Improved Process and Apparatus for Manufacturing Producer and Water Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for Manufacturing Producer and
Water Gas.
1, CHARLES WHITFIELD, of Anglezarke, Kettering, Northampton, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the more complete conversion of solid and liquid
hydro-carbon compounds to the gaseous state than has been possible by the
processes and apparatuses heretofore in use, and the invention is intended to be
applied to that class of apparatus which is employed for the generation of what are
commonly known as producer gas and water gas.
It is well known that the chemical combination of oxygen with carbon produces
carbonic acid and that when this compound is passed through a mass of incandescent
carbon, carbonic oxide is formed. When atmospheric air used for supplying the
oxygen to the carbon, and steam is added, the oxygen and hydrogen of which the
latter is composed become dissociated, and the oxygen thus liberated combines with
some of the carbon, forming an additional supply of carbonic oxide. This
additional supply of carbonic oxide and the dissociated hydrogen enrich the first
products, and reduce the percentage of diluent nitrogen in the resultant compound.
Owing, however, to the cooling effect of the steam and carbonic acid on the
incandescent fuel, and to the fact the conversion of carbonic acid into carbonic
oxide can only be completely effected at a temperature of about 1000° Fahrenheit,
the amount of steam that can be treated in this way is limited by the amount of
sensible heat produced by the initial combination of the oxygen of the atmosphere
with the carbon on the grate, or near the tuyeres, which is available above that
temperature. And as the heavier hydro-carbons are only converted into fixed gases
when raised to a temperature somewhat above 1000°, it becomes necessary to heat
the vapours, which are given off when the fuel is first placed in the generator or
producer, to or above that temperature.
I so construct my generator or producer as to provide for a cycle of operations
whereby the latent energy of the oxygen (which energy is liberated during the
combustion of the fuel by the air) is utilized in converting the carbonaceous fuel
into a gaseous condition, and in raising the gases to such a temperature that the
sensible heat of the gases escaping from the outlet of the producer to the holder is
more than sufficient to fix any of the vapourized hydrocarbons that may make their
way into the same outlet from the fuel that is newly fed into the producer.
This cycle of operations consists firstly in raising the fuel to a high temperature
at the bottom of the generator or producer, by forcing air, either at ordinary
temperatures, or heated in any suitable way, through the grate or tuyeres, secondly
in ejecting into the fuel, at the part where its temperature is the highest, as much
steam as the heated fuel will reduce and transform into hydrogen and carbonic
oxide and thirdly in causing the steam to convey the condensible products of the
fuel into a large mass of incandescent carbon before the products pass off through
the main outlet.
, In order to carry out this cycle of operations I construct the generator or
producer as follows:-
At some distance, say one to two feet, above the grate or bottom I form a belt

page_text: round the generator, with openings leading to the interior of the fuel space; and
I connect this belt by a pipe or conduit, with the top of the generator, where the fuel
is admitted. In this pipe or conduit.I place a steam jet in such a manner that the
flow of steam induces a current from the upper part of the generator to the belt, so
that the steam which is to be decomposed carries with it the volatile compounds
evaporated from the fuel the said upper part of the generator. This stearn jet
may be regulated by hand, or if preferred, automatically by an arrangement, for
example, in which the expansive effect of the heat is made to increase or diminish
the quantity of steam admitted to the nozzle of the jet.
The action of the steam jet produces a circulation of the steam, of the products
of combustion, and of the vapours from the fuel, in the generator, in such direction
and manner as to render it almost impossible for any of the heavier vapourized
hydro-carbon compounds to escape to the outlet, which is placed at some distance,
say two or three feet, from the top of the generator, without first passing through
a mass of incandescent fuel, where it is decomposed or otherwise fixed.
The distance between the belt, through which the steam and hydro-carbon
vapours are admitted to the generator, and the outlet provided for conveying the
gas to the holder, or to the point where it is to be employed, may conveniently be
about four or five feet.
In some cases the steam and vapour may be led into the ash pit instead of into a
belt surrounding the generator.
When liquid fuel is employed as well as solid, it may be injected as liquid along
with the steam, or to be vapourized first at the top of the generator, or by utilizing
the sensible heat of the gas after it leaves the generator.
By the arrangements above described it is possible to utilize the heat produced
by the initial combustion of a given weight of fuel firstly, for the production of
carbonic oxide and secondly for the decomposition of the greatest possible volume
of steam, and the fixing of all the volatile hydro-carbons; whereby a compound
containing the smallest percentage of diluent nitrogen, with a high percentage of
carbonic oxide, hydrogen, and the lighter hydro-carbon is obtained.
