Improvements in the Distillation of Coal, Shale, and the like, the Invention Comprising the Production of a Special Description of Coke.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Distillation of Coal, Shale, and the like, the
Invention Comprising the Production of a Special Description
of Coke.
I, THOMAS PARKER, of Newbridge House, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The burning of coal in open grates or fire places results, as is well known, in the
loss of a large proportion of the gases which are given off during the combustion of
the fuel, owing to their being driven off at a low temperature such as when a fresh
supply of fuel is thrown upon the fire. Besides the loss thus occasioned, large
volumes of smoke and of deleterious gases or vapours pass away through the chimney
into the atmosphere. Cokes, as prepared or produced by the process usually adopted,
cannot be conveniently burnt in open grates or fire-places as the draft is not sufficient.
to produce the necessary degree of temperature for causing proper combustion.
Now, one object of this invention is the production from bituminous, or other coal,
shale, or the like containing hydro-carbons capable of being distilled by heat, of a
coke or cinder of such character that it will readily burn in an open grate or fire
place, and the saving by such distillation of the products now wasted by burning raw
coals in the grates. The invention applies also generally to the distillation of coal,
shale, and the like.
According to this invention, heated steam, water-gas, or other gas or vapour which
will not support combustion, at any rate to any material extent, is passed into the mass
of the coal or other material as aforesaid to be treated and raises the temperature
sufficiently to distil the volatile gases, which are collected and dealt with in the manner
of dealing with and treating the products from a gas retort; or in analogous manner.
The coal or other material as aforesaid may be charged into large chambers formed of
masonry or metal, or of other suitable material, and the steam, gas, or vapour which
is introduced into the chamber may be heated in a manner similar to that employed
for heating blast for smelting iron, or in other convenient manner.
Dated the 1st day of January 1890
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Distillation of Coal, Shale, and the like, the
Invention Comprising the Production of a Special Description
of Coke.
I, THOMAS PARKER, of Newbridge House, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, Electrical Engineer, 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 burning of coal in ordinary open grates or fire-places results, as is well known,
in a partial distillation of the coal, owing to the comparatively low temperature
obtaining more especially when a fresh supply of fuel is thrown upon the fire, with the
consequent loss of a considerable proportion of the valuable volatile substances, and of
finely divided carbon in the form of smoke; and these products of distillation tend
also to contaminate the atmosphere. In the burning of coke, if such could be
accomplished, in an ordinary open grate or fire-place there would be practically no loss
by distillation, as the material consisting almost entirely of carbon is completely
.n.

page_text: oxidized by the oxygen of the atmosphere with the formation only of the gaseous
oxides of carbon.
Cokes, however, as prepared or produced by the process usually adopted, are of a
graphitoidal character, owing chiefly to the high temperature employed, and these
cokes cannot conveniently be burnt in open grates or fire places as the draught is not
sufficient to produce the necessary degree of temperature for causing proper
combustion.
Now, the chief object of this invention is a process by which bituminous coal, shale
or the like containing hydro-carbons capable of being distilled by heat, is distilled at
a low temperature, the quantity and value of the solid and liquid volatile derivatives
from the coal, shale, or the like being considerably increased and a coke produced of
an amorphous and porous character which will readily burn in an open grate or fire-
place.
The invention applies, also, generally to the distillation of coal, shale and the like
as aforesaid, as being a convenient and efficient means of obtaining the volatile
portions thereof apart from the special purpose of producing a coke of the character
above described; and has the great advantage of being applicable to the distillation
of a very large mass of coal, shale or the like as aforesaid, contained within a closed
chamber, such as could not be dealt with in a retort or chamber merely externally
heated.
According to this invention, the coal, shale or other material as aforesaid, to be
treated, is placed in a large closed chamber or chambers formed of brickwork,
masonry, metal or other suitable material, and is raised to and maintained at the
temperature necessary for the distillation of the volatile portions thereof, by passing
into and through its mass heated steam, water gas, or other gas or vapour which will
not support combustion to any material extent. This steam, gas, or vapour may be
heated in a manner similar to that employed for heating blast for smelting furnaces,
or in other convenient manner; and the products of distillation are collected and
dealt with in the manner of dealing with the volatile products from a gas retort, or in
other convenient manner.
When steam is employed for the purpose aforesaid it may be of such pressure as
will ensure its entrance into and passage through the material under process of
distillation or the steam, gas or vapour may be blown into and through the mass of
the material by means of a fan or other blower, or may be drawn therethrough by
means of an exhauster as in the case of drawing off the volatile products from a gas
retort.
The non-condensible products resulting from the distillation may be utilised in
conveying the heat to the material under process of distillation, such products being
used over and over again if desired; and, if desired, the combustible gases, or a
portion thereof, resulting from such distillation may be burnt and thus utilised in
heating the steam, gas or vapour which is employed to impart the desired temperature
to the material under process of distillation, or the heated non-combustible gases
resulting from such ignition may be utilised in imparting their heat direct to the
material. The combustible gases or a portion thereof resulting from the distillation
may of course be used for the purpose of illumination, or for other purpose to which
such gases are applicable.
I will now proceed to describe the invention with special reference to the drawings
herewith, which illustrate convenient apparatus for use in my improved process of
distillation. Figure 1 illustrates an elevation, partly in section, of a modification in
which products of the distillation are utilised as the medium for conveying heat to the
material under process of distillation, "Cowper" or other regenerative stoves being
employed to raise such products to the required temperature. A is the chamber in
which the distillation is effected, B B Cowper or other regenerative stoves, and the
outlet pipe which conveys the volatile products of distillation away from the upper
portion of the chamber. N is an exhauster, D a tar-pit, E condensers and F a gas
holder, all of the character of those used in gas works. G is the gas main from the
stoves to the tuyeres a which enter the chamber A, and H is a pipe from the gas

