purposes co
Year: 1899

page_text: I, PAUL NAEF, Ph.D., of Woody Crescent Avenue, near 165th Street, New York
City, United States of America, Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the manufacture of gas (containing practically no
free nitrogen) for heating or illuminating purposes, coke, and by-products such
as ammonia and tar.
The chief objects of my invention are to devise a system of producing illuminat-
ing gas by distillation of fuel, by which it is possible to treat larger quantities
of fuel in one apparatus than has hitherto been possible in gas retorts; to devise
a method and apparatus which can be put into operation in less time than ordinary
gas retorts; to produce more ammonia than is obtained in ordinary retorts; to
prevent the decomposition of ammonia during the distillation; and to devise
a continuous illuminating gas making process.
These results are obtained by supplying the heat necessary for the gasifying
process, by passing hot gases through the fuel.
In the Specification of prior Patent No. 7951 of 1898 granted to me under date
of 7th September 1897 I have described an apparatus and process for coking coal
by means of hot combustible gases. The present invention is an application of
my prior invention and is specially intended for the production of illuminating
gas containing little or no nitrogen. The hot gas, which is conducted through
the fuel and effects the distillation, is obtained by heating ordinary water-gas
or other gas containing no nitrogen in suitable gas-heating stoves.
The coking apparatus described in my said prior specification No. 7951/98 can
be used for carrying out my process. The heaters can be of the same form as the
heaters used for heating air at iron blast furnaces.
The general arrangement of the heaters is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings
accompanying the Specification of the prior Patent No. 7952 of 1898 granted to
me under date of 7th September 1897.
Instead of using the heaters for heating air. they are in the present invention
used for heating water-gas or other gas containing no nitrogen. The heaters
are first heated up by the combustion of gas, preferably producer-gas: afterwards
water-gas is forced through, which leaves in a highly heated state. By using two

page_text: or more heaters alternately, a continuous flow of heated gas is obtained which is
conducted through the coking apparatus.
The action is the same as described in my prior Specification No. 7951/98 above
mentioned. The hot gas passes upwards through the fuel. The volatile matter of
the fuel is partly converted into tar, but mostly into gas containing illuminating
hydro-carbons.
The gas is cooled during its upward passage through the fuel and leaves the
coking apparatus containing ammonia and tar at a temperature not much higher
than is necessary to prevent condensation of the tar. It is passed through suitable
washing apparatus for the recovery of ammonia. If it is to be used as illuminat-
ing gas it is enriched to the required standard of illuminating power by any of
the well known methods. As it already contains illuminating hydro-carbons
resulting from the decomposition of the volatile matter of the coal, less oil or
naphtha will be required than in the ordinary water-gas process.
As described in my former specifications the red hot coke is treated in the lower
part of the coking apparatus with steam for the purpose of producing ammonia
from the nitrogenous constituents of the coke. The water gas thus produced
can be mixed with the other gas' leaving the coking apparatus."
For the purpose of still further increasing the amount of ammonia and the
volume of gas, it is advantageous to add a small amount of steam to the gas before
it enters the heaters. The distillation will then take place in an atmosphere of
water-gas and steam, and destruction of ammonia will be impossible. The steam
will be mostly converted into water-gas during its passage through the fuel.
3
The coking apparatus shown in the Specification of my aforesaid Patent
No 7952/98 and that of the Patent No. 7953 of 1898 granted to me under date
of 7th September 1897, and in the Specification of Patents Nos. 13164 and 13165
granted to me jointly with Richard Stephen Garton on the 13th June 1898, can
be used for carrying out the process. It has the advantage, that it acts very
much quicker, furnishing much larger quantities of coke and gas in one apparatus.
Destruction of ammonia by over-heating, as occurs in retorts where fuel is
gradually heated to high temperature during a great length of time, is practically
avoided.
If the coking apparatus described in my above mentioned prior specifications
is used, the coke will be of more superior quality than gas-retort coke.
The coking process can with great advantage be combined with the water-gas
generators which are at present in use. The water gas as it comes from the
water-gas generators already warm and usually containing some undecomposed
steam is conducted through the heaters and afterwards through my coking plant.
In cases where the water-gas generators cannot be worked under sufficient pressure
a blower would have to be used to connect the gas through the heaters and coking
plant. The coke produced is used instead of anthracite in the water-gas generators.
In cases where the quality of the coke is of little or no importance, as for
instance if it is used for the production of steam in boilers or for water-gas,
revolving furnaces can with advantage be used for carrying out the coking process.
An arrangement which can be used for this purpose is described in the specifica-
tion filed with my application for Patent No. 17852, dated 19th August 1898.
The arrangement there described consists of two superimposed revolving furnaces.
The coking material is charged into the upper furnace and passes successively
through both furnaces, and coke is withdrawn from the lower furnace.
The gas
is heated before it enters the lower furnace. After having been cooled down
during its passage through the furnace, it is again heated before it enters the
second furnace. From the second furnace it is conducted through a suitable
washing plant for the recovery of ammonia.
This mode of working has the advantage that the distillation can be carried
out with a small volume of water-gas; it has further the advantage that all the
tar will be converted into gas during the passage through the heaters.
To prevent any destruction of ammonia during the passage of the gas through

