Improvements in Apparatus for the Conversion of Solid into Gaseous Fuel and its Purification.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May,
1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Conversion of Solid into Gaseous
Fuel and its Purification.
We BENJAMIN CLIFFORD SYKES, M.D. and GEORGE BLAMIRES Engineer,
both of Cleckheaton in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the purpose aforesaid, and consists of a
vertical concentric boiler, having an outer and an inner shell, the inner shell is less
in diameter than the outer one, forming a concentric space between them. The
lower or bottom ends of the two shells are fixed to a plate, or plates, common to
both, enclosing the concentric space between the shells, and also closing up the
lower end of the inner shell. The inner shell is shorter than the outer one at the
top, and each are closed in separately forming a space between the tops of the two
shells. The concentric space between the sides of the two shells and the lower
portion of the space between the tops of the two shells, form a water space, while
the upper portion of the space between the tops of the shells, and above the water
line, forms a gas and steam space or chamber combined.
The interior of the inner shell forms a combustion chamber, into which the solid
fuel is introduced by means of a tube open at both ends, fixed in openings in the
tops of the outer and inner shells and forming a communication from the outside to
the interior of the combustion chamber, and which can and will be closed air and
steam tight by means of a properly formed cover when in operation. Another tube
open at both ends and passing horizontally through the water space is fixed to the
outer and inner shells at the bottom of the combustion chamber, and communicating
with it from the outside, and is for the occasional removal of the ashes, and this
opening also can and will be closed air and steam tight by means of a properly
formed cover when in operation.
Passing through the top of the outer shell down through the gas & steam space
through the water space and through the bottom which encloses the concentric
water space and at a distance apart from each other are a number of vertical tubes,
open at both ends, and securely fixed at both ends; each end of the tubes can and
will be closed air and steam tight when in operation. Near to the top of the
combustion chamber, and at a distance apart from each other, are a number of
horizontal tubes open at both ends. They pass through the inner shell, the water
space, and through the outer shell, these horizontal tubes are exactly opposite and
cross the vertical tubes and are the same in number. The vertical & horizontal
tubes at the point of juncture or crossing are bisected, and the divided ends are
coupled by means of crosses the outer ends will be closed up by suitable caps, on
which are fixed glass lenses or strong pieces of glass or mica, to view the interior
through, a few more of the horizontal tubes are placed at different points, but
unconnected with the vertical tubes, the outer ends having caps, lenses, and mica
attached, for the purpose of examining the interior, all the horizontal tubes will be
made air and steam tight. Near to the bottom of the concentric water space, the
vertical tubes are again bisected, and connected again to branch pipes, by means of
tees, the open end of the branch pipe passes through and is securely fixed to the
outer shell, this open end can and will be made air and steam tight by means of a
cap, or cover. On the branch pipes within the concentric water space, are fixed
check, or back pressure valves. These check, or back pressure valves, are
surrounded by nozzle ends, perforated with a number of holes for distributing the

page_text: gaseous products of combustion in small streams through the water, whereby their
heat will be given up to the water, heating it and converting it into steam.
A pipe passes into the combustion chamber either through its bottom, or through
the sides near to the bottom for conveying air to support combustion, and steam
when required for decomposition.
On the top of the outer shell is fixed a block to which can be coupled a pipe for
conveying away the gases and steam. The boiler has also a manhole, steam, and
water gauges, and a blow-off pipe.
To set the apparatus in operation, the tube at the top for introducing the fuel,
and the tube at the bottom of the combustion chamber, must be open. A fire is
then kindled in the bottom of the combustion chamber, and gradually increased, as
it burns up by adding fuel when the water is heated, and a few pounds of steam
formed the combustion chamber is then filled with fuel, and the openings at the
bottom, and top, are securely closed and air is driven in by means of a compressor,
actuated by the steam in the boiler, or from another source. The air sent in by
the compressor supports an active combustion of the fuel, the gaseous products in
the combustion chamber pass out by the horizontal tubes, down the vertical tubes,
into the branch tubes, and out into the water through the check, or back pressure
valves, and perforated muffs, rising up in bubbles to the surface of the water, into
the gas and steam chamber combined, the gaseous products in passing along the
tubes impart heat to them, and the heated tubes to the water through which they
pass, and when delivered at the perforated muffs they still further loose heat in
bubbling up through the water, and at last will be of the same temperature as the
water and steam at any given pressure, combustion takes place more actively and
more rapidly under pressure, and the temperature is proportionately increased.
