IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS APPARATUS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS APPARATUS," A communication from
abroad by Edward Stern, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1880.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Edward Stern, of the City of
New York, in the United States of America.
The process has relation to the production of hydrogen by the conversion of
superheated steam carrying with it a certain amount of vapour of naphtha or its
equivalent in the presence of highly heated lime, which causes the conversion of
said lime into carbonate of lime, and also of the subsequent reconversion of said
carbonate of lime into lime, enabling the process by means of two furnaces to be
continually carried on.
The conversion of the carbonate of lime into lime is accomplished by highly
heating such lime in the presence of a certain amount of water or steam, the
gases resulting from this reaction being allowed to escape.
By means of the apparatus shown hydrogen gas can be continuously produced
by the employment of two sets of superheaters and two converting furnaces, which
can be alternately used.
The principal features of the apparatus by which the process is carried on are
in the first place a generator capable of producing carbonic oxide. This carbonic
oxide passing from this apparatus is partly used for heating the boiler which
supplies the steam necessary in the subsequent steps of the process, and is partly
carried into a superheating apparatus which is filled with highly heated masses of
refractory material. This superheater is made double, having two chambers, so
that one may be heated by the combustion in it of carbonic oxide and air, while
the other is being used to heat the steam and naphtha which are passing through
it. This hydrocarbon in the apparatus shown is fed into the top of the superheater
from a vessel containing it by the flow of steam, which comes in contact with a
spray of such naphtha, and carries it in suspension to the top of the superheating

page_text: chamber. Any form of hydrocarbon could be used for this purpose, and various
incans of mingling it with the steam could be employed; the one shown however
is a convenient and ready means of carrying out this part of the process. The
combined vapors of water and naphtha passing down through a superheating
chamber, which is not sufficiently hot to convert the naphtha into a fixed gas, are
subsequently taken to the converting furnaces, which are two in number, in the
apparatus. These converting furnaces are preferably of the construction shown,
which is somewhat peculiar. They do not consist either of a vertical or of a
horizontal chamber or chambers, but each furnace consists of two halves or separate
chambers connected at one end, and disconnected at the other. As shown in the
Drawings these chambers are in the form of a bent cylinder, being highest in the
middle, and lowest at the two ends; their bottoms forming two inclined planes
allowing the feeding of the lime into them through a central feeding aperture in
either-direction. The-furnace is made in two parts with the object of having one
portion cooler than the other. The mixed steam and naphtha vapour passes first
into the hottest portion of this furnace which is filled with lime. The result of
the chemical reaction of this highly heated mixture of steam and naphtha with the
heated lime is the transformation of the gas into hydrogen and carbonic acid.
This carbonic acid is subsequently taken up by the lime in the cooler portion of
the double furnace, the lime in the first portion being too hot to enter into
combination with the carbonic acid and form carbonate of lime. After this process
has been carried on until the temperature of the lime has been reduced so far as to
render a cessation advisable, the flow of naphtha and steam is diverted into ano!':
similar furnace, which has been in the meantime heated in a manner to be described.
This is done by introducing into that end of the double furnace where the lime
has-been-converted-into-carbonate of lime, a stream of gas containing a certain
amount of water, or capable of producing by its combustion a certain amount of
water, and a stream of air. The gas used in this reconversion of the carbonato of
lime into lime can be obtained from the gas generator previously spoken of as
producing carbonic oxide, by using such gas generator for the production of
carburetted hydrogen or other gas containing a certain amount of hydrogen, or a
separate gas generator might be employed for this purpose, the essential qualities
of the gas so used being that it must be capable of combustion at a high
temperature, and at the same time of bringing in contact with or in the presence
of the carbonate of lime a certain amount of water or water in the shape of
steam.
It is the reconversion of the carbonate of lime into lime which is considered the
most important improvement in this process. The use of a current of steam
carrying with it a certain amount of naphtha or equivalent hydro-carbon, and its
conversion into hydrogen in the presence of lime is also considered new in this
process.
It is obvious that many forms of apparatus can be used in carrying out this
Invention, and the apparatus which I shall describe is only one of many forins
which might be devised for this purpose.
Figure 1 represents a plan view of the entire apparatus; Figure 2, a more
detailed view of the gas generator, superheaters, and naphtha supply apparatus;
Figure 3 represents a view partially in section of the naphtha supply apparatus,
the naphtha tank, and the steam superheating apparatus; Figure 4 represents a
view partially in section of the naphtha supply apparatus, the gas generator, one
of the superheaters, and the necessary connections; Figure 5 represents a top view
of the converting furnaces; Figure 6, a horizontal section of the same; Figure 7,
a vertical section through one of said furnaces; Figure 8, a front elevation
showing some of the connections, and Figure 9, a view partly in section showing a
method of igniting the gas in the converting furnaces.
