Improved Method and Apparatus for Producing Lighting, Heating, and Power Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
Improved Method and Apparatus for Producing Lighting, Heating,
and Power Gas.
We, HERBERT SAMUEL ELWORTHY, of No. 2, Peel Terrace, St. Heliers, Jersey,
Chemist, and HOWARD LANE, of No. 6, Corporation Street, Birmingham, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in gas producing furnaces or apparatus.
Gas producers of the kind in view have hitherto consisted of two principal
constructions. In one kind the gas is produced by passing a mixture of steam
and air through incandescent fuel. From this is obtained a gas largely diluted
with nitrogen, and having only a low calorific value. The other kind of producer
is worked independently, generating alternately an impure gas, also of low
calorific value, which is for many purposes quite valueless, and in addition
water gas.
Our present invention relates to improvements in this second type of apparatus,
and consists essentially of such a combination and arrangement of parts that the
poor gas generated during the one operation is utilized for the production of the
richer and more effective gas generated during the other alternating period.
Our invention consists, moreover, in the application of two producing furnaces,
which may be conveniently constructed of an iron, casing lined with fire-brick
or the like in the wellknown manner. The lower portion of each casing is
arranged for the reception of solid fuel (coke, coal, charcoal, or the like). Above
the fuel there is a combustion chamber, and above the combustion chamber in
each casing is provided a regenerator of the wellknown type, and constructed of
firebrick or other suitable refractory and heat absorbing material. The regene-
rator possesses a relatively large surface, and a number of passages or perfora-
tions through which the combustion products can travel. The two producers
are coupled together with fourway cocks, or other convenient valves, which are
in turn connected to an air blower having its own steam engine.
The arrangement of pipes and valves is so devised that when the apparatus
forces air through the incandescent fuel in one producer, the exhaust steam from
the engine or from any external source is passing down through the regenerator,
and through the incandescent fuel in the other producer.
A surface regenerator is preferably employed to transfer the heat from the
outgoing gas to the ingoing air, which arrangement promotes economy in work-
ing. The portion of the air from the blowing apparatus passes direct to the
combustion chamber in each case, and thus ensures proper combustion of the gas
produced by the heat of the furnace, and the action of the air.
1
The operation of our improved apparatus above described is substantially as
follows:
Both furnaces having been charged, lighted up, and the fuel having become
incandescent by natural draught, the clinker doors (of usual pattern) are closed,
and the steam engine, and air blower or compressor set in action. Air under
pressure then passes up through one furnace, and the fuel is heated up and

page_text: undergoes partial combustion. This combustion is completed when the products
reach the supplementary air supply which passes directly into the combustion
space. The hot products of combustion then pass through the chequer work of
the regenerator or equivalent construction, leaving the heat behind them pro-
gressively; when the gases have thereby become comparatively cool they pass
away through the fourway valve or equivalent to the chimney. At the same
time steam passes through the four way valve, and down through the hot brick
work of the other producer. The steam thus highly superheated then passes
downwards through the incandescent fuel, and carries along with it any volatile
gases, and is finally decomposed by interaction with the incandescent carbon.
The final product of the operation consists in a mixture of coal gas, if coal is
used, carbonic oxide and hydrogen, which mixture possesses great value for light-
ing, heating, or power purposes.
As soon as the heat of the furnace has so far subsided that the steam is insuffi-
ciently decomposed, the valves are reversed, and the operation is repeated in the
opposite direction and so forth.
The solid fuel is preferably supplied to the furnaces by means of lateral
hoppers, and caused to pass into the furnace, whilst air is passing upwards in
each case.
It will be obvious that the foregoing description is by way of example only,
and that we do not confine our invention to the precise details herein set forth,
as the principle of our invention is capable of various applications according
to the precise object in view.
Dated the fith day of Duaombon 1000
Improved Method and Apparatus for Producing Lighting, Heating,.
and Power Gas.
We, HERBERT SAMUEL ELWORTHY, of No. 2, Peel Terrace, St. Heliers, Jersey,
Chemist, and HOWARD LANE, of No. 6, Corporation Street, Birmingham, 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;-
-
Hitherto gas producers have consisted of two kinds. In one type the gas is
made by passing a mixture of steam and air through incandescent fuel the
result being a gas which is largely diluted with nitrogen, and possesses but a
low calorific value. The other type of producer is intermittent, generating alter-
nately an impure gas of low calorific value as above, which in many cases is
valueless, and water gas.
This improvement relates to the intermittent variety of apparatus and consists
of such a combination and arrangement of parts, that the poor gas generated
during the one operation, is utilized for the production of the richer and more
powerful gas made during the other alternating period.
The apparatus consists of two producing furnaces constructed of an iron case
lined with fire brick in the well-known manner. The lower portion of each case
is arranged for the reception of fuel such as coke, coal, or charcoal; above the
fuel there is a combustion chamber, and again above the combustion chamber
in each case there is provided a regenerator consisting of fire brick or other

