IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCRUBBING COAL GAS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Green, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCRUBBING
COAL GAS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 21st December 1877, and dated the 12th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Green at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1877.
HENRY GREEN, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCRUBBING COAL GAS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My improvements in coal gas scrubbers are designed to provide at moderate cost
a large amount of efficient scrubbing surface in a compact form, and to more
efficiently distribute the water or liquor for scrubbing the gas.
In lieu of the coke, wood, or other substances heretofore usually employed to give
the requisite scrubbing surface, I provide in the scrubbing vessel or chamber frames
in conjunction with suitably arranged sheets or strips of fabric, such as coarse
canvas or other similar cheap fabric, which I arrange in such manner as to leave the
requisite space for the passage of gas between the scrubbing surfaces within the
scrubbing vessel or chamber.
For distributing the water or liquor I employ a modification of the apparatus
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me the 7th October
1876, No. 3880. At the upper part of the scrubbing vessel is a central vertical pipe
capable of being rotated by suitable gearing.
The lower end of the central pipe is provided with a branch pipe arranged to
form, in conjunction with the central pipe, a liquid trap for preventing escape
of gas, and to serve also as a bracket for carrying a bearing or socket, in which
works as a swivel the axis of a wheel.
The wheel axis carries a liquid-distributing pipe in communication through the
said axis with the branch pipe and central pipe; as the central pipe is rotated, it
carries round with it the branch pipe and distributing pipe, whose wheel, with its
prolonged axis or swivel, is caused to simultaneously rotate by contact of the wheel
with the teeth of a fixed annular wheel or ring; thus the distributing pipe, whilst

page_text: •
travelling around the central shaft, also rotates about the swivel which constitutes
its axis.
Now according to my present Invention, in order to more evenly distribute the
water or liquor, I make the wheel axis in the form of a small box or plug, closed at
its bottom and having lateral openings of a tapering form in the direction of the
circumference of the box or plug. Between the bottom of the box or plug and that
of the socket in which it turns is a space for water or liquor, and in the side of the
socket is a vertical groove, passage, or channel communicating with the said space.
As the box or plug revolves, its tapered openings travel successively past the vertical
groove, passage, or channel, and whilst so passing, when the socket is charged,
water or liquor will flow by the vertical groove, passage, or channel into the box or
plug, and away by the distributing pipe, the quantity of water or liquor so passing
depending upon the part of the tapering opening for the time being opposite to the
vertical groove, passage, or channel
The tapering holes are so arranged that whilst the outlet aperture of the dis-
tributing pipe is in its outer position, that is, whilst it is travelling in proximity to
the side of the scrubbing vessel or chamber, the flow of water or liquor will be
arrested; shortly after the outlet aperture has commenced returning towards the
centre of the vessel or chamber, one of the tapering openings will at its wider end
come opposite to the vertical groove, passage, or channel, thus allowing water or
liquor to flow into the box or plug, along the distributing pipe, and into the vessel
or chamber, the quantity of water or liquor so flowing being gradually diminished
as the distributing outlet approaches the centre of the vessel or chamber, before
reaching which the flow will cease until the outlet has somewhat passed the inner-
most point of its course, when the narrow end of the next tapering opening will
come opposite to the vertical groove, passage, or channel, and the flow of water or
liquor will recommence and gradually increase until the outlet has again nearly
reached its outermost position, whereupon the flow will be again arrested, and
so on.
As is well understood, the quantity of water or liquor supplied to coal gas
scrubbers varies considerably, according to the quantity of gas passing through ;
consequently sometimes the supply of water or liquor might not suffice to fully
charge the socket when the larger area of opening is opposite to the vertical groove,
passage, or channel. I provide for this contingency by arranging a tumbler or
tilting vessel in or over a cistern, whence a pipe leads to the funnel of the central
vertical pipe of the scrubber. The water or liquor from the main or reservoir is
allowed to flow into the tumbler or tilting vessel, which, as it fills, will tilt, depositing
the water or liquor in the cistern, whence it will flow to the central vertical pipe,
branch pipe, and socket of the distributing apparatus in readiness for use.
Apparatus, according to my Invention, may be applied in other cases where it is
requisite to distribute streams of liquid to meet gases or vapour, as, for example,
to absorbing towers or vessels and to towers or vessels used for the purpose of
distillation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Green in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th April
1878.
