Improvements in the Process of Manufacturing Gas.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Manufacturing Gas.
I, WILLIAM PAYSON WATSON, of 29 Broadway, in the City of New York,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer,
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:-
My invention relates to improvements in the process of manufacturing gas, in
which a supply of water gas is enriched by the combination therewith of a supply
of hydrocarbon gas.
..
A practical apparatus adapted to the carrying out of this process, is represented
in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus in elevation.
Figure 2 is a vertical central section ; &
Figure 3 is a top plan view.
A represents an exterior casing, here shewn as formed of metal, of a vertically.
elongated cylindrical form. The casing is provided with a lining a, and comprises
an upper compartment B and lower compartment B', which freely communicate
with one another through a skeleton dome b, which forms the ceiling of the lower
compartment, and a supporting base for the material in the upper compartment.
The lower compartment is provided with a grate C, ash pit c, and door c
opening thereto. It is also provided with a door D, for the entrance of the fuel,
an opening e beneath the grate, for the entrance of air, another opening el, above
the fuel, for the entrance of air, and a gas outlet opening e, above the fuel.
Branches, e³ and e, of a common-air supply pipe E connect with the openings e
and e', and are provided with cocks or valves e and e, for regulating the flow of air
to either the lower or upper portion of the compartment B', as may be desired.
Steam may be applied beneath the grate through an opening e.
The upper compartment B is partially filled with refractory material F, and
has an opening in its upper portion, for the reception of the hydrocarbon. The
said upper compartment is further provided with an opening f, at the top, for
the escape of the smoke and gases in "blowing up"; the said opening having
a cover for closing it air-tight when the manufacture of the gas takes place,
and sight tubes G, G¹ G' are located at different heights throughout the upper
chamber, and extended from its exterior to the outside of the casing.
The tube for spraying the hydrocarbon into the chamber B, is represented by H,
the hydrocarbon being admitted thereto through a pipe h, and a steam jet pipe h',
being arranged to inject the hydrocarbon into the chamber in the form of spray.
The process may be particularly described as follows:-
:-
A fire having been started in the lower chamber B¹, and a supply of coal having
been placed therein, the cover f2 is opened, the cock e closed, the supply of
hydrocarbon and steam shut off from the sprayer, and a blast of air admitted
beneath the grate through the opening e. After the fire is started, the cock e may
be opened, to admit air, to confine the gases in the fire chamber and expedite the
heating. This "blowing up" process will heat the refractory material in the upper
chamber to a glow, and when the latter is sufficiently heated, the cover is closed,
the blast of air cut off or reduced to a slight amount, steam admitted beneath the
grate through the opening e', and the supply of hydrocarbon and steam open to the
sprayer.
The steam from beneath the grate is converted into gas, and forms, with the
products of combustion, a supply of water gas in the lower chamber above
The fl

page_text: The hydrocarbon spray passing down through the hot refractory material, is
converted into a fixed rich illuminating gas, and, as such, mixes with the water
gas in the upper portion of the lower chamber, and becomes thereby reduced to
a commercial gas of great brilliancy, which, after passing through the outlet
opening e, may be washed and stored, as is usual.
It will be observed that by the above process, the hydrocarbon gas is fixed
before it mixes with the water gas, and its candle power may be regulated with
great precision, while the amount of nitrogen may be kept at a minimum.
When the refractory material becomes cooled to a degree too low for effective
results, it may be again raised to the required temperature by again "blowing up."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The process of forming a fixed illuminating gas, consisting in heating a converting
chamber by passing the products of combustion through it from a bed of incan-
descent fuel, introducing a fine spray of hydrocarbon and steam into, and passing it
through said converting chamber in a direction opposite to that in which the
products of combustion pass through it, thereby forming a fixed hydrocarbon gas,
and, simultaneously with the passage of the hydrocarbon spray through the con-
verting chamber, passing steam through the bed of incandescent fuel employed in
heating the converting chamber, thereby forming a water gas which mingles at the
surface of the incandescent fuel with the hot hydrocarbon gas, as it escapes from
the converting chamber, to form an illuminating gas without further fixing,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of January 1893.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.