page_text: the heater, the gas from the first heater can be cooled and washed before it enters
the second heater.
In another application of even date No. 20659 of 1899 is shown an arrangement
of a revolving furnace and a heater connected thereto which is also adaptable for
carrying out this process. By using the revolving furnaces described in the
specification (communicated by me) of prior Patent No. 30496 granted to Paul
Dunn on the 24th December 1897, some of the heat can be supplied through the
periphery. One of the great advantages gained by using a revolving furnace for
carrying out the process is that practically no resistance is offered to the passage
of the gas and that any kind of continuous heater can be employed for heating
the gas.
The apparatus and method described in another application of even date
No. 20660 of 1899 can also be used for gasifying fuel. As in the above mentioned
specification No. 17852/98, the gas passing through the fuel is successively re-
heated several times and it is therefore possible to effect the distillation with a
small volume of gas. The apparatus shown consists of one shaft or a number of
superposed generators with arrangements for successively re-heating the gaseous
products.
The mode or heating the gas is not limited to the use of the gas-heaters
described. The gas may be heated by any suitable methods, which may be varied
according to circumstances. In places where there is use for producer-gas, the
gas may, for instance, be heated by passing it through a body of fuel which has
previously been raised to incandescence by conducting air through the same.
The method may be varied so as to effect the best results under certain con-
ditions without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Dated this 14th day of October 1809
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, PAUL NAEF, Ph.D., of 132, Woody Crescent Avenue, near 165th Street, New
York City, United States of America, Chemical 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 gas (containing practically no
free nitrogen) for heating or illuminating purposes, coke, and by-products such
as ammonia and tar.
The chief objects of my invention are to devise a system of producing illumina-
ting gas free from nitrogen by the distillation of fuel and the production of coke,
by which it is possible to treat larger quantities of fuel in one apparatus than
has hitherto been possible in gas retorts; to devise a method and apparatus which
can be put into operation in less time than ordinary gas retorts; to produce more.
ammonia than is obtained in ordinary retorts to prevent the decomposition of
ammonia during the distillation; and to devise a continuous process for making
illuminating gas.
These results are obtained by supplying the heat necessary for obtaining the
gas from the fuel, by passing hot gases through the fuel in the manner herein-
after described.

