IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GENERATION OF WATER-GAS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GENERATION OF
WATER-GAS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad
by the European Water-gas Company, Stockholm, Sweden.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th November 1881.
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE GENERATION OF WATER-GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." (A
communication from abroad by the European Water-gas Company, Stockholm,
Sweden.)
The principal parts of the apparatus used in connection with this Invention
consist in two systems of regenerators with a common generator, above which is a
hopper for receiving fuel in form of dust. Because of the high inside pressure
the whole apparatus must be built into a tight case of sheet iron. The supply of
coal powder to the hopper is regulated by a sliding door, and the supply of lump
coals by another door to a slanting lateral flue, where they are preheated before
entering the regenerator. There are pipes for conducting the gas with stop valves,
also valves for steam and products of combustion, and valves for the air; there is
also a pipe for conducting the outside air into a space arranged between the two
generators and divided by a partition wall in two chambers, intended to preheat
the air, and containing bafflers or deflectors for causing the air to be well turned
over in its passage through.
The process is as follows:-From the boiler, which may be of a slanting multi-
tubular construction, steam is conducted into the previously highly heated systom
of regenerators where, by the here stored up heat, it is not only superheated, but
even dissolved in its primary constituents, oxygen and hydrogen. These gases
enter through flues and past a valve into the generator, where they are met by a
shower of dust from the hopper by a special feeding apparatus. The free oxygen
then unites with the coal dust so as to formn carbonic oxide, the hydrogen remaining
unchanged. If at this occasion there should be generated some carbonic acid, it is
easily reduced by the passage of the gases through the glowing pile of lump coals
1

page_text: in the lower part of the generator. The water gas in this way generated enters
through a chamber in front of the generator into a pipe, from where one part of
it is conducted by a valve and pipe to the washer and further to the gas holder.
Another part of the water gas is conducted by a valve and pipe to the other
system of regenerators. Here it meets a stream of air coming from the aforesaid
space between the two generator systems by a valve and flue; by the combustion
of the water gas now resulting a very high temperature is generated, and the heat
produced is stored up in the just named systern of regenerators. The products of
combustion escape by flues to the boiler and the chimney.
The first named system of regenerators having cooled down to a certain degree
by the previous dissolution of the steam the position of the valves is changed.
Then the steam is introduced into the second system of regenerators and the
generator where the water gas is generated. This is conducted, as in the former
case, partly to the washer and to gas holder, and partly into the first system of
regenerators, where it is burnt by the air coming in through a flue. The products
of combustion escape to the boiler and chimney.
In this way the valves are changed or reversed from time to time, after the one
or other system of regenerators has been cooled down to a certain degree. To
avoid a too frequent repetition of this operation the regenerators are very large,
thus storing up a considerable quantity of heat. The gas making continues,
independently of these changes of valves, without other interruptions than those
possibly caused by necessary cleanings, which are executed through soot doors.
The movement of the gases is produced on the one side by the pressure of the
steam, on the other by the draught from the chimney, to the strengthening of
which an exhauster can be applied if needed. If desired, blast may be used, which
then is suitably applied to a pipe leading to the space between the regenerators.
If it is desired to make the gas illuminating, bydrocarbons are injected at the
bottom of the front chamber, either in a finely disintegrated fluid state or in the
shape of vapours. In this case the front chamber must be fitted with loose bricks
like a regenerator in order to fix the hydrocarbons. The carburation of the gases
can also be executed outside the apparatus by conducting into the exit pipe tho
vapours of hydrocarbon coming from a retort, heated by the departing gas, or in
some other way.
For the first firing of the apparatus air is introduced in the upper part of the
generator to the throat or flue leading from the hopper. Thus carbonic oxide is
generated, which is conducted to the one system of regenerators, where it is burnt
in the same way as described above for the water gas. In this way it is continued
until one system of regenerators is sufficiently heated, after which the production
of water gas takes place in the above named way.
As the gas escapes from the apparatus at a temperature of about 1650° F.
