A Process and Apparatus for Preparing Hydrogen and Carbonio Oxide Gases
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1889
Complete Specification Luft 11th Jan, 1800 Accented, 15th Mar 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process and Apparatus for Preparing Hydrogen and Carbonio
Oxide Gases
I, GEORGE WILLIAM HART 3 Buckingham Road Harlesden London (NW.)
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :–
Operation I Carbonic anhydride gas is generated by heating chalk or other
carbonates in closed retorts and such carbonic anhydride is passed over or through
heated carbon by which the anhydride is converted into carbonic oxide
Operation II. Steam is caused to traverse retorts containing heated iron
(preferably in the form of iron sponge) by which operation hydrogen gas is evolved
and oxide of iron produced
Operation III Carbonic oxide produced hy operation I. (or by operation IV)
is passed over or through the oxide of iron formed by operation II, which oxide
is reduced again to the state of spongy metallic iron, and the carbonic oxide
reconverted to carbonic anhydride gas.
Operation IV The carbonic anhydride so produced is passed over or through
heated carbon in retorts, whereby it becomes again converted into carbonic oxide
gas which is stored in a gas holder. A cycle of chemical actions is thus completed
which results in the evolution of hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases and may be
repeated if desired without the necessity of again producing carbonic anhydride
gas from chalk or other carbonates.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
A Process and Apparatus for Preparing Hydrogen and Carbonic
Oxide Gases
I GEORGE WILLIAM HART of 3 Buckingham Road Harlesden in the County of
Middlesex 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 ·-
My Invention relates to a process and apparatus for the separate production of
hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases the former being well adapted for illuminating
when burned in some of the "incandescent forms of gas lamps while the latter
18 suited for heating and reducing purposes.
"
To this end my process consists in a sequence of operations by which hydrogen
and carbonic oxide gases are separately evolved with great economy of the materials
employed.
The following briefly sets forth the sequence of the operations.
I. Carbonic anhydride gas (carbonic acid) CO,, is generated from chalk or other
carbonates in retorts in any suitable way as for instance by heat or by treatment with
acid, and such gas is passed through or over heated carbon in any suitable apparatus
whereby it is converted into carbonic oxide (C. O.).
II. Steam is caused to pass through retorts containing heated iron in the form of
iron sponge, iron scrap or the like by which hydrogen gas is evolved and the metallic
iron is converted into oxide of iron, the hydrogen being led away to use
III. The carbonic oxide gas produced by operation I or operation IV 19 passed
through the oxide of iron formed by operation II by which said oxide of iron is again
reduced to the metallic state and the carbonic oxide by taking up the oxygen is
reconverted into carbonic acid gas.
IV. The carbonic acid gas so produced is passed over or through heated carbon in

page_text: retorts whereby it again becomes converted into carbonic oxide gas which is led away
to a gas holder though a portion may be used for operation III.
To clearly explain the nature of my invention reference is made to the accompanying
drawings in which apparatus 1 shown for carrying my process into effect and m
which:
Fig 1 is a sectional elevation (on the lines A B and C) of Fig. 3) of a suitable
furnace for holding the retorts
Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation on the line E F of
Fig 3 which is a sectional plan of Fig 1 on the line G H
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the furnace and
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line I J of Fig 2 the vertical retorts however
being removed
In a suitable brickwork casing are set two horizontal retorts A B in which is placed
iron sporge, scrap, turnings or the like
Below these retorts is a furnace giate C which may be heated by the combustion of
a part of the carbonic oxide gas generated The heat from this passes through the
passages a into the chamber D) surrounding said etoits and from thence by an
opening into a chamber E in which are two vertical retorts F G containing coke or
other carbon and from there to the exit flues d d which are provided with suitable
dampers Those retorts F G are fitted with covers e e¹ held in place by screw pressure
so that the carbon in them may be replenished as required and with openings e es
below, fitted with similar covers through which ash, clinker & may be removed
Leading from said retorts are pipes ff which pass to a receiver or "hydraulic
main H containing water, beneath the surface of which the pipes ff are caused to
dip said receiver having a suitable exit pipe 72. The inlet pipe g to the retort B
