IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND COMBUSTION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF PEAT, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi, of Paris, in the
French Empire, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE AND COMBUSTION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF PEAT, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexandre Henri Charles
Chiandi at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 22nd October 1857.
I, ALEXANDRE HENRI CHARLES CHIANDI, of Paris, in the French Empire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND COMBUSTION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF PEAT, AND IN
THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture and combustion of fuel, tar, oil,
and gas from peat, and the apparatus employed therein. I immerse peat
coke in thick tar, distilled from peat and kept fluid, and subsequently car-
bonise it. The tar is received in vessels or cases having covers, and com-
municating by swan necks or passages with a serpentine for condensing the
oils given out when the tar comes in contact with the coke. During the
carbonization of the coke gas is generated, which is collected in suitable
receivers. The luminous properties contained in gas from peat, as usually
consumed, are but imperfectly developed according to the ordinary process
of combustion. The luminous properties of this gas may be greatly increased

page_text: by restricting the supply of atmospheric air thereto while burning, thereby
retarding combustion and keeping the carbon in suspension in the flame, and
hence increasing the brilliancy and intensity of the light. This may be
effected by means of peculiar burners, contrived or adapted for the purpose.
A suitable form for this purpose is a burner with a circular orifice or slit, the
truncated cone which conducts the air to the flame being widened out or spread
into a bell-mouthed shape at top to check the force of the air against it, and
allow it only to rise vertically and excentrically. The cup below the burner is
perforated or slotted at the lower part, instead of throughout its entire depth,
the dimensions of the openings varying according to the guage of the burner.
For the better draining of the above fuel after immersion in the tar a per-
forated vessel may be employed which receives it from the oven or retort.
The retort preferred for carbonizing the fuel consists of a retort head
and a body; along the top of the latter extends a channel, (lying flat in a
horizontal direction), and forming part of the retort, with which it communi-
cates by an orifice opening into the back or part in contact with the fire.
There is a similar channel extending along the top of the retort head, which
is also provided with two pipes or "tubulures," one of which communicates
with the channel and the other with the interior, by means of which crude
peat gas may be admitted at a high temperature for causing the heat
thoroughly to penetrate the mass of coke, and drawing off the oils arising from
the decomposition of thick tar, which condense in receivers; the feebly illu-
minativegas here produced combines with the peat gras, which enters through
the tube in connection with the top channel and escapes through the other.
For distilling the 'crude tar or tarry matters an arrangement of apparatus
is adopted wherein, by employing high-pressure steam as a heating medium,
distillation is conducted at a constant temperature, (which may be regu-
lated according to the products to be obtained), and the watery particles in
the tar are completely disengaged from it. An ascending column and
diaphragms are employed for preventing the formation of froth, which
might disturb the operation. Danger of ignition is obviated by keeping
the tar receiver submerged in water.
In the form of apparatus preferred a steam boiler of sufficient strength
is used, having within it a second boiler or vessel for receiving the tar, from
which a column ascends for the escape of water in a state of steam, (also the
more volatile oils,) and which is connected with a passage leading to con-
deusing apparatus, the first of which retains any froth that may be formed;
another is a vessel filled with water, and contains a condensing coil. Conical
diaphragms may be used for keeping down froth. A tube is used for drawing

page_text: off the thick tar for the production of my improved fuel under steam
pressure. Pipes for feeding the boiler and tar, and for keeping up.
equilibrium of pressure, and a vessel for reheating the tar, are provided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDRE
HENRI CHARLES CHIANDI, of Paris, in the French Empire, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi, Her special licence, that I, the
said Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi, 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
THE MANUFACTURE AND
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBUSTION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF PEAT, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Alexandre
Henri Charles Chiandi, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par.
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
These improvements have reference to certain products of peat, namely,
fuel, gas, tar, and oils, and relate, first, to the manufacture of an improved
fuel from peat, in the course of which oils and gases are produced.

page_text: Second, to the treatment of peat tar in order to distil it for the foregoing
manufacture, and to obtain oils therefrom.
Third, to the combustion of peat gas for lighting purposes.
My Invention, in reference to fuel, consists in manufacturing an improved
fuel from peat, by immersing or soaking peat coke in thick distilled peat tar
(kept fluid), and subsequently carbonizing it.
And my Invention also consists in an improved construction of retort
for performing such carbonization.
The vessels or cases in which the tar is received for the immersion of
the coke communicate with a serpentine for condensing the oils given out
when the tar and coke come in contact; and during the subsequent
carbonization of the coke in my improved retort gas and oils are produced,
and collected in suitable receivers.
My Invention, in reference to the treatment of peat tar, in order to distil
it and obtain oils therefrom, consists of an improved method and arrange.
ment of apparatus, in which (especially by the use of high-pressure steam)
the temperature at which distillation is conducted may be kept without
deviation at any required point, and may be regulated according to the
products to be obtained; and the disengagement of moisture is completely
effected, while froth and scum are prevented from being formed by means
of an upway and diaphragms; and danger of ignition is obviated by
keeping the tar vessel surrounded by water.
And my Invention further consists in the employment, for obtaining gas
and oil, of the means and apparatus adopted in the manufacture of my fuel
and the distilling of the tar, as herein-after to be explained.
My Invention, in respect of the combustion of peat gas, consists in con-
structing and employing for the purpose apparatus or burners so contrived
as to restrict the supply of air to the flame, and thereby retard combustion
so that the carbon is kept in suspension in the burning gås and forms
highly heated particles, whereby the illuminating properties of this gas are
developed, and an effective light obtained therefrom.
I now proceed more particularly to describe the nature of my Invention
and the best means for carrying the same into effect.
THE FUEL.
My improved fuel which I call hardened coke (coke durci) is best manu-