(900° C.) common cast iron valves cannot be used for its regulation. For this
reason the valves are made of stoneware or some other easily worked kind of
stone. Through the brickwork above and below covered with plates is formed a
cylindrical hole, in which a cylindrical plug valve can be moved up and down.
Round this cylindrical valve is formed a concave groove to conduct the gas, so that
the flow of gas can accurately be regulated by lifting or sinking the cylinder by
its stem.
This method of producing water-gas differs from former ones by the continued
generation of gas, not needing to be interrupted for the heating of the regenerators,
by the heat in the generator being maintained by the gas process itself, and by
the using of a part of the generated water gas to the heating of the regenerators,
from which results in those a so high temperature that the dissolution of the steam
principally takes place in them. The gain by these arrangements is a very
considerable saving of fuel and the production of a gas free from carbonic acid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th May
1882.
"
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE GENERATION OF WATER-GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." (A
communication from abroad by the European Water Gas Company, Stockholm,
Sweden.)
In some technical operations, such as welding, puddling, and smelting, a con-
siderable loss or waste of heat is caused by the unavoidable escape of the products
of combustion at a high temperature.
In this Invention this waste heat is utilized, and a higher initial heat is obtained
than in other gas fuel operations. The high heat is obtained by the use of water
gas, which in its combustion gives about 570° F. higher temperature than common
illuminating gas, and about 1830° F. higher than generator gas. Steam separates
into its constituent parts hydrogen and oxygen at about 1800° F. As in this
present Invention the dissolution of the steam in its constituent parts is effected
by the waste heat from the furnace of combustion, and the consumption of carbon
is limited to the quantity needed for its combination with the free oxygen, so as to
form carbonic oxide, a considerable reduction in the consumption of coal is effected
by the apparatus now about to be described.
And in order that the Invention may be more fully understood I will now
describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings. Figure 1 is a
plan, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section; Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section
on line G, H; Figure 4, a similar section on line I, M; and Figure 5, a plan
section on line A, B; Figure 6 is plan, Figure 7 vertical section through a damper
or valvo.
The principal parts of the apparatus used in connection with this Invention
consist in two systems of regenerators B, C, and B¹, C¹, Figures 2, 4, and 5, with a
common generator A, above which is a hopper F for receiving fuel in the form of
dust or very small pieces of coal. Because of the high inside pressure the whole
apparatus must be built into a tight case of sheet iron.
The supply of coal powder to the hopper F is regulated by a sliding door g, and
the supply of lump coals by another door to a slanting lateral flue O, Figures 2
and 3, where they are preheated before entering the regenerator A. I, I, 12, 13,
are pipes for conducting the gas; E¹, E, E³, gas valves; k, k¹, e, e¹, valves for steam
and products of combustion; c, cl, c³, valves for the air; H, a pipe for conducting
the outside air into a space K, Figure 5, arranged between the two generators, and
divided by a partition wall in two chambers, which are intended to preheat the air,
and contain baflers or deflectors for causing the air to be well turned over in its
passage through.
The process is as follows:-From the boiler D, which may be of a slanting
multitubular construction, as shown, and through the pipe h steam is conducted
into the previously highly heated system of regenerators C¹, B¹, where by the here
stored beat it is not only superheated but even dissolved in its primary consti-
tuents, oxygen and hydrogen. These gases enter through the flues i¹, i, and past
the open valve K into the generator A, where they are met by a shower of dust
fed from the hopper F by a special feeding apparatus. The free oxygen then unites
with the coal dust, so as to form carbonic oxide, the hydrogen or water gas
remaining unchanged.
If at this occasion there should be generated some carbonic acid, it is easily
reduced into carbonic oxide by the passage of the gases through the glowing pile

page_text: of lump coals in the lower part of the generator A. The water gas in this way
generated enters through the chamber G in front of the generator into the pipe I,
from where one part of it is conducted by the valve E¹ and the pipe I¹ to the
washer L, and further to the gasholder. Another part of the watergas is con-
ducted by the valve E2 and the pipe I to a, where it, by the descending slanting
passage or slit g, Figure 2, enters the other system of regenerators B, C. Here it
meets a stream of air coming from the aforesaid space K between the two generator
systeins by the valve C and the flue m. By the combustion of the watergas now
resulting, a very high temperature is generated, and the heat produced is stored up
in the just named systein of regenerators B, C. The products of combustion escape
by flues d, f, to the boiler D and the chimney J.