page_text: refractory heat absorbing material with a large surface and passages, or perfora-
tions, for passage of the products of combustion.
The two producers are coupled together with four way cocks or equivalent
valves, which are connected to an air blower preferably with its own steam engine
self contained.
The arrangement of pipes and valves is such that when the blowing machine
delivers air up through the incandescent material in one producer, the exhaust
steam from the engine or from an external source is passing down through a
regenerator and through incandescent fuel in the other producer.
A surface regenerator is preferably employed to transfer the heat from the
outgoing gas to the ingoing air, which promotes economy. A portion of the air
delivered from the blowing machine passes direct to the combustion chamber in
each case, and ensures complete combustion of the gas produced during blowing
the furnace into incandescence.
In order more clearly to set forth our invention we have illustrated in the
accompanying drawing (partly in section) a pair of furnaces constructed in accord-
ance therewith.
Out-
The gas producers A, B, each consist of an outer casing of usual construction,
suitably lined with refractory materials and having inside a fuel chamber (CD),
a combustion chamber (EF), and a regenerating chamber (GH). The top of
each regenerative chamber is preferably covered by a perforated plate I.
let pipes J lead either to the chimney pipe K or to the steam inlet pipe L accord-
ing as the four-way valve M is set." NN are the fuel hoppers through which
the furnaces are fed. O represents a blowing engine of any kind also supplied
through a four-way valve P. Q is the gas outlet, whilst R in the position shewn
is the tube delivering from into the surface regenerator S provided with tubes
or other divisions for interchange of heat from gas to air as well known. T T
are the lower connecting tubes between the regenerator S and the producers A
and B; each tube T has a narrow branch pipe U intended to admit air above the
fuel through the tuyere W and provided with a valve V.
The action of the apparatus as described and shewn is as follows:-
Both furnaces having been initially lighted up, and the fuel having become
incandescent by natural draught, the clinker doors are closed and the steam
engine and the blower set in action. Air thus passes up through the sur-
face A and the fuel is heated up and undergoes partial combustion which is
complete when the products reach the supplementary air supply which goes
directly into the combustion space E through U V and W. The hot products
of combustion then go up through the chequer work C of the regenerator leaving
the heat behind them progressively; then, comparatively cool, they pass away
through the four-way valve M to the chimney. At the same time steam passes
through the pipe L and four-way valve M going down through the hot chequer
work of the other producer B. The highly superheated steam then passes down
through the incandescent fuel in D and carries with it any volatile gases, and is
subsequently decomposed by interaction with the incandescent carbon, the opera-
tion resulting in a mixture of coal gas (if coal is used), carbonic oxide and
hydrogen, a mixture of great value for lighting, or power, or heating purposes,
which passes into S and there yields great part of its heat to the air driven in
from 0; finally the cooled gases pass away for use.
As soon as the heat of the furnace is so far reduced that the steam is insuffi-
ciently decomposed, the valves are reversed, and the operation repeated in the
opposite direction, and so on. The fuel is fed into the lateral hoppers N prefer-
ably when air is passing upwards in each case.
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) The improved method of producing alternately air gas and water gas in

page_text: coupled producers consisting in blowing (preferably warmed) air through incan-
descent fuel and passing the combustion products through a regenerative chamber,.
and then reversing the direction of the current and passing steam through the
heated regenerator chamber and the incandescent fuel for the production of water
gas with concurrent operation of the coupled producer in the reverse direction
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2) The improved apparatus for the simultaneous production of air gas and of
water gas in coupled producers substantially as described and shewn in the
accompanying drawing
Dated the 3rd day of August 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.