Year: 1888

page_text: I, ARTHUR GEORGE MEEZE of Redhill in the County of Surrey, England, Consulting
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas by the mutual
decomposition of steam and hydrocarbon fluid in contact with suitable heated surfaces,
such as deflecting and impact devices, of cast iron or other material, and by combining
with the nascent gases and vapours of such decomposition, a suitable regulated pro-
portion of natural gas, hydrogen, carbonic oxide, or a mixture of hydrogen and
carbonic oxide, such as that obtained in the production of what is commonly known as
water-gas in a heated condition.
39
I am aware from my knowledge of the state of the Art, that it is a common practice
in America and some other countries, to carburet or "enrich" water-gas with hydro-
carbon fluids, and to produce a merchantable illuminating gas by retorting the
mixture in a suitable thermolysing chamber; but the process, as hitherto carried out,
always makes a considerable quantity of tar or solid carbon by a destructive decom-
position of the oil, and can only be successfully operated with the lighter oils and
more expensive "napthas," whereas my improvements enable me to use the cheapest
hydrocarbon fluids, such as crude petroleum, shale oil, and the intermediate heavier
and non-explosives distillates, and by obviating the production of tar and lampblack,
to reach, practically, the limit of possible economy with oils of all kinds.
The object of my process, which effectually differentiates it from the mere methods
of "enriching" referred to above, is to produce a decomposition of the hydrocarbon
fluids by thermolysis with steam, and to effect the recomposition or chemical union of
the resulting products, while nascent, with a regulated quantity of water-gas or
other chemically active or combustible diluting agent, such as hydrogen, marsh gas,
carbonic oxide, or a mixture of these, and thereby assist in the assimilation of the
illuminating constituents of the oil, and otherwise promote the formation of light-
giving compounds of high candle power and fixed gaseous properties.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing, I have shown the apparatus which I use for carrying
out the object of my invention. Fig. 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of
a double or through retort, containing a steam superheating coil, an ingression pipe,
and deflecting and impact devices, and having attached, at opposite ends, a gas supply
and a gas eduction pipe. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a through
retort of modified form, in which a short ingression pipe is used, and the gas inlet
pipe is connected to the same end of the retort as the steam and oil injector.
I preferably use a fire-clay retort A, of the double length variety, having a mouth
piece L, L' and lid G, G', at each end, and of any convenient cross section, such as
round, elliptical, or D shaped. A number of retorts may be set in a bench, and fired
like ordinary gas-coal distilling retorts. It is also my purpose to adapt existing coal
gas retorts for carrying out my process, by fitting them with the internal devices and
connections herewith described. In connection with my retorts, suitably set in
benches, I provide a steam boiler, an oil-tank, a small gasometer or water-gas holder,
and, preferably, an exhauster, motor, and governor, not shown in the drawing.
The body of the retort is filled with deflecting and impact devices D, each composed
of an annulus a, dise d, a connecting body having numerous narrow longitudinal
openings and inclined spacing or separating legs 1. The deflecting devices D, are
made of a shape to correspond with the cross section of the retort, so as to provide
uniform passages between them and the walls of the retort. Two or more of the
deflectors at the right hand or rear end of the retort, Fig. 1, where the water-gas is
supplied, are made with solid dises d, to act as heaters for the inflowing water-gas,
but the remaining deflectors have their disc d, provided with central perforations to
receive the ingression pipe or small retort B. This internal retort B is preferably
made of thin wrought iron or other suitable metal, and of about one-fourth to one-
sixth the diameter of the surrounding retort A, and long enough to extend from the
front to about two-thirds or three-fourths the length of such outer retort, as shown in
Fig. 1.
It is neatly fitted at its front end in an opening in lid G, and is provided
with a flange or ring shrunk thereon, which may be bolted to the lid, and is supported
centrally in retort A, by deflectors D, as shewn. Deflectors D', made with rings a',
discs d', and legs l, and preferably of cast iron, are fitted in retort B, from its rear
open end to near its front end, leaving sufficient space at the front for the proper
injection of steam and oil. The injector I is fitted, by a flange, to lid G, so as to
open centrally into retort B. The double steam superheating coil, C, is preferably
arranged at or near the front of retort A, around retort B, and steam supply pipe, c,
connects with its induction end through the lid, while pipe c¹ leads from its outlet end
through the lid to injector I. A supply pipe b, for petroleum, shale oil, or other
hydrocarbon fluid, also connects with injector I. The steam pipe preferably connects
with the front end of the injector, while the oil pipe connects with its top or side, as
shown. A pipe F, Fig. 1, having controlling valve, connects with mouthpiece L',
for supplying hydrogen, natural gas, or water-gas. Stand-pipe E, leading to the
hydraulic main or seal box, connects with mouth-piece L. The lid G, steam coil C,
and injector I, may be so connected that they may be removed together, without
disturbing the ingression pipe or retort B.
The deflectors D, in the outer retort, may be made of fire clay or other refractory
material, though they will do good service if made of metal, and are preferably, for
reasons assigned below, made of cast iron. Vapours and gases, such as steam, oil
vapour and hydrogen gas, cannot be offectually heated, decomposed and combined by
radiation from contiguous hot surfaces, and I have found it necessary to cause the
vapors and gases to pass, by direct and repeated impact, in contact with the hot
surfaces extending through the area of the retort, in order to effect their uniform and
economical decomposition and combination, to form a homogeneous fixed gas. For
securing the improved results above stated, I have found the deflecting and impact
devices D, D', to admirably answer the purpose; they are important features in
successfully carrying out my process.
For some reason, which I am unable satisfactorily to explain, I have found cast
iron deflecting devices to be more efficient than those made of other material. It