The mechanical force required to force in the air will be much less, than the force
developed by the conversion of solid into gaseous fuel. The gases and steam taken
from the boiler actuate a non-condensing engine, and it actuates the compressor,
the gases and steam having passed through the non condensing engine, pass through
a series of surface condensors.
In the first surface condensor, water is the condensing material, all of which is
converted into steam, the amount of water supplied can be graduated to any
amount, but only sufficient will be passed through the condenser to be converted
into steam, that can be fairly decomposed by the incandescent fuel, in the com-
bustion chamber, in this condenser a certain amount of tarry matters which have
escaped condensation in the boiler will condense, as also some of the steam.
gases and the remaining uncondensed steam will then pass on to the second
condenser.
The
In the second condenser, air is the condensing material. In this a further
condensation of watery vapour takes place. The air from the compressor is
supplied first to this condenser, then it passes through the steam space of the first
condenser, carrying the steam along with it into the combustion chamber. The
gas now in a great measure freed from watery vapour, is passed through sulphuric,
or hydrochloric acids, to take up any ammonia which may be in the gas. The gas
may then be sent through vessels containing unslacked lime to remove all traces of
water and carbonic acid.
Dated this 17th day of May 1890
BENJAMIN CLIFFORD SYKES,
GEORGE BLAMIRES,
Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Conversion of Solid into Gaseous
"Fuel and its Purification.
We BENJAMIN CLIFFORD SYKES M.D. and GEORGE BLAMIRES Engineer
both of Cleckheaton in the County of York 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 :-
These improvements relate to gas-producers, in which advantage is taken of the
heat developed in the process of converting solid into gaseous fuel, to heat water
and raise it into steam by passing the gases through pipes or tubes to near the
bottom of the concentric water space, and there delivering them in fine streams,
bubbling up through the water, whereby so much heat is absorbed or abstracted as
to reduce them to the temperature of the steam at any given pressure.
Compressors are used to give an adequate supply and pressure of air to support
the partial combustion or conversion of the solid fuel into the gaseous condition and
considerably more mechanical power will be developed in the process than will be
required to actuate the compressors.
The gases passing from the combustion chamber down the tubes to near the
bottom of the concentric water space will be mixed with tarry and ammoniacal
products. The heavy tarry matters will condense and settle to the bottom of the
concentric water space and the ammoniacal salts will dissolve in the water while the
lighter hydro carbons and any free ammonia will pass with the gases and steam
into the gas and steam chamber combined above.
The gases and steam under considerable pressure will be used to actuate a non-
condensing engine and will afterwards be passed through a series of surface
condensers to condense, separate and purify the gases from any further condensable
products.
In the first condenser water is the cooling medium used and only so much of it is
sent in to form a sufficiency of steam for decomposition by the incandescent fuel in
the combustion chamber and any condensed products in this condenser can be
drawn off as occasion may require.
The gases and steam then pass through a second condenser and in this the cooling
medium is air--the air required for the partial combustion or conversion of the
solid into gaseous fuel condensing the remainder of the steam and hydro carbons;
afterwards the gases are passed through an acid solution to remove the last vestiges
of free ammonia.
The air heated in the second condenser is passed through into the steam chamber
of the first condenser carrying along with it the steam formed there into the lower
part of the combustion chamber.
The whole of the nitrogen in the fuel and possibly from the high temperature
developed and the high pressure employed some of the nitrogen of the air will be
converted in ammonia or cyanogen.
By the use of compressors any amount of temperature may be obtained and the
supply of air can be regulated with the utmost precision.
The greater the pressure used and the more rapid and perfect the conversion.
The whole of the bye products such as tar, the light carburets of hydrogen and
ammonia can be separated and obtained in this process and made a material set off
to the cost of the coal used, and the whole of the heat developed in the conversion,
less the amount required to give the fuel its aeriform or elastic condition is utilised
to raise steam and heat air-the steam to be decomposed and the heated air to
support combustion.
