Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas for Illuminating or other Purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application. 26th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 19th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas for
Illuminating or other Purposes.
I, ROBERT ORMISTON PATERSON of The Gas Works, Gloucester Road,
Cheltenham in the County of Gloucester, Gas Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to carry on the manufacture of gas for illumin-
ating or other purposes in such a manner that an increased yield of gas is obtained
from a given quantity of coal or the like by causing the condensed or liquid
products which separate from the gas to pass back into or circulate through the
retort or retorts until the said products become converted or in great part converted
into gas.
I am aware that attempts have before been made to return such
condeused or liquid products to a retort by the same passages or pipes as those
through which the gas passes from the retort but this plan was not found to be
practicable as owing to the intense heat in these passages or pipes the said products
become carbonized in the said passages or pipes and did not, or in great part did
not return to the retort and furthermore when so carbonized they eventually
choked or obstructed the said passages or pipes.
Or
According to my invention I provide a separate pipe or passage (that is one
distinct from that through which the gas passes from the retort) which pipe or
passage is not subjected to the aforesaid objectionable high temperature and which
leads from a part of the ascension pipe or passage, or from a receptacle into which
For instance as
it opens wherein the condensed or liquid products are deposited.
applied to horizontal or approximately horizontal retorts, the ascension pipe may
be inclined downwards towards the opposite end of the retort where it communi-
cates with a pipe leading to the hydraulic main or receiving or foul main the lower
end of this pipe forming a well into which condensed or liquid products pass
another pipe or passage leading from this well into the rear end of the retort so
that the condensed or liquid products re-enter the retort by this pipe to be
subjected to the heat of the said retort and so the said products circulate through
the retort until they are, in whole or in great part, gasified. The bottom of the
rear end of the retort may be inclined upwards to facilitate the flow of the said
products into the retort and the retort may be provided with an inclined trough or
surface onto which the said products are received and directed into the retort.
the ascension pipe may be led downwards into a chamber in which the condensed
or liquid products are deposited and are conducted therefrom by the pipe leading
them back into the retort. The said pipe should have a bend in it to constitute a
seal to prevent the passage thereinto of gas from the retort. The gas which enters
the said chamber passes out therefrom by a pipe which projects above the liquid
therein and leads to the hydraulic main. If it be desired to prevent ammoniacal
liquor from passing back into the retort with the other condensed or liquid products
the said chamber may be made so that it constitutes a separator for separating the
ammoniacal liquor from the other liquid or tarry products. This can be done by
furnishing the chamber with a partition descending from the top of the chamber to
below the level of the tarry products the gas passing into one of the compartments
thus formed and therefrom to the hydraulic main or receiving or foul main. The
condensed or liquid products deposit in the lower part of this compartment the
ammoniacal liquor being prevented by the partition from passing into the second
compartment but the tarry products which are lowermost pass into this second
compartment by the opening beneath the partition and pass back to the retort by
the aforesaid pipe therefor which opens into the said second compartment. There.

page_text: should be an opening in the upper part of the partition to equalize pressure in the
two compartments. There may be a bye-pass pipe provided with a stop-cock and
leading from the first compartment into the pipe which leads the tarry products
back into the retort so that when it is desired that the whole of the condensed and
deposited products including the ammoniacal liquor shall pass back to the retort
this can be effected by opening the cock on this bye-pass pipe. Although I have.
described the application of my invention to horizontal retorts it will be readily
understood that it is applicable also to inclined or vertical retorts.
If desired some tar or liquid hydrocarbon from an independent source can be
passed into the retort with the aforesaid condensed or liquid products from
the gas.
In cases where it may be convenient the condensed or liquid products deposited
from the gas from two or more retorts can be passed back into one retort.
Dated this 26th day of November 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas for
Illuminating or other Purposes.
I, ROBERT ORMISTON PATERSON of The Gas Works, Gloucester Road,
Cheltenham in the County of Gloucester, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 has for its object to carry on the manufacture of gas for illumin-
ating or other purposes in such a manner that an increased yield of gas is obtained
from a given quantity of coal or the like by causing the condensed or liquid
products which separate from the gas to pass back into or circulate through the
retort or retorts until the said products become converted or in great part converted
into gas. I am aware that attempts have before been made to return such condensed
or liquid products to a retort by the same passages or pipes as those through which
the gas passes from the retort but this plan was not found to be practicable as
owing to the intense heat in these passages or pipes the said products become
carbonized in the said passages or pipes and did not, or in great part did not,
return to the retort and furthermore when so carbonized they eventually choked or
obstructed the said passages or pipes.
According to my invention I provide for the return of the condensed or liquid
products back to the retort a separate pipe or passage (that is one distinct from
that through which the gas passes from the retort) which pipe or passage is not
subjected to the aforesaid objectionable high temperature and which leads from a
part of the ascension pipe or passage, or from a receptacle into which it opens,
wherein the condensed or liquid products are deposited back to, or near to, the end
of the retort opposite to the end from which the gas is drawn off.
I will describe with reference to the accompanying drawings arrangements of
apparatus according to my invention but I do not limit myself to the precise details
shewn. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a horizontal or approximately
horizontal retort shewing an arrangement according to my invention applied
thereto.
A is the retort; the ascension pipe B by which the gas passed therefrom is
inclined downwards towards the opposite end of the retort where it communicates
with a pipe B² leading to the hydraulic main C or receiving or foul main the lower
end of the pipe B forming a well D in which condensed or liquid products deposit
and from which they pass by another pipe or passage E leading from this well into
the rear end of the retort A so that the condensed or liquid products re-enter the
retort by this pipe or passage E to be subjected to the heat of the said retort and