page_text: In the specification of prior Patent No. 7951 of 1898 granted to me under date
of 7th September 1897 I have described an apparatus and process for coking coal
by means of hot combustible gases. The present invention is an application of
my invention for the manufacture of coke described in the specification of my
said prior patent, and is specially intended for the production of illuminating gas
containing little or no nitrogen. The hot gas, which is conducted through the
fuel and effects the distillation thereof, is obtained by heating ordinary water-gas
or other gas containing no nitrogen in suitable gas-heating stoves. These stoves
contain refractory material which is heated and has the gas passed through it
alternately. The gas is thus heated above the temperature necessary to cause it
to react on the fuel.
The gas obtained by thus distilling the fuel is washed for the recovery of by-
products and may then be enriched with suitable illuminating hydro-carbons.
The red hot coke produced by the above distillation of the fuel is treated with
steam for the production of ammonia and water gas, which ammonia and water
gas are mixed with the gas derived by the distillation of the fuel before the said
gas is washed.
The above continuous coking process may be carried out in combination with
the production of water gas, in which case the coke produced is used in place of
anthracite in the water gas generators.
The coking apparatus described in my said prior specification No. 7951/98
can be used for carrying out my process. The heaters employed for heating the
gas for the distillation of the fuel can be of the same form as the heaters
generally employed for heating air at iron blast furnaces.
The general arrangement of the heaters is illustrated in Figure 5 of the
drawings accompanying the specification of the prior Patent No. 7952 of 1898
granted to me under date of 7th September 1897, but instead of using the said
heaters for heating air, they are in the present invention used for heating the
water-gas or other gas containing no nitrogen for the distillation of the fuel.
The heaters are first heated by the combustion of gas, preferably producer-gas.
Water-gas is then forced through the heaters and leaves them in a highly heated
state in which it is conducted to the coking apparatus. By using two or more
heaters alternately, a continuous flow of heated gas is obtained for conducting
through the coking apparatus to distil the fuel.
The action of the gas on the fuel resembles in some respects that described in
my prior specification No. 7951/98 above referred to. The hot gas passes upwards
through the fuel and converts the volatile matter of the fuel partly into tar,
but mostly into gas containing illuminating hydro-carbons.
This gas passes through a sufficient column of fuel to be cooled during its
passage through the said fuel, and leaves the coking apparatus containing
ammonia and tar at a temperature not much higher than is necessary to prevent
condensation of the tar. The gas is then passed through suitable washing
apparatus for the recovery of ammonia, and if it is to be used as illuminating gas
it is enriched to the required standard of illuminating power by any of the well
known methods. As the gas already contains illuminating hydro-carbons result-
ing from the decomposition of the volatile matter of the coal, less enriching
substances such as oil or naphtha will be required than for water-gas produced
by the ordinary methods.
As described in my prior specifications No. 7951 of 1898 and No. 7952 of 1898,
the red hot coke is treated in the lower part of the coking apparatus with steam
for the purpose of producing ammonia from the nitrogeneous constituents of the
coke. The ammonia and water-gas thus produced can be mixed with the gas
produced by the distillation of the fuel as the said gas leaves the coking apparatus.
As the formation of the coke takes place under pressure of the column of fuel,
hard coke can be produced by the heated gas containing no nitrogen..
For the purpose of still further increasing the amount of ammonia and the
volume of gas derived from the fuel, it is advantageous to add a small amount of

page_text: steam to the water-gas or other non-nitrogeneous gas before it enters the heaters.
The distillation of the fuel will then take place in the atmosphere of water gas
and steam, and the destruction of ammonia will therefore be reduced or entirely
avoided. The steam will be mostly converted into water-gas during its passage
through the fuel.
The coking apparatus shown in the specification of my aforesaid Patent No.
7952/98 and in that of the Patent No. 7953 of 1898 granted to me under date
of 7th September 1897, and in the specifications of Patents Nos. 13164 and 13165
granted to me jointly with Richard Stephen Garton on the 13th June 1898, can
be used for carrying out this process.
This process has the advantage, that it acts very much more quickly than
processes heretofore employed, and therefore furnishes much larger quantities of
coke and gas in one apparatus than hitherto. The destruction of ammonia by
overheating, which occurs in retorts where fuel is gradually heated to a high
temperature during a great length of time, is practically avoided.
If the coking apparatus described in my above mentioned prior specifications
is used, the coke will be of a superior quality to that derived from ordinary
gas-retorts.
The herein described distilling or coking process can with great advantage be
carried out in combination with the production of water-gas in the water-gas
generators which are at present employed. The water gas as it comes from the
water-gas generators, already warm and usually containing some undecomposed
steam, being conducted through the heaters and afterwards through my coking
plant. In cases where the water-gas generators cannot be worked under sufficient
pressure, a blower would have to be used to conduct the water-gas through the
heaters and coking plant. The coke produced in the coking plant being used
instead of anthracite in the water-gas generators.
In cases where the quality of the coke is of little or no importance, as for
instance if it is used for the production of steam in boilers or for the production
of water-gas, revolving furnaces can with advantage be used for carrying out the
coking process. An arrangement which can be used for this purpose is described
in the specification filed with my application for Patent No. 17852, dated 19th
August 1898. The arrangement there described consists of two superimposed
revolving furnaces. The coking material is charged into the upper furnace and
passes successively through both furnaces, and coke is withdrawn from the lower
furnace. The water-gas or other gas containing no nitrogen is heated before it
enters the lower furnace. After having been cooled down during its passage
through this lower furnace, the gas is again heated before it enters the second
furnace. From the second furnace the gas is conducted through a suitable wash-
ing plant for the recovery of ammonia.
This last mentioned method of working has the advantage that the distillation
of the fuel can be carried out with a small volume of water-gas, for when the
gases are several times successively heated, a smaller quantity of gas is required
to effect the distillation of the fuel, and the distillation products as soon as they
are formed are used to supply further heat. The last mentioned method has -
further the advantage that all the tar derived from the fuel will be converted
mostly into illuminating hydro-carbons during its passage through the heaters
and also in its passage through the hot fuel.
To prevent the destruction of ammonia during the passage of the gas through
the second heater, the gas from the first furnace can be cooled and washed and the
ammonia thus separated before the gas enters the second heater.
In the specification of another application of even date No. 20659 of 1899,
is shown an arrangement of a revolving furnace and a heater connected thereto
which is also adaptable for carrying out this process.
By using the revolving furnaces described in the specification (communicated
by me) of prior Patent No. 30496 of the 24th December 1897 some of the heat for
distilling the fuel can be supplied through the periphery of the furnace. One

