Improvements in Electrical Gas-réaction Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Gas-réaction Apparatus.
=
We, ALOYS ADRIEN NAVILLE, PHILIPPE AUGUSTE GUYE, and CHARLES
EUGENE GUYE, all of 20 Rue de Candolle, Geneva, in the Republic of Switzerland,
Gentlemen, do bereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is a well-known fact that the reactions produced by the ]
passage of an electric
spark in a gaseous mixture contained in an eudiometric tube, are very often reduced
by the fact that the electric spark very rapidly decomposes the products of such
reactions.
Now the objects of this invention are:-First, to constantly and rapidly renew
the gases which are exposed to the action of the electric spark; secondly, to
preserve the products formed thereby from its decomposing action; and thirdly, to
compel the whole of the gaseous mass to pass in immediate proximity to the
spark.
A further object of the said invention is to considerably increase the produce or
yield of the eudiometer reaction, which, in the apparatus used up to now, is
generally limited.
Our improved gas-reaction. apparatus realizes the above mentioned three
conditions. It can assume various forms of execution and we will.now proceed to
describe some of them, by way of example, reference being made to the accom-
panying drawing.
Figure 1 shows one form of our eudiometer which is composed, for instance, of
a tube A of glass, intended for the passing of the gases which are to be treated,
and which is provided with one or more contracted parts or balks a in which are
inserted the ends of the electrodes B, C, between which latter the electric spark
is to pass
The gases which are to be treated are caused to move in the tube A, either by
compression or by exhaustion; the whole gaseous mass which is to be acted upon
is thus compelled. to. pass through the region in which the spark or sparks are
produced on the other hand the products of the reaction are rapidly removed
from the subsequent decomposing action of the spark, and collected or absorbed at
one end of the tube A by means of suitable contrivances.
Figure 2 shows another construction of our apparatus, in which the tube A
through which the gases to be decomposed circulate, is closed at one end and the
tubular electrodes B, C pass through suitable holes provided in its walls. The
gases compressed in the tube A are compelled to escape through the tubes or
tubular électrodes B. aud C and to circulate in reach of the sparks which pass
between these tubular electrodes. This device may be used in the inverse sense
by compressing the gases through the tubes B and C into the tube A and allowing
the products of the reaction to escape from the latter as soon as they are
produced.
The tubes B and C may assume various shapes and positions.
In some cases we combine a solid electrodé, similar to that of Figure 1, with a
tubular electrude like. the one shown in Figure 2, as seen, for example, in the
Figures 3, 4 and 5.
In Figure 8 the end of the solid electrode C is placed at some distance from the
and

page_text: Figure 4 shows a similar construction in which the end of the tubular electr.de B
is enlarged and forms a sort of funnel to facilitate the escape of the gas which is
to pass from the tube A into the said tubular electrode B.
Figure 5 shows also a similar construction in which the end of the solid
electrode C is within the open end of the tubular electrode B.
When a considerable gaseous volume is to be operated upon, it will be found
advantageous to construct our apparatus so as to have a series of sparks passing
simultaneously in the same gaseous current. To this end, we interpolate, as shown
in Figure 6, between two terminal electrodes B and C, a certain number of
intermediate tubes B₁ C, BC, these tubes being insulated by means of tubular
bearings E of insulating material and connected to a tubular collector D, to which
are also connected the said tubular electrodes B & C. The said electrodes are
enclosed in a bell A. provided with a pipe A through which the gases to be treated
are forced into the bell A; the said gases pass through the tubes B, C, B₁ C',
and BC, where they are acted upon by the sparks produced by any suitable
source of electricity, the two poles being connected to the said electrodes B & C.
The products of the reaction escape through the tubular collector D. With this
device the whole of the gases will pass through the region where the electric
sparks are produced and the products of the reaction are then led away into any
suitable apparatus..