enters the latter at the front of the furnace from a valve box I with which connect
two pipes 2 the former communicating with a steam boiler or generator and the
latter with a source of supply of carbonic oxide A similar pipe g from the retort A
connects with a similar valve box (not shown) on the other side of the furnace but
as the pipe connections and valves hereafter described are similar on both sides it will
be sufficient if those of one only are described
The exit pipe from the retort B passes to a second valve box L from whence a
pipe m runs to a dip box M which has an exit pipe m¹ while another pipe n passes to
the vertical retort Ġwhich it enters as shown in Fig 2 it a point below a grating n¹
on which its contained carbon rests
The valve boxes 1 and L may be of any suitable construction
Those shown are
of the slide valve type The slides of each are connected by the 1od o so that upon
operating the handle p both may be worked together and the pipes h and alternately
be put in communication with the pipe g, and the pipe & alternately in connection
with the pipes m and n
The operation is as follows-Steam is admitted through the pipe h, and the port
of the slide valve being open passes to the pipe g and from thence into the metallic
iron mtetort B when hydrogen is produced and the metallic non reduced to oxide of
iron. The hydrogen passes off through pipe & through the valve box L, the port of
which is open for this purpose though the pipe m into the dip box M and out through
pipe m' to storage or to use
ん
The valves are then reversed and carbonic oxide generated by passing carbonic acid
gas (formed in any suitable apparatus) over heated carbon is allowed to pass in
through pipes and g into retort B converting the oxide of iron into metallic iron
by removing the oxygen therefrom and being itself converted into carbonic acid gas.
This gas now passes off through pipe and valve box L the port of which is open
for the purpose through pipe n into the vertical retort G containing heated carbon,
and is here reconverted into carbonic oxide by taking up a portion of said carbon.
The carbonic oxide so produced passes out through pipe f into reservoir or
"hydraulic main H and from thence through pipe to storage or to use.
It will be understood that as soon as the oxide of iron in the retort B is reconverted
into metallic iron and the carbonic acid gas bas left the retort steam is once more

page_text: admitted and the sequence of operations recommenced. The valves of the retorts A
and F and B and G will be so operated by the attendant that as steam is being
admitted into A carbonic oxide will be admitted into B and thus a constant generation
of the gases will be maintained but it will be evident that with a simple modification
the two valve boxes I and L will suffice for this purpose
In place of generating the carbonic oxide required in the first instance, in a
separate apparatus carbonic acid gas so generated may be passed by a pipe into one
of the retorts For G from whence it may be used directly or taken to a gas holder.
In any case after the first charge of carbonic oxide has been passed into the retorts A
and B it is unnecessary to manufacture more carbonic acid gas as the required
amount of carbonic oxide may be taken from the gas holder where it is stored after
being manufactured in the apparatus described.
The chemical reactions in the process are
CO, (from carbonates in first instance) + heated
C
-
CO,
C 2 CO
H, O + Fe =
=
Fe O + H,
= Fe
(1 vol. of the 2 CO) CO + Fe O
CO, + C2 CO as at first-and-
H, O + Fe
==
CO, + Fe
another volume of H³.
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 continuous process for preparing hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases
consisting in introducing steam among heated scrap or finely divided iron and
conveying away the hydrogen so made, then passing carbonic oxide gas through the
oxide of iron so formed which reduces the latter to its metallic or former state and
passing the resulting carbonic acid gas through heated carbon to reconvert it into
carbonic oxide substantially as described
2. The continuous process for preparing hydrogen gas consisting in passing steam
into finely divided heated iron, conveying away the hydrogen so formed and reducing
the resulting oxide of iron to its metallic or former state by passing carbonic oxide
into same substantially as described.
3. In the continuous process for producing hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases, the
apparatus described consisting of a retort or retorts for holding iron scrap or finely
divided iron, a retort or retorts for carbon, means for heating both rotorts, a valve
box or boxes connected with a source or sources of supply of steam and of carbonic
oxide a valve box or boxes connecting the iron and carbon retorts and means for
carrying off the hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this 11th day of January 1890.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane. London, Applicant's Agent.