Improvements in the Purification of Water-gas or other Producer- gas from Sulphur Compounds.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Purification of Water-gas or other Producer-
gas from Sulphur Compounds.
I, CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS of 88 Yeldham Road, Hammersmith in the County
of Middlesex, Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My improvements refer to the purification of water gas from sulphur compounds
such as sulphide of hydrogen bisulphide of carbon and sulphur compounds other
than these, and are as follows:-
When water gas or other producer gas as it leaves the "producer" that is to say
at a temperature about from 500° to 700° C. is passed through pieces of hot metals
such as copper or iron, the sulphur compounds contained in the gas are decomposed
and sulphides of these metals are formed. This fact I make use of in my purifi-
cation of water gas. The said metals may be employed in the form of granules or
scraps, the form however in which I prefer to employ the same is the finely divided
state in which they are produced by the action of hydrogen or watergas on their
oxides in which condition they offer the largest amount of surface to the gas
passing through the same. The said metals in the form stated, are placed in pieces
of convenient size into receptacles, which may be made of iron, (such as cylinders
or boxes) set in brickwork so that they can be heated from the outside or they
may be cylinders or boxes lined out thickly with brickwork, so that they may be
heated by hot gases internally; such heating being necessary when first starting the
process. When once in full operation the heat required for the process is main-
tained by the hot gas passing through and by the action taking place within them.
Of these "purifiers" at least two are required but it is better to employ a greater
number, and gas connections from the "producer to and through them are made
in such a manner that according to requirement the gas can pass through either
one or the other. The watergas passing hot through these receptacles (purifiers)
is deprived or purified from the sulphur compounds contained in the same." After a
certain quantity of hot water gas has passed through the iron sponge or copper
sponge contained in the purifier or purifiers, and the metals have thereby to a con-
siderable extent been converted into sulphides and spent, the purifier containing
them is disconnected from the gas supply and both inlet and outlet and the gas
passed through another fresh purifier containing the spent or partly spent purifying
materials either cold or heated air is now passed, until all the sulphur combined
with the metal has been expelled or roasted off. By this roasting process the
sulphides of the metals have become converted into oxides.
To bring these oxides back to the metallic state and to again render the reduced
metals available for purifying further quantities of watergas, either cold or hot
water gas is passed through them, that is to say watergas of a temperature most
suitable for the reduction.
The gas direct from the "producer" being hotter than necessary for this purpose
cold gas can or may be admitted along with it. The residual gas from this
operation may be used as fuel for other purposes.
When the purifying property of the purifying material in the first purifier has
been thus restored, it may then be again connected with the hot impure watergas
whilst the second which had been in use for this purpose in the meantime, is being
revivified in the manner described. In this manner the operation described is
repeated again and again.
Instead of charging the purifiers, at the start of the operation, with pieces of
ready made metals and sponge, they may be charged with the oxides of the

page_text: respective metals in pieces of suitable size and therein converted into sponge or
reduced metal as described or instead of oxides the carbonates of these metals may
be used for the purpose.
What has been said herein about watergas applies also to producer gas, whether
made by the aid of steam or not.
It is obvious that cold watergas may be purified in the above described manner
from sulphur compounds, provided the contents of the purifiers are raised and
maintained at the proper temperature for such purification either by heating the
purifiers or the watergas itself in a suitable manner.
March 10th 1801
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Purification of Water-gas or other Producer-
gas from Sulphur Compounds.
CARL FRIEDRICH CLAUS of 88, Yeldham Road Hammersmith, London,
Chemist, 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 :-
My improvements relate to the purification of water-gas and other producer-gas
from sulphide of hydrogen, bisulphide of carbon and other sulphur compounds, and
are as follows, viz. :-
When water-gas or other producer-gas as it leaves the "producer," that is to
say, at a temperature of about from 500 to 700 degrees Centigrade, is passed
through or in contact with pieces of hot metals, such as copper or iron, the sulphur
compounds contained in the gas are decomposed and sulphides of these metals are
formed. This fact I make use of in my purification of water-gas. The said metals
may be employed in the form of granules or scrap; the form, however, in which I
prefer to employ the same is the finely divided state in which they are produced
by the action of hydrogen or water-gas on their oxides, that is to say, in the
form of metallic sponge, in which condition they present the largest amount of
surface to the gas passing through or in contact with them.