page_text: holder to branches J which lead up to the entrance valves to the stoves. The products
of distillation passing away through the tube C are conveyed, through the tar pit D;
and condensers E, to the gas holder F, and pass from thence to the stoves. The gas
is burnt in the one stove, with a suitable admixture of air, until the temperature of
such stove is sufficiently raised; and at the same time the gas is simply heated in the
other stove, and passes from thence into the chamber. The action is reversed from
time to time, each stove being first heated by combustion of the gases and then used
to raise the temperature of a further supply which passes from thence into, the
chamber, and the operation is controlled by suitable valves so that as one stove is
being heated by the combustion of the gases on their way to the chimney M the other
stove is heating the gases which are passing to the chamber. The chamber is close-
topped and the material is fed in through a cup and cone, or other convenient
appliance. The coke is drawn out through a door or doors in the bottom..
If it is not desired to utilise the products of distillation as the medium for conveying.
heat to the material under process of distillation, but to use an independent medium,
such as steam or water gas, for such purpose, the products of distillation may be used,
simply for heating the stoves.
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but represents apparatus employed when the
heat is supplied direct to the material under process of distillation by the combustion
of the combustible volatile gases given off during such process. In this case also an:
exhauster N, tar pit D, condensers E and gas holder F are used. An outlet L for the
passage of the spent gases to the chimney M is formed at a height of a few feet above
the bottom of the furnace, and an outlet C for carrying off the hydro-carbons and
other products of distillation to the gas holder is formed a short distance (say 3
or 4 feet) above the outlet for the spent gases. The gases from the bolder F pass into
a combustion chamber K in which they are ignited with a suitable admixture of air,
and pass from thence to the tuyeres a into the chamber. These gases, after passing
vertically through a portion only of the mass of the material under process of
distillation, pass out through the outlet L into the chimney. The portion of the
material thus heated causes also the heating by conduction of the material above it,
and the hydro-carbons and other volatile products resulting from the distillation
collect, in consequence of their low specific gravity, in the upper part of the chamber
and pass off through the outlet C to the gas holder.
When it is desired to produce a coke of the amorphous character above described,
a low temperature from about 500° to 800° Centigrade, or preferably say from 550°
to 650° Centigrade, should be employed for effecting the distillation of the coal, shale
or other material as aforesaid; but when it is not required to produce such coke the
distillation may be effected under a high temperature, and in such case the process
may be advantageously used in the production of ordinary coal gas, in substitution for
the ordinary process adopted in gas works of distilling by the application of heat
externally to a retort.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved process for distilling coal, shale or the like containing hydro-
carbons capable of being distilled by heat, substantially as described, that is to
say, by passing into and through the mass of such coal, shale or the like, contained
in a suitable closed chamber or chambers, heated steam, water gas, or other gas
or vapour which will not support combustion to any material extent.
2. In the distillation, within a closed chamber or chambers, of coal, shale or the
like containing hydro-carbons capable of being distilled by beat, the utilization of
non-condensible volatile products arising from such distillation as a medium for
conveying heat to the mass under distillation, that is to say by passing such
products, heated to the required temperature, into and through such material, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In the distillation, within a closed chamber or chambers, of coal, shale or the

page_text: like containing hydro-carbons capable of being distilled by heat, burning com-
bustible volatile products of such distillation with a suitable admixture of air, and
utilising the gases resulting from such combustion in heating the mass of material
under process of distillation, or utilising heat generated by such combustion in
raising the temperature of steam, gas, or vapour employed in conveying heat to
the mass of material under process of distillation, substantially as described.
4. In the distillation, within a closed chamber or chambers, of coal, shale or the
like containing hydro-carbons capable of being distilled by heat, burning combustible
volatile products of such distillation within a regenerative stove and utilising the
heat of such stove in raising the temperature of a further supply of the products
of such distillation, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
5. In the distillation of coal, shale or the like containing hydro carbons capable
of being distilled by heat, in which combustible volatile gases resulting from such
distillation are ignited and passed under the resulting temperature into the mass
of the material under treatment, an outlet for the spent gases from the closed
chamber containing such material and a second outlet at a higher level for the
passage of the hydro-carbons and other products of distillation, substantially as
described and, shewn, for the purpose set forth.
: 6. Coke capable of being readily burnt in ordinary open grates or fire-places,
that is to say, coke prepared by or resulting from the improved process of distillation
substantially as herein described.
Dated this 29th day of September 1900.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.