page_text: separate the oils, (preferably by means of the distilling apparatus presently
to be described,) is placed in large vessels (most conveniently of a square
form, and made of sheet iron,) which are kept at a low temperature to
maintain the contents in a fluid state'; from these the tar is drawn off
through discharge taps into metal cases or vessels (étouffoirs) in order to
soak the coke, which is placed for the purpose in these cases or vessels about
an hour after taking it from the coking ovens as stated. The cases are
provided with covers communicating by swan necks or passages with a worm
or serpentine for condensing the first oils which are given off when the tar
comes in contact with the coke, the latter still retaining a high temperature.
The most convenient plan is to introduce a perforated cylindrical vessel in
the case or "etouffoir" to receive the coke on its being taken from the oven,
and hold it during immersion. The coke is kept immersed in the fluid tar for
a few minutes, the tar will be absorbed by the coke and saturate it thoroughly
to the core, and when the coke is left to drain there will be no danger of
spontaneous combustion, which would be likely to ensue if the immersion were
incomplete. As soon as the oils cease to be given off, the impregnated coke
is removed from the case (being still held in the perforated vessel) and allowed
to drain, the orifices in the vessel assisting the running off of the superfluous
tar. At the end of a day or two the soaked coke is transferred to my im.
proved retort, wherein it is subjected to carbonization at a high temperature,
thus completing the manufacture of the fuel; during this carbonization, oiis
and feebly illuminative gas are produced and collected in proper receivers.
This improved retort is composed of two parts, a retort "head" and a
"body" or retort proper, which differs chiefly from ordinary retorts in
having a horizontal passage along the top, while the "head" has a corre-
sponding top passage and two tubulures or pipes.
Figure 1, of the Drawings annexed, is an elevation of this improved retort
shewing the "head"; Figure a transverse section of the retort; Figure 3, a
longitudinal section on the line A, B, of Figure 1; Figure 4, section on the
line C, D, of Figure 1; Figure 5, section on the line I, K, of Figure 4; and
Figure 6, section on the line G, H, of Figure 5. a is the retort head, and 6 the
body, along the top of which latter extends a passage c lying flat in a hori-
zontal direction, and forming part of the retort, with which it communicates
by an orifice d at the back or part in contact with the fire; the head a has
also along the top a similar passage g, forming a continu ition of and adjusted
to the passage c, and it is also provided with two pipes or tubulures e, f,
one of which, e, communicates with the passage g, and the other, f, with
the interior a. By this arrangement, crude peat gas may be admitted at a
"

page_text: high temperature, to cause the heat thoroughly to penetrate the mass of coke,
and also to draw off the oils arising from the decomposition of the thick tar
which condense in receivers; the feebly illuminative gas here produced com-
bines with and increases the quantity of the peat gas. The gas is admitted
through the tube e, and passage g, c, and escapes through the tube f.
TREATMENT OF TAR.
44
The crude tar produced from peat contains light oils, a thick residuum,
and ammoniacal waters, the separation of which is difficult to accomplish.
For this purpose, I propose to adopt an improved method and apparatus, in
which high-pressure steam is employed as a heating medium, by which
means the temperature at which distillation is conducted may be maintained
steadily at any required degree, and regulated according to the products to
be obtained, and the moisture in the tar also completely disengaged; form-
ation of froth or scum (which would choke the condensers and impede the
operation) is prevented by proper contrivances (an up-way and diaphragms);
and danger of ignition, so frequent in the distillation of tar, is avoided by
surrounding the tar vessel with water.
Figure is an elevation, partly in section, and Figure 8, a plan of my
apparatus. A is a cylindrical boiler calculated for 5, 6, or 8 atmospheres, as
the case may be, provided with all necessary safety appendages; B is an
interior vessel for receiving the tar to be distilled; C, upshaft or rascending
column for the escape of the moisture, water. &c., in a state of vapour, and
of the lighter oils, and communicating by a spherical head and beak D with
the condensing apparatus; E, E, are tubes for conducting the products given
off by distillation into a first condenser F (provided with discharge cocks),
which retains the froth or scum that may be formed. G is a vessel filled with
water, and containing a condensing serpentine or worm fitted with discharge
tap H.
I is a tube for drawing off the thick tar to be made use of in the
manufacture of my improved fuel; J, discharge tap for the tar; K, conical
plates or diaphragms for keeping down the scum or froth; M, feed pipe
supplying the boiler A from a supplementary boiler A¹ through a tube G¹;
N, water level; S, safety valve; B₁, feed tap for feeding the tar into the
vessel B; C¹, boiler for reheating the tar; D¹, feed pipe for the tar;
E', steam tube and tap for exerting pressure in discharging the contents
and cleaning out the apparatus; F¹, F¹, pipe for equilibrium of pressure.
The drawing off of the contents is effected by causing steam pressure to act
on the surface of the tar, keeping all the cocks closed except J and E¹..