"IMPROVE-
HENRY GREEN, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCRUBBING COAL GAS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My improvements in coal gas scrubbers are designed to provide at moderate cost
a large amount of efficient scrubbing surface in a compact form and to efficiently
destribute the water or liquor for scrubbing the gas.
In lieu of the coke or other substances heretofore usually employed to give the
requisite scrubbing surface, I provide in the scrubbing vessel or chamber frames in
conjunction with suitably arranged sheets or strips of fabric, such as coarse canvas
or other similar fabric, which I arrange within the scrubbing vessel or chamber in
such manner as to leave space for the passage of gas between the scrubbing surfaces
of the fabric.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 0 of the
accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 being a side elevation, Fig. 2, an end elevation,
Fig. 3, a horizontal section in the line A, B, of Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 4, a vertical
section in the line C, D, of Figs. 1 and 3 (shewing only the parts cut), of an arrange-
ment of frames with fabric for the purpose specified.
Fig. 5, shews in central vertical section, and Fig. 6, in sectional plan, parts of a
gas scrubber.
The frames are composed of horizontal parts 1 and vertical parts 2 fastened
together with the fabric 3 between the vertical parts, whereby the fabric is securely
held.
I have found it convenient to make the frames of strips of wood, and to use the
fabric (which may be canvas, of the kind known as scrim) in long pieces, and pass it
round the outer edges of the alternate vertical parts 2 at each end of the set of
frames in the manner indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, fastening the various parts of the
frames to one another by nails, but it will be evident the fabric may be cut to the
length of the frames instead of being used in a continuous length, and that the formin
and details of the frames may be modified to suit circumstances without departure
from the distinctive feature of this part of my Invention.
4,5, are spaces left between the upper and lower edges respectively of the strips
or sheets of fabric and the upper and lower horizontal parts of the frames,' the
object being to allow free passage for, the gas between the whole of the canvas
surfaces.
<-
In Fig. 5 the sets of frames rest upon one another crosswise, but they may
obviously be arranged in various other ways, as, for example, to radiate from the
central portion of the main vessel 6, and instead of resting directly upon one another
may be supported on ribs, or on timber, or other supports in the main vessel.
For distributing the water or liquor I employ a modification of the apparatus
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me the 7th October
1876, No. 3880. At the upper part of the scrubbing vessel is a central vertical pipe
capable of being rotated by suitable gearing.
The lower end of the central pipe is provided with a branch pipe arranged to
form in conjunction with the central pipe a liquid trap for preventing escape gas,
and to serve also as a bracket for carrying a bearing or socket in which rotates the
axis of a wheel.
The axis carries a wheel and a liquid-distributing pipe in communication through
the said axis with the branch pipe and central pipe. As the central pipe is rotated
it carries round with it the branch pipe and distributing pipe, whose wheel, with its
prolonged axis, is caused to simultaneously rotate by contact of the wheel with the
teeth of a fixed annular wheel or ring; thus the distributing pipe whilst travelling
around the central shaft also rotates with the prolonged axis.

page_text: Now according to my present Invention, in order to distribute the water or
liquor in a more uniform manner over the area of the scrubber, I make the
wheel axis in the form of a small box or plug closed at its bottom, and having
lateral openings of a tapering form in the direction of the circumference of the
box or plug. Between the bottom of the box or plug and that of the socket
in which it turns, is a space for water or liquor which communicates with the
passage in the branch pipe and central vertical pipe, and in the side of the socket is
a groove, passage, or channel, communicating with the said space. As the box or
plug revolves, its tapered openings travel successively past the groove, passage, or
channel, and whilst so passing, when the socket is charged, water or liquor will flow
by the groove, passage, or channel, into the box or plug and away by the
distributing pipe, the quantity of water or liquor so passing depending upon the part
of the tapering opening for the time being opposite to the groove, passage, or
channel.
