IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING, WASHING, & PURIFYING GAS AND OTHER VAPOURS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thos. Nesham Kirkham, of Abingdon St., Westminster,
David Hulett, of High Holbarn, Middlesex, & Sam!. Chandler, of Newington
Causeway, Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
CONDENSING, WASHING, & PURIFYING GAS AND OTHER VAPOURS.”
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 2nd November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thos. Nesham Kirkham,
David Hulett, and Sam!. Chandler at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 2nd November 1877.
THO. NESHAM KIRKHAM, of Abingdon St., Westminster, DAVID HULETT, of
High Holborn, Middlesex, & SAM. CHANDLER, of Newington Causway, Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING, WASHING, & PURIFYING GAS
AND OTHER VAPOURS."
Our Invention relates more particularly to the condensing, washing, and purifi-
cation of "coal gas," but is equally applicable to the treatment of other gases or
vapours, and it consists of a simple, convenient, and compact arrangement of
apparatus into which the impure gas or vapour is introduced, and caused to impinge
against a large extent of surface or number of surfaces of metal or other suitable
material, the temperature of which may be regulated as required, according to the
nature or quality of the gas or vapour to be treated, whereby the said gas or vapour
is condensed and purified.
In carrying out our said Invention for condensing and purifying "coal gas,"
for example, we introduce the impure gas into a rectangular or other suitably shaped
receptacle, provided in the interior with either a continuous inclined surface
arranged in the form of a helix, and extending from the top to the bottom of the
receptacle, or, as we prefer, with a series of plates, trays, or shelves, arranged one
above another, and, by preference, inclined alternately in opposite directions, a
space being left between the front or lower edges of the shelves and the vertical
sides of the receptacle to admit of the passage of the gas from one shelf to another.
Through these shelves pass a number of vertical tubes, connected at their upper
[Price 6d.1

page_text: and lower ends respectively to the top and bottom plates of the receptacle. The
lower ends of these tubes communicate with a chamber fitted outside the lower
portion of the receptacle, and provided with a valve or other suitable apparatus for
regulating the admission of air as required to the vertical tubes, the upper ends of
which open into another chamber arranged on the top of the receptacle, and fitted
with steam nozzles or other suitable appliance for increasing the current of air
through the tubes when required. Apertures are provided in this upper chamber
communicating with the interior of the receptacle, through which apertures water
or other suitable fluid is caused to flow by means of a distributor on to the top
shelf of the series, whence it passes in a zig-zag or circuitous direction over the
surface of the other shelves to the bottom of the receptacle, and finally escapes
therefrom into a receiver or allowed to flow away.
If desired, water or other fluid may also be caused to pass through the vertical
tubes either in lieu of or in combination with the air.
The gas to be treated is by preference introduced at the upper part of the
receptacle, and caused to travel over the surface of the shelves in the same direction
as the fluid, and impinge against the surfaces of the shelves and the external surface
of the vertical tubes, the temperature of which latter is so regulated by the air or
water, or both, passing through the mass to abstract the heat from the gas and
cause it in its course through the receptacle to be condensed, whilst some of the
impurities therefrom are deposited upon the shelves and carried to the bottom of
the apparatus whilst others are absorbed or taken up by the fluid flowing over
them, the apparatus thus acting as a combined condenser and purifier; or, if
desired, the gas may enter the lower portion of the receptacle and be caused to
travel in the reverse direction to that of the fluid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thos. Nesham Kirkham; David Hulett, and Sam!. Chandler in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th April 1878.
THO. NESHAM KIRKHAM, of Abingdon St., Westminster, DAVID HULETT, of
High Holborn, Middlesex, and SAM. CHANDLER, of Newington Causeway, Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING, WASHING, AND PURIFYING GAS
AND OTHER VAPOURS."
Our said Invention relates more particularly to the condensing or absorbing,
washing, and purification of coal gas, but is equally applicable to the treatment of
other gases and vapours, such, for example, as the condensing of ammonia, sul-
phurous acid gas, and hydrocloric acid gas, and it consists of a simple and compact
arrangement of apparatus into which the gases or vapours to be treated are
introduced, and caused to impinge against a large extent of surface or number of
surfaces, arranged either in the form of a helix or other continuous incline, or in a
series of shelves fitted one above another, and having a number of tubes extending
through them or through the coils of the helix, as the case may be.
The gases or vapours to be acted upon, and which may be introduced into the
apparatus either at the top or at the lower end thereof, as found most convenient,
are caused to travel over the surface of the helix or over the surfaces of the shelves,
and their washing and purification effected by water or other suitable liquid
admitted at the top of the interior of the apparatus, and caused to flow over the
said surface or surfaces, whilst the condensation of the said gases or vapours is
simultaneously effected by passing currents of air, or air and water, through the
interior of the tubes, against the external surfaces of which the gases or vapours
are caused to impinge in their course through the apparatus.
The liquid flowing over the surfaces, as herein-before described, by being brought
into intimate contact with the gases or vapours, absorbs some of the impurities
contained therein, whilst other impurities are deposited upon the surfaces and
conducted by the liquid to the bottom of the apparatus.
And in order that our said Invention may be better understood, we have annexed
to this our Specification two explanatory Sheets of Drawings, in which the same
letters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, is a longitudinal section of one
arrangement of apparatus for washing, condensing or absorbing, and purifying gases
or vapours, constructed according to our Invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section
of the same.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 1-2 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is
a similar section taken. along the line 3-4 in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of the
apparatus; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the same.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheet I., A represents a rectangular vessel or
receptacle fitted in the interior with a series of shelves B connected to the vertical
sides by rivets or otherwise, and so arranged that each alternate shelf inclines
downwards in opposite directions, a space being left between the lower edges of the
shelves and the adjacent sides of the vessel to admit of the passage of the gases or
vapours from one shelf to another in succession. Through these shelves pass a
number of vertical tubes C,, which are connected at their upper and lower ends
respectively to the top plate a and bottom plate b of the vessel, and communicate
with two chambers D and E, situated respectively above the plate a and beneath
the plate b.
The gas or other vapour to be treated is introduced near the top of the vessel A
through the inlet pipe F, whence it travels in the direction indicated by the arrows
in Fig. 1, over the surfaces of the shelves to the bottom of the vessel, and escapes
therefrom through the outlet pipe G. Water or other suitable liquid is conducted
-