page_text: Peat gas, though naturally poor in hydro-carburets, yet contains intrinsic
luminous properties, which are imperfectly brought out as this gas is usually
burnt, but these illuminating properties may be advantageously developed by
restricting the supply of air to the burning gas, thus retarding combustion
and keeping the carbon in suspension in the flame, so as to form solid particles,
which becoming highly heated impart considerable brilliancy and intensity to
the gas, and this may be effected by means of peculiar burners contrived for
the purpose. A suitable form for this object is a burner with a circular orifice
or slit; the truncated cone, which conducts the air to the flame is spread
out into a bell-mouth shape at top to check the force of the air against it, and
allow it only to rise vertically and excentrically, and the cup below the burner
is perforated or slotted at the lower part instead of through its entire depth,
the dimensions of the openings varying according to the gauge of the burner.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent modifications of burners contrived
according to this part of the Invention. Figure 9 is an elevation, and Figure
10 a section of a burner, in which the gas enters at a and passes through
tubes b, b, to an annular space c, the top of which forms the burner; d is
a
gallery surrounding the burner, to which air being supplied through per-
forations e formed in the casing f,passes through the inner tube g and annular
passage h, and feeds the flame to regulate the supply of air; a ringj, formed
with perforations e¹ of the same diameter as those e of the casing may be
employed, by turning which ring the air holes may be opened or closed to a
greater or less extent, or completely shut if desired. Figure 11 is an eleva-
tion, and Figure 12 a section of another form of burner k, in which the gas
enters as usual; this burver differs from those in general use in respect of
its having at top a cap or chamber into which the gas is received, and from
which it issues at the edge p, which forms a lip. The effect of this arrange-
ment is to retard the speed at which the gas passes out, which is equivalent
to restricting the supply of air, and serves in like manner to ignite the carbon.
In carrying my Invention into effect I do not restrict myself to the exact
details of the apparatus shewn and explained, nor indeed do I confine
myself to the employment of the particular apparatuses described for
performing my improved processes herein-before referred to, provided that
such as may be adopted will permit of my improved modes or methods as
specified being adhered to or carried out.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manuer the same is best to be performed, I declare that,―

page_text: First, I claim the manufacture of the improved fuel from peat, by
immersing peat coke in tar and subsequently carbonizing it.
Second, I claim the mode herein-before described of manufacturing the
aforesaid improved fuel, especially the employment for the purpose of the
apparatuses referred to under the first head of this Specification.
Third, I claim, in respect of the retort for carbonizing the soaked coke
in the foregoing manufacture, the combination, arrangement, and adaptation
in manner specified of the horizontal passages c, g, at the top, and the
pipes or tubulures e, f.
Fourth, I claim the mode herein-before described of treating peat tar in
order to distil it and obtain oils therefrom, in such manner that the tem-
perature may be maintained steadily at the required degree, and regulated
according to the products to be obtained; the complete disengagement of
moisture effected; and intrusion of scum and danger of ignition prevented.
especially by the employment of the particular arrangement of apparatus
herein-before described and referred to in Figures 7 and 8 of the Drawings
annexed.
Fifth, I claim the general arrangement and combination of parts of the
apparatus for-treating tar, herein-before described and referred to in Figures
7 and 8 of the Drawings.
And, sixth, I claim constructing burners (especially as herein before
exemplified), and generally adapting, arranging, and contriving means or
apparatus for combustion of peat gas for lighting, in such manner as to
restrict the supply of atmospheric air to the flame and retard combustion,
so as to hold the carbon in suspension, and thus develop or derive au
effective light from such gas.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexandre Henri Charles Chiandi bave
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, One thousand
eignt hundred and fifty-eight.
-
A. H. C. CHIANDI. Ing. Civil. (L.S.)
Witness,
ENILE BARRAULT,
Ingenieur Diplomé,
33, Bard St Martin, a Paris.