The electrodes may be composed of any suitable material, for example, coal,
platinum, bronze, copper, nickel, ferro-nickel, various alloys, etc., the selection of
the materials depending essentially on the nature of the gases which are to be
treated, or of the reactions to be effected; the substance of the electrodes being
capable of being used in such reactions if necessary;
When our apparatus is provided with several pairs of electrodes, the latter will
preferably be made in form of a T, especially if the electrodes are. tubular. The
electrodes may also be each composed of two or more, curved branches.
In some cases it will be found advantageous to bevel, the ends of the tubular
electrodes, as shown in Figure 7.
In all the constructions of our apparatus, solid electrodes can be combined with
tubular electrodes.
A
Our apparatus may be used without distinction with any kind of electric current
(continuous current, variable current; alternating current, etc.) provided the
tension be sufficient.
The circulation of the gases in our apparatus may be obtained in any suitable
manner, for instance by means of pumps or fans, Giffard's or Körting's injectors
or exhausters, etc., producing either an exhaustion or a compression of the said
gases.
It will be seen that our improved apparatus for electrical gas-reactions is
différent from the well-known eudiometer which can only be used with a. limited
volume and in which the reactions are also limited, our apparatus enabling one to
produce a constant circulation of the gases which are to be treated, to increase
the number of sparks, to avoid a further decomposition of the products formed, to
secure a continuous renewing of the gases in proximity to the sparks, and to bring
under the action of the latter the whole of the gaseous mass.
By way of example of the numerous applications of our apparatus, we will
point out only the production of nitric acid obtained by means of vapoured air
circulating in an apparatus the electrodes of which are made of coal, and the
production of acetyl by means of hydrogen circulating in such an apparatus.
Dated the 20th day of January 1896.
D. YOUNG: & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton. Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, ALOYS ADRIEN NAVILLE, PHILIPPE AUGUSTE 'GUYE, and CHARLES
EUGENE GUYE, all of 20 Rue de Candolle, Geneva, in the Republic of Switzerland,
Gentlemen, 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:-
It is a well-known fact that the reactions produced by the passage of an electric
spark in a gaseous mixture contained in an eudiometric tube, are very often
reduced by the fact that the electric spark very rapidly decomposes the products
of such reactions.
Now the objects of this invention are:-First, to constantly and very rapidly
renew the gases which are exposed to the action of the electric spark; secondly,
to preserve the products formed thereby from its decomposing action; thirdly, to
compel the whole of the gaseous mass to pass in immediate proximity to the
spark.
A further object of the said invention is to considerably increase the produce or
yield of the eudiometric reactions, which, in the apparatus used up to now, is:
generally-limited.
Our improved gas-reaction-apparatus realizes the above mentioned. three
conditions. It can assume various forms of construction, and we will now proceed
to describe some of them, by way of example.
In the drawing accompanying our Provisional Specification:
Figure 1 shows one form of our eudiometer which is composed of a tube A of
glass or other suitable 'material, intended for the passing of the gases which are to
be treated, and which is provided with one or more contracted parts or balks a in
which are inserted the ends of the electrodes B C, between which latter the
electric spark is to pass.
The gases which are to be treated are caused to move in the tube A, either by
compression or by exhaustion; the whole gaseous mass which is to be acted upon
is thus compelled to pass through the region in which the spark or sparks are
produced; on the other haud the products of the reaction are rapidly removed
from the subsequent decomposing action of the spark, and collected or 'absorbed at
one end of the tube A by means of suitable contrivances.
Figure 2 shows. another construction of our apparatus, in which the tube A
through which the gases to be decomposed circulate, is closed at one end and the
tubular electrodes B C pass through suitable holes provided in its walls. The
gases compressed in the tube-A are compelled to escape through the tubes or
tubular electrodes B and C and to circulate in reach of the sparks which pass
between these tubular electrodes. This device may be used in the inverse sense
by compressing the gases through the tubes B and C into the tube A and allowing
the products of the reaction to escape from the latter as soon as they are
produced.