A represents any one of the well known forms of gas generators capable of
producing carbonic oxide, or preferably in this apparatus either carburetted hydrogen
or carbonic oxide carrying with it a certain amount of hydrogen. The gas produced

page_text: in this generator is carried off by pipes c to a boiler not shown, or when desired
by pipes to the superheating apparatus to be described. These pipes are of
course provided with suitable valves for the control of the gas, us is indeed true of
the other pipes of the apparatus. Two valves are shown in the pipe p, Figure 4,
one being a screw valve, by means of which the amount of gas passing through
can be controlled, and the other is shown in the water scal W. From this water
seal two pipes m, m, lead to the superheaters, and each of these is provided with a
water seal cup q, by means of which the flow of gas from the generator A can be
diverted from either one of the superheaters, but these valves and other arrange-
ments are matters of detail which are not claimed in this application, since they
may be supplied by any intelligent gas engineer.
Č, C, arc two superheaters which may be alternately used when it is desired to
keep up a constant supply of the gas, but it is plain that all the parts in this
apparatus which are duplicated might be used singly in case a continuous supply
was not requisite. This superheater consists in a vertical chamber provided with
appropriate supply openings B. The pipes m from the gas generator A deliver
into the top of this chamber, which is filled with some refractory material such as
fire brick. The bottom of this chamber is provided with a purge pipe K, Figure 4,
opening into the chamber by means of the aperture L. This purge pipe is of courso
provided with a suitable purge valvo t, as shown. The bottom of the chambers
communicate likewise with the pipe b leading to the converting furnaces.
The
pipe n which enters the superheater Cat its top, passing in through the centre of
the gas supply pipe m, supplies a sufficient quantity of air for the proper com-
bustion of the gas produced in the generator A. Superheater C is also provided
with a steam supply pipe a, which communicates with the carburetting apparatus D,
shown more fully in section in Figure 3. This apparatus consists of a chamber D
provided with a rose spray M supplied by pipe 61 from pump P, which takes the
naphtha from the supply tank N. The generator A may be provided with super-
heaters S, and steam from a boiler not shown passes by pipe ¹ through a regulating
valve R which automatically controls the pressure. Passing through this valve it
divides, part going by pipe d¹ to superheaters S and part by pipe e¹ to pump P,
so that the steam which operates the supply pump and which passes through the
superheaters is regulated by the same valve, and an increased flow of steam would
be accompanied by an increased flow of naphtha.
The steam passing through the superheaters arrives at the carburetter by the
pipe f, when moving upward it is met by the supply of naphtha froin the rose
spray M, which it carries off in suspension by the pipe a. 9 represents a by-pass
pipe by which the supply of naphtha can be entirely cut off by allowing it to
return to the tank. Two valves are also shown, by means of one of which the
supply can be regulated, and by the other of which the supply could be shut off
entirely without altering the regulating valve previously set. The superheated
steam and naphtha passing out by the pipe a are delivered into the top of the
superheater C, as shown in Figure 4. The connections are somewhat differently
arranged in the different Figures, but this is a matter of small importance, and may
bo arranged to suit the circumstances of the works. The pipe b previously described
communicates with a pair of converting furnaces E. These furnaces are fully
shown in Figures 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Each furnace consists of a double chamber,
as is clearly shown in Figure 6. These chambers are each in the form of a bent
or broken cylinder, or inverted V, or of two inclined cylinders, as is shown in
Figure 7. Each of these chambers is arranged with a supply tube G at the top,
by means of which line is fed to it. This lime being fed from the central apex
supplies both ends of the chamber. Escape pipes fare also provided for use to be
described. They are arranged with valves h. The mixture of steam and naphtha
coming from the superheaters by the pipe b passes into either one of the chambers
of either furnace by means of a divided pipe, its course being determined by suitable
valves. Its entrance into either one of the chambers of the converting furnace is
determined by valves j, Figure 8.