page_text: so the said products circulate through the retort until they are in whole or in great
part, gasified. The bottom of the rear end of the retort may be inclined upwards
as at a to facilitate the flow of the said products into the retort and the retort may
be provided with an inclined trough for equivalent plate or surface onto which the
said products are received and directed into the retor. Or the ascension pipe B
may be led downwards into a chamber D as shewn in Figure 2 in which chamber
the condensed or liquid products are deposited and are conducted therefrom by the
pipe E back into the retort. The pipe E should have a bend in it to constitute a.
seal to prevent the passage thereinto of gas from the retort. The gas which enters
the said chamber D passes out therefrom by the pipe B2 which opens into the said
chamber above the liquid therein and leads to the hydraulic main C. If it be.
desired to prevent ammoniacal liquor from passing back into the retort with the
other condensed or liquid products the said chamber may be made so that it
constitutes a separator for separating the ammoniacal liquor from the other liquid
or tarry products. This can be done by furnishing the chamber with a partition d
(Figure 2) descending from the top of the chamber to below the level of the tarry
products the gas passing into one (that marked d²) of the compartments thus formed
and therefrom to the hydraulic main or receiving or foul main. The condensed or
liquid products deposit in the lower part of this compartment the ammoniacal
liquor being prevented by the partition d from passing into the second compart-
ment but the tarry products which are lowermost pass into this second
compartment by the opening beneath the partition and pass back to the retort by
the aforesaid pipe E which opens into the said second compartment d³. There should
be an opening as at d³ in the upper part of the partition to equalize pressure in the
two compartments. There may be a bye-pass pipe de provided with a stop-cock
and leading from the first compartment d' into the pipe E which leads the tarry
products back into the retort so that when it is desired that the whole of the
condensed and deposited products including the ammoniacal liquor shall
pass back
to the retort, this can be effected by opening the cock on this bye-pass pipe.
Although I have described the application of my invention to horizontal retorts it
will be readily understood that it is applicable also to inclined or vertical retorts.
Figure 3 illustrates a vertical retort with an arrangement according to my invention
applied thereto. The condensed and deposited products pass back to the lower
end of the retort as shewn. The parts which correspond with those shewn in the
other figures are marked with the same letters of reference and will be readily
understood without further description.
If desired some tar or liquid hydrocarbon from an independent source can be
passed into the retort with the aforesaid condensed or liquid products from the gas..
In cases where it may be convenient the condensed or liquid products deposited
from the gas from two or more retorts can be passed back into one retort.
In Figure 2 g represents a fire-clay block on which the liquid products fall, but
they may fall on the heated bottom of the retort or upon the coal therein.
In order to facilitate the separation of the liquid products from the gas the
ascension pipe is preferably made as high as is convenient so as to get as extended
a cooling surface as possible the extension of the pipe across the bench also
assisting in this respect. This can be further facilitated by jacketting the pipe and
causing water to flow through the jacket, or a separator may if desired be arranged
in the pipe the said separator consisting of a chamber containing perforated plates
against which the gas impinges and through which it passes as shewn in Figure 2
at H.
In Figure 1 I have shewn the pipe E leading directly into the retort whilst in
Figure 2 I have shewn it opening into an extension A² from the retort.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In the manufacture of gas for illuminating purposes the return of condensed

page_text: or liquid products deposited from the gas back into the retort (at or near the end
opposite to that at which the gas is drawn off) by a pipe or passage which is distinct
from that through which the gas passes from the retort substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In retorts or apparatus for the manufacture of gas the combination with the
ascension pipe or passage through which the gas passes from the retort to the main
of a pipe or passage into which the condensed or liquid matter deposited from the
gas is received and conducted back into the retort at or near the end opposite to
that at which the gas is drawn off substantially as herein before described.
3. In retorts or apparatus for the manufacture of gas the combination with the
ascension pipe or passage through which the gas passes from the retort to the main
of a separator into which the condensed or liquid matter deposited from the gas is
received and a pipe or passage for leading therefrom back to or near the opposite
end of the retort the liquid or tarry products from which the ammoniacal liquors
have been separated substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 19th day of August 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.