IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND' FUEL
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lanc,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND' FUEL."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Charles Jenty, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 16th June 1874, and dated the 31st December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st December 1873.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND
FUEL," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a method or methods for effecting the reduc-
tion of mineral or vegetable hydrocarbons absorbed and subdivided by
coke or other porous substance in order to obtain a rich illuminating

page_text: gas, and simultaneously when small or coke dust is used to convert
into a merchantable coke of a very high calorific power.
In gasworks to obtain a rich gas recourse is had to a mixture of from
10 to 15 per cent. of boghead or other cannel, but the gas is then found
to contain an excess of carbon, which renders the flame fuliginous, and
which obstructs the pipes by the quantity of tar deposited. The mixture
moreover leaves a residue of silica and alumina, from which the coke
must be freed. Moreover the cost of the gas is high owing to the expenso
of the boghead.
The various apparatus which have been contrived for the manufacture
of rich gas from hydrocarbon oils have failed to completely reduce and
divide these hydrocarbons so as to produce a rich illuminating gas
available commercially.
According to this Invention these difficulties are overcome by the aid
of the porous nature of the coke, which I dry sufficiently to enable it to
absorb by any suitable means, and at a proper temperature, from 20 to
25 per cent. of a hydrocarbon capable of producing a rich permanent
gas (bicarburetted hydrogen C, H'). From the coke thus prepaired I
obtain in the ordinary apparatus a rich gas, using the coke thus saturated
with hydrocarbon either alone or mixed with coal, according as it is s
desired to produce rich gas or a mixed gas or to enrich ordinary coal
gas.
It will be seen that in any case the coke serves merely to absorb and
subdivide the hydrocarbon, and so facilitates its reduction by the
multiplicity of the points of contact.
It will now be readily understood with what facility by this Invention,
and without the use of boghead or cannel coal, I am enabled to produce
either a rich gas or a mixed gas or to enrich ordinary gas.
I also propose to utilize in the same way the small and dust resulting
from the coke to produce a rich or mixed gas, and at the same time to
convert it into a merchantable coke. I effect this by cither of the two
following methods :-
The first consists in agglomerating the small and dust of coke with a
mixture of pitch and resin, and mould it into blocks like the briquettes
used for fuel. These briquettes are then caused to absorb 20 or 25 per

page_text: cent. of a hydrocarbon capable of producing a rich gas, and, as in' the
former case, I obtain from the briquettes a rich gas, and at the same
time a good ordinary coke.
According to the second method, instead of moulding the small coke
or dust as above described, I first cause the same to absorb a hydro-
carbon, and then agglomerate it with the mixture of pitch and resen,
leaving it to be employed in bulk like coal to produce a rich gas and a
marketable coko.
The advantages of this Invention will be evident, as in the first
operation described (the coke employed not having lost in value has not
to be considered) from the hydrocarbon required to saturate a ton of
coke as above described exposed to a temperature of from 1500° to 1550°
Fahrenheit a quantity of gas equal to that obtainable from a ton of bog-
head and equally rich may be produced in less than half the time of the
latter, and at little more than one-fourth the prime cost of the matter
transformed into the gaseous state, without reckoning the cost of distil-
lation. Morcover if the blocks or briquettes composed of small or coke
dust, as before mentioned, are used the advantage is still greater, inas-
much as besides the gas produced I obtain about one ton of marketable

