Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas from Mineral Oils and like Bodies, applicable also for Distilling Oils.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1993-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Illuminating
Gas from Mineral Oils and like Bodies, applicable also for
Distilling Oils.
I, JOHN LAING of 3 Mentone Terrace, Newington Edinburgh, Scotland,
Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention consists of an oil still connected with a superheater placed in the
flue connected with said oil still, a suitable arrangement being provided. for the
proper regulation of the heat. The gases or vapours from the still pass through
the superheater & by its heat get split up or decomposed into gas more or less
permanent. In order to ensure that only permanent gas will pass to the holders I
pass the gas, as it comes from the superheater, through the oil in the feed tank for
said oil still, the gas may then be passed through scrubbers having oil passing
down them, & finally the gas is let into the holders. Arrangement may also be
made by suitable fittings whereby the use of the superheater may be cut off for any
time & the gases from the still passed direct to a condenser and there converted
into oil.
.Dated this 28th day of December 1909
JNO. LAING,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Illuminating
Gas from Mineral Oils and like Bodies, applicable also for
Distilling Oils.
I, JOHN LAING of 3 Mentone Terrace, Newington Edinburgh, Scotland,
Analytical Chemist 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 :-
The invention relates to the breaking down of oil vapours into permanent gas for
illuminating and other purposes by passing the oil vapours from a still charged with
oil, through a superheater in such a way that only the lighter gases formed from the
oil will pass into said superheater and there be converted into permanent gas. By
this means less heat will be required to be supplied to the superheater than if all
the gases which left the still were immediately rushed through the superheater and
the surplus heat from the still should be sufficient to decompose these lighter
vapours into permanent gas. In order to bring about this end I make the pipes
connecting the still with the superheater of such a length and keep them at such a
temperature as will condense the heavier gases and allow the resulting oil to return
to the still. Should water be present with the oil in the still it would be vaporized,
and condensing before reaching the superheater it would return to the still and
suddenly burst into steam which might prove dangerous, I arrange a. trap outside
the still to catch this water and so prevent its re-entering the still.
As the vapours which pass from the still come in contact with the radiant heat in
the superheater they are decomposed into permanent gas suitable for illuminating
purposes.
I charge the still with a quantity of oil consistent with the quantity of gas
desired to be made and instead of distilling to dryness, and thus producing coke,
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which is very harmful to the plant, I prefer to leave such a consistency of bottom
which on being run off will form a pitch of good quality when cooled.
According to the nature of the oil employed the gas produced may be passed
through scrubbers or purifyers or it may be passed direct to the holder.
Where it may be desirable to convert only a portion of the oil into gas, and to
break down the remaining portion into lighter .oils, by arranging suitable fittings
the superheater may be cut off and the oil vapours passed direct through a condenser
and there converted into oil.
In order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may be
properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings with the
following reference letters which here explain :-
A. oil still. B manhole. C exit for vapours. D superheater. E gas exit
going to holders. F water trap. G condenser for heavier. vapours. H feed pipe.
residue run off pipe. J furnace. K dampers. I superheater chamber: M flue
leading to N. flue going to chimney. O connection for oil condenser.
P con-
nection for oil or gas making. Q connection between gas vapours condenser &
superheater.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. The improved combination of apparatus for the manufacture of illuminating
gas from mineral oils and like bodies substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination with a still having a water trap and condensing arrangement
in connection with a superheater being and substantially as and for the purposes
'hereinbefore described.
3. The combination of the said apparatus as will permit of the superheater being
cut off at any time from gas making and allowing the oil vapours to be condensed
into oil substantially as and in the manner for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this the 11th day of August 1893.
i.