Improvements in the Composition of Oils for Feeding Vapor-burning Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1594
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Composition of Oils for Feeding Vapor-burning
Lamps.
I, BENJAMIN Joseph Barnard MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from La Compagnie Internationale pour l'Exploitation
des Procédés Adolphe Seigle, of 4 Rue des Archers, Lyons, in the Republic of
France,) to be as follows:-
:-
Vapor burners used in lighting apparatus are those in which the combustible oil
or fluid, after circulating in variously formed channels heated by the lighting flame
itself, arrives at the burner in the state of vapor. Coal oils, schist oils, petroleum,
and other mineral oils employed in this of apparatus, distil vapors the
combustion of which produces a beautiful light.
For a similar consumption, the flames furnished by vapors of coal oil are much
more luminous, their illuminating power being, for example, about twice that
furnished by the vapors of petroleum; further, the flames obtained from coal oils
are firmer or stronger, that is to say, they resist much better the force of the wind,
than any other.
Nevertheless coal oils used for the above purpose present the grave inconvenience
of depositing within the channels of the vapor burners, tars and even solid products,
which rapidly obstruct them, thereby necessitating frequent and troublesome
cleanings. This defect arises from the fact that coal oils are formed of a series of
hydrocarbons having different vaporising temperatures and that the vapors which
are first produced from them become readily dissociated on contact with metallic
surfaces heated above their vaporising point.
Independently of the serious inconvenience of fouling, this dissociation also
diminishes the illuminating power of these vapors.
Oils, for example, such as petroleum and schist oils, whose vapors become
dissociated only with difficulty, do not present these inconveniences.
It has been discovered that the dissociation of the vapors of coal oil employed for
the above purpose and the inconveniences resulting therefrom, would be avoided if
the sides of the channels of vapor burners were kept below the minimum
temperature of dissociation of these vapors, which temperature can be determined
by experiment.
This result has been obtained by mixing with coal oil, oils having vapors which
are dissociable or are dissociated only with great difficulty, taking into consideration
the respective temperatures of vaporisation of the components and the phenomenon
of the draft which lowers the temperature of the mixture, and in such proportions
that the maximum vaporising temperature of a given mixture shall be lower than
the ascertained minimum temperature of dissociation of the vapors of coal oil
entering into the composition of the said mixture.
The products thus obtained give in effect flames almost equally luminous as those
of the coal oils employed and equally well resisting the action of the wind, but
having further the enormous advantage of not fouling or choking the interior of
vapor burners.
For example, take a coal oil commencing to dissociate at 260 degrees centigrade
and distilling at 210 to 300 degrees centigrade under pressure of 1 atmospheres,
and mix with it 50 per cent. of ordinary petroleum oil. The maximum temperature
of vaporisation of this mixture at the above mentioned pressure, will be about

page_text: 220 degrees; that of the interior surfaces of the burner may be maintained a little
above, without the coal oil being capable of becoming dissociated.
Dated this 28th day of December 1893.
B. J. B. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Composition of Oils for Feeding Vapor-burning
Lamps.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a
communication to me from La Compagnie Internationale pour l'Exploitation des
Procédés Adolphe Seigle of 4 Rue des Archers, Lyons in the Republic of France,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
Vapour burners used in lighting apparatus are those in which the combustible
oil or fluid after circulating in variously formed channels heated by the lighting
flame itself arrives at the burner in the state of vapor. Coal oils, schist oils,
petroleum and other mineral oils employed in this class of apparatus distil vapors
the combustion of which produces a beautiful light.
For a similar consumption, the flames furnished by vapours of coal oil are much
more luminous, their illuminating power being for example, about twice that
furnished by the vapours of petroleum; further the flanies obtained from coal oils
are firmer or stronger, that is to say, they resist much better the force of the wind
than any other.
Nevertheless coal oils used for the above purpose present the grave inconvenience
of depositing within the channels of the vapor burners, tars and even solid products
which rapidly obstruct them, thereby necessitating frequent and troublesome
cleanings.
This defect arises from the fact that coal oils are formed of a series of hydro-
carbons having different vaporising temperatures and that the vapours which are
first produced from them, become readily dissociated on contact with metallic
surfaces heated above their vaporising point.
Independently of the serious inconvenience of fouling, this dissociation has also
the defect of diminishing the illuminating power of these vapors.
Oils for example, such as petroleum and schist oils whose vapours become
dissociated only with difficulty, do not present these inconveniences.
It has been discovered that the dissociation of the vapors of coal oil employed
for the above purpose, and the inconveniences resulting therefrom, would be
avoided if the sides of the channels of vapour burners were kept below the minimum
temperature of dissociation of these vapors, which temperature can be determined
by experiment.
This result has been obtained by mixing with coal oil, oils having vapors which
are dissociable or are dissociated only with great difficulty, taking into consideration
the respective temperatures of vaporisation of the components and the phenomenon
of the induced current caused by the first generated vapors mechanically drawing
along with them a portion of the non vaporized molecules of the liquids vaporizing
at higher temperatures which lowers the vaporizing temperatures of the mixture,
and in such proportions that the maximum vaporizing temperature of a given
mixture, shall be lower than the ascertained minimum temperature of dissociation
of the vapors of coal oil entering into the composition of the said mixture.
The products thus obtained give in effect flames almost as equally luminous as
those of the coal oils employed and almost equally well resisting the action of the

page_text: wind, but having further the enormous advantage of not fouling or choking the
interior of vapor burners.
For example, take a coal oil commencing to dissociate at 260 degrees centigrade
and distilling at 210 to 300 degrees centigrade under pressure of 1 atmospheres,
and mix with it 50 per cent, of ordinary petroleum oil.
The maximum temperature of vaporisation of this mixture at the above mentioned
pressure, will be about 220 degrees, that of the interior surfaces of the burner may
be maintained a little above, without the vapours of coal oil being capable of
becoming dissociated.
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 :-
1. The method of preventing the fouling and choking of vapour burners employed
in gasifying coal oils, consisting in mixing these oils with other oils having
vapours which are dissociable or are dissociated with great difficulty and in such
manner that the mixture is vaporized completely at a temperature lower than the
minimum temperature of dissociation of the vapours of the coal oils employed.
2. The improved composition of oils for feeding vapour burner lamps substantially
as herein described and for the purpose stated.
Want Amban 074K 1x
074 10
B. J. B. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.