The requisite steam may be produced in any suitable steam boiler heated if
desired by the hot gas coming from the gas generator, before such gas enters the
condenser or scrubber.
Where circumstances are favourable to the utilization of the sensible heat of the
gas as it leaves the generator, and where steam is required for purposes other
than for use in the generator or producer itself, that portion of the apparatus
surrounding the lower and hotter part of fuel may consist of an annular water
vessel, and so form part of a general system employed for heating water or raising
steam.
By this means a good deal of the difficulty caused by clinker adhering to the fire-
brick sides of the generator may be overcome. In place of a solid bottom, or of
ordinary grate bars, I sometimes use rocking bars, or movable travelling bars so
arranged that when operated they push off the clinker.
The feeding of the fuel may be effected by hand, or by any suitable automatically
acting apparatus and where automatic apparatus is not employed the clinkering
and pokering may be effected as in the generators or producers.
The products first given off from the fuel may be used as illuminating gas, and
be treated for the recovery of the ordinary bye-products in the usual way.
In some cases the circulation of the vapourized gases may be effected by means
of a fan, a Root's blower, an air pump or any other suitable gas circulating
apparatus.
Dated this 10th dow of June 1900
C. WHITFIELD,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.

page_text: DI BOITTUATION
Improved Process and Apparatus for Manufacturing Producer and
Water Gas.
I, CHARLES WHITFIELD, of Anglezarke, Kettering in the County of
Northampton, 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 :-
This invention has for its object the more complete conversion of solid and liquid
hydro-carbon compounds to the gaseous state than has been possible by the
processes and apparatuses heretofore in use, and the invention is intended to be
applied to that class of apparatus which is employed for the generation of what are
commonly known as producer gas and water gas.
It is well known that the chemical combination of oxygen with carbon produces
carbonic acid, and that when this compound is passed through a mass of
incandescent carbon carbonic oxide is formed. When atmospheric air is used for
supplying the oxygen to the carbon, and steam is added, the oxygen and hydrogen
of which the latter is composed become dissociated, and the oxygen thus liberated
combines with some of the carbon, forming an additional supply of carbonic oxide.
This additional supply of carbonic oxide and the dissociated hydrogen enrich the
first products, and reduce the percentage of diluent nitrogen in the resultant
compound. Owing, however, to the cooling effect of the steam and carbonic acid
cu the incandescent fuel, and to the fact that the conversion of carbonic acid into
carbonic oxide can only be completely effected at a temperature of about
1000° Fahrenheit, the amount of steam that can be treated in this way is limited
by the amount of sensible heat produced by the initial combination of the oxygen
of the atmosphere with the carbon on the grate or near the tuyeres, which is
available above that temperature. And as the heavier hydro-carbons are only
converted into fixed gases when raised to a temperature somewhat above 1000° F.
in contact with a further supply of oxygen or hydrogen, it becomes uecessary to
heat the vapours which are given off when the fuel is first placed in the generator
or producer to or above that temperature.
so construct my generator or producer as to provide for a cycle of operations
whereby the vapourized hydrocarbons are combined with a proper quantity of
oxygen or bydrogen and are raised to a sufficiently high temperature to convert
them into permanent gases.
This cycle of operations consists firstly in raising the fuel to a high temperature
at or near the bottom of the generator or producer, by forcing air, either at
ordinary temperatures, or heated in any suitable way, through the grate or tuyeres;
secondly in injecting into the fuel, at a point above the zone of combustion where
the said fuel is in a state of incandescence, and where its temperature is sufficiently
high, as much steam as the heated fuel will decompose, and thirdly in causing the
said steam to convey the condensible products of the fuel into the said incandescent
fuel before the products pass off through the main outlet.
In order to carry out this cycle of operations I construct the generator of
producer as shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Figure 1 represents a plan of a generator or producer,
Figures 2 and 3 vertical sections taken on the lines X-X and Y-Y respectively
of Figure 1, and
Figure 4 a horizontal section taken on the line Z-Z of Figure 3.