The said metals, in either of the forms above mentioned, are placed in
receptacles, which may be made of iron, (such as cylinders or boxes) set in brick-
work so that they can be heated from the outside, or they may be cylinders or
boxes lined thickly with brickwork, so that they may be heated by hot gases
internally, such heating being necessary when first starting the process. When
once in full operation, the heat required for the process is maintained by the hot
gas passing through and by the action taking place within them.
Of these "puri-
fiers"
at least two are required, it is better, however, to employ a greater number;
and gas-connections from the "producer" to and through them are made in such a
manner that, according to requirement, the gas can pass through either one or
another of them. The water-gas passing hot through these receptacles or purifiers
is deprived of or purified from the sulphur compounds contained in it. After a
certain quantity of hot water-gas has passed through the iron sponge or copper
sponge contained in either of the purifiers, and the metals have thereby to a con-
siderable extent been converted into sulphides and spent, such purifier is discon-
nected from the gas-supply at both inlet and outlet, and the gas is passed through
another fresh purifier. Through the purifier containing the spent or partly spent
purifying materials, either cold or heated air is now passed, until all the sulphur
combined with the metal has been expelled or roasted off. By this roasting process,
the sulphides of the metal are converted into oxides.
To bring these oxides back to the metallic state and to again render the reduced
metals available for purifying further quantities of water-gas, either cold or hot
water-gas is passed through them, that is to say, water-gas of a temperature most

page_text: suitable for the reduction. The gas direct from the producer being hotter than is
necessary for this purpose, cold gas is or may be admitted along with it. The
residual gas from this operation may be used as fuel or for other purposes.
When the purifying property of the purifying material in the first purifier has
thus been restored, this purifier may be again connected with the supply of hot
impure water-gas, whilst the material in the second purifier, which had meanwhile
been in use for this purpose, is being revivified as above described. In this manner,
the operation is repeated again and again. Instead of charging the purifiers, at the
starting of the operation, with pieces of ready made metallic sponge, they may be
charged with the oxides of the respective metals in pieces of suitable size, which
are therein converted into sponge or reduced metal as above described; or, instead
of oxides, the carbonates of these metals may be used for the purpose.
If desired, cold water-gas may be purified in the manner above described, from
sulphur compounds, provided the contents of the purifiers are raised to and main-
tained at the proper temperature for such purification by heating either the purifiers
or the water-gas itself in a suitable manner.
What has been said herein about water-gas applies also to other producer-
gas, whether made by the aid of steam or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. The purification of water-gas or other producer-gas (whether made by
the aid of steam or otherwise) from sulphide of hydrogen, bisulphide of carbon or other
sulphur compounds, by passing such gas through or in contact with pieces of metal
or masses of finely divided metal, such as copper or iron sponge, whilst the gas or
the metal or both are in an adequately heated state.
Secondly. The method or process of purifying water-gas or other producer-gas
from sulphur compounds, by passing the hot gas from the producer through one or
more receptacles containing metal in a finely divided state, such as copper or iron
sponge, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Thirdly. The herein described method of revivifying the finely divided metal
after the same has become charged with sulphur, to adapt it for the purification of
fresh quantities of gas, consisting in first passing through the finely divided metal,
a current of air whilst this air or the sulphides or both are in a heated state and
thus expelling the sulphur, and then passing hot water-gas or other producer-gas
through the oxides thus formed, to couvert them into metallic sponge.
Fourthly. In the process above described, the employment of two
vessels containing metallic sponge, in such a manner that each vessel serves
alternately for purification and for revivification, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated the 0th day of December 1901
or more
C. F. CLAUS.
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.