IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th November 1875.-A communication from abroad by Joseph
William Beatley, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ILLUMINATING GAS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," a communication, to be
as follows: —
This Invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating gas from
liquid hydrocarbons by the commingling of superheated steam and
hydrocarbon vapours evaporated from the surface of the liquid hydro-
carbon by the action of the superheated steam upon it, and by de-
composing the said commingled vapours into a fixed commercial illumi-
nating gas in red hot retorts. This object is accomplished by utilizing
the light vapours of liquid hydrocarbons obtained by a natural evapo-
ration from the surface of an undisturbed body of a liquid hydrocarbon,
and by the expansion and rarification of said vapours by superheated

page_text: steam. Heavy vapours by the excess of carbon in them cause the
formation of lampblack, pitch, and a thick viscous tarry substance
which obstruct the retorts, stand pipes, hydraulic main condensers,
washers, and purifiers, causing trouble and expense, and at times stopping
the manufacture of gas. They also make a heavy smoky gas surcharged
with undecomposed vapours which are subsequently condensed in street
mains and consumers' meters, causing additional trouble and injury,
while the light vapours utilized, as herein described, make a fixed com-
mercial gas free from injurious vapours and smoke, of brilliant quality,
and of a light gravity to burn in ordinary coal gas burners.
The means employed according to my Invention for the production of
the said light and rarified vapours, their conversion into gas, and their
combination with coal gas are as follows, that is to say, a closed vessel
or still connected with a steam boiler and superheater, a storage or
supply tank and retorts, said still containing superheated steam and
liquid hydrocarbons, a coil situated beneath the level of the said
liquid for the purpose of heating the same, and a nozzle with rose head
and ring attached for the admission and distribution of superheated
steam above the surface of the liquid, and having inlet and outlet con-
necting pipes.
The said storage or supply tank or tanks may be made either of wood
or of metal, and may be located in any convenient situation, and covered
and protected by any suitable enclosure or jacket when required, which
enclosure may be heated by steam through an iron coil and the tank
may be cooled by cold water when necessary to preserve an equilibrium
of temperature in the hydrocarbon liquid stored therein at all seasons of
the year.
I fill and refill the said tanks with hydrocarbon liquids or the
distillates thereof by means of a steam pump that draws said liquids or
distillates from the vessels or packages of transportation and delivers the
same into the upper interior part of said tanks by an inlet pipe provided
with suitable valves. I gauge the contents of said tanks by an upright
glass gauge by which I am able to ascertain the quantity filled into and
withdrawn from said tanks, and I provide each tank with a safety valve
or syphon to permit the escape of atmospheric air or excessive vapour.
The contents of said tanks I draw away by an outlet pipe which extends
from the lower side of the tanks and connects with a steam pump and
with one or more closed vessels or shells in order that a regulated
quantity of liquid may be taken from the tanks directly into the still

page_text: through the pipe or drawn from the tanks and forced into the still by
the pump. The said still is a closed metallic cylindrical vessel arranged
vertically in any convenient place, its internal dimensions are pro-
portionate to about six feet in diameter and eight feet in height. It is
covered with asbestos or any other non-conducting material, and contains
liquid hydrocarbon in the proportion of about five-eights of its internal
area, reserving about three-eights of said area as a vapour retaining
chamber for the purpose of commingling superheated steam and the
hydrocarbon vapor evaporated from said liquid hydrocarbon by the
action of the said lightly and thoroughly diffused superheated steam
upon the surface of said liquid. The said still is provided with pressure
gauges and gauges to exhibit the height and appearance of the contents,
a pyrometer and two thermometers and valves are arranged upon the
inlet and outlet pipes of said still, whereby the operator can control and
regulate its operation.
This still is provided with inlets and outlets for the introduction of
hydrocarbon liquids and superheated steam for the outlet of vapour, and
also for the inlet and outlet of a coil through the body of the liquid
hydrocarbon, for the purpose herein described. The said coil is a
metallic tube of about one inch internal diameter placed within the
cylindrical still, having its inlet into the still above its bottom and below
the entrance of the liquid supply pipe herein-after described. This coil
is arranged in concentric circles, and the circles are kept at an equal
distance from each other. The said coil has its outlet through the side
of said still, the inlet and outlet of said coil having each a valve to
regulate the inlet and outlet flow of steam to and from said coil, and to
shut it off entirely when not required, and also to admit superhcated
steam through an additional connecting pipe to the coil.
•
The inlet pipe for supplying the still with bydrocarbon liquid is
preferably about three quarters of an inch in internal diameter, and
enters the still at a point above the botton thereof to permit the inflow
of the liquid hydrocarbon upon the surface of the liquid contents in
such manner as to maintain it at its maximum level with but slight
variation and without agitating or disturbing the body of the liquid.
The superheated steam pipe which connects the still with the super-
heater has a nozzle preferably three quarters of an inch in internal
diameter, which enters the still through the top at a point nearer the