page_text: also utilize the products of condensation from works producing rich gas,
such as the portable gas made in Paris and elsewhere. By a suitable
selection and preparation of the hydrocarbons employed I may also
regulate the illuminating power of the gas produced.
In order to produce coke in lumps from dust without making gas I 5
mix the coke dust with 10 per cent. of wood pitch and 5 per cent. of
coal tar, forming thereof a magma, from which on carbonising it in an
ordinary coke oven coko in lumps is obtained, the gases evolved serving
to heat the oven.
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 29th June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND FUEL," a communication
to me from abroad by Charles Jenty, of Paris, France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: It will be seen that in any case the coke serves merely to absorb and
subdivide the hydrocarbon, and so facilitate its reduction by the multi-
plicity of the points of contact.
It will thus be readily understood with what facility I am enabled by
this Invention to produce, without the use of boghead or cannel coal,
either a rich gas or a mixed gas, or to enrich ordinary gas.
I also propose to utilize in the same way the small and dust of the
coke in order to produce a rich or mixed gas, and at the same time to
reconvert the small or dust into a merchantable coke. I effect this by
agglomerating the small and dust of coke with a mixture of pitch and 1
resin, and moulding it into blocks like the "briquettes" used for fuel.
These briquettes are then caused to absorb 20 or 25 per cent. of a hydro-
carbon capable of producing a rich gas, and, as with coke in lumps, I
obtain from the briquettes a rich gas, and at the same time reconvert the
small or dust into a good ordinary coke; or instead of moulding the 1
small coke or dust into briquettes I first cause it to absorb 20 to 25 per
cent. of hydrocarbon, and then agglomerate it with the mixture of pitch
and resin, leaving it to bo employed in bulk like coal to produce a rich
gas and a marketable coke as in the former case.
The advantage of this Invention will be evident by a comparison of 2
the improved processes with the ordinary mode of manufacturing rich
gas from boghead or cannel coal. With this kind of coal, which at
present costs above £4 per ton, no more than from 8750 to 9100 cubic
feet of gas can be obtained in four hours, since even from the Russell
boghead, which is worth at this time at least £4 16 per ton, but 10,500 2
cubic feet of rich gas is obtainable, the cost of which is about 15 of a
penny per cubic feet, excluding the expense of its production.
Now as in the process first before described the coke employed has
not been diminished in value, only the cost of the 4 cwt. or thereabouts
of hydrocarbon required to saturate every ton of coke should be reckoned. 3
This may be taken at 288./8d., the price of the bydrocarbon being'at
most 1s./2d. per cwt. Now this quantity of hydrocarbon, if subjected to a
temperature of from 1500° to 1550° Fah., will, owing to the large surface
of the coke exposed, produce in less than two hours an amount of gas
equal to and as rich as that obtained from the boghead, the cost for the 3
materials being little more than one-fourth that of the boghead. But if

page_text: small coke or dust be used, as before described, whether moulded into
briquettes or not, the advantage is still greater, inasmuch as I obtain
besides an average of 8925 cubic feet of gas produced per ton, about the
same quantity of coke.
1st. In effecting the completo reduction of hydrocarbons by causing
them to be absorbed by a porous substance, preferably coke, in lumps,
small coke, or dust, and as the result of this reduction producing at a
rapid and cheap rate gas of great illuminating power requiring no
purification to render it fit for use.
2nd. In the conversion simultaneously with the production of gas of
the coke, small coke, or dust, into a marketable coke, whether the small
or dust agglomerated with other substances be moulded or not, either
before or after being saturated with the hydrocarbon.
Coke, small coke, or dust treated as above described may be employed
as a fuel of great calorific power, and therefore suited for manufacturing
purposes, and may thus serve as a means of employing mineral oils in
steam boiler furnaces. Not only may I employ any mineral or vegetable
hydrocarbon, but I may also utilize the products of condensation from
works producing rich gas, such as the portable gas made in Paris and
elsewhere. By a suitable selection and preparation of the hydrocarbons
employed I am enabled to regulate the illuminating power of the gas
produced.

page_text: In order to produce coke from dust without making gas I mix the
coke dust with 10 per cent. of wood pitch and 5 per cent. of coal tar,
forming a magma from which on carbonising it in an ordinary coke
oven coke in lumps is obtained, the gases evolved serving to heat the
oven.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. Effecting the perfect reduction of hydrocarbons by causing the
same to be absorbed by any porous body, but preferably cokc, coke
small, or dust, which is then calcined, the result of this reduction being
the rapid and economical production of gas in abundant qualities,
possessing high illuminating properties, and requiring no purification,
all as hercin-before described.
2ndly. The conversion simultaneously with such reduction of the
hydrocarbons of the small coke and dust into coke of merchantable
quality, as herein-before specified.
3rd. The production of a marketable coke from coko dust in the
manner before described, without making gas for illuminating purposes,
the gas evolved serving to heat the oven, as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of Junc,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.