The tubes B and C may assume Various shapes and positions.
In some cases we combine a solid electrode, similar to that of Figure 1, with a
tubular electrode like the one shown in Figure 2, as seen, for example, in the
Figures 3, 4 and 5.
In Figure 3 the end of the solid electrode C is placed at some distance from the
end of the tubular electrode B.
Figure 4 shows a similar construction in which the end of the tubular electrode B
s enlarged and forms a sort of funnel to facilitate the escape of the gas which is
o pass from the tube A into the said tubular electrode B.

page_text: Figure 5 shows also a similar construction in which the end of the solid
electrode C is within the open end of the tubular electrode B.
When a considerable gaseous volume is to be operated upon, it will be found
advantageous to construct our apparatus so as to have a series of sparks passing
simultaneously in the same gaseous current. To this end we interpolate, as shown
in Figure 6, between two terminal electrodes B and C, a certain number of
intermediate metallic tubes B¹ C, B" C", these tubes being insulated by means
of tubular bearings E of insulating material and connected to a tubular collector D.
The said electrodes may also be made tubular and be connected to the collector D;
they are enclosed in a chamber or bell A provided with a pipe A¹ through which
the gases to be treated are forced into the said chamber or bell A; the said
gases pass through the tubes B, C, B, C, and B" C", where they are acted upon
by sparks produced by any suitable source of electricity, the two poles of which
are connected to the said electrodes B and C. The products of the reaction
escape through the tubular collector D. With this device, the whole of the gases
will pass through the region where the electric sparks are produced, and the
products of the reaction are then led away into any suitable apparatus.
The electrodes may be composed of any suitable material, for example, carbon,
platinum, bronze, copper, nickel, ferro-nickel, various alloys, etc., the selection of
the materials depending essentially on the nature of the gases which are to be
treated or of the reactions to be effected, the substance of the electrodes, being
capable of being used in such reactions if necessary.
Our apparatus may be provided with several pairs of electrodes which may he
made in form of a T, especially if the electrodes are tubular. The electrodes may
also be each composed of two or more curved branches.
In some cases it will be found advantageous to bevel the ends of the tubular
electrodes, as shown in Figure 7.
In all the constructions of our apparatus, solid electrodes can be combined with
tubular electrodes.
Our apparatus may be used without distinction with any kind of electric current
(continuous variable current, alternating current, etc.,) provided the tension be
sufficient.
The circulation of the gases in our apparatus may be obtained in any suitable
manner, for instance by. means of pumps or fans, Giffard's or Körting's injectors
or exhausters, etc., producing either an exhaustion or a compression of the said
gases.
It will be seen that our improved apparatus for electrical gas-reactions is
different from the well-known eudiometers which can only be used with a limited
volume, and in which the reactions are also limited, our apparatus enabling one to
produce a constant circulation of the gases which are to be treated, to increase the
number of sparks, to avoid a further decomposition of the products formed, to
secure a continuous renewing of the gases in proximity to the sparks, and to bring
under the action of the latter the whole of the gaseous mass.
By way of example of the numerous applications of our apparatus, we will point
out only the production of nitric acid obtained by means of wet air circulating in
an apparatus the electrodes of which are made of carbon, and the production of
acetylene by means of hydrogen circulating in such an apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for electrical gas-reactions intended for the treatment of any
kind of gases by means of an electric current, comprising a series of insulated
metallic tubes through which the gases to be treated are caused to pass and which
are interposed between two electrodes connected to a source of electricity and are
so arranged that the whole mass of the said gases will be compelled to pass i

page_text: immediate proximity to the spark produced between the said electrodes and the-
insulated tubes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In an apparatus for the purpose above specified, the employment of tubular
electrodes connected with a tubular collector by means of insulating tubes,..
substantially as described with reference to Figure 6 of the drawing.
3. The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of the drawing and operating as and for the purpose-
above specified.
Dated this 14th day of October 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.