The tapering holes are so arranged that whilst the outlet aperture of the distri-
buting pipe is in its outward position, that is, whilst it is travelling in proximity to
the side of the scrubbing vessel or chamber, the flow of water or liquor will be
arrested. Shortly after the outlet aperture has commenced returning towards tho
centre of the vessel or chamber, one of the tapering openings will at its wider end
come opposite to the groove, passage, or channel, thus allowing water or liquor to
flow into the box or plug along the distributing pipe and into the vessel or chamber,
the quantity of water or liquor so flowing being gradually diminished as the distri-
buting outlet approaches the centre of the vessel or chamber, before reaching which
the flow will cease. When the outlet has somewhat passed the innermost point of
its course, the narrower end of the next tapering opening will come opposite to the
groove, passage, or channel, and the flow of water or liquor will recommence and
gradually increase until the outlet has again nearly reached its outermost position,
whereupon the flow will be again arrested, and so on.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figs. 5, 7, 8, and 9, of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fig. 7 is a central vertical section to a larger scale than Fig. 5, shewing part of
the distributing pipe, its actuating wheel, the prolonged hollow axis or plug, and
the socket with vertical groove, passage, or channel.
Fig. 8 is a horizontal section in the line E, F, of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9, a side
elevation shewing the outer circumference of the axis of wheel 13, as it would appear
if opened out.
7 is the central vertical pipe, having at its upper end a funnel-like cistern 8 fixed
for convenience on the top of the said pipe; below the cistern 8 is fixed a mitre
wheel 9, which may be fixed on any other convenient part of the central vertical
pipe or axis, and may be driven by a second mitre wheel fixed on a suitable shaft,
as described in the Specificaton of my former Patent herein-before referred to, or in
any other convenient manner; 10 is the branch pipe, forming with the central pipe
7 the liquid trap to prevent escape of gas. 11 is the socket in which rotates
the hollow part or plug 12 of the axis of wheel 13. 12× are the openings or
holes through the hollow axis or plug. 14 is the vertical groove, passage, or channel
in the socket.
The axis of wheel 13 is supported by a flange 15 on top of the socket 11, with
the closed bottom of the axis clear of the bottom of the socket, as shewn.
16 is the liquid-distributing pipe; 17 is the weighted arm balancing the branch
pipe 10, and parts carried by it; 18 is the fixed annular wheel or ring in gear with
which the wheel 13 travels, so as to be rotated on its own axis, as above
explained.
The modus operandi will be readily understood from the description already
given.
It will be evident that the arrangement shewn in the Drawings may be modified,
as, for instance, by prolonging the narrow ends of the tapered openings in a very
narrow form until they nearly meet, so that the supply of water or liquor will be

page_text: nearly cut off, but not entirely so, during the outward and inward positions of the outlet
of the distributing pipe; or by arranging the tapered openings in the socket instead
of in the hollow axis or plug, placing them in communication by suitable passages
with the water or liquor space in the lower part of the socket, and substituting
one small hole (which may be square) for the two tapered holes in the hollow axis
or plug.
The quantity of water or liquor supplied to the coal-gas scrubbers usually varies
according to the quantity of gas passing through; consequently sometimes the supply
of water or liquor might not suffice to fully charge the socket 11 when the larger
area of opening 12* is opposite to the vertical groove, passage, or channel 14.
To provide for this contingency, I employ a tumbler or tilting vessel, into which
the water or liquor from the main or reservoir is allowed to flow. On being charged
the tumbler or tilting vessel discharges its contained water or liquor into a cistern
or receiving vessel, whence it flows to the central vertical pipe, branch pipe, and
socket of the distributing apparatus.
Such an arrangement is shewn in Fig. 5, where 19 is the tumbler or tilting vessel
having its axis at 20, and supplied with water or liquor from the cock 21.
Until each charge received by the cistern 8 from the tumbler or tilting vessel is
exhausted a full supply of water or liquor will be maintained in the socket 11.
The cistern 8, instead of being fixed on the central pipe, may be stationary, being
suitably supported in any convenient position, so that the water or liquor from the
cistern may flow through a funnel with or without an intermediate pipe into the
central vertical pipe, as and for the purpose specified.
The improved apparatus, herein-before referred to as a gas scrubber, may wholly
or in part be used for other purposes, where it is required to distribute streams of
liquid to meet gases or vapour, as in absorbing towers or vessels, and towers or
vessels used for distillation.
3
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying it
into practical effect, I would have it understood that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the Letters
Patent first herein-before in part recited is as follows:-
1. The application and use, as herein-before described, of canvas or other similar
fabric for the purpose of obtaining in a compact form a large surface area, against
which liquid and gas may be brought in contact with each other.
2. Regulating the supply of liquid to the distributing pipe in varying quantity, as
described, for the purpose specified.
3. Supplying liquid to the socket intermittently, as described, for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Green, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
HENRY GREEN. (L.&)