page_text: liquid supply pipe than to the outlet vapour pipe, and projects vertically
downwards to a point below the opening in the still for the outlet vapour
pipe and above the inlet of the liquid supply pipe, the length being in
proportion to the diameter and height of the still, to lightly and
thoroughly diffuse the superheated steam down upon the surface of the
liquid contents without agitating or overheating it; said nozzle has
upon its outlet end within the still a rose head and distributing ring.
This rose head may be of metal, conical in form, with its small end
attached to the nozzle and a convex bottom, which is perforated with
small holes; the ring is composed of a metal pipe; it is attached
eccentrically to the nozzle for the purpose of making it concentric with
the still, it is perforated with small holes to distribute the superheated
steam in a downward direction.
The purpose of the rose head and ring is to more effectually lightly
and diffusively distribute the superheated steam in the vapor retaining
chamber upon the surface of the liquid hydrocarbon, by which it is
quietly evaporated. The superheated steam is admitted into the still
in a regulated quantity and at a suitable temperature without pressure
or force.
The effect of the superheated steam admitted into the still and diffused
in the manner described is to cause the production of a very volatile
hydrocarbon vapour of uniform quantity and quality; the commingled
vapours are carried off from the still in a highly rarified state, the liquid
contents are maintained at a uniform temperature and density, and a
natural evaporation at the surface of the undisturbed liquid is obtained,
and maintained continuously and uninterruptedly.
Superheated steam is not only required to vaporize the liquid, and to
expand and rarify the vapors, but also by its high temperature and
dryness so to heat and so combine with and retain them that they shall
not condense and separate on their passage to the retorts.
A combination of dry superheated steam and light vapours has the
effect of preserving and increasing the duration of the retorts. Common
steam and superheated steam are chemically different, and in this con-
nection they are not convertible terms. It cannot be said that either
one or the other may be used, as their effects are wholly different.
The outlet opening in the still to the vapour escape pipe is made
about six inches below the top of the still, the opening, and the pipes

page_text: .
leading therefrom carrying off the commingled vapours are of an
internal diameter of from four inches to six inches in proportion to the
quantity of illuminating gas per day required to be made from the
commingled vapours, thus carried to the heated retorts. The pipes are
to be covered with asbestos or other non-conducting material.
The egress of the commingled vapours is slightly retarded by placing
the outlet pipe below the top of the still, and also by two or more bends
or angles in the said pipe. This mechanical check or resistance in the
outlet pipe produces a very light back pressure, and consequently
diffusion of vapour in the vapour retaining chamber, preventing the
vapours being drawn from the still too rapidly, tending to regulate
the evaporation of the hydrocarbon liquid, to equalize the density of
the vapour, to rarify it by more intimate contact with the superheated
steam, and to create sufficient elasticity or expansive power to pass it
without force or pressure through the pipes to the heated retorts. The
pipes are without any internal checks or obstacles to the passage of the
vapours, thus enabling the vapours at all times to act with perfect
freedom and without any undue check to throw a heavy back pressure
upon the still and accumulate vapours therein. The said outlet pipe
enters the retort at its mouth piece through connecting branches,
whence the vapour passes through a brick or other flue on the bottom
of the retort to the rear end, and returns through the upper part thereof,
becoming in its passage decomposed into a fixed illuminating gas.
The retorts are operated without mechanical pressure by dispensing
with the dip pipe seal, and their contents are withdrawn by an
exhauster, thus relieving the retorts and hydraulic main from all back
pressure.
With the converting retorts and the hydraulic main I combine one
or more coal gas retorts, the stand pipes of which connect with the
hydraulic main; and the crude coal gas formed in said retorts is mixed
in a heated state in the hydraulic main with the gas produced in the
converting retorts. During this operation all the retorts and the
hydraulic main are kept free from mechanical or intermittent pressure,
and the combined gases pass through the ordinary condensers, washers,
exhauster, purifiers, station meter, holder, governor, and street mains,
without obstructing the purifiers, and without increase of condensation
in the drips of the holder and street mains.

page_text: Superheated steam, to act in the manner desired, should be
admitted into the still in such a regulated way as not to be impacted
with force upon the surface of the liquid, nor should it undergo any
change in its passage from the superheater to the still, whereby its
nature as superheated steam and the effects that can alone result from
its unchanged and peculiar characteristics are lost.