page_text: of the great advantages gained by using a revolving furnace for carrying out
the process is that owing to the fact that the fuel is agitated and that the gas
can therefore easily pass through the same, practically no resistance is offered
to the passage of the gas, and that any kind of continuous heater can be employed
for heating the gas.
The apparatus and method described in the specification of another application
of even date No. 20660 of 1899, can by having its dimensions suitably modified,
also be used for coking fuel. As in specification No. 17852/89, the gas passing
through the fuel is successively re-heated several times and it is therefore
possible to effect the distillation of the fuel with a small volume of the gas.
The apparatus shown consists of one shaft or a number of superposed generators
with arrangements for successively reheating the original gas employed for
distillation and also the gaseous products of the distillation of the fuel.
When using apparatus of the kind in which the hot gas with part of the pro-
ducts of distillation are caused to circulate or repeatedly pass through the fuel,
such for instance as the apparatus referred to in Specification No. 20659 of 1899,
it is of advantage to only conduct that part of the gas which is taken off for
use, through a washing apparatus, and to thus reduce the amount of gas to be
washed after every passage through the fuel.
The mode of heating the gas employed for distilling the fuel is not limited to
the use of the gas-heaters described. The said gas may be heated by any suitable
means, which may be varied according to circumstances. In places where there
is use for producer-gas, the gas employed for distilling the fuel may, for instance,
be heated by passing it through a body of fuel which has previously been raised
to incandescence by conducting air through the same
The method may be varied so as to effect the best results under certain con-
ditions without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim in the manufacture of coke, gas and by-products by the distillation of
fuel with gas is:-
-
1. The continuous passing and re-passing of a comparatively small quantity
of heated gas containing practically no nitrogen through the fuel, and the re-
heating of the said gas with any gaseous products of distillation which it may
contain after each passage through the fuel, substantially in the manner and for
the purpose specified.
2. The continuous process consisting in passing heated water-gas, or a similar
gas containing practically no nitrogen, mixed or not with steam through the
fuel to distil therefrom illuminating gas, treating the hot coke thus obtained with
steam for the production of water-gas and ammonia, passing the said water gas
and ammonia through the fuel and mixing them with the gas distilled from the
fuel, and washing the gas thus derived for the recovery of by-products, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.
3. The continuous process consisting in passing heated water-gas mixed or
not with steam through the fuel to distil therefrom illuminating gas, treating
the hot coke thus obtained with steam for the production of water-gas and
ammonia, passing the said water-gas and ammonia through the fuel and mixing
them with the gas distilled from the fuel, washing the gas thus derived for the
recovery of by-products and delivering the coke into a generator for the water-
gas to be used in the first step of the process, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose specified.
4. The method which consists in passing fuel through apparatus containing
a furnace or series of furnaces, simultaneously passing gaseous fluid through
the fuel and several times re-heating the gaseous fluid during its passage through
the apparatus substantially as described.
5. The method which consists in passing fuel through a shaft, injecting gaseous

page_text: fluid into the shaft, and several times withdrawing, re-heating and re-injecting
gaseous distillation products into the shaft, substantially as described.
6. The method which consists in injecting under pressure heated gas containing
no nitrogen between the two ends of a column of fuel, passing the heated gas
through the fuel, and then withdrawing the gas from and re-heating and re-
injecting some of it into the fuel, substantially as described.
7. The method which consists in injecting under pressure heated gas con-
taining no nitrogen between the two ends of a column of fuel, passing the said
gas through one half and withdrawing it at one end of the column of fuel, and
treating the other half of the column of fuel (which consists of red hot coke)
with water, substantially as described.
8. The employment substantially as described of one or other kind of apparatus
referred to.
Dated this 14th day of T..1.. 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.