page_text: would appear that during the gas-making process, the molecules of the iron deflectors
occupy a position of unstable equilibrium, and by acting as a sort of " common
carrier," promote the necessary chemical interchanges.
In the modified form of apparatus represented in Fig. 2, the ingression pipe or
small internal retort is made short, and arranged to discharge steam and hydrocarbon
fluid near the front end of the large retort A, in contact with the deffecting and
impact devices D.
The supply pipe F1, having valve f¹, for admitting a chemically active diluting
agent, such as natural gas, hydrogen, or water gas, connects with the front end of
the retort, so that the steam, hydrocarbon fluid, and diluting gas, are caused to pass
together in contact with the deflectors throughout the whole length of the retort.
There being only a short ingression pipe, the discs d, except the first, are made
solid throughout, and present a larger and more efficient heating surface than where
the ingression pipe passes through them, but of course the special advantages of the
ingression pipe itself are sacrificed. The gas take-off pipe or stand-pipe E, connects
with the rear mouth-piece L.
In order to manufacture gas, the operation is as follows:-
:-
The retorts are fired in the ordinary way, and when heated to the proper gas-
making temperature, well known to gas engineers, a supply of high pressure steam
from the boiler is admitted by pipe c, through an ordinary regulating valve, to the
superheating coil C, whence it passes, in a highly superheated state, to the injector I.
The hydrocarbon oil is then admitted in regulated quantity from the supply tank, by
pipe 6, to the injector, from which it is thrown in a vapor spray, by the jet of super-
heated steam, into the ingression pipe or retort B. The steam and oil vapors are
thoroughly mixed and highly heated, nearly to the point of decomposition, by contact
with the deflecting and impact devices D', in their passage through the retort B, and
are discharged therefrom into retort A, where the production of fixed gas at once
begins. After gradually admitting oil to the injector, hydrogen, light carburetted
hydrogen, such as natural gas or water-gas, is admitted in regulated quantity from a
holder or other source of supply, through pipe F, into retort A, where it is heated by
contact with deflectors D. The heated gas meets the highly-heated current of oil-
vapor and steam flowing from retort B, and the mixture flows in contact with the
deflecting and impact devices surrounding retort B, or arranged beyond its discharge
end, resulting in their complete decomposition and recomposition, to form a fixed,
high-grade illuminating gas. In this reaction, the hydrogen gas present chemically
unites with the rich hydrocarbon vapor or gas in the nascent state, to form fixed car-
buretted hydrogen gas of a merchantable character, and some of the carbonic oxide
and marsh gas enter into new combinations, by which the light-giving quality of the
final product is improved. The hydrocarbons are thus utilized and prevented from
being destructively decomposed, with the formation and deposit of lamp-black or hard
carbon on the one hand, or on the other hand, from passing off in the form of tarry
condensable vapour.
The exact proportion of oil and steam required to be admitted through the injector
are readily determined by the operator by means of a test light or other suitable test,
and will necessarily vary considerably with the character of the hydrocarbon oil used,
the candle power of gas desired, and the general thermolysing efficiency of the
furnace and retort setting. An exhauster and motor are preferably used for drawing
off the gas as generated.
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:
1. The manufacture of fixed iluminating gas by thermolysing, at high tempera-
tures, mixed steam and hydrocarbon vapours, and retorting the resulting products,
while nascent, with water gas, or equivalent diluent, admitted in regulated quantity
na heated chamber fitted with deflecting or impact devices of suitable forin and
material, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

page_text: 2. The improvement in the manufacture of gas which consists in the admission, at
one end of a "through" retort, of steam and hydrocarbon fluid into an ingression
pipe, whereby the resulting vapours are discharged in the nascent state, and brought
in contact with the water gas, or a like chemically active diluent, in a heated condi-
tion, admitted in regulated quantity at the opposite end of the retort, so that the
mixture may be made to travel along the annular space between the ingression pipe
and the surrounded heated retort, and be led off by an eduction pipe, connected with
its first mentioned end, substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1 of the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
3. The improvement in the manufacture of gas which consist in the admission at one
end of a "through" retort, of steam and hydrocarbon fluid into an ingression pipe,
whereby the resulting vapours are discharged in the nascent state, and brought in
contact with water-gas, or a like chemically active diluent, in a heated condition,
admitted in regulated quantity at the same end of the retort, so that the mixture may
be made to travel to its opposite end, and be led off by an eduction pipe connected
therewith substantially as described herein, with reference to Fig. 2 of the
accompanying sheet of drawings.