The first named system of regenerators B¹, C', having cooled down to a certain
degree by the previous dissolution of the steam, the position of the valves is
changed, so that E, c, c, and are closed, and E³, c², e¹, and k opened. Then the
steam by the pipe h is introduced into the second system of regenerators C, B, and
the generator A, where the watergas is generated. This is conducted, as in the
former case, partly by G and I to the washer and to the gas holder, and partly by
the valve Es, the pipe I³, and the slit g¹ into the first system of regenerators B¹, C',
where it is burnt by the air coming in through the flue slit m². The products of
combustion escape by d' and f to the boiler D and chimney J. In this way the
valves are changed or reversed from time to time, after the one or other systems of
regenerators has been cooled down to a certain degree. To avoid a too frequent
repetition of this operation the regenerators are very large, thus storing up a
considerable quantity of heat. The gas making continues independently of these
changes of valves without other interruptions than those possibly caused by
necessary cleanings, which are executed through the soot doors r, 71, 72, 73, The
movement of the gases is produced on the one side by the pressure of the steam, on-
the other by the draught from the chimney, to the strengthening of which an
exhauster can be applied if needed. If desired blast may be used, which then is
suitably applied to the pipe H leading to the space K between the generators.
If it is desired to make the gas illuminating hydrocarbons are injected at the
bottom of the front chainber G, either in a finely disintegrated fluid state, or in the
shape of vapours. In this case the front chamber G must, as indicated in the plan,
be fitted with loose bricks like a regenerator, in order to fix the hydrocarbons.
The carburation of the gases can also be executed outside the apparatus by con-
ducting into the exit pipe I' the vapours of hydrocarbon coming from a retort
heated by the departing gas, or in some other way; as shown at Figure 8, the
retort T is heated by the gas on its way from the apparatus to the gas holder,
being placed in an enlargement of the exit pipe I. is the hydrocarbon supply
pipe to the retort, and t is the pipe conducting the hydrocarbon vapour into the
pipe I.
For the first firing of the apparatus air is introduced in the upper part of the
generator for example at c to the throat or flue leading from the hopper F; thus
carbonic oxide is generated, which is conducted through G and I to the one system
of regenerators, where it is burnt in the same way as described above for the water-
gas. In this way it is continued until one system of regenerators is sufficiently
heated, after which the production of watergas takes place in the above named
way.
As the gas escapes from the apparatus at a temperature of about 1650° F.
(900 C.), common cast iron valves cannot be used for its regulation. For this
reason the valves E, E², E³, are made of stoneware or some other easily worked
kind of stone. Figure 6 shows it in larger scale. Through the brickwork above
and below covered with plates is formed a cylindrical hole in which the cylindrical
plug valve N can be moved up and down. Round this cylindrical valve is at S
formed a concave groove to conduct the gas, so that the flow of gas can accurately
be regulated by lifting or sinking the cylinder by its stem.
This method of producing water-gas differs from former ones by the continual

page_text: generation of gas, not needing to be interrupted for the heating of the regenerators
by the heat in the generator being maintained by the gas process itself, and by the
using of a part of the generated water gas to the heating of the regenerators, from
which results in those a so high a temperature that the dissolution of the steam
principally takes place in them. The gain by these arrangements is a very
considerable saving of fuel, and the production of a gas free from carbonic acid.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what inauner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the Invention communicated
to me,-
First. The continuous mode of generating watergas by the combination with
the two systems of regenerators of one common generator, substantially as
described.
Second. The node of using one part of the generated watergas to heat the
re-generators, substantially as described.
Third. The construction of valves for high heat, substantially as described and
shown.
Fourth. The combination of parts forming the apparatus, as shown on the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
P. JENSEN. (LS.)