At some distance, say one or two feet, above the grate or bottom A, I form a
belt B, shown by dotted lines, extending more or less round the generator, with

page_text: openings C, also shown in dotted lines, leading to the interior of the fuel space
just above the zone of combustion, and I connect this belt by a pipe or conduit D
with the top of the generator, where the fuel is admitted. In this pipe or
conduit DI place a steam jet E in such a manner that the flow of steam induces
a current from the upper part of the generator to the belt, so that the steam
which is to be decomposed carries with it the volatile compounds evaporated
from the fuel at the said upper part of the generator and which is introduced
through the hopper F. This steam jet may be regulated by hand, or if preferred,
automatically by any suitable arrangement, as for example by one in which the
expansive effect of the heat is made to increase or diminish the quantity of steam
admitted to the nozzle of the jet.
The action of the steam jet E produces a circulation of the steam, of the
products of combustion, and of the vapours from the fuel in the upper part of the
generator, in such direction and manner as to render it almost impossible for
any of the heavier vapourized hydrocarbon compounds to escape to the outlet G,
which is placed at some distance, say two or three feet, from the top of the
generator, without first passing through a mass of incandescent fuel at H, and
there becoming decomposed or otherwise fixed.
The distance between the belt B, through which the steam and hydro-carbon
vapours are admitted to the generator, and the outlet G provided for conveying
the gas to the holder, or to the point where it is to be employed, may conveniently
be about four or five feet.
I is an opening for the admission of air into the closed ash-pit below the fire
bars A from the blowing engine or fan, J is a sight hole for viewing the interior
of the generator or producer when the same is at work, and K is an opening
through which the generator or producer can be cleaned out when necessary. This
opening is kept normally closed by a "Tangye" retort lid P or other suitable
airtight door.
Instead of using a belt B, I sometimes connect the lower end of the down pipe
or conduit D directly to an opening or passage L which leads the steam and
volatile compounds evaporated at the upper part of the generator into the fuel at
a point just above the zone of combustion.
It will now be understood that assuming the fuel at the lower part of the
generator or producer at M to be in a state of combustion and at the part H in a
state of incandescence, and that the green fuel at the upper part is comparatively
cool but kept hot enough, by the transmission of heat from the incandescent fuel
below, to give off volatile hydrocarbon compounds, these latter are drawn away
through the pipe or conduit D by the steam jet E and are delivered along with
the steam into the incandescent fuel at the part H of the generator or producer
just above the zone of combustion. These volatile hydrocarbon compounds and
the steam are decomposed by the said incandescent fuel, and pass off along with
the carbonic oxide produced by the combustion of the fuel at the lower part of the
furnace through the outlet G.
When liquid fuel is employed as well as solid, it may be injected as liquid
along with the steam, or be vapourized first at the top of the generator, or by
utilizing the sensible heat of the gas after it leaves the generator.
By the arrangements above described it is possible to utilize the heat produced
by the initial combustion of a given weight of fuel, firstly, for the production of
carbonic oxide, and, secondly, for the decomposition of the greatest possible volume
of steam, and the fixing of all the volatile hydrocarbons, whereby a compound
containing the smallest percentage of diluent nitrogen, with a high percentage of
carbonic oxide, hydrogen, and the lighter hydro-carbons is obtained, the volatile
hydro-carbons being made to enrich what would be under ordinary circumstances
only common producer gas.
The requisite steam may be produced in any suitable steam boiler heated if
desired by the hot gas coming from the gas generator, before such gas enters the
condenser or scrubber.

page_text: If preferred instead of fire bars a solid or water bottom without firebars may be-
employed.
The feeding of the fuel may be effected by hand, or by any suitable auto-
matically acting apparatus, and where automatic apparatus is not employed the
clinkering and pokering may be effected as in other generators or producers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to have it.
understood that I am aware that it is not novel to introduce the volatile compound
generated at the upper part of the producer with or without steam. into the ash.
pit or into the zone of combustion, and that I make no claim to such process but
declare that what I do claim is :-
First. The process for manufacturing producer and water gas which consists in
raising the fuel to a high temperature at or near the bottom of the generator or
producer by forcing in air, and in injecting into the incandescent fuel, at a point
above the zone of combustion, steam and the volatile compounds given off from the
green fuel at the upper part of the said generator or producer, and in then leading-
away from the generator or producer the products of combustion of the fuel and
the products of the decomposition of the steam and volatile compounds before they
reach the upper part of the generator or producer where the volatile compounds.
are given off from the green fuel, substantially as described.
Second. The improved apparatus for manufacturing producer and water gas.
which consists of a generator or producer having an outlet for such gases placed
at a point below the part where volatile compounds are given off from the green
fuel and a pipe or conduit connecting the upper part of the generator or producer
with the part or region thereof where the fuel in a state of incandescence above.
the zone of combustion, substantially as described.
C.
WHITFIELD,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent..