Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Gas and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Gas and to Apparatus
therefor.
I BURHANS VAN STEENBERGH, of Goshen, County of Orange, State of New York,
United States of America, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of heating and illuminating gas, and
comprises an improved method or process of making gas by the decomposition of
steam and hydro-carbon oil.
The said invention also comprises improved apparatus for the manufacture of the
said gas.
An important feature of my said invention consists in bringing the hydro carbon
and superheated steam into contact alternately with coal and line, the latter acting as
a purifier and taking up or absorbing the carbonic acid and thus ensuring great purity
of the hydrogen produced by my improved method or process.
Another important feature of my present invention is the provision which I make
for utilizing the heat in the decomposing-furnace for generating and superheating the
steam, so that the whole of the operations are effected by means of a single fire.
By my improved method or process I am enabled to manufacture in a continuous
manner gas for heating and illuminating purposes from very heavy hydro-carbon oils,
having a weight of say nine and a half pounds to the gallon an operation which
cannot be successfully performed by the methods or processes heretofore known.
The furnace is provided with a suitable grate supported at its ends upon ledges or
lugs and separating the ash-pit from the fuel and retort chamber; in the front wall
are doors opening respectively into the fuel-chamber and the ash-pit. A blast-pipe
is inserted into the ash-pit for the purpose of increasing the draught and thus
augmenting the heat in the furnace.
The decomposing retorts or conduits are composed of numerous straight sections
extending transversely across the fuel chamber and through the walls thereof and are
connected together outside of the walls by return bends, and the superheater
hereinafter inentioned is similarly formed. The straight sections and return-bends are
so connected that the said return-bends may be readily removed for charging the
retorts with coal or lime and the superheater with iron borings, and also for cleaning
out the said retorts and superheater when necessary. Or the said return-bends are
provided with man-hole doors for the purposes above specified. At the end of the
series of retorts near the rear of the furnace, a pipe connects them with a fixing retort
in the upper chamber of the furnace. This retort is provided with the usual mouth-
piece having a tight fitting lid, and a pipe is provided for conducting gas to the
hydraulic seal or wash-box or to any place of storage or use. An oil supply pipe is
connected with the decomposing retort so that the oil will pass through about one
third of the coal and lime used therein.
A steam generator comprising a water tube or drum and a steam tube or drum is
suitably arranged in the fuel chamber and a steam supply pipe connected with the
pipe or superheater which extends through the upper part of the fuel chamber a
sufficient number of times to ensure the superheating of the steam from the generator,
and which is connected with the first retort containing coal. I find it advantageous to
charge the superheater with iron borings.
In making illuminating gas, the retorts are filled or partially filled alternately with
anthracite or other coal or coke and with lime leaving a passage-way for the gas and
the furnace is heated to a suitable temperature. The retorts are preferably made
small, and, many of them are provided, so that they may be quickly and thoroughly

page_text: heated. Steam and heavy hydrocarbon oil are then admitted through their respective
supply pipes. The steam after being superheated by the heat in the upper part of the
fuel chamber, is decomposed in the retort by contact with the incandescent or highly
heated coal, forming hydrogen, carbonic oxide and carbonic acid. The carbonic acid
is taken up or absorbed by the lime so that pure hydrogen is produced. The hydro-
carbon oil is converted by the heat into rich carburetted hydrogen gas which serves to
carburet or enrich the hydrogen resulting from the decomposed steam. The gases
from the decomposed steam and from the oil are conducted into the fixing chamber,
where they are combined and converted into a fixed illuminating gas of high candle
power. Should it be found that the heat is too high for safely and economically
admitting hydrocarbon oil into the retorts, it may be admitted into the ascending
pipe and there be vaporized and decomposed or the oil may be admitted into the
mixing chamber near the inlet for the hydrogen gas from the retorts. The gas on
leaving the fixing chamber may be washed with water, but does not require to be
purified by lime in the usual manner, the required purification having been effected
by its contact with the lime in the retorts.
I vary the diameter of the decomposing retort according to the quantity of gas
which it is desired the apparatus should be capable of making in a given time.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use coke or other suitable material in the retorts
instead of coal as above described. It is evident, moreover, that I can treat the lighter
as well as the heavier hydrocarbon oils.
In some instances, instead of arranging a steam generator in the decomposing
furnace, I conduct steam from a separate generator into the superheater above
described.
If it is found necessary to increase the heating surface of the superheater, I pass
the same a greater number of times through the furnace or fuel chamber or I bend
or coil within the said chamber the pipe forming the said superheater.
By introducing the oil into the fifth retort or at a distance of about two thirds of
the length of the series of the said retorts from the first retort, I ensure the conversion
of the said oil into gas without risk of burning the same.
My process is the only one by which heavy hydrocarbon oil of the specific gravity
above mentioned can be successfully utilized in combination with pure hydrogen to
form an illuminating gas.
This 4th
T... 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Gas and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, BURHANS VAN STEENBERGH, of Goshen, County of Orange, State of New York,
United States of America, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of heating or illuminating gas, and the
said invention comprises an improved method of making gas by the decomposition of
steam and hydrocarbon-oil.
The said invention also comprises improved apparatus for the manufacture of the
said gas.
An important feature of my said invention consists in bringing the hydrocarbon
and superheated steam into contact alternately with coal and lime, the latter acting
as a purifier and taking up or absorbing the carbonic oxide and thus ensuring great
purity of the carburetted hydrogen produced by my improved method or process.
Another important feature of my present invention is the provision which I make
for utilizing the waste heat in the decomposing-furnace for super-heating the steam.

page_text: By my improved method or process I am enabled to manufacture gas for heating
or illuminating purposes from very heavy hydrocarbon-oils, of a specific gravity of
say 95, an operation which cannot be successfully performed by the methods or
processes heretofore known.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line a, a, Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line y, y, Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a front elevation.
The retort furnace A has its walls built up of ordinary brick, lined internally with
fire-clay tiles or slabs and covered externally with a jacket of plate-iron, cast or
rolled. The sides of the furnace are preferably made in sections, which are bolted
together when the furnace is set up, and they are of such dimensions that they may
be conveniently packed and transported and so that any one of them may be readily
detached from the wall, in order to admit workmen to repair the inside of the furnace
or to remove and replace any defective or worn part or section of the generating
retorts. The usual grate B supported at its ends upon ledges or lugs is provided,
and separates the ash-pit from the fuel and retort chamber ; in the front wall are
doors b, b opening respectively into the fuel chamber and the ash-pit. A blast pipe c
is inserted into the ash-pit for the purpose of increasing the draught and thus
augmenting the heat in the furnace. A partition of fire-clay tiles D separates the
chamber C from the upper chamber F, and such partition is provided at the rear end
of the furnace with two openings d, d, which may be partially or entirely closed by
dampers a, a, the rods or handles of which should pass out through the wall of the
furnace. In the rear wall is built a deflecting bridge E projecting into the chamber C
above the retorts, for causing reverberation of the flame and heated products over the
tops of the retorts and thereby ensuring the better heating of the same.
The top or
crown of the furnace is constructed of inclined fire-clay slabs or tiles A¹ A¹ and hori-
zontal central tiles A". The inclined tiles A' throw the hot products of combustion
against the sides of the retort, and thus uniformly heat it and economize the beat in
the most advantageous manner. A chimney I for the escape of products of combustion
and having a regulating damper i rises from the top of the furnace near the front end
thereof, so that the hot products are compelled to pass through the whole length of
the chamber F and impart their heat to the fixing retort hereinafter mentioned.
The decomposing retorts or conduits H are composed of numerous straight sections,
extending transversely across the chamber C and through the walls thereof; they are
connected together outside of the walls by return bends h. The straight sections and
bends are provided with flanges which are tightly secured together by bolts or screws
so that the return bends may be readily removed for charging the retorts with coal
or other material and for cleaning them out when necessary. At the end of the
series of retorts near the rear of the furnace, a pipe K connects them with a fixing
retort L in the chamber F.
This retort is provided with the usual mouth-piece L' having a tight-fitting lid, and
a pipe is provided for conducting gas to the hydraulic seal or wash-box or to any
place of storage or use. An oil supply pipe m is connected with one of the retorts H.
A steam supply-pipe n is connected with the steam space N of a generator or boiler M, N,
and with a pipe n', which extends through the upper part of the fuel chamber C a suf-
ficient number of times to ensure the superheating of the steam, and which is connected
with retorts at one end thereof or at the bend between the third and fourth retorts or
at any other convenient point. By passing the pipe n' through the fuel chamber,
the waste heat is utilized for superheating the steam.
In making illuminating gas, the retorts H are filled alternately with coal and lime,
and the furnace is heated to a suitable temperature. The retorts are charged with
anthracite coal or other material affording a large heating surface so as to partially
fill them and leave a passage way for the gas. The retorts are preferably made small,
and many of them provided, so that they may be quickly and thoroughly heated.
Heavy hydrocarbon oil is then supplied through the pipe m and steam through the

page_text: pipe n. The steam after being superheated by the heat in the upper part of the fuel
chamber is admitted into the retorts and decomposes by contact with the incan-
descent or highly heated carbon forming hydrogen and carbonic oxide. The carbonic
oxide is taken up or absorbed by the lime so that pure hydrogen is produced.
The hydrocarbon oil is converted by the heat into rich carburetted hydrogen gas
which serves to carburet or enrich the hydrogen resulting from the decomposed steam
and thus form an illuminating gas. The gases from the decomposed steam and that
from the oil are conducted into the fixing retort L where they are combined and
converted into a fixed illuminating gas of high candle power. Should it be found that
the heat is too high for safely and economically admitting bydrocarbon oil into the
retorts H, it may be admitted into the ascending pipe K and there be vaporized by
the hot gas passing to the retort L, or the oil may be admitted into retort L near the
inlet for the gas from retorts H.
The gas on leaving the fixing retort may be washed with water, but does not
require to be purified by lime in the usual manner, the required purification having
been effected by the lime in the retorts.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use coke or other suitable material in the
retorts instead of coal as above described. It is evident moreover, that I can treat
the lighter as well as the heavier hydrocarbon oils in the manner above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In the manufacture of gas, bringing hydrocarbon oil and superheated steam
into contact alternately with coal or similar material and with lime in suitable retorts,
for the purpose above specified.
2. The improved method, or process of manufacturing gas, consisting in bringing
hydrocarbon oil and superheated steam into contact alternately with coal or similar
material and with lime in suitable retorts, and then combining the gases thus
produced and converting them into a fixed gas, substantially as herein before
described.
3. In the manufacture of gas from hydrocarbon oil and steam, utilizing the waste
heat of the decomposing-furnace for superheating the steam.
4. The improved retort-furnace provided with the pipes for superheating the
steam and constructed substantially as described with reference to the accom-
panying drawing (with or without the blast-pipe), for the purposes above specified.
Dated this 17th day of December 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.