page_text: Both ends of these chambers are provided also with gas and air pipes for the
purpose of introducing into the same and burning a mixture of gas and air.
k
represents a pipe communicating at the front and back ends of cach chamber
by suitable tuyeres connected with a supply of combustible gas containing a certain
amount of hydrogen as described. The pipe & supplies the air necessary for the
combustion of the gas supplied by the pipe l. As shown, the gas and air are intro-
duced by means of a double concentric tuyere, but any other suitable way may be
used. Pipes c are provided which carry off the hydrogen gas to the holder, and
they are also provided with purge valves g for the purpose of thoroughly purging
the apparatus before the production of the hydrogen gas. These pipes are also
provided with suitablo valves A, as shown, by means of which the hydrogen gas or
the converted gas can bo caused to flow in either direction.
The mixture of steam and naphtha vapour enters the ends of the chambers by
means of pipe j', Figure 7, which pass somewhat above the bottom of the retort,...
as shown, so as to be above the lime which would slide down the inclined plane.
Cleansing pipes are used for the purpose of removing any sediment.
In the process to be described it becomes necessary to kindle at times in the
converting furnace the gas and air which are there admitted by the tuyeres
described. This can be done in any well known way, but a little apparatus has
been devised, shown in Figure 9, by which it is readily accomplished. This
apparatus consists of a tube T which cominunicates with the converting furnace at
some point near the supply point of gas and air previously described. The pipe v
is provided, which is supplied with a continuous current of gas, which is kept
continually alight and burns upward through the opening a. The valve n¹ con-
-trolled_by_rody shuts off this flame from the interior of the furnace. When it is
desired to light the same the pipe w, connected with a supply of compressed air, is
opened, when the flame passing upward from the pipe vis blown inward through
the tube T, thereby lighting the gas previously supplied by the tuyero .
The operation of the apparatus can now be readily understood. It is first
necessary to thoroughly heat one of the superheating chambers B, and one of the
converting furnaces E. These are made double for the purposes already described.
Gas produced in the generator A is introduced into the top of one of the super-
heaters by the pipe m described; at the same time a sufficient supply of air is
brought in contact with it by one of the branch pipes n provided with suitable
valves me, one being open and the other closed. The purge valve t is simul-
taneously opened, allowing the escape of the products of this combustion. At the
same time a sufficient supply of gas and air is admitted by the pipes k and to any
of the chambers of one of the two furnaces E, or if necessary a supply to both
chambers, or a greater supply to one chamber than to the other, it being necessary
that one of the chambers of the converting furnace be hotter than the other. As
soon as the superheater C has been sufficiently heated, the supply of gas and air is
shut off from it and allowed to enter the other superheater. At the same time
superheated steam from the apparatus shewn in Figure 3 is caused to mingle with
a suflicient amount of naphtha, and passed upward by pipe a through the super-
heater, where it becomes thoroughly heated without being converted. The
combined vapours of water and naphtha thus highly heated are fed into the bot
side of the converting furnace E. Passing through this they become couverted into
hydrogen and carbonic acid, which carbonic acid is not taken up by the lime on
account of its heat, but passing through the opening F into the other branch or
side of the furnace E it comes in contact with lime at a cooler temperature, and
there the lime takes up the carbonic acid, forming carbonate of lime, and leaving
the hydrogen pure.
Then the alternative action takes place. The naphtha and vapour are super-
heated in the other superheater, and are allowed to flow into the other converting
furnace. Meanwhile the mixture of gas and vapour is burned with a sufficient
supply of air in that one of the two chambers of the converting furnace which had
previously taken up the carbonic acid and contained carbonato of lime, whereby

page_text: said carbonic acid is once more driven off, and the highly heated limo remains
ready to act upon the next supply of the vapours of steam and naphtha.
It may be necessary in heating the converting furnace previous to the admission
of the steam and naphtha to heat both chambers of the same, but to a different
degree. This question of the relation of heats is a matter of experience, and can be
casily determined by those acquainted with the business. It is very important
however to have the two chambers heated to different temperatures, because the
original decomposition has to take place in the presence of highly heated limo, but
the absorption of the carbonic acid takes placo in the presence only of a cooler
body of lime. It is plain too that these two masses of lime might be in separate
chambers if preferred.
The gas to be converted into hydrogen may also be procured in the following
way: In this process no naphtha is used, but the gas known as water gas,
consisting of a combination of hydrogen, and a certain amount of carbonic oxide
with certain other impurities, is used in connection with a certain amount of
superheated steam.
In order to carry out this process successfully, it is important to remove from
the water gas as far as possible the sulphuric and other impurities which it contains
when leaving the generator; therefore between the generator and the superheater,
to be hereafter described, is inserted a purifier which may contain lime or other
equivalent material; I do not limit myself to any particular form of purifier to be
here used.
