing to the outer air through passages
(shown in dotted lines).
The gas-producing furnace E is kept filled with bituminous coal or other
suitable solid fuel in lumps of proper size to allow the air a tolerably free passage
through its interstices.
D is a blowing apparatus, which is worked by an engine or engines. (Not
represented.) This blower D forces the air through a pipe ( and heating stove F
into the base of the gas-producing furnace E.
The fuel in the furnace E is maintained at such depth that the gases rising
therefrom are largely carbonic oxide and hydro-carbon gas, adapted to produce a
high degree of heat by the combustion of the gaseous mixture in the blast-
furnace. The action going on in the blast-furnace is of the usual character, except
that the proportion of solid fuel to the ore and flux is reduced. The solid fuel in
the blast-furnace may be dispensed with altogether when sufficient gas is used
to supply heat, requiring only ore and flux to be put into the blast-furnace at the
top.
My furnace is more efficient than ordinary blast-furnaces for reasons long
recognized in various forms of low furnaces. The zone preparation is diminished.
A given size of furnace is more efficient and the fuel is economized. The quantity

page_text: of combustible gas and of air is controlled by working the blowers C and D at
varying rates, or by the employment of any suitable valves, as indicated, or by
both these means.
In the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 2, instead of forcing the air before it is
supplied to the gas-furnace, the blowing apparatus is placed intermediate between
the gas-producing furnace and the blast-furnace. This form of the apparatus
gives the advantage that the gas-producing furnace is relieved from pressure. It
will be understood that the gas is considerably lowered in temperature, either by
radiation from the pipes, or by its passage through one or more pipes specially
cooled by means not represented, so that it reaches the blowing means at a
temperature that allows it to be worked. I propose to determine by experiment
what is the highest temperature at which gas can be pumped or otherwise forced,
and take care to never have the gas exceed that temperature.
It will be understood that in case. the furnace is worked under pressure, as in
Fig. 1, means are provided, as by an air-lock with duplicate valves, for introducing
the successive charges of fuel without allowing the gas to blow out.
Fig. 1 shows only one chamber of the gas-producing furnace. Fig. 2 shows
two, and it will be understood that there may be four, eight or any desired number
of chambers.
It will be understood also that the blast-furnace itself and its several auxiliaries
may be varied in proportions and in arrangement.
I have omitted much detail in the drawings. Each of the parts may be made
in any ordinary or suitable manner, and with all the necessary attachments. It is
essential only that a liberal supply of combustible gas be obtained from a gas-
producing source E and be driven into the base of the blast-furnace A, and that a
sufficient quantity of fresh air be properly presented thereto in the blast-furnace,
and that both be supplied hot.
The main pipes may be placed under ground or over-head. The gas and air may
be passed into the furnace at the same level. In such case, the tuyeres for the two
may have their openings of proper dimensions arranged at an angle, so as to cause
the jet from one gas tuyere to impinge upon the jet from an adjacent air-tuyere. I
can use any desired number of tuyeres.
Any ordinary or suitable form of air-heating stoves may be used for the stoves B
and F.
.
I have represented in Fig. 2 but one blower D and but one heating-stove F;
but it will be understood that there are corresponding blowing means and heating
stove to supply the hot air. I have not deemed it necessary to show in Fig. 2 the
air-supplying apparatus further than the pipe through which the heated air is
received.
I claim as the invention communicated to me by my foreign correspondent:-
In combination with the blast-furnace A and air-heating stove B and its
connections for driving heated air into A, the gas-producing source and stove F and
their connections for driving the gas at a high temperature into A, as herein
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Gatton Melhuish Hardingham, have
hereunto get my hond and asal this Drð
T 1004