page_text: into the upper part of the vessel by means of a pipe H, fitted with a distributor c,
which causes it to flow over the whole of the surface of the top shelf, thence on to
the next shelf below, and so on in succession over the whole of the shelves of the
series to the bottom of the vessel, and passes thence through a pipe d into a receiver,
or allowed to flow away.
The gas or vapour in its passage through the vessel is brought into intimate
contact with the liquid flowing over the shelves, whereby it becomes washed and
purified, some of the impurities which it contained being absorbed by the liquid
whilst others are deposited upon the shelves and conducted to the bottom of and
from the vessel by the said liquid.
Simultaneously with the washing and purifying process, above described, the
condensation of the said gas or vapour is effected by means of atmospheric air
which is admitted to the interior of the lower chamber E through openings e (fitted
with a valve or damper for the purpose of regulating its admission), which air
passes thence through the interior of the tubes C into the upper chamber D, and
escapes therefrom through the pipe I, which is fitted with a steam jet pipe K for
the purpose of increasing the currents of air when required.
If desired, water may be passed through the tubes in lieu of or in combination
with the air. In passing coal gas, for example, through the apparatus in the
manner herein-before described, it is caused to impinge not only against the surfaces
of the shelves but also against the external surfaces of the tubes C, which latter, by
being maintained cool by the air passing through them, abstracts the heat from the
gas, and by acting in combination with the liquid flowing over the shelves simul-
taneously effects the condensation, washing, and purification of the said gas.
In lieu of admitting the gas at the upper end of the vessel and causing it to,
travel in the same direction as the liquid, as herein-before described, it may be
introduced at the lower end through the pipe G, and caused to travel towards the
upper end in the opposite direction to that of the liquid and pass out through the
pipe F.
In the apparatus illustrated on Sheet 2 of our Drawings, A represents a cylin-
drical vessel fitted in the interior with a continuous inclined surface arranged in
the form of a helix B, through the various coils of which pass the vertical, tubes C,
communicating with the two chambers D and E, situated respectively at the top of
and below the vessel A as in the first-described apparatus.
The gas or other vapour to be treated is introduced and caused to pass through
the vessel, and is acted upon in a similar manner to that herein-before described,
F being the gas inlet pipe; G, the gas outlet pipe; H, the water supply pipe;
d, the water outlet; and e, the openings in the chamber E for admitting air to the
tubes C.
.
If desired the operations of the apparatus, as herein-before described, may be
reversed, that is to say, the gas or vapour to be treated and the liquid for con-
densing or absorbing it may be passed through the tubes C, and the air or other
refrigerating media passed through the vessel over the surfaces of the shelves and
the exterior surfaces of the tubes, in which case the upper and lower chambers D.
and E are closed and the gas or vapour is admitted into the chamber E, whence it
passes through the tubes C into the upper chamber D, and escapes therefrom
through an outlet pipe provided for the purpose.
The water or other suitable liquid for effecting the washing and purification of
the gas is admitted into the chamber D, whence it flows through the tubes C into,
the chamber E, and escapes therefrom into a receiver, or allowed to flow away..
At the same time air (admitted into the interior of the vessel A through either the
pipe F or the pipe G) is caused to travel over the surface of the helix or over the
surfaces of the shelves, and impinge against the exterior surfaces of the tubes C,
which by being thus maintained in a cool condition abstracts the heat from the gas
or vapour passing through them and thereby effects its condensation.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode of carrying
.

page_text: the same out in practice, we wish it to be understood that what we consider to be
novel and therefore claim as our Invention is,―
1st. The combination and arrangement in apparatus for condensing, washing,
and purifying gases and other vapours, of a series of shelves or a continuous
inclined surface, over which the gas or other vapour to be treated is caused to pass
in conjunction with water or other liquids, and a number of tubes through which
air or liquid, or both air and liquid, are caused to flow, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before described and illustrated by our Drawings..
2ndly. The general construction and arrangement of apparatus for condensing,
washing, and purifying gases and other vapours, substantially as herein-before
described, and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, on Sheet I. of our Drawings.
3rdly. The general construction and arrangement of apparatus for condensing,
washing, and purifying gases and other vapours, substantially as herein-before
described, and illustrated by Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 2 of our Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Tho. Nesham Kirkham, David Hulett, and
Saml. Chandler, have to this our Specification set our hands and seals, this
Fourth day of March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.