The process will be better understood from the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 10 represents a general plan view of the apparatus; Figure 11, a view
somewhat more in detail, showing parts of the sume; Figure 12, an elevation of
the generator, purifier, and superheater; Figure 13 is a view of a grate which may
be used in the purifier.
A represents a generator for producing water gas, which if the process is to be
continuous should be double. This class of generator produces alternately water
gas and carbonic oxide, and it may be useful to store the carbonic oxide in a
separate holder for use in heating the superheater, or in the lime furnace to be
described, although a separate carbonic oxide generator might be used for these
purposes. The water gas produced as described is next taken through one of the
two purifiers B, where the sulphur and other impurities are removed from it.
Thence it passes through one of the two superheaters C, which are constructed in
the same way as in the first process above described. But instead of introducing
into these superheaters a current of steam and naphtha, I introduce simply a
current of steam, by preference previously superheated in the walls of the
generator A.
This steam is introduced by means of the pipe P into the top of one of these
superheaters. All the connecting pipes are provided with suitable valves for
regulating the flow, which are not here shown in detail. From this superheater
the mingled gases pass to the converting lime furnaces. The gases so passing
consist of carbonic oxide, hydrogen, and steam. The result of the reaction between
this combination of gases and vapour with the hot lime is their conversion into
hydrogen and carbonic acid, the volume of hydrogen becoming increased by the
hydrogen which is set free from the steam. Passing through the cooler portion of
the lime this carbonic acid is taken up, and hydrogen alone results, which may be
taken to a holder.
In practice it may be necessary to insert into the connection between the
generator and the purifier, or the purifier and the superheater, a governing holder
to receive the excess of gas and maintain an even flow.
The advantage of this process is that nothing except coal and water are required
to carry it out, since the limo can be converted into carbonate of lime, aud
reconverted into lime without any serious detriment. In the processes heretofore
described there has been considerable waste in this regard.
The gas to be converted by the lime may also be secured and treated as follows:―

page_text: Coal gas coming from the usual distilling benches passes into a secondary generator;
the coal gas passing from the benches consists of hydrogen, light curburetted
hydrogen, heavy hydro carbons, tar, hydro-carbons in vaporous forms, and other
impurities. By passing this mixture through the secondary generator, which
contains coal in a highly heated condition, the heavy hydro carbons become
converted into a lighter hydro-carbons and an increase in volume takes place,
permitting further decomposition of the tars and other vaporous matter carried
with the gas. This mingled gas is then passed to a converting lime furnace similar
to those heretofore described, where it enters together with a jet of steam, preferably
superheated in the second generator. There a conversion takes place in the same
manner as before described; the carbonic oxide being converted into carbonic acid.
is subsequently taken up by the cooler portions of the lime.
In the Drawing similar letters refer to similar parts. Figure 14 is a plan view
-of-tho-apparatus.; Figure-15,-a-view of the ordinary bench of gas retorts and of the
secondary generator; Figure 16, a plan view of the same.
A represents a view of a bench of gas retorts; B, B, represents a supplemental
gas generator; C, C, the converting lime furnaces. The generators B, B, and the
lime furnace C, C, are duplicated so as to make the process continuous. The
generators B, B, are alternately heated by injected air, thereby producing carbonic
oxide. The lime furnaces contain, as before, in one side of the chamber highly
heated lime, and in the other cooler lime, and are provided with suitable injection
tubes for injecting the steam, preferably superheated, at the same point where the
gas from the supplemental generators passes into such converting lime furnaces.
The carbonic oxide produced from the generators B, B, may be used in heating
the lime furnaces in the manner before described. Suitable valves and connections
-are-of-course-provided,-which are not shown_in_detail, but which are readily
supplied.
The process can now be readily understood. The coal gas containing impurities,
as described, passes from the bench A into one of the supplemental generators B,
where its volume is increased by the conversion of the vapours and tar, as described,
and the heavy hydro-carbon becomes converted into lighter hydro carbon. This
mixture passes to the converting lime furnaces where it is joined by a jet of
superheated steam, and the whole passes through the converting lime furnace,
and is by it converted into hydrogen in the manner described.
What I claim is,-
First. The process of producing hydrogen, which consists in bringing in contact
with beated lime a supply of steain and vapour of naphtha, whereby said vapours
are decomposed, the carbonic acid is taken up and hydrogen alone remains,
substantially as described.
Second. The process of producing hydrogen hereinbefore described, which consists
in bringing in contact with a supply of heated lime a sufficient supply of the
vapours of water and naphtha highly heated before they are brought in contact
with said lime, whereby they are decomposed, the carbonic acid is absorbed, and
hydrogen alone results.
