Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Enriching Coal Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec.,
1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Enriching
Coal Gas.
We, RICHARD HENRY WHITELEY, Gas Manager, of Folgambe Road, and
WILLIAM ELLIS, Engine Tenter, of 17, Chatsworth Road, both of Chesterfield, in
the County of Derby, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to a simple method of enriching coal gas by means of
tar, and our object is to extract from the tar as large a quantity of the light
hydrocarbons which it contains as possible, and to add those light hydrocarbons
to the before it passes to the
gas
holder.
gas
Our invention consists in breaking up the tar into spray or otherwise dividing
it in such manner as to make the tar present a large surface to the gas passing
over it. We preferably deal with the tar while it is still in the hot state, but
we may also heat the tar after it has been collected and cooled.
In carrying our invention into effect according to one method we interpose in
the foul gas main leading from the hydraulic main a mechanical agitator or
stirrer. This agitator or stirrer is rotated at a speed sufficient to break up the tar,
which is still liqud and hot, into fine spray, or to cause the tar to expose a large sur-
face for the evaporation of its light hydrocarbons. The gas is thus thoroughly
brought into contact with every particle of tar before it reaches the condensers, and
it thus carries away a large proportion of the light hydrocarbons which greatly in-
crease its illuminating power, and also to some extent its volume. One form of
mechanical agitator preferred by us consists of a long spindle, which spindle carries
a considerable number of thin sheet iron discs bolted upon it, but so spaced as
to leave room for the passage of the gas between the different plates or discs.
These discs with their spindle are contained within a properly shaped metal
casing so devised that the inlet from the hydraulic main passes in at one side.
and the outlet to the condensers at the other. The gas thus passes between the
sheet iron discs or plates and becomes impregnated with the fine tar spray and
so carries off from that spray the volatile hydrocarbons or other matters of a volatile
nature which are capable of increasing the illuminating power.
Instead
We do not confine ourselves to any particular type of agitator, however, and
in some cases we do not rotate the discs fast enough to produce spray.
of this we rely upon the extended surfaces exposed to the gas because of the
discs dipping into the liquid tar and carrying a fresh portion of tar up at each
revolution. In some cases we cause the ordinary exhauster to perform the func-
tions of both exhauster and enricher. To do this we place the exhauster upon
the foul gas main between the hydraulic main and the condensers, and we thus
cause the exhauster in addition to drawing away the gas from the retorts, and
forcing it through the condensers, to beat up the tar and cause the gas to carry
away from it a large proportion of its contained hydrocarbon.
Other types of agitator may be adopted, or a jet spraying device may be used

page_text: instead of the mechanical agitator which we have described. When using thin
sheet iron discs as hereinbefore described, we sometimes corrugate these discs
radially. In some cases we add the tar to the gas after the gas has left the con-
densers, and in this case we prefer to heat the tar to some extent and beat it up
with the gas by any convenient agitator. It is to be distinctly understood, how-
ever, that the best arrangement consists in mixing or spraying the tar into the
gas while both gas and tar are still hot between the hydraulic main and the con-
densers.
Dated this 16th. day of July 1897.
MARKS & CLERK
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham. Agents
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Enriching
Coal Gas.
We, RICHARD HENRY WHITELEY, Gas Manager, of Folgambe Road, and
WILLIAM ELLIS, Engine Tenter, of 17, Chatsworth Road, both of Chesterfield, in
the County of Derby, 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:—
Our invention relates to a simple method of enriching coal gas by means of tar,
and our object is to extract from the tar as large a quantity of the light
hydrocarbons which it contains as possible, and to add those light hydrocarbons
to the gas before it passes to the gas holder.
Our invention consists in breaking up the tar into spray or otherwise dividing
it in such a manner as to make the tar present a large surface to the gas passing
over it. We preferably deal with the tar while it is still in the hot state, but
we may also heat the tar after it has been collected and cooled.
In carrying our invention into effect according to one method we interpose in
the foul gas main leading from the hydraulic main one or more mechanical
agitators or stirrers. These agitators or stirrers are rotated at a speed sufficient
to break up the tar which is still liquid and hot, into fine spray, or to cause the
tar to expose a large surface for the evaporation of its light hydrocarbons. The
gas is therefore thoroughly brought into contact with every particle of tar before
it reaches the condensers, and it thus carries away a large proportion of the light
hydrocarbons which greatly increase its illuminating power, and also, to some
extent, its volume.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings, which illustrate one
method of carrying out our invention.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan of the agitator or stirrer.
Figure 2, Sheet 1, is a section on the line AB in the plan.
Figure 3, Sheet 1, is an end elevation partly in section, and Figure 4, Sheet 1,
is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 5, Sheet 2, is an elevation of the retort house, showing the arrangement
of the hydraulic main and connection to the condensers through the agitator D.
In Figure 5 is shown a bench of retorts a, delivering the gas by the pipe a¹ to
the hydraulic main b. The foul main c leads from the hydraulic main through
the agitator D to the condensers e.
The form of mechanical agitator preferred by us is shown in Figure 1, 2, 3,

page_text: and 4, and consists of a long spindle C3, which spindle carries a considerable num-
ber of thin sheet iron discs C4 bolted upon it, but so spaced as to leave room for
the passage of the gas between the different plates or discs. These discs with their
spindle are contained within a properly shaped metal casing D, so devised that
the inlet (from the hydraulic main passes in at one side and the outlet C² to the
condensers at the other. The gas thus passes between the sheet iron discs or
plates C and becomes impregnated with the fine tar spray, and so carries off from
that spray the volatile hydrocarbons or other matters of a volatile nature which
are capable of increasing its illuminating power.
We do not confine ourselves to any particular type of agitator, however, and in
some cases we do not rotate the discs fast enough to produce spray. In that case
we rely upon the extended surfaces exposed to the gas, because of the discs C
dipping into the hot liquid tar E and carrying a fresh portion of the tar up at
each revolution. The tar may be kept at a fixed level in the agitator by means
of an overflow pipe F. In some cases we cause the ordinary exhauster to perform
the functions of both exhauster and enricher. To do this we place the exhauster
upon the foul gas main between the hydraulic main and the condensers, and we
thus cause the exhauster in addition to drawing away the gas from the retorts,
and forcing it through the condensers, to beat up the tar and cause the gas to
carry away from it a large proportion of its contained hydrocarbon.
Other types of agitator may be adopted, or a jet spraying device may be used
instead of the mechanical agitator which we have described. When using thin
sheet iron discs as herein before described we sometimes corrugate these discs
radially. In some cases we add the tar to the gas after the gas has left the con-
densers, and in this case we prefer to heat the tar to some extent and beat it up
with the gas by any convenient agitator or agitators. It is to be distinctly under-
stood, however, that the best arrangement consists in mixing or spraying the tar
into the gas while both gas and tar are still hot between the hydraulic main and
the condensers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what hanner the same is to be peformed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The method of and process for enriching coal gas by causing it to come into
contact with the hot or heated tar from the hydraulic main in such a manner that
the gas will take up the more volatile hydrocarbons and other carbonaceous
bodies from the tar, as herein before described.
2. In combination with the process claimed in Claim 1, the agitator or sprayer
for causing the tar to come in contact with the gas, substantially as described and
illustrated.
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