IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN SO AS TO OBTAIN SULPHUR THEREFROM AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Philip John Worsley at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1883.
PHILIP JOHN WORSLEY of the Netham Chemical Works, Bristol, Manufacturing
Chemist "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN SO
AS TO OBTAIN SULPHUR THEREFROM AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR SUCH
PURPOSE"
This Invention relates to the obtaining sulphur from sulphuretted hydrogen by
its combustion with a limited proportion of oxygen or of atmospheric air either at
the ordinary or at an elevated temperature.
The apparatus used for this purpose consists of a closed chamber or vessel in
which the combustion takes place and which prevents access of air except as
admitted by the regulator. From this chamber a (close) pipe leads the sulphur
vapour and other products of combustion to a condenser in which the sulphur
condenses.
The combustion chamber is fitted with a heat retaining jacket formed of clay,
brick or other incombustible and infusible material which is heated by the
combustion and maintains a high temperature, so as to prevent extinction of the
combustion and prevent any of the sulphuretted Hydrogen from passing away
unburned. The combustion chamber has immediately adjoining it a second
chamber packed with pieces of heat retaining material in such manner as to leave
small spaces between them through which the products of combustion have to pass
on their way to the condenser. This chamber and the heat retaining material in
it become strongly heated by the products of combustion passing through them and
ensure the combustion of the sulphuretted hydrogen.
The flow or supply of sulphuretted hydrogen and the supply of oxygen or of
atmospheric air are regulated in such manner as to ensure the proper supply of
each in due proportion to each other.
The sulphuretted hydrogen and the oxygen or air may be either supplied to the
combustion chamber under pressure or one or both of them may be drawn into it
by means of a draught in which case the outlet of the condenser must be connected
to a chimney, aspirator, or other means of producing a draught.

page_text: The sulphuretted Hydrogen is conducted to the combustion chamber by a pipe
which terminates in a burner within the chamber at which burner the gas is
lighted and burns. The air or oxygen is admitted by a separate pipe either at the
ordinary or at an elevated temperature or by a different arrangement the gases may
be mixed before entering the combustion chamber in which case the burner will be
of the kind known as a Bunsen burner or safety burner so constructed as to
prevent the flame from passing backwards out of the combustion chamber.
The proportion of air or oxygen to the sulphuretted Hydrogen is to be so
regulated that the gases passing away from the exit of the apparatus shall not
contain any considerable quantity either of sulphurous acid or of sulphuretted
Hydrogen, Sulphurous acid indicates an excess of oxygen or air while the presence
of sulphuretted hydrogen indicates a deficiency of air or of oxygen. By observing
the smell of the gases at their exit or applying the usual chemical tests the presence
of either gas that is to say either of sulphuretted hydrogen or of sulphurous acid
may be recognized and the admission of the gases be regulated by increasing the
one or diminishing the other so that the exit gases shall not contain any large
quantity of either sulphurous acid or of sulphuretted Hydrogen.