Third. The process of producing hydrogen, which consists of bringing in contact
with a highly heated body of limc, a sufficient supply of the mingled vapours of
water and naphtha, whereby hydrogen is produced and the lime converted into
carbonate of lime, and the subsequent purification of said lime by burning in its
presence a sufficient supply of gas containing hydrogen, whereby the carbonate of
lime is reconverted into lime, substantially as described.
Fourth. The process of producing hydrogen herein before described, which consists
in bringing in contact with a highly heated body of line a sufficient supply of the
vapours of water and naphtha, thereby decomposing said vapours into hydrogen
and carbonic acid, and of subsequently bringing said mingled gases into contact
with another body of lime at a cooler temperature, whereby the carbonic acid is
absorbed and hydrogen results.
Fifth. The process of producing hydrogen hereinbefore described, which consists

page_text: in bringing in contact with a highly heated body of lime a highly heated supply of
the vapours of water and naphtha, thereby decomposing said vapours into hydrogen
and carbonic acid, and of subsequently bringing said mingled gases in contact with
another body of lime at a cooler temperature, whereby the carbonic acid is absorbed
and hydrogen results.
Sixth. The combination in an apparatus for producing hydrogen of an apparatus
for mingling steam and naphtha, an apparatus for heating their mingled vapours,
and a converting lime furnace for decomposing said vapours and converting them
into hydrogen, as described.
Seventh. In an apparatus for producing hydrogen pure, the combination of the
gas generator A, steain and naphtha supply apparatus D, the two superheaters C,
and the two converting furnaces and the pipes and connections shown, whereby a
continuous supply of hydrogen is produced, substantially as described.
Eighth. The converting furnace herein described, which consists of a V shaped
chamber having a supply opening at the centre and entrance and delivery oponings
at either end, substantially as described.
Ninth. The double converting lime furnace herein described, which consists of
two chambers disconnected at one end and connected at the other, containing limo
at different temperatures, substantially as described.
Tenth. The combination of the two lime chambers, and the pipes and connections
shown for introducing a gas at either end of the same, substantially as described.
Eleventh. In an apparatus in which steam and naphtha are used together in the
production of gns, the combination of a steam pipe bringing the steam from the
boiler, a steam valve regulating its flow, and a branched pipe, one branch leading
to a naphtha supply pump and the other to the apparatus where the steam is to be
used, whereby the supply of naphtha and the supply of steam used with it are
simultaneously varied, substantially as described.
Twelfth. In an apparatus in which steam and naphtha are used together in the
production of gas, the combination of a steam pipe bringing the steam from the
boiler, an automatic pressure regulator and steain valve regulating its flow, and a
branched pipe, one branch leading to a naphtha supply pump and the other to the
apparatus where the steam is to be used, whereby the supply of naphtha and the
supply of steam used with it are simultaneously varied, substantially as described.
Thirteenth. The process of producing hydrogen hereinbefore described, which
consists in passing a current of water, gas, and steam through a body of highly
heated lime, and subsequently through a body of lime at a lower temperature,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fourteenth. The process of producing hydrogen hereinbefore described, which
consists in passing a current of water, gas, and superheated steam through a body
of highly heated lime and afterwards through a body of cooler limo, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
Fifteenth. The improvement in the process of producing hydrogon, which consists
in passing a current of water, gas, and hydrogen through a body of highly heated
lime, thereby converting it into hydrogen and carbonic acid, and subsequently
through another body of lime at a lower temperature, where the carbonic acid is
absorbed, leaving the hydrogen free, and of afterwards reconverting the carbonato
of limo into line by burning in its presence a sufficient amount of gas containing
hydrogen, substantially as described.
Sixteenth. The improvement in apparatus for producing hydrogen gas, which
consists in a water gas generator, a purifier for purifying said water gas, a super
heater for heating the currents of water gas and steam, and a converting lime
furnace, substantially as described.
Seventeenth. The hereinbefore described process of producing hydrogen, which
consists in passing a current of coal gas through a secondary highly heated generator
or heater, whereby the volume of said gas is increased, and of then passing the
current of gas through lime, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Eighteenth. The herein before described process of producing hydrogen, which

page_text: consists of passing a current of heated coal gas through a body of lime in a highly
heated condition, and subsequently through a body of lime in a cooler condition,
substantially as described.
Nineteenth. The process of producing hydrogen herein before described, which
consists of passing a stream of coal gas through a secondary converting generator,
thereby increasing its volume, and subsequently passing said gas through a highly
heated body of lime at a lower temperature, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Pitt, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.