This process of condensation is truly a regenerative one.
Such being the nature and object of our said invention, the following is a

page_text: complete description of same reference being had tothe accompanying drawings and
forming a part of this Specification in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the converter.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of first condenser.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of second condenser.
1 and 2 are the outer and inner shells or cases and the lower ends are fixed
to a circular plate 3 enclosing and forming the bottoms of the concentric water
space 4 and the combustion chamber 5 the inner shell or case 2 is shorter than
the outer shell or case 1 therefore the two shells or cases are covered in by
separate tops 6 and 7 the space between them forms a water space below 8 and
a gas and steam space or chamber combined above 9 and separated by the dotted
water line 10-to the tops of the outer and inner shells or cases is fixed a cylindrical
tube 11 open at both ends which affords a communication from the exterior to
the interior of the combustion chamber 5 and can be and is accurately closed by
a plate or lid 12 when the combustion chamber is fully charged and in operation.
The shallow well formed by the plate or lid can be filled with water and kept so to
keep it cool and prevent warping near to the bottom of the combustion chamber a
tube 13 is fixed to the outer and inner shells or cases open at both ends and
communicating with the interior of the combustion chamber 5 and is for the removal
of ashes. This opening can be and is accurately closed when in operation. A
number of vertical tubes 14 open at both ends pass through and are fixed to the
top of the outer shell or case and the bottom of the concentric water space pro-
jecting somewhat at each end outside. The vertical tubes 14 are intersected at 15
and connerted to the horizontal tubes 16 open at both ends and crossing the
concentric water space forming a cross. One end of the horizontal tubes is con-
nected to the inner shell and the other end to the outer shell and passing through
it and projecting somewhat outside. The cross tubes communicate with the
combustion chamber and with the exterior by means of the tubes through the sides
of the outer shell; the tubes emerging from the top plate of the outer shell and
the tubes passing vertically through the bottom of the concentric water space.
The exterior open ends afford facility for passing brushes to clean the tubes and
can and will be closed by means of caps 17 when in operation lower down the
concentric water space and near its bottom are other horizontal tubes intersecting
the vertical tubes 14 at 18 and connected thereto with this difference, these are
not connected to the inner shell nor do they communicate with the combustion
chamber direct but are connected to and pass through the outer shell somewhat
and are also fitted with caps; just above the caps are hand holes 19 for reaching
easily back pressure valves 20 fitted on to the horizontal tubes about midway
between their connection to the vertical tubes 14 and their juncture to the outer
shell. Underneath and to the bottom of the combustion chamber is fixed a pipe 21
for blowing in the heated air and steam for the combustion of the fuel in the
combustion chamber.
There are also a manhole, several hand holes, a safety valve, water and steam
gauges and let off pipes.
The mixed gases and steam drawn from the gas and steam chamber combined are
passed through a noncondensing engine which actuates a compressor developing
much more mechanical power than the compressor requires, the excess of course
can be applied for other purposes.
The mixed gases and steam from the noncondensing engine are passed into the
first condenser at A and pass out at B and enter the second condenser at C and
pass out at D. In the first condenser water is the cooling medium the water to be
heated and raised into steam it is forced in at E enters the lower chamber F passes
up the tubes G and enters the chamber above H in this condenser a considerable
amount of condensation takes place.
In the second condenser air is the cooling medium it is forced in at I entering
the lower chamber J passing up the tubes K and into the chamber L passing out

page_text: at M and enters the steam chamber of the first condenser H and out at N carrying
along with it the steam formed there into the bottom of the combustion chamber 5.
At the bottom of each of the condensers is a pipe O for drawing off condensed
material.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is-
First. The carrying on the conversion of solid into gaseous fuel under considerable
pressure.
Second. The delivering the gases so formed into the water within the apparatus
to abstract heat and raise steam.
Third. The combined gases and steam to be used as motors.
Fourth. To condense the steam, the light carburets of hydrogen and ammonia by
water and air consecutively in the condensers-thus raising steam and heating the
air on the regenerative principle.
Dated this 18th day of February 1891.
BENJAMIN CLIFFORD SYKES, .
GEORGE BLAMIRES,
Applicants.